Printing device

Abstract

To provide a printing device that can be made to be compact.SOLUTION: A printing device includes: a table including a placement surface on which a food product is to be placed; and a carriage mounted with heads that each discharge an edible ink toward the placement surface and an ink supply unit that supplies the ink to the heads, the carriage being movable in a main scanning direction along the placement surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a printing device. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Known devices for forming letters, designs, and the like on food such as confectionery include inkjet printing devices that eject edible ink onto food (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6888719 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above printing apparatus, it is required to make the apparatus compact.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and has an object to provide a printing device that can be made compact. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The printing device of the present invention comprises a table having a placement surface on which food is placed, a head that ejects edible ink toward the placement surface, and an ink supply unit that supplies ink to the head, and a carriage that is movable in a main scanning direction along the placement surface. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, the device can be made compact. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a printing apparatus according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a printing apparatus according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a printing apparatus according to the present embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of the table portion. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of a cover member. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a part of the image forming unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the carriage as viewed from below on the front side. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram of the carriage as viewed from the front side. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an example of an ink cartridge. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram of the carriage as viewed from the rear side. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the rear side of the carriage. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of a carriage driving unit. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a carriage driving unit. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of a carriage driving unit. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of a carriage driving unit. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a printing operation in the printing device. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of a printing operation in the printing device. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an example of a printing apparatus according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a printing device 100 according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. In addition, the components in the following embodiment include those that are replaceable and easy for a person skilled in the art, or those that are substantially the same.

[0010] In this embodiment, the directions in the figure are described using an XYZ coordinate system. In this XYZ coordinate system, a plane parallel to the floor surface on which the printing device 100 is placed is defined as the XY plane. In this XY plane, the main scanning direction, which is the movement direction of the head, is written as the Y direction, and the direction perpendicular to the X direction on the XY plane is written as the X direction. In addition, the direction perpendicular to the XY plane (height direction) is written as the Z direction. The X, Y, and Z directions are described assuming that the direction of the arrow in the figure is the + direction, and the direction opposite to the arrow direction is the - direction. In this embodiment, the +X direction may be written as the front direction (front side), the -X direction as the rear direction (rear side), the +Y direction as the left (left side), the -Y direction as the right (right side), the +Z direction as the up (upper side), and the -Z direction as the down (lower side).

[0011] 1 to 3 are diagrams showing an example of a printing device 100 according to this embodiment. Fig. 1 is a perspective view, Fig. 2 is a view with a housing 10 removed, and Fig. 3 is a front view. Fig. 2 also shows a state in which the carriage 31 is disposed at a standby position P1 and a state in which the carriage 31 is disposed at a movement end position P3.

[0012] The printing device 100 includes a housing 10, a table unit 20, an image forming unit 30, a maintenance unit 50, and a control unit CONT. The printing device 100 illustrated in this embodiment is an inkjet printing device that ejects edible ink onto food, for example, as a device for forming characters, patterns, etc. on food such as confectionery. The control unit CONT comprehensively controls the operation of each unit, the table unit 20, the image forming unit 30, and the maintenance unit 50.

[0013] The housing 10 forms the exterior of the printing device 100. The housing 10 is provided with an operation unit 11. The operation unit 11 performs various operations. The operation unit 11 is provided with an operation member 12, a slot 13, etc. Examples of the operation member 12 include a button and a dial. The operation member 12 is formed so that the gap between the housing 10 and the operation member 12 is small. The slot 13 is provided with a removable storage medium that stores data such as the number of prints made by the printing device 100. The housing 10 also has a lid 14. By opening the lid 14, it is possible to access a standby position P1, which will be described later. The housing 10 may also be provided with a cleaning window on at least one side surface in the Y direction, for example.

[0014] The table section 20 has a base 21, a table 22, and a table driving section 23. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of the table section 20 according to this embodiment.

[0015] The base 21 supports the table 22 and the table driving unit 23. The base 21 has a guide unit 24 that guides the table 22. The guide unit 24 is formed along the X direction.

[0016] The table 22 has a top plate portion 25 and a top plate support portion 26. The top plate portion 25 is detachable from the top plate support portion 26. The top plate portion 25 is, for example, flat, and includes a placement surface 25a. When the top plate portion 25 is placed on the top plate support portion 26, the placement surface 25a is arranged along a horizontal plane, and media M is placed on the placement surface 25a. The media M is, for example, food such as confectionery. The placement surface 25a is formed flat. This makes it easy to remove foreign matter by cleaning.

[0017] The top plate support portion 26 supports the top plate portion 25. The top plate support portion 26 has a plate-shaped portion 26a and a columnar portion 26b. The top plate portion 25 is disposed on the upper surface of the plate-shaped portion 26a.

[0018] The plate-shaped portion 26a has a positioning portion 26c on its upper surface. The positioning portion 26c may be a convex portion or a concave portion formed on the upper surface of the plate-shaped portion 26a. An example of the convex portion is a head of a screw portion provided on the upper surface of the plate-shaped portion 26a. The positioning portion 26c is provided at the four corners of the plate-shaped portion 26a. The top plate portion 25 has cutout portions 25c formed at locations corresponding to the four corners. The four cutout portions 25c are arranged at positions corresponding to the four positioning portions 26c, thereby restricting the horizontal movement of the top plate portion 25.

