Liquid ejection device and liquid ejection method

Abstract

To provide a liquid ejection device and a liquid ejection method, each enabling for each medium M, suppression of deviation in a liquid droplet placement position in bidirectional printing.SOLUTION: A printer comprises: a glue belt 22 on which a plurality of different types of media M are arranged; an ejection head 31 which reciprocates along an X-axis direction and ejects ink to the plurality of media M; a first detection unit 41 which detects an end of each medium M; a second detection unit 42 which detects thickness of the medium M; and a control unit. The control unit causes the first detection unit 41 to detect an end of each of the plurality of media M, sets an ejection range to which ink is ejected for each medium M on the basis of the detection result of the first detection unit 41, causes the second detection unit 42 to detect a thickness of each of the plurality of media M, determines an adjustment amount for adjusting the liquid droplet placement position of ink for each medium M on the basis of the detection result of the second detection unit 42, adjusts the liquid droplet placement position on the basis of the adjustment amount, and causes the ejection head 31 to eject ink to the ejection ranges of the plurality of media M.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid ejection apparatus and a liquid ejection method. [Background technology]

[0002] In a printer that prints by ejecting liquid from the ejection head onto a medium while moving a carriage carrying the ejection head back and forth, there is a time difference between when the liquid is ejected and when the liquid lands on the medium. When performing bidirectional printing with such a printer, a shift may occur between the landing position on the forward path and the landing position on the return path depending on the distance between the ejection head and the medium. For this reason, Patent Document 1 proposes a printer that can adjust the timing of ejecting liquid depending on the distance between the ejection head and the medium when performing bidirectional printing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2009-61755 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a printer that prints images such as patterns on a relatively large medium such as a fabric, the same image may be printed on multiple different types of media to create samples for selecting an appropriate medium from various types of media. Since such samples may be relatively small in size, if multiple media can be arranged along the moving direction of the carriage, the productivity of creating samples will increase. However, the configuration described in Patent Document 1 does not assume printing on multiple media arranged along the moving direction of the carriage. For this reason, if the thicknesses of the arranged media are different, the distance between the ejection head and the medium will be different for each medium, and at least some of the media will have image distortion due to a shift in the landing position. In other words, a printer that can suppress the deviation of the landing position for each medium even when multiple media with different thicknesses are arranged along the moving direction of the carriage is desired. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The liquid ejection device includes a support member on which multiple different types of media are arranged, an ejection head that ejects liquid onto the multiple media while moving back and forth along a first direction, a first detection unit that detects ends of the media arranged on the support member, a second detection unit that detects thicknesses of the media arranged on the support member, and a control unit, wherein the control unit causes the first detection unit to detect the ends of each of the multiple media, sets an ejection range into which the liquid is ejected for each medium based on the detection results of the first detection unit, causes the second detection unit to detect the thickness of each of the multiple media, determines an adjustment amount for adjusting the landing position of the liquid for each medium based on the detection results of the second detection unit, adjusts the landing position based on the adjustment amount, and ejects the liquid from the ejection head into the ejection range of the multiple media.

[0006] The liquid ejection method is a liquid ejection method using a liquid ejection device that includes an ejection head that ejects liquid onto a plurality of different types of media arranged on a support member while moving back and forth along a first direction, a first detection unit that detects the ends of the media arranged on the support member, and a second detection unit that detects the thicknesses of the media arranged on the support member, and includes causing the first detection unit to detect the ends of each of the plurality of media, setting an ejection range into which the liquid is ejected for each of the media based on the detection results of the first detection unit, causing the second detection unit to detect the thicknesses of each of the plurality of media, determining an adjustment amount for adjusting the landing position of the liquid for each of the media based on the detection results of the second detection unit, adjusting the landing position based on the adjustment amount, and ejecting the liquid from the ejection head into the ejection range of the plurality of media. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a printer. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the main parts of the printer as viewed from above. [Figure 3A] 11 is a side view illustrating a deviation in landing position in bidirectional printing. FIG. [Figure 3B] 11 is a side view illustrating a deviation in landing position in bidirectional printing. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the printer. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which three media are arranged on a glue belt according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 4 is a flowchart illustrating a printing operation of the printer according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a state in which three media are arranged on a glue belt according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a printing operation of a printer according to a second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a plan view of the main parts of a printer according to a modified example, viewed from above. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] 1. First embodiment The general configuration of the printer 10 according to the first embodiment will be described below. The printer 10 of this embodiment is an inkjet printer that ejects ink onto a medium M such as fabric to print images such as patterns. The printer 10 is an example of a liquid ejection device, and ink is an example of a liquid.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a printer 10 according to this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of the main parts of the printer 10 as viewed from above. 1 and 2, the scales of the components are different from the actual scales in order to make the components recognizable. For convenience of explanation, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are illustrated as three mutually orthogonal axes.

[0010] The X axis is an axis parallel to the installation surface 1 of the printer 10, and corresponds to the width direction of the printer 10. The +X direction parallel to the X axis is the direction from the front to the back of the printer 10 when a drive roller 24, described below, is placed to the left of a printing unit 30, described below. In the case of FIG. 1, the +X direction is the direction toward the back of the figure. The -X direction parallel to the X axis is the opposite direction to the +X direction. The +X direction corresponds to the first direction.

[0011] The Y axis is an axis parallel to the installation surface 1 of the printer 10, and corresponds to the depth direction of the printer 10. The +Y direction parallel to the Y axis is the direction from a driven roller 23 (described later) to a drive roller 24 (described later). In the case of FIG. 1, the +Y direction is the direction toward the left in the figure. The -Y direction parallel to the Y axis is the direction opposite to the +Y direction. The +Y direction also corresponds to the transport direction of the medium M.

