Head units and inkjet printers

Abstract

To provide a head unit that can enhance versatility of a base member which is mounted with a plurality of inkjet heads, even when performing in-line arrangement and stagger arrangement of the inkjet heads, and can easily perform switching from the in-line arrangement to the stagger arrangement and switching from the stagger arrangement to the in-line arrangement.SOLUTION: In a head unit 15, an opening 14a for exposing a nozzle surface of an inkjet head 3 and an opening 14b for exposing a nozzle surface of an inkjet head 4 are formed in a base member 14. A width of the opening 14a in a sub scanning direction is set to a width in which the inkjet head 3 can be positioned at a first position 3A at which the inkjet head 3 and the inkjet head 4 are arranged at the same position in the sub scanning direction and at a second position at which the inkjet head 3 and the inkjet head 4 are arranged deviatedly in the sub scanning direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a head unit including a plurality of inkjet heads, and also to an inkjet printer including such a head unit. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known an inkjet printer that prints by ejecting ink onto a print medium (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The inkjet printer described in Patent Document 1 includes two inkjet heads, a head holding mechanism that holds the two inkjet heads, and a carriage on which the two inkjet heads and the head holding mechanism are mounted. The two inkjet heads are positioned offset from each other in the main scanning direction. The inkjet head ejects ink downward. The lower surface of the inkjet head is a nozzle surface on which a plurality of nozzles that eject ink are formed.

[0003] In the inkjet printer described in Patent Document 1, the head holding mechanism includes a base member fixed to a carriage. The base member has an opening (through hole) formed therein for exposing the nozzle surface of the inkjet head. In FIG. 4 and other figures of Patent Document 1, the two inkjet heads are arranged at the same position in the sub-scanning direction. That is, in FIG. 4 and other figures of Patent Document 1, the two inkjet heads are arranged in-line. Also, in FIG. 10 and other figures of Patent Document 1, the two inkjet heads are arranged at positions offset from each other in the sub-scanning direction. That is, in FIG. 10 and other figures of Patent Document 1, the two inkjet heads are arranged in a staggered manner. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-188759 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the inkjet printer described in Patent Document 1, the positions of the openings formed in the base member change depending on whether the two inkjet heads are arranged in-line or in a staggered arrangement. Therefore, when the inkjet heads are arranged in-line and in a staggered arrangement with this inkjet printer, a base member for the in-line arrangement having openings formed in positions corresponding to the inkjet heads arranged in-line, and a base member for the staggered arrangement having openings formed in positions corresponding to the inkjet heads arranged in staggered arrangement are required. This reduces the versatility of the base member.

[0006] In addition, in the inkjet printer described in Patent Document 1, when the inkjet heads are arranged in-line, a base member for the in-line arrangement must be fixed to the carriage, and when the inkjet heads are arranged in a staggered manner, a base member for the staggered arrangement must be fixed to the carriage. Therefore, in this inkjet printer, when switching the inkjet head arrangement from an in-line arrangement to a staggered arrangement or from a staggered arrangement to an in-line arrangement, the base member must be replaced, making switching from the in-line arrangement to the staggered arrangement and from the staggered arrangement to the in-line arrangement cumbersome.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a head unit including a plurality of inkjet heads and a base member to which the plurality of inkjet heads are attached, which can increase the versatility of the base member even when the inkjet heads are arranged in an inline arrangement and a staggered arrangement, and can easily switch from the inline arrangement to the staggered arrangement and vice versa. Another object of the present invention is to provide an inkjet printer including such a head unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, a head unit of the present invention includes a plurality of inkjet heads having a nozzle surface on which a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink are formed, a carriage on which the plurality of inkjet heads are mounted, and a base member which is fixed to the carriage and on which the plurality of inkjet heads are attached, the base member has nozzle surface sides of the plurality of inkjet heads attached thereto and has a plurality of openings formed therein for exposing the nozzle surfaces of the plurality of inkjet heads, a predetermined inkjet head among the plurality of inkjet heads is designated as a first inkjet head, and the inkjet heads among the plurality of inkjet heads excluding the first inkjet head are designated as second inkjet heads, and the opening for exposing the nozzle surface of the first inkjet head is designated as a first opening, the width of the first opening in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction, which is the moving direction of the carriage, and the up-down direction is such that the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are disposed at the same position in the sub-scanning direction. In-line configuration allows printing with the first and second inkjet heads The first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are arranged at a position offset from the first position in the sub-scanning direction. Staggered arrangement allows printing with the first and second inkjet heads The width is set to enable the first inkjet head to be disposed at the second position.

