Printer

Abstract

To print on a matter to be printed where at least a portion of an outer peripheral shape is columnar while rotating the matter to be printed, with a simple structure, regardless of a length and a diameter of the matter to be printed.SOLUTION: A printer 10 comprises an ink head 34 that discharges ink to a second matter 5B to be printed, where at least a portion of an outer peripheral shape is columnar, and a support member 70 that supports the second matter 5B to be printed. The support member 70 has: a first shaft 72 extending in a main scanning direction Y; a first support roller 74 provided in the first shaft 72 attachably or detachably; a second shaft 76 extending in the main scanning direction Y; a second support roller 78 provided in the second shaft 76 attachably or detachably; and a driving mechanism 80 that rotates the first shaft 72. The driving mechanism 80 is configured to rotate at least the first shaft 72 to rotate the second matter 5B to be printed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a printer, and more particularly to a printer that rotates and prints on a printing substrate having at least a portion of a cylindrical outer periphery. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an inkjet printer including an inkjet head, a substrate holder that rotatably holds a substrate (i.e., a print substrate), and a holder drive unit that moves the substrate holder. The substrate holder rotatably supports a three-dimensional object having a cylindrical portion as the substrate, and the substrate holder is moved by the holder drive unit to print an image or the like on the substrate. The substrate holder of the inkjet printer includes three shafts that hold the substrate, each of which has multiple rubber rings attached to prevent slippage. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6005471 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the inkjet printer described in Patent Document 1, the rubber rings are fixed at predetermined positions on the shaft. Therefore, multiple rubber rings must be attached to the shaft to accommodate various lengths of substrates. Furthermore, because the diameter of the cylindrical portion of the substrate varies depending on the substrate, three shafts are provided to accommodate multiple types of substrates with different diameters. In other words, two of the three shafts are used depending on the diameter of the substrate. However, this configuration requires the three shafts to be moved synchronously, which can complicate the drive mechanism for the shafts and increase costs.

[0005] The present invention was made in consideration of these points, and its purpose is to provide a printer that can rotate and print on a substrate with a simple structure, regardless of the length or diameter of the substrate, at least a portion of which has a cylindrical outer periphery. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A printer according to the present invention includes an ink head that ejects ink onto a printing substrate, at least a portion of which has a cylindrical outer periphery, and that is movable in a main scanning direction, and a support member that supports the printing substrate. The support member includes a rotatable first shaft that extends in the main scanning direction, a plurality of first support rollers that are detachably attached to the first shaft and rotatably support the printing substrate, a second shaft that extends in the main scanning direction and is positioned a predetermined distance from the first shaft in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction, a plurality of second support rollers that are detachably attached to the second shaft and rotatably support the printing substrate, and a drive mechanism that rotates the first shaft. The drive mechanism is configured to rotate the printing substrate by rotating at least the first shaft.

[0007] According to the printer of the present invention, the first support roller and the second support roller, which rotatably support the printing substrate, are detachably attached to the first shaft and the second shaft, respectively. That is, the first support roller and the second support roller can be attached at any position on the first shaft and the second shaft, respectively. Therefore, the number and attachment positions of the first support rollers and the second support rollers, which can rotatably support the printing substrate, can be changed depending on the length of the printing substrate (here, the length in the main scanning direction). Furthermore, because the first support roller and the second support roller are configured to be detachable, even if the distance between the first shaft and the second shaft in the sub-scanning direction is constant, it is possible to support multiple types of printing substrates with different diameters by, for example, appropriately using first support rollers and second support rollers with different diameters. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, a printer can be provided that can rotate and print on a substrate with a simple structure, regardless of the length or diameter of the substrate, at least a portion of which has a cylindrical outer periphery. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a printer according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an internal configuration of a printer according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating an internal configuration of a printer according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which a support member is placed on a table according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a state in which a support member is placed on a table according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a first support roller according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a first support roller and a first shaft according to an embodiment. [Figure 8]FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a first support roller and a first shaft according to another embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a plan view schematically showing a state in which a printing substrate is supported on a support member according to another embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a state in which a printing substrate is supported on a support member according to another embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a plan view schematically showing a state in which a printing substrate is supported on a support member according to another embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a state in which a printing substrate is supported on a support member according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a printer according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the embodiment described here is not intended to limit the present invention in any particular way. Furthermore, the same reference numerals are used to designate components and parts that perform the same functions, and redundant descriptions will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a printer 10 according to this embodiment (first embodiment). FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the printer 10 according to this embodiment. In the drawings, the symbols F, Rr, L, R, U, and D indicate the front, rear, left, right, top, and bottom of the printer 10, respectively. The symbols X, Y, and Z indicate the sub-scanning direction, main scanning direction, and height direction, respectively. For example, the main scanning direction Y is the left-right direction. The sub-scanning direction X intersects with the main scanning direction Y in a plan view and is perpendicular here. The sub-scanning direction X is, for example, the front-to-back direction. The height direction Z is the up-and-down direction. However, these directions are merely defined for the convenience of explanation and do not limit the present invention or the installation mode of the printer 10 in any way.

