Inkjet printing equipment

Abstract

To provide an inkjet printing apparatus that can reliably remove foreign matter from fabric and form high-quality images more stably. [Solution] The inkjet printing apparatus 1 of the present invention includes a transport unit 10 having a transport belt 11 for transporting fabric 90, a pressure roller 20 that contacts the fabric 90 and presses the fabric 90 against the transport belt 11, an ink ejection unit 30 provided downstream of the pressure roller 20 in the transport direction FD of the fabric 90 and ejecting ink onto the fabric 90 transported by the transport belt 11 to form an image, and a dust removal mechanism 40 provided between the ink ejection unit 30 and the pressure roller 20 and removing foreign matter from the fabric 90 transported by the transport belt 11.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an inkjet printing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] In textile printing for forming images on fabrics such as woven fabrics, non-woven fabrics, and knitted fabrics, inkjet type printing apparatuses are used.

[0003] In this regard, the following Patent Document 1 discloses an inkjet recording apparatus that includes a conveying unit that conveys a fabric, a recording unit that performs recording by ejecting ink toward the fabric, and a cleaning unit that is provided on the upstream side of the recording unit in the fabric conveying direction to clean the fabric. According to the inkjet recording apparatus of Patent Document 1, since fibers (fluffs) and dust on the fabric are removed by the cleaning unit, high-quality images can be stably formed.

Prior Art Literature

Patent Document

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, since the above inkjet recording apparatus is provided with a pressing roller for pressing the fabric between the cleaning unit and the recording unit, there is a risk that fibers and dust will re-adhere to the fabric when the pressing roller comes into contact with the fabric that has been cleaned by the cleaning unit.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an inkjet printing apparatus capable of reliably removing foreign matter (fibers and dust) on a fabric and forming high-quality images more stably.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0007] The above objectives of the present invention are achieved by the following means.

[0008] (1) An inkjet printing apparatus comprising: a conveying section having a conveying belt for conveying fabric; a pressure roller that contacts the fabric and presses the fabric against the conveying belt; an ink ejection section provided downstream of the pressure roller in the conveying direction of the fabric and ejecting ink onto the fabric being conveyed by the conveying belt to form an image; and a dust removal mechanism provided between the ink ejection section and the pressure roller and removing foreign matter from the fabric being conveyed by the conveying belt.

[0009] (2) The ink ejection unit has a configuration in which a plurality of nozzles are arranged along the width direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the fabric, and a plurality of ink ejection units that eject ink of different colors are arranged along the transport direction of the fabric, as described in (1) above.

[0010] (3) The inkjet printing apparatus according to (1) above, wherein a plurality of ink ejection units that eject ink of different colors are housed in a carriage that is movable in a width direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the fabric.

[0011] (4) The inkjet printing apparatus according to any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein the dust removal mechanism is a suction mechanism for sucking up foreign matter on the fabric, and the suction mechanism is configured to adjust the length of the suction area in the width direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the fabric.

[0012] (5) The inkjet printing apparatus according to any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein the pressing roller and the dust removal mechanism are configured to be integrally movable between a contact position in which the pressing roller contacts the fabric and a separation position in which the pressing roller separates from the fabric.

[0013] (6) The inkjet printing apparatus according to (3) above, wherein the pressing roller and the dust removal mechanism are configured to move integrally along the conveying direction of the fabric.

[0014] (7) The inkjet printing apparatus according to (6) above, wherein the dust removal mechanism is a suction mechanism for sucking up foreign matter on the fabric, and the length of the suction area of ​​the suction mechanism in the conveying direction of the fabric is shorter than the length of the ink ejection area of ​​the ink ejection unit in the conveying direction of the fabric.

[0015] (8) The inkjet printing apparatus according to (7) above, wherein the sum of the length of the suction area in the conveying direction of the fabric and the travel distance of the pressing roller and the dust removal mechanism in the conveying direction of the fabric is longer than the length of the ink ejection area in the conveying direction of the fabric.

[0016] (9) The inkjet printing apparatus according to any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein the dust removal mechanism includes a cloth for trapping foreign matter.

