Dye-coated substrate manufacturing apparatus and dyeing system

Abstract

To provide an apparatus for manufacturing a substrate with a dye and a dyeing system which can improve efficiency and quality when a resin body is dyed.SOLUTION: An apparatus for manufacturing a substrate with a dye manufactures a substrate with a dye. The substrate with the dye is used in a dyeing step of dyeing a resin body. A die transferred to the resin body is attached to the substrate with the dye. The apparatus for manufacturing the substrate with the dye includes a printer, a conveyance device, and a substrate moving device 300. The printer prints a dye for dyeing a resin body on the substrate. The conveyance device conveys a tray for dyeing on which the resin body is mounted. The substrate moving device 300 moves the substrate on which the dye has been printed by the printer to the conveyance device side from a printing position by the printer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a dye-attached substrate used in a dyeing process, and a dyeing system including the dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Various techniques for dyeing resin bodies such as plastic lenses have been proposed. For example, in a dyeing method called the dipping method, the resin body is dyed by immersing the resin body in a dyeing solution. However, in the dipping method, it is difficult to improve the working environment, and it is difficult to dye some resin bodies (for example, lenses with a high refractive index).

[0003] Therefore, a technique has been proposed in which a dye is transferred to the surface of a resin body, and the resin body is dyed by heating the resin body to which the dye has adhered. For example, in the dyeing method described in Patent Document 1, ink containing a sublimable dye is applied (printed) to a substrate by a printing apparatus (inkjet printer). Next, in a state where the resin body and the substrate are arranged non-contact in a vacuum, the sublimable dye applied to the substrate is sublimated, so that the dye is transferred to the resin body. Next, the resin body is heated by scanning the resin body with a laser beam, and the dye is fixed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the method described in Patent Document 1, an operator has to manually transfer a substrate on which a dye is printed to a transfer machine by a printing apparatus. Therefore, a technique that can reduce the work that an operator has to perform and dye a resin body more efficiently and appropriately is desired.

[0006] A typical object of the present disclosure is to provide a dyed substrate manufacturing apparatus and a dyeing system capable of improving the efficiency and quality in dyeing a resin body.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] A dyed substrate manufacturing apparatus provided by a typical embodiment in the present disclosure is a dyed substrate manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a dyed substrate which is a substrate to which a dye transferred to a resin body adheres and is used in a dyeing process for dyeing the resin body, and includes a printing apparatus for printing a dye on the substrate, a transport apparatus for transporting a dyeing tray on which the resin body is placed, and a substrate moving apparatus for moving the substrate on which the dye has been printed by the printing apparatus from the printing position by the printing apparatus to the transport apparatus side. The substrate moving device includes a substrate support portion that supports the substrate, and a movement drive portion that automatically moves the substrate from the printing position to the conveyance device side by moving the substrate support portion that supports the substrate. .

[0008] A dyeing system provided by a typical embodiment in the present disclosure includes the dyed substrate manufacturing apparatus, a transfer apparatus for transferring the dye of the dyed substrate manufactured by the dyed substrate manufacturing apparatus to a resin body, and a dye fixing apparatus for fixing the dye adhering to the surface of the resin body to the resin body by heating the resin body to which the dye has been transferred by the transfer apparatus.

[0009] According to the dyed substrate manufacturing apparatus and the dyeing system according to the present disclosure, the efficiency and quality in dyeing a resin body are appropriately improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] <Summary> (First Aspect) The dyed substrate manufacturing apparatus exemplified in the present disclosure manufactures a dyed substrate. The dyed substrate is used in a dyeing process for dyeing a resin body. Dye that is transferred to the resin body adheres to the dyed substrate. The dyed substrate manufacturing apparatus includes a printing device and a substrate placing device. The printing device prints a dye (for example, ink containing a dye, etc.) on the substrate. The substrate placing device places the substrate (dyed substrate) at a predetermined position of the resin body in the dyeing tray in a state where the dye printed by the printing device is opposed to the resin body placed in the dyeing tray.

[0012] According to the apparatus for manufacturing a dye-attached substrate exemplified in the present disclosure, a dye-attached substrate is manufactured by printing a dye on a substrate by a printing device. The manufactured dye-attached substrate is automatically placed at a predetermined position in a dyeing tray by a substrate placement device. That is, even if an operator does not manually place the dye-attached substrate in the dyeing tray, the dye-attached substrate is automatically placed at an appropriate position on the dyeing tray. Therefore, the efficiency and quality in dyeing the resin body are appropriately improved.

[0013] In addition, the substrate placement device may be incorporated into a dyeing system separately from the printing device. In this case, the substrate placement device can also be expressed as follows. A substrate placement device that places the substrate at a predetermined position of the resin body in the dyeing tray in a state where the dye printed on the substrate by the printing device is opposed to the resin body placed in the dyeing tray.

[0014] The substrate placement device may include a substrate holding portion that holds the substrate in a state of being in contact with the back surface of the printing surface on which the dye is printed among a pair of surfaces of the substrate. In this case, the substrate is appropriately held in a state where the occurrence of warping, bending, breakage, etc. of the substrate is suppressed as compared with the case where one end portion of the substrate is held.

[0015] The substrate placement device may include a ventilation portion. The ventilation portion is formed at a position in the substrate holding portion that contacts the back surface of the substrate. The ventilation portion allows gas to pass through. The control portion of the substrate placement device may adsorb and hold the substrate to the substrate holding portion by sucking gas from the ventilation portion by an air flow control device such as a pump or a fan. Further, the control portion may place the substrate held by the substrate holding portion at a predetermined position of the dyeing tray by releasing the suction of gas from the ventilation portion by the air flow control device. In this case, the substrate placement device can hold the substrate in the substrate holding portion with a stronger holding force by using the suction of gas.

[0016] Note that the substrate may be a flexible member including a metal layer (e.g., aluminum foil, etc.). In this case, the thickness of the substrate may be 1 μm to 1000 μm. A substrate including a metal layer is more likely to bend than a substrate such as paper. However, since the substrate is held by the substrate holding portion, even a substrate that is likely to bend is appropriately held.

[0017] The control unit of the substrate placement device may place the substrate held by the substrate holding portion at a predetermined position on the staining tray by discharging gas from the ventilation portion by the airflow control device. In this case, for example, even if the substrate is difficult to separate from the substrate holding portion due to the influence of static electricity or the like generated between the substrate holding portion and the substrate, the gas discharged from the ventilation portion causes the substrate to appropriately separate from the substrate holding portion. Therefore, the substrate is more appropriately placed on the staining tray.

[0018] Note that the substrate placement device may be provided with a sensor for detecting whether or not the substrate has detached from the substrate holding portion. When placing the substrate on the staining tray, the control unit may place the substrate on the staining tray by discharging the substrate from the ventilation portion when the sensor detects that the substrate has not detached from the substrate holding portion. In this case, the substrate is appropriately placed on the staining tray according to the state of the substrate.

[0019] However, when the substrate is likely to separate from the surface of the substrate holding portion, etc., the substrate placement device may place the substrate on the staining tray simply by releasing the suction of the gas from the ventilation portion without discharging the gas from the ventilation portion. In this case, the airflow control device does not necessarily have a function of discharging gas.

[0020] Also, the substrate may be held and released in a method different from the method using gas suction. For example, the substrate holding device may hold the substrate by sandwiching a part of the sheet-like substrate in the thickness direction.

[0021] Of the substrate holding portions, the contact surface that contacts the back surface of the substrate may be a flat surface. In this case, since the substrate is held in a state of contacting the flat contact surface of the substrate holding portion, the possibility of the substrate being bent or folded is further reduced. Therefore, it is less likely that the quality of dyeing will deteriorate or that there will be problems in the dyeing process.

[0022] The ventilation portion may include a groove portion formed on the contact surface in the substrate holding portion. The shape of the groove portion may be formed into a shape corresponding to the printing shape of the dye printed on the printing surface of the substrate by the printing device (desirably, the outer peripheral region substantially coincides with the outer peripheral region of the printing shape of the dye). In this case, since the groove portion is located on the back surface of the printing region of the dye on the substrate, the printing region of the dye is held more firmly by the substrate holding portion. Therefore, bending and folding of the printed area of the dye are suppressed, making it less likely for the dyeing quality to deteriorate further.

[0023] The resin body to be dyed may be a substantially disk-shaped spectacle lens. The printing device may print a dye (for example, ink containing a dye) in a circular shape on the printing surface of the substrate. The ventilation portion may include an annular groove portion formed on the contact surface in the substrate holding portion. In this case, since the annular groove portion is located on the back surface of the dye printed circularly on the substrate, the circular portion where the dye is printed is held more firmly by the substrate holding portion. Therefore, the substrate is held more appropriately by the substrate holding portion while suppressing bending and folding of the portion where the dye is printed.

[0024] Note that it is desirable that the annular groove portion is formed at a position on the contact surface of the substrate holding portion that contacts the back surface of the circular dye printed on the substrate. Also, a plurality of annular groove portions may be formed concentrically. In this case, the back surface of the portion of the substrate where the dye is printed is held more firmly by the substrate holding portion.

[0025] The substrate holding portion may further include a placement positioning portion that fits into a tray fitting portion formed at a predetermined position of the dyeing tray. The substrate placement device may place the substrate at a predetermined position of the dyeing tray in a state where the placement positioning portion is fitted into the tray fitting portion of the dyeing tray. In this case, by fitting the tray fitting portion and the placement positioning portion, the relative position of the substrate holding portion with respect to the dyeing tray is fixed at a certain position. Therefore, the substrate placement device can place the substrate at a predetermined position of the dyeing tray more accurately.

