A printer

Abstract

The utility model relates to a kind of printers, including the printing platform for bearing printing material, and the taut mechanism in the printing platform material receiving end, the height of the taut mechanism is lower than the height of the printing platform, the taut mechanism includes two parallelly arranged first rotating roller, pressure roller and the adjusting unit connected with the pressure roller, the pressure roller is located above between two the first rotating roller, and with the first rotating roller parallel arrangement, the pressure roller is equipped with the material passing gap for the printing material to pass between two the first rotating roller, the position of the pressure roller relative to the first rotating roller is adjusted by the adjusting unit to change the material passing gap, to make the printing material be compressed to the surface of two the first rotating roller in turn.The printer designed in the utility model can realize the flat feeding of soft printing material, prevent wrinkling on the printing platform, and improve the printing quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of printing equipment technology, and in particular to a printer. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of modern printing technology, UV (ultraviolet) printers have become key equipment in industries such as advertising, packaging, and textiles due to their high efficiency, environmental friendliness, and wide applicability. These printers cure inks with ultraviolet light, allowing them to process a variety of materials, including rigid sheets (such as metals and glass) and flexible materials (such as films, paper, and fabrics). However, flexible printing materials (such as PET films, PVC fabrics, or synthetic paper) often face challenges such as wrinkling and unevenness during printing. This not only reduces print quality but can also lead to problems such as feed failures, increased scrap rates, and equipment downtime. With the increasing market demand for flexible printed materials, solving the wrinkling problem has become a key technological bottleneck for improving printer performance and reliability. Utility Model Content

[0003] To address the aforementioned problems, the purpose of this invention is to design a printer that can achieve flat feeding of soft printing materials, prevent wrinkling on the printing platform, and improve printing quality.

[0004] The objective of this utility model is achieved through the following technical solution: A printer is designed, including a printing platform for carrying printing material and a tensioning mechanism located at the receiving end of the printing platform. The height of the tensioning mechanism is lower than the height of the printing platform. The tensioning mechanism includes two parallel first rotating rollers, a pressure roller, and an adjustment unit connected to the pressure roller. The pressure roller is located above the two first rotating rollers and is parallel to the first rotating rollers. A material feeding gap is provided between the pressure roller and the two first rotating rollers for the printing material to pass through. The position of the pressure roller relative to the first rotating rollers is adjusted by the adjustment unit to change the material feeding gap, thereby pressing the printing material onto the surface of the two first rotating rollers.

[0005] In this solution, a tensioning mechanism is installed at the receiving end of the printing platform. This mechanism continuously applies appropriate tension to the printed soft printing material, tightening and straightening it. This effectively prevents the printing material from loosening or sagging during transport, ensuring it lies flat on the printing platform and avoiding wrinkles. Specifically, before printing begins, an adjustment unit drives the pressure roller upward to increase the material feed gap. After the printing material passes through the gap, the adjustment unit drives the pressure roller downward to force it against the surfaces of the two first rotating rollers. This ensures the printing material is always under slight tension. Combined with the height difference design (the drop from the printing platform to the tensioning mechanism), this prevents material from accumulating or warping at the receiving end. Furthermore, two first rotating rollers are used, with a symmetrical layout to create a larger support surface. When the pressure roller applies pressure from the center, the material force is evenly distributed along the roller surface, improving the uniformity of material tension control and enhancing adaptability to different types of soft printing materials.

[0006] Furthermore, two adjustment units are provided, and the two adjustment units are respectively connected to the two ends of the pressure roller. Each adjustment unit includes a base, a telescopic push rod provided on the base, and a slider provided on the movable end of the telescopic push rod. The end of the pressure roller is rotatably connected to the slider.

[0007] In this solution, the two adjustment units achieve synchronous lifting and lowering of both ends of the pressure roller through mechanical linkage or electronic control system, eliminating the tilting or unbalanced load problem caused by single-point adjustment, ensuring the parallelism between the pressure roller and the first rotating roller, and avoiding wrinkles or tears caused by material edge tension imbalance.

[0008] Furthermore, the tensioning mechanism also includes a first drive unit, with the ends of the two first rotating rollers facing the same direction being driven and connected to the first drive unit respectively.

[0009] In this scheme, the first drive unit ensures the synchronous rotation of the two first rollers through synchronous drive control, eliminating the lateral displacement or tension fluctuation of the material caused by the difference in rotation speed.

[0010] Furthermore, a support unit is provided below the two first rollers, the support unit including roller supports that respectively abut against the surfaces of the two first rollers.

