Method for manufacturing cut products and cutting apparatus

Abstract

By making it easier to peel the cut-formed product from the belt that holds it in place, the cut-formed product can be manufactured efficiently. [Solution] The method for manufacturing a cut product includes a collection step in which an object to be cut, which is cut while attached to an endless belt wrapped around a plurality of rollers, is transported by the movement of the belt to a first wrapping portion of the belt around one of the plurality of rollers, and at least a portion of the plurality of parts is peeled off the belt and recovered at the first wrapping portion; and a removal step in which any remaining parts not recovered in the collection step are transported by the movement of the belt to a second wrapping portion of the belt around another of the plurality of rollers, and the remaining parts are peeled off the belt and removed at the second wrapping portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a cut-formed product and a cutting device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a cutting device that holds an object to be cut (referred to as “object to be cut” in Patent Document 1) on a holding portion (referred to as “holding sheet” in Patent Document 1) and performs cutting (for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the holding portion that holds the object to be cut usually has adhesiveness on its surface so that the object to be cut does not shift during cutting. It is troublesome for the user to manually perform all the operations of peeling off the cut-formed product from the holding portion after cutting, and there is also a risk that a part of the cut-formed product will be torn and damaged when peeling the cut-formed product from the holding portion.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object thereof is to provide a method for manufacturing a cut-formed product and a cutting device that can efficiently manufacture a cut-formed product by making it easy to peel the cut-formed product from a belt serving as the holding portion.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above problems, a method for manufacturing a cut-formed product according to a first embodiment of the present invention is characterized by including a recovery step of transporting an object to be cut, which has been cut into a plurality of parts by being attached to an endless belt wrapped around a plurality of rollers, to a first wrapping portion of the belt around one of the plurality of rollers by the movement of the belt, and at least a portion of the plurality of parts being peeled off from the belt and recovered at the first wrapping portion; and a removal step of transporting any remaining parts not recovered in the recovery step to a second wrapping portion of the belt around another of the plurality of rollers by the movement of the belt, and removing the remaining parts being peeled off from the belt at the second wrapping portion. A cutting device according to a second aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of rollers, an endless belt wrapped between the plurality of rollers and conveyed in the conveying direction with an object to be cut attached to its surface, a moving mechanism for moving the belt along the conveying direction, a cutter section for dividing an object to be cut attached to the surface of the belt into a plurality of parts by cutting it, and a removal means positioned opposite the other rollers via the belt, wherein a first wrapping section is formed downstream of the cutting position in the cutter section in the conveying direction, which is a portion of the belt wrapped around one of the plurality of rollers and capable of peeling at least a portion of the plurality of parts from the belt, and a second wrapping section is formed downstream of the first wrapping section in the conveying direction, which is a portion of the belt wrapped around another of the plurality of rollers and capable of peeling off residual parts that remained on the surface of the belt and were not peeled off in the first wrapping section, and the removal means is conveyed by the movement of the belt by the moving mechanism and removes the residual parts peeled off in the second wrapping section from the belt. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, by making it easier to peel the cut product from the belt which is the holding part, the cut product can be manufactured efficiently. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a side view showing a schematic external configuration of a cutting device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a cutting device according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a top view showing a schematic external configuration of the cutting apparatus according to the embodiment, and it shows the state in which the object to be cut has been transported to the first winding section. [Figure 4] Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the main part of the first winding section. [Figure 5] This is a top view showing a schematic external configuration of the cutting apparatus according to the embodiment, and it shows the state in which the object to be cut has been transported to the second winding section. [Figure 6] Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the main part of the second winding section. [Figure 7] This is a schematic side view showing the external configuration of a modified cutting device. [Figure 8] This is a schematic side view showing the external configuration of a modified cutting device. [Figure 9] This is a schematic side view showing the external configuration of a modified cutting device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the method for manufacturing a cut-formed product and the cutting device 100 according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 6. In the embodiment, the method for manufacturing a cut-formed product is realized by the cutting device 100. In the following embodiment, the longitudinal direction of the belt 2 is taken as the Y-axis direction, and the width direction of the belt 2 perpendicular to the Y-axis direction is taken as the X-axis direction. The belt 2 is transported along the Y-axis direction, and the Y-axis direction is the transport direction of the belt 2. The forward transport direction (the direction of transporting to the left in Figure 1) is taken as the +Y direction, and the reverse transport direction (the direction of transporting to the right in Figure 1) is taken as the -Y direction. In the embodiment, the cutting device 100 is long in the Y-axis direction, the Y-axis direction is the depth direction (longitudinal direction) of the cutting device 100, and the X-axis direction is the width direction of the cutting device 100. Furthermore, in Figure 1, etc., the height direction of the cutting device 100 is taken as the Z-axis direction. The object to be cut by the cutting device 100 is simply called the cutting target S. The cutting target S is, for example, a medium such as a sheet of paper, and is transported along the Y-axis direction. The material to be cut S is not limited to paper; it can be any material that can be cut by the cutting device 100, such as sheets of various resins, seals, leather, etc. While the embodiments described below include various technically preferred limitations for carrying out the present invention, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments and illustrated examples. First, the configuration of the cutting device 100 will be described.

