Air evacuation system for ink-jet printer

摘要

A color ink-jet printer having a heating and air evacuation system for evaporating ink carriers from the print medium after ink-jet printing. A medium advancement system advances the print medium from an input tray to the print zone. At the print zone, a print heater whose position is fixed in relation to the printer body heats the medium to cause accelerated drying of the ink deposited on the medium. An exhaust fan and duct system exhausts air and ink carrier vapor away from the print zone and out of the printer housing. The duct system includes an elongated inlet opening fixed in position relative to the printer body and disposed along the extent of the printer housing. The air and ink carrier vapors are drawn into the inlet opening and away from the print zone.