[0011] In this design, the support unit directly supports the two ends or the middle of the first roller via rollers, distributing the roller load and preventing fatigue damage to the bearings and drive shaft caused by long-term localized pressure. Simultaneously, the support unit disperses the bending stress generated by material tension or high-speed operation, reducing the risk of roller deformation, ensuring roller parallelism error, and preventing lateral material shift.

[0012] Furthermore, the surfaces of the two first rollers are covered with a flexible anti-slip layer.

[0013] In this design, the surface of the first roller is covered with a flexible anti-slip layer, which can adapt to different soft printing materials. The flexible anti-slip layer can be made of rubber, polyurethane, felt, etc., and its surface micro-protrusion structure (such as particles, textures, or velvet) increases the coefficient of friction with the printing material. At the same time, the anti-slip layer is elastic, which can buffer the hard contact between the roller and the material and avoid scratches, indentations, or tensile deformation.

[0014] Furthermore, the surface of the printing platform is provided with adsorption holes for adsorbing printing materials.

[0015] In this design, the suction holes, combined with the vacuum system, create negative pressure, ensuring that the soft printing material adheres tightly to the printing platform. This prevents slippage or warping during printing and avoids misalignment or ink diffusion caused by material deformation. The tensioning mechanism further enhances the flatness of the printing material on the printing platform, preventing wrinkling.

[0016] Furthermore, a feeding roller is provided on one side of the printing platform in the width direction, and multiple pressure rollers are arranged in an array above the feeding roller along its axial direction. The axis of the pressure rollers is parallel to the axis of the feeding roller, and the multiple pressure rollers press the printing material tightly against the surface of the feeding roller.

[0017] In this design, the feeding roller is driven to rotate by a drive unit, working in conjunction with the tensioning mechanism to match the material feed and discharge speeds in real time, reducing tension fluctuations during high-speed printing. The multi-pressure roller array layout increases the number of contact points, ensuring pressure is evenly distributed along the material's width, achieving multi-point synchronous pressing of the printed material and preventing material deformation or localized wear caused by concentrated pressure at a single point. A linkage mechanism ensures synchronized force application from multiple pressure rollers, preventing material deformation or edge warping caused by localized stress concentration.

[0018] Furthermore, a pressure roller shaft is provided above the feeding roller, the pressure roller is mounted on the pressure roller shaft, and a second drive unit is provided at one end of the pressure roller shaft. The second drive unit can drive the pressure roller shaft to rotate so as to synchronously drive the pressure roller to move closer to or away from the feeding roller.

[0019] In this design, the second drive unit uses an electric telescopic push rod, the output of which is connected to the pressure roller shaft via a crank to drive the pressure roller shaft to rotate around its axis. The pressure roller is mounted on the pressure roller shaft via a connecting assembly, and when the pressure roller shaft rotates, it can drive the pressure roller to rise or fall to move closer to or away from the feeding roller.

[0020] Furthermore, the surface of the pressure roller is covered with an elastic layer.

[0021] In this design, the surface of the pressure roller is covered with an elastic layer, which can be made of rubber or polyurethane. The surface micro-protrusion structure (particles or texture) increases the coefficient of friction with the contacting material, preventing material slippage or displacement during high-speed transport and avoiding printing misalignment. At the same time, it can buffer the hard contact between the roller and the material, avoiding scratches, indentations, or tensile deformation.

[0022] Furthermore, a second roller is provided on the other side of the printing platform in the width direction. After the printing material is printed on the printing platform, it passes through the second roller and enters the tensioning mechanism.

[0023] In this design, the second roller is a transitional structure that is adapted to soft printing materials and guides the directional transport of the soft printing materials, avoiding damage caused by direct pulling after printing on the printing platform.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are: In this solution, a tensioning mechanism is installed at the receiving end of the printing platform. This mechanism continuously applies appropriate tension to the printed soft printing material, tightening and straightening it. This effectively prevents the printing material from loosening or sagging during transport, ensuring it lies flat on the printing platform and avoiding wrinkles. Specifically, before printing begins, an adjustment unit drives the pressure roller upward to increase the material feed gap. After the printing material passes through the gap, the adjustment unit drives the pressure roller downward to force it against the surfaces of the two first rotating rollers. This ensures the printing material is always under slight tension. Combined with the height difference design (the drop from the printing platform to the tensioning mechanism), this prevents material from accumulating or warping at the receiving end. Furthermore, two first rotating rollers are used, with a symmetrical layout to create a larger support surface. When the pressure roller applies pressure from the center, the material force is evenly distributed along the roller surface, improving the uniformity of material tension control and enhancing adaptability to different types of soft printing materials. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A magnified view of part A in the image.