[0019] The pillar portion 26b is connected to a cover member 29 that covers the table driving unit 23. Since the pillar portion 26b is connected to the cover member 29, the table 22 is movable in the X direction along the guide portion 24 integrally with the table driving unit 23 and the cover member 29.

[0020] The table driving unit 23 moves the table 22 in the X direction and the Z direction. The table driving unit 23 has an X driving system 23a that moves the table 22 in the X direction, and a Z driving system 23b that moves the table 22 in the Y direction. The X driving system 23a and the Z driving system 23b have a driving source such as a motor, and a transmission mechanism that transmits the driving force of the driving source to the table 22. An example of the transmission mechanism of the X driving system 23a is a belt mechanism. An example of the transmission mechanism of the Z driving system 23b is a cam mechanism. The configurations of the X driving system 23a and the Z driving system 23b are not limited to those described above, and may be other configurations.

[0021] The cover member 29 is formed in a box shape so as to house the table driving unit 23. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of the cover member 29. As shown in FIG. 5, the cover member 29 has a frame portion 29a and a lid portion 29b. The frame portion 29a is formed in a rectangular frame shape so as to surround the sides (front, back, left, and right) of the table driving unit 23. The lid portion 29b is arranged so as to cover the frame portion 29a from above. The lid portion 29b is arranged so as to cover the outer circumferential side and the upper side of the frame portion 29a. The lid portion 29b can prevent foreign matter from entering the inside of the cover member 29. An upper surface 29d of the lid portion 29b is formed flat.

[0022] The front and back surfaces of the frame portion 29a are provided with bottom bent pieces 29c that are bent inward from the lower ends. The bottom bent pieces 29c can more reliably prevent foreign matter from entering the inside of the cover member 29.

[0023] The configuration of the cover member is not limited to the above-described cover member 29, and may be, for example, a bellows-like configuration that is arranged above table driving unit 23 and is deformable in the movement direction (X direction) of table driving unit 23.

[0024] The image forming unit 30 has a carriage 31, a guide bar 32, and a carriage drive unit 33. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a part of the configuration of the image forming unit 30. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the carriage 31 as seen from below the front side. Fig. 8 is a view of the carriage 31 as seen from the front side.

[0025] The carriage 31 is formed in a box shape and is supported by a guide bar 32. The carriage 31 is movable in the Y direction along the guide bar 32. A head 34 and an ink supply unit 35 are mounted on the carriage 31. A carriage cover 31a is provided on the front side of the carriage 31. The carriage cover 31a covers the portion of the front side of the carriage 31 below the holder 37, i.e., the portion where the head 34 is provided.

[0026] A plurality of heads 34 are provided on the bottom surface of the carriage 31. The plurality of heads 34 are arranged side by side in the Y direction, which is the main scanning direction. In this embodiment, for example, two heads 34 are arranged with an interval in the Y direction. These two heads 34 are arranged at positions offset in the X direction.

[0027] Each head 34 has a plurality of nozzles 34N. The plurality of nozzles 34N are arranged in a line in the X direction to form a nozzle row 34L. The nozzle rows 34L are arranged in a plurality of rows in the Y direction, for example, corresponding to the number of holders 37. Each head 34 ejects ink for forming an image from the nozzles 34N onto the mounting surface 25a of the table 22. The head 34 ejects, as the ink, for example, edible ink onto the mounting surface 25a. As such edible ink, black edible ink, color edible ink, etc. can be appropriately used depending on the color of the image, for example. The carriage 31 moves on the mounting surface 25a in the Y direction, which is the main scanning direction, to scan the mounting surface 25a in the Y direction.

[0028] The ink supply unit 35 supplies ink to the head 34. The ink supply unit 35 includes an ink cartridge 36, a holder 37, a flow mechanism 38, and a guide member 39.

[0029] Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing an example of the ink cartridge 36. As shown in Fig. 9, the ink cartridge 36 has a cartridge body 36a, an ink containing bag 36b, and an ink remaining amount detection plate 36c.

[0030] The cartridge body 36a has a container 36d and a lid 36e. The container 36d contains the ink container bag 36b. The container 36d is provided with a positioning portion 36g that positions the supply port 36f of the ink container bag 36b. The lid 36e opens and closes the container 36d.

[0031] The ink containing bag 36b is detachably provided to the cartridge body 36a. The ink containing bag 36b contains ink and is deformed according to the amount of ink contained.

[0032] The ink remaining amount detection plate 36c is supported by, for example, the lid portion 36e of the cartridge body 36a. The ink remaining amount detection plate 36c is biased toward the cartridge body 36a by the elastic member 36i. When the lid portion 36e is closed with the ink containing bag 36b contained in the cartridge body 36a, the ink containing bag 36b is sandwiched between the cartridge body 36a and the elastic member 36i. When the ink containing amount of the ink containing bag 36b decreases due to the use of ink, the ink remaining amount detection plate 36c moves toward the cartridge body 36a in response to the deformation (contraction) of the ink containing bag 36b. The ink remaining amount detection plate 36c is formed so that a part of it protrudes to the outside from the cartridge body 36a. When the ink cartridge 36 is attached to the holder 37, an ink remaining amount detection plate (not shown) is provided that can detect the position of the ink remaining amount detection plate 36c from the outside of the ink cartridge 36.