[0012] The Z axis is an axis perpendicular to the installation surface 1 of the printer 10, i.e., an axis along the direction of gravity in which gravity acts, and corresponds to the height direction of the printer 10. The +Z direction parallel to the Z axis is the direction upward from the installation surface 1 of the printer 10. In the case of Figure 1, the +Z direction is the direction toward the top of the figure. The -Z direction parallel to the Z axis is the direction opposite to the +Z direction.

[0013] Hereinafter, the direction parallel to the X-axis will be referred to as the X-axis direction, the direction parallel to the Y-axis will be referred to as the Y-axis direction, and the direction parallel to the Z-axis will be referred to as the Z-axis direction. In other words, the X-axis direction includes both the +X and -X directions, the Y-axis direction includes both the +Y and -Y directions, and the Z-axis direction includes both the +Z and -Z directions.

[0014] 1, the printer 10 includes a transport unit 20 that transports the medium M, a printing unit 30 that prints on the transported medium M, a pressing unit 60 that presses the medium M against the transport belt, and a cleaning unit 70 that cleans the transport belt. The printer 10 also includes a control unit 90 that controls each of these components. In this embodiment, the medium M is a fabric such as cotton, silk, wool, synthetic fiber, or a blend.

[0015] The transport unit 20 is made up of a glue belt 22, a platen 221, a driven roller 23, a drive roller 24, etc. The transport unit 20 transports the long medium M fed from a supply roller (not shown) in the +Y direction. The glue belt 22 is an example of a conveyor belt capable of conveying the medium M, and is configured as an endless belt formed by joining both ends of an elastic flat plate. The glue belt 22 is a rubber belt, and is wound around a driven roller 23 and a driving roller 24. The glue belt 22 moves in a circular motion by being driven by the driving roller 24, thereby conveying the medium M in the +Y direction.

[0016] The outer peripheral surface 22A of the glue belt 22 is adhesive due to the application of an adhesive, and supports the medium M by this adhesiveness. Adhesiveness means a property that allows temporary adhesion to other members and allows separation from the adhered state. This allows a stretchable fabric or the like to be treated as a printable medium M. The glue belt 22 is an example of a support member that supports the medium M. The color of the outer peripheral surface 22A of the glue belt 22 is a dark color such as black.

[0017] The glue belt 22 supporting the medium M passes between a discharge head 31, which will be described later, and a platen 221 disposed on the -Z side of the discharge head 31. The discharge head 31 then discharges ink onto the medium M transported onto the platen 221, thereby forming an image on the medium M. The medium M onto which the ink has been ejected from the ejection head 31 is peeled off from the portion of the outer circumferential surface 22A of the glue belt 22 that is wound around the drive roller 24 by being taken up by a take-up roller (not shown).

[0018] The driven roller 23 and the driving roller 24 support the inner peripheral surface 22B of the glue belt 22. The driving roller 24 is driven to rotate by a conveying motor (not shown). When the driving roller 24 is driven to rotate, the glue belt 22 rotates in accordance with the rotation of the driving roller 24, and the rotation of the glue belt 22 causes the driven roller 23 to rotate.

[0019] 1 by the rotation of the drive roller 24, the glue belt 22 transports the medium M supported on the outer peripheral surface 22A in the transport direction, which is the +Y direction. In this embodiment, the path along which the glue belt 22 travels in the counterclockwise direction is referred to as a circulating path. Among the circulating paths, the path along which the medium M is transported is referred to as a transport path, and the other paths, i.e., paths that do not constitute the transport path of the medium M, are referred to as transport preparation paths. Therefore, the transport path is a path from a position where the fed medium M is pressed by a pressing unit 60 (described later) and supported by the glue belt 22 to a position where the medium M is peeled off from the glue belt 22 after printing is completed.

[0020] In the transport path, the outer peripheral surface 22A of the circulating glue belt 22 faces the +Z direction side facing the printing unit 30. Then, the glue belt 22 moves from the driven roller 23 side to the driving roller 24 side while supporting the medium M. Also, in the transport preparation path, the outer peripheral surface 22A of the circulating glue belt 22 faces the -Z direction side facing the cleaning unit 70 described later. Then, only the glue belt 22 after the medium M has been peeled off moves from the driving roller 24 side to the driven roller 23 side.

[0021] The pressing unit 60 presses the medium M against the glue belt 22 to bring the medium M into close contact with the glue belt 22. The pressing unit 60 is provided upstream of the printing unit 30 in the -Y direction in the transport direction and downstream of the driven roller 23 in the +Y direction. The pressing unit 60 includes a pressing roller 61, a roller support unit 63, and a pressing roller drive unit (not shown).

[0022] The pressing roller 61 is formed in a cylindrical or columnar shape, and is provided so as to be rotatable in the circumferential direction along the cylindrical surface of the pressing roller 61, with a roller shaft (not shown) along the X-axis direction as a rotation axis. The roller support part 63 is provided on the inner circumferential surface 22B side of the glue belt 22, at a position facing the pressing roller 61 with the glue belt 22 sandwiched therebetween.

[0023] The length of the pressure roller 61 in the X-axis direction is approximately the same as the length of the glue belt 22 in the X-axis direction. Moreover, the length of the medium M in the X-axis direction is shorter than the lengths of the pressure roller 61 and the glue belt 22 in the X-axis direction. Moreover, the length of the roller support part 63 in the X-axis direction is approximately the same as the length of the pressure roller 61 in the X-axis direction.

[0024] The pressure roller 61 is pressed downward, i.e., in the -Z direction, by the pressure roller drive unit. The pressed pressure roller 61 rotates following the movement of the glue belt 22 in the transport direction. The medium M superimposed on the glue belt 22 is pressed against the glue belt 22 between the pressure roller 61 and the roller support unit 63. The operation of the pressing unit 60 allows the medium M to adhere to the glue belt 22, and the occurrence of floating of the medium M on the glue belt 22 can be suppressed.

