printer

Abstract

To inhibit movement of a printed matter, in which an outer peripheral shape of at least a part thereof is a columnar, in a main scanning direction.SOLUTION: A printer 10 includes: ink heads 34 each configured to discharge ink to a second printed matter 5B in which an outer peripheral shape of at least a part thereof is columnar; and a support member 70 for supporting the second printed matter 5B. The support member 70 includes: a storage case 71; a first shaft 72 extending in a main scanning direction Y; first support rollers 74 provided at the first shaft 72; a second shaft 76 extending in the main scanning direction Y; second support rollers 78 provided at the second shaft 76; a drive mechanism 80 which rotates the first shaft 72; grooves 71M provided on a front surface 71B of the storage case 71 and extending in the main scanning direction Y; and a pair of stoppers 90 which is provided so as to be movable in the main scanning direction Y along the groove 71M and contacts with both ends as seen in the main scanning direction Y of the second printed matter 5B to inhibit movement of the second printed matter 5B in the main scanning direction Y.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

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

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

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

[0004] In the inkjet printer described in Patent Document 1, when the shaft rotates with the cylindrical printing object supported by the rubber ring, there is a risk that the printing object may move in the axial direction (the direction in which the inkjet head moves, i.e., the main scanning direction). If the printing object moves in the axial direction, it may become impossible to eject ink from the inkjet head at the appropriate position on the printing object, and there is a risk that the quality of the image may deteriorate.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and its object is to provide a printer that can suppress movement in the main scanning direction of a printing medium having at least a portion of its outer periphery shaped like a cylinder. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A printer according to the present invention includes an ink head that ejects ink onto a printing substrate, at least a portion of which has a cylindrical outer periphery, and that is movable in a main scanning direction, and a support member that supports the printing substrate. The support member includes a storage case, a first shaft that is rotatably mounted in the storage case and extends in the main scanning direction, a plurality of first support rollers that are mounted on the first shaft and rotatably support the printing substrate, a second shaft that is mounted in the storage case and extends in the main scanning direction and is positioned a predetermined distance from the first shaft in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction, a plurality of second support rollers that are mounted on the second shaft and rotatably support the printing substrate, a drive mechanism that rotates the first shaft, a guide portion that is mounted on a front surface of the storage case and is positioned forward of the first and second shafts, and that extends in the main scanning direction, and a pair of stoppers that are movably mounted along the guide portion in the main scanning direction and abut against both ends of the printing substrate in the main scanning direction to suppress movement of the printing substrate in the main scanning direction.

[0007] According to the printer of the present invention, the pair of stoppers abut against both ends of the printing substrate in the main scanning direction, thereby suppressing movement of the printing substrate in the main scanning direction. This suppresses movement of the printing substrate in the main scanning direction when the printing substrate, rotatably supported by the first support roller and the second support roller, rotates due to rotation of the first shaft. Furthermore, because the stoppers are provided movably in the main scanning direction along the guide portion, the position of the stoppers can be changed depending on the length of the printing substrate (here, the length in the main scanning direction). This makes it possible to support multiple types of printing substrates with different lengths in the main scanning direction and suppress movement of the printing substrate in the main scanning direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a printer that can suppress movement in the main scanning direction of a printing medium having at least a portion of its outer periphery shaped like a cylinder. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a printer according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the internal configuration of the printer according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the internal configuration of the printer according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which a support member is placed on a table according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a state in which a support member is placed on a table according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a front view of a support member according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a side view showing a portion of a support member according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a stopper according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0029] As shown in FIG. 4, the support member 70 supports the second substrate 5B. The support member 70 is detachably fixed to the table 48. The support member 70 is configured to be movable in the sub-scanning direction X and the up-down direction Z in accordance with the movement of the table 48. The support member 70 is fixed to the table 48 when printing on the second substrate 5B, and is detached from the table 48 when printing on the first substrate 5A (see FIG. 2). The support member 70 has a rectangular storage case 71 with a partially open top surface, a first shaft 72 extending in the main scanning direction Y, a plurality of first support rollers 74 provided on the first shaft 72, a second shaft 76 extending in the main scanning direction Y, a plurality of second support rollers 78 provided on the second shaft 76, a drive mechanism 80 that rotates the first shaft 72, and a pair of stoppers 90 (see also FIG. 5).