[0009] In the head unit of the present invention, a first opening for exposing a nozzle surface of a first inkjet head is formed in a base member, and the width of the first opening in the sub-scanning direction is set to a width that enables the first inkjet head to be positioned at a first position where the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are positioned at the same position in the sub-scanning direction, and at a second position where the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are positioned offset from each other in the sub-scanning direction.

[0010] Therefore, in the present invention, it is possible to use a common base member to arrange the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head at the same position in the sub-scanning direction, and to arrange the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head at positions offset from each other in the sub-scanning direction. That is, in the present invention, it is possible to arrange the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head in an in-line manner and in a staggered manner, using a common base member. Therefore, in the present invention, it is possible to increase the versatility of the base member even when the inkjet heads are arranged in an in-line manner and in a staggered manner.

[0011] In addition, in the present invention, since the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head can be arranged in-line and in a staggered arrangement using a common base member, there is no need to replace the base member when switching the inkjet head arrangement from an in-line arrangement to a staggered arrangement or from a staggered arrangement to an in-line arrangement. Therefore, in the present invention, even when the inkjet heads are arranged in an in-line arrangement and a staggered arrangement, it is possible to easily switch from the in-line arrangement to the staggered arrangement and from the staggered arrangement to the in-line arrangement.

[0012] and a blocking member. In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a head unit of the present invention includes a plurality of inkjet heads having a nozzle surface on which a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink are formed, a carriage on which the plurality of inkjet heads are mounted, a base member fixed to the carriage and on which the plurality of inkjet heads are attached, and a blocking member. The base member is attached to the nozzle surface side of the plurality of inkjet heads and has a plurality of openings for exposing the nozzle surfaces of the plurality of inkjet heads, a predetermined inkjet head among the plurality of inkjet heads is designated as a first inkjet head, an inkjet head among the plurality of inkjet heads excluding the first inkjet head is designated as a second inkjet head, and an opening for exposing the nozzle surface of the first inkjet head is designated as a first opening. The width of the first opening in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to a main scanning direction which is a moving direction of the carriage and to a vertical direction is set to a width that allows the first inkjet head to be disposed at a first position where the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are disposed at the same position in the sub-scanning direction, and a second position where the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are disposed at positions shifted from each other in the sub-scanning direction, and the blocking member covers a portion of the first opening where the first inkjet head is not disposed. In the head unit of the present invention, a first opening for exposing a nozzle surface of a first inkjet head is formed in a base member, and the width of the first opening in the sub-scanning direction is set to a width that enables the first inkjet head to be positioned at a first position where the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are positioned at the same position in the sub-scanning direction, and at a second position where the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are positioned offset from each other in the sub-scanning direction. Therefore, in the present invention, it is possible to use a common base member to arrange the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head at the same position in the sub-scanning direction, and to arrange the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head at positions offset from each other in the sub-scanning direction. That is, in the present invention, it is possible to arrange the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head in an in-line manner and in a staggered manner, using a common base member. Therefore, in the present invention, it is possible to increase the versatility of the base member even when the inkjet heads are arranged in an in-line manner and in a staggered manner. In addition, in the present invention, since the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head can be arranged in-line and in a staggered arrangement using a common base member, there is no need to replace the base member when switching the inkjet head arrangement from an in-line arrangement to a staggered arrangement or from a staggered arrangement to an in-line arrangement. Therefore, in the present invention, even when the inkjet heads are arranged in an in-line arrangement and a staggered arrangement, it is possible to easily switch from the in-line arrangement to the staggered arrangement and from the staggered arrangement to the in-line arrangement. Also, The present invention So The head unit is configured to cover a portion of the first opening where the first inkjet head is not disposed. cover A blocking member is provided. Therefore, In order to enable in-line and staggered arrangement of the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head, even if the width of the first opening in the sub-scanning direction is wide, it is possible to prevent dust and ink mist from entering the inside of the carriage through the first opening.