[0033] The ink cartridge 36 is attached to the holder 37. The ink cartridge 36 is attachable to and detachable from the holder 37. The ink cartridge 36 can be attached to and detached from the holder 37 from the front side. The upper part of the cartridge body 36a has a protrusion 36h at the upper part on the front side when the ink cartridge 36 is attached to the holder 37. The protrusion 36h is formed so as to protrude upward from the upper part of the cartridge body 36a. The protrusion 36h allows the user to hook his / her finger when removing the ink cartridge 36 attached to the holder 37, allowing for smooth removal.

[0034] The circulation mechanism 38 distributes ink from the ink cartridge 36 attached to the holder 37 to the head 34. FIG. 10 is a view of the carriage 31 as viewed from the rear side. The circulation mechanism 38 has a valve 38a, a tube 38b, and a damper 38c. The valve 38a is disposed on the rear side of each holder 37. The valve 38a has a rectangular shape that is elongated in one direction as viewed from the rear side. As viewed from the rear side, the valve 38a is disposed in a state inclined with respect to the up-down direction. This arrangement allows the valve 38a to be disposed compactly in the left-right direction.

[0035] The tube 38b extends downward from the valve 38a. Ink flows through the inside of the tube 38b. The damper 38c is connected to the lower end of the tube 38b. The damper 38c supplies the ink from the tube 38b to the head 34.

[0036] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the rear side of the carriage 31. In FIG. 11, the carriage 31 is omitted. As shown in FIG. 11, the guide member 39 is arranged from the rear side of the carriage 31 to below the valve 38a (see FIG. 8, FIG. 10, etc.). The guide member 39 has a locking portion 39a, a first flat portion 39b, a step portion 39c, a second flat portion 39d, and a support portion 39e. The locking portion 39a is locked to a housing of the airflow generating unit 54 described later. The first flat portion 39b is arranged downward from the end portion on the front side of the locking portion 39a. The first flat portion 39b is arranged along the YZ plane. The step portion 39c extends from the lower end portion of the first flat portion 39b to the front side. The step portion 39c is arranged along the XY plane. The second flat portion 39d is arranged downward from the end portion on the front side of the step portion 39c. The second flat portion 39d is disposed along the YZ plane. The support portion 39e extends from the lower end of the second flat portion 39d toward the front side. The guide member 39 guides the ink leaking from the circulation mechanism 38 to the predetermined position P4. An absorbing member 40 that absorbs the ink is provided at the predetermined position P4. The absorbing member 40 is, for example, a rectangular plate, and is supported by the support portion 39e of the guide member 39. The absorbing member 40 is disposed above the damper 38c. The absorbing member 40 is disposed along the XY plane. The absorbing member 40 has a slit 40a. The slit 40a is formed along the X direction from the end portion on the front side of the absorbing member 40 to the center portion. A plurality of slits 40a are disposed in the Y direction. For example, a porous member such as a sponge can be used as the absorbing member 40. In addition, the predetermined position P4 is disposed above the maintenance unit 50 disposed at the standby position P1 of the carriage 31. The maintenance unit 50 includes a wiping device 51 that wipes the nozzle surface of the head 34, a suction device 52 that sucks the nozzle surface of the head 34, and an absorbing member 53 (see FIG. 6) that absorbs ink removed from the head 34 by performing maintenance on the head 34. The absorbing member 53 of the maintenance unit 50 may be used as the absorbing member 40. That is, the guide member 39 may guide ink to the absorbing member 53. In the wiping device 51, a wiper 51a that contacts the head 34 may be provided so as to be replaceable. The wiper 51a may also be provided so as to be disassembled.

[0037] The carriage 31 also has an airflow generating unit 54 that generates an airflow in the main scanning direction. An example of the airflow generating unit 54 is a fan. By having the airflow generating unit 54 generate an airflow in the main scanning direction, the direction of the airflow generated by the movement of the carriage 31 and the direction of the airflow generated by the airflow generating unit 54 can be made to match, and the carriage 31 can be efficiently cooled. Furthermore, by generating an airflow in the main scanning direction, it is possible to prevent foreign matter such as dust generated by the movement of the carriage 31 from falling onto the table 22 side.

[0038] The guide bar 32 is provided on the upper side of the table portion 20. The guide bar 32 is provided linearly along the main scanning direction parallel to the Y-axis direction. The guide bar 32 guides the reciprocating movement of the carriage 31 along the main scanning direction. Guided by the guide bar 32, the carriage 31 can move in the main scanning direction from the left side to the right side in the main scanning direction to each of the positions of the waiting position P1, the print cleaning position P2, and the movement end position P3. The waiting position P1 is a position where the carriage 31 waits (so-called home position). The print cleaning position P2 is a position above the table 22, and is a position where ink is ejected from the head 34 to perform printing. In addition, the print cleaning position P2 can clean each part of the carriage 31. The movement end position P3 is a position at the end of the movement direction when the carriage 31 moves to the opposite side to the waiting position P1. In other words, the carriage 31 is configured not to move to the other side (right side) of the movement end position P3.

