Printing method, printing system, and printing method

Abstract

This printing device comprises a conveyance member capable of conveying a printing medium in a conveyance direction, an ink unit capable of adhering ink to the printing medium, a peeling member capable of peeling the printing medium from the conveyance member, a detection unit capable of detecting a peeled portion of the printing medium peeled from the conveyance member by the peeling member, and a control unit. In response to detection by the detection unit, the control unit drives the peeling member so as to be able to reduce tension applied to the peeled portion of the printing medium in association with peeling from the conveyance member.

Description

Printing Device, Printing System, and Printing Method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a printing device, a printing system, and a printing method.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses applying an inkjet printing device to a printing system for printing by transfer. The printing device includes a conveyance belt that is a conveyance member for conveying a printing medium such as a fabric, and an inkjet head for discharging ink onto the printing medium from above. In the printing device, the printing medium is conveyed in accordance with the circumferential movement of the conveyance belt. In the printing system for printing by transfer, after printing in the printing device, the printed printing medium is introduced into a dryer via rollers in a drying unit to dry the ink. The rollers in the drying unit peel the printing medium in a state in which a predetermined area in the conveyance direction adheres to the conveyance belt of the printing device and introduce it into the dryer.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-226081

[0004] The printing device according to the first aspect of the present disclosure includes a conveyance member capable of conveying a printing medium located on the surface in a conveyance direction, an ink unit capable of attaching ink to the printing medium, a peeling member provided on the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the conveyance member and capable of rotating forward and backward in a state where a predetermined area in the conveyance direction of the printing medium adheres, and in response to the forward rotation, capable of peeling a portion of the printing medium upstream of the predetermined area in the conveyance direction from the conveyance member, a detection unit capable of detecting a peeled portion of the printing medium peeled from the conveyance member and located in an area between the conveyance member and the peeling member, an ink attachment process for attaching the ink to the printing medium by the ink unit, a conveyance drive process for driving the conveyance member in response to the ink attachment process, and a peeling drive process for driving the peeling member in response to the detection by the detection unit, and a control unit for performing these processes. In the peeling drive process, the control unit drives the peeling member so as to reduce the tension applied to the peeled portion of the printing medium due to the peeling from the conveyance member.

[0005] A printing system relating to the second aspect of this disclosure comprises the above-described printing apparatus and a drying apparatus capable of drying the printing medium that has been peeled off from the transport member by the peeling member in the printing apparatus.

[0006] Furthermore, a printing method relating to a third aspect of the present disclosure includes a transport step of transporting a printing medium in a transport direction using a transport member, an ink application step of applying ink to the printing medium, and a peeling step of peeling off the portion of the printing medium upstream of the predetermined region in the transport direction from the transport member in accordance with the forward rotation of a peeling member located downstream of the transport member in the transport direction and to which a predetermined region of the printing medium in the transport direction is attached. In the peeling step, the peeling member is driven in such a way that the tension applied to the peeled portion of the printing medium as it is peeled from the transport member is reduced, in response to detection by a detection unit of the peeled portion of the printing medium located in the region between the transport member and the peeling member.

[0007] Figure 1 is a schematic side view showing the configuration of a printing system to which the printing apparatus according to the embodiment of this disclosure is applied. Figure 2 is a schematic side view showing the configuration of the printing apparatus. Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the transport member and the release member in the printing apparatus. Figure 4 is a timing chart illustrating the operation of the printing apparatus. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the printing method.

[0008] In the conventional textile printing systems described above, when the printing medium is peeled from the conveyor belt by the rollers in the drying section, the printing medium may be sent to the dryer downstream in the conveying direction while under tension due to the peeling from the conveyor belt. In this case, if the printing medium is a fabric, it may dry in a stretched state, which may cause deformation of the image formed on the printing medium and reduce the print quality. Furthermore, while the conveyor belt is stopped, the position of the peeling point of the printing medium relative to the conveyor belt remains unchanged, and the state of tension being applied to the peeled portion of the printing medium is maintained. In this case, streaks may appear in the image formed on the printing medium along the peeling point of the printing medium relative to the conveyor belt, which may reduce the print quality.