[0013] Furthermore, in order to achieve the above object, a head unit of the present invention includes a plurality of inkjet heads each having a nozzle surface on which a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink are formed, a carriage on which the plurality of inkjet heads are mounted, and a base member fixed to the carriage and on which the plurality of inkjet heads are attached, the base member has nozzle surface sides of the plurality of inkjet heads attached thereto and has a plurality of openings formed therein for exposing the nozzle surfaces of the plurality of inkjet heads, a predetermined inkjet head among the plurality of inkjet heads is designated as a first inkjet head, an inkjet head among the plurality of inkjet heads excluding the first inkjet head is designated as a second inkjet head, and an opening for exposing the nozzle surface of the first inkjet head is designated as a first opening, a width of the first opening in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to a main scanning direction which is a moving direction of the carriage and perpendicular to a vertical direction is set to a width that enables the first inkjet head to be disposed at a first position where the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are disposed at the same position in the sub-scanning direction, and a second position where the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are disposed at positions shifted from each other in the sub-scanning direction, Two inkjet heads, a first inkjet head and a second inkjet head, are attached to the base member, and two openings are formed in the base member. The width of one of the two openings, the first opening, in the sub-scanning direction is wider than the width of the other opening in the sub-scanning direction. Characterized by . In the head unit of the present invention, a first opening for exposing a nozzle surface of a first inkjet head is formed in a base member, and the width of the first opening in the sub-scanning direction is set to a width that enables the first inkjet head to be positioned at a first position where the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are positioned at the same position in the sub-scanning direction, and at a second position where the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are positioned offset from each other in the sub-scanning direction. Therefore, in the present invention, it is possible to use a common base member to arrange the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head at the same position in the sub-scanning direction, and to arrange the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head at positions offset from each other in the sub-scanning direction. That is, in the present invention, it is possible to arrange the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head in an in-line manner and in a staggered manner, using a common base member. Therefore, in the present invention, it is possible to increase the versatility of the base member even when the inkjet heads are arranged in an in-line manner and in a staggered manner. In addition, in the present invention, since the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head can be arranged in-line and in a staggered arrangement using a common base member, there is no need to replace the base member when switching the inkjet head arrangement from an in-line arrangement to a staggered arrangement or from a staggered arrangement to an in-line arrangement. Therefore, in the present invention, even when the inkjet heads are arranged in an in-line arrangement and a staggered arrangement, it is possible to easily switch from the in-line arrangement to the staggered arrangement and from the staggered arrangement to the in-line arrangement.

[0014] In the present invention, the head unit preferably includes a first adjustment member for finely adjusting the position of at least one of the inkjet heads in the sub-scanning direction relative to the base member. Also, in the present invention, the head unit preferably includes a second adjustment member for finely adjusting the position of at least one of the inkjet heads in the rotation direction with the up-down direction as the axial direction of the rotation, relative to the base member. With this configuration, it is possible to suppress misalignment of the inkjet head with respect to the base member and misalignment between the multiple inkjet heads. Therefore, it is possible to improve the printing quality of the inkjet printer.

[0015] The head unit of the present invention can be used in an inkjet printer equipped with a carriage drive mechanism that moves a carriage in the main scanning direction. In this inkjet printer, even when inkjet heads are arranged in an inline arrangement and a staggered arrangement, it is possible to increase the versatility of the base member and to easily switch from an inline arrangement to a staggered arrangement and from a staggered arrangement to an inline arrangement.

[0016] In the present invention, the inkjet printer performs printing on a print medium (i.e., performs two-dimensional printing) with the first inkjet head disposed at the first position, and produces a three-dimensional object with the first inkjet head disposed at the first position. In this case, for example, by the inkjet printer printing on a print medium with the first inkjet head disposed at the first position, it becomes easy to print on the print medium using inks of special colors such as light colors and orange in addition to primary colors such as CMYK. Furthermore, by the inkjet printer printing on a print medium with the first inkjet head disposed at the second position, it is possible to enjoy the benefits of the staggered arrangement. Furthermore, when the inkjet printer produces a three-dimensional object, it is necessary to use more types of inks than in two-dimensional printing, such as model materials and support materials, in addition to color inks. However, by producing a three-dimensional object with the first inkjet head disposed at the first position, it becomes possible to eject many types of inks in-line. That is, in this case, it can be a suitable configuration as an inkjet printer that performs both printing on a print medium and producing a three-dimensional object. When manufacturing a three-dimensional object, if the inkjet heads that eject color inks and the inkjet heads that eject supporting material are staggered, the purpose of the supporting material is lost. Effect of the Invention

[0017] As described above, with the present invention, even when inkjet heads are arranged in an inline or staggered configuration, it is possible to increase the versatility of the base member on which multiple inkjet heads are attached, and it is also possible to easily switch from an inline arrangement to a staggered arrangement and from a staggered arrangement to an inline arrangement. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an inkjet printer according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining the configuration of the inkjet printer shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] 3 is a plan view for explaining the configuration of the head unit shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 3 is a plan view for explaining the configuration of the head unit shown in FIG. 2. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the base member shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a plan view illustrating a configuration of a head unit according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a plan view illustrating a configuration of a head unit according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0020] (Outline of the inkjet printer) Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an inkjet printer 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining the configuration of the inkjet printer 1 shown in Fig. 1.