[0010] The cutting device 100 is equipped with a cutter section 3 (cutter blade 30 of the cutter section 3) for cutting the object to be cut S (object to be cut). By moving at least one of the object to be cut S and the cutter section 3 (cutter blade 30 of the cutter section 3) for cutting the object to be cut S, the relative position between the object to be cut S and the cutter blade 30 is changed, and the object to be cut S is cut by the cutter blade 30. The object to be cut S is attached to the belt 2 and cut by the cutter blade 30, dividing it into multiple parts P. In this embodiment, of the multiple parts P, the one that is recovered as a cut-formed product is designated as the first part P1, and the other parts P (remaining parts that were not recovered as the first part P1) are designated as the second part P2. After recovery, the second part P2 is either disposed of or reused separately. In the embodiment, the cutting device 100 cuts the object to be cut S by the cutter blade 30 while changing the relative position between the object to be cut S and the cutter blade 30, by moving the object to be cut S in the +Y direction and -Y direction, and by appropriately moving the cutter blade 30 of the cutter blade 3 along the X direction.

[0011] As shown in Figure 1 and other figures, the cutter section 3 provided in the cutting device 100 of the embodiment includes a carriage 32 that detachably holds a cutter unit 31 on which a cutter blade 30 is mounted. The carriage 32 extends in the X-axis direction, which is the width direction of the device, and a guide shaft 33 extends along the X-axis direction within the carriage 32 to guide the movement of the cutter unit 31 along the X-axis direction. The position of the cutter blade 30 is determined by the MPU 51 based on the detection result by the origin position detection unit 65 (see Figure 2). As shown in Figure 2, the cutter section 3 includes a cutter drive mechanism 35 that moves the cutter unit 31 within the carriage 32. The cutter drive mechanism 35 includes a drive motor (not shown) and operates according to the control of the MPU 51. In this embodiment, the cutter drive mechanism 35 is an X-axis drive mechanism that moves the cutter unit 31 and the cutter blade 30 mounted on the cutter unit 31 in the X-axis direction. However, the configuration of the cutter section 3 is not limited to this. For example, the cutter drive mechanism 35 may include a Z-axis motion mechanism that moves the cutter unit 31, which is equipped with the cutter blade 30, together with the carriage 32 in the Z-axis direction.

[0012] As shown in Figure 1, the cutting device 100 according to this embodiment includes a plurality of rollers 1 and a belt 2 wrapped between the plurality of rollers 1. Each roller 1 extends along the X-axis direction of the device and rotates around a roller axis 13. In the example shown in this embodiment, the cutting device 100 includes, as the plurality of rollers 1, a first roller 11 (one of the plurality of rollers 1) provided at one end (left side in Figure 1) in the Y-axis direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the belt 2 (the longitudinal direction of the device), and a second roller 12 (another of the plurality of rollers 1) provided at the other end (right side in Figure 1) in the Y-axis direction. As mentioned above, the +Y direction is the direction in which the belt 2 is sent to the left in Figure 1, and is the direction in which the belt 2 is conveyed to the end where the first roller 11 is provided. The -Y direction is the direction in which the belt 2 is sent to the left in Figure 1, and is the direction in which it is conveyed to the other end where the second roller 12 is provided. The belt 2 is taut between the first roller 11 and the second roller 12, and the surface of the belt 2 is almost flat.