[0025] The printing unit 30 is disposed above the glue belt 22 moving in the +Y direction, which is the transport direction, i.e., in the +Z direction, and performs printing on the medium M supported on the outer peripheral surface 22A of the glue belt 22. The printing unit 30 includes an ejection head 31, a carriage 32, and a carriage guide 33. The ejection head 31 ejects ink onto the medium M supported by the glue belt 22.

[0026] The carriage guide 33 extends in the X-axis direction and supports the carriage 32. One or more ejection heads 31 are disposed on the carriage 32. The carriage guide 33 is formed so that the length in the X-axis direction is longer than the length of the glue belt 22 in the X-axis direction. The carriage 32 is configured so that it can reciprocate along the X-axis direction while being supported by the carriage guide 33. Hereinafter, of the paths along which the carriage 32 reciprocates along the X-axis direction, the path along which it moves in the +X direction is also referred to as the outgoing path, and the path along which it moves in the -X direction is also referred to as the returning path.

[0027] The ejection head 31 is formed with one or more nozzle rows (not shown) each consisting of a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink. The nozzle rows face the medium M transported by the glue belt 22. The ejection head 31 ejects ink from the nozzle rows onto the medium M transported onto the platen 221 while moving back and forth along the X-axis direction together with the carriage 32, thereby forming an image on the medium M.

[0028] 2, the carriage 32 can move in the X-axis direction between a printable area PL where printing on the medium M is possible, and a retreat area NPL outside the printable area PL in the X-axis direction. In this embodiment, the retreat area NPL is provided on the -X direction side of the printable area PL. The retreat area NPL is, for example, an area where maintenance of the ejection head 31 is performed.

[0029] The printer 10 intermittently moves the glue belt 22 to intermittently transport the medium M in contact with the glue belt 22 in the transport direction. The printer 10 then executes printing on the intermittently transported medium M. Specifically, the printer 10 forms an image on the medium M by alternately executing an operation of ejecting ink from the ejection head 31 while moving the carriage 32 along the X-axis direction and an operation of transporting the medium M by a predetermined amount in the transport direction by the transport unit 20.

[0030] The printer 10 of this embodiment is capable of bidirectional printing by the ejection head 31. That is, the ejection head 31 ejects ink both in the process of being moved by the carriage 32 in the +X direction and in the process of being moved in the -X direction.

[0031] Here, as shown in FIG. 3A, the ejection head 31 is separated from the medium M, and ejects ink while moving in the X-axis direction, so that the ejected ink follows an oblique trajectory and lands on the medium M. Therefore, even if the ejection head 31 ejects ink from the same position, the ink landing position differs when the ejection head 31 is moving in the +X direction and when the ejection head 31 is moving in the -X direction. Therefore, the control unit 90 of this embodiment adjusts the ink landing position by adjusting the timing of ejecting ink when the carriage 32 is moving in the +X direction and the timing of ejecting ink when the carriage 32 is moving in the -X direction. The adjustment amount for adjusting the ejection timing can be expressed by the position where the ejection head 31 should eject ink, that is, the distance D between the ejection positions of the ejection head 31, in order to land ink at the same position both when the carriage 32 is moving in the +X direction and when the carriage 32 is moving in the -X direction. The adjustment amount for adjusting the ejection timing corresponds to the adjustment amount for adjusting the landing position of the liquid.

[0032] 3A and 3B, the ink landing position also differs depending on the distance H between the ejection head 31 and the medium M. For example, the greater the distance H between the ejection head 31 and the medium M, the longer the time from when the ink is ejected to when it lands, and the greater the distance between the ejection position and the landing position. For this reason, the control unit 90 changes the adjustment amount of the ejection timing according to the distance H between the ejection head 31 and the medium M. Specifically, when the height of the ejection head 31 is fixed, the distance H between the ejection head 31 and the medium M changes according to the thickness T of the medium M, so the control unit 90 of this embodiment changes the adjustment amount of the ejection timing according to the thickness T of the medium M.

[0033] 2, a first detection unit 41 that detects the presence or absence of the medium M and a second detection unit 42 that detects the thickness of the medium M are disposed on the carriage 32. Specifically, the first detection unit 41 is attached to the side surface on the +X side of the carriage 32, and the second detection unit 42 is attached to the +X side of the first detection unit 41. That is, the ejection head 31, the first detection unit 41, and the second detection unit 42 are attached to the carriage 32 in this order toward the +X direction. However, the positional relationship between the ejection head 31, the first detection unit 41, and the second detection unit 42 is not limited to the above.

[0034] The first detection unit 41 includes a reflective optical sensor, and detects whether or not the medium M is present in the -Z direction by emitting light in the -Z direction and receiving the reflected light. It is assumed that the color of the glue belt 22 is dark, while the color of the medium M is light. In other words, the color of the glue belt 22 is different from the color of the medium M. Therefore, the amount of reflected light received differs between when the light emitted from the first detection unit 41 is irradiated onto the glue belt 22 and when it is irradiated onto the medium M. In other words, the first detection unit 41 detects the presence or absence of the medium M based on the amount of reflected light received. In addition, the first detection unit 41 can detect the end of the medium M by detecting the presence or absence of the medium M while moving in the X-axis direction together with the carriage 32.

[0035] The second detection unit 42 detects the thickness of the medium M. The second detection unit 42 is, for example, an ultrasonic sensor, and is capable of detecting the distance to the medium M based on the time required from transmitting to receiving ultrasonic waves. The second detection unit 42 can then detect the thickness of the medium M based on the distance to the medium M.