[0021] An inkjet printer 1 of this embodiment (hereinafter referred to as "printer 1") is, for example, a commercial inkjet printer, and prints on a print medium 2. That is, printer 1 performs two-dimensional printing. The print medium 2 is, for example, printing paper, fabric, or a resin film. Printer 1 is equipped with a plurality of inkjet heads 3, 4 that eject ink toward the print medium 2. Printer 1 of this embodiment is equipped with two inkjet heads 3, 4, inkjet head 3 serving as a first inkjet head and inkjet head 4 serving as a second inkjet head. In the following description, inkjet head 3 will be referred to as "head 3" and inkjet head 4 will be referred to as "head 4".

[0022] The printer 1 also includes a carriage 5 on which the two heads 3, 4 are mounted, a carriage drive mechanism 6 that moves the carriage 5 in the main scanning direction (Y direction in Figure 1, etc.), a guide rail 7 that guides the carriage 5 in the main scanning direction, a platen 8 on which the print medium 2 is placed during printing, a medium feed mechanism 9 that feeds the print medium 2 in the vertical direction (Z direction in Figure 1, etc.) and in a sub-scanning direction (X direction in Figure 1, etc.) perpendicular to the main scanning direction, and a number of ink tanks 10 that contain ink to be supplied to the heads 3, 4.

[0023] The carriage drive mechanism 6 includes, for example, two pulleys, a belt that is stretched between the two pulleys and has a portion fixed to the carriage 5, and a motor that rotates the pulleys. The medium feed mechanism 9 includes, for example, a drive roller that contacts one side of the print medium 2, a driven roller that is disposed opposite the drive roller and contacts the other side of the print medium 2, and a motor that rotates the drive roller.

[0024] The heads 3 and 4 mounted on the carriage 5 are arranged at positions offset from each other in the main scanning direction. The heads 3 and 4 are formed to have the same shape. The heads 3 and 4 mounted on the carriage 5 eject ink toward the upper surface of the print medium 2 placed on the platen 8. In other words, the heads 3 and 4 eject ink toward the lower side. The lower surface of the head 3 is formed with a plurality of nozzles that eject ink. The lower surface of the head 3 is a nozzle surface 3a on which a plurality of nozzles are formed. Similarly, the lower surface of the head 4 is formed with a plurality of nozzles that eject ink, and the lower surface of the head 4 is a nozzle surface 4a on which a plurality of nozzles are formed.

[0025] The nozzle surfaces 3a and 4a are formed, for example, in a rectangular shape. For example, the long side direction of the rectangular nozzle surfaces 3a and 4a coincides with the sub-scanning direction, and the short side direction of the nozzle surfaces 3a and 4a coincides with the main scanning direction. The nozzle surfaces 3a and 4a are formed with nozzle rows composed of a plurality of nozzles arranged in the sub-scanning direction. For example, the nozzle surfaces 3a and 4a are formed with four nozzle rows arranged in the main scanning direction.

[0026] The printer 1 also includes a base member 14 that is fixed to the carriage 5 and to which the two heads 3 and 4 are attached. In this embodiment, the heads 3 and 4, the carriage 5, and the base member 14 constitute a head unit 15. The configuration of the head unit 15 will be described below.

[0027] (Head unit configuration) 3 and 4 are plan views for explaining the configuration of the head unit 15 shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the base member 14 shown in FIG. 3. In the following description, the main scanning direction (Y direction) is referred to as the "left-right direction", and the sub-scanning direction (X direction) is referred to as the "front-rear direction". Moreover, the X1 direction side in FIG. 3, etc., which is one side of the front-rear direction, is referred to as the "front" side, and the X2 direction side in FIG. 3, etc., which is the opposite side, is referred to as the "rear" side.

[0028] As described above, the head unit 15 includes the base member 14. The base member 14 is fixed to the lower end of the carriage 5, and constitutes the lower end of the head unit 15. The head unit 15 also includes a head holding member 16 to which the lower end of the head 3 is fixed, a head holding member 17 to which the lower end of the head 4 is fixed, an eccentric cam 18 for finely adjusting the position of the head 4 in the front-to-rear direction (sub-scanning direction) relative to the base member 14, and an eccentric cam 19 for finely adjusting the position (rotation angle) of the head 3 in the rotation direction with the up-down direction as the axial direction of the rotation relative to the base member 14. The eccentric cam 18 in this embodiment is a first adjustment member, and the eccentric cam 19 is a second adjustment member.

[0029] The head holding members 16 and 17 are formed, for example, in the shape of a rectangular flat plate. The head holding members 16 and 17 are formed, for example, in the same shape. The outer shapes of the head holding members 16 and 17 when viewed from the top and bottom direction are larger than the outer shapes of the heads 3 and 4. The head holding members 16 and 17 are fixed to the upper surface side of the base member 14 by screws (not shown). For example, the head holding members 16 and 17 are fixed to the base member 14 by two, three, or four screws.

