Support member, liquid discharge device, and fixing member

Abstract

To provide a support member which can be attached to a stage without replacing the stage included in a device.SOLUTION: A support member 41 is used for a liquid discharge device having a placement member 3 on which a printed object may be placed. The support member may be fixed to the placement member by a fixing member 51 which may be attached to or detached from the placement member and may be fixed to the placement member while supporting the printed object. The fixing member fixes the support member to the placement member by utilizing magnetic force. In a state that the support member is fixed to the placement member, the support member and the fixing member do not contact with each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a support member, a liquid ejection device, and a fixing member. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art As an image forming apparatus, a DTG (Digital to Garment or Direct to Garment) type printer is known. A DTG type printer forms an image by directly applying ink to a recording medium such as a T-shirt.

[0003] In a DTG printer, the print target (also called a recording medium) is placed on a stage (also called a mounting table, mounting member, platen, etc.), and ink is applied while the stage is moved as needed. In conventional DTG printers, the stage is often a rectangular plate. In conventional DTG printers, the recording medium is placed directly on the stage, or the recording medium is placed on the stage by passing the stage through the inside of the recording medium, such as a T-shirt.

[0004] When selecting a T-shirt or other clothing as the recording medium and printing on polyester fabric with large gaps between the fibers, or when printing with white ink, the ink may pass through the fibers on the printed surface and bleed through to the back. To prevent this, it is necessary to place the recording medium on the stage by passing the stage inside the recording medium such as a T-shirt.

[0005] However, with conventional DTG printers, it is difficult to place a recording medium, particularly clothing such as a T-shirt, on the stage, and the T-shirt or other clothing ends up slanted or twisted relative to the stage. In addition, if the size of the T-shirt is larger than the stage, there is excess fabric on the left and right sides of the stage, which makes it easy for the center of the T-shirt to be misaligned with the center of the stage. This causes the printing position to be misaligned or curved. Even for experienced workers, it is difficult to place a recording medium, particularly clothing such as a T-shirt, on the stage, and there are cases where the recording medium cannot be placed correctly. In order to prevent printing errors due to such poor placement, a technology has been developed that makes it easy to place a recording medium such as a T-shirt in the correct position.

[0006] Patent Document 1 discloses an inkjet textile printing device equipped with a support unit that supports a fabric. The support unit has a reference unit for positioning that at least a part of which extends outside the outline of the supported fabric in order to align the fabric with the support unit. Patent Document 1 states that the position of the fabric can be easily aligned with the center of the support unit.

[0007] Patent Document 1 also discloses a support part in the shape of a T-shirt. This support part has a reference part and a movable part, and the movable part can be bent downward in the vertical direction relative to the reference part. The reference part mainly corresponds to the torso of the T-shirt, and the movable part corresponds to a part of the torso and sleeves of the T-shirt.

[0008] Patent Document 2 discloses a printing method in which a cloth product such as clothing is placed on a medium placement table of an inkjet printer and printing is performed. In this printing method, a stretching tool is attached to the area to be printed on the cloth product, and the area to be printed is made flat by spreading it out with the stretching tool. Patent Document 2 claims that it is possible to print beautifully on the surface of a T-shirt that is uneven due to wrinkles, etc.

[0009] Patent Document 2 also discloses a T-shirt stretching tool in the shape of a T-shirt, and includes the following description: The T-shirt stretching tool has left and right slide plates, and sleeve insertion plates that can be inserted into the sleeves are integrally formed with the slide plates. When these sleeve insertion plates are inserted into the sleeves of the T-shirt, the sleeves are pushed out and held in a flat state. Instead of being integrally formed with the slide plate, the left and right sleeve insertion plates can be attached to the slide plate so that they can be folded or slid between a protruding state and a retracted state. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] However, the support parts and T-shirt stretching tools disclosed in the prior art cannot be used if they do not fit the shape of the mounting part of the stage in the device. Since the shape of the mounting part of the stage in the device varies depending on the manufacturer, when replacing the stage of an existing device to use the support parts and T-shirt stretching tools, the devices that can be used are limited.

[0011] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE An object of the present invention is to provide a support member that can be attached to a stage without replacing the stage provided in an apparatus. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] In order to solve the above problems, the support member of the present invention comprises: A support member for use in a liquid ejection device having a placement member on which a printing medium can be placed, the support member can be fixed to the placement member by a fixing member that is detachable from the placement member, and can be fixed to the placement member in a state in which the support member supports a printing medium; The fixing member fixes the support member to the mounting member by utilizing a magnetic force, When the support member is fixed to the mounting member, the support member and the fixing member do not come into contact with each other. It is characterized by: Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a support member that can be attached to a stage without replacing the stage provided in an apparatus. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a liquid ejection device according to an embodiment of the present invention with the cover members in a closed state. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the liquid ejection device of FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the liquid ejection device with the cover members open. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the liquid ejection device of FIG. [Diagram 5] 1A is a schematic cross-sectional view and FIG. 1B is a schematic plan view illustrating an example of a support member of the present invention. [Figure 6] 6A is a schematic cross-sectional view or a schematic side view for explaining the mounting member in FIG. 5, and FIG. 6B is a schematic plan view. [Figure 7] 5A and 5B are a schematic cross-sectional view and a schematic plan view for explaining another example of a support member of the present invention. [Figure 8] 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining another example of the support member of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 9] 5A and 5B are plan schematic views illustrating another example of a support member of the present invention. [Figure 10] 5A and 5B are plan schematic views illustrating another example of a support member of the present invention. [Figure 11] 5A to 5C are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating other examples of the support member of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view illustrating another example of the support member of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] The support member, liquid ejection device, and fixing member according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and may be modified within the scope of what a person skilled in the art can imagine, such as other embodiments, additions, modifications, and deletions, and any aspect is within the scope of the present invention as long as it provides the functions and effects of the present invention.