[0009] Therefore, there is a need for a printing apparatus, printing system, and printing method that can suppress the deterioration of print quality caused by the tension applied to the printing medium as it peels off from the transport member.

[0010] The printing apparatus, printing system, and printing method according to the embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following, directional relationships will be described using mutually orthogonal XY Cartesian coordinates on the horizontal plane. The vertical direction perpendicular to the X and Y directions will be defined as the Z direction.

[0011] Figure 1 is a schematic side view showing the configuration of a printing system 100 to which a printing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of this disclosure is applied. The printing system 100 comprises a printing apparatus 1 and a drying apparatus 10. The printing apparatus 1 is equipped with an ink unit capable of adhering ink to a wide and long printing medium M. The printing apparatus 1 prints an image by adhering ink to the medium M using the ink unit. The drying apparatus 10 is located downstream of the printing apparatus 1. The drying apparatus 10 is capable of drying the medium M to which an image has been printed in the printing apparatus 1.

[0012] Examples of printing devices 1 include screen printing devices and inkjet devices. When printing device 1 is a screen printing device, the ink unit includes a screen plate having multiple openings and a squeegee. In this case, the ink unit moves ink along the screen plate in accordance with the movement of the squeegee, thereby adhering the ink to the media M through the openings of the screen plate. On the other hand, when printing device 1 is an inkjet device, the ink unit adheres the ink to the media M by ejecting ink onto the media M. The case where printing device 1 is an inkjet device will be described in detail below.

[0013] The inkjet printing apparatus 1 is suitable for digital textile printing, which prints images such as characters and patterns onto a media M, which is a fabric material made of woven or knitted fabric. The media M is a long fabric material that extends between the printing apparatus 1 and the drying apparatus 10. The fabric material includes multiple types of fabrics with different elasticity. Of course, the printing apparatus 1 can also be used for printing various images onto printing media such as paper sheets and resin sheets.

[0014] Figure 2 is a schematic side view showing the configuration of the printing apparatus 1. The printing apparatus 1 comprises a transport unit 3, a printing unit 4, a peeling member 5, a peeling drive unit 50, a detection unit 6, and a control unit 7.

[0015] The transport unit 3 is a unit for transporting the media M in the Y direction. The transport unit 3 includes a transport member 31, a first transport roller 32, a second transport roller 33, and a transport drive unit 34.

[0016] The transport member 31 is a member capable of transporting the media M located on its surface. In this embodiment, the transport member 31 is an endless belt having a width in the X direction and extending in the Y direction. The transport member 31, which is an endless belt, is capable of circumferential movement. By circumferential movement along the Y direction, the transport member 31 can transport the media M in contact with the surface of the transport member 31 in a transport direction H1 from one side to the other in the Y direction. An adhesive layer is formed on the surface of the transport member 31, consisting of an adhesive that adheres to the media M in order to hold the media M in contact with the surface of the transport member 31.

[0017] The first conveyor roller 32 is a cylindrical roller extending in the X direction, and the conveyor member 31 is wrapped around it at the downstream position of the conveyor member 31 in the conveyor direction H1 of the media M. The first conveyor roller 32 rotates in response to the circumferential movement of the conveyor member 31. The second conveyor roller 33 is a cylindrical roller extending in the X direction, and the conveyor member 31 is wrapped around it at the upstream position of the conveyor member 31 in the conveyor member 31 in the conveyor direction H1 of the media M. The conveyor member 31 is stretched by the first conveyor roller 32 and the second conveyor roller 33 such that the portion of its surface between the first conveyor roller 32 and the second conveyor roller 33 spreads horizontally in the X and Y directions.

[0018] The transport drive unit 34 is a drive motor that generates a driving force to rotate the second transport roller 33. The transport drive unit 34 can drive the transport member 31 by driving the second transport roller 33 to rotate. That is, the transport member 31 can transport the media M in the transport direction H1 along the Y direction by circumferential movement in response to the rotation of the second transport roller 33 driven by the transport drive unit 34.