[0039] The guide bar 32 is disposed so as to protrude on both sides of the table 22 in the main scanning direction. The amount by which the guide bar 32 protrudes from the table 22 in the main scanning direction (right side: the moving end position P3 side) is shorter than the dimension of the carriage 31 in the main scanning direction (see FIG. 3). In other words, the position immediately after the head 34 leaves the mounting surface 25a of the table 22 is set as the moving end position P3 of the carriage 31. This makes it possible to reduce the dimension in the Y direction.

[0040] The carriage drive unit 33 moves (scans) the carriage 31 in the main scanning direction relative to the guide bar 32. Figs. 12 to 15 are diagrams showing an example of the carriage drive unit 33. Fig. 12 is a view from the front left, Fig. 13 is a view from the rear left, Fig. 14 is a view from the front, and Fig. 15 is a view from the left. The carriage drive unit 33 moves the carriage 31 in the main scanning direction, thereby moving the head 34 in the main scanning direction. The carriage drive unit 33 is disposed on the rear side of the guide bar 32. The carriage drive unit 33 is provided in a range that does not protrude from the guide bar 32 in the main scanning direction, and drives the carriage.

[0041] The carriage drive unit 33 has a belt member 41, a rotation drive source 42, a guide member 43, a movable part 44, and a cable chain 45. The carriage drive unit 33 is disposed on the rear side of the guide bar 32. When viewed from the front, the carriage drive unit 33 is provided in a range that does not protrude from the guide bar 32 in the main scanning direction.

[0042] The belt member 41 is endless. The belt member 41 is provided so as to be stretched between pulleys 46 arranged on both the left and right sides. The belt member 41 is detachably connected to the carriage 31 at a connection portion 41a.

[0043] The rotation drive source 42 generates a rotation drive force that rotates the belt member 41. The rotation drive source 42 has an output shaft 42a along the front-to-rear direction. The center of the output shaft 42a is the rotation axis AX. The rotation axis AX is parallel to the front-to-rear direction.

[0044] The guide member 43 is attached to the front surface of the guide bar 32. The guide member 43 can be formed using a metal such as aluminum. The guide member 43 is disposed so as to extend linearly in the main scanning direction.

[0045] The movable part 44 is supported by the guide member 43 of the guide bar 32. The movable part 44 is fixed to the belt member 41. A plurality of the movable parts 44, for example, four, are provided in the Y direction. The movable parts 44 are also connected to the carriage 31. The movable parts 44 are movable in the main scanning direction along the guide members 43. The carriage 31 is provided so as to be detachable from the movable part 44. For example, the carriage 31 can be attached to the movable part 44 using, for example, a screw member or the like. In this case, the carriage 31 can be removed from the movable part 44 by removing the screw member. The operation of attaching and detaching the carriage 31 to and from the movable part 44 can be performed, for example, at the print cleaning position P2. Note that the print cleaning position P2 may be provided with a portion for hanging the removed carriage 31.

[0046] In this embodiment, the belt members 41 and the movable parts 44 are arranged on both sides of the guide bar 32 in the front-to-rear direction. With this configuration, the force acting on the movable parts 44 becomes uniform among the four movable parts 44 when the carriage 31 accelerates and decelerates. Therefore, wear between the guide members 43 and the movable parts 44 can be suppressed, and the life of the guide members 43 can be extended.

[0047] One end of the cable chain 45 in the main scanning direction is connected to the carriage 31, and the other end in the main scanning direction is connected to the guide bar 32. The cable chain 45 holds a cable extending from the carriage 31. The cable chain 45 deforms in accordance with the movement of the carriage 31. The cable chain 45 is configured so that an end on the other side (right side) opposite to one side (left side) in the main scanning direction is curved and turned back in the vertical direction. The cable chain 45 is installed with the other side in the main scanning direction open.

[0048] A receiving member 55 is provided at the bottom of the guide bar 32. The receiving member 55 is disposed so as to protrude from the bottom of the guide bar 32 toward the front side. The receiving member 55 receives foreign matter from the carriage drive unit 33, such as dust generated with the rotation of the belt member 41, and prevents the foreign matter from falling toward the table 22. The receiving member 55 can be provided at least in the portion of the guide bar 32 where the carriage 31 moves in the main scanning direction, that is, in the range from the inner end (right side in the Y direction) of the waiting position P1 to the inner end (left side in the Y direction) of the moving end position P3. The receiving member 55 may be provided over the entire range of the guide bar 32 in the main scanning direction. The receiving member 55 may be provided detachably. For example, a strip-shaped plate-like member may be disposed on the receiving member 55, and the plate-like member may be replaced.

[0049] An area sensor 60 is also provided inside the housing 10. The area sensor 60 emits detection light in the main scanning direction and detects the media M placed on the placement surface 25a of the table 22 based on the detection result of the detection light. The area sensor 60 can detect, for example, the height of the media M relative to the placement surface 25a by emitting the detection light. The area sensor 60 can be disposed inside the housing 10, for example, at a position on the rear side of the carriage 31. In this embodiment, for example, a light emitter and a light receiver for the detection light are disposed at the left end inside the housing 10, and the detection light is emitted along the horizontal direction toward the right side, that is, toward the placement surface 25a of the table 22. In addition, a reflector (not shown) that reflects the detection light is disposed on the right side of the table 22. With this configuration, when the detection light emitted from the light emitter is not irradiated onto the media M on the placement surface 25a, it passes over the placement surface 25a, is reflected by the reflector, and is received by the light receiver. Furthermore, when the detection light emitted from the light-emitting unit is irradiated onto the media M on the placement surface 25a, it does not reach the reflecting unit and is therefore not received by the light-receiving unit. Therefore, the height of the media M can be measured by determining the light-receiving unit's light-receiving result for each emission position (height) of the detection light in the light-emitting unit.