[0012] The printer 10 is an inkjet printer. However, there are no particular limitations on the printing method of the printer 10. The printer 10 may be, for example, a dot impact printer, a laser printer, or a thermal printer.

[0013] The printer 10 according to this embodiment is capable of printing on a first substrate 5A (see FIG. 2) supported by a table 48 (see FIG. 2), which will be described later. Furthermore, the printer 10 is also capable of printing on a second substrate 5B (see FIG. 4) using a support member 70 (see FIG. 4), which will be described later. Here, FIG. 2 shows the first substrate 5A supported by the table 48. The first substrate 5A shown in FIG. 2 has at least a flat surface extending in the main scanning direction Y and the sub-scanning direction X. The first substrate 5A is, for example, recording paper. However, the first substrate 5A is not limited to recording paper. For example, the first substrate 5A may be a relatively thick object such as a sheet made of a resin material such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyester, a metal plate, a glass plate, or a wooden plate. The first substrate 5A may also be a three-dimensional object such as a smartphone case. The first substrate 5A is not shown in FIG. 3.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 4, the second substrate 5B is a three-dimensional object having at least a portion of a cylindrical outer periphery. Here, the portion of the second substrate 5B refers to the portion that contacts the support member 70 (more specifically, the first support roller 74 and second support roller 78 described below). The second substrate 5B includes a three-dimensional object having an internal space, such as a cylindrical or tubular three-dimensional object. The type of the second substrate 5B is not particularly limited, but examples include bottles and cups. The material from which the second substrate 5B is formed is also not particularly limited. The second substrate 5B may be made of glass, resin, or wood. In this embodiment, the second substrate 5B is an example of a "substrate having at least a portion of a cylindrical outer periphery."

[0015] 2, printer 10 includes a base member 60, a main body case 12 (see FIG. 1) attached to base member 60, a carriage movement mechanism 20, an ink head unit 30, a table movement mechanism 38, and a table unit 40. Printer 10 includes a main body frame 14 that supports carriage movement mechanism 20 and ink head unit 30.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, a front cover 13C is provided in the center of the front of the main body case 12. The front cover 13C is configured to be openable and closable relative to the main body case 12. A window 13W is provided in the front cover 13C. The window 13W is formed, for example, from a transparent acrylic plate. An operator can view the inside of the main body case 12 through the window 13W. A base member 60 (see FIG. 2) is attached to the lower part of the main body case 12. The base member 60 supports the main body case 12.

[0017] 2, the base member 60 includes a bottom wall 61 that forms the bottom surface, a left wall 62 located to the left and above the bottom wall 61, a right wall 63 located to the right and above the bottom wall 61, a left wall 64 that connects the bottom wall 61 and the left wall 62 and extends in the vertical direction Z, and a right wall 65 that connects the bottom wall 61 and the right wall 63 and extends in the vertical direction Z. The table unit 40 moves on the bottom wall 61 in the sub-scanning direction X. The left wall 62 and the right wall 63 support the main body frame 14.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 2, the main body frame 14 is mounted on a base member 60. The main body frame 14 has a left base wall 15L extending upward from a left wall 62 of the base member 60, a right base wall 15R extending upward from a right wall 63 of the base member 60, and a support wall 16 connecting the upper ends of the left base wall 15L and the right base wall 15R. The left base wall 15L is located to the left of the table unit 40. The right base wall 15R is located to the right of the table unit 40. The support wall 16 extends in the main scanning direction Y. The support wall 16 is positioned above the base member 60. The printer 10 has an opening 14H penetrating in the sub-scanning direction X, allowing the table unit 40 to pass through. The opening 14H is surrounded by the main body frame 14 and the base member 60.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, the printer 10 has a guide rail 18 provided on the support wall 16. The guide rail 18 extends in the main scanning direction Y. The guide rail 18 is provided along the front surface of the support wall 16. The guide rail 18 is located above the opening 14H. The guide rail 18 is located above the table unit 40. A head carriage 32 (described later) of the ink head unit 30 is slidably provided on the guide rail 18. The guide rail 18 guides the movement of the head carriage 32 in the main scanning direction Y.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2 , the carriage movement mechanism 20 moves the head carriage 32 in the main scanning direction Y relative to a table 48 (described later) of the table unit 40. The carriage movement mechanism 20 moves the head carriage 32 in the main scanning direction Y. Note that the configuration of the carriage movement mechanism 20 is not particularly limited. The carriage movement mechanism 20 includes a left pulley 21, a right pulley 22, an endless belt 23, and a head carriage motor 24. The left pulley 21 is disposed to the left of the left end of the guide rail 18. The right pulley 22 is disposed to the right of the right end of the guide rail 18. The left pulley 21 and the right pulley 22 are fixed to the main body frame 14. The belt 23 is wound around the left pulley 21 and the right pulley 22. The head carriage motor 24 is connected to the right pulley 22. However, the head carriage motor 24 may be connected to the left pulley 21. In this case, the head carriage motor 24 is driven to rotate the right pulley 22, causing the belt 23 to run between the left pulley 21 and the right pulley 22.