[0013] The area between the first roller 11 and the second roller 12, approximately in the center in the Y-axis direction, is the cutting position (referred to as "cutting area Ar1" in Figure 1, etc.) where the cut to be cut S is performed by the cutter unit 3 in this embodiment. A support member 21 that supports the belt 2 from the back side is arranged in an area the same size as or slightly wider than the cutting area Ar1. The support member 21 is, for example, a plate-shaped member that abuts against the back side of the belt 2. The support member 21 is held by support legs 22 at a height that abuts against the back side of the belt 2 and is supported so that the whole does not bend. In the example shown in Figure 1, the support legs 22 are erected so as to sandwich the belt 2 from both sides in the X-axis direction, and the support member 21 is fixed to the support legs 22. The support member 21 only needs to be able to keep the belt 2 flat when cut by the cutter unit 3, and the specific configuration is not limited to the illustrated example. For example, a plate-shaped member or block-shaped support member that is cantilevered and extends from the side of the device towards the belt 2 may be arranged under the belt 2. As described above, in this embodiment, during cutting, the object to be cut S is moved in the +Y and -Y directions, and the cutter blade 30 of the cutter unit 3 is moved along the X-axis direction, thereby causing relative movement between the object to be cut S and the cutter blade 30. Therefore, the range of movement of the object to be cut S in the Y-axis direction during the cutting operation is from the position where the -Y end of the object to be cut S is positioned at the +Y end of the cutting area Ar1 to the position where the +Y end of the object to be cut S is positioned at the -Y end of the cutting area Ar1, and the first roller 11 and the second roller 12 are positioned outside this range of movement of the object to be cut S. Note that in Figure 1 and other figures, a portion of the belt 2 in the Y-axis direction is omitted for illustrative purposes.

[0014] Belt 2 is an endless belt that is transported in the Y-axis direction with the object to be cut S attached to its surface, and its surface is an adhesive surface with sufficient adhesiveness to attach the object to be cut S. In this embodiment, the cutting operation by the cutter unit 3 is performed with the object to be cut S attached to belt 2, and belt 2 functions as a so-called cutting mat that holds the object to be cut S. Belt 2 is moved along the Y-axis direction by a moving mechanism (media moving mechanism 25, described later, see Figure 2). The position of the object to be cut S on the transport path formed by belt 2 is determined by the MPU 51 based on the detection result of the media detection unit 64. The media moving mechanism 25 includes a roller drive motor (not shown) that rotates one of a plurality of rollers, and the media moving mechanism 25 operates according to the control of the MPU 51. The drive roller rotated by the roller drive motor may be any of the plurality of rollers, but in this embodiment, the adhesive roller 4 described later is the drive roller.

[0015] On the conveying path formed by the belt 2, a first winding portion WA1 is formed downstream in the Y-axis direction (+Y side, downstream in the conveying direction) from the cut region Ar1 (cutting position) of the cutter portion 3, which is the first roller, where the belt 2 is wound around the first roller 11. The first winding portion WA1 is a curved portion that follows the outer circumference of the roller 1 (first roller 11), and when the object to be cut S, which has been divided into multiple parts P by the cutter blade 30 of the cutter portion 3, passes through the first winding portion WA1, at least a portion of the multiple parts P can be peeled off from the belt 2. That is, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, in the first winding portion WA1, at least a portion of the object to be cut S, which is attached to the surface of the belt 2 wound along the outer circumference of the first roller 11, peels off from the adhesive surface of the belt 2 and stands up against the curvature of the first winding portion WA1. In particular, among the multiple parts P separated by the cutter blade 30 from a single continuous cutting target S, the first part P1, which is a cut-formed product cut out as an individual part, is easier to peel off from the adhesive surface because it has less adhesion to the adhesive surface compared to the portion remaining around the first part P1 in a frame shape, etc. (the residual part, the second part P2). For this reason, depending on the hardness of the cutting target S, when the first part P1, which has been cut out individually from the cutting target S, reaches the first winding section WA1, the leading edge of the first part P1 in the transport direction (+Y direction) rises from the adhesive surface without being caught in the curved section (see Figure 4). For this reason, the user can relatively easily peel the entire first part P1 from the adhesive surface of the belt 2 by pinching the leading edge that has risen from the adhesive surface. As a result, at least some of the multiple parts P, specifically the first part P1, can be recovered as a cut-formed product in the first winding section WA1. Furthermore, the "recovery" process in the embodiment includes not only cases where a part of the tip of the part P has detached from the surface of the belt 2 and the user picks it up with their fingers or with a mechanical arm, but also cases where the detached portion of the part P from the belt 2 spreads further, causing the part P to fall due to gravity, which exceeds the adhesive force on the surface of the belt 2, resulting in the part P free-falling and the recovery of the fallen part P.

