Nozzle unit and inkjet printer

Abstract

A printhead unit capable of improving the versatility of a base member on which a plurality of printheads are mounted, and easily switching from a straight-line arrangement to a staggered arrangement and vice versa, is provided even when the printheads are arranged in a straight line or staggered. In the printhead unit (15), the base member (14) is formed with an opening (14a) for exposing a nozzle face of a printhead (3) and an opening (14b) for exposing a nozzle face of a printhead (4), and the width of the opening (14a) in the sub-scanning direction is set to a width that allows the printhead (3) to be arranged in a first position (3A) in which the printhead (3) and the printhead (4) are arranged at the same position in the sub-scanning direction and a second position in which the printhead (3) and the printhead (4) are arranged at positions staggered in the sub-scanning direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a printhead unit having multiple inkjet heads. Additionally, this invention relates to an inkjet printer having the printhead unit. Background Technology

[0002] Conventionally, inkjet printers that eject ink to a printing medium for printing are known (for example, see Patent Document 1). The inkjet printer described in Patent Document 1 includes two printheads, a printhead holding mechanism for holding the two printheads, and a carriage that mounts the two printheads and the printhead holding mechanism. The two printheads are arranged in a staggered configuration in the main scanning direction. The printheads eject ink downwards. The lower surface of the printhead becomes a nozzle surface for forming a plurality of nozzles that eject ink.

[0003] In the inkjet printer described in Patent Document 1, the printhead holding mechanism includes a base member fixed to a carriage. An opening (through hole) is formed in the base member to expose the nozzle surface of the printhead. In Patent Document 1… Figure 4 In this embodiment, the two inkjet heads are positioned at the same location in the sub-scanning direction. That is, in Patent Document 1... Figure 4 In one example, two inkjet heads are arranged in a straight line. However, in Figure 10 of Patent Document 1, the two inkjet heads are arranged at staggered positions in the sub-scanning direction. That is, in Figure 10 of Patent Document 1, the two inkjet heads are arranged in an alternating configuration.

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-188759 Summary of the Invention

[0007] The problem the invention aims to solve

[0008] In the inkjet printer described in Patent Document 1, the position of the opening formed in the base member changes depending on whether the two inkjet heads are arranged in a straight line or in an alternating arrangement. Therefore, in this inkjet printer, for both straight-line and alternating inkjet head arrangements, a base member is needed for a straight-line arrangement with openings formed at positions corresponding to the straight-line inkjet heads, and a base member is needed for an alternating arrangement with openings formed at positions corresponding to the alternating inkjet heads. Consequently, the versatility of the base member is reduced.

[0009] Furthermore, in the inkjet printer described in Patent Document 1, when the inkjet heads are arranged in a straight line, a base member for the straight-line arrangement needs to be fixed to the carriage; when the inkjet heads are arranged in an interleaved configuration, a base member for the interleaved configuration needs to be fixed to the carriage. Therefore, in this inkjet printer, when switching the inkjet head configuration from a straight-line arrangement to an interleaved configuration, or vice versa, the base member must be replaced, making the switching process cumbersome.

[0010] Therefore, the objective of this invention is to provide a printhead unit comprising a plurality of inkjet heads and a base member for mounting the plurality of inkjet heads. In this printhead unit, the versatility of the base member can be improved when the inkjet heads are arranged in a linear or staggered configuration, and switching between a linear and staggered configuration can be easily performed. Furthermore, the objective of this invention is to provide an inkjet printer comprising this printhead unit.