[0050] Next, an example of the operation of the printing device 100 configured as described above will be described. Figures 16 and 17 are diagrams showing an example of the printing operation in the printing device 100. Figures 16 and 17 show an example of the operation of starting to eject ink onto a target area on the placement surface 25a of the table 22. As shown in Figure 16(A), a medium (food) M is placed on the placement surface 25a of the table 22. Note that the upper surface Ma of the medium M includes the target area R to be printed in this embodiment.

[0051] When the medium M is placed on the placement surface 25a, the control unit CONT aligns the rear end of the head 34 with the rear end of the medium M. When starting to eject ink from this state onto a target area on the placement surface 25a, the control unit CONT positions the head 34 and the table 22 so that the front ends of the nozzle row 34L and the target area R in the sub-scanning direction in which the table 22 moves correspond to each other, as shown in FIG.

[0052] Next, the control unit CONT ejects ink from the nozzles 34N facing the target area R while moving the head 34 in the main scanning direction while maintaining the relative positional relationship between the table 22 and the head 34 in the sub-scanning direction (FIG. 16(B)). The control unit CONT performs an ejection operation by controlling the nozzles 34N that eject ink without changing the relative positional relationship between the table 22 and the head 34 in the sub-scanning direction. This operation forms an ejection pattern Q1 at the rear end of the target area R.

[0053] After the ejection pattern Q1 is formed in the target area, the control unit CONT moves the table 22 a predetermined amount in the sub-scanning direction. Then, while maintaining the relative positional relationship with the head 34, the control unit CONT ejects ink from the nozzles 34N facing the target area R onto the target area R while moving the head 34 in the main scanning direction (FIG. 16(C)). The control unit CONT moves the table 22 stepwise by a predetermined amount, and ejects ink from the nozzles 34N facing the target area R onto the target area R with each movement of the table 22. This operation forms an ejection pattern Q2 from the rear end of the target area R to the front side.

[0054] When the movement of the table 22 causes the front end of the head 34 to reach the front end of the medium M, the control unit CONT ejects ink from the nozzle 34N facing the target area R while moving the head 34 in the main scanning direction while maintaining the relative positional relationship between the table 22 and the head 34 in the sub-scanning direction (FIG. 17(A)). The control unit CONT performs an ejection operation by controlling the nozzle 34N that ejects ink without changing the relative positional relationship between the table 22 and the head 34 in the sub-scanning direction. This operation forms an ejection pattern Q3 in a predetermined range from the rear end to the front end of the target area R (FIG. 17(B)).

[0055] As described above, the printing device 100 of this embodiment comprises a table 22 having a placement surface 25a on which food is placed, a head 34 that ejects edible ink toward the placement surface 25a, and an ink supply unit 35 that supplies ink to the head 34, and a carriage 31 that is movable in the main scanning direction along the placement surface 25a.

[0056] According to this configuration, in the printing device 100 that forms characters and designs on food, the head 34 and the ink supply unit 35 are mounted on the carriage 31, so that the carriage 31 can be made compact.

[0057] In the printing device 100 according to this embodiment, the ink supply unit 35 is disposed above the head 34.

[0058] According to this configuration, ink can be efficiently supplied from the ink supply unit 35 to the head 34.

[0059] In the printing device 100 of this embodiment, the ink supply unit 35 has an ink cartridge 36 that contains ink, a holder 37 to which the ink cartridge 36 can be attached and detached on the front side, and a distribution mechanism 38 that distributes ink from the ink cartridge 36 attached to the holder 37 to the head 34.

[0060] According to this configuration, ink can be efficiently supplied from the ink supply unit 35 to the head 34 by the ink cartridge 36, the holder 37, and the distribution mechanism 38.

[0061] In the printing device 100 of this embodiment, the distribution mechanism 38 has a valve 38a arranged on the rear side of the holder 37, the ink cartridges 36 and the holders 37 are arranged in a line in the left-right direction, and the valves 38a are provided for each holder 37, and are rectangular in shape extending in one direction when viewed from the rear side and are arranged in a tilted state with respect to the up-down direction.

[0062] According to this configuration, the valve 38a has a rectangular shape that extends in one direction and is disposed in a state inclined with respect to the up-down direction, so that the ink cartridge 36 and holder 37 can be disposed compactly in the main scanning direction.

[0063] In the printing device 100 according to this embodiment, the ink cartridge 36 has a protrusion 36h that protrudes upward from the upper front surface when the ink cartridge 36 is attached to the holder 37.

[0064] According to this configuration, an operator can remove the ink cartridge 36 from above by hooking a finger or the like on the protrusion 36h, so that the ink cartridges 36 can be arranged compactly on the left and right.

[0065] In the printing device 100 of this embodiment, the ink cartridge 36 has a cartridge body 36a, an ink containing bag 36b that is detachably attached to the cartridge body 36a, contains ink, and deforms according to the amount of ink contained, and an ink remaining amount detection plate 36c that is supported by the cartridge body 36a, is biased against the ink containing bag 36b, and moves according to the deformation of the ink containing bag 36b.