[0036] 1, after the printed medium M is peeled off from the glue belt 22, the glue belt 22 is folded back by the drive roller 24 and moves along the transport preparation path. When a pattern or the like is printed on the medium M such as a fabric, the ink that has permeated the medium M, the ink that has protruded from the end of the medium M in the X-axis direction, and the fibers that have fallen off the medium M adhere to the outer peripheral surface 22A of the glue belt 22.

[0037] The cleaning unit 70 uses a cleaning liquid to clean the glue belt 22 moving along the transport preparation path, thereby removing ink, fibers, and the like adhering to the outer peripheral surface 22A of the glue belt 22. More specifically, the cleaning unit 70 is disposed below the drive roller 24 side with respect to the arrangement position of the endless glue belt 22, and cleans the outer peripheral surface 22A of the glue belt 22 from below.

[0038] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the printer 10. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 90 is configured by, for example, a computer, and has a control unit 91 and a storage unit 92.

[0039] The control unit 91 includes a processor, a central processing unit (CPU) (not shown), and a memory. The memory is a storage device in which an area for storing programs and a working area are secured, and is composed of a random access memory (RAM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), etc. The CPU controls the operation of each part of the printer 10 according to a control program PR read from the storage unit 92 into the memory.

[0040] The storage unit 92 is configured by a non-volatile storage device, and stores the above-mentioned control program PR, image data DA, and the like.

[0041] The printing section 30, the transport section 20, the pressing section 60, and the cleaning section 70 are electrically connected to the control unit 90, and the control unit 90 controls the operation of each of these components. For example, the control unit 90 controls the ejection head 31 constituting the printing section 30 as described above. Specifically, the control unit 90 is connected to a drive circuit (not shown) of the ejection head 31, and transmits a print signal to the drive circuit for ejecting ink from the ejection head 31. The control unit 90 also controls a carriage motor (not shown) which is a drive source for moving the carriage 32 in the X-axis direction.

[0042] In addition, the control unit 90 controls a transport motor (not shown) which is the drive source of the drive roller 24 that constitutes the transport section 20, a pressure roller drive section (not shown) that constitutes the pressing section 60, and a drive source (not shown) of the cleaning section 70.

[0043] The control unit 90 is also electrically connected to the first detection unit 41 and the second detection unit 42 described above. The first detection unit 41 detects the presence or absence of the medium M based on the control of the control unit 90, and outputs the detection result to the control unit 90. Similarly, the second detection unit 42 detects the thickness of the medium M based on the control of the control unit 90, and outputs the detection result to the control unit 90.

[0044] Furthermore, the printer 10 is equipped with an operation unit 93 and a display unit 94, which are also electrically connected to the control unit 90. The operation unit 93 is configured with operation buttons, a touch panel, etc., and receives input operations by the user and outputs operation signals corresponding to the input operations to the control unit 90. For example, the operation unit 93 receives printing conditions and various instruction information from the user. The display unit 94 notifies the user of various information by displaying images, characters, etc. based on the control of the control unit 90. Note that the display unit 94 may be configured to notify the user of various information by communicating with a communication terminal device such as a smartphone.

[0045] The printer 10 configured as described above is intended to print on a large medium M, that is, a medium M that is long and wide along the transport direction. However, prior to printing on the large medium M, samples may be created by the printer 10 to select an appropriate medium M from various types of media M. Since such samples may be relatively small in size, it is desirable to print on multiple small pieces of media M at once, taking into account the productivity of the samples. The printer 10 of this embodiment is capable of printing on multiple media M arranged on the glue belt 22 at once by adjusting the ejection timing according to the thickness of each medium M.

[0046] FIG. 5 is a plan view showing, as an example, a state in which three small pieces of media M1 to M3 are arranged on a glue belt 22. As shown in FIG. When printing is performed collectively on a plurality of small pieces of media M1 to M3, the media M1 to M3 are arranged by the user along the X-axis on the glue belt 22, for example, as shown in FIG. 5. The media M1 to M3 are made of different materials and do not have the same thickness. However, the media M1 to M3 are all formed to the same shape and size, and are arranged in an orderly manner along the X-axis on the glue belt 22 with the same orientation. The shapes of the media M1 to M3 are, for example, rectangular.

[0047] The multiple media M1-M3 are placed, for example, on the -Y side of the carriage guide 33, that is, on the upstream side in the transport direction. The media M1-M3 are then transported in the +Y direction, and when the +Y side ends of the media M1-M3 reach a position where they intersect with the movement path of the ejection head 31, the user causes the printer 10 to start printing on the media M1-M3. Note that before printing starts, the carriage 32 is assumed to be located in the evacuation area NPL.

[0048] FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the printing operation of the printer 10, that is, the liquid ejection method by the printer 10. 6, first, in step S101, the control unit 91 of the printer 10 acquires image data DA from the storage unit 92. This image data DA is image data that represents an image such as a pattern to be printed on the medium M. However, since the image data DA is image data that is intended for printing on a large medium M, it is image data that corresponds to a size larger than the individual sizes of the small pieces of media M1 to M3.

[0049] In step S102, the control unit 91 acquires size information of the media M1 to M3. The size information is, for example, input by a user via the operation unit 93. The size information includes information indicating the sizes of the media M1 to M3, as well as information indicating the orientation of the media M arranged on the glue belt 22, etc.

[0050] In step S103, the control unit 91 controls the printing unit 30 to start moving the carriage 32 in the +X direction.

[0051] In step S104, the control unit 91 causes the first detection unit 41 to detect the ends of the multiple media M1 to M3 arranged on the glue belt 22 while the carriage 32 moves from the evacuation area NPL to the end of the printable area PL in the +X direction. Specifically, the control unit 91 causes the first detection unit 41 to detect the -X side end and the +X side end of each medium M. This allows the control unit 91 to recognize the number of media M arranged along the X-axis direction and their respective positions.

