Patent ID: 8356881

Claim:
An inkjet printer comprising: a media supporter configured to support a printing medium to be relatively movable with respect to the media supporter along a first direction; a head device relatively movable with respect to the printing medium and the media supporter along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the head device comprising inkjet heads from which ink is configured to be discharged to print on the printing medium supported by the media supporter while the head device relatively moves with respect to the printing medium and the media supporter alone the second direction; and an ink mist removal mechanism arranged in the head device to face the printing medium supported by the media supporter, the ink mist removal mechanism being configured to generate an air current that flows through a space between the head device and the printing medium and being configured to discharge the air current to remove ink mist generated due to ink discharge from the inkjet heads, the ink mist removal mechanism comprising: an air suction mechanism arranged in the head device to face the printing medium supported by the media supporter, the air suction mechanism including a first suction port relatively movable with the head device with respect to the printing medium and the media supporter along the second direction, the first suction port being provided between the inkjet heads and being configured to suck air to generate an air current that flows from a space between the head device and the printing medium towards the first suction port; and an air discharge mechanism arranged in the head device to face the printing medium supported by the media supporter, the air discharge mechanism including a first discharge port relatively movable with the head device with respect to the printing medium and the media supporter along the second direction the first discharge port being configured to discharge air to generate an air current that flows from the first discharge port toward the space between the head device and the printing medium, the air suction mechanism and the air discharge mechanism being configured to generate an air current that flows from the first discharge port toward the first suction port through the space between the head device and the printing medium, wherein the inkjet heads include a first inkjet head and a second inkjet head, the first suction port being provided between the first and second inkjet heads in the second direction, wherein the air suction mechanism includes a second suction port and a third suction port, the second suction port being arranged on an opposite side of the first suction port with respect to the first inkjet head in the second direction, the third suction port being arranged on a first side of the first inkjet head in the first direction, and wherein the first discharge port is arranged on a second side of the first inkjet head in the first direction, the second side being opposite to the first side with respect to the first inkjet head in the first direction.