[0011] Solution for solving the problem

[0012] To solve the above-mentioned problems, the printhead unit of the present invention is characterized in that it comprises: a plurality of inkjet heads, each inkjet head having a nozzle face on which a plurality of nozzles for ink ejection are formed; a carriage that mounts the plurality of inkjet heads; and a base member that is fixed to the carriage and for mounting the plurality of inkjet heads, wherein the portion of the base member on the nozzle face side where the plurality of inkjet heads are mounted has a plurality of openings for exposing the nozzle faces of each of the plurality of inkjet heads; wherein a predetermined inkjet head among the plurality of inkjet heads is designated as the first inkjet head, and the plurality of inkjet heads are... In the first inkjet head, the inkjet head other than the first inkjet head is designated as the second inkjet head. When the opening for exposing the nozzle surface of the first inkjet head is designated as the first opening, the width of the first opening in the sub-scanning direction, which is orthogonal to the main scanning direction and the vertical direction, which is the moving direction of the carriage, is set to a width that allows the first inkjet head to be positioned in a first position and a second position. In the first position, the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are positioned at the same position in the sub-scanning direction, and in the second position, the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are positioned at a staggered position in the sub-scanning direction.

[0013] In the printhead unit of the present invention, a first opening is formed in the base member for exposing the nozzle surface of the first inkjet head. The width of the first opening in the sub-scanning direction is set to a width that allows the first inkjet head to be disposed in a first position and a second position. In the first position, the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are disposed in the same position in the sub-scanning direction. In the second position, the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are disposed in a staggered position in the sub-scanning direction.

[0014] Therefore, in this invention, a common base member can be used to arrange the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head at the same position in the sub-scanning direction, and also to arrange the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head at staggered positions in the sub-scanning direction. That is, in this invention, a common base member can be used to arrange the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head in a straight line or in an alternating arrangement. Therefore, in this invention, the versatility of the base member can be improved even when the inkjet heads are arranged in a straight line or in an alternating arrangement.

[0015] Furthermore, in this invention, a shared base member can be used to arrange the first and second inkjet heads in a linear or staggered configuration. Therefore, when switching the inkjet head configuration from a linear to a staggered configuration, or vice versa, it is not necessary to replace the base member. Thus, in this invention, when arranging the inkjet heads in a linear or staggered configuration, switching from a linear to a staggered configuration and vice versa can be easily performed.

[0016] In this invention, it is preferable that the printhead unit includes a sealing member for sealing the portion of the first opening where the first inkjet head is not located. With this configuration, even if the width of the first opening in the sub-scanning direction is wider to allow for both linear and staggered arrangements of the first and second inkjet heads, it is possible to prevent dust and ink mist from intruding into the carriage from the first opening.

[0017] In this invention, for example, a base member is provided with two inkjet heads, a first inkjet head and a second inkjet head, and two openings are formed, wherein the width of the first opening in the sub-scanning direction is wider than the width of the other opening in the sub-scanning direction.

[0018] In this invention, it is preferable that the printhead unit includes a first adjustment member for fine-tuning the position of at least one of the plurality of printheads in the sub-scanning direction relative to the base member. Furthermore, it is preferable that the printhead unit includes a second adjustment member for fine-tuning the position of at least one of the plurality of printheads in the rotational direction relative to the base member, where the vertical direction is the axis of rotation. With this configuration, misalignment of the printheads relative to the base member and misalignment among the plurality of printheads can be suppressed. Therefore, the print quality of the inkjet printer can be improved.

[0019] The printhead unit of the present invention can be used in inkjet printers equipped with a carriage drive mechanism that moves the carriage in the main scanning direction. In this inkjet printer, the versatility of the base component can be improved when the printheads are arranged in a straight line or staggered configuration, and switching from a straight line configuration to a staggered configuration and vice versa can be easily performed.

[0020] In this invention, the inkjet printer prints on a printing medium (i.e., performs two-dimensional printing) with the first inkjet head positioned in either the first or second position, and manufactures a three-dimensional object with the first inkjet head positioned in the first position. In this case, by having the inkjet printer print on the printing medium with the first inkjet head positioned in the first position, it becomes easier to print on printing media using inks that employ not only primary colors like CMYK but also spot colors such as light colors and orange. Furthermore, by having the inkjet printer print on the printing medium with the first inkjet head positioned in the second position, the advantages of staggered configurations can be enjoyed. Moreover, when manufacturing a three-dimensional object with the inkjet printer, in addition to colored inks, more types of inks, such as model materials and support materials, are required than in two-dimensional printing. By manufacturing a three-dimensional object with the first inkjet head positioned in the first position, multiple types of inks can be ejected in a straight line. In other words, this configuration makes the inkjet printer suitable for both printing on printing media and manufacturing three-dimensional objects. Furthermore, when manufacturing three-dimensional objects, if the inkjet head that ejects colored ink and the inkjet head that ejects support material are arranged alternately, the purpose of the support material is lost.