[0019] The printing unit 4 is a unit for printing an image onto media M that is in contact with the surface of the transport member 31. The printing unit 4 is a unit in which an inkjet head 42 having an ink head 421, a pre-treatment liquid head 422, and a post-treatment liquid head 423 is mounted on a carriage 41. The printing unit 4 is positioned above the transport member 31 in the Z direction. The printing device 1 is a so-called serial printer that performs printing on media M in a serial printing method. In the serial printing device 1, the carriage 41 is moved back and forth in the X direction, which is perpendicular to the Y direction, which is the transport direction H1 of the media M, while the ejection operation of ejecting various liquids from the inkjet head 42 and the transport operation of the media M by the transport member 31 are repeatedly performed. In the serial printing device 1, the transport member 31 intermittently transports the media M in the transport direction H1.

[0020] The carriage 41 is fixed to a timing belt 212 which is mounted on a flat carriage guide 21 having a guide rail 211 extending in the X direction. The timing belt 212 is an endless belt mounted on the carriage guide 21 so as to be able to move circumferentially in the X direction. As the timing belt 212 moves circumferentially in the X direction, the carriage 41 is guided by the guide rail 211 and can move back and forth along the carriage guide 21 in the X direction.

[0021] Each of the ink heads 421, pre-treatment liquid head 422, and post-treatment liquid head 423 included in the inkjet head 42 mounted on the carriage 41 can move relative to the media M in the X and Y directions as the media M is transported in the Y direction by the transport member 31 and the carriage 41 moves back and forth in the X direction. In this case, the X direction, which indicates the direction in which the carriage 41 moves, is the main scanning direction, and the Y direction, which indicates the transport direction H1 of the media M, is the sub-scanning direction.

[0022] The carriage 41 is equipped with multiple ink heads 421. Each of the multiple ink heads 421 is an ink unit capable of adhering ink to the media M on the transport member 31 by ejecting ink containing a colorant. Each of the multiple ink heads 421 includes a number of nozzles that eject ink droplets using an ejection method such as a piezoelectric method using a piezoelectric element or a thermal method using a heating element, an ink flow path that guides the ink to these nozzles, and a wiring board for controlling the ink ejection operation. The multiple ink heads 421 are mounted on the carriage 41 so as to be arranged in two rows in the X direction. Two ink heads 421 that eject ink of the same color are mounted on the carriage 41 so as to be offset from each other in the X and Y directions. Another embodiment is a configuration in which one ink head 421 is mounted on the carriage 41.

[0023] The ink ejected by the ink head 421 is not particularly limited and can include pigments and dyes as colorants. For example, an ink containing a pigment and an aqueous medium can be used. The ink may further contain, if necessary, at least one selected from the group consisting of surfactants, polyols, and binder resin particles. Examples of pigments include yellow pigments, orange pigments, red pigments, blue pigments, purple pigments, and black pigments. The ink may also contain anionic pigments.

[0024] The pretreatment liquid head 422 is mounted on the carriage 41 so as to be positioned upstream of the ink head 421 in the transport direction H1 of the media M by the transport member 31. The pretreatment liquid head 422 is a pretreatment liquid unit that can adhere pretreatment liquid to the media M on the transport member 31 before the ink by discharging pretreatment liquid. The pretreatment liquid head 422 comprises a number of nozzles that discharge pretreatment liquid using a discharge method such as a piezoelectric method using a piezoelectric element or a thermal method using a heating element, a pretreatment liquid flow path that guides the pretreatment liquid to these nozzles, and a wiring board for controlling the discharge operation of the pretreatment liquid.

[0025] The pretreatment liquid discharged by the pretreatment liquid head 422 is a non-coloring treatment liquid that adheres to the media M before the ink, comes into contact with the ink while not yet dry on the media M, and does not develop color even when it adheres to the media M. Any pretreatment liquid can be used. For example, a pretreatment liquid that agglomerates the pigment of the ink to improve color development and fixation can be used. The pretreatment liquid may also suppress or promote the penetration of ink into the media M, print thickly to create a three-dimensional shape, or give gloss. For example, the pretreatment liquid may contain a water-soluble cationic polymer, an organic acid salt, and an aqueous medium. Such a pretreatment liquid can react and agglomerate with the pigment contained in the ink that is subsequently printed, thereby improving color development. Because the cationic polymer contained in the pretreatment liquid and the anionic pigment contained in the ink electrically react and agglomerate on the surface of the media M, the penetration of the binder resin contained in the ink into the media M can be suppressed. This reduces the penetration of the binder resin into the gaps between fibers and the binding of fibers together when the media M is a fabric. This allows for an improvement in the texture (feel, etc.) of the fabric to be printed.