[0030] As shown in FIG. 5, the entire storage case 71 overlaps the table 48 in a plan view. In other words, the storage case 71 does not protrude outside the table 48 in a plan view. The storage case 71 has a bottom surface 71A, a front surface 71B extending upward from the front end of the bottom surface 71A, a left surface 71C extending upward from the left end of the bottom surface 71A, a right surface 71D extending upward from the right end of the bottom surface 71A, a rear surface 71E extending upward from the rear end of the bottom surface 71A and connecting the rear ends of the left surface 71C and the right surface 71D, and a top surface 71F extending forward from the upper end of the rear surface 71E and connecting a portion of the left surface 71C and a portion of the right surface 71D. The front surface 71B is located forward of the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76. An upper end 71BT of the front surface 71B is curved forward. The storage case 71 has an opening 71H in front of its top surface 71F. The top surface 71F is located rearward of the first shaft 72. As shown in FIG. 7, the top surface 71F is located higher than the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78. A first printing substrate 5A (see FIG. 2) is placed on the top surface 71F. The first printing substrate 5A is, for example, recording paper. Ink is ejected from the ink head onto the first printing substrate 5A placed on the top surface 71F to perform test printing (e.g., printing a test pattern). The test printing is performed, for example, before printing on the second printing substrate 5B. Note that during test printing, only the first printing substrate 5A is placed on the support member 70, and not the second printing substrate 5B. FIG. 7 is a side view of the support member 70, with the right side 71D of the storage case 71 and part of the drive mechanism 80 omitted.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 6, a groove 71M extending in the main scanning direction Y is formed on the front surface 71B of the housing 71. The groove 71M penetrates the front surface 71B in the sub-scanning direction X. The groove 71M may be a concave groove recessed from rear to front on the front surface 71B. The groove 71M is provided parallel to the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76. A protrusion 95 (see FIG. 8) and a fastening member 99 (see FIG. 4), which will be described later, of the stopper 90 are inserted into the groove 71M, and the groove 71M guides the movement of the stopper 90 in the main scanning direction Y. The fastening member 99 is, for example, a screw or a thread. The groove 71M is located above the center position of the front surface 71B in the up-down direction Z. The groove 71M is located below the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76. The groove 71M is located below the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78. In this embodiment, the groove 71M includes a right groove 71MR located on the right side and a left groove 71ML located to the left of the right groove 71MR. No groove is formed between the right groove 71MR and the left groove 71ML. If a single groove extending from one end (e.g., the right end) to the other end (e.g., the left end) in the main scanning direction were formed on the front surface 71B, the rigidity of the front surface 71B would be reduced. Therefore, reinforcement or other measures would be required to ensure the support rigidity of the first shaft 72, the second shaft 76, and the second substrate 5B. In contrast, by configuring the groove 71M with the discontinuous right groove 71MR and left groove 71ML and providing a reinforcement portion between the right groove 71MR and the left groove 71ML, the support rigidity of the first shaft 72, the second shaft 76, and the second substrate 5B is ensured. The right groove 71MR and the left groove 71ML have the same length in the main scanning direction Y. By setting the lengths in the main scanning direction Y to be the same in this way, a rigid reinforcement portion can be provided in the central portion in the main scanning direction Y, and the first shaft 72, the second shaft 76, and the second substrate 5B can be stably supported. The right groove 71MR and the left groove 71ML are positioned in the vertical direction Z to be the same. The right groove 71MR and the left groove 71ML may be integrated. That is, they may be one groove 71M. There may also be three or more grooves 71M. The groove 71M is an example of a guide portion. For ease of explanation, the stopper 90 and the second substrate 5B are not shown in Figure 6.