[0021] The effects of the invention

[0022] As described above, in this invention, both linear and staggered arrangements of the inkjet heads can improve the versatility of the base component for mounting multiple inkjet heads, and it is easy to switch from linear to staggered arrangements and vice versa. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of an inkjet printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 It is used for explanation Figure 1 The diagram shows a schematic representation of the structure of an inkjet printer.

[0025] Figure 3 It is used for explanation Figure 2 The top view of the structure of the nozzle unit shown.

[0026] Figure 4 It is used for explanation Figure 2 The top view of the structure of the nozzle unit shown.

[0027] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 The top view of the base component shown.

[0028] Figure 6 This is a top view illustrating the structure of a nozzle unit according to other embodiments of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 7 This is a top view illustrating the structure of a nozzle unit according to other embodiments of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0030] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0031] (Brief structure of an inkjet printer)

[0032] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of an inkjet printer 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 It is used for explanation Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of inkjet printer 1 is shown.

[0033] The inkjet printer 1 (hereinafter referred to as "printer 1") in this embodiment is, for example, an inkjet printer for business use, which prints on the printing medium 2. That is, printer 1 performs two-dimensional printing. The printing medium 2 is, for example, printing paper, cloth, or a resin film. Printer 1 has a plurality of inkjet heads 3 and 4 that eject ink toward the printing medium 2. Printer 1 in this embodiment has two inkjet heads 3 and 4, which serve as a first inkjet head and an inkjet head 4, which serve as a second inkjet head. In the following description, inkjet head 3 will be referred to as "printhead 3" and inkjet head 4 will be referred to as "printhead 4".

[0034] Additionally, printer 1 includes: a carriage 5, which carries two printheads 3 and 4; and a carriage drive mechanism 6, which directs the carriage 5 in the main scanning direction ( Figure 1 The guide rail 7 guides the carriage 5 in the main scanning direction; the platform 8 holds the printing medium 2 during printing; the media transport mechanism 9 moves in the vertical direction (e.g., in the Y direction); Figure 1 The Z-direction (equal to the main scanning direction) and the sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction (equal to the main scanning direction) Figure 1 The printing medium 2 is transported in the X direction (e.g., the X direction); and multiple ink tanks 10, which contain the ink supplied to the printheads 3 and 4.

[0035] The carriage drive mechanism 6 includes, for example, two pulleys; a belt mounted on the two pulleys and partially fixed to the carriage 5; and a motor that rotates the pulleys. The media transport mechanism 9 includes, for example, a drive roller, a driven roller, and a motor, wherein the drive roller contacts one side of the printing medium 2, the driven roller is disposed opposite to the drive roller and contacts the other side of the printing medium 2, and the motor rotates the drive roller.

[0036] The printheads 3 and 4, mounted on the carriage 5, are positioned offset from each other in the main scanning direction. The printheads 3 and 4 are formed with the same shape. The printheads 3 and 4, mounted on the carriage 5, eject ink towards the upper surface of the printing medium 2 placed on the stage 8. That is, the printheads 3 and 4 eject ink downwards. Multiple ink-ejecting nozzles are formed on the lower surface of the printhead 3. The lower surface of the printhead 3 becomes the nozzle surface 3a for forming the multiple nozzles. Similarly, multiple ink-ejecting nozzles are formed on the lower surface of the printhead 4, and the lower surface of the printhead 4 becomes the nozzle surface 4a for forming the multiple nozzles.

[0037] Nozzle surfaces 3a and 4a are, for example, formed in a rectangular shape. Furthermore, the long side of the rectangular nozzle surfaces 3a and 4a is aligned with the sub-scanning direction, and the short side is aligned with the main scanning direction. Nozzle rows consisting of multiple nozzles arranged along the sub-scanning direction are formed on nozzle surfaces 3a and 4a. For example, four nozzle rows arranged along the main scanning direction are formed on nozzle surfaces 3a and 4a.