[0052] After the carriage 32 has moved to the end of the printable area PL in the +X direction, in step S105, the control unit 91 sets a discharge range for each of the media M1 to M3 based on the size information acquired in step S102 and the end detection result in step S104. The discharge range is the range into which ink is discharged from the discharge head 31, and is set to be smaller than the range in which the media M1 to M3 are detected in order to suppress the discharge of ink outside the media M1 to M3.

[0053] In step S106, the control unit 91 edits the image data DA according to the set discharge range. Specifically, the control unit 91 performs a process of trimming the area outside the discharge range on the image data DA acquired in step S101, and generates edited image data, which is the image data after the process.

[0054] In step S107, the control unit 91 controls the printing unit 30 to start moving the carriage 32 in the -X direction.

[0055] In step S108, the control unit 91 causes the second detection unit 42 to detect the thickness of the multiple media M1-M3 arranged on the glue belt 22 while the carriage 32 moves in the -X direction. For example, the control unit 91 causes the second detection unit 42 to detect the thickness of each of the media M1-M3 at the center position in the X-axis direction based on the end positions of each of the media M1-M3 detected in step S104. Note that the control unit 91 may also cause the second detection unit 42 to detect the thickness at multiple positions of each of the media M1-M3 and calculate the average value of these values.

[0056] In step S109, the control unit 91 determines the adjustment amount for adjusting the ejection timing for each of the media M1 to M3 based on the detection result in step S108. Specifically, a table (not shown) that associates the thicknesses of the media M1 to M3 with the adjustment amount is stored in advance in the storage unit 92, and the control unit 91 determines the adjustment amount for the ejection timing based on the detected thickness of each of the media M1 to M3 and this table.

[0057] After the carriage 32 has moved to the end of the printable area PL in the -X direction, in step S110, the control unit 91 controls the printing unit 30 to perform one round trip of printing on the media M1 to M3. That is, the control unit 91 ejects ink from the ejection head 31 based on the edited image data while moving the carriage 32 in the +X direction, and then transports the media M1 to M3 in the +Y direction by a predetermined amount, and then ejects ink from the ejection head 31 based on the edited image data while moving the carriage 32 in the -X direction. At this time, the timing at which ink is ejected when the carriage 32 is moving in the +X direction and the timing at which ink is ejected when the carriage 32 is moving in the -X direction are adjusted according to the adjustment amount for each of the media M1 to M3. That is, the control unit 91 adjusts the landing position based on the adjustment amount determined for each of the media M1 to M3, and ejects ink from the ejection head 31 into the ejection range of the plurality of media M1 to M3. As a result, deviations in landing positions caused by bidirectional printing are suppressed on all of the media M1 to M3.

[0058] In step S111, the control unit 91 determines whether or not all printing based on the edited image data has been completed. If printing has not yet been completed (step S111: NO), the control unit 91 transports the media M1-M3 a predetermined amount in the +Y direction, returns the process to step S110, executes printing for one more round trip, and repeats step S110 until all printing is completed. On the other hand, if printing based on the edited image data has been completed (step S111: YES), the control unit 91 executes a predetermined end process and then ends the printing operation.

[0059] As described above, the printer 10 and liquid ejection method of this embodiment can provide the following advantages.

[0060] According to this embodiment, the control unit 91 determines the adjustment amount for adjusting the ink landing position for each medium M based on the detection result of the second detection unit 42 that detects the thickness of the medium M. This makes it possible to adjust the ink landing position for multiple media M arranged on the glue belt 22 by an adjustment amount appropriate for each thickness, making it possible to suppress deviations in the landing position during bidirectional printing for each medium M. In addition, because the ink ejection range is set based on the detection result of the first detection unit 41 that detects the edge of the medium M, it is possible to suppress ink from being ejected outside the medium M.

[0061] According to this embodiment, since the first detection unit 41 and the second detection unit 42 are mounted on the carriage 32, it becomes easy to detect the edge and thickness of the medium M along the X-axis direction.

[0062] According to this embodiment, since the color of the glue belt 22 is different from the color of the medium M, the edge of the medium M can be detected with high accuracy by the first detection unit 41, which is a reflective optical sensor.

[0063] 2. Second embodiment The printer 10 of the second embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. The printer 10 of this embodiment has the same hardware configuration as the printer 10 of the first embodiment, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted. In the second embodiment, the operation when printing on a small piece of medium M is different from that of the first embodiment.

[0064] FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a state in which three small pieces of media M4 to M6 are arranged on a glue belt 22. As shown in FIG. When printing is performed collectively on a plurality of small pieces of media M4 to M6, the media M4 to M6 are arranged by the user along the X-axis on the glue belt 22, for example, as shown in Fig. 7. The media M4 to M6 are made of different materials and are not the same thickness. In this embodiment, scraps are used as the media M4 to M6, and the shapes and sizes of the media M4 to M6 are not uniform.

[0065] The multiple media M4 to M6 are placed, for example, on the -Y side of the carriage guide 33, that is, on the upstream side in the transport direction. The media M4 to M6 are then transported in the +Y direction, and when the +Y side end of at least one of the media M4 to M6 reaches a position where it intersects with the movement path of the ejection head 31, the user causes the printer 10 to start printing on the media M4 to M6. Note that before printing starts, the carriage 32 is assumed to be located in the evacuation area NPL.

[0066] FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the printing operation of the printer 10 according to the second embodiment, that is, a liquid ejection method by the printer 10. 8, first, in step S201, the control unit 91 of the printer 10 acquires image data DA from the storage unit 92. This image data DA is image data representing an image such as a pattern to be printed on a medium M, and is image data intended for printing on a large medium M.

