Printer

Abstract

To provide a printer which can inhibit an ink adhering to nozzles from being hardened by ultraviolet light.SOLUTION: A printer (10) includes a guide (90) which is located forward of a platen (60) and may guide a recording medium (20) to which an ink adheres in a front lower direction. A lamp (70) inclines in a direction away from an ink head (35) with respect to a vertical direction and may radiate ultraviolet light to the recording medium (20) sent in the front lower direction. Preferably, the ultraviolet light radiation device (70) has a radiation surface (73) which emits ultraviolet light and at least a part of the radiation surface (73) is located at a position lower than nozzles (36) of the ink head (35).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a printer that ejects ink that is cured by ultraviolet light. [Background technology]

[0002] Some printers eject ink that hardens when exposed to ultraviolet light. Prior art related to such printers is disclosed in Patent Document 1.

[0003] The printer disclosed in Patent Document 1 comprises a platen on which a recording medium is placed during printing, an ink head positioned above the platen and capable of ejecting ultraviolet-curable ink toward the recording medium placed on the platen, and a lamp (ultraviolet irradiation device) capable of irradiating ultraviolet light that can cure the ink ejected by the ink head. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-167847 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The lamp is located in front of the ink head. The part of the platen that the lamp faces is a sloped surface that slopes downward. By irradiating ultraviolet light from the lamp onto a recording medium placed on this sloped surface, the reflected ultraviolet light is less likely to be incident on the nozzle surface of the ink head, which prevents the ink adhering to the nozzle surface from hardening, but there is room for further improvement.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a printer that can prevent ink adhering to the nozzle surface from being cured by ultraviolet light. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] First, a platen on which the recording medium is placed during printing; an ink head positioned above the platen and capable of ejecting ultraviolet curable ink toward the recording medium placed on the platen; an ultraviolet irradiation device located in front of the ink head and capable of irradiating ultraviolet light capable of curing the ink ejected by the ink head; a guide positioned forward of the platen and capable of guiding the recording medium having the ink adhered thereto in a downward direction, The printer is provided in which the ultraviolet irradiation device is tilted in a direction away from the ink head with respect to the up-down direction and is capable of irradiating ultraviolet rays onto the recording medium fed in a front-down direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The present invention can provide a printer that can prevent ink adhering to the nozzle surface from being cured by ultraviolet light. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a printer according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the area surrounded by line 3 in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 1 is a plan view of the carriage and its surroundings of a printer according to a first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a plan view of the carriage and its surroundings of the printer according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Example 1 The embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Components and parts that perform the same function are given the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations will be omitted or simplified as appropriate. Furthermore, the various devices, components, and parts depicted in the drawings are shown only as schematics and do not limit the invention.

[0011] FIG. 1 shows a printer 10 according to a first embodiment. The symbols Fr, Rr, Le, Ri, Up, and Dn in the drawings mean front, rear, left, right, top, and bottom, respectively. The direction in which the recording medium 20 is fed is defined as the front (see FIG. 2), and the front-to-back direction is defined as the sub-scanning direction X. Furthermore, the direction in which the surface 61 of the platen 60 (see FIG. 3) faces is defined as the upward direction, and the direction in which the carriage 30 moves is defined as the main scanning direction Y (left-to-right direction). Members and parts that perform the same function are given the same symbols, and duplicate explanations will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0012] The printer 10 comprises a base member 11 extending in the left-right direction, a pair of legs 14, 14 extending downward from the base member 11 and supporting the base member 11, and a case 15 attached to the base member 11. An operation panel 16 is provided on the right front surface of the case 15, and a control device 17 is provided inside the right side of the case 15 and is capable of receiving signals from the operation panel 16 and the like to control various devices inside the case 15.

[0013] Inside the case 15, there are provided a box-shaped carriage 30 and a carriage movement mechanism 40 that can move the carriage 30 in the left-right direction.

[0014] (Carriage moving mechanism 40) The carriage moving mechanism 40 includes two pulleys 41, 41 located at both ends of the left and right direction within the case 15, a belt 42 stretched between the two pulleys 41, 41, a motor 43 that serves as the drive source for the pulleys 41, 41, and a guide rail 44 that extends left and right and can guide the movement of the carriage 30.

[0015] (Carriage 30) 2 and 3, the carriage 30 has a fixed portion 31 fixed to a belt 42 of the carriage movement mechanism 40, a sliding portion 32 slidable relative to a guide rail 44, and a storage portion 33 that stores a plurality of ink heads 35 (see FIG. 5). A plurality of nozzles 36 are formed on the tip surface 35a of each ink head 35, and are capable of ejecting ink that hardens when exposed to ultraviolet light toward the recording medium 20.