[0016] The support member of the present invention comprises: A support member for use in a liquid ejection device having a placement member on which a printing medium can be placed, the support member can be fixed to the placement member by a fixing member that is detachable from the placement member, and can be fixed to the placement member in a state in which the support member supports a printing medium; The fixing member fixes the support member to the mounting member by utilizing a magnetic force, When the support member is fixed to the mounting member, the support member and the fixing member do not come into contact with each other. It is characterized by:

[0017] Generally, the stage of a DTG printer or the like is attached to a base, and the stage or base is provided with a mounting part for mounting the stage to the base. When using a support part or T-shirt stretching tool of the conventional technology, it is necessary to remove the stage and fit the mounting part of the support part or T-shirt stretching tool with the mounting part of the base. However, since the position and shape of the mounting part generally differ depending on the manufacturer, the devices that can be used are limited.

[0018] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a support member that can be attached to a stage without replacing the stage provided in the apparatus. In the present invention, the method of attaching and detaching the support member to a mounting member (e.g., a stage, a platen) in the apparatus is an attachment / detachment method using magnetic force, so that the stage can be added, expanded, or changed without replacing the stage provided in the apparatus. The support member of the present invention can be attached directly to the stage of an existing DTG printer or the like by providing a fixing member. The attachment / detachment method using magnetic force may be referred to as an attachment / detachment mechanism using magnetic force, a magnet-type attachment / detachment method, or the like. The support member of the present invention can be easily fixed to an existing apparatus having a mounting member, and is detachably fixed to the mounting member, so it may be referred to as an additional stage, an additional platen, or the like.

[0019] The liquid ejection device of the present invention is characterized by comprising a mounting member, a fixing member, and the support member of the present invention. The mounting member in the liquid ejection device of the present invention is capable of mounting a recording medium thereon, and the fixing member in the liquid ejection device of the present invention fixes the support member to the mounting member by utilizing a magnetic force.

[0020] The liquid ejection device of the present invention can be used, for example, as an image forming device, a printing device, a recording device, an inkjet printing device, etc. The liquid ejection device of the present invention can also be used as a DTG (Digital to Garment or Direct to Garment) printer.

[0021] The fixing member of the present invention comprises: A fixing member that fixes a support member that supports a printing medium and a placement member provided in a liquid ejection device, The placement member is capable of placing a printing material thereon, The support member can be fixed to the placement member while supporting the printing material, The fixing member is detachable from the mounting member, and fixes the support member to the mounting member by utilizing a magnetic force. When the support member is fixed to the mounting member, the fixing member does not come into contact with the support member. It is characterized by:

[0022] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the duplicated description will be appropriately simplified or omitted.

[0023] The printing substrate and recording medium are both synonymous, and in the following description, the term recording medium will be used. The liquid ejection device in which the support member of the present invention is used and the liquid ejection device of the present invention are not limited to the following examples. Examples of the liquid ejection device include DTG printers and 3D printers. The support member of the present invention can be directly attached to the stage of the liquid ejection device without replacing the stage provided in the device.

[0024] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the liquid ejection device 1 with all the cover members closed, and Fig. 2 shows a plan view. Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the liquid ejection device 1 with the cover members open, and Fig. 4 shows a plan view. Direction X in Fig. 1 is the front-to-rear direction of the liquid ejection device or the sub-scanning direction or the recording medium transport direction, direction Y is the width direction of the liquid ejection device or the main scanning direction, and direction Z is the up-down direction. Directions X and Y are parallel to the liquid ejection surface of the recording medium placed on the stage, but some error is allowed. Directions X, Y, and Z are perpendicular to each other.

[0025] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the liquid ejection device 1 has a stage 3 in front of a housing 2. The stage 3 is provided on guide rails 4. The guide rails 4 extend in a direction X. An operation panel 5 is provided on the front side of the housing 2. An ink cartridge 6 is detachably attached to the side of the housing 2. A front cover 7 and a rear cover 8 are provided above the housing 2 as cover members.

[0026] The top surface of stage 3 is a flat mounting surface on which a recording medium is placed. The top surface of stage 3 is a surface parallel to directions X and Y. Stage 3 moves on guide rails 4 and is provided so as to be able to reciprocate in both directions of direction X. Stage 3 is also provided so as to be able to rise and fall in the Z direction. This allows the height of the recording medium placed on stage 3 to be adjusted. As described later, a recording medium can be supported on the support member of this embodiment, and the support member can be fixed to the stage 3 to perform image formation.