[0038] Additionally, the printer 1 includes a base component 14, which is fixed to the carriage 5 and used to mount two printheads 3 and 4. In this embodiment, the printhead unit 15 is constituted by the printheads 3 and 4, the carriage 5, and the base component 14. The structure of the printhead unit 15 will be described below.

[0039] (Structure of the nozzle unit)

[0040] Figure 3 , Figure 4 It is used for explanation Figure 2 A top view of the structure of the nozzle unit 15 shown. Figure 5 yes Figure 3 The diagram shows a top view of the base component 14. In the following description, the main scanning direction (Y direction) is defined as the "left-right direction," and the secondary scanning direction (X direction) is defined as the "front-back direction." Additionally, one side in the front-back direction... Figure 3 The X1 direction side is designated as the "front" side, and its opposite side is... Figure 3 The X2 direction side is set as the "rear" side.

[0041] As described above, the nozzle unit 15 includes a base member 14. The base member 14 is fixed to the lower end of the carriage 5, forming the lower end of the nozzle unit 15. Furthermore, the nozzle unit 15 includes: a nozzle holding member 16 for fixing the lower end of the nozzle 3; a nozzle holding member 17 for fixing the lower end of the nozzle 4; an eccentric cam 18 for fine-tuning the position of the nozzle 4 in the front-back direction (sub-scanning direction) relative to the base member 14; and an eccentric cam 19 for fine-tuning the position (rotation angle) of the nozzle 3 in the rotational direction relative to the base member 14, where the vertical direction is the axis of rotation. In this embodiment, the eccentric cam 18 is a first adjustment member, and the eccentric cam 19 is a second adjustment member.

[0042] The nozzle retaining members 16 and 17 are, for example, formed as rectangular flat plates. The nozzle retaining members 16 and 17 are, for example, formed with the same shape. When viewed from above, the nozzle retaining members 16 and 17 are larger than the nozzles 3 and 4. The nozzle retaining members 16 and 17 are fixed to the upper surface of the base member 14 using screws (not shown). For example, the nozzle retaining members 16 and 17 are fixed to the base member 14 using two, three, or four screws.

[0043] In this embodiment, if the screws used to fix the nozzle retaining member 16 to the base member 14 are loosened (or the screws are removed), the nozzle retaining member 16 can rotate axially relative to the base member 14 with the vertical direction as rotation. Furthermore, if the screws used to fix the nozzle retaining member 17 to the base member 14 are loosened (or the screws are removed), the nozzle retaining member 17 can move relative to the base member 14 in the front-back direction.

[0044] As described above, the lower end of the nozzle 3 is fixed to the nozzle retaining member 16, and the lower end of the nozzle 3 is mounted to the base member 14 via the nozzle retaining member 16. Similarly, the lower end of the nozzle 4 is fixed to the nozzle retaining member 17, and the lower end of the nozzle 4 is mounted to the base member 14 via the nozzle retaining member 17. That is, the portion of the nozzle 3 near the nozzle surface 3a is mounted to the base member 14 via the nozzle retaining member 16, and the portion of the nozzle 4 near the nozzle surface 4a is mounted to the base member 14 via the nozzle retaining member 17.

[0045] An opening (not shown) is formed in the nozzle holding member 16 to expose the nozzle surface 3a of the nozzle 3 to the lower surface side of the nozzle unit 15. An opening (not shown) is formed in the nozzle holding member 17 to expose the nozzle surface 4a of the nozzle 4 to the lower surface side of the nozzle unit 15. The openings of the nozzle holding members 16 and 17 extend through the nozzle holding members 16 and 17 in the vertical direction. The openings of the nozzle holding members 16 and 17 are, for example, rectangular in shape. The width of the openings of the nozzle holding members 16 and 17 in the front-rear direction is slightly wider than the width of the nozzle surfaces 3a and 4a in the front-rear direction, and the width of the openings of the nozzle holding members 16 and 17 in the left-right direction is slightly wider than the width of the nozzle surfaces 3a and 4a in the left-right direction.