[0030] In this embodiment, when the screws for fixing the head holding member 16 to the base member 14 are loosened (or removed), the head holding member 16 becomes rotatable about the vertical axis relative to the base member 14. Also, when the screws for fixing the head holding member 17 to the base member 14 are loosened (or removed), the head holding member 17 becomes movable in the front-rear direction relative to the base member 14.

[0031] As described above, the lower end of the head 3 is fixed to the head holding member 16, and the lower end of the head 3 is attached to the base member 14 via the head holding member 16. Similarly, the lower end of the head 4 is fixed to the head holding member 17, and the lower end of the head 4 is attached to the base member 14 via the head holding member 17. In other words, the part of the head 3 on the nozzle surface 3a side is attached to the base member 14 via the head holding member 16, and the part of the head 4 on the nozzle surface 4a side is attached to the base member 14 via the head holding member 17.

[0032] An opening (not shown) is formed in the head holding member 16 for exposing the nozzle surface 3a of the head 3 on the lower surface side of the head unit 15. An opening (not shown) is formed in the head holding member 17 for exposing the nozzle surface 4a of the head 4 on the lower surface side of the head unit 15. The openings of the head holding members 16, 17 penetrate the head holding members 16, 17 in the up-down direction. The openings of the head holding members 16, 17 are formed, for example, in a rectangular shape. The width of the openings of the head holding members 16, 17 in the front-rear direction is slightly wider than the width of the nozzle surfaces 3a, 4a in the front-rear direction, and the width of the openings of the head holding members 16, 17 in the left-right direction is slightly wider than the width of the nozzle surfaces 3a, 4a in the left-right direction.

[0033] The base member 14 is formed with an opening 14a for exposing the nozzle surface 3a of the head 3 on the lower surface side of the head unit 15, and an opening 14b for exposing the nozzle surface 4a of the head 4 on the lower surface side of the head unit 15. That is, the base member 14 is formed with two openings 14a, 14b for exposing the nozzle surfaces 3a, 4a of the two heads 3, 4, respectively. The opening 14a in this embodiment is a first opening for exposing the nozzle surface 3a of the head 3, which is the first inkjet head.

[0034] The openings 14a, 14b penetrate the base member 14 in the up-down direction. The openings 14a, 14b are formed in a rectangular shape. The openings 14a and 14b are formed so as to be adjacent to each other in the left-right direction. The left-right width of the openings 14a and the left-right width of the openings 14b are equal. The left-right width of the openings 14a, 14b is slightly wider than the left-right width of the nozzle surfaces 3a, 4a. The front-rear width of the opening 14b is slightly wider than the front-rear width of the nozzle surface 4a.

[0035] The width of the opening 14a in the front-rear direction is set to a width that allows the head 3 to be arranged at a first position 3A (see FIG. 3) where the head 3 and the head 4 are arranged at the same position in the front-rear direction (i.e., the heads 3 and 4 are arranged in-line) and at a second position 3B (see FIG. 4) where the head 3 and the head 4 are arranged at positions shifted from each other in the front-rear direction (i.e., the heads 3 and 4 are arranged staggered). That is, the width of the opening 14a in the front-rear direction is wider than the width of the opening 14b in the front-rear direction. For example, the width of the opening 14a in the front-rear direction is about 1.5 times the width of the opening 14b in the front-rear direction. The printer 1 prints on the print medium 2 with the head 3 arranged at the first position 3A or the head 3 arranged at the second position 3B.

[0036] In this embodiment, the rear end of the opening 14a and the rear end of the opening 14b are disposed at the same position in the front-rear direction. That is, the front end of the opening 14a is disposed forward of the front end of the opening 14b. Therefore, the head 3 disposed at the second position 3B is shifted forward with respect to the head 4.

[0037] The portion of the opening 14a where the head 3 is not disposed is covered by a blocking member 21. That is, the head unit 15 includes the blocking member 21 for blocking the portion of the opening 14a where the head 3 is not disposed. The blocking member 21 is formed, for example, in a rectangular flat plate shape. The blocking member 21 is fixed to the upper surface side of the base member 14 by a screw (not shown). The blocking member 21 blocks the front portion of the opening 14a when the head 3 is disposed at the first position 3A (see FIG. 3), and blocks the rear portion of the opening 14a when the head 3 is disposed at the second position 3B (see FIG. 4).

[0038] The eccentric cam 18 is attached to the base member 14. The eccentric cam 18 is rotatable relative to the base member 14 with the vertical direction as the axial direction of the rotation. The eccentric cam 18 is disposed in front of the head holding member 17. The eccentric cam 18 is biased toward the head holding member 17 in the rotation direction of the eccentric cam 18 relative to the base member 14 by a spring member (not shown), and the outer circumferential surface of the eccentric cam 18 contacts the front end surface of the head holding member 17 with a predetermined contact pressure. Note that the eccentric cam 18 is not shown in FIG. 4.