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 5 , the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 extend in the primary scanning direction Y. The first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 are rotatably supported by the housing case 71. In this embodiment, the left end of the first shaft 72 and the left end of the second shaft 76 are rotatably supported on a left surface 71C of the housing case 71, and the right end of the first shaft 72 and the right end of the second shaft 76 are rotatably supported on a right surface 71D of the housing case 71. The first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 are exposed to the outside through an opening 71H of the housing case 71. The second shaft 76 is disposed a predetermined distance LX1 away from the first shaft 72 in the secondary scanning direction X. That is, the relative positional relationship between the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 is constant. The first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 are disposed parallel to each other. As shown in FIG. 7, the diameter RZ1 of the first shaft 72 and the diameter RZ2 of the second shaft 76 are set to be the same. However, the diameter RZ1 of the first shaft 72 and the diameter RZ2 of the second shaft 76 may be different. For example, the diameter RZ1 of the first shaft 72 may be smaller than the diameter RZ2 of the second shaft 76. The center 72C of the first shaft 72 is located below the center 76C of the second shaft 76. This makes the position of the upper end of the first support roller 74 provided on the first shaft 72 the same as the position of the upper end of the second support roller 78 provided on the second shaft 76.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 4, the first support roller 74 is an anti-slip member that prevents the second substrate 5B supported by the first shaft 72 from slipping relative to the rotating first shaft 72. The first support roller 74 is detachably attached to the first shaft 72. That is, the position of the first support roller 74 is changeable. The first support roller 74 supports the second substrate 5B. The second support roller 78 is an anti-slip member that prevents the second substrate 5B supported by the second shaft 76 from slipping relative to the rotating second shaft 76. The second support roller 78 is detachably attached to the second shaft 76. That is, the position of the second support roller 78 is changeable. The second support roller 78 supports the second substrate 5B. As shown in FIG. 5, the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78 are arranged at the same position in the main scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, the diameter RX (see FIG. 7) of the first support roller 74 is different from the diameter RY (see FIG. 7) of the second support roller 78. The diameter RX of the first support roller 74 is larger than the diameter RY of the second support roller 78. The first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78 have the same configuration except for their different diameters.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 5, the drive mechanism 80 is provided in the housing case 71. The drive mechanism 80 is configured to rotate the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76. The drive mechanism 80 is configured to rotate the second substrate 5B by rotating the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76. The drive mechanism 80 includes a drive motor 80A, a first gear 81 connected to the drive motor 80A, a second gear 82 meshing with the first gear 81, a third gear 83 integrally formed with the second gear 82, a fourth gear 84 meshing with the third gear 83, a support shaft 85 integrally formed with the fourth gear 84, a first idler pulley 86, a second idler pulley 87, and a conveyor belt 88. The drive motor 80A is accommodated in the housing case 71. The drive motor 80A is disposed rearward of the first shaft 72. The drive motor 80A is located below the upper surface 71F. The first gear 81 is located outside the accommodating case 71. The first gear 81 is located to the right of the right surface 71D of the accommodating case 71. The second gear 82 and the third gear 83 are provided on a rotation shaft 80B extending rightward from the right surface 71D of the accommodating case 71. The fourth gear 84 is provided on a support shaft 85 extending rightward from the right surface 71D of the accommodating case 71. The first idler pulley 86 and the second idler pulley 87 extend rightward from the right surface 71D of the accommodating case 71. The first shaft 72 is located between the support shaft 85 and the second idler pulley 87. The second shaft 76 is located between the first idler pulley 86 and the second idler pulley 87. The conveyor belt 88 is wound around the support shaft 85, the first idler pulley 86, the right end 76R of the second shaft 76, the second idler pulley 87, and the right end 72R of the first shaft 72. By driving the drive motor 80A, the conveyor belt 88 runs and the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 rotate. As a result, the second substrate 5B supported by the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 rotates, for example, in the direction of arrow R in FIG. 4.In this embodiment, because the diameter of the first support roller 74 is larger than the diameter of the second support roller 78, which is disposed forward of the first support roller 74, the drive mechanism 80 is configured to rotate the second substrate 5B forward so that a predetermined portion of the second substrate 5B comes into contact with the second support roller 78 and then with the first support roller 74. That is, the second substrate 5B is rotated by rotating the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 in the direction of arrow R in Fig. 4 (counterclockwise when viewed from right to left with respect to the main scanning direction Y).