[0027] The front cover 7 and the rear cover 8 are provided so as to be movable in both directions X. The state in FIG. 1 in which the front cover 7 has moved rearward and the rear cover 8 has moved forward is the state in which the respective covers are closed. In contrast, the state in FIG. 3 in which the front cover 7 has moved forward and the rear cover 8 has moved rearward is the state in which the respective covers are open. By configuring the front cover 7 and the rear cover 8 to be opened and closed by sliding in this way, the area occupied by the liquid ejection device, including the opening and closing area of ​​the cover members, can be made smaller than a configuration in which the front cover 7 and the rear cover 8 are opened and closed vertically. The front cover 7 and the rear cover 8 have openings at both ends in the front-rear direction. When the front cover 7 and the rear cover 8 are closed, the front cover 7 and the rear cover 8 are arranged continuously in the front-rear direction.

[0028] 3 and 4, a device main body 50 of the liquid ejection device 1 includes a housing 2, and liquid ejection units 9A and 9B provided on the housing 2. In particular, in this embodiment, the device main body 50 is a portion of the liquid ejection device 1 other than the front cover 7 and rear cover 8. The front cover 7 and rear cover 8 are provided on the device main body 50 so as to be slidable in the X direction.

[0029] When the front cover 7 and the rear cover 8 are opened, the liquid ejection section in the liquid ejection device 1 is exposed to the outside. By exposing the liquid ejection section to the outside, it becomes possible to clean the maintenance unit 30, the liquid ejection head and its surroundings, or to replace the carriage. Furthermore, the front cover 7 and the rear cover 8 are closed during image formation. As a result, the liquid ejection sections 9A and 9B are covered by the front cover 7 or the rear cover 8, and the operating sections of the liquid ejection sections 9A and 9B, such as the carriages, cannot be accessed from the outside. Furthermore, by disposing the liquid ejection sections 9A and 9B in a closed space in the front cover 7 or the rear cover 8, it is possible to prevent the ink mist from scattering around during the liquid ejection operation, and to circulate the airflow in the front cover 7 or the rear cover 8 by the fans provided in the liquid ejection sections 9A and 9B, and to collect the generated ink mist by circulating it in the front cover 7 or the rear cover 8.

[0030] The liquid ejection device 1 of this embodiment has two liquid ejection units 9A and 9B in the direction X. The liquid ejection unit 9A ejects color and white inks. The liquid ejection unit 9B ejects a pretreatment liquid. Note that the liquids ejected by the liquid ejection units 9A and 9B are not limited to those described above, and they may eject any of color inks, white ink, and pretreatment liquid. In particular, when the recording medium is a fabric, it is preferable to apply a pretreatment liquid before forming an image with ink, and therefore it is preferable that one of the liquid ejection units ejects a pretreatment liquid.

[0031] Since the liquid dischargers 9A and 9B have the same configuration, the following will describe the liquid discharger 9A. The liquid discharger 9A has a carriage 10A, a guide rod 11, an electrical component section 12 consisting of a substrate, an electrical component cover, etc., and a maintenance unit 30. The liquid dischargers 9A, 9B or the carriages 10A, 10B will also be simply referred to as the liquid discharger 9 or the carriage 10.

[0032] The guide rod 11 extends in the main scanning direction. The carriage 10 is provided so as to be movable in the main scanning direction along the guide rod 11. The carriage 10 has a plurality of liquid ejection heads. The maintenance unit 30 is provided at a position facing the guide rod 11, outside the liquid ejection region on one side in the left-right direction.

[0033] The maintenance unit 30 has a wiping member that cleans the nozzle surface of the liquid ejection head, a suction mechanism that sucks the nozzle surface, etc. The wiping member may be a wiper made of rubber or the like, or a web made of nonwoven fabric or the like.

[0034] The process of forming an image on a recording medium using the above liquid ejection head will now be described, however, the example described here is an example in which the support member of this embodiment is not used.

[0035] First, the recording medium is placed on the stage 3 and transported on the guide rail 4. Then, it is transported to the rear side of the liquid ejection device, and the pretreatment liquid is applied to the recording medium by the liquid ejection unit 9B. Specifically, the pretreatment liquid is applied to the recording medium in the main scanning direction from the nozzles provided in the liquid ejection head while the carriage 10B is moved in the main scanning direction along the guide rod 11. This is repeated at each position in the sub-scanning direction, so that the pretreatment liquid is applied to the recording medium. Then, the stage 3 is moved forward, and each color is ejected onto the recording medium by the liquid ejection unit 9A in the same manner. When printing white onto the recording medium, for example, first, white ink is ejected by the liquid ejection unit 9A, and then the stage 3 is moved again to the rear side of the liquid ejection unit 9A, and the color inks are ejected onto the recording medium by the liquid ejection unit 9A. This allows an image to be formed on the recording medium.

[0036] Next, an example of the support member of this embodiment will be described. Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of a state in which the support member 41 of this embodiment is fixed to the stage 3. (A) is a schematic cross-sectional view, and (B) is a schematic plan view. Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the stage 3 shown in Fig. 5. (A) is a schematic cross-sectional view or a schematic side view of the stage 3, and (B) is a schematic plan view of the stage 3 as viewed from above.