[0017] (10) The inkjet printing apparatus according to any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein the dust removal mechanism includes an adhesive resin for attaching the foreign matter. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the inkjet printing apparatus of the present invention, foreign matter on the fabric can be reliably removed, and high-quality images can be formed more stably. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0019] The advantages and features provided by one or more embodiments of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to define any limitations of the present invention. [Figure 1] This is a side view showing the schematic configuration of the inkjet printing apparatus of the first embodiment. [Figure 2]This is a plan view showing the schematic configuration of the inkjet printing apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a diagram for explaining the moving operation of the pressing roller and the dust removing mechanism. [Figure 4A] This is a diagram showing an example of the suction area of the dust removing mechanism. [Figure 4B] This is a diagram showing another example of the suction area of the dust removing mechanism. [Figure 4C] This is a diagram showing still another example of the suction area of the dust removing mechanism. [Figure 5] This is a side view showing the schematic configuration of the inkjet printing apparatus according to the second embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a plan view showing the schematic configuration of the inkjet printing apparatus according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a diagram for explaining the moving operation of the pressing roller and the dust removing mechanism. [Figure 8] This is a side view showing the schematic configuration of the inkjet printing apparatus according to Modification 1. [Figure 9] This is a side view showing the schematic configuration of the inkjet printing apparatus according to Modification 2. [Figure 10] This is a side view showing the schematic configuration of the inkjet printing apparatus according to Modification 3. [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and overlapping descriptions are omitted. In addition, the dimensional ratios in the drawings may be exaggerated for convenience of description and may differ from the actual ratios.

[0021] (First Embodiment) First, an inkjet printing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. Figure 1 is a side view showing the schematic configuration of the inkjet printing apparatus 1, and Figure 2 is a plan view showing the schematic configuration of the inkjet printing apparatus 1. The inkjet printing apparatus 1 of this embodiment is a single-pass inkjet printing apparatus that forms an image on a long piece of fabric 90 while transporting it at a constant transport speed.

[0022] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the inkjet printing apparatus 1 comprises a transport unit 10, a pressure roller 20, a recording unit 30, and a dust removal mechanism 40. The transport unit 10, the pressure roller 20, the recording unit 30, and the dust removal mechanism 40 are controlled by a control unit (not shown).

[0023] <Conveying section 10> The conveying unit 10 conveys the fabric 90. The conveying unit 10 has an endless conveying belt 11, a drive roller 12, and a driven roller 13, and conveys the long fabric 90 along the conveying direction FD. The drive roller 12 is rotated by a drive motor (not shown), and the conveying belt 11 moves in a circular motion in conjunction with the rotation of the drive roller 12. The driven roller 13 is provided parallel to the drive roller 12 and rotates in conjunction with the circular motion of the conveying belt 11. The long fabric 90 is, for example, wound in a roll on an unwinding roller (not shown), and is pulled out from the unwinding roller and supplied onto the conveying belt 11.

[0024] An adhesive layer (not shown) is formed on the surface of the conveyor belt 11 for temporarily fixing the fabric 90 to the surface of the conveyor belt 11. The adhesive layer is formed, for example, by applying an adhesive made of adhesive resin to the surface of the conveyor belt 11. The fabric 90, which is temporarily fixed to the surface of the conveyor belt 11 by the adhesive layer, is peeled off the surface of the conveyor belt 11 by the peeling roller 14. The fabric 90 that has been peeled off the surface of the conveyor belt 11 by the peeling roller 14 is then wound up, for example, by a winding roller (not shown).

[0025] <Pressure roller 20> The pressure roller 20 contacts the fabric 90 and presses the fabric 90 against the conveyor belt 11. The pressure roller 20 is a rigid roller made of metal or fluororesin, and it presses the fabric 90 from above, pressing the fabric 90 against the surface of the conveyor belt 11. The pressure roller 20 is rotatably supported so as to rotate as the fabric 90 moves. By pressing the fabric 90 against the surface of the conveyor belt 11, the pressure roller 20 prevents wrinkles and lifting of the fabric 90.

[0026] <Record Section 30> The recording unit 30 forms an image by ejecting ink onto the fabric 90 being transported by the transport belt 11. The recording unit 30 is located downstream of the pressure roller 20 in the transport direction FD of the fabric 90, and ejects ink onto the fabric 90 that is pressed against the transport belt 11 by the pressure roller 20. The recording unit 30 includes first to fourth ink ejection units 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K that eject four colors of ink: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. The first to fourth ink ejection units 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K are arranged at predetermined intervals along the transport direction FD of the fabric 90.

