An image forming apparatus, which performs recording by discharging ink onto a recording medium using a recording head that discharges the ink, includes a carriage that is mounted with the recording head and scans in a main scanning direction, a linear scale that is provided with graduations for detecting a position of the recording head mounted on the carriage and extends along the main scanning direction, a linear sensor that is fixed to the carriage and reads out the graduations on the linear scale by scanning in the main scanning direction on the linear scale together with the carriage, and an air guide that is arranged in a vicinity of the linear sensor in the main scanning direction and guides air moving toward the linear sensor as the carriage scans such that the air is directed away from the linear sensor. In the image recording apparatus, adhesion of ink mist to the linear sensor can be reduced.

An ink drying apparatus for an ink jet printer includes an internal heating apparatus. The heating apparatus comprises gas flow restrictors for air that enters the heating apparatus. The gas flow restrictors may be formed as dual horizontal slots which are sized to maintain a higher air pressure in the heating apparatus as compared to the air pressure in a region within the ink drying apparatus that is outside of the heating apparatus.

The ink jet recording apparatus includes an image forming device for forming an image on a recording medium by ejecting ink containing a solvent and color particles dispersed in the solvent, a fixing device for fixing the image formed on the recording medium by the image forming device, a collecting device for selectively collecting air containing the solvent from an atmosphere in proximity to the fixing device, and a removing device for removing the solvent from the solvent-containing air collected by the collecting device.

The invention provides a method of depositing a soluble material on a substrate comprising the steps of: loading the soluble material into an ink-jet print head; providing a flow of gas between the ink-jet print head and the substrate or adjacent thereto; and ejecting the material from the print head so as to deposit it on the substrate. Also provided is an apparatus for depositing a soluble material on a substrate, comprising an ink-jet print head and gas flow means for providing a flow of gas between the ink-jet print head and the substrate or adjacent thereto. In a preferred arrangement, heating of the substrate during deposition is also provided. In a most preferred arrangement, the deposition is additionally conducted on the basis of continuous formation of a sequence of partially overlapping dots.

In accordance with one embodiment, a system comprises a print head assembly comprising a plurality of ink-ejecting nozzles and a drying station downstream of the print head assembly and configured to produce and emit air proximate a print media. A deflector is mounted between the print head assembly and the drying station and is configured to deflect an amount of the air that is produced by the drying station.