[0016] (Recording Medium 20) The recording medium 20 is a type of paper such as plain paper or inkjet printing paper. The recording medium 20 before printing is wound around a supply shaft 51 extending in the left-right direction. Both left and right ends of the supply shaft 51 are rotatably supported by a pair of rear support members 52, 52. The recording medium 20 is wound around the supply shaft 51 in the form of a roll, for example, but it may also be in the form of a sheet that has been cut to a predetermined length from a roll.

[0017] After printing, the recording medium 20 is wound around a take-up shaft 54 extending in the left-right direction while tension is applied by a tension bar 53. The left and right ends of the take-up shaft 54 are rotatably supported by a pair of front support members 55, 55.

[0018] (Platen) Please refer to Figures 2 and 3. The base member 11 has a box-shaped base 13 supported by legs 14, 14, and a box-shaped intermediate section 12 fitted onto the upper surface of the base 13. The intermediate section 12 has a platen 60 on which the recording medium 20 is placed when printing. A front surface 61 of the platen 60 faces in a direction (upward) opposite the nozzles 36 of the ink head 35. A heater 63 capable of heating the platen 60 is provided on a back surface 62 of the platen 60. A rear guide member 93 capable of guiding the recording medium 20 toward the platen 60 before printing is provided behind the platen 60.

[0019] (Front guide member (guide)) A front guide member 90 capable of guiding the recording medium 20 after printing is provided in front of the platen 60. The front guide member 90 has a guide surface 91 that can support the recording medium 20 after printing and can guide it in a downward direction toward the front (see arrow (1)). The guide surface 91 is, for example, made up of a plurality of flat surfaces, but it may also be a curved surface. The configuration is not important as long as it can guide the recording medium 20 forward and downward after printing. Furthermore, the front guide member 90 may be formed integrally with the platen 60 (or may be part of the platen 60).

[0020] (Media movement mechanism) The recording medium 20 can be moved by a medium moving mechanism 65. The medium moving mechanism 65 has an upper part exposed from the platen 60 and is equipped with a drive roller 66 that can be driven by a motor (not shown), and a pinch roller 67 that is located above the drive roller 66 and can pinch the recording medium 20 together with the drive roller 66. When the drive roller 66 is rotated with the recording medium 20 pinched between the drive roller 66 and the pinch roller 67, the recording medium 20 can be transported in the sub-scanning direction X.

[0021] (Lamp 70 (ultraviolet irradiation device)) 3 and 4, the printer 10 is equipped with a lamp 70 (ultraviolet irradiation device) capable of irradiating ink attached to the recording medium 20 with ultraviolet rays. The lamp 70 is equipped with, for example, a light source 71 (e.g., a light emitting diode) that emits light including ultraviolet rays, and a block-shaped housing 72 that houses the light source 71. The housing 72 has an irradiation surface 73 in which an opening 73a is formed so that the light source 71 is exposed.

[0022] (Lamp 70 position) The ramp 70 is located in front of the carriage 30. The ramp 70 is supported by an arm 74 that extends forward from the front surface 30a of the carriage 30. That is, the ramp 70 moves together with the carriage 30.

[0023] (Lamp 70 direction) The irradiation surface 73 of the lamp 70 is tilted away from the ink head 36. More specifically, the optical axis 71a of the light source 71 of the lamp 70 is tilted away from the ink head 36 (at an inclination angle θ) with respect to a reference line L that extends in the vertical direction (the normal direction of the surface 61 of the platen 60).

[0024] (Position of the irradiation surface 73 of the lamp 70) If a plane including the tip of the nozzle 36 is defined as a reference plane P, the irradiation surface 73 of the lamp 70 is located below the reference plane P. Note that at least a portion of the irradiation surface 73 of the lamp 70 may be located below the reference plane P.

[0025] (Irradiation range of lamp 70) The tension bar 53 is positioned forward and below the downstream end 91a of the guide surface 91. The portion of the recording medium 20 with ink attached that is fed in a front-downward direction is referred to as the front-downward portion 21. The front-downward portion 21 has a front-downward upstream portion 22 that is guided by the front guide member 90, and a front-downward downstream portion 23 between the front guide member 90 and the tension bar 53. In the first embodiment, ultraviolet light is irradiated onto the front-downward upstream portion 22, but ultraviolet light may also be irradiated onto the front-downward downstream portion 23. In other words, it is sufficient that the lamp 70 irradiates the front-downward portion 21 of the recording medium 20.