[0026] The post-treatment liquid head 423 is mounted on the carriage 41 so as to be positioned downstream of the ink head 421 in the transport direction H1 of the media M by the transport member 31. The post-treatment liquid head 423 is a post-treatment liquid unit that can adhere post-treatment liquid to the media M on the transport member 31 after the ink by discharging post-treatment liquid. The post-treatment liquid head 423 comprises a number of nozzles that discharge post-treatment liquid using a discharge method such as a piezoelectric method using a piezoelectric element or a thermal method using a heating element, a post-treatment liquid flow path that guides the post-treatment liquid to these nozzles, and a wiring board for controlling the discharge operation of the post-treatment liquid.

[0027] The post-treatment liquid discharged by the post-treatment liquid head 423 is a non-coloring treatment liquid that adheres to the media M after the ink, comes into contact with the ink while it is still wet on the media M, and does not develop color even when it adheres to the media M. Any post-treatment liquid can be used. For example, a post-treatment liquid that improves the texture of the fabric to be printed can be used. The post-treatment liquid may also provide a coating to protect the printed ink, print thickly to create a three-dimensional shape, or give a glossy finish. It may also perform treatments that are not directly related to ink printing, such as giving the media M water repellency. The post-treatment liquid may contain, for example, emulsion particles containing silicone oil, a surfactant, and an aqueous medium. In other words, the post-treatment liquid is an emulsion in which emulsion particles are dispersed in an aqueous medium, and more specifically, an oil-in-water (O / W) type emulsion. The silicone oil may include unmodified silicone oil. Examples of unmodified silicone oils include dimethylpolysiloxane, methylphenyl silicone oil, and methylhydrogen silicone oil. This type of post-treatment solution can improve the texture.

[0028] In the printing unit 4, a liquid discharge operation is performed on the media M in contact with the surface of the transport member 31. This operation involves discharging pre-treatment liquid from the pre-treatment liquid head 422, ink from the ink head 421, and, if necessary, post-treatment liquid from the post-treatment liquid head 423. This prints an image onto the media M. Specifically, on the media M on the transport member 31, the pre-treatment liquid discharged from the pre-treatment liquid head 422 adheres first, then the ink discharged from the ink head 421 adheres, and then, if necessary, the post-treatment liquid discharged from the post-treatment liquid head 423 adheres.

[0029] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the transport member 31 and the release member 5 in the printing apparatus 1. The release member 5 is located downstream of the printing unit 4 in the transport direction H1. In this embodiment, the release member 5 is a member located downstream of the transport member 31 in the transport direction H1. Specifically, the release member 5 is installed above the downstream end portion 311 located at the downstream end of the transport member 31 in the transport direction H1 and spaced downstream in the transport direction H1. The downstream end portion 311 is the portion of the transport member 31 that is wrapped around the first transport roller 32. The release member 5 is installed such that, when viewed in the Y and Z directions, a portion of the release member 5 overlaps with the downstream end portion 311. Furthermore, the release member 5 is located above the extension of the transport direction H1 of the media M on the transport member 31.

[0030] The peeling member 5 is capable of separating the media M, which is in contact with the surface of the conveying member 31, from the conveying member 31. In this embodiment, the peeling member 5 is a cylindrical roller extending in the X direction. The peeling member 5, which is a roller, is provided to be able to rotate in the forward direction R1 and in the reverse direction R2 around an axis extending in the X direction.