[0027] Each ink ejection unit 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K is configured to eject ink over the entire width direction CD of the fabric 90, perpendicular to the transport direction FD. Each ink ejection unit 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K has multiple inkjet heads 31C, 31M, 31Y, and 31K, which are arranged in two rows along the width direction CD. Each inkjet head 31C, 31M, 31Y, and 31K is provided with multiple nozzles (not shown) for ejecting ink along the width direction CD. Each ink ejection unit 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K ejects ink from the nozzles provided on the inkjet heads 31C, 31M, 31Y, and 31K to form an image on the fabric 90. Since the configuration of the recording unit (ink ejection unit) in a single-pass inkjet printing device is publicly known, a more detailed explanation of the recording unit 30 will be omitted.

[0028] <Dust removal mechanism 40> The dust removal mechanism 40 removes foreign matter (fibers and debris) from the fabric 90 being transported by the conveyor belt 11. The dust removal mechanism 40 is installed between the pressure roller 20 and the recording unit 30 and removes foreign matter from the fabric 90 that is pressed against the conveyor belt 11 by the pressure roller 20. The dust removal mechanism 40 is a suction mechanism configured to suck up and collect foreign matter using negative pressure, and removes foreign matter from the fabric 90 by suction. The dust removal mechanism 40 is configured to be movable integrally with the pressure roller 20.

[0029] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the movement of the pressure roller 20 and the dust removal mechanism 40. In the inkjet printing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the pressure roller 20 and the dust removal mechanism 40 are connected to each other by a connecting member 50 and move integrally in the vertical direction. More specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the pressure roller 20 and the dust removal mechanism 40 move integrally between a contact position in which the pressure roller 20 is in contact with the fabric 90 and a separation position in which the pressure roller 20 is separated from the fabric 90. When no fabric 90 is supplied to the conveyor belt 11, the pressure roller 20 and the dust removal mechanism 40 are maintained in the separation position. The pressure roller 20 and the dust removal mechanism 40 are held by a moving mechanism consisting of, for example, a compressed air supply mechanism (not shown) and a spring, and are displaced between the contact position and the separation position depending on whether compressed air is supplied or not.

[0030] In the inkjet printing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, configured as described above, an image is formed on the fabric 90 conveyed by the conveyor belt 11 by the recording unit 30. More specifically, the fabric 90 supplied to the conveyor belt 11 is first pressed against the conveyor belt 11 by the pressure roller 20. Then, dust removal is performed on the fabric 90 pressed against the conveyor belt 11 by the pressure roller 20 by the dust removal mechanism 40, removing foreign matter (fibers and debris) from the fabric 90. After the foreign matter has been removed from the fabric 90 by the dust removal mechanism 40, ink is ejected by the first to fourth ink ejection units 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K, forming a desired color image on the fabric 90.

[0031] Furthermore, according to the inkjet printing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, since a dust removal mechanism 40 is positioned between the pressure roller 20 and the recording unit 30, even if foreign matter adheres to the fabric 90 by the pressure roller 20, for example, the dust removal mechanism 40 will remove the foreign matter. Also, since there are no other components between the dust removal mechanism 40 and the recording unit 30, foreign matter will not adhere to the fabric 90 again between the dust removal mechanism 40 and the recording unit 30. In other words, according to the inkjet printing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, foreign matter on the fabric 90 is reliably removed, and a higher quality image can be formed on the fabric 90 more stably.

[0032] <Adjusting the size of the suction area of ​​the dust removal mechanism> Next, with reference to Figure 4, the configuration of the dust removal mechanism 40 will be described in more detail. The dust removal mechanism 40 in this embodiment is a suction mechanism that sucks up foreign matter on the fabric 90, and is configured to allow adjustment of the length of the suction area in the width direction CD of the fabric 90.

[0033] Figure 4A shows a schematic configuration of the dust removal mechanism 40 when forming an image on a fabric 90 of the maximum width, and Figure 4B shows a schematic configuration of the dust removal mechanism 40 when forming an image on a fabric 90 of normal width, which is narrower than the maximum width. Figure 4C shows a schematic configuration of the dust removal mechanism 40 when forming an image on a fabric 90 of narrow width, which is narrower than the normal width. Figures 4A to 4C show the dust removal mechanism 40 as viewed from the fabric 90 side (bottom side).