[0039] The head holding member 17 is biased forward by a spring member (not shown). When the eccentric cam 18 is rotated with the screw for fixing the head holding member 17 to the base member 14 loosened (or removed), the head holding member 17 moves in the front-rear direction relative to the base member 14. In other words, when the eccentric cam 18 is rotated with the screw for fixing the head holding member 17 to the base member 14 loosened (or removed), the head 4 moves in the front-rear direction relative to the base member 14 together with the head holding member 17.

[0040] The eccentric cam 19 is attached to the base member 14. The eccentric cam 19 is rotatable relative to the base member 14 with the vertical direction as the axial direction of the rotation. The eccentric cam 19 is disposed, for example, on one side in the left-right direction of the head holding member 16. The eccentric cam 19 is biased toward the head holding member 16 by a spring member (not shown) in the rotation direction of the eccentric cam 19 relative to the base member 14, and the outer circumferential surface of the eccentric cam 19 contacts one end face in the left-right direction of the head holding member 16 with a predetermined contact pressure.

[0041] The head holding member 16 is biased toward the eccentric cam 19 by a spring member (not shown) in the rotation direction of the head holding member 16 relative to the base member 14. When the eccentric cam 19 is rotated with the screw for fixing the head holding member 16 to the base member 14 loosened (or removed), the head holding member 16 rotates with the vertical direction as the axis of rotation relative to the base member 14. That is, when the eccentric cam 19 is rotated with the screw for fixing the head holding member 16 to the base member 14 loosened (or removed), the head 3 rotates together with the head holding member 16 with the vertical direction as the axis of rotation relative to the base member 14. For example, when the eccentric cam 19 is rotated while the head 3 is disposed at the first position 3A, the head holding member 16 and the head 3 rotate with the fulcrum shaft 22 that rotatably supports the rear end of the head holding member 16 as the rotation center relative to the base member 14.

[0042] In addition, the eccentric cam 19 and the fulcrum shaft 22 are not shown in Fig. 4. The head unit 15 also includes an eccentric cam 19 that rotates the head 3 together with the head holding member 16 when the head 3 is disposed at the second position 3B (not shown in Figs. 3 and 4). That is, the head unit 15 includes two eccentric cams 19: an eccentric cam 19 that rotates the head holding member 16 when the head 3 is disposed at the first position 3A, and an eccentric cam 19 that rotates the head holding member 16 when the head 3 is disposed at the second position 3B. The two eccentric cams 19 are disposed at positions offset from each other in the front-rear direction.

[0043] (Main effects of this form) As described above, in this embodiment, the width in the front-rear direction of the opening 14a formed in the base member 14 is set to a width that allows the head 3 to be arranged at the first position 3A where the head 3 and the head 4 are arranged at the same position in the front-rear direction (i.e., the heads 3 and 4 are arranged in-line) and the second position 3B where the head 3 and the head 4 are arranged at positions offset from each other in the front-rear direction (i.e., the heads 3 and 4 are arranged staggered). Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to arrange the heads 3 and 4 in-line and staggered using a common base member 14. Therefore, in this embodiment, even when the heads 3 and 4 are arranged in-line and staggered, it is possible to increase the versatility of the base member 14.

[0044] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the heads 3, 4 can be arranged in-line and in a staggered manner using a common base member 14, so when switching the arrangement of the heads 3, 4 from an in-line arrangement to a staggered arrangement, or when switching from a staggered arrangement to an in-line arrangement, there is no need to replace the base member 14. Therefore, in this embodiment, even when the heads 3, 4 are arranged in-line and staggered, it is possible to easily switch from the in-line arrangement to the staggered arrangement and from the staggered arrangement to the in-line arrangement.

[0045] In this embodiment, by having the printer 1 print on the print medium 2 with the head 3 disposed at the first position 3A, it becomes easy to print on the print medium 2 using inks of special colors such as light colors and orange in addition to primary colors such as CMYK. Also, by having the printer 1 print on the print medium 2 with the head 3 disposed at the second position 3B, it is possible to enjoy the benefits of a staggered arrangement.

[0046] In this embodiment, the portion of the opening 14a where the head 3 is not disposed is blocked by a blocking member 21. Therefore, in this embodiment, even if the width of the opening 14a in the front-to-rear direction is widened to enable in-line and staggered arrangement of the heads 3 and 4, it is possible to prevent dust and ink mist from entering the inside of the carriage 5 through the opening 14a.