[0031] A predetermined region MM in the transport direction H1 of the media M extending between the printing device 1 and the drying device 10 is wrapped around the outer circumferential surface 5A of the release member 5 from the upper side in the Z direction. The media M, which is in contact with the surface of the transport member 31 and has the predetermined region MM wrapped around the release member 5, is peeled upward from the transport member 31 with respect to the contact portion M1 that is in contact with the surface of the transport member 31, with the peeling start point MPP as the boundary. By rotating the release member 5 in the forward direction R1 with the predetermined region MM of the media M attached to the outer circumferential surface 5A from the upper side, it is possible to peel off the portion of the media M that is in contact with the surface of the transport member 31 that is downstream of the printing unit 4 in the transport direction H1 and upstream of the predetermined region MM in the transport direction H1 from the transport member 31. The direction of the forward rotation R1 of the release member 5 when peeling the media M from the transport member 31 coincides with the rotation direction of the first transport roller 32 when the media M is transported in the transport direction H1 by the circumferential movement of the transport member 31.

[0032] When the media M is wrapped around the outer circumferential surface 5A of the release member 5, a frictional force is generated between the wrapped portion M21 of the media M and the outer circumferential surface 5A. The release member 5, by rotating in the forward direction R1, detaches the media M from the conveying member 31 based on the frictional force between the wrapped portion M21 and the outer circumferential surface 5A, and also sends the media M toward the drying device 10 downstream. In this case, in the detached portion M2 of the media M detached from the conveying member 31 by the release member 5, tension is applied to the region located between the downstream end portion 311 of the conveying member 31 and the outer circumferential surface 5A of the release member 5 due to detachment from the conveying member 31, but no tension is applied to the region downstream of the release member 5. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the media M from being sent downstream while under tension due to detachment from the conveying member 31. This prevents the media M introduced into the drying device 10 located downstream of the release member 5 from drying in an extended state, thereby preventing deformation of the image formed on the media M and thus preventing a decrease in print quality.

[0033] Furthermore, the media M, which has been separated from the transport member 31 by the peeling member 5, is introduced into the drying device 10 in a curved state, which is curved downward in the Z direction, between the peeling member 5 and the drying device 10. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the media M introduced into the drying device 10 from drying in an extended state.

[0034] The release member 5 comprises a base body 51 and a surface layer 52 provided on the base body 51, on which the outer circumferential surface 5A is formed. The surface layer 52 is made of rubber material. Because the surface layer 52 forming the outer circumferential surface 5A of the release member 5 is made of rubber material, the frictional force between the wrapped portion M21 of the media M around the outer circumferential surface 5A and the outer circumferential surface 5A can be increased. As a result, the release member 5 can more reliably release the media M from the conveying member 31 based on the frictional force. The rubber material forming the surface layer 52 of the release member 5 may be a foamed rubber material. The surface layer 52 made of foamed rubber material has a plurality of pores. In this case, even if ink on the media M is transferred to the outer circumferential surface 5A when the media M is wrapped around the outer circumferential surface 5A of the release member 5, the transferred ink can be captured by the pores in the surface layer 52. As a result, it is possible to prevent the outer circumferential surface 5A from becoming slippery due to the transfer of ink to the outer circumferential surface 5A of the release member 5.

[0035] Furthermore, the surface layer 52 of the release member 5 may be made of a material having an abrasive surface. This allows the abrasive grains to easily catch on the media M and prevent slippage, thus enabling more reliable release of the media M. As the abrasive surface, sandpaper with a grit of #40 to #240 can be used, with #100 to #150 being more preferable. Examples of materials having an abrasive surface include adhesive-backed sandpaper, and examples of abrasive grains include silicon carbide abrasive grains.

[0036] If the position of the peeling start point MPP of the media M in contact with the surface of the transport member 31 shifts toward the printing unit 4 in the region facing upward from the transport member 31, there is a risk that the portion of the media M to be printed by the printing unit 4 will peel off from the transport member 31. On the other hand, if the position of the peeling start point MPP of the media M relative to the transport member 31 reaches the region facing downward from the transport member 31, it becomes impossible to peel the media M from the transport member 31, and there is a risk of poor peeling of the media M from the transport member 31. For this reason, it is necessary to adjust the position of the peeling start point MPP of the media M relative to the transport member 31.