[0026] The substrate placement device may further include an up-down inversion portion that inverts the up and down of the substrate holding portion by rotating the substrate holding portion. After holding the substrate on the upper part of the substrate holding portion, the control portion of the substrate placement device may invert the up and down of the substrate holding portion by the up-down inversion portion and place the substrate at a predetermined position of the dyeing tray. Generally, a printing device prints a dye on the upper surface of the substrate. On the other hand, when placing the dye-attached substrate on the dyeing tray, it is necessary to oppose the dye of the dye-attached substrate to the resin body placed on the dyeing tray by positioning the dye of the dye-attached substrate below the substrate. The substrate placement device can easily oppose the dye printed on the upper surface of the substrate to the resin body by inverting the up and down of the substrate holding portion by the up-down inversion portion. Therefore, the dye-attached substrate is appropriately placed on the dyeing tray.

[0027] Note that the configuration of the up-down inversion portion can also be appropriately selected. For example, the up-down inversion portion may invert the up and down of the substrate holding portion by rotating the substrate holding portion around a horizontally arranged rotation axis. In this case, the up-down inversion portion has both a function of inverting the up and down of the substrate holding portion and a function of moving the position of the substrate holding portion to the opposite side of the rotation axis. Therefore, the process is easily simplified.

[0028] The substrate placement device may further include a heating portion that dries the dye (ink containing the dye in the present disclosure) printed on the substrate held by the substrate holding portion by heating the substrate holding portion. In this case, in addition to the function of placing the dye-attached substrate on the dyeing tray, the substrate placement device also has a function of drying the dye printed on the substrate. Therefore, the dyeing process is performed more efficiently and appropriately.

[0029] In addition, when heating the substrate holding part to dry the dye on the substrate, the ventilation part may include the above-described annular groove part. In this case, the annular groove part is located on the back surface of the dye printed circularly on the substrate, so that the circular part where the dye is printed comes into contact with the substrate holding part more firmly. As a result, heat is more easily conducted from the substrate holding part to the dye, so that the dye is dried more appropriately.

[0030] Further, the dyeing system of the present disclosure can also be expressed as follows. A dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a dye-attached substrate, which is a substrate to which a dye transferred to the resin body is attached and is used in a dyeing process for dyeing the resin body; a transfer apparatus for transferring the dye of the dye-attached substrate manufactured by the dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus to the resin body; and a dye fixing apparatus for fixing the dye attached to the surface of the resin body to the resin body by heating the resin body to which the dye has been transferred by the transfer apparatus. The dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus includes a printing apparatus for printing a dye on a substrate, and a substrate placing apparatus for placing the substrate at a predetermined position of the resin body in the dyeing tray in a state where the dye printed by the printing apparatus is opposed to the resin body placed in the dyeing tray. A dyeing system characterized by this. In the present disclosure, as a transfer method in which the transfer apparatus transfers the dye to the resin body, a vapor phase transfer method is exemplified in which the sublimable dye printed on the substrate is sublimated in a state where the resin body and the dye-attached substrate are opposed to each other without contact in a vacuum, thereby transferring the dye to the resin body. However, it is also possible to change the transfer method. For example, the dye may be transferred to the resin body in a state where the dye-attached substrate is in contact with the resin body. This is the same for the second aspect and the third aspect shown below.

[0031] (Second aspect) The dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus exemplified in the present disclosure manufactures a dye-attached substrate. The dye-attached substrate is used in a dyeing process for dyeing a resin body. A dye to be transferred to the resin body adheres to the dye-attached substrate. The dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus exemplified in the present disclosure includes a printing device, a cartridge mounting portion, and an ink stirring portion. The printing device prints ink containing a dye on a substrate. The cartridge mounting portion mounts a cartridge containing ink supplied to the printing device. The ink stirring portion stirs the ink in the cartridge in a state where the cartridge is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion.

[0032] According to the dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus exemplified in the present disclosure, even if an operator does not manually stir the ink, the ink in the cartridge is automatically stirred by the ink stirring portion and supplied to the printing device. Therefore, regardless of the property that the concentration of the dye in the ink tends to be non-uniform, the resin body is efficiently and appropriately dyed.

[0033] Note that a specific aspect of the cartridge can be appropriately selected. For example, the cartridge may incorporate a bag-shaped member (such as an aluminum pouch) filled with ink. In this case, it becomes difficult for the ink to dry in the cartridge. Also, the ink may be directly filled inside a flexible cartridge.

[0034] The ink stirring portion (control portion of the dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus) may stir the ink in the cartridge when a time elapsed after the previous stirring of the ink exceeds a predetermined time. In this case, since the ink in the cartridge is periodically stirred, the resin body is efficiently and appropriately dyed. For example, the ink stirring portion may periodically stir the ink every time the elapsed time after the previous stirring of the ink reaches the predetermined time. Also, the ink stirring portion may stir the ink when a time elapsed after the previous stirring of the ink exceeds a predetermined time and an instruction to start printing on the printing device is input.

[0035] The ink stirring unit (control unit of the dye-coated substrate manufacturing device) may stir the ink in the cartridge while the printing device is not printing. In this case, ink that has already been stirred is supplied to the inkjet head during printing, improving the dyeing quality. Also, problems such as ink clogging are less likely to occur.

[0036] The ink agitation unit (control unit) may agitate the ink in the cartridge after the printing device is powered on and before printing is performed by the printing device. In other words, the ink agitation unit may agitate the ink when the printing device is powered on. In this case, the ink in which the substances had settled while the power to the printing device was cut off is automatically agitated by the ink agitation unit, and then printing is performed by the printing device. Therefore, the resin body is dyed efficiently and appropriately.

[0037] It is also possible to change the timing at which the ink agitation unit agitates the ink in the cartridge. For example, the ink agitation unit may agitate the ink every time the printing device prints with the ink a predetermined number of times.

[0038] The ink stirring unit may stir the ink in the cartridge by tilting the cartridge mounted in the cartridge mounting unit from the usage state for printing and then returning it to the usage state. In this case, the ink in the cartridge can be appropriately stirred without inserting any member inside the cartridge.

[0039] However, it is also possible to change the method by which the ink agitation unit agitates the ink in the cartridge. For example, the ink agitation unit may agitate the ink in the cartridge by inserting a screw or the like into the cartridge and driving the screw to agitate the ink.

[0040] The cartridge mounting portion may be capable of mounting a plurality of cartridges. The ink stirring unit may stir the inks of the plurality of cartridges mounted on the cartridge mounting portion simultaneously. In this case, the ink is stirred more efficiently than when the inks of each of the plurality of cartridges are stirred individually.

[0041] Note that a method for simultaneously stirring the inks of a plurality of cartridges can be appropriately selected. For example, the ink stirring unit may simultaneously stir the inks of the plurality of cartridges by collectively tilting the entire cartridge mounting portion on which the plurality of cartridges are mounted. Also, the ink stirring unit may simultaneously stir the inks of the plurality of cartridges by collectively driving a plurality of screws inserted into each of the plurality of cartridges by one actuator (such as a motor, etc.).

[0042] The dye-coated substrate manufacturing apparatus may further include a weight sensor that detects the weight of the cartridge mounted on the cartridge mounting portion. The control unit of the dye-coated substrate manufacturing apparatus may generate ink remaining amount information regarding the remaining amount of ink in the cartridge based on the weight of the cartridge detected by the weight sensor.

[0043] As a general method for estimating the remaining amount of ink in a cartridge, a method of estimating the remaining amount of ink based on the number of times ink is ejected from an inkjet head is known. However, the error between the remaining amount of ink estimated based on the number of ink ejection times and the actual remaining amount of ink tends to be large. Therefore, when estimating the remaining amount of ink based on the number of ink ejection times, in order to suppress the occurrence of problems in the inkjet head due to printing being performed in a state where the ink is completely used up, it is necessary to recommend to the operator to replace the cartridge when there is a margin in the estimated remaining amount of ink. In this case, the amount of ink that remains in the cartridge and is discarded increases. In particular, since the ink containing the dye for resin body dyeing is expensive, it is very important to reduce the amount of ink to be discarded.

[0044] On the other hand, when generating ink remaining amount information based on the actually detected weight of the cartridge, information is generated with higher accuracy compared to the case of estimating the remaining amount using the number of ink discharges. Therefore, the amount of ink to be discarded is appropriately reduced.

[0045] Note that the specific usage method and the like of the ink remaining amount information generated based on the weight of the cartridge can be appropriately selected. For example, the control unit may output the generated ink remaining amount information by a method such as display on the display unit or output of sound. The control unit may notify the operator of the information on the remaining amount of ink estimated based on the weight of the cartridge by a method such as display on the display unit. Further, the control unit may execute at least any one of operations such as recommending to the operator the replacement of the cartridge and stopping printing by the printing apparatus until the cartridge is replaced, based on the information on the remaining amount of ink estimated based on the weight of the cartridge.

[0046] The weight sensor may detect only the weight of the cartridge. Further, the weight sensor may detect the total weight of the cartridge and a member fixed to the cartridge (for example, an insertion portion into which the cartridge is inserted, etc.). Even in this case, if the weight of the member fixed to the cartridge is known, ink remaining amount information is appropriately generated based on the weight detected by the weight sensor.

[0047] The control unit may control the stirring operation of the ink in the cartridge by the ink stirring unit based on the weight of the cartridge detected by the weight sensor. The weight of the cartridge detected by the weight sensor changes according to the weight of the ink remaining in the cartridge. Therefore, by controlling the stirring operation of the ink by the ink stirring unit based on the detection result by the weight sensor, an appropriate stirring operation corresponding to the weight of the ink remaining in the cartridge is performed.