[0021] The ink head unit 30 is disposed inside the main body case 12 (see FIG. 1). As shown in FIG. 2, the ink head unit 30 is disposed above the table unit 40. The ink head unit 30 includes an ink head 34, a head carriage 32 on which the ink head 34 is mounted, a case 31 attached to the head carriage 32, and a light irradiation device 35.

[0022] 2, the head carriage 32 is attached to the belt 23. The head carriage 32 is slidably engaged with the guide rail 18. The head carriage 32 is disposed above the table 48. The belt 23 is driven by the head carriage motor 24, and as the head carriage 32 moves in the main scanning direction Y, the ink head 34 and the light irradiation device 35 mounted on the head carriage 32 also move in the main scanning direction Y.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 3, the ink heads 34 are formed in a shape such that the length in the sub-scanning direction X is longer than the length in the main scanning direction Y. The ink heads 34 are all formed in the same shape and size. The ink heads 34 are configured to be able to eject ink onto a first substrate 5A (see FIG. 2) placed on a table 48 and a second substrate 5B (see FIG. 4) supported by a support member 70. The ink heads 34 are equipped with a plurality of nozzles (not shown) that eject ink and are aligned in the sub-scanning direction X. The ink ejected from the nozzles of the ink heads 34 is, for example, a photocurable ink. An example of the photocurable ink is an ultraviolet-curable ink. The ultraviolet-curable ink has the property of being cured when irradiated with ultraviolet light. In this embodiment, the ink head unit 30 is equipped with three ink heads 34, but this is not limited to this.

[0024] The light irradiation device 35 is a device that irradiates light (e.g., ultraviolet light) onto the light-curable ink (e.g., ultraviolet-curable ink) ejected onto the first substrate 5A and the second substrate 5B. As shown in FIG. 3, the light irradiation device 35 is disposed to the left of the ink head 34. The light irradiation device 35 is fixed to the head carriage 32 (see FIG. 2). In this embodiment, the light irradiation device 35 is disposed to the left of the ink head 34, but is not limited to this. The light irradiation device 35 may also be disposed to the right of the ink head 34. Furthermore, the light irradiation device 35 may be provided on both the left and right of the ink head 34.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 3, the table unit 40 is configured to be movable in the sub-scanning direction X along a first slide rail 51 and a second slide rail 52 (described later) of the table movement mechanism 38. The table unit 40 includes a table 48 on which the first substrate 5A or a support member 70 (described later) is placed, and a table carriage 49 that supports the table 48 so that it can move in the sub-scanning direction X. The table 48 is formed in a rectangular shape whose length in the sub-scanning direction X is shorter than its length in the main scanning direction Y. Note that the length of the table 48 in the sub-scanning direction X may be longer than its length in the main scanning direction Y, or the lengths of the table 48 in the sub-scanning direction X and the main scanning direction Y may be the same. As shown in FIG. 2, the table 48 is disposed below the support wall 16. The table 48 is disposed below the ink head unit 30. The table 48 is provided at the upper end of the table carriage 49. The table carriage 49 is slidably supported by a first slide rail 51 (see also FIG. 3) and a second slide rail 52 (see FIG. 3). The table carriage 49 is provided so as to be movable in the sub-scanning direction X along a first slide rail 51 and a second slide rail 52. The table carriage 49 is configured so as to be able to move the table 48 in the up-down direction Z by an elevating mechanism (not shown).

[0026] The table movement mechanism 38 is a mechanism that moves the table 48 of the table unit 40 in the sub-scanning direction X. As shown in FIG. 3, the table movement mechanism 38 includes a first slide rail 51 and a second slide rail 52 that support the table unit 40 movably in the sub-scanning direction X, and a movement device 41 that moves the table unit 40 in the sub-scanning direction X. The first slide rail 51 and the second slide rail 52 extend in the sub-scanning direction X. The first slide rail 51 and the second slide rail 52 are arranged parallel to each other. The first slide rail 51 and the second slide rail 52 are provided on a left side wall 64 (see FIG. 2) and a right side wall 65 (see FIG. 2) of the base member 60, respectively.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 3, the moving device 41 is disposed on the bottom wall 61 of the base member 60. The moving device 41 includes a front pulley 42, a rear pulley 43, an endless belt 44, and a drive motor 45. The front pulley 42 is provided on the front side of the bottom wall 61. The rear pulley 43 is provided on the rear side of the bottom wall 61. The belt 44 is wound around the front pulley 42 and the rear pulley 43. The drive motor 45 is connected to the rear pulley 43. However, the drive motor 45 may be connected to the front pulley 42. In this case, the drive motor 45 is driven to rotate the rear pulley 43, causing the belt 44 to run between the front pulley 42 and the rear pulley 43. A table carriage 49 (see also FIG. 2) is attached to the belt 44. Therefore, when the belt 44 is driven by the drive motor 45, the table carriage 49 moves in the sub-scanning direction X along the first slide rail 51 and the second slide rail 52. In other words, the moving device 41 can move the table 48 in the sub-scanning direction X.