[0046] The base member 14 has an opening 14a for exposing the nozzle surface 3a of the printhead 3 to the lower surface side of the printhead unit 15, and an opening 14b for exposing the nozzle surface 4a of the printhead 4 to the lower surface side of the printhead unit 15. That is, the base member 14 has two openings 14a and 14b for exposing the nozzle surfaces 3a and 4a of the two printheads 3 and 4 respectively. In this embodiment, the opening 14a is the first opening for exposing the nozzle surface 3a of the printhead 3, which is the first inkjet head.

[0047] Openings 14a and 14b penetrate the base member 14 in the vertical direction. Openings 14a and 14b are rectangular in shape. Openings 14a and 14b are adjacent in the horizontal direction. The horizontal width of opening 14a is equal to the horizontal width of opening 14b. The horizontal width of openings 14a and 14b is slightly wider than the horizontal width of nozzle faces 3a and 4a. The front-rear width of opening 14b is slightly wider than the front-rear width of nozzle face 4a.

[0048] The width of the opening 14a in the front-to-back direction is set so that the nozzle 3 can be positioned at the first position 3A (see reference). Figure 3 ) and position 2 3B (refer to) Figure 4 In the first position 3A, printheads 3 and 4 are positioned at the same location in the front-to-back direction (i.e., printheads 3 and 4 are arranged in a straight line). In the second position 3B, printheads 3 and 4 are positioned at different locations in the front-to-back direction (i.e., printheads 3 and 4 are staggered). That is, the width of opening 14a in the front-to-back direction is wider than the width of opening 14b in the front-to-back direction. For example, the width of opening 14a in the front-to-back direction is about 1.5 times the width of opening 14b in the front-to-back direction. Printer 1 prints on printing medium 2 when printhead 3 is positioned in the first position 3A or the second position 3B.

[0049] In this embodiment, the rear ends of opening 14a and opening 14b are positioned at the same location in the front-rear direction. That is, the front end of opening 14a is positioned further forward than the front end of opening 14b. Therefore, the nozzle 3 positioned at the second position 3B is offset forward relative to the nozzle 4.

[0050] The portion of opening 14a without a nozzle 3 is covered by a sealing member 21. That is, the nozzle unit 15 includes a sealing member 21 for sealing the portion of opening 14a without a nozzle 3. The sealing member 21 is, for example, formed as a rectangular flat plate. The sealing member 21 is fixed to the upper surface of the base member 14 using screws (not shown). The sealing member 21 seals the front portion of opening 14a (see reference 144) when the nozzle 3 is positioned in the first position 3A. Figure 3 When the nozzle 3 is positioned at the second position 3B, the rear portion of the opening 14a is blocked (see reference). Figure 4 ).

[0051] An eccentric cam 18 is mounted on the base member 14. The eccentric cam 18 is axially rotatable relative to the base member 14 in the vertical direction. The eccentric cam 18 is positioned at the front of the nozzle holding member 17. A spring member (not shown) of the eccentric cam 18 applies force towards the nozzle holding member 17 in the rotational direction of the eccentric cam 18 relative to the base member 14, and the outer peripheral surface of the eccentric cam 18 contacts the front end face of the nozzle holding member 17 with a specified contact pressure. Furthermore, in... Figure 4 The illustration of the eccentric cam 18 is omitted.

[0052] The nozzle holding member 17, whose spring member is omitted from the illustration, applies force towards the front. If the eccentric cam 18 is rotated with the screws securing the nozzle holding member 17 to the base member 14 loosened (or removed), the nozzle holding member 17 moves relative to the base member 14 in the front-rear direction. That is, if the eccentric cam 18 is rotated with the screws securing the nozzle holding member 17 to the base member 14 loosened (or removed), the nozzle 4 moves together with the nozzle holding member 17 relative to the base member 14 in the front-rear direction.