[0035] As shown in FIG. 5, the stopper 90 includes a left stopper 90L that abuts against the left end 5BL, which is one end of the second substrate 5B in the main scanning direction Y, and a right stopper 90R that abuts against the right end 5BR, which is the other end of the second substrate 5B in the main scanning direction Y. The left stopper 90L and the right stopper 90R have the same configuration. The stopper 90 restricts movement of the second substrate 5B in the main scanning direction Y. That is, the left stopper 90L restricts the second substrate 5B from moving leftward, and the right stopper 90R restricts the second substrate 5B from moving rightward. The stopper 90 is provided movably in the main scanning direction Y along a groove 71M (see FIG. 4) in the storage case 71. The stopper 90 is located forward of the first shaft 72. The stopper 90 is configured to be detachable from the front surface 71B of the storage case 71.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 8 , the stopper 90 includes a main body 91, a contact portion 92 that contacts the second substrate 5B, a shaft 93 that rotatably supports the contact portion 92, a protrusion 95, an insertion hole 96, and a grip portion 97. When the stopper 90 is attached to the front surface 71B of the storage case 71, the main body 91 is positioned rearward of the front surface 71B of the storage case 71. The main body 91 is positioned below the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76. The main body 91 includes a base wall 91A extending in the front-rear direction and a vertical wall 91B extending downward from the front portion of the base wall 91A. As shown in FIG. 7 , a screw hole 91AH is formed in the base wall 91A of the main body 91, into which a shaft portion 93B (described later) of the shaft 93 is inserted. The screw hole 91AH penetrates the base wall 91A in the vertical direction Z. The base wall 91A is located below the second support roller 78. As shown in Fig. 5, a portion of the base wall 91A overlaps with the second shaft 76 in a plan view. The base wall 91A does not overlap with the first shaft 72 in a plan view.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 8, the abutment portion 92 extends upward from the main body portion 91. The abutment portion 92 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The abutment portion 92 is rotatably supported by the main body portion 91. This reduces the frictional force (resistance force) caused by the abutment portion 92, which may hinder the rotation of the second substrate 5B. The abutment portion 92 is rotatably supported about an axis 93 extending in the up-down direction Z and provided on the base wall 91A of the main body portion 91. As shown in FIG. 5, the abutment portion 92 is disposed between the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 in the sub-scanning direction X. The abutment portion 92 is disposed forward of the first shaft 72. The abutment portion 92 is disposed rearward of the second shaft 76. As shown in FIG. 7, an upper end 92T of the abutment portion 92 is disposed above the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78. The upper end 92T of the contact portion 92 is located below the center 5BC in the up-down direction Z of the second substrate 5B supported by the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78. When the second substrate 5B rotates in the direction of arrow R in FIG. 7 (counterclockwise when viewed from right to left with respect to the main scanning direction Y), the contact portion 92 rotates counterclockwise in a plan view above the center 5BC in the up-down direction Z of the second substrate 5B, and rotates clockwise in a plan view below the center 5BC in the up-down direction Z of the second substrate 5B. Therefore, when the upper end 92T of the contact portion 92 is located above the center 5BC in the up-down direction Z of the second substrate 5B, the rotation direction of the contact portion 92 differs above and below the center 5BC. That is, the portion of the abutting portion 92 on the upper end 92T side (i.e., the portion located above the center 5BC in the vertical direction Z of the second substrate 5B to be printed) obstructs the rotational movement of the portion of the abutting portion 92 located below the center 5BC in the vertical direction Z of the second substrate 5B to be printed. In contrast, the length of the abutting portion 92 in the vertical direction Z is set so that the upper end 92T of the abutting portion 92 is located below the center 5BC in the vertical direction Z of the second substrate 5B to be printed supported by the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78, and therefore it is possible to prevent the portion of the abutting portion 92 on the upper end 92T side from obstructing the rotational movement of the abutting portion 92.Therefore, when the second printing material 5B is rotated in the direction of arrow R in FIG. 7, the contact portion 92 of the right stopper 90R rotates in the direction of arrow R1 in FIG. 5 (clockwise in plan view), and the contact portion 92 of the left stopper 90L rotates in the direction of arrow R2 in FIG. 5 (counterclockwise in plan view). The contact portion 92 is formed, for example, from a resin material. The contact portion 92 has, for example, self-lubricating properties. The contact portion 92 is formed, for example, from polyacetal (POM). The shaft 93 includes a head portion 93A and a shaft portion 93B connected to the head portion 93A. The head portion 93A is a portion that suppresses movement of the contact portion 92 in the up-down direction Z. The shaft portion 93B is a portion that rotatably supports the contact portion 92 and is fixed to the base wall 91A. The shaft portion 93B is inserted into the screw hole 91AH.