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a support unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A magnified view of part B in the image.

[0030] Figure 6 for Figure 2 A magnified view of part C.

[0031] Illustration: 1. Printing platform; 11. Suction hole; 2. Tensioning mechanism; 21. First roller; 22. Pressure roller; 23. Adjustment unit; 231. Base; 232. Telescopic push rod; 233. Slider; 24. First drive unit; 25. Support unit; 251. Roller support; 3. Crossbeam; 4. Translation trolley; 5. Feeding roller; 6. Pressure roller; 7. Pressure roller shaft; 8. Second drive unit; 9. Second roller. Detailed Implementation

[0032] To facilitate understanding of this invention, a more comprehensive description will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention. However, this invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0033] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, this embodiment provides a printer, including a printing platform 1 for carrying printing material and a tensioning mechanism 2 located at the material receiving end of the printing platform 1. The height of the tensioning mechanism 2 is lower than the height of the printing platform 1. A crossbeam 3 is erected above the printing platform 1 along its length. A translation carriage 4 is movably mounted on the crossbeam 3 via guide rails. The translation carriage 4 carries an ink nozzle, which is directly opposite the printing platform 1. The translation carriage 4 drives the ink nozzle to move along the length of the printing platform 1 to print the printing material on the printing platform 1. It should be noted that the printer of this embodiment is suitable for flexible printing materials, such as poster film, lightbox fabric, wall coverings, wallpaper, etc.

[0034] like Figures 2 to 4 As shown, the tensioning mechanism 2 includes two parallel first rotating rollers 21, a pressing roller 22, and an adjustment unit 23 connected to the pressing roller 22. The pressing roller 22 is located above the two first rotating rollers 21 and is parallel to the first rotating rollers 21. A material feeding gap is provided between the pressing roller 22 and the two first rotating rollers 21 for the printing material to pass through. The position of the pressing roller 22 relative to the first rotating rollers 21 is adjusted by the adjustment unit 23 to change the material feeding gap, thereby pressing the printing material onto the surface of the two first rotating rollers 21.

[0035] Specifically, two adjustment units 23 are provided, each connected to one end of the pressure roller 22. Each adjustment unit 23 includes a base 231, a telescopic push rod 232 mounted on the base 231, and a slider 233 mounted on the movable end of the telescopic push rod 232. The end of the pressure roller 22 is rotatably connected to the slider 233. The two adjustment units 23 achieve synchronous lifting and lowering of both ends of the pressure roller 22 through mechanical linkage or an electronic control system, eliminating tilting or uneven loading problems caused by single-point adjustment, ensuring parallelism between the pressure roller 22 and the first rotating roller 21, and avoiding wrinkles or tears caused by uneven material edge tension. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the base 231 is mounted on the printer frame, and the telescopic push rod 232 is an electric telescopic push rod, which is fixed to the base 231 by fasteners. Bearings are installed at both ends of the pressure roller 22, which are secured to the slider 233. The electric telescopic push rod drives the slider 233 to lift and lower, thereby achieving the lifting and lowering of the pressure roller 22. Alternatively, in this embodiment, the pressure roller 22 may be a chrome-plated steel roller.

[0036] Furthermore, the tensioning mechanism 2 also includes a first drive unit 24, with the ends of the two first rollers 21 facing the same direction respectively connected to the first drive unit 24. The first drive unit 24 ensures the synchronous rotation of the two first rollers 21 through synchronous drive control, eliminating lateral material displacement or tension fluctuations caused by differences in rotational speed. Specifically, in this embodiment, the first drive unit 24 can be a drive motor, which can be integrated with or independently equipped with a reducer. The output end of the reducer is equipped with a drive gear, and the two ends of the two first rollers 21 are rotatably mounted on the frame through bearings. Driven gears are respectively installed at the ends near the first drive unit 24, with the two driven gears located on both sides of the drive gear and meshing with the drive gear, thereby realizing that the first drive unit 24 synchronously drives the two first rollers 21 to rotate.

[0037] Furthermore, a support unit 25 is provided below the two first rollers 21. The support unit 25 includes roller supports 251 that abut against the surfaces of the two first rollers 21 respectively. Specifically, the support unit 25 includes a support frame mounted on the frame, extending below the two first rollers 21. Two sets of roller supports 251 are mounted on the support frame, each roller support 251 including two rotatable rollers. The first rollers 21 are located above and between the two rollers, and the two rollers are in contact with the first rollers 21, thereby supporting the first rollers 21. The support unit 25 directly supports the two ends or the middle of the first rollers 21 through the rollers, distributing the roller load and preventing fatigue damage to the bearings and drive shaft caused by long-term local pressure. At the same time, the support unit 25 disperses the bending stress generated by material tension or high-speed operation of the rollers, reducing the risk of roller deformation, ensuring roller parallelism error, and preventing lateral material shift.

