Ink jet printing device

Abstract

To execute appropriate printing by using single ink circulation system.SOLUTION: An ink jet printing device 1, which discharges an ink in a horizontal direction from line heads 11, 12, 13, 14 and performs printing on a printing medium P, comprises: an elevation unit 2 on which the printing medium P is placed and which moves the same in a vertical direction; and the line heads 11, 12, 13, 14 which are arranged so that a nozzle array direction becomes a direction orthogonal to the vertical direction. Printing on the printing media P is performed by discharging the ink from the line heads 11, 12, 13, 14 while moving the printing medium P in the vertical direction by the elevation unit 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an inkjet printing apparatus that prints on a box body having a printing surface erected in the vertical direction.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, printing has been performed on the side surface of a cardboard box while placing the finished cardboard box on a belt conveyor or the like and moving it in the horizontal direction.

[0003] FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrams showing a conventional inkjet printing apparatus as shown in Patent Document 1.

[0004] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional inkjet printing apparatus A1 includes a head unit A10, a conveyance unit A2, and an ink circulation unit A5.

[0005] The conveyance unit A2 conveys the printing medium P in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 1. As the printing medium P, for example, a box body (such as a cardboard box) having a printing surface erected in the vertical direction as shown in FIG. 1 is used.

[0006] The conveyance unit A2 includes a support base A3 and a conveyance belt portion A4. The support base A3 is a base that supports the conveyance belt portion A4.

[0007] The conveyance belt portion A4 includes two platen rollers extending in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the printing medium P and a conveyance belt. The two platen rollers are spaced apart and arranged in parallel in the conveyance direction of the printing medium P. An annular conveyance belt is stretched between the two parallel platen rollers. When the platen rollers rotate and the conveyance belt moves, the printing medium P is conveyed thereby.

[0008] The head unit A10 performs printing by discharging ink onto the printing surface of the printing medium P conveyed by the conveyance unit A2.

[0009] As shown in FIG. 1, the head unit 10 has four line heads A11, A12, A13, and A14. The four line heads A11 to A14 are arranged vertically so as to be perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the print medium P.

[0010] The ink circulation unit A5 is a unit that supplies ink to the head unit A10, collects surplus ink that has not been used for printing, stores the collected ink temporarily, and then re-supplies it. The ink circulation unit A5 includes a plurality of ink circulation systems A51 to A53.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0011]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0012] However, in order to print a wide area in one pass on the side surface of the print medium P, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, since the four line heads A11 to A14 extend vertically, due to the influence of the position head difference of the four line heads A11 to A14, there is a limit to the number of heads that can be handled by a single ink circulation system.

[0013] Therefore, as described above, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to implement a plurality (here, three) of ink circulation systems A51 to A53. As a result, an inkjet printing apparatus with many expensive precision parts has become larger in size and has caused a cost increase.

[0014] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an inkjet printing apparatus that appropriately performs printing using a single ink circulation system.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0015] In order to achieve the above object, the inkjet printing apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that in an inkjet printing apparatus that ejects ink horizontally from an inkjet head and prints on a medium, a lifting device that places the medium and moves it vertically, an inkjet head arranged such that the direction of the nozzle row is perpendicular to the vertical direction, and printing on the medium by ejecting ink from the inkjet head while moving the medium vertically by the lifting device.

Advantages of the Invention

[0016] According to the characteristics of the inkjet printing apparatus according to the present invention, printing can be appropriately performed using a single ink circulation system.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The same or equivalent parts and components are denoted by the same or equivalent reference numerals throughout the drawings. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic and different from the actual ones. Also, there are parts where the dimensional relationships and ratios are different between the drawings.

[0019] In addition, the embodiments described below illustrate devices and the like for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and the technical idea of the present invention does not specify the arrangement of each component and the like as follows. The technical idea of the present invention can be variously modified within the scope of the claims.

[0020] FIG. 3 is an external perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the inkjet printing apparatus 1, and FIG. 4 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of the inkjet printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the description of the embodiments shown below, the up, down, left, right, front, and rear directions indicated by the arrows in FIG. 3 are defined as the up, down, left, right, front, and rear directions of the inkjet printing apparatus 1. Also, the up and down directions of the inkjet printing apparatus 1 are in the vertical direction.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the inkjet printing apparatus 1 includes a lifting unit 2, a head unit 10, and an ink circulation unit 5.