[0028] As described above, the printer 10 according to this embodiment can print not only on the first printing substrate 5A (see FIG. 2) but also on the second printing substrate 5B (see FIG. 4), at least a portion of whose outer periphery is cylindrical. The second printing substrate 5B is supported by a support member 70 (see FIG. 4) fixed to the table 48.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 4, the support member 70 supports the second substrate 5B. The support member 70 is detachably fixed to the table 48. The support member 70 is configured to be movable in the sub-scanning direction X and the up-down direction Z in accordance with the movement of the table 48. The support member 70 is fixed to the table 48 when printing on the second substrate 5B and is detached from the table 48 when printing on the first substrate 5A (see FIG. 2). The support member 70 includes a rectangular storage case 71 with an open top, a first shaft 72 extending in the main scanning direction Y, a plurality of first support rollers 74 provided on the first shaft 72, a second shaft 76 extending in the main scanning direction Y, a plurality of second support rollers 78 provided on the second shaft 76, and a drive mechanism 80 that rotates the first shaft 72. As shown in FIG. 5, the entire storage case 71 overlaps with the table 48 in a plan view. That is, the storage case 71 does not protrude outside the table 48 in a plan view.

[0030] 5, the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 extend in the main scanning direction Y. The first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 are rotatably supported in the housing case 71. The second shaft 76 is disposed a predetermined distance LX1 away from the first shaft 72 in the sub-scanning direction X. In other words, the relative positional relationship between the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 is constant. The first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 are disposed in parallel.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 4, the first support roller 74 is an anti-slip member that prevents the second substrate 5B supported by the first shaft 72 from slipping relative to the rotating first shaft 72. The first support roller 74 is detachably attached to the first shaft 72. That is, the position of the first support roller 74 is changeable. The first support roller 74 supports the second substrate 5B. The second support roller 78 is an anti-slip member that prevents the second substrate 5B supported by the second shaft 76 from slipping relative to the rotating second shaft 76. The second support roller 78 is detachably attached to the second shaft 76. That is, the position of the second support roller 78 is changeable. The second support roller 78 supports the second substrate 5B. As shown in FIG. 5, the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78 are disposed at the same position in the main scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, the diameter RX of the first support roller 74 and the diameter RY of the second support roller 78 are different. The diameter RX of the first support roller 74 is larger than the diameter RY of the second support roller 78. The first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78 have the same configuration except for their different diameters, so the following description will focus on the first support roller 74.

[0032] 6 and 7, the first support roller 74 includes a first body member 75A, a second body member 75B, and a fastening member 75C. The first support roller 74 has an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the first shaft 72. The diameter RX of the first support roller 74 is larger than the diameter RZ of the first shaft 72. The first body member 75A and the second body member 75B are formed from, for example, rubber. 7, the first main body member 75A has a first outer peripheral surface 75AP which is the outer peripheral surface of the first main body member 75A, has an arc-shaped cross section, and comes into contact with the second substrate 5B, a first inner peripheral surface 75AQ which is the inner peripheral surface of the first main body member 75A, has an arc-shaped cross section, and comes into contact with the first shaft 72, a first surface 75AG which is located between the first outer peripheral surface 75AP and the first inner peripheral surface 75AQ and is formed at one end in the circumferential direction, and a second surface 75AH which is located between the first outer peripheral surface 75AP and the first inner circumferential surface 75AQ and is formed at the other end in the circumferential direction. The first main body member 75A has a first recess 75AM recessed from the first outer peripheral surface 75AP at a portion of the first outer peripheral surface 75AP on one end side in the circumferential direction, and a second recess 75AN recessed from the first outer peripheral surface 75AP at a portion of the first outer peripheral surface 75AP on the other end side in the circumferential direction. Two first recesses 75AM and two second recesses 75AN are provided along the longitudinal direction of the first shaft 72 (i.e., the main scanning direction Y). The first main body member 75A is formed with first through-holes 75AK that penetrate from the bottom surface of each first recess 75AM to the first surface 75AG, and second through-holes 75AL that penetrate from the bottom surface of each second recess 75AN to the second surface 75AH. The first through-holes 75AK and the second through-holes 75AL communicate with the outside via the first outer peripheral surface 75AP. It is sufficient that at least one of the first through-holes 75AK and the second through-holes 75AL communicate with the outside via the first outer peripheral surface 75AP. The first through-holes 75AK and the second through-holes 75AL are, for example, threaded holes. The first shaft 72 is positioned between the first through-holes 75AK and the second through-holes 75AL.