[0016] Also, on the conveyance path constituted by the belt 2, on the downstream side in the conveyance direction from the first winding portion WA1, a second winding portion WA2 which is a winding portion of the belt 2 around the second roller 12 which is the "other roller" among the plurality of rollers 1 is formed. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the second winding portion WA2 is a curved portion having a shape along the outer periphery of the roller 1 (in the case of the second winding portion WA2, the second roller 12). An adhesive roller 4 is pressed against the second roller 12 (the "other roller") forming the second winding portion WA2 via the belt 2. The adhesive roller 4 is, in the embodiment, a removing means facing the second roller 12 (the "other roller"), and is a roller having an adhesiveness (strong adhesiveness) stronger than the adhesive force of the adhesive surface of the belt 2. The cut target S sent to the second winding portion WA2 is separated from the cut target S by the cutter blade 30, and among the plurality of parts P, the second part P2 (residual part) remaining on the belt 2 is peeled off from the belt 2 by the adhesive force (strong adhesive force) of the adhesive roller 4. The second part P2 (residual part) peeled off from the belt 2 adheres to the surface of the adhesive roller 4 and is wound up as the adhesive roller 4 rotates (see FIG. 6). In the embodiment, the adhesive roller 4 is a drive motor that rotates by a drive motor (not shown) of the medium movement mechanism 25, and when the drive motor operates under the control of the MPU 51, it rotates about the roller shaft 41. When the adhesive roller 4 rotates, the belt 2 moves along the Y-axis direction. Along with the movement of the belt 2, the first roller 11 and the second roller 12 wound around the belt 2 via the belt 2 rotate.

[0017] Also, as shown in FIG. 2, the cutting device 100 includes the above-described medium movement mechanism 25, cutter drive mechanism 35, medium detection unit 64, origin position detection unit 65, etc., and further includes an MPU (Micro Processor Unit) 51 as control means, a storage unit 52, an operation unit 62, a communication unit 63, etc. Each part of the cutting device 100 is connected via a bus 61.

[0018] The operation unit 62 has various buttons, accepts the pressing input of each button from the user, and outputs the operation information to the MPU 51. The various buttons of the operation unit 62 are, for example, a cut start instruction button, a pause button, etc.

[0019] The communication unit 63 performs transmission and reception of information with external devices. The communication unit 63 may include, for example, a wired communication interface for wired communication with a communication standard such as USB as a wired communication unit. Further, the communication unit 63 may have, for example, an antenna, a modulation / demodulation circuit, a signal processing circuit, etc. as a wireless communication unit, and may include a Bluetooth wireless communication interface with external devices such as various terminal devices. The communication unit 63 may be a wired communication unit or a wireless communication unit, or may include a wired communication unit and a wireless communication unit. For example, when the communication unit 63 is a wired communication unit, the MPU 51 performs transmission and reception of information with external devices such as various terminal devices via a communication cable or the like. Also, for example, when the communication unit 63 is a wireless communication unit, the MPU 51 performs transmission and reception of information with external devices such as terminal devices via an antenna or the like. In addition, the cutting device 100 may include an indicator, a display unit, etc.

[0020] In the embodiment, the MPU (control means) 51 is a computer that controls each part of the cutting device 100. The MPU 51 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The CPU reads out a specified program from various programs stored in the storage unit 52, expands it in the RAM, and executes various processes in cooperation with the expanded program. The RAM is a volatile semiconductor memory, and a work area for temporarily storing various data and programs is formed. The storage unit 52 is a storage unit capable of reading and writing information such as a flash memory. The storage unit 52 stores various data such as cutting data and various programs. In the embodiment, the storage unit 52 stores a cutting program 521 etc. for executing the cutting process.