[0038] Additionally, the surfaces of the two first rollers 21 are covered with a flexible anti-slip layer to accommodate different soft printing materials. The flexible anti-slip layer can be made of rubber, polyurethane, felt, etc., and its micro-protrusion structure (such as particles, textures, or velvet) increases the coefficient of friction with the printing material. At the same time, the anti-slip layer is elastic, cushioning the hard contact between the rollers and the material and preventing scratches, indentations, or tensile deformation.

[0039] like Figure 5 As shown, the surface of the printing platform 1 is provided with adsorption holes 11 for adsorbing printing material. The adsorption holes 11 are evenly distributed on the surface of the printing platform 1. The adsorption holes 11, in conjunction with the vacuum system, create a negative pressure, causing the soft printing material to adhere tightly to the printing platform 1, preventing slippage or warping during printing, and avoiding misalignment or ink diffusion caused by material deformation. Combined with the tensioning mechanism 2, this further improves the flatness of the printing material on the printing platform 1, preventing wrinkling. It should be noted that the vacuum system can employ existing technology, such as a vacuum generator, or it can also be a suction fan.

[0040] Furthermore, such as Figure 2 , 5 As shown in Figure 6, a feeding roller 5 is provided on one side of the printing platform 1 in the width direction. The circumferential surface of the feeding roller 5 is not higher than the surface of the printing platform 1. Multiple pressure rollers 6 are arranged in an array above the feeding roller 5 along its axial direction. The axes of the pressure rollers 6 are parallel to the axis of the feeding roller 5. The multiple pressure rollers 6 press the printing material tightly against the surface of the feeding roller 5. The feeding roller 5 is driven to rotate by a drive unit and works in conjunction with the tensioning mechanism 2 to match the material feeding and discharging speed in real time, reducing tension fluctuations during high-speed printing. In this embodiment, the feeding roller 5 can be driven to rotate by a drive motor, and the two are transmitted through gear meshing. The array layout of multiple pressure rollers 6 increases the number of contact points, so that the pressure is evenly distributed along the width direction of the material, realizing multi-point synchronous pressing of the printing material and avoiding material deformation or local wear caused by single-point pressure concentration. The linkage mechanism ensures the synchronicity of the force applied by multiple pressure rollers 6, avoiding material deformation or edge warping caused by local stress concentration.

[0041] Specifically, a pressure roller shaft 7 is mounted on a bracket below the crossbeam 3. A pressure roller 6 is mounted on the pressure roller shaft 7 via a connecting assembly. A second drive unit 8 is located at one end of the pressure roller shaft 7. The second drive unit 8 drives the pressure roller shaft 7 to rotate, synchronously driving the pressure roller 6 closer to or further away from the feeding roller. The second drive unit 8 can be an electric telescopic push rod, mounted on the frame via a base bracket. Its output end is connected to the pressure roller shaft 7 via a crank, driving the pressure roller shaft 7 to rotate around its axis. The pressure roller 6 is mounted on the pressure roller shaft 7 via the connecting assembly. When the pressure roller shaft 7 rotates, it drives the pressure roller 6 to rise and fall, moving closer to or further away from the feeding roller 5, thereby ensuring that the printing material adheres tightly to the feeding roller 5 during the transfer process.

[0042] Additionally, the surface of pressure roller 6 is covered with an elastic layer. This elastic layer can be made of rubber or polyurethane, and its micro-protrusion structure (particles or texture) increases the coefficient of friction with the contacting material, preventing material slippage or misalignment during high-speed transport and avoiding printing misalignment. Simultaneously, it cushions the hard contact between the roller and the material, preventing scratches, indentations, or tensile deformation.

[0043] Furthermore, such as Figure 2 As shown, a second roller 9 is provided on the other side of the width direction of the printing platform 1. After the printing material is printed on the printing platform 1, it passes through the second roller 9 and enters the tensioning mechanism 2. The second roller 9 is a transition structure adapted to soft printing materials, guiding the soft printing material for directional transmission and avoiding damage caused by direct pulling of the printing material after printing on the printing platform 1. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the second roller 9 is driven to rotate by a drive unit, working in coordination with the feeding roller 5 and the first roller 21 to match the material feeding and discharging speeds in real time, reducing tension fluctuations during high-speed printing. The feeding roller 5 can be driven to rotate by a drive motor, and the two are transmitted through gear meshing.