[0033] 6 and 7, the second main body member 75B has a second outer peripheral surface 75BP that is the outer peripheral surface of the second main body member 75B, has an arc-shaped cross section, and comes into contact with the second substrate 5B, a second inner peripheral surface 75BQ that is the inner peripheral surface of the second main body member 75B, has an arc-shaped cross section, and comes into contact with the first shaft 72, a third surface 75BG that is located between the second outer peripheral surface 75BP and the second inner peripheral surface 75BQ and is formed at one end in the circumferential direction, and a fourth surface 75BH that is located between the second outer peripheral surface 75BP and the second inner peripheral surface 75BQ and is formed at the other end in the circumferential direction. When the first main body member 75A and the second main body member 75B are fixed to the first shaft 72, the third surface 75BG overlaps the first surface 75AG, and the fourth surface 75BH overlaps the second surface 75AH. The second main body member 75B is formed with a third through-hole 75BK penetrating from a portion of the second outer peripheral surface 75BP to the third surface 75BG, and a fourth through-hole 75BL penetrating from another portion of the second outer peripheral surface 75BP to the fourth surface 75BH. The third through-hole 75BK and the fourth through-hole 75BL communicate with the outside via the second outer peripheral surface 75BP. It is sufficient that at least one of the third through-hole 75BK and the fourth through-hole 75BL communicate with the outside via the second outer peripheral surface 75BP. The third through-hole 75BK and the fourth through-hole 75BL are, for example, threaded holes. The first shaft 72 is located between the third through-hole 75BK and the fourth through-hole 75BL. The third through-hole 75BK communicates with the first through-hole 75AK. The fourth through-hole 75BL communicates with the second through-hole 75AL.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 7 , the fastening member 75C secures the first body member 75A and the second body member 75B to the first shaft 72. The fastening member 75C includes a first fastening member 75CX inserted into the first through hole 75AK and the third through hole 75BK, and a second fastening member 75CY inserted into the second through hole 75AL and the fourth through hole 75BL. The first fastening member 75CX and the second fastening member 75CY are, for example, screws. The first fastening member 75CX and the second fastening member 75CY are positioned inward of the first outer peripheral surface 75AP of the first body member 75A and the second outer peripheral surface 75BP of the second body member 75B. Here, a portion of the first fastening member 75CX is accommodated in the first recess 75AM, and a portion of the second fastening member 75CY is accommodated in the second recess 75AN. That is, the first fastening member 75CX and the second fastening member 75CY do not protrude outward from the first outer peripheral surface 75AP and the second outer peripheral surface 75BP, and therefore the first fastening member 75CX and the second fastening member 75CY do not come into contact with the second printing material 5B supported by the first support roller 74.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 5 , the drive mechanism 80 is provided in the housing 71. The drive mechanism 80 is configured to rotate the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76. The drive mechanism 80 is configured to rotate the second substrate 5B by rotating the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76. The drive mechanism 80 includes a drive motor 80A, a first gear 81 connected to the drive motor 80A, a second gear 82 meshing with the first gear 81, a third gear 83 integrally formed with the second gear 82, a fourth gear 84 meshing with the third gear 83, a support shaft 85 integrally formed with the fourth gear 84, a first idler pulley 86, a second idler pulley 87, and a conveyor belt 88. The drive motor 80A is accommodated in the housing 71. The drive motor 80A is disposed rearward of the first shaft 72. The first gear 81 is located outside the housing 71. The second gear 82 and the third gear 83 are mounted on a rotating shaft 80B extending rightward from the housing case 71. The fourth gear 84 is mounted on a support shaft 85 extending rightward from the housing case 71. The first idler pulley 86 and the second idler pulley 87 extend rightward from the housing case 71. The first shaft 72 is located between the support shaft 85 and the second idler pulley 87. The second shaft 76 is located between the first idler pulley 86 and the second idler pulley 87. The conveyor belt 88 is wound around the support shaft 85, the first idler pulley 86, the right end 76R of the second shaft 76, the second idler pulley 87, and the right end 72R of the first shaft 72. By driving the drive motor 80A, the conveyor belt 88 runs, causing the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 to rotate. As a result, the second substrate 5B supported by the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 rotates, for example, in the direction of arrow R in Fig. 4. In this embodiment, since the diameter of the first support roller 74 is larger than the diameter of the second support roller 78 disposed forward of the first support roller 74, the drive mechanism 80 is configured to forward rotate the second substrate 5B so that a predetermined portion of the second substrate 5B comes into contact with the second support roller 78 and then comes into contact with the first support roller 74.That is, the second printing material 5B is rotated by rotating the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 in the direction of arrow R in Figure 4 (counterclockwise when viewed from right to left in the main scanning direction Y).