[0053] An eccentric cam 19 is mounted on the base member 14. The eccentric cam 19 is axially rotatable relative to the base member 14 in the vertical direction. The eccentric cam 19 is, for example, disposed on one side of the nozzle holding member 16 in the horizontal direction. A spring member (not shown) of the eccentric cam 19 applies force toward the nozzle holding member 16 in the rotational direction of the eccentric cam 19 relative to the base member 14, and the outer peripheral surface of the eccentric cam 19 contacts one end face of the nozzle holding member 16 in the horizontal direction with a specified contact pressure.

[0054] The spring member of the nozzle holding member 16 (not shown in the figure) applies force towards the eccentric cam 19 in the rotational direction of the nozzle holding member 16 relative to the base member 14. If the eccentric cam 19 is rotated with the screws used to fix the nozzle holding member 16 to the base member 14 loosened (or the screws removed), the nozzle holding member 16 will rotate axially relative to the base member 14 in the vertical direction. That is, if the eccentric cam 19 is rotated with the screws used to fix the nozzle holding member 16 to the base member 14 loosened (or the screws removed), the nozzle 3 and the nozzle holding member 16 will rotate axially relative to the base member 14 in the vertical direction together. For example, if the eccentric cam 19 is rotated when the nozzle 3 is positioned in the first position 3A, the nozzle holding member 16 and the nozzle 3 will rotate relative to the base member 14 with the pivot shaft 22, which supports the rear end of the nozzle holding member 16, as the center of rotation.

[0055] also, Figure 4 The diagrams of the eccentric cam 19 and the pivot shaft 22 are omitted. Additionally, the nozzle unit 15 also includes an eccentric cam 19 that rotates the nozzle 3 together with the nozzle holding member 16 when the nozzle 3 is positioned in the second position 3B. Figure 3 , Figure 4 (Illustrations omitted). That is, the nozzle unit 15 has two eccentric cams 19: one for rotating the nozzle holding member 16 when the nozzle 3 is positioned in the first position 3A, and the other for rotating the nozzle holding member 16 when the nozzle 3 is positioned in the second position 3B. The two eccentric cams 19 are arranged in mutually offset positions in the front-rear direction.

[0056] (The main effects of this implementation method)

[0057] As explained above, in this embodiment, the width of the opening 14a formed in the base member 14 in the front-rear direction is set to a width that allows the nozzle 3 to be arranged in the first position 3A and the second position 3B. In the first position 3A, the nozzle 3 and the nozzle 4 are arranged in the same position in the front-rear direction (i.e., the nozzles 3 and 4 are arranged in a straight line), and in the second position 3B, the nozzles 3 and 4 are arranged in a staggered position in the front-rear direction (i.e., the nozzles 3 and 4 are arranged alternately). Therefore, in this embodiment, the common base member 14 can be used to arrange the nozzles 3 and 4 in a straight line or in an alternate arrangement. Thus, in this embodiment, the versatility of the base member 14 can be improved even when the nozzles 3 and 4 are arranged in a straight line or in an alternate arrangement.

[0058] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the nozzles 3 and 4 can be arranged in a straight line or in an alternating straight line arrangement using the shared base member 14, it is not necessary to replace the base member 14 when switching the configuration of the nozzles 3 and 4 from a straight line arrangement to an alternating arrangement, or from an alternating arrangement to a straight line arrangement. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the nozzles 3 and 4 are arranged in a straight line or an alternating arrangement, it is also easy to switch from a straight line arrangement to an alternating arrangement and from an alternating arrangement to a straight line arrangement.

[0059] Furthermore, in this embodiment, by having the printhead 3 positioned in the first position 3A, printing the printing medium 2 with inks of light colors, orange, and other spot colors besides primary colors like CMYK becomes easier. Additionally, by having the printhead 3 positioned in the second position 3B, the advantages of staggered configuration can be enjoyed.

[0060] In this embodiment, the portion of opening 14a without a printhead 3 is sealed by the sealing member 21. Therefore, in this embodiment, even if the width of opening 14a in the front-back direction is widened in order to enable the linear and staggered arrangement of printheads 3 and 4, it is possible to prevent dust and ink mist from entering the interior of carriage 5 from opening 14a.