[0021] The following describes the manufacturing method of the cut product and the operation of the cutting device 100 in the embodiment. When cutting the product to be cut S with the cutting device 100 according to the embodiment, the user attaches the product to be cut S to a belt 2 which has an adhesive surface and is wrapped between a first roller 11, which is "one roller" of the plurality of rollers 1, and a second roller 12, which is "another roller". The MPU 51 determines whether or not the product to be cut S has been placed, and if so, its exact position, from the detection result of the media detection unit 64. The MPU then adjusts the Y-axis position of the belt 2 to which the product to be cut S is attached, so that at least the starting position of cutting the product to be cut S by the cutter blade 30 is located in the cutting region Ar1 (cutting position) of the cutter unit 3. In the cutting region Ar1 (cutting position), a support member 21 is placed below the belt 2, so if the product to be cut S is placed in the cutting region Ar1 (cutting position), the belt 2 can remain flat without bending even when the product to be cut S is pressed down from above by the cutter blade 30 during cutting. Therefore, stable cutting operation can be performed.

[0022] During the cutting operation, the MPU 51 controls the cutter drive mechanism 35 to move the cutter section 3 in the X-axis direction as appropriate according to the design to be cut, and controls the media movement mechanism 25 to move the belt 2 in the +Y and -Y directions along the Y-axis direction as appropriate. This enables relative movement between the cutter blade 30 and the object to be cut S, and the object to be cut S, which is attached to the surface of the belt 2, is cut by the cutter section 3 (the cutter blade 30 of the cutter section 3) and divided into multiple parts P. Once the cutting operation on the object to be cut S is complete, the MPU 51 controls the media movement mechanism 25 to move the belt 2 downstream (+Y side) in the Y-axis direction. When the object to be cut S reaches the first winding section WA1, which is the part of the belt 2 that is wound around the first roller 11, some of the multiple parts P that could not bend completely in the curved part along the outer circumference of the first roller 11 peel off from the adhesive surface of the belt 2 and stand up, making them easy to remove (see Figures 3 and 4). Specifically, the first part P1, which is cut out as an individual cut product, is unable to withstand the bending at the curved portion of the first winding section WA1 and is prone to peeling off from the adhesive surface. Therefore, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, when the first part P1 reaches the curved portion of the first winding section WA1 in particular, the leading edge of the first part P1 in the transport direction (+Y direction) does not get caught in the curved portion and stands up away from the surrounding part, making it easier to collect.

[0023] The user removes and collects the part P (for example, the first part P1 cut out as a cut-formed product) that has peeled off the adhesive surface of the belt 2 at the first winding section WA1 (collection process). Specifically, for example, the user can collect the part P1 by pinching the tip of the raised part P1 with their fingers. Note that the collection of the part P (first part P1, etc.) that has peeled off the adhesive surface is not limited to being done by hand by the user. For example, a mechanical arm or the like may be provided near the first winding section WA1, and the arm or the like may be used to collect the part P (first part P1, etc.) that has partially peeled off the adhesive surface. Also, depending on the degree of adhesive force on the surface of the belt 2, it is conceivable that the part P (first part P1, etc.) with the tip in the conveying direction (+Y direction) raised may peel further off the belt 2 as it passes through the curved section of the first winding section WA1, causing the entire part P to peel off the belt 2 and fall due to its own weight. In this case, the fallen part P may be collected by receiving it on a pre-prepared tray or the like, or by the user picking it up from the floor, etc., and such cases are also included in the "collection" process as referred to here. In the first winding section WA1, not only the part P cut out as a cut-formed product, but also the surrounding parts P may peel off from the adhesive surface of the belt 2. In this case, the part P (the part P that should have remained on the belt 2) is also collected in the first winding section WA1, and the user or the like separates the cut-formed product that is needed from the rest.