[0048] Note that a specific method for controlling the operation of the ink stirring unit can be appropriately selected based on the weight of the cartridge detected by the weight sensor. For example, the control unit may change the time interval for stirring the ink by the ink stirring unit based on the weight of the cartridge detected by the weight sensor. Further, the control unit may change the number of times of stirring the ink by the ink stirring unit, etc. based on the weight of the cartridge detected by the weight sensor.

[0049] The control unit may perform zero point adjustment of the weight sensor (that is, a process of adjusting the detection result when the weight applied to the weight sensor is zero to zero (origin)) in a state where the cartridge is inclined by 90 degrees or more from the use state by the ink stirring unit. When the cartridge is inclined by 90 degrees or more from the use state by the ink stirring unit, the weight applied from the cartridge to the weight sensor becomes zero. By performing zero point adjustment of the weight sensor in this state, the detection accuracy of the weight of the cartridge by the weight sensor is appropriately improved. That is, by also using the configuration for inclining the cartridge to stir the ink for zero point adjustment of the weight sensor, the detection accuracy of the weight of the cartridge can be efficiently improved.

[0050] Note that when zero point adjustment of the weight sensor is performed, the angle at which the ink stirring unit inclines the cartridge from the use state may be greater than 90 degrees. In this case, when zero point adjustment of the weight sensor is performed, the possibility that the weight of the cartridge is applied to the weight sensor is more appropriately reduced.

[0051] The cartridge mounting portion may include a linear guide that restricts the movable direction of the cartridge in the use state to the vertical direction. The weight sensor may detect the weight of the cartridge in a state where the movable direction is restricted by the linear guide. In this case, the detection accuracy of the cartridge weight by the weight sensor is improved. Therefore, the accuracy of the ink remaining amount information generated based on the detection result by the weight sensor is further improved.

[0052] It is also possible to change the method for performing zero-point adjustment of the weight sensor. For example, the dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus may include biasing means (such as a spring or the like) capable of biasing the cartridge mounted on the cartridge mounting portion upward. The control unit may perform zero-point adjustment of the weight sensor in a state where the cartridge is biased upward by the biasing means.

[0053] Also, the dyeing system of the present disclosure can be expressed as follows. A dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a dye-attached substrate, which is a substrate to which a dye transferred to a resin body adheres and is used in a dyeing step of dyeing the resin body; a transfer apparatus for transferring the dye of the dye-attached substrate manufactured by the dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus to the resin body; and a dye fixing apparatus for fixing the dye adhering to the surface of the resin body to the resin body by heating the resin body to which the dye has been transferred by the transfer apparatus. The dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus includes a printing apparatus for printing an ink containing a dye on the substrate, a cartridge mounting portion for mounting a cartridge containing the ink supplied to the printing apparatus, and an ink stirring portion for stirring the ink in the cartridge in a state where the cartridge is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion. A dyeing system characterized by the above.

[0054] (Third Aspect) The dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus exemplified in the present disclosure manufactures a dye-attached substrate. The dye-attached substrate is used in a dyeing step of dyeing a resin body. A dye to be transferred to the resin body adheres to the dye-attached substrate. The dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus exemplified in the present disclosure includes a printing apparatus, a transfer apparatus, and a substrate moving apparatus. The printing apparatus prints a dye (for example, an ink containing a dye or the like) for dyeing the resin body on the substrate. The transfer apparatus transfers a dyeing tray on which the resin body is placed. The substrate moving apparatus moves the substrate on which the dye has been printed by the printing apparatus from the printing position by the printing apparatus to the transfer apparatus side.

[0055] According to the apparatus for manufacturing a dyed substrate exemplified in the present disclosure, a substrate on which a dye is printed by a printing apparatus is automatically moved from a printing position to the conveyance apparatus side by a substrate moving apparatus. Therefore, it is not necessary for an operator to manually move the substrate from the printing position. Thus, the resin body is more efficiently and appropriately dyed.

[0056] The apparatus for manufacturing a dyed substrate may further include a substrate placing apparatus that places the substrate at a predetermined position in a dyeing tray installed in the conveyance apparatus. The substrate moving apparatus may deliver the substrate on which the dye is printed by the printing apparatus from the printing position by the printing apparatus to the substrate placing apparatus. In this case, the dyed substrate on which the dye is printed by the printing apparatus is automatically conveyed in order by the substrate moving apparatus, the substrate placing apparatus, and the conveyance apparatus. Therefore, the burden on the work performed by the operator is further reduced.

[0057] Note that the substrate placing apparatus and the substrate moving apparatus may be an integral apparatus. That is, one apparatus may have both a function of moving the substrate from the printing position to the conveyance apparatus side and a function of placing the moved substrate on a dyeing tray in the conveyance apparatus.

[0058] The printing apparatus may include a carriage that moves a head for discharging a dye in a main scanning direction with respect to the substrate. The substrate moving apparatus may also serve as a sub-scanning apparatus that moves the substrate in a sub-scanning direction intersecting the main scanning direction during printing of the dye by the printing apparatus. In this case, during printing, sub-scanning and movement of the substrate from the printing position to the conveyance apparatus side are both appropriately performed while suppressing complication of the apparatus configuration. Also, compared with the case where a sub-scanning apparatus is provided separately from the substrate moving apparatus, it is also easy to reduce the space for installing the apparatus.

[0059] The printing device may be operated by an operator to input an operation instruction and may include an operation unit facing the front side of the device. The operation unit may be arranged in a state where the operator can operate it from the front side of the printing device. An operation instruction for performing maintenance of the printing device may be input to the operation unit facing the front side. The operation unit facing the front side may be an operation panel capable of inputting a plurality of types of operation instructions (for example, an operation panel provided with a plurality of buttons, or a touch panel, etc.). The conveying device may be installed on the side opposite to the front side of the printing device (that is, the back side). In this case, the substrate moving device moves the substrate printed with the dye to the back side of the printing device. The operator needs to perform maintenance of the printing device from the front side where the operation unit faces. Therefore, by arranging the conveying device on the back side of the printing device, the operator can easily perform maintenance of the printing device from the front side of the printing device. That is, when the operator performs maintenance of the printing device, the conveying device and the like do not interfere with the operator. Also, since it is not necessary to form a space for the operator to perform maintenance in the vicinity of the conveying device, it is easy to reduce the space for installing the device. In order to secure a space for performing maintenance, there is no need to detour the conveying path of the conveying device, etc., so an increase in the conveying path length is also suppressed.

[0060] Note that the above-described operation unit only needs to face the front side so that it can be operated by the operator from the front side. Therefore, the position where the operation unit is provided may be arranged on the front surface of the housing of the printing device. Also, the operation unit may be arranged facing the front side on a surface different from the front side (for example, the upper surface of the housing, etc.).

[0061] The substrate moving device may include a substrate support portion and a suction hole. The substrate support portion has a support surface on which the substrate is placed. The suction hole is formed in the support surface of the substrate support portion. By sucking gas from the suction hole, the substrate may be adsorbed to the support surface of the substrate support portion. In this case, the substrate moving device can appropriately support the substrate on the substrate support portion by suppressing the occurrence of damage and deformation of the substrate by using gas suction.

[0062] Note that the substrate moving device may further include a moving drive unit (such as a slider) that moves the substrate support portion at least in a one-dimensional direction. In this case, the substrate moving device can appropriately move the substrate by moving the substrate support portion that supports the substrate by the moving drive unit. That is, unlike the case of moving the substrate by a pinch roller or the like, the substrate is appropriately moved in a state where bending and bending of the substrate are suppressed.

[0063] However, it is also possible to change the configuration of the substrate moving device. For example, the substrate moving device may move the substrate from the printing position to the transport device side by at least any one of a pinch roller and a robot arm.

[0064] A plurality of suction holes may be provided at least along the outer peripheral portion of the support surface of the substrate support portion. In this case, the substrate is likely to be adsorbed to the entire support surface of the substrate support portion. Therefore, the possibility of damage and deformation of the substrate is further reduced.

[0065] The substrate may include a metal layer (for example, an aluminum foil). The substrate may have flexibility. The thickness of the substrate may be 1 μm to 1000 μm. When moving a substrate including a metal layer by a pinch roller, the substrate may be bent by the stress of the force applied from the pinch roller to the substrate. On the other hand, by moving the substrate support portion in a state where the substrate is adsorbed to the support surface of the substrate support portion, bending of the substrate is appropriately suppressed. Note that the substrate may be formed by laminating a dye holding layer (for example, a layer of a hydrophilic polymer film) that enhances the holding force of the printed dye on the metal layer. In this case, the dye printed on the substrate is likely to be appropriately held.

[0066] Also, the dyeing system of the present disclosure can be expressed as follows. A dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus that manufactures a dye-attached substrate, which is a substrate to which a dye transferred to a resin body adheres and is used in a dyeing process for dyeing the resin body, a transfer apparatus that transfers the dye of the dye-attached substrate manufactured by the dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus to the resin body, and a dye fixing apparatus that fixes the dye attached to the surface of the resin body to the resin body by heating the resin body to which the dye has been transferred by the transfer apparatus. The dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus includes a printing apparatus that prints a dye on a substrate, a conveying apparatus that conveys a dyeing tray on which the resin body is placed, and a substrate moving apparatus that moves the substrate on which the dye has been printed by the printing apparatus from the printing position by the printing apparatus to the conveying apparatus side. A dyeing system characterized by comprising the above.