[0047] In this embodiment, the head unit 15 includes an eccentric cam 18 for finely adjusting the front-rear position of the head 4 relative to the base member 14, and an eccentric cam 19 for finely adjusting the rotation angle of the head 3 relative to the base member 14. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to suppress misalignment of the heads 3, 4 relative to the base member 14 and misalignment between the heads 3 and 4. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to improve the printing quality of the printer 1.

[0048] (Other embodiments) The above-described embodiment is one example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0049] In the above-described embodiment, for example, the width of the opening 14a in the front-rear direction may be wider as shown in Fig. 6. In this case, as shown in Fig. 6(A), the rear end of the head 3 arranged at the second position 3B can be arranged rearward of the front end of the head 4, and as shown in Fig. 6(B), the rear end of the head 3 arranged at the second position 3B can be arranged forward of the front end of the head 4. That is, in the example shown in Fig. 6, the head 3 can be arranged more flexibly.

[0050] 6(A), the portion of the opening 14a where the head 3 is not disposed may be covered by two blocking members 21. That is, the head unit 15 may include a blocking member 21 for blocking a portion of the opening 14a in front of the head holding member 16, and a blocking member 21 for blocking a portion of the opening 14a in back of the head holding member 16.

[0051] In the above embodiment, the front end of opening 14a and the front end of opening 14b may be disposed at the same position in the front-rear direction, and the rear end of opening 14a may be disposed rearward of the rear end of opening 14b. In this case, head 3 disposed at second position 3B is shifted rearward with respect to head 4. Also, in the above embodiment, the width of opening 14b in the front-rear direction may be approximately the same as the width of opening 14a in the front-rear direction. In this case, head 3 disposed at second position 3B may be shifted forward or rearward with respect to head 4.

[0052] In the above-described embodiment, the number of inkjet heads mounted on the carriage 5 may be three or more. In this case, three or more inkjet heads are attached to the base member 14, and the base member 14 is formed with a plurality of openings for exposing the nozzle faces of each of the inkjet heads on the lower surface side of the head unit 15. For example, four inkjet heads are attached to the base member 14, and as shown in FIG. 7, the base member 14 is formed with two openings 14a, 14b, 14c, and 14d for exposing the nozzles of each of the four inkjet heads.

[0053] In the example shown in FIG. 7, the openings 14b, 14a, 14d, and 14c are formed in this order from one side to the other side in the left-right direction. Also, for example, the opening 14c is formed in the same shape as the opening 14a, and the opening 14d is formed in the same shape as the opening 14b. The width of the openings 14a and 14c in the front-rear direction is wider than the width of the openings 14b and 14d in the front-rear direction. In this case, the openings 14a and 14c are the first openings, and the inkjet head whose nozzle surface is exposed at the openings 14a and 14c is the first inkjet head. Also, the inkjet head whose nozzle surface is exposed at the openings 14b and 14d is the second inkjet head. Note that in the example shown in FIG. 7, the openings 14b, 14a, 14c, and 14d may be formed in this order from one side to the other side in the left-right direction.

[0054] In the above-described embodiment, the head unit 15 may include an adjustment member for adjusting the height of the heads 3, 4 relative to the base member 14, or an adjustment member for adjusting the position of the heads 3, 4 relative to the base member 14 in a rotation direction in which the horizontal direction is the axis of rotation. The adjustment member in these cases is, for example, a screw that engages with the base member 14. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the head unit 15 may not include the eccentric cam 18 or may not include the eccentric cam 19.

[0055] In the above-described embodiment, the portion of the opening 14a where the head 3 is not disposed may not be covered by the blocking member 21. That is, the head unit 15 may not be provided with the blocking member 21. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the lower ends of the heads 3, 4 may be directly attached to the base member 14. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the printer 1 may be provided with, instead of the platen 8 and the medium feed mechanism 9, a table on which the print medium 2 is placed, and a table drive mechanism that moves the table in at least one of the front-rear direction and the up-down direction.