[0024] When the belt 2 moves to a position where the part to be cut S reaches the second winding section WA2, which is the winding section of the belt 2 to the second roller 12, which is another roller located further downstream than the first winding section WA1, the part P (second part P2, residual part) remaining on the surface of the belt 2 is pulled between the adhesive roller 4, which is facing the second roller 12 across the belt 2, and the belt 2 at the second winding section WA2. The adhesive roller 4 is a highly adhesive roller with stronger adhesive force than the adhesive surface of the belt 2. As a result, the second part P2 (residual part) is peeled off the surface of the belt 2 by the adhesive roller 4 and wound onto the adhesive roller 4 (see Figures 5 and 6). This allows the second part P2 (residual part) to be detached from the belt 2 and removed at the second winding section WA2 (removal process). Thus, in the cutting device 100 of this embodiment, after passing through the second winding section WA2, residual parts are removed from the surface of the belt 2, and the device becomes able to stably hold the object to be cut S again. Furthermore, in the second winding section WA2, any material adhering to the surface of the belt 2 can be removed by the adhesive roller 4. For example, even if dust or the like is adhering to the surface of the belt 2, it can be removed by adhering it to the adhesive roller 4, just like residual parts. As a result, the surface of the belt 2 can be prepared for the next cutting operation by the cutter blade 30 in a well-maintained state.

[0025] As described above, the method for manufacturing a cut-formed product according to the embodiment includes a collection step in which the object to be cut, S, which is an object to be cut, is cut while attached to an endless belt 2 wrapped around a plurality of rollers 1 and divided into a plurality of parts P, is transported by the movement of the belt 2 to the first wrapping portion WA1 of the belt 2 with respect to one of the plurality of rollers 1, which is a first roller 11, and at the first wrapping portion WA1, at least a portion of the plurality of parts P (first part P1, which is a cut-formed product, etc.) is peeled off the belt 2 and recovered; and a removal step in which the remaining part, second part P2, which is a remaining part not recovered in the collection step, is transported by the movement of the belt 2 to the second wrapping portion WA2 of the belt 2 with respect to another roller 1, which is a second roller 12, and at the second wrapping portion WA2, the remaining part, second part P2, is peeled off the belt 2 and removed. As a result, the first part P1, which is a cut-formed product, can be easily recovered by using the curvature formed along the outer surface of the first roller 11 to lift it up from the surface of the belt 2, which has an adhesive surface. Furthermore, the second part P2, which is a residual part that could not be recovered in the first winding section WA1, can be removed in the second winding section WA2. This minimizes the effort required from the user, separating the necessary cut-formed product (first part P1) from the unnecessary residual part (second part P2), and finally removing the residual part (second part P2) from the belt 2 to prepare for the next cutting operation.

[0026] Furthermore, in the embodiment, the removal step involves removing the remaining part, the second part P2, from the belt 2 using a removal means that is facing the second roller 12, which is another roller 1, via the belt 2. In the embodiment, the removal means is an adhesive roller provided facing the second roller 12 and pressed against the second roller 12. In the removal step, the adhesive force of the adhesive roller 4 peels the remaining part (second part P2) away from the belt 2. By making the adhesive roller 4 more adhesive than the surface of the belt 2, the remaining part is made to stick to the side of the adhesive roller 4 and removed from the surface of the belt 2. Also, when passing through the second winding section WA2, dust and other debris adhering to the surface of the belt 2 can be removed by the adhesive roller 4, which is the removal means, and the surface of the belt 2 can be kept in a good condition suitable for the cutting operation. Thus, when the removal means for removing residual parts is an adhesive roller 4 pressed against the second roller 12, the removed residual parts stick to the adhesive roller 4. Therefore, the user only needs to clean or replace the adhesive roller 4 when its adhesive strength decreases, preventing residual parts from scattering around. Furthermore, the part of the adhesive roller 4 that presses against the belt 2 and peels off the residual parts is the part opposite to the second roller 12. For this reason, even if the adhesive roller 4 is pressed strongly against the belt 2, there is no risk of excessive load being placed on the belt 2, causing it to bend or flex.

[0027] Although the present invention has been described in detail based on embodiments above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in the embodiments, the case in which the adhesive roller 4 is a drive roller rotated by a drive motor of the media transfer mechanism was illustrated, but the drive roller rotated by the drive motor can be any of the rollers 1 and is not limited to the adhesive roller 4. The first roller 11, the second roller 12, etc. may be drive rollers and the other rollers 1 may be driven rollers.