[0037] The illustrated example is an example in which a T-shirt is used as the recording medium. However, the recording medium in the present invention is not limited to a T-shirt, and other suitable recording media can be selected. Examples of recording media include plain paper, glossy paper, special paper, cloth, film, OHP sheet, and general-purpose printing paper. The cloth may be clothing other than a T-shirt, or may be a tote bag or the like other than clothing. The recording medium may be called a printing medium, a medium, a media, or the like.

[0038] The support member 41 in this example can be fixed to the stage 3 by a magnet 51 provided on the stage 3. The stage 3 is an example of a mounting member provided in the liquid ejection device. The stage 3 may also be called a stage. The magnet 51 is an example of a fixing member.

[0039] The support member 41 supports the recording medium 40. "Supporting the recording medium 40" may also be referred to as "holding" or the like. Furthermore, having the support member 41 support the recording medium 40 may also be referred to as "attaching," "setting," "placing," "holding," or the like. The support member 41 can be fixed to the stage 3 in a state in which it supports the recording medium 40. For example, the support member 41 is fixed to the stage 3 in a state in which a T-shirt is supported by the support member 41. "Fixing the support member 41 to the stage 3" may also be referred to as "mounting," "attaching," "installing," "setting," or the like.

[0040] The magnet 51 fixes the support member 41 to the stage 3 by utilizing a magnetic force. The magnet 51 is provided on the stage 3, for example, attached to the stage 3. By attaching the magnet 51 to the stage 3, the magnet 51 can be easily installed. The method of installing the magnet 51 is not limited to this, and the magnet 51 may be installed by embedding it in the stage 3, or may be installed using any jig or the like. By attaching the magnet 51 to the stage 3 of an existing device, a detachment mechanism using magnetic force can be easily configured.

[0041] In this embodiment, the fixing member (e.g., magnet 51) is detachable from the mounting member (e.g., stage 3). The timing for attaching magnet 51 to stage 3 can be selected as appropriate. As in this example, magnet 51 may be attached to stage 3 before supporting member 41 is attached to stage 3. Alternatively, magnet 51 may be attached to stage 3 after supporting member 41 is placed on stage 3. Furthermore, the timing for removing magnet 51 from stage 3 is not particularly limited and can be selected as appropriate.

[0042] In this embodiment, the support member 41 can be fixed to the stage 3 by a magnetic attachment / detachment mechanism, and can be detached from the stage 3. Therefore, the support member 41 can be attached to the platen, stage, etc. of an existing liquid ejection device. Since the support member 41 can be fixed to the stage 3, it may also be called an additional platen, etc.

[0043] In this embodiment, as shown in (A), when the support member 41 is fixed to the stage 3, there is no contact between the support member 41 and the magnet 51 (fixed member). Since there is no contact between the support member 41 and the magnet 51 (fixed member), it is possible to provide a support member that can be attached to the stage without replacing the stage 3.

[0044] As the fixing member, for example, a magnet or a member having a ferromagnetic material can be used. The number, arrangement, shape, etc. of the fixing members are not particularly limited and can be selected appropriately.

[0045] An example of a method for fixing the support member 41 to the stage 3 will be described. The supporting member 41 has a member to be fixed. For example, the member to be fixed is attracted to the magnet 51 by magnetic force. The supporting member 41 can be easily fixed to the stage 3 by the member to be fixed. Examples of the fixed member of the support member 41 include a member having a ferromagnetic body and a magnet. When the fixed member is a member having a ferromagnetic body or a magnet, there is an advantage that a detachment mechanism using magnetic force can be easily configured.

[0046] The member having a ferromagnetic body can be appropriately selected, and for example, a steel member can be used. In the example shown in Fig. 5, a steel plate 42 is used as the fixed member. The steel plate 42 of the support member 41 attracts the magnet 51 attached to the stage 3 by magnetic force, and this action makes it possible to easily fix the support member 41 to the stage 3.

[0047] 5, in order to distinguish the portion of the support member 41 from the steel plate 42, a portion separate from the steel plate 42 is referred to as a holding portion 43. Although not particularly limited, the holding portion 43 is a portion that mainly supports the recording medium and holds the steel plate 42.

[0048] The holding portion 43 may be, for example, a Teflon (registered trademark)-based plate. In this case, it becomes easier to attach and detach a recording medium such as a T-shirt to and from the support member 41. In addition, the support member 41 can be provided with heat resistance.

[0049] The support member 41 preferably comprises a heat-resistant material. By making the support member 41 a heat-resistant material, the support member 41 can be removed from the stage 3 after printing, and set in a heat press machine while still supporting the recording medium, for pressing. This allows the support member 41 to act as an insole, preventing ink or pretreatment agent from seeping into the back side of the recording medium during pressing. Furthermore, such a support member 41 does not soften, deform, or denature when heated, and therefore allows for continuous use even when the support member 41 is heated.

[0050] The heat-resistant material can be appropriately selected, and is preferably a material that does not soften, deform, or denature even when heated to about 180°C. An example of the heat-resistant material is a fluororesin. Among fluororesins, polytetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroalkoxyalkane are preferred because they make it easier to carry when attaching and detaching the support member 41. These heat-resistant materials may be used alone or in combination of two or more types.