[0036] As described above, according to the printer 10 of this embodiment, the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78 that rotatably support the second substrate 5B are detachably provided on the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76, respectively. That is, the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78 can be attached to any position on the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76, respectively. Therefore, the number and attachment positions of the first support rollers 74 and the second support rollers 78 that can rotatably support the second substrate 5B can be changed according to the length (here, the length in the main scanning direction Y) LY (see FIG. 5) of the second substrate 5B. Furthermore, because the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78 are configured to be detachable, even if the distance LX1 in the sub-scanning direction X between the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 is constant, by changing the diameter (outer diameter) of the first support roller 74 fixed to the first shaft 72 and the second support roller 78 fixed to the second shaft 76, it is possible to change the distance in the sub-scanning direction X between the rotating members of the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 (here, the distance LX2 in the sub-scanning direction X between the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78). This makes it possible to support a plurality of types of second substrates 5B with different diameters. For example, if the diameter (outer diameter) RR (see FIG. 5) of the cylindrical portion of the second substrate 5B is relatively small and the distance LX1 in the sub-scanning direction X between the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 is larger than the diameter RR of the cylindrical portion of the second substrate 5B, the second substrate 5B will pass through and fall between the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76, and therefore the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 cannot rotatably support the second substrate 5B. In contrast, by fixing the first support roller 74 to the first shaft 72 and the second support roller 78 to the second shaft 76, the distance in the sub-scanning direction X between the rotating members of the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 can be made shorter than the distance LX1 in the sub-scanning direction between the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 by the length of the first support roller 74 protruding from the first shaft 72 and the length of the second support roller 78 protruding from the second shaft 76.Therefore, by setting the distance in the sub-scanning direction X between the rotating members on the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 (here, the distance LX2 in the sub-scanning direction X between the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78) to be smaller than the diameter RR of the cylindrical portion of the second substrate 5B, due to the length of the first support roller 74 protruding from the first shaft 72 and the length of the second support roller 78 protruding from the second shaft 76, the second substrate 5B can be rotatably supported by the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78 even in cases where the diameter RR of the cylindrical portion of the second substrate 5B is relatively small and the second substrate 5B falls through between the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76.

[0037] In the printer 10 of this embodiment, the second shaft 76 is configured to be rotatable, and the drive mechanism 80 is configured to rotate the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76. This makes it possible to properly rotate the second substrate 5B to be printed, even if the second substrate 5B supported by the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78 is relatively light.

[0038] In the printer 10 of this embodiment, the diameter of the first support roller 74 is different from the diameter of the second support roller 78. This makes it possible to rotatably support a wider variety of second printing materials 5B with different diameters.

[0039] In the printer 10 of this embodiment, when the diameter of the first support roller 74 is larger than the diameter of the second support roller 78, the drive mechanism 80 rotates the second substrate 5B so that a predetermined portion of the second substrate 5B comes into contact with the second support roller 78 and then comes into contact with the first support roller 74. As a result, the second substrate 5B is pressed against the first support roller 74, which has a larger diameter, and the second substrate 5B is prevented from falling off the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78.

[0040] In the printer 10 of this embodiment, the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78 include a first body member 75A having a first surface 75AG formed at one circumferential end and a second surface 75AH formed at the other circumferential end, a second body member 75B having a third surface 75BG formed at one circumferential end and overlapping with the first surface 75AG, and a fourth surface 75BH formed at the other circumferential end and overlapping with the second surface 75AH, and a fastening member 75C that fastens the first body member 75A and the second body member 75B. This allows the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78 to be easily attached to and detached from the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76, respectively.

[0041] In the printer 10 of this embodiment, the first main body member 75A is formed with a first through hole 75AK penetrating the first surface 75AG and a second through hole 75AL penetrating the second surface 75AH, and the second main body member 75B is formed with a third through hole 75BK penetrating the third surface 75BG and a fourth through hole 75BL penetrating the fourth surface 75BH. The fastening member 75 is formed with a first fastening member 75CX inserted into the first through hole 75AK and the third through hole 75BK, and a fourth through hole 75BL inserted into the second through hole 75AL and the fourth through hole 75BH. and a second fastening member 75CY inserted into the fourth through hole 75BL, the first through hole 75AK and the third through hole 75BK communicating with the outside via the first outer peripheral surface 75AP and the second outer peripheral surface 75BP, respectively, the second through hole 75AL and the fourth through hole 75BL communicating with the outside via the first outer peripheral surface 75AP and the second outer peripheral surface 75BP, and the first fastening member 75CX and the second fastening member 75CY being positioned inside the first outer peripheral surface 75AP and the second outer peripheral surface 75BP. This prevents contact between the second substrate 5B and the first fastening member 75CX and the second fastening member 75CY, while allowing the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78 to be fixed to the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76, respectively.

[0042] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above-described embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention can be embodied in various other forms.

[0043] In the above-described embodiment, the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 are rotatably supported by the accommodating case 71, but this is not limiting. For example, the second shaft 76 may be non-rotatably supported by the accommodating case 71. In this case, the drive mechanism 80 is configured to rotate the second substrate 5B supported by the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 by rotating the first shaft 72. Furthermore, the second support roller 78 may be rotatably provided on the second shaft 76.