[0028] Furthermore, the removal means is not limited to the adhesive roller 4, as long as it can remove the residual parts (second parts P2) from the surface of the belt 2. For example, the removal means may be a brush pressed against the second roller 12, which is another roller 1, via the belt 2, and in the removal process, the brush may be used to scrape off the residual parts from the belt 2. If a brush is used to remove the residual parts that are stuck to the adhesive surface of the belt 2, the scraped-off residual parts will fall away from the brush, thus avoiding the accumulation of residual parts on the removal means, as is the case with the adhesive roller 4.

[0029] In this case, the brush may also be a roller-shaped brush (brush roller 7 in Figure 7) that rotates in the opposite direction to the direction in which the belt 2 is fed. That is, in Figure 7, when the second roller 12, which is located in the second winding section WA2, rotates counterclockwise as indicated by the arrow in the figure, and feeds and moves the belt 2 in the +Y direction, the brush roller 7 also rotates counterclockwise so that the tip of the brush strikes the surface of the belt 2 as it is fed out. Even if the stationary brush simply strikes the moving belt 2, it is possible to remove residual parts, but by having the brush strike the surface of the belt 2 while rotating, it becomes possible to scrape off residual parts from the belt 2 even more effectively. When the removal means is a brush, the roller that is rotationally driven by the drive motor of the medium moving mechanism 25 for driving the belt 2 is the first roller 11 or the second roller 12 on which the belt 2 is wound. Furthermore, when the removal means is a brush roller 7, it is preferable to have a motor to rotate the brush roller 7 itself so that the tip of the brush strikes the surface of the moving belt 2 with force. If the removal means is a brush or brush roller 7, a mechanism may be provided to move the brush or brush roller 7 away from the surface of the belt 2 so that the brush or brush roller 7 does not obstruct the smooth movement of the belt 2 when the cutter blade is used.

[0030] Furthermore, in the embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, etc., an example was given in which the belt 2 is stretched over a first roller 11 and a second roller 12 that are arranged to sandwich the cutting region Ar1. However, there may be multiple rollers 1 around which the belt 2 is wound, and it is not limited to two. For example, as shown in Figure 8, a third roller 15 may be provided between the first roller 11 and the second roller 12, and the belt 2 may be wound over three rollers 1. Moreover, four or more rollers 1 may be provided, and the belt 2 may be wound over four or more rollers 1. When there are three or more rollers 1, the portion of the belt 2 wound around the first roller 1 (the first roller 11 in Figure 8) located downstream of the cutting region Ar1 in the conveying direction is designated as the first winding portion WA1 that recovers at least a part of the part P.

[0031] Furthermore, if three or more rollers 1 are provided as described above, the second winding section WA2 where the removal means is provided may be any portion of the belt 2 that is wound around a roller 1 other than the first roller 11, for example, it may be any winding portion of the second roller 12 or the third roller 15 in Figure 8. In addition, removal means may be provided in any of the winding portions of any of the rollers (in the example shown in Figure 8, the second roller 12 and the third roller 15) located downstream of the first winding section WA1 in the conveying direction. That is, for example, in Figure 8, a brush roller may be provided corresponding to the third roller 15, and an adhesive roller 4 may be provided corresponding to the second roller 12. If removal means such as a brush roller and an adhesive roller are provided at positions corresponding to the third roller 15 and the second roller 12, respectively, any remaining parts scraped off by the brush can be reliably removed by the adhesive roller 4 even if they remain stuck to the belt 2.

[0032] Furthermore, while Figures 1, 4, and 5 illustrate an example where the adhesive roller 4, as a removal means, is positioned above the second roller 12 in the second winding section WA2, the position where the adhesive roller 4 is provided is not limited to this. For example, the adhesive roller 4 may be positioned below or to the side of the second roller 12.