[0037] As shown in Figure 3, the position of the peeling start point MPP of the media M relative to the conveying member 31 changes in accordance with the circumferential movement of the conveying member 31 and also changes in accordance with the rotation of the peeling member 5. As previously described, when the peeling member 5 is installed such that a portion of the peeling member 5 overlaps with the downstream end portion 311 of the conveying member 31 when viewed in the Y and Z directions, the position of the peeling start point MPP of the media M changes within the range of the downstream end portion 311 wrapped around the first conveying roller 32 of the conveying member 31. Within the range of the downstream end portion 311, the position of the peeling start point MPP of the media M changes downstream in the rotational direction of the first conveying roller 32 in accordance with the circumferential movement of the conveying member 31, and changes upstream in the rotational direction of the first conveying roller 32 in accordance with the forward rotation R1 of the peeling member 5.

[0038] In light of the above circumstances, the position of the media M peeling start point MPP relative to the conveying member 31 can be adjusted by controlling the circumferential movement of the conveying member 31 and the rotation of the peeling member 5. However, if the peeling member 5 is rotated in synchronization with the circumferential movement of the conveying member 31, it is difficult to accurately adjust the position of the media M peeling start point MPP.

[0039] Therefore, in the printing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, a peeling drive unit 50 is provided that can be controlled independently of the transport drive unit 34 that moves the transport member 31 in a circular motion, and is capable of driving the peeling member 5. The peeling drive unit 50 is a drive motor capable of generating driving force to rotate the peeling member 5 in the forward direction R1 and in the reverse direction R2. The peeling drive unit 50 can rotate the peeling member 5 in the forward direction R1 and in the reverse direction R2 independently of the circular motion of the transport member 31 driven by the transport drive unit 34. This makes it possible to accurately adjust the position of the peeling start point MPP of the media M relative to the transport member 31.

[0040] When the position of the peeling start point MPP of the media M relative to the conveying member 31 changes, the peeling angle α in the media M changes, and the wrapping angle β of the wrapping portion M21 of the media M wrapped around the peeling member 5 also changes. The peeling angle α represents the angle between the peeled portion M2 of the media M that has been peeled from the conveying member 31 and is located in the region between the conveying member 31 and the peeling member 5, and the contact portion M1 of the media M that is in contact with the surface of the conveying member 31. The wrapping angle β is represented by the central angle of the arc of the wrapping portion M21 along the outer circumferential surface 5A of the peeling member 5. When the position of the peeling start point MPP of the media M changes downstream in the rotational direction of the first conveying roller 32 in accordance with the circumferential movement of the conveying member 31, the peeling angle α becomes smaller and the wrapping angle β becomes larger. On the other hand, when the position of the peeling start point MPP of the media M changes upstream in the rotational direction of the first conveying roller 32 in accordance with the forward rotation R1 of the peeling member 5, the peeling angle α becomes larger and the wrapping angle β becomes smaller.

[0041] In the printing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, a detection unit 6 is positioned below the release member 5. The detection unit 6 is a sensor capable of detecting the detached portion M2 of the media M that has been detached from the transport member 31 and is located in the region between the transport member 31 and the release member 5. The detached portion M2 of the media M to be detected by the detection unit 6 is the portion of the media M that has been detached from the transport member 31 and is located in the region between the portion of the transport member 31 corresponding to the downstream end in the transport direction H1 of the carriage 41 on which the inkjet head 42 is mounted, and the outer peripheral surface 5A of the release member 5. In this embodiment, the detached portion M2 of the media M to be detected by the detection unit 6 is the portion of the media M that has been detached from the transport member 31 and is located in the region between the downstream end portion 311 that has been wrapped around the first transport roller 32 on the transport member 31, and the outer peripheral surface 5A of the release member 5. The detection unit 6 is, for example, a photoelectric sensor with an adjustable detection range 61. The detection unit 6, which consists of a photoelectric sensor, emits detection light from a light-emitting unit and receives the light reflected by the peeled portion M2 of the media M with a light-receiving unit, thereby enabling detection of the peeled portion M2. The detection unit 6 allows adjustment of the detection range 61 along the optical path through which the detection light passes.

[0042] The detection unit 6 sets a predetermined range on the optical path perpendicular to the plane VP extending in the X direction, which includes the center 32S of the first conveyance roller 32 and the center 5S of the peeling member 5, within the region between the downstream end portion 311 of the conveyance member 31 and the outer peripheral surface 5A of the peeling member 5 as the detection range 61. When the peeled portion M2 of the medium M is located within the detection range 61, the detection unit 6 is in the ON state, and when the peeled portion M2 of the medium M is located outside the detection range 61, the detection unit 6 is in the OFF state. The detection result of the detection unit 6 is referred to by the control unit 7 described later.