[0066] According to this configuration, since the ink containing bag 36b is replaced with respect to the cartridge body 36a, the cost of the parts to be replaced can be reduced.

[0067] The printing device 100 of this embodiment comprises a table 22 having a placement surface 25a on which food is placed, a carriage 31 equipped with a head 34 that ejects edible ink toward the placement surface 25a and that is movable in the main scanning direction relative to the table 22, a guide bar 32 arranged along the main scanning direction to guide the carriage 31, and a carriage drive unit 33 arranged on the rear side of the guide bar 32, in a range not protruding from the guide bar 32 in the main scanning direction, and that drives the carriage 31.

[0068] According to this configuration, the carriage drive unit 33 is provided in a range that does not protrude from the guide bar 32 in the main scanning direction, so that the size of the device in the main scanning direction can be reduced. Therefore, the device can be made compact.

[0069] In the printing device 100 of this embodiment, the carriage drive unit 33 is endless, is arranged within a range that fits within the rear side of the guide bar 32 when viewed from the front, has a portion that extends along the main scanning direction, and has a belt member 41 connected to the carriage 31 and a rotational drive source 42 that rotates the belt member 41, and the rotational drive source 42 has a rotation axis AX arranged along the front-to-rear direction.

[0070] According to this configuration, the belt member 41 and the rotation drive source 42 can be efficiently arranged in a limited space.

[0071] In the printing apparatus 100 according to this embodiment, the carriage 31 has an airflow generating unit 54 that generates an airflow in the main scanning direction.

[0072] According to this configuration, the airflow generating unit 54 generates an airflow in the main scanning direction, so that the direction of the airflow generated by the movement of the carriage 31 can be made to match the direction of the airflow generated by the airflow generating unit 54. As a result, the carriage 31 can be cooled efficiently without increasing the size of the airflow generating unit 54.

[0073] The printing device 100 of this embodiment is further provided with a maintenance unit 50 that is arranged at a standby position P1 on one side in the main scanning direction relative to the table 22 and performs maintenance on the head 34, and a cable chain 45 that has one end in the main scanning direction connected to the carriage 31 and the other end in the main scanning direction connected to the guide bar 32, holds a cable extending from the carriage 31, and deforms in accordance with the movement of the carriage 31, and the cable chain 45 is configured to be curved and returned in the vertical direction at the end on the other side opposite to the one side in the main scanning direction.

[0074] According to this configuration, the cable chain 45 can be efficiently arranged according to the configuration of the carriage 31.

[0075] In the printing device 100 according to this embodiment, the guide bar 32 is arranged protruding on both sides of the table 22 in the main scanning direction, and the amount by which the guide bar 32 protrudes from the table 22 is greater on one side than on the other side.

[0076] According to this configuration, the amount of protrusion from the table 22 on the other side in the main scanning direction is shorter than the dimension of the carriage 31 in the main scanning direction, so that the dimension in the main scanning direction can be reduced.

[0077] The printing device 100 according to this embodiment includes a table 22 having a mounting surface 25a on which a medium M is placed and movable in a sub-scanning direction along the mounting surface 25a, a carriage 31 having a head 34 that ejects ink toward the mounting surface 25a and movable in a main scanning direction that is a direction along the mounting surface 25a and intersects with the sub-scanning direction, and a control unit CONT that controls the operation of the table 22, the operation of the carriage 31, and the operation of the head 34. The head 34 has a plurality of nozzle rows 34L aligned in the sub-scanning direction, and the nozzle rows 34L are The head 34 is configured with multiple rows in the main scanning direction, and when starting to eject ink onto a target area R on the mounting surface 25a, the control unit CONT positions the head 34 and the table 22 so that the front ends of the nozzle rows 34L and the target area R correspond to each other in the sub-scanning direction in which the table 22 moves, and ejects ink onto the mounting surface 25a from the nozzles 34N facing the target area R while moving the head 34 in the main scanning direction while maintaining the relative positional relationship between the table 22 and the head 34 in the sub-scanning direction.

[0078] According to this configuration, when starting the ejection operation, the head 34 and the table 22 are positioned so that the front ends of the nozzle row 34L and the target area R in the sub-scanning direction of the movement of the table 22 correspond to each other, and while the head 34 is moved in the main scanning direction while maintaining the relative positional relationship between the table 22 and the head 34 in the sub-scanning direction, ink is ejected from the nozzles 34N facing the target area R onto the mounting surface 25a, so that ejection can be performed on the end of the target area R without placing the head 34 in front of the movement direction of the target area R. This makes it possible to reduce the dimension in the sub-scanning direction, thereby making the device more compact.

[0079] In the printing device 100 of this embodiment, the control unit CONT ejects ink from the nozzle 34N furthest to the rear in the movement direction, then moves the table 22 in the movement direction in stages by a predetermined amount, and ejects ink from the nozzle 34N facing the target area R onto the mounting surface 25a while moving the head 34 in the main scanning direction with each movement of the table 22.

[0080] According to this configuration, after ink is ejected onto the edge of the target area R, the table 22 is moved stepwise in the movement direction by a predetermined amount, and with each movement of the table 22, the head 34 is moved in the main scanning direction while ejecting ink from the nozzle 34N facing the target area R onto the mounting surface 25a, thereby enabling an efficient ejection operation.