[0067] <Embodiment> Hereinafter, one of the typical embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The dyeing system 1 automatically and continuously dyes the resin body. In this embodiment, the resin body to be dyed is a plastic lens L (see FIG. 2 etc.) used for glasses. However, at least a part of the technology exemplified in the present disclosure can also be applied when dyeing resin bodies other than the lens L. For example, when dyeing various resin bodies such as goggles, covers for mobile phones, covers for lights, accessories, toys, films (for example, with a thickness of 400 μm or less), plate materials (for example, with a thickness of 400 μm or more), etc., at least a part of the technology exemplified in the present disclosure can also be applied. The resin body to be dyed includes a resin body added to a member different from the resin body (for example, wood or glass, etc.). Further, the dyeing system 1 of this embodiment dyes while continuously conveying a plurality of resin bodies. However, at least a part of the technology exemplified in the present disclosure can also be adopted for a dyeing system that conveys and dyes resin bodies one set at a time.

[0068] (System Configuration) Referring to FIG. 1, the system configuration of the dyeing system 1 of the present embodiment will be schematically described. The dyeing system 1 of the present embodiment includes a transport device 10, a pre-preparation unit 20, a substrate manufacturing device 30 with dye application, a transfer device 40, a dye fixing device 50, a coating device 60, and a control device 70.

[0069] The transport device 10 transports a dyeing tray 80 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) on which a lens L made of a resin body is placed to each device in the dyeing system 1. Specifically, the transport device 10 of the present embodiment continuously transports a plurality of dyeing trays 80 within the dyeing system 1. The transport device 10 of the present embodiment transports the dyeing tray 80 in the order of the pre-preparation unit 20, the substrate manufacturing device 30 with dye application, the transfer device 40, the dye fixing device 50, and the coating device 60 (that is, from left to right in FIG. 1).

[0070] The pre-preparation unit 20 performs preparations before actually performing the transfer and fixing of the dye to the lens L. Specifically, the pre-preparation unit 20 of the present embodiment includes an optical property measuring device 21 and a rotating device 22.

[0071] The optical property measuring device 21 includes a measurement optical system for measuring the optical properties of the lens L. The optical property measuring device 21 projects a measurement light beam onto the lens L and receives the measurement light beam that has passed through the lens L, thereby reading the optical properties of the lens L (for example, spherical power, astigmatic power, astigmatic axis angle, prism power, etc.). By measuring the astigmatic axis angle of the lens L, the angle in the rotation direction of the lens L is determined. Since a known configuration can be adopted for the optical property measuring device 21, a detailed description thereof will be omitted (the configuration of the optical property measuring device 21 is described, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-107910).

[0072] The rotation device 22 includes a support portion that supports the lens L and an actuator (such as a motor, etc.) that rotates the lens L supported by the support portion. The rotation device 22 defines the rotation direction of the lens L by rotating the lens L. The rotation device 22 of the present embodiment defines the rotation direction of the lens L in the target direction by rotating the lens L based on the angle of the rotation direction of the lens L measured by the optical property measurement device 21. The staining system 1 of the present embodiment is a case where gradient staining is executed, and when the lens L is not in a target shape centered on the geometric central axis, the lens L is rotated to align the angle of the lens L with respect to the angle of the ink (dye) printed on the substrate S.

[0073] The dyed substrate manufacturing device 30 manufactures a dyed substrate used in the staining process of dyeing a resin body (lens L). The dyed substrate includes a sheet-shaped substrate S (see FIG. 4) and a dye adhering to one surface of the substrate S. In the present embodiment, the substrate S has a metal layer (an aluminum foil layer in the present embodiment) and is flexible. Specifically, the substrate S is formed by laminating a dye holding layer (a layer of a hydrophilic polymer film in the present embodiment) for enhancing the holding power of the printed dye on the metal layer. Therefore, the dye printed on the substrate S is easily held appropriately. Note that the thickness of the substrate S in the present embodiment is 1 μm to 1000 μm. However, other materials such as paper, glass plate, heat-resistant resin, and ceramic can also be used as the material of the substrate S.

[0074] The dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus 30 of the present embodiment includes a printing apparatus 100 (see FIG. 4). The printing apparatus 100 manufactures a dye-attached substrate by printing ink containing a dye on the substrate S. In the dyeing system 1 of the present embodiment, in order to appropriately transfer the dye to the lens L while preventing aggregation of the dye, etc., in a state where the substrate S and the lens L are separated and opposed to each other in a vacuum (including a substantially vacuum) environment, the dye on the substrate S is heated, so that the dye is transferred (vapor-deposited) onto the surface of the lens L (the dyeing method in the present embodiment is referred to as a vapor-phase transfer dyeing method). Therefore, an inkjet printer that prints ink containing a sublimable dye on the substrate S is used for the printing apparatus 100. Further, the printing apparatus 100 can also print normal ink that does not contain a sublimable dye on the substrate S. The printing apparatus 100 executes printing based on print data created by a control apparatus 70 that is an information processing apparatus (a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as "PC") in the present embodiment). As a result, an appropriate amount of ink (dye) adheres to an appropriate position on the substrate S. It is also easy to create a dye-attached substrate S for performing gradation dyeing.

[0075] Note that it is also possible to change the configuration of the printing apparatus 100. For example, the printing apparatus may be a laser printer. In this case, the toner may contain a sublimable dye. Further, instead of the printing apparatus 100, a dispenser (liquid metering applicator), a roller, or the like may be used to attach the dye to the substrate S. Details of the dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus 30 will be described later.

[0076] The transfer apparatus 40 transfers the dye attached to the substrate S to the lens L in a state where the dye is opposed to the lens L. As described above, in the present embodiment, the dye is transferred from the substrate S to the lens L by the vapor-phase transfer method. However, it is also possible to change the method of transferring the dye to the lens L. For example, the dye may be transferred from the substrate S to the lens L in a state where the dye on the substrate S is in contact with the lens L.

[0077] The dye fixing device 50 fixes the dye adhering to the surface of the lens L to the resin body by heating the lens L to which the dye has been transferred by the transfer device 40. The dye fixing device 50 of the present embodiment heats the lens L by irradiating the lens L with laser light, which is an electromagnetic wave. However, a device that irradiates the lens L with an electromagnetic wave other than laser light (for example, an oven or the like) may be used as the dye fixing device.

[0078] The coating device 60 coats the surface of the lens L on which the dye has been fixed by the dye fixing device 50. A specific method for the coating device 60 to coat the lens L can be appropriately selected. For example, at least one of a spray method, an inkjet method, a spin method, a dip method, etc. may be adopted as the coating method. The type of coating may also be appropriately selected from many types (for example, a hard coat, an antireflection coat, a water repellent coat, a primer coat, etc.).

[0079] The control device 70 is in charge of various controls in the dyeing system 1. As the control device 70, various information processing devices (for example, at least one of a PC, a server, and a mobile terminal, etc.) can be used. The control device 70 includes a controller (for example, a CPU, etc.) 71 that is in charge of control and a database 72 that stores various data. Note that the configuration of the control device 70 can also be changed. First, a plurality of devices may cooperate to function as the control device 70. For example, a control device that is in charge of various controls in the dyeing system 1 and a control device provided with the database 72 may be different devices. Also, the controllers of a plurality of devices may cooperate to execute various controls in the dyeing system 1. For example, in many cases, at least one of the transport device 10, the optical property measuring device 21, the rotating device 22, the dye-coated substrate manufacturing device 30, the transfer device 40, the dye fixing device 50, and the coating device 60 is provided with a controller. In this case, the controller of the control device 70 and the controllers of other devices may cooperate to control the dyeing system 1.

[0080] (Tray for dyeing) Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the staining tray 80 used in the staining system 1 of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the staining tray 80 in a state where two lenses L are installed (placed) and the substrate S is not installed. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the staining tray 80 showing the mounting frame 89, the lens L, and the spacer 87 disassembled and mounted on one of the two mounting portions 82.

[0081] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the staining tray 80 of the present embodiment includes a tray body 81, a mounting frame 89, and a spacer 87. The tray body 81, the mounting frame 89, and the spacer 87 are all formed of a material capable of withstanding high temperatures and low pressures (substantially vacuum). The resin body to be stained (the lens L in the present embodiment) is placed on the mounting frame 89. The mounting frame 89 of the present embodiment is formed in a ring shape having an outer diameter slightly larger than that of the lens L. The spacer 87 extends upward in a cylindrical shape (cylindrical shape) from the outer peripheral portion of the portion of the mounting frame 89 where the lens L is placed. A mounting portion 82 is formed on the tray body 81. The mounting frame 89 and the spacer 87 are detachably mounted on the mounting portion 82. In the present embodiment, two mounting portions 82 are formed on one tray body 81. Therefore, a pair (left and right) of lenses L used for one pair of glasses are stained in a state of being placed on one staining tray 80.

[0082] A substrate mounting portion 85 is formed on the outer side of the tray body 81 above the mounting portion 82, on which a sheet-like substrate S (see FIG. 4) to which sublimable dye adheres is placed. By placing the substrate S on the substrate mounting portion 85, the sublimable dye attached to the substrate S faces the lens L placed on the mounting frame 89.

[0083] The spacer 87, which is cylindrical, forms a space between the substrate S placed on the substrate placement portion 85 and the lens L placed on the placement frame 89. Therefore, the sublimable dye is appropriately transferred from the substrate S to the lens L through the space formed by the spacer 87. When the placement frame 89 and the spacer 87 are attached to the attachment portion 82, the upper end portion of the spacer 87 protrudes above the placement surface of the substrate placement portion 85. Therefore, the substrate S placed on the substrate placement portion 85 and the upper end portion of the spacer 87 are likely to be in close contact with each other, making it difficult for the sublimated dye to leak to the outside.