[0034] As shown in Figure 4A, the dust removal mechanism 40 is equipped with three suction ports 40H extending in the width direction CD of the fabric 90. Each suction port 40H has a first length L1 in the width direction CD of the fabric 90. The first length L1 is slightly shorter than the width W1 of the fabric 90 so that the side edges 90E of the fabric 90 are not sucked in by the dust removal mechanism 40.

[0035] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 4B, when forming an image on a fabric 90 of normal width, two cover members 41B are attached to the suction port 40H of the dust removal mechanism 40, shortening the length of the suction area. The shortened suction area (the portion of the suction port 40H exposed from the cover members 41B) has a second length L2 in the width direction CD of the fabric 90. The second length L2 is slightly shorter than the width W2 of the fabric 90 so that the side edges 90E of the fabric 90 are not sucked by the dust removal mechanism 40.

[0036] Similarly, as shown in Figure 4C, when forming an image on a narrow fabric 90, two cover members 41C are attached to the suction port 40H of the dust removal mechanism 40, further shortening the length of the suction area. The further shortened suction area (the portion of the suction port 40H exposed from the cover members 41C) has a third length L3 in the width direction CD of the fabric 90. The third length L3 is slightly shorter than the width W3 of the fabric 90 so that the side edges 90E of the fabric 90 are not sucked by the dust removal mechanism 40.

[0037] As described above, in the inkjet printing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the length of the suction area of ​​the dust removal mechanism 40 is adjusted according to the width of the fabric 90 so that the side edges 90E of the fabric 90 are not sucked by the dust removal mechanism 40. With this configuration, the fabric 90 is prevented from peeling off the conveyor belt 11 or from fraying at the side edges 90E of the fabric 90. As a result, high-quality images can be formed on the fabric 90 more stably.

[0038] (Second Embodiment) Next, an inkjet printing apparatus 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 7. The inkjet printing apparatus 1 of this embodiment is a scanning type inkjet printing apparatus.

[0039] Figure 5 is a side view showing the schematic configuration of the inkjet printing apparatus 1, and Figure 6 is a top view showing the schematic configuration of the inkjet printing apparatus 1. In this embodiment, the inkjet printing apparatus 1 intermittently conveys a long piece of fabric 90 and forms an image on the fabric 90.

[0040] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the inkjet printing apparatus 1 comprises a transport unit 10, a pressure roller 20, a recording unit 30, and a dust removal mechanism 40. The transport unit 10, the pressure roller 20, the recording unit 30, and the dust removal mechanism 40 are controlled by a control unit (not shown). Since the configuration of the transport unit 10, the pressure roller 20, and the dust removal mechanism 40 is the same as in the first embodiment, a detailed explanation of the transport unit 10, the pressure roller 20, and the dust removal mechanism 40 is omitted.

[0041] In the inkjet printing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, four ink ejection units 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K are housed in a carriage 32 that is movable in the width direction CD of the fabric 90. The four ink ejection units 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K are arranged along the width direction CD of the fabric 90, and each ink ejection unit 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K includes a plurality of inkjet heads (not shown) arranged along the transport direction FD of the fabric 90. An image is formed on the fabric 90 as the carriage 32 moves along the rail 33 from one side end of the fabric 90 to the other side end while the ink ejection units 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K eject ink.

[0042] While the carriage 32 moves from one side end of the fabric 90 to the other, the conveyor belt 11 temporarily stops, and one scan's worth of image is formed on the stopped fabric 90. After one scan's worth of image is formed on the fabric 90, the conveyor belt 11 temporarily operates, moving the fabric 90 along the conveyor direction FD by a predetermined intermittent feed amount. Since the configuration of the recording unit (ink ejection unit) in a scanning inkjet printing device is also known, a more detailed explanation of the recording unit 30 is omitted.

[0043] Similar to the first embodiment, the pressure roller 20 and the dust removal mechanism 40 are configured to move integrally between a contact position in which the pressure roller 20 contacts the fabric 90 and a separation position in which the pressure roller 20 moves away from the fabric 90. In addition, in the inkjet printing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the pressure roller 20 and the dust removal mechanism 40 are configured to move integrally along the transport direction FD of the fabric 90.