[0043] The medium M includes a first cloth member and a second cloth member as stretchable cloth members with different stretchabilities. The first cloth member is a cloth member having a greater degree of expansion and contraction in the X direction in which the carriage 41 moves than in the Y direction along the conveyance direction H1 by the conveyance member 31. The second cloth member is a cloth member having a smaller degree of expansion and contraction in the X direction than the first cloth member.

[0044] As described above, in the peeled portion M2 of the medium M peeled from the conveyance member 31 by the peeling member 5, a tension due to the peeling from the conveyance member 31 is applied to the region located between the downstream end portion 311 of the conveyance member 31 and the outer peripheral surface 5A of the peeling member 5. While the driving of the conveyance member 31 that intermittently conveys the medium M in the conveyance direction H1 is stopped, the position of the peeling start point MPP of the medium M with respect to the conveyance member 31 remains unchanged, and the medium M is bent from the peeling start point MPP at an angle corresponding to the peeling angle α, and the state where tension is applied to the peeled portion M2 of the medium M is maintained. In this case, in the image formed on the medium M, streak unevenness may occur in the X direction along the peeling start point MPP of the medium M with respect to the conveyance member 31, resulting in a deterioration in print quality. Such streak unevenness along the peeling start point MPP resulting from the state where tension is applied to the peeled portion M2 of the medium M occurs significantly when the first cloth member having a large degree of expansion and contraction in the X direction is adopted as the medium M.

[0045] Therefore, in the printing apparatus 1, as shown in Figure 3, the drive mode of the release member 5 may include a first mode and a second mode. The first mode is the drive mode of the release member 5 when a first cloth member is used as the media M. On the other hand, the second mode is the drive mode of the release member 5 when a second cloth member is used as the media M.

[0046] When the drive mode of the peeling member 5 is set to the first mode, the peeling member 5 is driven in a manner that reduces the tension applied to the peeled portion M2 of the media M in response to the detection of the peeled portion M2 of the media M by the detection unit 6, as it peels off from the transport member 31. In other words, when the transport member 31 intermittently transports the media M, the peeling member 5 is driven so that the tension applied to the peeled portion M2 of the media M remains low compared to the maximum tension generated as the media M peels off from the transport member 31. Specifically, the peeling member 5 rotates forward R1 when the detection unit 6 is ON, and when the detection unit 6 is OFF, it stops the forward rotation R1, rotates in the reverse direction R2, and stops the reverse rotation R2 after a predetermined time has elapsed. By rotating forward R1 when the detection unit 6 is ON, the peeling member 5 can peel off the media M that is in contact with the surface of the transport member 31 from the transport member 31. Furthermore, the peeling member 5 rotates in the reverse direction R2 after stopping the forward rotation R1, depending on whether the detection unit 6 is in the OFF state. This makes it possible to slightly return the peeled portion M2 of the media M towards the transport member 31, thereby reducing the tension applied to the peeled portion M2 compared to the maximum tension during peeling. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of streaks in the X direction along the peeling start point MPP of the media M relative to the transport member 31 in the image formed on the media M, which would otherwise degrade the print quality.

[0047] On the other hand, in a state where the drive mode of the peeling member 5 is set to the second mode, the peeling member 5 rotates forward R1 in response to the detection unit 6 being in the ON state, and in response to the detection unit 6 being in the OFF state, without rotating backward R2 as in the first mode, it stops the forward rotation R1. By rotating forward R1 until the detection unit 6 changes from the ON state to the OFF state, the peeling member 5 can peel the medium M in contact with the surface of the conveying member 31 from the conveying member 31.

[0048] The drive of the peeling member 5 is controlled by the control unit 7. The control unit 7 is a personal computer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) storing a processing program, a storage area such as a flash memory, a RAM (Random Access Memory) used as a working area of the CPU, etc. The control unit 7 executes the processing of each step of the printing method using the printing apparatus 1 by the CPU executing the processing programs stored in the HDD and the flash memory, etc. The processing of each step of the printing method executed by the control unit 7 will be described while referring to the timing chart of FIG. 4 and the flowchart of FIG. 5 in addition to FIG. 3.