[0033] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the cutter blade 30 mounted on the cutter unit 31 held in the carriage 32 is moved along the X-axis direction by the drive motor of the cutter drive mechanism 35, and the object to be cut S is moved along the Y-axis direction by the drive motor of the medium movement mechanism 25, so that the object to be cut S and the cutter blade 30 move relative to each other. However, it is sufficient that the object to be cut S and the cutter blade 30 are able to move relative to each other; for example, the object to be cut S may move along the X-axis direction and the cutter blade 30 may move along the Y-axis direction. Also, the position of the object to be cut S may be fixed, and only the cutter blade 30 may move as appropriate along the X-axis and Y-axis directions, or conversely, the position of the cutter blade 30 may be fixed, and only the object to be cut S may move as appropriate along the X-axis and Y-axis directions. For example, if only the cutter blade 30 moves along the X-axis and Y-axis directions, as shown in Figure 9, the object to be cut S does not move from within the cutting area Ar1 during the cutting operation by the cutter blade 30. Therefore, the distance between the first roller 11 and the second roller 12 only needs to be equal to or greater than the length of the object to be cut S in the Y-axis direction. Compared to the configuration of the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the overall length of the cutting device in the depth direction (Y-axis direction) can be shortened, resulting in a more compact device.

[0034] Furthermore, while the above embodiments disclose an example in which flash memory or the like is used as a computer-readable medium for the program according to the present invention, the invention is not limited to this example. Portable recording media such as CD-ROMs can also be used as other computer-readable media. In addition, carrier waves can also be used as a medium for providing the program data according to the present invention via a communication line.

[0035] Furthermore, the specific details such as the configuration, arrangement, order, and numerical values ​​of the processes shown in the above embodiments can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Moreover, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but includes the scope of the invention as described in the claims and its equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 1...Roller, 2...Belt, 11...First roller (first roller), 12...Other roller (second roller), 100...Cutting device, P...Part, P1...First part (cut and formed product, etc.), P2...Second part (remaining part), S...Cutting target (object to be cut), WA1...First winding section, WA2...Second winding section

Claims

1. A collection step involves cutting an object to be cut into multiple parts by cutting it while it is attached to an endless belt wrapped around multiple rollers, transporting the object to be cut to a first wrapping portion of the belt around one of the multiple rollers by the movement of the belt, and at the first wrapping portion, peeling off and recovering at least a portion of the multiple parts from the belt; A removal step is performed in which the remaining parts that were not recovered in the recovery step are transported by the movement of the belt to the second winding portion of the belt around another roller among the plurality of rollers, and the remaining parts are peeled off from the belt at the second winding portion and removed. A method for manufacturing a cut-formed product, characterized by containing the following:

2. The removal step involves removing the remaining parts from the belt using a removal means that is in opposition to the other rollers via the belt. A method for manufacturing a cut-formed product according to feature 1.

3. The removal means is an adhesive roller that is pressed against the other roller via the belt, In the removal process, the adhesive force of the adhesive roller is used to peel the remaining parts off the belt. The method for manufacturing a cut product according to feature 2.

4. The removal means is a brush that is pressed against the other roller via the belt, In the removal step, the brush is used to scrape off the remaining parts from the belt. The method for manufacturing a cut product according to feature 2.

5. The brush is a roller-shaped brush that rotates in the opposite direction to the direction in which the belt is fed. The method for manufacturing a cut product according to feature 4.

6. Multiple rollers, An endless belt is wrapped between the aforementioned plurality of rollers, and the object to be cut is attached to its surface and conveyed in the conveying direction, A moving mechanism for moving the belt along the conveying direction, A cutter section that divides an object to be cut, attached to the surface of the belt, into multiple parts by cutting it, A removal means positioned opposite the other roller via the belt, Includes, Downstream from the cutting position in the cutter section in the conveying direction, a first winding portion is formed, which is a belt winding portion for one of the plurality of rollers, and which is capable of peeling at least a portion of the plurality of parts from the belt. Downstream from the first winding portion in the conveying direction, a second winding portion is formed, which is the portion where the belt is wound around other rollers among the plurality of rollers, and which is capable of peeling off residual parts that remained on the surface of the belt without being peeled off in the first winding portion from the belt. The removal means is transported by the movement of the belt by the moving mechanism and removes the remaining parts that have been peeled off at the second winding portion from the belt. A cutting device characterized by the following features.

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