[0061] In this embodiment, the printhead unit 15 includes: an eccentric cam 18 for fine-tuning the position of the printhead 4 in the front-rear direction relative to the base member 14; and an eccentric cam 19 for fine-tuning the rotation angle of the printhead 3 relative to the base member 14. Therefore, in this embodiment, misalignment of the printheads 3 and 4 relative to the base member 14, and misalignment between the printheads 3 and 4, can be suppressed. Consequently, in this embodiment, the print quality of the printer 1 can be improved.

[0062] (Other implementation methods)

[0063] The above-described method is an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but is not limited thereto. Various modifications can be implemented without changing the spirit of the present invention.

[0064] In the above methods, it could be, for example, as... Figure 6 As shown, the width of the opening 14a in the front-back direction becomes wider. In this case, as... Figure 6 As shown in (A), the rear end of the nozzle 3, which is positioned at the second position 3B, can be positioned further rearward than the front end of the nozzle 4, and, as Figure 6As shown in (B), the rear end of the nozzle 3, positioned at the second position 3B, can be positioned further forward than the front end of the nozzle 4. That is, in Figure 6 In the example shown, a more flexible configuration of nozzle 3 is possible.

[0065] Alternatively, it could be that the width of the opening 14a becomes wider in the front-back direction, such as... Figure 6 As shown in (A), the portion of opening 14a without a nozzle 3 is covered by two sealing members 21. That is, the nozzle unit 15 may have a sealing member 21 for blocking the portion of opening 14a that is forward of the nozzle holding member 16 and a sealing member 21 for blocking the portion of opening 14a that is rearward of the nozzle holding member 16.

[0066] In the above-described configuration, the front ends of opening 14a and opening 14b may be positioned at the same location in the front-rear direction, while the rear end of opening 14a may be positioned further back than the rear end of opening 14b. In this case, the nozzle 3 positioned at the second position 3B is offset rearward relative to the nozzle 4. Alternatively, in the above-described configuration, the width of opening 14b in the front-rear direction may be the same as the width of opening 14a in the front-rear direction. In this case, the nozzle 3 positioned at the second position 3B may be offset both forward and backward relative to the nozzle 4.

[0067] In the above-described manner, the number of inkjet heads mounted on the carriage 5 may be three or more. In this case, three or more inkjet heads are mounted on the base member 14, and the base member 14 has multiple openings for exposing the nozzle surfaces of each inkjet head on the lower surface side of the printhead unit 15. For example, four inkjet heads may be mounted on the base member 14. Figure 7 As shown, the base member 14 has four openings 14a, 14b, 14c, and 14d for exposing the nozzles of each of the four inkjet heads.

[0068] exist Figure 7 In the example shown, openings 14b, 14a, 14d, and 14c are formed sequentially from one side to the other in the left-right direction. Opening 14c has the same shape as opening 14a, and opening 14d has the same shape as opening 14b. The width of openings 14a and 14c in the front-back direction is wider than the width of openings 14b and 14d in the front-back direction. In this case, openings 14a and 14c constitute the first opening, and the inkjet head with its nozzle surface exposed at openings 14a and 14c becomes the first inkjet head. The inkjet head with its nozzle surface exposed at openings 14b and 14d becomes the second inkjet head. Furthermore, in... Figure 7In the example shown, openings 14b, 14a, 14c and 14d can also be formed sequentially from one side to the other in the left-right direction.

[0069] In the above-described manner, the nozzle unit 15 may also include an adjustment member for adjusting the height of the nozzles 3 and 4 relative to the base member 14, or the nozzle unit 15 may include an adjustment member for adjusting the position of the nozzles 3 and 4 relative to the base member 14 in a rotational direction where the horizontal direction is set as the axis of rotation. In these cases, the adjustment member may be, for example, a screw that engages with the base member 14. Additionally, in the above-described manner, the nozzle unit 15 may not include the eccentric cam 18, or the nozzle unit 15 may not include the eccentric cam 19.