[0051] The form in which the support member 41 has a heat-resistant material is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a form in which the surface of the support member 41 is coated with a heat-resistant material. In addition, for example, the entire support member 41 may be made of a heat-resistant material. In addition, a part of the support member 41, for example, the holding portion 43, may be made of a heat-resistant material.

[0052] The content of the heat-resistant material is not particularly limited, and is preferably 10% by mass or more and 99% by mass or less with respect to the total mass of the support member 41. It is more preferable that the content of the heat-resistant material is 20% by mass or more with respect to the total mass of the support member 41, in which case the heat resistance of the support member 41 is improved.

[0053] An example of the case where the support member 41 has heat resistance will be described. For example, a T-shirt is attached to the support member 41 by hand, and the support member 41 is fixed to the stage 3 with the T-shirt attached. Next, a liquid such as ink is ejected onto the T-shirt by a liquid ejection device to perform printing. After printing, post-processing may be performed while the T-shirt is still attached to the support member 41. For example, after printing, the support member 41 may be removed from the stage 3, and the T-shirt may be set in a heat press machine and pressed while still attached to the support member 41. In this case, the support member 41 serves as an insole, and can prevent ink, pre-treatment agent, etc. from seeping into the back side of the T-shirt during pressing.

[0054] The position, number, shape, etc. of the fixed member (e.g., steel plate 42) can be selected as appropriate. As shown in Fig. 6, the stage 3 is generally supported by, for example, a pedestal 52, and it is difficult to provide a magnet 51 where the pedestal 52 is located. For this reason, it is preferable to provide the steel plate 42 on the support member 41, avoiding the portion of the stage 3 that corresponds to the pedestal 52.

[0055] When the planar shape of the stage 3 is rectangular, it is preferable to provide the magnets 51 at or near the corners from the viewpoint of ease of installation. In this case, it is preferable to provide the steel plates 42 at or near the four corners from the viewpoint of stably fixing the support member 41 to the stage 3. For these reasons, the example shown in Figures 5 and 6 shows a preferred example of the magnets 51 and the steel plates 42.

[0056] 5, when the support member 41 is fixed to the stage 3, the support member 41 is fixed to the stage 3 via the recording medium 40 between the stage 3. The recording medium 40 is not particularly limited, but for example, if the recording medium 40 is a piece of clothing such as a T-shirt, the recording medium 40 is supported by the support member 41 so as to surround the support member 41. By fixing the support member 41 to the stage 3 via the recording medium 40, it is possible to prevent the recording medium 40 from shifting during printing.

[0057] As described above, in this embodiment, the support member 41 and the magnet 51 (fixed member) do not come into contact with each other when the support member 41 is fixed to the stage 3. "Do not come into contact" here means that the support member 41 and the magnet 51 do not come into contact with each other when the support member 41 supports a recording medium, and also that the support member 41 and the magnet 51 do not come into contact with each other when the support member 41 is fixed to the stage 3 in a state in which the support member 41 does not support a recording medium.

[0058] The manner in which the fixed member is provided on the support member 41 can be appropriately selected. It is preferable that at least a portion of the fixed member is embedded in the support member 41. More specifically, it is preferable that a portion of the fixed member is exposed from the support member and another portion is embedded in the support member, or that the fixed member is not exposed from the support member and is entirely embedded in the support member. By having at least a portion of the fixed member embedded in the support member 41, the fixed member is less likely to come off from the support member 41.

[0059] The example shown in Fig. 5 is an example in which a part of the steel plate 42 is exposed from the support member 41, and the other part of the steel plate 42 is embedded in the support member 41. In this case, there are advantages such as the steel plate 42 being easier to install and being easier to see from the outside. For example, a hole or a recess for accommodating the steel plate 42 is formed in the holding portion 43 of the support member 41, and the steel plate 42 is fitted into the hole or recess of the holding portion 43. The term "fit" may also be referred to as "embedded" or "fitted." In this way, a support member having a fixed member can be easily produced.

[0060] Another example of this embodiment is shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram for explaining another example of a state in which the support member 41 is fixed to the stage 3, and is a diagram similar to Fig. 5. (A) is a schematic cross-sectional view, and (B) is a schematic plan view.

[0061] 7 is an example in which the steel plate 42 is not exposed from the support member 41 but is entirely embedded in the support member 41. In this case, the steel plate 42 is more unlikely to come off the support member 41.

[0062] In this embodiment, it is preferable that the position where the steel plate 42 (fixed member) is provided on the support member 41 can be confirmed from outside the support member 41 when the support member 41 is not fixed to the stage 3 (mounting member) and is not supporting a recording medium. Being able to confirm the position of the steel plate 42 from outside the support member 41 improves the workability when fixing the support member 41 to the stage 3. For example, since the support member 41 can be fixed to the stage 3 while checking the position of the steel plate 42, it is possible to prevent the support member 41 from being fixed to a wrong position.