[0038] As shown in Figure 8, a protrusion 95 is formed on the vertical wall 91B of the main body 91. The protrusion 95 protrudes forward from the vertical wall 91B. The protrusion 95 is inserted into the groove 71M (see Figure 6). The protrusion 95 inserted into the groove 71M guides the movement of the stopper 90 in the main scanning direction Y.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 8 , an insertion hole 96 is formed in the vertical wall 91B of the main body 91. The insertion hole 96 penetrates the vertical wall 91B in the sub-scanning direction X. A fastening member 99 (see FIG. 4 ) inserted in the groove 71M is inserted into the insertion hole 96. The protrusion 95 and the insertion hole 96 are aligned in the main scanning direction Y. The protrusion 95 is disposed to the left of the insertion hole 96, but may be positioned on the right. The stopper 90 is fixed to the front surface 71B of the casing 71 by inserting the fastening member 99 into the insertion hole 96. Here, the protrusion 95 and the fastening member 99 inserted in the insertion hole 96 are inserted into the groove 71M, and the protrusion 95 and the insertion hole 96 are aligned in the main scanning direction Y, so that misalignment of the stopper 90 can be suppressed. For example, if only the protrusion 95 is inserted into the groove 71M, the main body 91 may rotate around the protrusion 95. In contrast, when the protrusion 95 and the fastening member 99 are inserted into the groove 71M, the rotation of the main body 91 is restricted by two points, the protrusion 95 and the fastening member 99, and the stopper 90 is positioned relative to the groove 71M. In other words, the protrusion 95 and the fastening member 99 can prevent the stopper 90 from shifting out of position.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 8 , the grip portion 97 has a pair of first portions 97A extending upward from the front end of the main body 91 and a second portion 97B connecting the first portions 97A. The second portions 97B extend in the primary scanning direction Y. The second portions 97B are gripped by an operator. For example, the second portions 97B are gripped by an operator when moving the stopper 90 along the groove 71M in the primary scanning direction Y. The grip portion 97 is located forward of the abutment portion 92. As shown in FIG. 7 , an upper end 97T of the grip portion 97 is located above the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76. The upper end 97T of the grip portion 97 is located below the upper end 92T of the abutment portion 92. As shown in FIG. 5 , when the stopper 90 is attached to the front surface 71B of the casing 71, the grip portion 97 overlaps the upper end 71BT of the front surface 71B in a plan view.