[0070] In the above-described manner, the portion of opening 14a without the nozzle 3 may not be covered by the sealing member 21. That is, the nozzle unit 15 may not have the sealing member 21. Alternatively, in the above-described manner, the lower ends of the nozzles 3 and 4 may be directly mounted to the base member 14. Furthermore, in the above-described manner, the printer 1 may have a platform for holding the printing media 2 and a platform drive mechanism for moving the platform in at least one of the front-back or vertical directions, instead of the table 8 and the media delivery mechanism 9.

[0071] In the above-described manner, printer 1 can also be a 3D printer for manufacturing three-dimensional objects. In this case, printer 1 has a platform for placing the three-dimensional object. Furthermore, when printer 1 is a 3D printer, it manufactures the three-dimensional object with the nozzle 3 positioned at the first position 3A. When printer 1 manufactures a three-dimensional object, in addition to colored ink, it requires more types of ink than two-dimensional printing, such as model material and support material. By manufacturing the three-dimensional object with the nozzle 3 positioned at the first position 3A, multiple types of ink can be ejected in a straight line. Thus, printer 1 with the nozzle unit 15 can be a structure suitable for both printing on the printing medium 2 and manufacturing three-dimensional objects.

[0072] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0073] 1. Printer (Inkjet Printer); 3. Printhead (Inkjet Head, First Inkjet Head); 3A, Position 1; 3B, Position 2; 3a, Nozzle Face; 4. Printhead (Inkjet Head, Second Inkjet Head); 4a, Nozzle Face; 5. Carriage; 6. Carriage Drive Mechanism; 14. Base Component; 14a, 14c, Opening (First Opening); 14b, 14d, Opening; 15. Printhead Unit; 18. Eccentric Cam (First Adjustment Component); 19. Eccentric Cam (Second Adjustment Component); 21. Closing Component; X, Sub-scanning Direction; Y, Main Scanning Direction; Z, Up / Down Direction.

Claims

1. A nozzle unit, characterized in that, The printhead unit includes: multiple inkjet heads, each inkjet head having a nozzle face on which multiple nozzles for ejecting ink are formed; and a carriage that mounts the multiple inkjet heads. and a base component, which is fixed to the carriage and provides mounting space for the plurality of inkjet heads. The base member has a portion of the inkjet head mounted on the nozzle face side, and multiple openings are formed to expose the nozzle face of each of the multiple inkjet heads. When a specified inkjet head among a plurality of inkjet heads is designated as a first inkjet head, and all inkjet heads other than the first inkjet head among the plurality of inkjet heads are designated as second inkjet heads, and the opening for exposing the nozzle surface of the first inkjet head is designated as a first opening, The width of the first opening in the main scanning direction, which is the direction of movement of the carriage, and the secondary scanning direction, which is orthogonal to the vertical direction, is set so that the first inkjet head can switch between a linear arrangement and an interleaved arrangement.

2. The nozzle unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the linear arrangement, the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are positioned at the same location in the sub-scanning direction; in the staggered arrangement, the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are positioned at different locations in the sub-scanning direction.

3. The nozzle unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The printhead unit has a sealing member for sealing the portion of the first opening where the first inkjet head is not located.

4. The nozzle unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base component is equipped with the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head, and forms two openings. The width of the first opening, which is one of the two openings, in the sub-scanning direction is wider than the width of the other opening in the sub-scanning direction.

5. The nozzle unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The printhead unit includes a first adjustment member for fine-tuning the position of at least one of the plurality of printheads in the sub-scanning direction relative to the base member.

6. The nozzle unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The printhead unit includes a second adjustment member for fine-tuning the position of at least one of the plurality of printheads in a rotational direction relative to the base member, wherein the vertical direction is set as the axis of rotation.

7. An inkjet printer, characterized in that, This inkjet printer features: The nozzle unit is the nozzle unit as described in claim 1; and A carriage drive mechanism that moves the carriage in the main scanning direction.

8. The inkjet printer according to claim 7, characterized in that, The printing media is printed when the first inkjet head is arranged in a straight line or in an interleaved arrangement, and a three-dimensional model is created when the first inkjet head is arranged in a straight line.

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