[0067] In step S202, the control unit 91 controls the printing unit 30 to start moving the carriage 32 in the +X direction. Then, the control unit 91 causes the first detection unit 41 to detect the edge of the medium M while moving the carriage 32 in the +X direction.

[0068] In step S203, the control unit 91 determines whether or not one end of any medium M, i.e., the end on the -X side, has been detected by the first detection unit 41 while the carriage 32 is moving in the +X direction. If one end of the medium M has been detected (step S203: YES), the control unit 91 proceeds to step S204, and if one end of the medium M has not been detected (step S203: NO), the control unit 91 proceeds to step S210.

[0069] When one end of the medium M is detected and the process proceeds to step S204, the control unit 91 causes the second detection unit 42 to detect the thickness of the detected medium M.

[0070] In step S205, the control unit 91 determines the amount of adjustment of the ejection timing in accordance with the thickness of the medium M.

[0071] In step S206, the control unit 91 starts printing based on the image data DA at the timing when the carriage 32 moves a predetermined amount in the +X direction from the detected position of one end.

[0072] In step S207, the control unit 91 determines whether or not the first detection unit 41 has detected the other end of the medium M, i.e., the end on the +X side, during the process of printing while the ejection head 31 is moving in the +X direction. If the other end of the medium M is detected (step S207: YES), the control unit 91 proceeds to step S208. On the other hand, if the other end of the medium M is not detected (step S207: NO), the control unit 91 repeats step S207 and continues printing while moving in the +X direction until the other end of the medium M is detected.

[0073] When the other end of the medium M is detected and the process proceeds to step S208, the control unit 91 stops printing, that is, stops discharging ink, just before the position of the detected other end.

[0074] In step S209, the control unit 91 sets the range from the position where printing started in step S206 to the position where printing stopped in step S208 as the discharge range, and stores this in the memory unit 92. Thereafter, the control unit 91 returns the process to step S203 while maintaining the state in which the carriage 32 moves in the +X direction. Then, it is determined whether or not one end of the next medium M has been detected, and thereafter, the above operations are repeated.

[0075] If one end of the medium M is not detected in step S203 and processing proceeds to step S210, the control unit 91 determines whether or not the carriage 32 has reached the end of the printable area PL in the +X direction. If the carriage 32 has reached the end of the printable area PL in the +X direction (step S210: YES), the control unit 91 proceeds to step S211, and if the carriage 32 has not reached the end of the printable area PL in the +X direction (step S210: NO), the control unit 91 returns processing to step S203.

[0076] When the carriage 32 reaches the end of the printable area PL in the +X direction and the process proceeds to step S211, the control unit 91 determines whether or not at least one medium M has been detected in the printable area PL. If at least one medium M has been detected (step S211: YES), the control unit 91 proceeds to step S212. On the other hand, if no medium M has been detected in the printable area PL (step S211: NO), the control unit 91 determines that printing is complete, and ends the printing operation after performing a predetermined end process. Note that, if at least one medium M has been detected before the carriage 32 reaches the end of the printable area PL in the +X direction, the adjustment amount of the ejection timing is determined for each detected medium M, and the ejection range is set for each detected medium M.

[0077] When at least one medium M is detected within the printable area PL and the process proceeds to step S212, the control unit 91 controls the transport unit 20 to transport the medium M a predetermined amount in the +Y direction.

[0078] In step S213, the control unit 91 controls the printing unit 30 to start moving the carriage 32 in the -X direction.

[0079] In step S214, the control unit 91 controls the printing unit 30 to move the carriage 32 in the -X direction while printing in the respective ejection ranges for all media M detected on the forward pass. In this printing, the ejection timing is adjusted based on the adjustment amount determined for each medium M. That is, the control unit 91 adjusts the landing position based on the adjustment amount determined for each medium M4 to M6, and ejects ink from the ejection head 31 into the ejection ranges of the multiple media M4 to M6.

[0080] After the carriage 32 reaches the end of the printable area PL in the -X direction, in step S215, the control unit 91 controls the transport unit 20 to transport the medium M a predetermined amount in the +Y direction. Then, the process returns to step S202, and the above operations are repeated until the medium M is no longer detected in step S211.

[0081] As described above, according to the printer 10 and liquid ejection method of this embodiment, it is possible to obtain the same effects as those of the first embodiment.

[0082] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the ejection range is reset each time one round trip of printing is performed, so that an image can be printed in an appropriate range even if the size or shape of the media M is not uniform or the arrangement of multiple media M is irregular.

[0083] The above embodiments may be modified as follows.

[0084] The medium M is not limited to fabric. For example, it may be a resin material such as polyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polyamide, or acrylic resin, paper, glass, metal, ceramics, leather, wood, or pottery, or a fiber composed of at least one of these materials, or various natural fibers such as silk, wool, cotton, hemp, polyester, polyamide (nylon), acrylic, polyurethane, cellulose, linter, rayon, cupra, or acetate, synthetic fibers, or semi-synthetic fibers, or a material that is one or a combination of two or more selected from these materials.

[0085] In each of the above-described embodiments, a drying section 80 for drying the medium M onto which ink has been ejected from the ejection head 31 may be provided downstream of the carriage 32 in the transport direction. As shown in FIG. 9, the drying section 80 has, for example, a plurality of heating elements 81 arranged along the X-axis. The control section 91 sets the drying range by the drying section 80, i.e., the heating elements 81 to be turned on, based on the detection result of the first detection section 41. Specifically, the control section 91 turns on the heating elements 81 at positions corresponding to the area in which the media M1 to M3 are arranged, and turns off the other heating elements 81. According to this configuration, the drying range is set according to the position of the medium M, so that the medium M can be dried efficiently. In addition, in this configuration, the control section 91 may determine parameters for drying the plurality of media M1 to M3 based on the detection result of the second detection section 42, i.e., the thickness of the medium M. These parameters may include, for example, the set temperature of the heating elements 81 and the drying time, i.e., the time for which the heating elements 81 are turned on. When the thickness of the medium M is relatively thick, the set temperature can be made higher and the drying time can be made longer than when the thickness of the medium M is relatively thin. According to this configuration, the drying parameters are determined according to the thickness of the medium M, so that the medium M can be dried more efficiently.