[0041] As described above, in the printer 10 of this embodiment, the pair of stoppers 90 abut against the left end 5BL and right end 5BR of the second substrate 5B in the main scanning direction Y, thereby suppressing movement of the second substrate 5B in the main scanning direction Y. This suppresses movement of the second substrate 5B in the main scanning direction Y when the second substrate 5B, rotatably supported by the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78, rotates due to rotation of the first shaft 72. Furthermore, because the stoppers 90 are provided movably in the main scanning direction Y along the grooves 72M, the position of the stoppers 90 can be changed depending on the length LY of the second substrate 5B (here, the length in the main scanning direction Y). This makes it possible to support multiple types of second substrates 5B with different lengths in the main scanning direction Y, and to suppress movement of the second substrate 5B in the main scanning direction Y.

[0042] In the printer 10 of this embodiment, the stopper 90 has a protrusion 95 that is inserted into the groove 71M. According to the above aspect, by inserting the protrusion 95 into the groove 71M, the stopper 90 can be easily moved along the main scanning direction Y.

[0043] In the printer 10 of this embodiment, the stopper 90 has an insertion hole 96 into which the fastening member 99 inserted into the groove 71M is inserted, and is configured to be fixed to the front surface 71B of the accommodating case 71 by inserting the fastening member 99 into the insertion hole 96. According to the above aspect, the stopper 90 can be easily fixed to the front surface 71B of the accommodating case 71. Furthermore, because the groove 71M into which the protrusion 95 is inserted can also be used as a groove into which the fastening member 99 is inserted, it is not necessary to separately form a groove or through-hole dedicated to the fastening member 99 in the front surface 71B of the accommodating case 71.

[0044] In the printer 10 of this embodiment, the protrusion 95 and the insertion hole 96 are aligned in the main scanning direction Y. According to the above aspect, for example, by moving the stopper 90 in the main scanning direction Y with the fastening member 99 temporarily inserted into the insertion hole 96, the protrusion 95 and the fastening member 99 can prevent the stopper 90 from shifting position.

[0045] In the printer 10 of this embodiment, the stopper 90 includes a main body 91 located below the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76, and an abutment portion 92 extending upward from the main body 91 and abutting against the second substrate 5B. According to the above aspect, the abutment portion 92 abuts against the second substrate 5B from below the second substrate 5B, thereby more effectively suppressing movement of the second substrate 5B in the main scanning direction Y.

[0046] In the printer 10 of this embodiment, the contact portion 92 is provided rotatably with respect to the main body portion 91. According to the above aspect, when the second substrate 5B to be printed rotates, the contact portion 92 also rotates, so that the frictional force generated between the contact portion 92 and the second substrate 5B to be printed can be further reduced.

[0047] In the printer 10 of this embodiment, the contact portion 92 is configured to be rotatable around an axis 93 extending in the vertical direction Z. According to the above aspect, the rotation direction of the contact portion 92 and the rotation direction of the second substrate 5B at least partially coincide with each other, so that the frictional force generated between the contact portion 92 and the second substrate 5B can be reduced.

[0048] In the printer 10 of this embodiment, the upper end 92T of the contact portion 92 is located below the center 5BC in the up-down direction Z of the second substrate 5B supported by the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78. According to the above aspect, the rotation direction of the contact portion 92 and the rotation direction of the second substrate 5B coincide with each other, so that the frictional force generated between the contact portion 92 and the second substrate 5B can be further reduced.

[0049] In the printer 10 of this embodiment, the contact portion 92 is made of a resin material. According to the above aspect, it is possible to reduce the frictional force generated between the contact portion 92 and the second substrate 5B to be printed. In other words, it is possible to rotate the second substrate 5B appropriately.

[0050] In the printer 10 of this embodiment, the stopper 90 extends upward from the main body 91 in the main scanning direction Y, is located forward of the abutment portion 92, and has a grip portion 97 that is gripped by an operator when moving the stopper 90 in the main scanning direction Y, and an upper end 97T of the grip portion 97 is located above the first shaft 72. According to the above aspect, when moving the stopper 90 in the main scanning direction Y along the groove 71M, the operator can easily move the stopper 90 by gripping the grip portion 97. Furthermore, because the upper end 97T of the grip portion 97 is located above the first shaft 72, the operator can easily grip the grip portion 97.

[0051] In the printer 10 of this embodiment, the stopper 90 is detachably provided on the front surface 71B of the storage case 71. According to the above aspect, the stopper 90 can be removed from the storage case 71 when it is not needed.

[0052] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above-described embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention can be embodied in various other forms.

[0053] In the above-described embodiment, groove 71M is formed as a guide portion on front surface 71B of casing 71, but this is not limiting. The guide portion may be a protrusion that protrudes rearward from front surface 71B and extends in the primary scanning direction Y, or a protrusion that is provided at the upper end of front surface 71B and extends in the primary scanning direction Y. In this case, stopper 90 is formed with a groove that engages with the protrusion along the primary scanning direction Y.