[0044] Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the movement of the pressure roller 20 and the dust removal mechanism 40. As shown in Figure 7, in the inkjet printing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the pressure roller 20 and the dust removal mechanism 40 are driven by a moving mechanism (not shown) and move together back and forth between a first position and a second position in the conveying direction FD of the fabric 90. The pressure roller 20 and the dust removal mechanism 40 may move back and forth in synchronization with the operation of the conveyor belt 11 and the recording unit 30, or they may move back and forth independently of the operation of the conveyor belt 11 and the recording unit 30 (asynchronously).

[0045] Here, the length L4 of the suction area of ​​the dust removal mechanism 40 (the area where the suction port 40H is formed) in the conveying direction FD of the fabric 90 is shorter than the length L5 of the ink ejection area (the area where the nozzles are formed) of the ink ejection sections 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K. On the other hand, the sum of the length L4 of the suction area of ​​the dust removal mechanism 40 and the travel distance L6 of the pressure roller 20 and the dust removal mechanism 40 (distance between the first position and the second position) is longer than the length L5 of the ink ejection area of ​​the ink ejection sections 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K.

[0046] As described above, in the inkjet printing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, while the fabric 90 is intermittently transported in synchronization with the image formation operation of the recording unit 30, the pressing roller 20 and the dust removal mechanism 40 move together in a reciprocating motion along the transport direction FD of the fabric 90. With this configuration, it becomes possible to move the dust removal mechanism 40 in synchronization with the tilting motion of the pressing roller 20, which moves back and forth along the transport direction FD of the fabric 90, so that even when the fabric 90 is transported intermittently, the dust removal mechanism 40 can suck up the entire surface of the fabric 90. As a result, foreign matter on the fabric 90 is reliably removed, and a higher quality image can be formed on the fabric 90 more stably.

[0047] If the dust removal mechanism 40 does not move back and forth, and the length L4 of the suction area of ​​the dust removal mechanism 40 is short, then for a portion of the fabric 90, the suction port will only come into contact with it at the moment the fabric 90 is intermittently conveyed, and a sufficient dust removal effect cannot be obtained. However, according to the inkjet printing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, since the dust removal mechanism 40 moves back and forth, the suction port comes into contact with a wide area in the conveying direction FD of the fabric 90, so that the length L4 of the suction area of ​​the dust removal mechanism 40 can be shortened. In other words, the dust removal mechanism 40 can be made smaller (slimmed down).

[0048] Furthermore, it should be added that the sum of the length L4 of the suction area of ​​the dust removal mechanism 40 and the travel distance L6 of the pressure roller 20 and the dust removal mechanism 40 should be longer than the intermittent feed amount (amount transported in one pass) of the fabric 90. In this case, the length L4 of the suction area of ​​the dust removal mechanism 40 can be configured to be shorter than the intermittent feed amount of the fabric 90. In a scanning inkjet printing device, the intermittent feed amount of the fabric 90 is set to a value less than or equal to the length L5 of the ink ejection area of ​​the ink ejection units 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K.

[0049] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified in various ways within the scope of the claims.

[0050] For example, in the first and second embodiments described above, the case of forming an image on a long piece of fabric 90 was explained as an example. However, the fabric on which the image is formed is not limited to a long piece of fabric, but may also be a cut piece of fabric. Furthermore, the long piece of fabric 90 is not limited to a long roll, but may also be a long piece that has been folded.

[0051] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments described above, the pressing roller and the dust removal mechanism were configured to move integrally. However, unlike the first and second embodiments described above, the pressing roller and the dust removal mechanism may be configured to move independently. Specifically, for example, as shown in Figure 8, the pressing roller 20 and the dust removal mechanism 40 may not be connected by a connecting member, and the pressing roller 20 and the dust removal mechanism 40 may be configured to move independently in the vertical direction.

[0052] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments described above, the length L1 of the suction port 40H of the dust removal mechanism 40 was configured to be shorter than the maximum width W1 of the fabric 90. However, unlike the first and second embodiments described above, the length L1 of the suction port 40H may be configured to be longer than the maximum width W1 of the fabric 90. Also, the length of the suction area of ​​the dust removal mechanism 40 in the width direction CD of the fabric 90 does not need to be adjusted according to the width of the fabric 90. Note that the dust removal mechanism 40 is not limited to having three suction ports 40H, but may have, for example, one suction port, or four or more suction ports. The shape of the suction port 40H is also not limited to a rectangular shape.