[0084] In the tray body 81, at a position outside the attachment portion 82 (specifically, outside the substrate placement portion 85), a protrusion 84 is provided that protrudes above the placement surface of the substrate placement portion 85 on which the substrate S is placed.

[0085] The shape of the substrate S in this embodiment is a rectangular sheet shape that covers both attachment portions 82. In this embodiment, a plurality (eight) of protrusions 84 are formed at positions along the outer periphery of the substrate S in a state where it is placed at an appropriate position on the dyeing tray 80 (that is, in a state where it is appropriately placed on the substrate placement portion 85). Therefore, by placing the substrate S in the region (substrate placement portion 85) surrounded by the plurality of protrusions 84, the substrate S is appropriately positioned with respect to the lens L. Also, the possibility that the position of the placed substrate S will shift with respect to the lens L is reduced. That is, at least a part (in this embodiment, all) of the plurality of protrusions 84 in this embodiment functions as a positioning portion for positioning the substrate S with respect to the lens L.

[0086] Also, at least a part (in this embodiment, all) of the plurality of protrusions 84 in the dyeing tray 80 fits into a placement positioning portion 413 (see FIG. 11) formed in a substrate holding portion 410 of a substrate placement device 400 described later. As a result, the relative position of the substrate holding portion 410 with respect to the dyeing tray 80 is fixed at a predetermined position. That is, the protrusion 84 in this embodiment functions as a tray fitting portion that fits into the placement positioning portion 413 of the substrate holding portion 410. Details of this will be described later.

[0087] Incidentally, when providing a plurality of protrusions 84 on the tray body 81, it goes without saying that the number of the protrusions 84 is not limited to eight. Also, it is possible to change the shape of the protrusions 84. For example, the protrusion may be a rib-shaped member extending upward from a position along the outer periphery of the substrate S.

[0088] (Substrate Dyeing Apparatus) With reference to FIGS. 4 to 12, the substrate dyeing apparatus 30 of the present embodiment will be described. In the following description, the upper right side of the paper surface in FIG. 4 is defined as the front side of the substrate dyeing apparatus 30, and the lower left side of the paper surface is defined as the back side of the substrate dyeing apparatus 30. The lower right side of the paper surface in FIG. 4 is defined as the left side of the substrate dyeing apparatus 30, and the upper left side of the paper surface is defined as the right side of the substrate dyeing apparatus 30. Note that FIGS. 4, 8, 9, and 10 are perspective views of the respective apparatuses as viewed from the left rear diagonally. On the other hand, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the apparatus as viewed from the left front diagonally. Also, FIGS. 11 and 12 are perspective views of the apparatus as viewed from the right front diagonally (in the direction of arrow F in FIG. 4).

[0089] As shown in FIG. 4, the substrate dyeing apparatus 30 of the present embodiment includes a printing apparatus 100, a substrate transfer apparatus 200, a substrate moving apparatus 300 (see FIGS. 9 and 10), and a substrate placing apparatus 400. Since the substrate moving apparatus 300 is in a state of moving inside the printing apparatus 100 in FIG. 4, it does not appear in FIG. 4. The substrate moving apparatus 300 is disposed closer to the printing apparatus 100 side than the substrate transfer apparatus 200. Each of the printing apparatus 100, the substrate transfer apparatus 200, the substrate moving apparatus 300, and the substrate placing apparatus 400 is assembled to a housing 31. Also, a conveying apparatus 10 is assembled to the housing 31.

[0090] The printing device 100 prints ink containing a dye on a sheet-like substrate S. The substrate delivery device 200 delivers the substrate S without ink printed thereon from the substrate stock unit 210 that stocks the substrate S to the substrate transfer device 300 (see FIGS. 9 and 10). The substrate transfer device 300 moves the substrate S (substrate with dye) printed with ink by the printing device 100 from the printing position by the printing device 100 to the conveyance device 10 side. Further, the substrate delivery device 200 delivers the substrate S printed with ink from the substrate transfer device 300 to the substrate placement device 400. The substrate placement device 400 places the substrate S at a predetermined position (substrate placement portion 85) of the lens L in the dyeing tray 80 in a state where the printed dye (ink) faces the lens L (see FIGS. 2 and 3) placed on the dyeing tray 80. Hereinafter, the details of each part will be described.

[0091] (Conveyance device) Referring to FIG. 4, the conveyance device 10 will be described. The conveyance device 10 includes a pair of rails 11 extending in the conveyance direction. In the vicinity of the rails 11, a rotating belt 12 arranged along the rails 11 is provided. The rotating belt 12 is connected to a conveyance motor (for example, a step motor) 13. When the conveyance motor 13 is driven, the rotating belt 12 rotates. When the rotating belt 12 rotates, the dyeing tray 80 moves in the conveyance direction along the rails 11.

[0092] The conveying device 10 includes a plurality of tray positioning parts 14. The tray positioning parts 14 are provided at predetermined positions on the conveying path between a pair of rails 11. When the tray positioning parts 14 move upward by a vertical movement actuator (not shown), the tray positioning parts 14 come into contact with the dyeing tray 80 that has been conveyed along the conveying path, and the conveyance of the dyeing tray 80 stops at a predetermined location. Therefore, the conveying device 10 of the present embodiment can accurately stop the dyeing tray at a predetermined position on the conveying path. Further, sensors (not shown) for detecting the presence or absence of the dyeing tray 80 are provided at a plurality of positions on the rails 11. The control device 70 can detect the position of the dyeing tray 80 being conveyed by the conveying device 10 based on the detection results of each of the plurality of sensors.

[0093] The conveying device 10 of the present embodiment conveys the dyeing tray 80 from the upper left side to the lower right side in FIG. 4. Among the conveying paths of the conveying device 10, a transfer device 40, a dye fixing device 50, etc. (see FIG. 1) are arranged on the downstream side (lower right side in FIG. 4) of the conveying path shown in FIG. 4. The dye-attached substrate manufacturing device 30 places the substrate (dye-attached substrate) S printed with ink by the printing device 100 on the dyeing tray 80 by the substrate placing device 400. Thereafter, the dyeing tray 80 is conveyed to the transfer device 40 by the conveying device 10. The positional relationship between the printing device 100 and the conveying device 10 will be described later.

[0094] (Printing device) With reference to FIGS. 4 to 7, the printing device 100 will be described. The printing device 100 of the present embodiment is an inkjet printer capable of printing ink containing a dye (specifically, a sublimable dye) on the substrate S. As shown in FIG. 4, the printing device 100 includes an inkjet head 110, a carriage 120, an operation unit 130, and a cartridge mounting unit 140. Further, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the printing device 100 includes an ink stirring unit 150.

[0095] As shown in FIG. 4, the inkjet head 110 is provided inside the printing apparatus 100. The inkjet head 110 discharges ink. Specifically, the inkjet head 110 is provided with a plurality (eight in this embodiment) of ink discharge portions. Each ink discharge portion discharges the ink supplied from each of a plurality (eight in this embodiment) of cartridges 141 (see FIGS. 5 to 7) attached to the cartridge attachment portion 140 downward toward the substrate S.

[0096] The carriage 120 moves the inkjet head 110 in the main scanning direction MD with respect to the substrate S. The control unit (the controller 71 in this embodiment) of the dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus 30 controls the driving of a main scanning motor (not shown) provided in the carriage 120 to move the inkjet head 110 in the main scanning direction MD. Note that the controller 71 controls the relative main scanning and sub-scanning of the substrate S and the inkjet head 110, and controls the discharge of ink from the inkjet head 110 to print ink on a two-dimensional area of the substrate S. The method of sub-scanning in this embodiment will be described later.

[0097] The operation unit 130 is installed facing the front side (the upper right side in FIG. 4) of the printing apparatus. In other words, the operation unit 130 is arranged in a state where an operator can operate it from the front side of the printing apparatus 100. The operation unit 130 is operated by an operator during maintenance of the printing apparatus 100. That is, an operation instruction for performing maintenance is input to the operation unit 130 facing the front side. The operation unit 130 of this embodiment is an operation panel capable of inputting a plurality of types of operation instructions, and includes, for example, at least one of a plurality of buttons and a touch panel. When the operation unit 130 is operated by an operator, various operation instructions are input to the printing apparatus 100. Therefore, when performing maintenance on the printing apparatus 100 or the like, the operator operates the operation unit 130 from the front side of the printing apparatus 100. Note that the operation unit 130 of this embodiment is installed on the front surface of the housing of the printing apparatus 100. However, the operation unit may be installed on a surface different from the front surface of the housing (for example, the upper surface or the like) so as to face the front.

[0098] Here, the transport device 10 for transporting the dyeing tray 80 is installed on the side opposite to the front side of the printing device 100 (that is, the back side of the printing device 100). Therefore, unlike the case where the transport device 10 is installed on the front side of the printing device 100 (that is, the side where the operation unit 130 faces), when an operator operates the operation unit 130, the transport device 10 is less likely to interfere with the operation. Thus, the operator can easily perform maintenance and the like of the printing device 100 from the front side of the printing device 100. Also, since there is no need to form a space for the operator to perform maintenance in the vicinity of the transport device 10, it is easy to reduce the space for installing the device. In order to secure a space for performing maintenance, there is no need to detour the transport path of the transport device 10, etc., so the lengthening of the transport path is also suppressed.