[0044] In the above-described embodiment, the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78 are arranged at the same position in the main scanning direction Y, but this is not limiting. The first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78 may be arranged offset from each other in the main scanning direction Y (i.e., shifted from each other).

[0045] In the above-described embodiment, the first support roller 74 is composed of two members, the first body member 75A and the second body member 75B, but this is not limiting. As shown in Fig. 8, the first support roller 174 includes a body member 175A and a fastening member 175C. The body member 175A is made of, for example, rubber. The body member 175A is formed in a ring shape. The main body member 175A has an outer peripheral surface 175AP, which is the outer peripheral surface of the main body member 175A and has a circular cross section, and which contacts the second substrate 5B to be printed; an inner peripheral surface 175AQ, which is the inner peripheral surface of the main body member 175A and has a circular cross section, and which contacts the first shaft 72; a first divided surface 175AG, which is located between the outer peripheral surface 175AP and the inner peripheral surface 175AQ and formed at one end in the circumferential direction; and a second divided surface 175AH, which is located between the outer peripheral surface 175AP and the inner peripheral surface 175AQ and formed at the other end in the circumferential direction. The second divided surface 175AH overlaps the first divided surface 175AG. The main body member 175A has a recess 175AM recessed from the outer peripheral surface 175AP in a portion of the outer peripheral surface 175AP toward one end in the circumferential direction. The main body member 175A is formed with a first through-hole 175AK that penetrates from the bottom surface of the recess 175AM to the first dividing surface 175AG, and a second through-hole 175AL that penetrates from a portion of the other circumferential end of the outer circumferential surface 175AP to the second dividing surface 175AH. The first through-hole 175AK and the second through-hole 175AL communicate with the outside via the outer circumferential surface 175AP. Note that it is sufficient that at least one of the first through-hole 175AK and the second through-hole 175AL communicates with the outside via the outer circumferential surface 175AP. The first through-hole 175AK and the second through-hole 175AL are, for example, screw holes. The first through-hole 175AK communicates with the second through-hole 175AL. The fastening member 175C fastens one end of the main body member 175A to the other end. That is, the fastening member 175C fixes the main body member 175A to the first shaft 72. The fastening member 175C is inserted into the first through-hole 175AK and the second through-hole 175AL. The fastening member 175C is, for example, a screw. The fastening member 175C is located inside the outer circumferential surface 175AP of the main body member 175A. Here, a portion of the fastening member 175C is housed in the recess 175AM. That is, the fastening member 175C does not protrude to the outside from the outer circumferential surface 175AP.As a result, the fastening member 175C does not come into contact with the second printing material 5B supported by the first support roller 174. The second support roller 78 may have the same configuration as the first support roller 174.

[0046] In the printer 10 of this embodiment, the first support roller 174 includes a ring-shaped main body member 175A having a first divided surface 175AG formed at one circumferential end and a second divided surface 175AH formed at the other circumferential end and overlapping with the first divided surface 175AG, and a fastening member 175C that fastens one end of the main body member 175A to the other end. This allows the first support roller 174 to be easily attached to and detached from the first shaft 72.

[0047] In the printer 10 of this embodiment, the main body member 175A is formed with a first through-hole 175AK that penetrates the first divided surface 175AG and into which the fastening member 175C is inserted, and a second through-hole 175AL that penetrates the second divided surface 175AH and into which the fastening member 175C is inserted, the first through-hole 175AK and the second through-hole 175AH communicate with the outside via the outer circumferential surface 175AP, and the fastening member 175C is located inside the outer circumferential surface 175AP, thereby preventing contact between the second printing material 5B and the fastening member 175C.

[0048] In the above-described embodiment, the diameters of the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78 are different, but they may be the same. This makes it easier to rotate the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 in synchronization.

[0049] FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a portion of a support member 70 according to the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of a support member 70 according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a portion of a support member 70 according to the third embodiment. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of a support member 70 according to the third embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, when the diameter of the cylindrical portion of the second substrate 5B is equal to or greater than the first diameter R1, it is preferable to use a first support roller 74 and a second support roller 78 having a second diameter R2. Also, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, when the diameter of the cylindrical portion of the second substrate 5B is equal to or less than a third diameter R3 that is smaller than the first diameter R1 (see FIG. 9), it is preferable to use a first support roller 74 and a second support roller 78 having a fourth diameter R4 that is larger than the second diameter R2 (see FIG. 9). This allows multiple second substrates 5B with different diameters to be rotatably supported without changing the distance between the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 in the sub-scanning direction X.

[0050] In the above-described embodiment, the support member 70 includes the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76, but may also include one or more other shafts that have detachable support rollers similar to the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78.