[0026] (Effects of the Example) The first printer is a platen 60 on which the recording medium 20 is placed during printing; an ink head 35 positioned above the platen 60 and capable of ejecting ultraviolet curable ink toward the recording medium 20 placed on the platen 60; a lamp 70 (ultraviolet ray irradiation device) located in front of the ink head 35 and capable of irradiating ultraviolet rays capable of curing the ink ejected by the ink head 35; a front guide member 90 (guide) that is positioned forward of the platen 60 and that can guide the recording medium 20 having ink attached thereto in a downward forward direction; The lamp 70 is inclined in a direction away from the ink head with respect to a reference line L extending in the vertical direction, and is capable of irradiating ultraviolet light onto the recording medium 20 that is fed in a downward direction.

[0027] The above configuration makes it difficult for ultraviolet light reflected by the recording medium 20 to enter the nozzles 36 of the ink head 35. This makes it possible to provide a printer 10 that can prevent ink adhering to the nozzles 36 from being cured by ultraviolet light. Furthermore, because the lamp 70 is not disposed to the side of the carriage 30, the printer 10 can be made smaller.

[0028] The second printer is configured to: The lamp 70 has an irradiation surface 73 on which a light source 71 that emits ultraviolet light is exposed, At least a part (in this embodiment, the whole) of the irradiation surface 73 is located below the nozzles 36 of the ink head 35 .

[0029] By arranging the lamp 70 in the front, the irradiation surface 73 can be brought closer to the recording medium 20. This makes it even more difficult for ultraviolet light reflected by the recording medium 20 to enter the ink head 35.

[0030] <Example 2> See Fig. 5. The same components as those in the printer 10 of the second embodiment (see Fig. 2) are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0031] A side lamp 80 capable of irradiating ultraviolet light onto ink adhering to the recording medium 20 is provided on the side (main scanning direction Y, for example, the left side) of the carriage 30 of the printer 10A of the second embodiment. The side lamp 80 is supported by a plate-shaped support part 84 that extends leftward from the rear surface of the carriage 30.

[0032] Similar to lamp 70, side lamp 80 includes a plurality of light sources 81 (e.g., light-emitting diodes) that emit light including ultraviolet rays, and a housing 82 that houses the light sources 81. Housing 82 has an irradiation surface 83 with openings 83a formed therein through which light sources 71 are exposed. The total light intensity of the light sources 81 of side lamp 80 is smaller than the total light intensity of the light sources 71 of lamp 70.

[0033] Because the light intensity of the light source 81 is small, even if the lamp 80 is placed to the side of the carriage 30, it is possible to suppress the incidence of ultraviolet rays on the nozzles 36 of the ink head 35, and further, it becomes easier to harden the ink immediately after it is deposited on the recording medium 20. The presence or absence of the side lamp 80 can be changed as appropriate depending on the type of ink.

[0034] As long as the functions and effects of the present invention are achieved, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments. For example, as shown in Fig. 3, the lamp 70 is supported by the arm 74 of the carriage 30, but in another embodiment, a lamp moving mechanism equivalent to the carriage moving mechanism 40 may be provided.

[0035] Furthermore, as another embodiment, a movement mechanism consisting of a rail and a slider may be provided between the ramp 70 and the carriage 30. That is, the carriage 30 is disposed behind the movement mechanism, and the ramp 70 is disposed in front of the movement mechanism. Compared to the first embodiment, the distance between the ramp 70 and the slider (sliding portion 32) is reduced, resulting in smoother sliding. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 10...Printer 20...Recording media 21...Front downward section (recording medium fed in the front downward direction) 30...Carriage 35...ink head 36...Nozzle 60...Platen 70...Lamp (ultraviolet irradiation device) 71...Light source, 71a...Optical axis 73…Irradiation surface 90...Front guide member (guide)

Claims

1. a platen on which the recording medium is placed during printing; an ink head positioned above the platen and capable of ejecting ultraviolet curable ink toward the recording medium placed on the platen; an ultraviolet irradiation device located in front of the ink head and capable of irradiating the ink ejected by the ink head with ultraviolet light capable of curing the ink; a guide positioned forward of the platen and capable of guiding the recording medium having the ink adhered thereto in a downward direction, The ultraviolet irradiation device is tilted in a direction in which the irradiation surface side moves away from the ink head with respect to the up-down direction, and is capable of irradiating ultraviolet rays onto the recording medium fed in a front-down direction.

2. 2. The printer of claim 1, the ultraviolet irradiation device has an irradiation surface that emits ultraviolet rays, A printer, characterized in that at least a part of the irradiation surface is located below the nozzles of the ink head.

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