[0063] A method for making it possible to confirm the position of the steel plate 42 (fixed member) from outside the support member can be appropriately selected. Several examples will be described below. 5, when a part of the steel plate 42 is exposed from the support member, examples of the method include changing the color, material, or texture of the surface of the exposed part of the steel plate 42 (also referred to as the exposed part, etc.). By changing (making different) the color of the surface of the exposed part of the steel plate 42 from the color of the holding part 43, the position of the steel plate 42 can be visually confirmed, and the position of the steel plate 42 can be confirmed from outside. Also, by changing (making different) the texture of the exposed part of the steel plate 42 from the texture of the holding part 43, the position of the steel plate 42 can be confirmed from outside by touching the exposed part of the steel plate 42 with the hand.

[0064] In this way, the method of checking the position of the steel plate 42 from the outside is not limited to a visual method, but includes a method of touching with a hand, etc. Checking the position of the steel plate 42 from the outside may be expressed as estimating the position of the steel plate 42 from the outside.

[0065] In addition to the above, a part or the whole of the holding portion 43 of the support member 41 may be made of a transparent material, for example, so that the steel plate 42 can be seen from the outside.

[0066] The method for changing the color of the surface of the exposed part of the steel plate 42 is not particularly limited, and for example, a coloring agent may be used, the material of the exposed part may be changed appropriately, or the color of the holding part 43 of the support member 41 may be made different from that of the steel plate 42. The method for changing the feel of the exposed part of the steel plate 42 is not particularly limited, and for example, the exposed part of the steel plate 42 may be subjected to processing such as polishing, may be formed with unevenness, or may be formed with an uneven shape that serves as a marker.

[0067] As in the example shown in Fig. 7, when the steel plate 42 is embedded in the support member, that is, when the steel plate 42 is not exposed, for example, the following can be done. For example, a method can be used in which part or all of the holding portion 43 in the support member 41 is made of a transparent material so that the steel plate 42 can be seen from the outside. The portion that makes the inside of the support member 41 visible may be referred to as a transparent portion or the like. The transparent portion in the support member 41 may be, for example, transparent or substantially transparent. As long as the steel plate 42 can be seen from the outside of the support member 41 through the transparent portion, the transparent portion may be colored.

[0068] The contents described for the case where the steel plate 42 is exposed can also be applied to the case where the steel plate 42 is embedded in the support member. For example, the color and texture of the holding portion 43 corresponding to the position where the steel plate 42 is embedded may be changed (made different) from the color and texture of the holding portion 43 corresponding to the position where the steel plate 42 is not embedded. In this way, even when the steel plate 42 is embedded in the support member, the position of the steel plate 42 can be confirmed from the outside.

[0069] Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described, in which the same matters as those in the above embodiment will not be described. In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the magnet 51 was attached to the stage 3 before the support member 41 was fixed to the stage 3. In the present embodiment, an example will be described in which the magnet 51 is attached to the stage 3 after the support member 41 is fixed to the stage 3.

[0070] As described above, the fixing member (e.g., magnet 51) is detachable from the mounting member (e.g., stage 3), and the timing for attaching magnet 51 to stage 3 can be selected as appropriate. Support member 41 may be fixed to stage 3 by attaching magnet 51 to stage 3 after placing support member 41 on stage 3.

[0071] Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the above embodiment, the support member has a fixed member, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and includes a case where the support member does not have a fixed member. Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described. Note that the description of the same matters as those in the above embodiment will be omitted.

[0072] In this embodiment, the support member does not have a member to be fixed, and for example, the support member itself is fixed to a fixing member on the mounting member by utilizing magnetic force.

[0073] 8 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of a state in which the support member 41 of this embodiment is fixed to the stage 3, and is a diagram similar to FIG. 5. In order to fix the support member 41 to the stage 3 without using a fixed member, for example, the holder 43 constituting the support member 41 is made of a member having a ferromagnetic body or a magnet. As a result, the support member 41 itself is fixed to the stage 3.

[0074] Next, another embodiment of the support member will be described. In the above embodiment, the planar shape of the support member 41 is rectangular. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the shape of the support member 41 may be changed as appropriate. An example of such a change will be described below.

[0075] The support member 41 of this embodiment has a main body, an expandable part connected to the main body and expandable in the surface direction of the main body, and a foldable part connected to the expandable part. In this case, recording media of different sizes can be supported by the support member 41, and when the recording media is supported by the support member 41, sagging and misalignment of the recording media can be reduced.

[0076] For example, a recording medium such as a T-shirt is passed through the support member 41, and the stretchable portion is stretched and adjusted to fit the size of the recording medium. Next, the folding portion is folded, generating tension in the recording medium, which reduces sagging and misalignment of the recording medium.

[0077] 9 is a schematic plan view illustrating an example of a support member 41 of this embodiment. (A) shows the state before the stretchable portion is stretched, and (B) shows the state after the stretchable portion is stretched. As shown in the figure, the support member 41 of this example has a main body portion 44, a stretchable portion 45, and a folding portion 46. The arrow shown in (A) shows a schematic direction in which the stretchable portion 45 is stretched. The stretchable portion 45 is stretchable in the planar direction of the main body portion 44.

[0078] The dashed line portion in the figure corresponds to the torso portion of the T-shirt, and the folded portion 46 corresponds to the sleeve portion of the T-shirt.