[0051] In the above-described embodiment, the first recess 75AM and the second recess 75AN are formed in the first main body member 75A of the first support roller 74, the first through-hole 75AK penetrates the bottom surface of the first recess 75AM, and the second through-hole 75AL penetrates the second recess 75AN, but this is not limiting. The first main body member 75A does not necessarily have to have the first recess 75AM and the second recess 75AN, in which case the first through-hole 75AK may penetrate from a part of the first outer peripheral surface 75AP to the first surface 75AG, and the second through-hole 75AK may penetrate from another part of the first outer peripheral surface 75AP to the second surface 75AH. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 5A 1st printed material 5B 2nd printing material (printing material) 10 Printers 34 Ink head 48 tables 70 Support member 72 First Shaft 74 First support roller 76 Second Shaft 78 Second support roller 80 Drive mechanism

Claims

1. an ink head that ejects ink onto a printing substrate, at least a portion of which has a cylindrical outer periphery, and that is movable in the main scanning direction; a support member for supporting the printing substrate, The support member is a rotatable first shaft extending in the main scanning direction; a plurality of first support rollers that are detachably provided on the first shaft and rotatably support the printing material; a second shaft extending in the main scanning direction and disposed a predetermined distance away from the first shaft in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction; a plurality of second support rollers detachably provided on the second shaft and rotatably supporting the printing material; a drive mechanism that rotates the first shaft, The printer, wherein the drive mechanism is configured to rotate the substrate by rotating at least the first shaft.

2. The second shaft is configured to be rotatable, The printer of claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism is configured to rotate the first shaft and the second shaft.

3. 3. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the first support roller and the diameter of the second support roller are the same.

4. When the diameter of the cylindrical portion of the printing material is equal to or larger than a first diameter, the first support roller and the second support roller have a second diameter, 4. The printer according to claim 3, wherein when the diameter of the cylindrical portion of the substrate is equal to or smaller than a third diameter smaller than the first diameter, the first support roller and the second support roller have a fourth diameter larger than the second diameter.

5. The printer of claim 1 or 2, wherein the diameter of the first support roller and the diameter of the second support roller are different.

6. 6. The printer of claim 5, wherein when the diameter of the first support roller is larger than the diameter of the second support roller, the drive mechanism rotates the substrate so that a predetermined portion of the substrate contacts the second support roller before contacting the first support roller.

7. The first support roller and the second support roller are a main body member formed in a ring shape, the main body member having an outer peripheral surface having a circular cross section and contacting the substrate, an inner peripheral surface having a circular cross section and contacting the first shaft or the second shaft, a first divided surface located between the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface and formed at one end in the circumferential direction, and a second divided surface located between the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface and formed at the other end in the circumferential direction and overlapping with the first divided surface; The printer according to claim 1 , further comprising: a fastening member that fastens the one end and the other end of the body member together.

8. The main body member is formed with a first through hole that penetrates the first divided surface and into which the fastening member is inserted, and a second through hole that penetrates the second divided surface and into which the fastening member is inserted, At least one of the first through hole and the second through hole communicates with the outside via the outer circumferential surface, The printer according to claim 7 , wherein the fastening member is located inside the outer circumferential surface.

9. The first support roller and the second support roller are a first main body member having a first outer peripheral surface whose cross section is formed in an arc shape and which comes into contact with the printing material; a first inner peripheral surface whose cross section is formed in an arc shape and which comes into contact with the first shaft or the second shaft; a first surface located between the first outer peripheral surface and the first inner peripheral surface and formed at one end in the circumferential direction; and a second surface located between the first outer peripheral surface and the first inner peripheral surface and formed at the other end in the circumferential direction; a second main body member having a second outer peripheral surface whose cross section is formed in an arc shape and which comes into contact with the substrate; a second inner peripheral surface whose cross section is formed in an arc shape and which comes into contact with the first shaft or the second shaft; a third surface which is located between the second outer peripheral surface and the second inner peripheral surface, is formed at one end in the circumferential direction, and overlaps with the first surface; and a fourth surface which is located between the second outer peripheral surface and the second inner peripheral surface, is formed at the other end in the circumferential direction, and overlaps with the second surface; The printer of claim 1 , further comprising: a fastening member that secures the first body member and the second body member together.

10. The first body member has a first through hole penetrating the first surface and a second through hole penetrating the second surface, The second body member is formed with a third through hole that penetrates the third surface and communicates with the first through hole, and a fourth through hole that penetrates the fourth surface and communicates with the second through hole, the fastening members include a first fastening member inserted into the first through hole and the third through hole, and a second fastening member inserted into the second through hole and the fourth through hole; at least one of the first through hole and the third through hole communicates with the outside via the first outer peripheral surface or the second outer peripheral surface; at least one of the second through hole and the fourth through hole communicates with the outside via the first outer peripheral surface or the second outer peripheral surface; The printer according to claim 9 , wherein the first fastening member and the second fastening member are located inside the first outer peripheral surface and the second outer peripheral surface.

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