[0054] In the above-described embodiment, the contact portion 92 is configured to be rotatable around the shaft 93 extending in the up-down direction Z, but is not limited to this. For example, the contact portion 92 may be configured to be rotatable around the shaft 93 extending in the sub-scanning direction X.

[0055] In the above-described embodiment, the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 are rotatably supported by the accommodating case 71, but this is not limiting. For example, the second shaft 76 may be non-rotatably supported by the accommodating case 71. In this case, the drive mechanism 80 is configured to rotate the second substrate 5B supported by the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 by rotating the first shaft 72. Furthermore, the second support roller 78 may be rotatably provided on the second shaft 76.

[0056] In the above-described embodiment, the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78 are arranged at the same position in the main scanning direction Y, but this is not limiting. The first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78 may be arranged offset from each other in the main scanning direction Y (i.e., shifted from each other).

[0057] In the above-described embodiment, the diameters of the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78 are different, but they may be the same. This makes it easier to rotate the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76 in synchronization.

[0058] In the above-described embodiment, the support member 70 includes the first shaft 72 and the second shaft 76, but may also include one or more other shafts that have detachable support rollers similar to the first support roller 74 and the second support roller 78. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 5A 1st printed material 5B 2nd printing material (printing material) 10 Printers 34 Ink head 48 tables 70 Support member 71 storage cases 71B Front 71M Groove 72 First Shaft 74 First support roller 76 Second Shaft 78 Second support roller 80 Drive mechanism 90 Stopper 91 Main body 92 Contact part 95 Protrusion 96 Insertion hole 97 Gripping part 99 Fastening members

Claims

1. an ink head that ejects ink onto a printing substrate, at least a portion of which has a cylindrical outer periphery, and that is movable in the main scanning direction; a support member for supporting the printing substrate, The support member is A storage case and a first shaft rotatably provided in the housing and extending in the main scanning direction; a plurality of first support rollers provided on the first shaft and rotatably supporting the printing substrate; a second shaft provided in the housing, extending in the main scanning direction, and disposed a predetermined distance away from the first shaft in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction; a plurality of second support rollers provided on the second shaft and rotatably supporting the printing substrate; a drive mechanism that rotates the first shaft; a guide portion provided on a front surface of the accommodating case, the guide portion being located forward of the first shaft and the second shaft, and extending in the main scanning direction; a pair of stoppers that are movable along the guide portion in the main scanning direction and abut against both ends of the printing material in the main scanning direction to suppress movement of the printing material in the main scanning direction.

2. the guide portion is a groove formed on the front surface of the accommodating case, The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the stopper has a protrusion that is inserted into the groove.

3. 3. The printer according to claim 2, wherein the stopper has an insertion hole into which a fastening member inserted into the groove is inserted, and is configured to be fixed to the front surface of the storage case by inserting the fastening member into the insertion hole.

4. The printer according to claim 3 , wherein the protrusion and the insertion hole are aligned in the main scanning direction.

5. The stopper is a main body portion located below the first shaft and the second shaft; The printer according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: an abutment portion extending upward from the main body portion and abutting against the printing material.

6. The printer according to claim 5 , wherein the contact portion is rotatable relative to the main body portion.

7. The printer according to claim 6 , wherein the contact portion is configured to be rotatable about an axis extending in the vertical direction.

8. The printer according to claim 7 , wherein an upper end of the contact portion is located below the center in the up-down direction of the printing material supported by the first support roller and the second support roller.

9. The printer according to claim 5 , wherein the contact portion is made of a resin material.

10. the stopper has a grip portion that extends upward from the main body portion in the main scanning direction, is located forward of the contact portion, and is gripped by an operator when moving in the main scanning direction; The printer according to claim 5 , wherein an upper end of the gripping portion is located above the first shaft.

11. The printer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the stopper is detachably provided on the front surface of the storage case.

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