[0079] The method of expanding and contracting the expandable portion 45 is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected. For example, as shown in the example, a method in which slide rails 47 are provided inside the main body portion 44 and on the expandable portion 45 so that the expandable portion 45 can be pulled out from the main body portion 44 can be used.

[0080] A stopper for fixing the expandable portion 45 may be provided to prevent the expansion / contraction portion 45 from shifting after the recording medium is attached or during printing. By providing a stopper, the expandable portion 45 can be fixed not only in an expanded state but also in any position. A known stopper may be used. The expandable portion 45 may be expanded in stages.

[0081] Fig. 10 is a schematic plan view for explaining another example of the support member 41 of this embodiment, and is a view similar to Fig. 9. The configuration of the main body portion 44 and the like is not limited to the example shown in Fig. 9, and can be appropriately selected. In the example shown in Fig. 10, slide rails 47 are provided on the outside of the main body portion 44 and on the extension portion 45, so that the extension portion 45 can be pulled out from the main body portion 44.

[0082] The dashed line portion in the figure corresponds to the torso portion of the T-shirt, and the folded portion 46 corresponds to the sleeve portion of the T-shirt.

[0083] 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view or a schematic side view for explaining the folding portion of the support member 41 of the present embodiment. (A) is a diagram showing an example of a state before folding portion 46 is folded, and (B) is an example showing a state after folding portion 46 is folded. (C) is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining an example when support member 41 is fixed to stage 3.

[0084] Since the stretchable portion 45 can stretch in the planar direction of the main body portion 44, after the recording medium 40 (e.g., a T-shirt) is passed through the support member 41, the stretchable portion 45 can be expanded to fit the size of the recording medium 40. As shown in Figures 11(A) and (B), the stretchable portion 45 and the folding portion 46 are connected by a hinge 48, and after the recording medium 40 is passed through the support member 41, the folding portion 46 can be manually folded, for example, downward. By supporting the recording medium 40 on the support member 41 in this manner, sagging and misalignment of the recording medium 40 can be reduced.

[0085] As shown in Fig. 11(C), the support member 41 of this embodiment can be fixed to the stage 3 with the folding portion 46 folded. Note that the support member 41 shown in Fig. 11(C) illustrates a steel plate 42 (fixed member). In this embodiment, the location of the steel plate 42 can be appropriately selected, and it can be provided on the main body portion 44, for example.

[0086] Next, another example of this embodiment will be described. The shape of the support member 41 may be, for example, the shape of a T-shirt. In this case, it becomes easier to set the T-shirt on the support member 41, improving work efficiency. Also, the elastic portion 45 can accommodate different sizes of T-shirts (S, M, L, etc.). It is also possible to prevent setting errors such as misalignment of the center of the T-shirt or twisting of the torso, and to prevent printing in a position different from that expected. Another advantage is that the T-shirt can be set on the support member 41, and in this state the support member 41 can be fixed to the stage 3 to perform printing, and further, after printing, the T-shirt can be post-processed while still set on the support member 41.

[0087] In this example, the planar shape of the support member 41 is the shape of a T-shirt, the main body and the stretchable part correspond to the torso of the T-shirt, and the folded part corresponds to the sleeve of the T-shirt. However, a part of the stretchable part may correspond to a part of the sleeve of the T-shirt.

[0088] The sleeves and torso act as guides when the T-shirt is put on, making it easy to set it in the correct position, preventing misalignment of the printing position due to improper setting. Also, with a platen that cannot fold the T-shirt in its original shape, stage space must be secured to accommodate the width of the sleeves that extend to the left and right, but the support member 41 of this example allows the sleeves to be folded during printing, preventing the device from becoming too large.

[0089] Fig. 12 is a schematic plan view of support member 41 of this example. As shown in the figure, the planar shape of support member 41 of this example is the shape of a T-shirt, with main body portion 44 and stretchable portion 45 corresponding to the torso portion of the T-shirt, and folded portion 46 corresponding to the sleeve portion of the T-shirt. In support member 41 of this example, folded portion 46 can also be manually folded, for example, downward, as shown in Fig. 11.

[0090] The main body 44 has a rectangular planar shape. Steel plates 42 are provided near the four corners of the main body 44. In the present embodiment, the support member 41 has the steel plates 42 exposed on the surface.

[0091] In this example, the following procedure can also be followed: The T-shirt is passed through the support member 41, and the stretchable portion 45 is stretched to fit the size of the T-shirt. Next, the folded portion 46, which corresponds to the sleeve portion, is folded downward, and then the support member 41 is fixed to the stage 3 and printing is started.

[0092] The main body 44, the stretchable part 45, and the folding part 46 act as guides when the T-shirt is put on, allowing it to be easily set in the correct position and preventing the printing position from shifting due to improper setting. In addition, because the sleeves can be folded during printing, the device can be prevented from becoming large.

[0093] This example is not limited to the above, and it is not necessary to pass a T-shirt through the support member 41, and a T-shirt may be placed on the support member 41 and printed on. In this case, if the folding section 46 is folded downward from the beginning, it can be used in the same way as a conventional platen. Even when printing on a recording medium other than a T-shirt, such as a bag, the recording medium may be placed on the support member 41 and printed on without passing the recording medium through the support member 41.