[0056] In the above-described embodiment, the printer 1 may be a 3D printer that produces a three-dimensional object. In this case, the printer 1 includes a table on which a three-dimensional object is placed. In addition, when the printer 1 is a 3D printer, the printer 1 produces a three-dimensional object with the head 3 disposed at the first position 3A. When the printer 1 produces a three-dimensional object, it is necessary to use more types of ink than in two-dimensional printing, such as model materials and support materials, in addition to color inks. However, by producing a three-dimensional object with the head 3 disposed at the first position 3A, it becomes possible to eject many types of ink in-line. In this way, the printer 1 having the head unit 15 can be configured as a printer that performs both printing on the print medium 2 and producing a three-dimensional object. [Explanation of symbols]

[0057] 1. Printer (inkjet printer) 3 heads (inkjet head, 1st inkjet head) 3A 1st position 3B 2nd position 3a Nozzle surface 4 heads (inkjet head, 2nd inkjet head) 4a Nozzle surface 5 Carriage 6 Carriage drive mechanism 14 Base material 14a, 14c opening (first opening) 14b, 14d opening 15 Head Unit 18 Eccentric cam (first adjustment member) 19 Eccentric cam (second adjustment member) 21 Closure member X sub-scanning direction Y Main scanning direction Z vertical direction

Claims

1. a plurality of inkjet heads each having a nozzle surface on which a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink are formed, a carriage on which the plurality of inkjet heads are mounted, and a base member which is fixed to the carriage and on which the plurality of inkjet heads are attached, the base member has the nozzle surface sides of the inkjet heads attached thereto, and has a plurality of openings formed thereon for exposing the nozzle surfaces of the inkjet heads; a predetermined inkjet head among the plurality of inkjet heads is defined as a first inkjet head, the inkjet heads among the plurality of inkjet heads other than the first inkjet head are defined as second inkjet heads, and the opening for exposing the nozzle surface of the first inkjet head is defined as a first opening; a width of the first opening in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction, which is the movement direction of the carriage, and the up-down direction, which is set to a width that enables the first inkjet head to be arranged at a first position where printing is possible by the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head in an in-line arrangement, where the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are arranged at the same position in the sub-scanning direction, and at a second position where printing is possible by the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head in a staggered arrangement, where the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are arranged at offset positions in the sub-scanning direction.

2. A printing apparatus comprising: a plurality of inkjet heads each having a nozzle surface on which a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink are formed; a carriage on which the plurality of inkjet heads are mounted; a base member fixed to the carriage and on which the plurality of inkjet heads are attached; and a blocking member; the base member has the nozzle surface sides of the inkjet heads attached thereto, and has a plurality of openings formed thereon for exposing the nozzle surfaces of the inkjet heads; a predetermined inkjet head among the plurality of inkjet heads is defined as a first inkjet head, the inkjet heads among the plurality of inkjet heads other than the first inkjet head are defined as second inkjet heads, and the opening for exposing the nozzle surface of the first inkjet head is defined as a first opening; a width of the first opening in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to a main scanning direction, which is a moving direction of the carriage, and to a vertical direction, is set to a width that enables the first inkjet head to be disposed at a first position where the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are disposed at the same position in the sub-scanning direction, and at a second position where the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are disposed at positions shifted from each other in the sub-scanning direction, The head unit, wherein the blocking member covers a portion of the first opening where the first inkjet head is not disposed.

3. A method for producing a printing apparatus comprising: a plurality of inkjet heads each having a nozzle surface on which a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink are formed; a carriage on which the plurality of inkjet heads are mounted; and a base member fixed to the carriage and on which the plurality of inkjet heads are attached; the base member has the nozzle surface sides of the inkjet heads attached thereto, and has a plurality of openings formed thereon for exposing the nozzle surfaces of the inkjet heads; a predetermined inkjet head among the plurality of inkjet heads is defined as a first inkjet head, the inkjet heads among the plurality of inkjet heads other than the first inkjet head are defined as second inkjet heads, and the opening for exposing the nozzle surface of the first inkjet head is defined as a first opening; a width of the first opening in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to a main scanning direction, which is a moving direction of the carriage, and to a vertical direction, is set to a width that enables the first inkjet head to be disposed at a first position where the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are disposed at the same position in the sub-scanning direction, and at a second position where the first inkjet head and the second inkjet head are disposed at positions shifted from each other in the sub-scanning direction, the first ink-jet head and the second ink-jet head are attached to the base member, and the base member has two openings formed therein; A head unit, characterized in that the width in the sub-scanning direction of the first opening, which is one of the two openings, is wider than the width in the sub-scanning direction of the other opening.

4. 4. The head unit according to claim 1, further comprising a first adjustment member for finely adjusting the position of at least one of the plurality of inkjet heads in the sub-scanning direction relative to the base member.

5. A head unit as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it is provided with a second adjustment member for fine-tuning the position of at least one of the multiple inkjet heads in a rotational direction with the vertical direction as the axial direction of the rotation, relative to the base member.

6. 6. An inkjet printer comprising: a head unit according to claim 1; and a carriage drive mechanism for moving the carriage in a main scanning direction.

7. 7. The inkjet printer according to claim 6, wherein printing is performed on a print medium while the first inkjet head is disposed at the first position or the second position, and a three-dimensional object is manufactured while the first inkjet head is disposed at the first position.

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