[0099] With reference to FIGS. 5 to 7, the cartridge mounting portion 140 of the present embodiment will be described in detail. The cartridge mounting portion 140 mounts a cartridge 141 including ink supplied to the inkjet head 110. The cartridge 141 of the present embodiment is configured by arranging a bag (aluminum pouch) filled with ink inside a housing having appropriate rigidity. As shown in FIG. 5, the cartridge mounting portion 140 includes a plurality (eight in the present embodiment) of insertion portions 143 and linear guides 145. Each insertion portion 143 has a cartridge 141 inserted therein. That is, the cartridge mounting portion 140 of the present embodiment can mount a plurality of cartridges 141. In the present embodiment, the cartridge 141 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 140 by inserting the cartridge 141 inside the tubular insertion portion 143. Also, a guide piece 144 having a guide hole through which the linear guide 145 is inserted is fixed to the insertion portion 143.

[0100] The linear guide 145 restricts (guides) the moving direction of the insertion part 143 into which the cartridge 141 is inserted to a one-dimensional direction. Specifically, the linear guide 145 of the present embodiment restricts the moving direction of the insertion part 143 to the vertical direction (up and down direction) in the usage state (the state shown in FIG. 6) when ink is printed by the printing apparatus 100. In the present embodiment, in the usage state, the guide hole of the guide piece 144 fixed to the insertion part 143 is inserted into the linear guide 145 extending in the vertical direction, whereby the moving direction of the insertion part 143 (cartridge 141) is restricted to the vertical direction.

[0101] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the cartridge mounting part 140 includes a plurality (eight in the present embodiment) of weight sensors 147. Each weight sensor 147 detects the weight of each of the plurality of cartridges 141 mounted on the cartridge mounting part 140 during the usage state. As shown in FIG. 6, each of the plurality of weight sensors 147 in the present embodiment is provided at a position that contacts the bottom of the insertion part 143 during the usage state. Therefore, during the usage state, the total value of the weight of the insertion part 143 and the weight of the cartridge 141 mounted on the insertion part 143 is detected by the weight sensor 147.

[0102] In the present embodiment, the weight obtained by subtracting the weight of the insertion part 143 and the weight of the housing of the cartridge 141 from the weight detected by the weight sensor 147 approximates the weight of the ink remaining inside the housing of the cartridge 141. Therefore, the controller 71 can generate ink remaining amount information regarding the remaining amount of ink in the cartridge 141 based on the weight detected by the weight sensor 147 during the usage state. For example, the dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus 30 may store, in the database 72, as an offset value, the weight detected by the weight sensor 147 in a state where the cartridge 141 in a state where the ink is completely empty is mounted on the insertion part 143. The controller 71 may generate the ink remaining amount information based on the weight detected by the weight sensor 147 and the offset value.

[0103] As described above, the movable direction of the insertion portion 143 in the use state is restricted in the vertical direction by the linear guide 145. As a result, the detection accuracy of the weight of the cartridge 141 by the weight sensor 147 (specifically, the total weight of the cartridge 141 and the insertion portion 143) is improved.

[0104] Further, in the present embodiment, each insertion portion 143 is provided with a needle, a tube, and a solenoid valve. When the cartridge 141 is attached to the insertion portion 143, the needle penetrates the rubber stopper of the aluminum pouch in the cartridge 141. As a result, the ink in the cartridge 141 is supplied to the inkjet head 110 via the needle and the tube. Further, the solenoid valve can control the flow of the ink in the tube by switching between compressing and releasing the tube. For example, when the cartridge 141 is replaced, the controller 71 can reduce the possibility of air being mixed into the tube by stopping the flow of the ink in the tube by the solenoid valve.

[0105] With reference to FIGS. 5 to 7, the ink stirring unit 150 of the present embodiment will be described. The ink stirring unit 150 stirs the ink in the cartridge 141 in a state where the cartridge 141 is attached to the cartridge attachment portion 140. Therefore, even if an operator does not manually stir the ink, the ink in the cartridge 141 is automatically stirred by the ink stirring unit 150 and supplied to the inkjet head 110. Therefore, regardless of the property that the concentration of the ink containing the dye is likely to vary, the ink is appropriately printed on the substrate S.

[0106] The ink stirring unit 150 of the present embodiment inclines the cartridge 141 attached to the cartridge attachment portion 140 from the use state (the state shown in FIG. 6) when printing (that is, when supplying ink to the inkjet head 110) to the inclined state (the state shown in FIG. 7). Thereafter, the ink stirring unit 150 returns the cartridge 141 from the inclined state to the use state. As a result, the ink in the cartridge 141 is appropriately stirred without inserting any member into the inside of the cartridge 141.

[0107] Specifically, the ink stirring unit 150 includes an actuator (a solenoid in this embodiment) 151 and a rotation support unit 152. The rotation support unit 152 rotatably supports a cartridge mounting unit 140 having a plurality of insertion parts 143 around a rotation axis 153. An operating part of the actuator 151 (the operating shaft of the solenoid in this embodiment) is connected to a position offset from the rotation axis 153 in the rotation support unit 152 (below the rotation axis 153 in FIG. 6 in this embodiment). Therefore, when the actuator 151 operates, the cartridge 141 mounted on the cartridge mounting unit 140 rotates around the rotation axis 153 between a use position (see FIG. 6) when printing is performed and an inclined position (see FIG. 7) when the ink is stirred. Specifically, when the actuator 151 pushes out the operating shaft, the cartridge 141 is in a use state (see FIG. 6), and when the actuator 151 pulls in the operating shaft, the cartridge 141 is in an inclined state (see FIG. 7). Therefore, the ink in the cartridge 141 is appropriately stirred.

[0108] As described above, the cartridge mounting unit 140 can mount a plurality of cartridges 141. The ink stirring unit 150 can stir the ink in the plurality of cartridges 141 simultaneously by operating one actuator 151 to incline the entire cartridge mounting unit 140 on which the plurality of cartridges 141 are mounted. Therefore, the ink in the plurality of cartridges 141 is stirred more efficiently.

[0109] The controller 71 (the control unit of the dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus 30 in this embodiment) causes the ink stirring unit 150 to stir the ink in the cartridge 141 after the printing apparatus 100 is powered on and before printing is performed by the printing apparatus 100. In other words, the controller 71 of this embodiment stirs the ink when the printing apparatus 100 is powered on. Therefore, after the ink in the cartridge 141 in which the dye concentration has become non-uniform during the power-off of the printing apparatus 100 is automatically stirred by the ink stirring unit 150, printing by the printing apparatus 100 is executed.

[0110] Further, when the time elapsed since the ink was last agitated is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, the controller 71 causes the ink agitation unit 150 to agitate the ink in the cartridge 141. Therefore, since the ink in the cartridge 141 is agitated regularly, the lens L is appropriately dyed. Note that the controller 71 periodically agitates the ink every time the time elapsed since the ink was last agitated reaches the predetermined time. However, the controller 71 may agitate the ink when the time elapsed since the ink was last agitated is equal to or longer than the predetermined time and an instruction to start printing on the printing apparatus 100 is input.

[0111] Also, the controller 71 agitates the ink in the cartridge 141 while the printing apparatus 100 is not performing printing. Therefore, during printing, the ink that has already been agitated is supplied to the inkjet head 110, so the dyeing quality is improved. Also, problems such as ink clogging are less likely to occur.

[0112] The controller 71 controls the agitation operation of the ink in the cartridge 141 by the ink agitation unit 150 based on the weight of the cartridge 141 detected by the weight sensor 147. Therefore, an appropriate agitation operation according to the weight of the ink remaining in the cartridge 141 is performed. For example, the controller 71 may change the interval of the time for which the ink is agitated by the ink agitation unit 150 based on the weight detected by the weight sensor 147. Also, the controller 71 may change the number of times the ink is agitated by the ink agitation unit 150 or the like based on the weight detected by the weight sensor 147.

[0113] As described above, the controller 71 generates ink remaining amount information regarding the remaining amount of ink in the cartridge 141 based on the weight detected by the weight sensor 147. Therefore, information regarding the remaining amount of ink is generated with higher accuracy compared to the case where the remaining amount is estimated using the number of ink discharges. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the controller 71 notifies the operator of the information on the remaining amount of ink estimated based on the weight detected by the weight sensor 147 by display on a display unit (not shown) or by voice or the like. Further, when the remaining amount of ink estimated based on the weight detected by the weight sensor 147 becomes equal to or less than a first threshold value, the controller 71 executes an exchange recommendation operation for recommending to the operator the replacement of the cartridge 141. Furthermore, when the estimated remaining amount of ink becomes equal to or less than a second threshold value smaller than the first threshold value, the controller 71 executes a printing stop operation for stopping printing until the cartridge 141 is replaced. Note that the method of outputting the ink remaining amount information described in the present embodiment is merely an example. That is, it is of course possible to change the method of outputting the ink remaining amount information.

[0114] As shown in FIG. 7, in the ink stirring unit 150 of the present embodiment, the rotation angle θ of the cartridge 141 in an inclined state with respect to the cartridge 141 in a use state is set to 90 degrees or more. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the rotation angle θ is set to an angle greater than 90 degrees (for example, 93 degrees to 95 degrees). Therefore, while the cartridge 141 is in an inclined state, the weight applied from the cartridge 141 to the weight sensor 147 becomes zero. The controller 71 executes zero point adjustment of the weight sensor 147 while the cartridge 141 is in an inclined state (that is, in a state where the cartridge 141 is inclined by 90 degrees or more from the use state by the ink stirring unit 150). Therefore, the detection accuracy of the weight by the weight sensor 147 is appropriately improved.

[0115] (Substrate transfer device) Referring to FIG. 8, the substrate transfer device 200 will be described. As described above, the substrate transfer device 200 transfers the substrate S without ink printed thereon from the substrate stock unit 210 to the substrate moving device 300 (see FIGS. 9 and 10). Further, the substrate transfer device 200 transfers the substrate S with ink printed thereon from the substrate moving device 300 to the substrate placing device 400 (see FIGS. 11 and 12).