[0044] In addition, in this embodiment, the printer's feeding end also includes a feeding mechanism, which comprises a roll material fixing assembly and several conveying rollers. The feeding mechanism ensures the uniform feeding of soft printing material and works in conjunction with the tensioning mechanism 2 at the output end to achieve uniform conveying of the soft printing material. It should be noted that existing technology can be used for the feeding mechanism, and further details will not be provided here.

[0045] In addition, in this embodiment, the printer also includes a control system, which is an automated management hub integrating hardware and software. Through real-time monitoring, data analysis, and dynamic adjustment, it ensures printing accuracy, efficiency, and stability. The control system controls the coordination of various mechanical actions of the printer and processes various sensor signals. It employs an embedded industrial-grade controller and is equipped with a touchscreen for interaction. It should be noted that existing technology can be used for the control system, and further details will not be elaborated upon here.

[0046] In this embodiment, a tensioning mechanism 2 is provided at the receiving end of the printing platform 1. This tensioning mechanism 2 continuously applies appropriate tension to the printed soft printing material, tightening and straightening it. This effectively prevents the printing material from loosening or sagging during transport, ensuring the material lies flat on the printing platform 1 and avoiding wrinkles. Specifically, before printing begins, the adjusting unit 23 drives the pressure roller 22 upward to increase the material passage gap. After the printing material passes through the gap, the adjusting unit 23 drives the pressure roller 22 downward to force the printing material onto the surfaces of the two first rotating rollers 21. This ensures the printing material is always under slight tension. Combined with the height difference design (the drop from the printing platform 1 to the tensioning mechanism 2), this prevents material from accumulating or warping at the receiving end. Furthermore, two first rotating rollers 21 are provided, with a symmetrical double-roller layout forming a larger support surface. When the pressure roller applies pressure in the center, the material force is evenly distributed along the roller surface, improving the uniformity of material tension control and enhancing adaptability to different types of soft printing materials.

[0047] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that terms such as "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", and "outer" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0048] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, the inclusion of "first," "second," etc., in a feature may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0049] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A printer, characterized in that, The device includes a printing platform for carrying printing material and a tensioning mechanism located at the receiving end of the printing platform. The height of the tensioning mechanism is lower than the height of the printing platform. The tensioning mechanism includes two parallel first rotating rollers, a pressure roller, and an adjustment unit connected to the pressure roller. The pressure roller is located above the two first rotating rollers and is parallel to the first rotating rollers. A material passage gap is provided between the pressure roller and the two first rotating rollers for the printing material to pass through. The position of the pressure roller relative to the first rotating rollers is adjusted by the adjustment unit to change the material passage gap, thereby pressing the printing material onto the surface of the two first rotating rollers.

2. The printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, Two adjustment units are provided, and the two adjustment units are respectively connected to the two ends of the pressure roller. Each adjustment unit includes a base, a telescopic push rod provided on the base, and a slider provided on the movable end of the telescopic push rod. The end of the pressure roller is rotatably connected to the slider.

3. The printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tensioning mechanism further includes a first drive unit, and the ends of the two first rotating rollers that face the same direction are respectively driven and connected to the first drive unit.

4. The printer according to claim 2, characterized in that, A support unit is also provided below the two first rollers, the support unit including roller supports that respectively abut against the surfaces of the two first rollers.

5. The printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surfaces of the two first rollers are covered with a flexible anti-slip layer.

6. The printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surface of the printing platform is provided with adsorption holes for adsorbing printing materials.

7. The printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The printing platform has a feeding roller on one side in the width direction. Above the feeding roller, multiple pressure rollers are arranged in an array along its axis. The axis of the pressure rollers is parallel to the axis of the feeding roller. The multiple pressure rollers press the printing material tightly against the surface of the feeding roller.

8. The printer according to claim 7, characterized in that, A pressure roller shaft is provided above the feeding roller. The pressure roller is mounted on the pressure roller shaft. A second drive unit is provided at one end of the pressure roller shaft. The second drive unit can drive the pressure roller shaft to rotate so as to synchronously drive the pressure roller to move closer to or away from the feeding roller.

9. The printer according to claim 8, characterized in that, The surface of the pressure roller is covered with an elastic layer.

10. The printer according to claim 7, characterized in that, A second roller is provided on the other side of the printing platform in the width direction. After the printing material is printed on the printing platform, it passes through the second roller and enters the tensioning mechanism.

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