[0081] In the printing device 100 of this embodiment, when the head 34 and the table 22 are positioned so that the rear end of the nozzle row 34L in the movement direction corresponds to the rear end of the target area R in the movement direction, the control unit CONT ejects ink from the nozzle 34N facing the target area R onto the mounting surface 25a while moving the head 34 in the main scanning direction while maintaining the relative positional relationship between the table 22 and the head 34 in the sub-scanning direction.

[0082] According to this configuration, when the ejection operation is completed, the head 34 and the table 22 are positioned so that the rear ends of the nozzle row 34L and the target area R in the sub-scanning direction of the movement of the table 22 correspond to each other, and while the relative positional relationship between the table 22 and the head 34 is maintained in the sub-scanning direction, the head 34 is moved in the main scanning direction and ink is ejected from the nozzles 34N facing the target area R onto the mounting surface 25a, so that ejection can be performed on the end of the target area R without placing the head 34 on the rear side of the movement direction of the target area R. This makes it possible to reduce the dimension in the sub-scanning direction, thereby making the device more compact.

[0083] The printing device 100 of this embodiment further includes an area sensor 60 that emits detection light in the main scanning direction and detects the media M placed on the table 22 based on the detection result of the detection light, and the area sensor 60 is arranged on the rear side of the carriage 31.

[0084] With this configuration, the media M can be detected by the area sensor 60 even when the ejection operation is started from a state in which the head 34 and the table 22 are positioned so that the front ends of the nozzle row 34L and the target area R correspond to each other in the sub-scanning direction in which the table 22 moves.

[0085] In the printing device 100 according to this embodiment, the medium M is a food product, and the ink is an edible ink.

[0086] According to this configuration, the printing device 100 that ejects edible ink onto food can be made compact.

[0087] The printing device 100 of this embodiment comprises a table 22 having a placement surface 25a on which food is placed, a carriage 31 which is equipped with a head 34 that ejects edible ink toward the placement surface 25a and which is movable in the main scanning direction relative to the table 22, a guide bar 32 which is arranged along the main scanning direction and guides the carriage 31, a movable part 44 which is movable along the guide bar 32 and connected to the carriage 31, and a carriage drive unit 33 which has a rotational drive source 42 which moves the movable part 44 in the main scanning direction, and the carriage 31 is detachable from the movable part 44.

[0088] According to this configuration, since the carriage 31 is detachable from the movable part 44, maintenance of the carriage 31 and the head 34 mounted on the carriage 31 can be easily performed.

[0089] In the printing device 100 according to this embodiment, the carriage 31 is mounted with an ink supply unit 35 above the head 34, which supplies ink to the head 34. The ink supply unit 35 has an ink cartridge 36 that contains ink, a holder 37 to which the ink cartridge 36 can be attached and detached on the front side, and a distribution mechanism 38 that distributes ink from the ink cartridge 36 attached to the holder 37 to the head 34.

[0090] According to this configuration, maintenance of the ink cartridges 36, the holder 37, and the flow mechanism 38 in the ink supply unit 35 mounted above the head 34 in the carriage 31 can be easily performed.

[0091] In the printing device 100 of this embodiment, the circulation mechanism 38 has a valve 38a arranged on the rear side of the holder 37, a tube 38b extending downward from the valve 38a, and a damper 38c connected to the lower end of the tube 38b and supplying ink from the tube 38b to the head 34, and further includes a guide member 39 that guides ink leaking from the circulation mechanism 38 to a predetermined position.

[0092] According to this configuration, ink leaking from the flow mechanism 38 can be guided to a predetermined position by the guide member 39, so that cleaning work can be easily performed.

[0093] In the printing device 100 according to this embodiment, an absorbing member 40 that absorbs ink is provided at a predetermined position.

[0094] According to this configuration, cleaning of a predetermined position can be performed by replacing the absorbing member 40, so that cleaning can be performed efficiently.

[0095] The printing apparatus 100 according to this embodiment further includes a receiving member 55 that is disposed so as to protrude from the bottom of the guide bar 32 to the front side and receives foreign matter from the carriage driving unit 33.

[0096] According to this configuration, the receiving member 55 can prevent foreign matter from the carriage 31 from dropping onto the table 22, so that the effort required for cleaning the table 22 can be reduced.

[0097] In the printing device 100 according to this embodiment, the receiving member 55 is provided in a range that covers at least the portion where the carriage 31 moves in the main scanning direction.

[0098] According to this configuration, it is possible to effectively prevent foreign objects from falling onto the portion where the carriage 31 moves.

[0099] In the printing device 100 according to this embodiment, the receiving member 55 is provided in a detachable manner.

[0100] According to this configuration, by replacing the receiving member 55, the receiving member 55 can be easily cleaned.

[0101] The printing device 100 of this embodiment comprises a table 22 having a mounting surface 25a on which media is placed, and a carriage 31 which is equipped with a head 34 that ejects edible ink toward the mounting surface 25a and which is movable in the main scanning direction relative to the table 22. The table 22 has a top plate portion 25 which includes the mounting surface 25a, and a top plate support portion 26 which supports the top plate portion 25, and the top plate portion 25 is detachably provided relative to the top plate support portion 26.