[0116] In the substrate stock unit 210, substrates S without ink printed thereon are stacked and stocked. In the present embodiment, a cassette 211 including a plurality of stacked substrates S is attached to the substrate stock unit 210 by an operator, so that the substrates S are stocked in the substrate stock unit 210.

[0117] Above the substrate stock unit 210, a distance measuring sensor 213 is provided. The distance measuring sensor 213 detects the position (height) of the uppermost substrate S among the substrates S stocked in the substrate stock unit 210. Further, the dye-coated substrate manufacturing apparatus 30 includes a lifting device 214. The lifting device 214 moves the substrate stock unit 210 up and down (vertically). In the present embodiment, the controller 71 controls the drive of the lifting device 214 so that the position (height) of the uppermost substrate S detected by the distance measuring sensor 213 becomes a predetermined position. Therefore, the substrate transfer device 200 can stably receive the uppermost substrate S of the substrate stock unit 210.

[0118] The substrate transfer device 200 includes a suction holding unit 220, a first slider 230, a second slider 240, and a lifting device 250. The suction holding unit 220 holds the substrate S by utilizing suction of gas. In the present embodiment, the main body of the suction holding unit 220 is a plate-like member in which a plurality of circular holes are formed. The suction holding unit 220 includes a plurality of suction ports 221. The plurality of suction ports 221 face downward from the main body of the suction holding unit 220 and are connected to an ejector (not shown) that sucks gas. The ejector generates negative pressure by utilizing the Venturi effect. Note that a pump or the like may be used instead of the ejector. The first slider 230 moves the suction holding unit 220 in a first direction (in the present embodiment, the left-right direction in the dyed substrate manufacturing apparatus 30). The second slider 240 moves the suction holding unit 220 in a direction that horizontally intersects the first direction (in the present embodiment, the front-rear direction in the dyed substrate manufacturing apparatus 30). Further, the lifting device 250 moves the suction holding unit 220 up and down (vertically).

[0119] The controller 71 controls the driving of the first slider 230 and the second slider 240, and in a state where the suction holding unit 220 is positioned above the substrate stock unit 210, the lifting device 250 lowers the suction holding unit 220 by a predetermined distance. As a result, the plurality of suction ports 221 in the suction holding unit 220 come into contact with the uppermost substrate S in the substrate stock unit 210. Next, the controller 71 causes the ejector (not shown) to suck gas from the suction ports 221, thereby causing the suction holding unit 220 to hold the substrate S. Next, the controller 71 controls the driving of the first slider 230, the second slider 240, and the lifting device 250 to move the substrate S to a predetermined position of the substrate transfer device 300 (see FIGS. 9 and 10). Specifically, the suction holding unit 220 is disposed at a position higher than the substrate support portion 330 of the substrate transfer device 300. The controller 71 moves the suction holding unit 220 holding the substrate S above (vertically above) the substrate support portion 330 of the substrate transfer device 300. Thereafter, the controller 71 releases the suction of gas from the suction ports 221 to transfer the substrate S to the substrate support portion 330 of the substrate transfer device 300.

[0120] Further, the controller 71 controls the driving of the first slider 230 and the second slider 240, and in a state where the suction holding portion 220 is positioned above the base support portion 330 (see FIGS. 9 and 10), the suction holding portion 220 is lowered by a predetermined distance by the elevating device 250. As a result, the plurality of suction ports 221 in the suction holding portion 220 come into contact with the base S on the base support portion 330. Next, the controller 71 causes the ejector (not shown) to suck gas from the suction ports 221, thereby causing the suction holding portion 220 to hold the base S. Next, the controller 71 controls the driving of the first slider 230, the second slider 240, and the elevating device 250 to move the suction holding portion 220 holding the base S above the base holding portion 410 of the base placing device 400. Thereafter, the controller 71 releases the suction of the gas from the suction ports 221 to transfer the base S to the base placing device 400.

[0121] (Substrate Transfer Device) Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, the substrate transfer device 300 will be described. As shown in FIG. 9, the substrate transfer device 300 can move the substrate S from the position (printing position) where printing is performed by the inkjet head 110 (see FIG. 4) inside the printing device 100 to the side of the transfer device 10 (see FIG. 4) installed outside the printing device 100. As described above, the transfer device 10 of the present embodiment is disposed on the back side (lower left side of the paper surface in FIG. 9) of the printing device 100. Therefore, the substrate transfer device 300 moves the substrate S from the printing position inside the printing device 100 to the back side of the printing device 100.

[0122] As shown in FIG. 10, the substrate moving device 300 of the present embodiment includes a base portion 310, a vibration absorber 320, a substrate support portion 330, and a slider 340. The base portion 310 is a plate-shaped member that serves as a base for supporting the entire substrate moving device 300 including the substrate support portion 330. The base portion 310 is fixed to the printing device 100 (see FIG. 4) via a vibration absorber (for example, seismic rubber, etc.) 320. The vibration absorber 320 absorbs vibrations. In the present embodiment, the vibration absorbers 320 are installed at a plurality of locations such that the center of gravity positions of the plurality of vibration absorbers 320 and the center of gravity position of the printing device 100 coincide in a plan view.

[0123] The substrate support portion 330 supports the substrate S from below. In the substrate moving device 300 of the present embodiment, two substrate support portions 330 are provided side by side in the left-right direction (the direction along the main scanning direction MD of the printing device 100). However, the number of substrate support portions 330 provided in the substrate moving device 300 may be one or three or more.

[0124] The substrate support portion 330 of the present embodiment includes a support surface 331, a suction hole 332, and a pump connection portion 333. The substrate S is placed on the support surface 331. The support surface 331 of the present embodiment is a flat surface arranged horizontally. Also, the support surface 331 of the present embodiment is formed in a shape slightly larger than the shape of the rectangular substrate S. Therefore, the sheet-shaped substrate S is difficult to separate from the support surface 331. The suction hole 332 is formed in the support surface 331 of the substrate support portion 330. The suction hole 332 is connected to a pump (not shown) that sucks gas via the pump connection portion 333. The controller 71 can adsorb the substrate S to the support surface 331 of the substrate support portion 330 by controlling the drive of the pump to suck gas from the suction hole 332. Therefore, the substrate S is appropriately supported on the support surface 331 while suppressing the occurrence of damage and deformation of the substrate S.

[0125] Specifically, the suction holes 332 of the present embodiment are provided in a plurality (eight in the present embodiment) along at least the outer peripheral portion of the support surface 331 of the base support portion 330. As a result, the sheet-shaped base S is sucked by the suction holes 332 at a plurality of locations on the outer peripheral portion. Therefore, the base S is more appropriately supported by the base support portion 330.

[0126] Also, as described above, the base S of the present embodiment includes a metal layer and has flexibility. When moving the base S that includes a metal layer and has flexibility by a pinch roller, the base S may be bent due to the stress of the force applied from the pinch roller to the base S. In contrast, the base moving device 300 of the present embodiment can appropriately suppress the bending of the moving base S by moving the base support portion 330 with the base adsorbed on the support surface 331 of the base support portion 330.

[0127] The slider 340 moves the base support portion 330 in a one-dimensional direction. Specifically, the slider 340 of the present embodiment can move the base S supported by the base support portion 330 from the printing position to the conveyance device 10 side by moving the base support portion 330 in the front-rear direction in the dye-coated base manufacturing device 30.

[0128] Also, in the present embodiment, the front-rear direction in the dye-coated base manufacturing device 30 coincides with the sub-scanning direction SD of the printing device 100. The base moving device 300 of the present embodiment moves the base S in the sub-scanning direction SD that intersects (orthogonal in the present embodiment) the main scanning direction MD by the carriage 120 (see FIG. 4) during printing of ink by the printing device 100. That is, the base moving device 300 of the present embodiment also serves as a sub-scanning device that moves the base S in the sub-scanning direction SD during printing by the printing device 100. Therefore, during printing, the sub-scanning and the movement of the base S from the printing position are appropriately executed together by the base moving device 300 while suppressing the complication of the device configuration.

[0129] When the substrate moving device 300 moves the substrate S supported by the substrate support portion 330 to the side closest to the conveying device 10, the substrate S is adjacent to the substrate placing device 400 (see FIGS. 11 and 12). The substrate moving device 300 transfers the substrate S printed with ink to the substrate placing device 400 by moving the substrate S from the printing position toward the conveying device 10. Therefore, the substrate S printed with ink by the printing device 100 is automatically conveyed in order by the substrate moving device 300, the substrate placing device 400, and the conveying device 10. Thus, the burden on the operator is further reduced.

[0130] (Substrate placing device) Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, the substrate placing device 400 will be described. As described above, the substrate placing device 400 places the substrate S at a predetermined position of the lens L (see FIGS. 2 and 3) placed on the dyeing tray 80, in a state where the dye (ink) printed on the substrate S faces the lens L, at the substrate placing portion 85 above the lens L in the dyeing tray 80 in the present embodiment. Therefore, the substrate S is automatically and appropriately placed at an appropriate position on the dyeing tray 80 without the operator manually placing the substrate S on the dyeing tray 80. As described above, FIGS. 11 and 12 are views seen from the right front obliquely (the direction of arrow F in FIG. 4) of the device. The substrate placing device 400 of the present embodiment includes a substrate holding portion 410, an up-down reversing portion 430, and a heating portion 450.