[0022] The lifting unit 2 moves the printing medium P up and down in the up and down direction shown in FIG. 3. As the printing medium P, for example, a box body (such as a cardboard box) having a printing surface erected in the vertical direction as shown in FIG. 3 is used. However, the printing medium P is not limited to a box body and may be any object as long as it has a printing surface erected in the vertical direction.

[0023] The lifting unit 2 includes a support base 3 and a lifting unit 4. The support base 3 is a base that supports the lifting unit 4.

[0024] The lifting unit 4 includes a lifting guide rod 41 and a movable unit 42.

[0025] Both ends of the lifting guide rod 41 in the up and down direction are fixed to the support base 3. The movable unit 42 is provided so as to be movable up and down along the lifting guide rod 41. The movable unit 42 can be fixed at a predetermined position along the lifting guide rod 41 by a positioning unit 42a.

[0026] The movable unit 42 has a mounting table 42b, and the printing medium P is placed on the mounting table 42b. When the movable unit 42 moves up and down in the vertical direction, the printing medium P placed on the mounting table 42b moves up and down.

[0027] The head unit 10 performs printing by discharging ink onto the printing surface of the printing medium P lifted by the lifting unit 2.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 3, the head unit 10 has four inkjet heads, line heads 11, 12, 13, and 14. The four line heads 11 to 14 are arranged such that the nozzle row direction is perpendicular to the vertical direction. Note that the nozzle row direction refers to the direction in which the nozzle row is the longest when the nozzles are arranged two-dimensionally, for example.

[0029] The four line heads 11 to 14 discharge C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), and K (black) inks, respectively.

[0030] The ink circulation unit 5 is a unit that supplies ink to the head unit 10, recovers surplus ink not used for printing, stores the recovered ink temporarily, and then re-supplies it. The ink circulation unit 5 includes a single ink circulation system 51.

[0031] In this way, since the four line heads 11 to 14 are arranged such that the nozzle row direction is perpendicular to the vertical direction, the positional head difference between the line heads, which has been a technical problem in the prior art, can be significantly reduced. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a plurality of ink circulation systems, and a single ink circulation system 51 can be used to handle it. As a result, the inkjet printing apparatus 1, which has many expensive precision parts, can be miniaturized and the cost can be reduced.

[0032] Also, since the printing medium P is printed while being lifted and lowered in the vertical direction, the installation area of the entire inkjet printing apparatus 1 can be reduced.

[0033] Furthermore, a turntable 43 is horizontally rotatably supported on the support base 3 below the mounting table 42b of the movable part 42.

[0034] Since the turntable 43 rotates, the printing medium P can be rotated horizontally to a predetermined position, so that printing can be performed on the four side surfaces of the printing medium P, front, back, left, and right, without changing the installation area of the entire installation.

[0035] (Appendix) This application discloses the following inventions.

[0036] (Appendix 1) In an inkjet printing apparatus that ejects ink horizontally from an inkjet head and prints on a medium, a lifting device that mounts the medium and moves it vertically, and an inkjet head arranged such that the nozzle row direction is perpendicular to the vertical direction, while moving the medium vertically by the lifting device, printing is performed on the medium by ejecting ink from the inkjet head An inkjet printing apparatus characterized by the above.

[0037] As a result, since the inkjet heads are arranged such that the nozzle row direction is perpendicular to the vertical direction, the positional head difference of each inkjet head, which has been a technical problem in the prior art, can be significantly reduced. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a plurality of ink circulation systems, and it is possible to handle with a single ink circulation system. As a result, it is possible to reduce the size of an inkjet printing apparatus having many expensive precision parts and to reduce costs.

[0038] Also, due to the configuration of printing while moving the printing medium up and down, it is possible to reduce the installation area of the entire inkjet printing apparatus.

Explanation of reference numerals

[0039] 1 Inkjet printing device 2 Lifting unit 3 Support base 4 Lifting part 5 Ink circulation unit 10 Head unit 11 - 14 Line heads 41 Lifting guide rod 42 Movable part 42a Unit 42b Mounting table 43 Turntable 51 Ink circulation system

Claims

【Claim 1】 An inkjet printing apparatus that ejects ink horizontally from an inkjet head to print on a medium, comprising: a lifting device that places the medium and moves it vertically; an inkjet head arranged such that the nozzle row direction is perpendicular to the vertical direction; and printing on the medium by ejecting ink from the inkjet head while moving the medium vertically by the lifting device. An inkjet printing apparatus characterized by the above.

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