[0102] According to this configuration, since the top plate portion 25 is detachably provided to the top plate support portion 26, maintenance such as cleaning of the top plate portion 25 can be easily performed by replacing the top plate portion 25.

[0103] In the printing device 100 according to this embodiment, the top board support portion 26 has a positioning portion 26c that positions the top board portion 25 in the horizontal direction.

[0104] According to this configuration, the top plate portion 25 can be positioned with respect to the top plate support portion 26 with high precision.

[0105] The printing device 100 of this embodiment further includes a table drive unit 23 that is arranged below the table 22 and moves the table 22 in a sub-scanning direction that intersects the main scanning direction, and a cover member 29 that is arranged between the table 22 and the table drive unit 23 and covers the table drive unit 23.

[0106] According to this configuration, the cover member 29 is provided, so that it is possible to prevent foreign matter from entering the table driving unit 23 side.

[0107] In the printing device 100 according to this embodiment, the cover member 29 is formed in a box shape so as to house the table driving unit 23 therein.

[0108] According to this configuration, by accommodating the table driving unit 23 with the cover member 29, it is possible to more reliably prevent foreign matter from entering the table driving unit 23.

[0109] In the printing device 100 according to this embodiment, the cover member 29 is formed so that its upper surface is flat.

[0110] According to this configuration, the upper surface of the cover member 29 can be easily cleaned.

[0111] In the printing apparatus 100 according to this embodiment, the cover member 29 is disposed above the table driving unit 23 and is provided so as to be deformable in the direction in which the table 22 moves.

[0112] According to this configuration, the cover member 29 is deformed in association with the movement of the table 22, so that it is possible to more reliably prevent foreign matter from entering the table driving portion 23.

[0113] The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and appropriate modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the outer shape, dimensions, etc. of the printing device 100 can be modified as appropriate. FIG. 18 is a front view showing the configuration of a printing device according to a modified example. The printing device 100A shown in FIG. 18 includes a housing 10A, a table unit 20A, an image forming unit 30A, a maintenance unit 50A, and a control unit CONT. As in the printing device 100A exemplified in this embodiment, the dimensions in the main scanning direction (left-right direction, Y direction) relative to the table 22 may be the same on the left and right. [Explanation of symbols]

[0114] M...media, P1...standby position, P2...print cleaning position, R...target area, Q1, Q2, Q3...ejection pattern, P3...movement end position, P4...predetermined position, AX...rotation axis, Ma, 29d...upper surface, CONT...control unit, 10, 10A...housing, 11...operation unit, 12...operation member, 13...slot, 14, 29b, 36e...cover, 20, 20A...table unit, 21...base, 22...table, 23...table drive unit, 23a...X Drive system, 23b...Z drive system, 24...guide portion, 25...top plate portion, 25a...mounting surface, 25c...notch portion, 26...top plate support portion, 26a...plate-shaped portion, 26b...columnar portion, 26c, 36g...positioning portion, 29...cover member, 29a...frame portion, 29c...bottom bent piece, 30, 30A...image forming portion, 31...carriage, 31a...carriage cover, 32...guide bar, 33...carriage drive portion, 34...head, 34L...nozzle Row, 34N... nozzle, 35... ink supply section, 36... ink cartridge, 36a... cartridge body, 36b... ink storage bag, 36c... ink remaining amount detection plate, 36d... storage section, 36f... supply port, 36h... protrusion, 36i... elastic member, 37... holder, 38... flow mechanism, 38a... valve, 38b... tube, 38c... damper, 39... guide member, 39a... engagement section, 39b... first flat section, 39c... step section, 39d... second Planar portion, 39e...support portion, 40, 53...absorption member, 40a...slit, 41...belt member, 41a...connection portion, 42...rotation drive source, 42a...output shaft, 43...guide member, 44...movable portion, 45...cable chain, 46...pulley, 50, 50A...maintenance portion, 51...wiping device, 51a...wiper, 52...suction device, 54...airflow generating portion, 55...receiving member, 60...area sensor, 100, 100A...printing device

Claims

1. a table having a surface on which food is placed; a carriage that is equipped with a head that ejects edible ink toward the placement surface and an ink supply unit that supplies ink to the head, and that is movable in a main scanning direction along the placement surface; A printing device comprising:

2. The ink supply unit is disposed above the head. The printing device of claim 1 .

3. The ink supply unit includes: an ink cartridge that contains the ink; a holder to which the ink cartridge can be detachably attached at a front side; a circulation mechanism for circulating the ink from the ink cartridge mounted in the holder to the head. The printing device according to claim 2 .

4. the flow mechanism has a valve disposed on a rear side of the holder, The ink cartridges and the holders are arranged in a row in the left-right direction, The valves are provided for each of the holders, and are rectangular in shape extending in one direction when viewed from the rear side, and are disposed in a state inclined with respect to the up-down direction. The printing device according to claim 3 .

5. The ink cartridge has a protrusion that protrudes upward from an upper portion of the front side when the ink cartridge is attached to the holder. The printing device according to claim 3 .

6. The ink cartridge comprises: A cartridge body; an ink containing bag that is detachably provided to the cartridge body, contains the ink, and is deformable according to the amount of ink contained; an ink remaining amount detection plate supported by the cartridge body, biased against the ink containing bag, and moved in response to deformation of the ink containing bag; The printing device according to claim 3 .

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