[0131] The substrate holding portion 410 holds the substrate S in a state of contacting the back surface of the printing surface on which the dye (ink) is printed, among the pair of surfaces of the sheet-like substrate S. Therefore, compared with the case where one end portion of the substrate S is held, bending, bending, and breakage of the substrate S are less likely to occur. In the substrate placing device 400 of the present embodiment, two substrate holding portions 410 are provided side by side in the left-right direction (the direction along the main scanning direction MD of the printing device 100). However, the number of substrate holding portions 410 provided in the substrate placing device 400 may be one or three or more.

[0132] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 11, in the substrate holding portion 410, a ventilation portion 411 is formed at a position that contacts the back surface of the printing surface of the substrate S. The ventilation portion 411 allows gas to pass between it and an airflow control device (such as a pump, not shown) that can switch the suction and discharge of gas. In the present embodiment, the ventilation portion 411 formed on the surface of the substrate holding portion 410 (the contact surface that contacts the substrate S) is connected to the airflow control device through the internal flow path of the substrate holding portion 410.

[0133] Among the substrate holding portion 410, the contact surface that contacts the back surface of the substrate S is a flat surface. Therefore, the sheet-shaped substrate S is held in a state of contacting the flat contact surface of the substrate holding portion 410. As a result, the possibility of the substrate S being bent or folded is further reduced.

[0134] In the present embodiment, the ventilation portion 411 includes a groove portion formed on the contact surface of the substrate holding portion 410 that contacts the substrate S. The shape of the groove portion (annular) corresponds to the printing shape (circular in the present embodiment) of the dye printed on the printing surface of the substrate S by the printing apparatus 100. Therefore, by positioning the groove portion on the back surface of the dye printing region on the substrate S, the dye printing region is held more firmly by the substrate holding portion 410.

[0135] In other words, in the present embodiment, the ventilation portion 411 includes an annular groove portion formed on the contact surface of the substrate holding portion 410 that contacts the substrate S. Also, as described above, the resin body dyed by the dyeing system 1 of the present embodiment is a substantially disk-shaped lens (eyeglass lens) L. The ink containing the dye is printed circularly on the printing surface of the substrate S. The ventilation portion 411 including the annular groove portion is located on the back surface of the circularly printed dye on the substrate S. As a result, the circular portion where the dye is printed is held more firmly by the substrate holding portion 410. Therefore, the occurrence of bending or the like in the portion where the dye is printed is more appropriately suppressed.

[0136] Note that a plurality of circular groove portions provided in the ventilation portion 411 are formed concentrically. Therefore, the base body S is held by the base body holding portion 410 more firmly than in the case where there is one circular groove portion.

[0137] The up-down inversion portion 430 inverts the up and down of the base body holding portion 410 that holds the base body S. Specifically, the up-down inversion portion 430 of the present embodiment includes a rotation shaft 431 and actuators (air cylinders in the present embodiment) 432 and 433. The rotation shaft 431 is arranged in the horizontal direction and fixed to the base body holding portion 410. The operating portions of the actuators 432 and 433 (operating shafts of the air cylinders in the present embodiment) are connected to a part of the base body holding portion 410.

[0138] As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, when the actuators 432 and 433 operate, the base body holding portion 410 fixed to the rotation shaft 431 rotates 180 degrees around the rotation shaft 431. As a result, the up and down of the base body holding portion 410 is inverted. Further, when the base body holding portion 410 is rotated from the state shown in FIG. 11 to the state shown in FIG. 12 by the up-down inversion portion 430, the base body holding portion 410 moves above the dyeing tray 80 on the conveying device 10. That is, the up-down inversion portion 430 has both a function of inverting the base body S held by the base body holding portion 410 and a function of moving it above the dyeing tray 80.

[0139] As shown in FIG. 11, a placement positioning portion 413 is provided at a predetermined position of the base body holding portion 410. The placement positioning portion 413 of the present embodiment is a plurality of concave portions. When the up and down of the base body holding portion 410 is inverted by the up-down inversion portion 430, the plurality of placement positioning portions 413 provided in the base body holding portion 410 are fitted to the plurality of protrusions (tray fitting portions) 84 in the dyeing tray 80. As a result, the relative position of the base body holding portion 410 with respect to the dyeing tray 80 is fixed at a predetermined position. Therefore, the base body placement device 400 can place the base body S more accurately on the base body placement portion 85 of the dyeing tray 80.

[0140] The heating unit 450 dries the ink printed on the substrate S held by the substrate holding unit 410 by heating the substrate holding unit 410. Therefore, in addition to the function of placing the substrate S on the dyeing tray 80, the substrate placing device 400 also has the function of drying the ink printed on the substrate S. Specifically, the heating unit 450 is formed of a substance with high thermal conductivity and is arranged at a position adjacent to the substrate holding unit 410 (in this embodiment, at a position adjacent to the lower side of the substrate holding unit 410). The heating unit 450 is provided with a heater mounting portion 451 on which a heater (not shown) is mounted. When the heater mounted on the heater mounting portion 451 is driven, the heating unit 450 is heated. As a result, the substrate holding unit 410 adjacent to the heating unit 450 is heated.

[0141] As described above, the ventilation portion 411 including the annular groove portion is located on the back surface of the dye (ink) printed circularly on the substrate S. Therefore, among the substrate S, the circular portion where the ink is printed comes into contact with the substrate holding unit 410 more firmly. Thus, heat is more easily conducted from the substrate holding unit 410 to the ink, and the ink is dried more appropriately.

[0142] A radiant heat reflecting plate 453 is provided on the side surface and the bottom surface of the heating unit 450. A gap is provided between the radiant heat reflecting plate 453 and the heating unit 450. Further, the surface of the radiant heat reflecting plate 453 facing the heating unit 450 is formed in a mirror shape so as to easily reflect the radiant heat from the heating unit 450. Therefore, the radiant heat reflecting plate 453 appropriately suppresses the transmission of the radiant heat from the heating unit 450 to the side and the lower side of the heating unit 450.

[0143] The controller 71 holds the substrate S in the substrate holding part 410 by sucking gas from the ventilation part 411 by the airflow control device. Further, the controller 71 releases the suction of the gas from the ventilation part 411 by the airflow control device in a state where the substrate holding part 410 is inverted up and down by the vertical inversion part, and places the substrate S held by the substrate holding part 410 at a predetermined position on the dyeing tray 80. Therefore, the substrate placing device 400 can appropriately hold and place the substrate S while suppressing the occurrence of damage to the substrate S by using the suction of the gas.

[0144] Further, the controller 71 discharges the gas from the ventilation part 411 by the airflow control device in a state where the substrate holding part 410 is inverted up and down by the vertical inversion part, and places the substrate S held by the substrate holding part 410 at a predetermined position on the dyeing tray 80. Therefore, even if the substrate S is difficult to separate from the substrate holding part 410 due to the influence of static electricity or the like generated between the substrate holding part 410 and the substrate, the substrate S can be appropriately separated from the substrate holding part 410 by the gas discharged from the ventilation part 411.

[0145] The technology disclosed in the above embodiment is merely an example. Therefore, it is also possible to change the technology exemplified in the above embodiment. For example, only a part of the plurality of technologies exemplified in the above embodiment may be adopted.

Explanation of reference numerals

[0146] 1 Dyeing system 10 Conveying device 30 Substrate manufacturing device with dye 71 Controller 80 Dyeing tray 84 Protrusion 85 Substrate placing part 100 Printing device 110 Inkjet head 120 Carriage 130 Operation part 140 Cartridge mounting part 141 Cartridge 147 Weight sensor 150 Ink stirring section 153 Rotating shaft 200 Substrate transfer device 210 Substrate stock section 300 Substrate moving device 330 Substrate support section 331 Support surface 332 Suction hole 400 Substrate placement device 410 Substrate holding section 411 Ventilation section 413 Placement positioning section 430 Up-down inversion section 431 Rotating shaft

Claims

1. A dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a substrate with a dye attached thereto, which is used in a dyeing process for dyeing a resin body and on which the dye transferred to the resin body adheres, comprising: A printing device for printing a dye on a substrate; A transport device for transporting a dyeing tray on which the resin body is placed; A substrate moving device for moving the substrate printed with the dye by the printing device from the printing position by the printing device to the transport device side; and comprising: The substrate moving device includes: A substrate support portion for supporting the substrate; A moving drive portion for automatically moving the substrate from the printing position to the transport device side by moving the substrate support portion supporting the substrate; A dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus characterized by comprising.

2. The dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: A substrate placement device for placing the substrate at a predetermined position on the dyeing tray installed in the transport device; The substrate moving device is characterized in that the substrate printed with the dye by the printing device is delivered from the printing position by the printing device to the substrate placement device. A dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus.

3. The dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The printing device: Includes a carriage for moving a head for discharging the dye in a main scanning direction with respect to the substrate; The substrate moving device is characterized by also serving as a sub-scanning device for moving the substrate in a sub-scanning direction intersecting the main scanning direction during printing of the dye by the printing device. A dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus.

4. The dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The printing device: An operation unit that is operated by an operator to input an operation instruction and faces the front side of the apparatus is provided. The transfer device is installed on a side opposite to the front side of the printing device. A dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus characterized by this.

5. A dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, The substrate moving device, Among the substrate support portions, it includes suction holes formed on the support surface on which the substrate is placed. A dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus characterized in that the substrate is adsorbed on the support surface of the substrate support portion by sucking gas from the suction holes.

6. A dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, A transfer device that transfers the dye of the dye-attached substrate manufactured by the dye-attached substrate manufacturing apparatus to a resin body, A dye fixing device that fixes the dye attached to the surface of the resin body to the resin body by heating the resin body to which the dye has been transferred by the transfer device. A dyeing system characterized by including these.

Images