[0086] In each of the above-described embodiments, after setting the discharge range in step S105 or step S209, the control unit 91 may display the set discharge range on the display unit 94. According to this configuration, the user can check whether the set discharge range is appropriate.

[0087] The control unit 91 may be capable of switching between a first operating state in which the operation of the first embodiment described above is performed and a second operating state in which the operation of the second embodiment described above is performed. Here, the first operating state is an operating state in which, as shown in FIG. 6, after the discharge range is set once in step S105, the operation of step S110 in which the discharge head 31 is caused to reciprocate while discharging ink from the discharge head 31 is repeated a plurality of times. On the other hand, the second operating state is an operating state in which the discharge range is set in step S209 every time the operation of steps S202 to S215 in which the discharge head 31 is caused to reciprocate while discharging ink from the discharge head 31 is performed, as shown in FIG. 8. According to this configuration, the control unit 91 is capable of switching between the first operating state in which the discharge range is set relatively infrequently and the second operating state in which the discharge range is set relatively frequently, so that an appropriate operating state can be selected according to the shape and size of the medium M, the inclination of the medium M, and the like.

[0088] In the second embodiment described above, at least the first detection unit 41 may be disposed on both sides of the ejection head 31 in the ±X direction to set the ejection range on both the forward and backward passes. With this configuration, the ejection range is set more frequently, making it possible to print an image in a more appropriate range.

[0089] In each of the above embodiments, the first detection unit 41 and the second detection unit 42 are not limited to the above configurations as long as they are capable of detecting the end and thickness of the medium M. Furthermore, the configuration is not limited to having the first detection unit 41 and the second detection unit 42 separately, and the first detection unit 41 and the second detection unit 42 may be a common unit. In other words, one sensor may constitute both the first detection unit 41 and the second detection unit 42. For example, an ultrasonic sensor capable of detecting the thickness of the medium M may be used to detect the end of the medium M based on a change in thickness.

[0090] In each of the above embodiments, a configuration in which printing is performed on the medium M placed on the endless glue belt 22 has been described, but the configuration of the printer 10 is not limited to this. For example, a configuration in which printing is performed on the medium M placed on a long conveying body having adhesiveness on one side, such as an adhesive tape, may be used. This conveying body may be installed in the printer 10 as a roll body wound into a roll, for example. The conveying body unwound from the roll body may then pass through the printable area PL and be wound into a roll again. In this configuration, the medium M is placed on the adhesive surface of the conveying body, and in the printable area PL, ink is ejected from the ejection head 31 onto the medium M supported by the conveying body. For this reason, in this configuration, the conveying body corresponds to a support member.

[0091] In each of the above embodiments, the timing of ink ejection is adjusted according to the thickness of the medium M in order to adjust the ink landing position in bidirectional printing, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the ink landing position may be adjusted by adjusting the height of the ejection head 31 according to the thickness of the medium M. Specifically, the ejection head 31 may be configured so as to be displaceable in the vertical direction according to the rotation angle of a cam, and the control unit 91 may rotate the cam so that the ejection head 31 has a height according to the thickness of the medium M. In this case, the height of the ejection head 31 or the rotation angle of the cam corresponds to the adjustment amount for adjusting the landing position of the liquid.

[0092] The following describes what can be derived from the embodiments.

[0093] The liquid ejection device includes a support member on which multiple different types of media are arranged, an ejection head that ejects liquid onto the multiple media while moving back and forth along a first direction, a first detection unit that detects ends of the media arranged on the support member, a second detection unit that detects thicknesses of the media arranged on the support member, and a control unit, wherein the control unit causes the first detection unit to detect the ends of each of the multiple media, sets an ejection range into which the liquid is ejected for each medium based on the detection results of the first detection unit, causes the second detection unit to detect the thickness of each of the multiple media, determines an adjustment amount for adjusting the landing position of the liquid for each medium based on the detection results of the second detection unit, adjusts the landing position based on the adjustment amount, and ejects the liquid from the ejection head into the ejection range of the multiple media.

[0094] According to this configuration, the control unit determines the adjustment amount for adjusting the landing position of the liquid for each medium based on the detection result of the second detection unit that detects the thickness of the medium. This makes it possible to adjust the landing position of the liquid for multiple media arranged on the support member by an adjustment amount appropriate for each thickness, making it possible to suppress deviations in the landing position during bidirectional printing for each medium. In addition, because the liquid ejection range is set based on the detection result of the first detection unit that detects the edge of the medium, it is possible to suppress ejection of the liquid outside the medium.

[0095] In the above liquid ejection device, it is preferable that a carriage that reciprocates along the first direction is provided, and the ejection head, the first detection unit, and the second detection unit are disposed on the carriage.

[0096] According to this configuration, since the first detection unit and the second detection unit are mounted on the carriage, it becomes easy to detect the edge and thickness of the medium along the first direction.

[0097] In the above liquid ejection device, it is desirable that the control unit be able to switch between a first operating state in which, after setting the ejection range, the operation of moving the ejection head back and forth once while ejecting the liquid from the ejection head is repeated multiple times, and a second operating state in which the ejection range is set each time the operation of moving the ejection head back and forth once while ejecting the liquid from the ejection head is performed.