[0094] The materials for the main body 44, the expandable portion 45, and the folding portion 46 are not particularly limited, but are preferably made of a heat-resistant material, for example. In this case, as described above, after printing, post-processing such as pressing with a heat press machine can be performed. In addition, the work efficiency when performing post-processing is improved.

[0095] As shown in the above embodiment, it is preferable that the support member 41 has one main body portion 44, two stretchable portions 45, and two folding portions 46. In this case, it becomes easier to attach the T-shirt to the support member 41, and the T-shirt can be easily set in the correct position.

[0096] For example, aspects of the present invention are as follows. <1> A support member for use in a liquid ejection device having a placement member on which a printing medium can be placed, the support member can be fixed to the placement member by a fixing member provided on the placement member, and can be fixed to the placement member in a state in which the support member supports the printing material; The fixing member fixes the support member to the mounting member by utilizing a magnetic force, When the support member is fixed to the mounting member, the support member and the fixing member do not come into contact with each other. A support member characterized by: <2> A fixed member is provided, The fixed member is a member having a ferromagnetic body or a magnet. Characterized by <1> The support member according to claim 1. <3> The fixed member is partly exposed from the supporting member and other parts are embedded in the supporting member, or is not exposed from the supporting member and is entirely embedded in the supporting member. Characterized by <2> The support member according to claim 1. <4> When the support member is not fixed to the placement member and does not support a print medium, the position where the fixed member is provided on the support member can be confirmed from the outside of the support member. Characterized by <3> The support member according to claim 1. <5> The device has a main body, an expandable part connected to the main body and expandable in a surface direction of the main body, and a foldable part connected to the expandable part and foldable. Characterized by <1> from <4> 2. The support member according to claim 1 . <6> The planar shape of the support member is the shape of a T-shirt, the main body portion and the stretchable portion correspond to the torso portion of the T-shirt, and the folded portion corresponds to the sleeve portion of the T-shirt. Characterized by <5> The support member according to claim 1. <7> Heat-resistant material Characterized by <1> from <6> 2. The support member according to claim 1 . <8> The mounting member, the fixing member, <1> from <7> and a support member according to any one of the preceding claims. A liquid ejection device comprising: <9> A fixing member that fixes a support member that supports a printing medium and a placement member provided in a liquid ejection device, The placement member is capable of placing a printing material thereon, The support member can be fixed to the placement member while supporting the printing material, The fixing member is detachable from the mounting member, and fixes the support member to the mounting member by utilizing a magnetic force. When the support member is fixed to the mounting member, the fixing member does not come into contact with the support member. A fixing member characterized by: [Explanation of symbols]

[0097] 1 Liquid discharge device 3 Stage 7 Front cover (cover material) 8 Rear cover (cover part) 9A, 9B Liquid discharge part 10 Carriage 40 Recording medium (printed material) 41 Support member 42 Steel plate (fixed member) 43 Holding part 44 Main body 45 Telescopic part 46 Folding section 47 Slide rail 48 Hinge 51 Magnet (fixing member) 52 Pedestal [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0098] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-022858 A [Patent Document 2] WO2008 / 078386 publication

Claims

1. A support member for use in a liquid ejection device having a placement member on which a printing medium can be placed, the support member can be fixed to the placement member by a fixing member that is detachable from the placement member, and can be fixed to the placement member in a state in which the support member supports a printing medium; The fixing member fixes the support member to the mounting member by utilizing a magnetic force, When the support member is fixed to the mounting member, the support member and the fixing member do not come into contact with each other. A support member characterized by:

2. A fixed member is provided, The fixed member is a member having a ferromagnetic body or a magnet.

2. The support member according to claim 1.

3. The fixed member is partly exposed from the supporting member and other parts are buried in the supporting member, or is not exposed from the supporting member and is entirely buried in the supporting member.

3. The support member according to claim 2.

4. When the support member is not fixed to the placement member and does not support a print medium, the position where the fixed member is provided on the support member can be confirmed from the outside of the support member.

4. The support member according to claim 3.

5. The device has a main body, an expandable part connected to the main body and expandable in a surface direction of the main body, and a foldable part connected to the expandable part and foldable.

2. The support member according to claim 1.

6. The planar shape of the support member is the shape of a T-shirt, the main body portion and the stretchable portion correspond to the torso portion of the T-shirt, and the folded portion corresponds to the sleeve portion of the T-shirt.

6. The support member according to claim 5.

7. Heat-resistant material 2. The support member according to claim 1.

8. The mounting member, the fixing member, and the support member according to any one of claims 1 to 7 are included. A liquid ejection device comprising:

9. A fixing member that fixes a support member that supports a printing medium and a placement member provided in a liquid ejection device, The placement member is capable of placing a printing material thereon, The support member can be fixed to the placement member while supporting the printing medium, The fixing member is detachable from the mounting member, and fixes the support member to the mounting member by utilizing a magnetic force. When the support member is fixed to the mounting member, the fixing member does not come into contact with the support member. A fixing member characterized by:

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