[0053] Furthermore, in the second embodiment described above, the length L4 of the suction area of ​​the dust removal mechanism 40 in the conveying direction FD of the fabric 90 was configured to be shorter than the length L5 of the ink ejection areas of the ink ejection sections 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K. However, unlike the second embodiment described above, the length L4 of the suction area of ​​the dust removal mechanism 40 may be configured to be longer than the length L5 of the ink ejection areas of the ink ejection sections 30C, 30M, 30Y, and 30K. In this case, the dust removal mechanism 40 does not need to reciprocate along the conveying direction FD of the fabric 90. Specifically, for example, as shown in Figure 9, the pressure roller 20 and the dust removal mechanism 40 may not be connected by a connecting member, the dust removal mechanism 40 may be fixed, and only the pressure roller 20 may reciprocate.

[0054] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments described above, the dust removal mechanism 40 was explained using a suction mechanism for sucking up foreign matter on the fabric 90 as an example. However, the dust removal mechanism 40 is not limited to a suction mechanism. For example, a cloth for trapping foreign matter (for example, a pile fabric) or an adhesive resin for attaching foreign matter may be used as the dust removal mechanism 40. As shown in Figure 10, the cloth for trapping foreign matter or the adhesive resin for attaching foreign matter may be provided between the pressing roller 20 and the recording unit 30 in the form of a dust removal roller. Alternatively, the cloth for trapping foreign matter may be provided between the pressing roller 20 and the recording unit 30 so as to cover the fabric 90.

[0055] While embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated in detail, the disclosed embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not limiting. The scope of the present invention should be interpreted in accordance with the language of the appended claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0056] 1. Inkjet printing device, 10 Conveying section, 11. Conveyor belt, 12 drive rollers, 13 Driven rollers, 14. Peeling roller, 20 pressure rollers, 30 Records Section, 30C, 30M, 30Y, 30K ink ejection unit, 31C, 31M, 31Y, 31K inkjet heads, 32 carriages, 33 rails, 40 Dust removal mechanism, 40H suction port, 41B, 41C Cover members, 50 connecting members, 90 Fabric, 90E side end, FD transport direction, CD width direction.

Claims

1. A conveying unit having a conveying belt for transporting fabric, A pressing roller that contacts the fabric and presses the fabric against the conveyor belt, An ink ejection unit is provided downstream of the pressing roller in the fabric transport direction and ejects ink onto the fabric being transported by the transport belt to form an image. A dust removal mechanism is provided between the ink discharge unit and the pressure roller to remove foreign matter from the fabric being transported by the conveyor belt, An inkjet printing apparatus having the following features.

2. The ink ejection unit has a configuration in which a plurality of nozzles are arranged along the width direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the fabric. The inkjet printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of ink ejection units, each ejecting ink of a different color, are arranged along the transport direction of the fabric.

3. The inkjet printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of ink ejection units, each ejecting ink of a different color, are housed in a carriage that is movable in a width direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the fabric.

4. The dust removal mechanism is a suction mechanism that sucks up foreign matter from the fabric, The inkjet printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the suction mechanism is configured to adjust the length of the suction area in the width direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the fabric.

5. The inkjet printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the pressing roller and the dust removal mechanism are configured to be integrally movable between a contact position in which the pressing roller contacts the fabric and a separation position in which the pressing roller is separated from the fabric.

6. The inkjet printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the pressing roller and the dust removal mechanism are configured to move integrally along the conveying direction of the fabric.

7. The dust removal mechanism is a suction mechanism that sucks up foreign matter from the fabric, The inkjet printing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the length of the suction area of ​​the suction mechanism in the conveying direction of the fabric is shorter than the length of the ink ejection area of ​​the ink ejection unit in the conveying direction of the fabric.

8. The inkjet printing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the sum of the length of the suction region in the conveying direction of the fabric and the travel distance of the pressing roller and the dust removal mechanism in the conveying direction of the fabric is longer than the length of the ink ejection region in the conveying direction of the fabric.

9. The inkjet printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the dust removal mechanism includes a cloth for trapping the foreign matter.

10. The inkjet printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the dust removal mechanism includes an adhesive resin for adhering the foreign matter.

Images