[0098] According to this configuration, the control unit can switch between a first operating state in which the ejection range is set relatively infrequently and a second operating state in which the ejection range is set relatively frequently, thereby making it possible to select an appropriate operating state depending on the shape and size of the medium, or the inclination of the medium, etc.

[0099] In the above liquid ejection device, it is preferable to further include a display unit that displays the ejection range set by the control unit.

[0100] According to this configuration, since the display unit is provided, it is possible to confirm whether the set discharge range is appropriate or not.

[0101] In the above liquid ejection device, it is preferable that the first detection unit is a reflective optical sensor, and that the color of the support member is different from the colors of the plurality of media.

[0102] According to this configuration, since the color of the support member is different from the color of the medium, the edge of the medium can be detected with high accuracy by the reflective optical sensor.

[0103] In the above liquid ejection device, it is preferable that a drying unit be provided that dries the plurality of media onto which the liquid has been ejected, and that the control unit set a drying range based on a detection result of the first detection unit.

[0104] According to this configuration, the drying range is set according to the position of the medium, so that the medium can be dried efficiently.

[0105] In the liquid ejection device described above, it is preferable that the control unit determines parameters for drying the plurality of media based on the detection result of the second detection unit.

[0106] According to this configuration, the drying parameters are determined according to the thickness of the medium, so that the medium can be dried more efficiently.

[0107] The liquid ejection method is a liquid ejection method using a liquid ejection device that includes an ejection head that ejects liquid onto a plurality of different types of media arranged on a support member while moving back and forth along a first direction, a first detection unit that detects the ends of the media arranged on the support member, and a second detection unit that detects the thicknesses of the media arranged on the support member, and includes causing the first detection unit to detect the ends of each of the plurality of media, setting an ejection range into which the liquid is ejected for each of the media based on the detection results of the first detection unit, causing the second detection unit to detect the thicknesses of each of the plurality of media, determining an adjustment amount for adjusting the landing position of the liquid for each of the media based on the detection results of the second detection unit, adjusting the landing position based on the adjustment amount, and ejecting the liquid from the ejection head into the ejection range of the plurality of media.

[0108] According to this configuration, the adjustment amount for adjusting the landing position of the liquid is determined for each medium based on the detection result of the second detection unit that detects the thickness of the medium. This makes it possible to adjust the landing position of the liquid for multiple media arranged on the support member by an adjustment amount appropriate for each thickness, making it possible to suppress deviations in the landing position during bidirectional printing for each medium. In addition, because the liquid ejection range is set based on the detection result of the first detection unit that detects the edge of the medium, it is possible to suppress ejection of the liquid outside the medium. [Explanation of symbols]

[0109] 1...installation surface, 10...printer, 20...transport section, 22...glue belt, 22A...outer surface, 22B...inner surface, 23...driven roller, 24...drive roller, 30...printing section, 31...ejection head, 32...carriage, 33...carriage guide, 41...first detection section, 42...second detection section, 60...pressing section, 61...pressing roller, 63...roller support section, 70...cleaning section, 80...drying section, 81...heating element, 90...control unit, 91...control section, 92...memory section, 93...operation section, 94...display section, 221...platen, D,H...distance, M,M1 to M6...medium, NPL...evacuation area, PL...printable area, PR...control program, DA...image data.

Claims

1. A support member on which a plurality of different types of media are arranged; an ejection head that ejects liquid onto the plurality of media while reciprocating along a first direction; a first detection unit that detects an edge of the medium arranged on the support member; a second detection unit that detects a thickness of the medium arranged on the support member; A control unit; Equipped with The control unit is causing the first detection unit to detect an edge of each of the plurality of media; setting a discharge range into which the liquid is discharged for each medium based on a detection result of the first detection unit; causing the second detection unit to detect a thickness of each of the plurality of media; determining an adjustment amount for adjusting the landing position of the liquid for each of the media based on a detection result of the second detection unit; the liquid ejection device adjusts the landing position based on the adjustment amount, and ejects the liquid from the ejection head onto the ejection ranges of the plurality of media.

2. a carriage that reciprocates along the first direction, The liquid ejection device according to claim 1 , wherein the ejection head, the first detection unit, and the second detection unit are disposed on the carriage.

3. The control unit is a first operating state in which, after the discharge range is set, an operation of moving the discharge head back and forth once while discharging the liquid from the discharge head is repeated a plurality of times; The liquid ejection device according to claim 1 , wherein the ejection range is set each time the ejection head is reciprocated once while ejecting the liquid from the ejection head.

4. The liquid ejection device according to claim 1 , further comprising a display unit that displays the ejection range set by the control unit.

5. the first detection unit is a reflective optical sensor, The liquid ejection device according to claim 1 , wherein a color of the support member is different from a color of the plurality of media.

6. a drying unit that dries the plurality of media onto which the liquid is ejected, The liquid ejection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit sets a dry range based on a detection result of the first detection unit.

7. The liquid ejection device according to claim 6 , wherein the control unit determines parameters for drying the plurality of media based on a detection result of the second detection unit.

8. A liquid ejection method using a liquid ejection device including an ejection head that ejects liquid onto a plurality of different types of media arranged on a support member while moving back and forth along a first direction, a first detection unit that detects an edge of the media arranged on the support member, and a second detection unit that detects a thickness of the media arranged on the support member, causing the first detection unit to detect an edge of each of the plurality of media; setting a discharge range into which the liquid is discharged for each medium based on a detection result of the first detection unit; causing the second detection unit to detect a thickness of each of the plurality of media; determining an adjustment amount for adjusting the landing position of the liquid for each of the media based on a detection result of the second detection unit; the landing position is adjusted based on the adjustment amount, and the liquid is ejected from the ejection head to the ejection ranges of the plurality of media.

Images