[0049] The control unit 7 performs the processing of each step of each of the printing step including the pretreatment liquid adhesion step S1, the ink adhesion step S2, and the post-treatment liquid adhesion step S3, the conveying step S4, and the peeling step S5.

[0050] In the pre-treatment liquid application step S1, the control unit 7 performs a pre-treatment liquid application process by discharging pre-treatment liquid from the pre-treatment liquid head 422 to apply the pre-treatment liquid to the media M that is in contact with the surface of the transport member 31. In the ink application step S2, the control unit 7 performs an ink application process by discharging ink from the ink head 421 to apply ink to the media M that is in contact with the surface of the transport member 31. In the post-treatment liquid application step S3, the control unit 7 performs a post-treatment liquid application process by discharging post-treatment liquid from the post-treatment liquid head 423 to apply post-treatment liquid to the media M that is in contact with the surface of the transport member 31. Note that the control unit 7 is not limited to performing the pre-treatment liquid application process, the ink application process, and the post-treatment liquid application process. For example, the pre-treatment liquid head 422 may perform the pre-treatment liquid application process, the ink head 421 may perform the ink application process, and the post-treatment liquid head 423 may perform the post-treatment liquid application process.

[0051] In the transport process S4, the control unit 7 performs a transport drive process to drive the transport member 31 in accordance with the drive of the transport drive unit 34, corresponding to each adhesion process: the pre-treatment liquid adhesion process, the ink adhesion process, and the post-treatment liquid adhesion process. The control unit 7 intermittently transports the media M in contact with the surface of the transport member 31 in the transport direction H1 by moving the transport member 31 in a circular motion in accordance with the drive of the transport drive unit 34. Note that the control unit 7 is not limited to performing the transport drive process. For example, the transport drive unit 34 may perform the transport drive process.

[0052] In the peeling process S5, the control unit 7 performs a peeling drive process to drive the peeling member 5 in response to the drive of the peeling drive unit 50. The control unit 7 rotates the peeling member 5 forward R1 in response to the drive of the peeling drive unit 50, thereby peeling the media M that is in contact with the surface of the transport member 31 from the transport member 31. The control unit 7 rotates the peeling member 5 forward R1 in response to the drive of the peeling drive unit 50, independently of the circumferential movement of the transport member 31 driven by the transport drive unit 34. This makes it possible to accurately adjust the position of the starting point MPP of the peeling of the media M relative to the transport member 31 compared to the case where the peeling member 5 is rotated forward R1 in synchronization with the circumferential movement of the transport member 31.

[0053] The pre-treatment liquid application process S1, the ink application process S2, the post-treatment liquid application process S3, the transport drive process S4, and the peeling drive process S5 performed by the control unit 7 will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 3 and 4. In the following description, the ink head 421, the pre-treatment liquid head 422, and the post-treatment liquid head 423 will be collectively referred to as the "inkjet head 42," the ink, pre-treatment liquid, and post-treatment liquid will be collectively referred to as "liquid," and the ink application process, pre-treatment liquid application process, and post-treatment liquid application process will be collectively referred to as the "liquid application process."

[0054] The control unit 7 repeatedly performs a liquid deposition process, in which liquid is ejected from the inkjet head 42 while moving the carriage 41 on which the inkjet head 42 is mounted in the X direction at a predetermined head scanning cycle HSC, and a transport drive process, in which the transport member 31 is driven in accordance with the drive of the transport drive unit 34 in response to the liquid deposition process. When the control unit 7 is in the "ON" state, in which liquid is ejected from the inkjet head 42 during the liquid deposition process, it sets the transport member 31 to the "OFF" state, stopping the drive of the transport member 31 during the transport drive process. When the control unit 7 is in the "OFF" state, in which liquid is ejected from the inkjet head 42 during the liquid deposition process, it sets the transport member 31 to the "ON" state, driving the transport member 31 during the transport drive process. In other words, the control unit 7 switches the drive and stop of the transport member 31 in the transport drive process in accordance with the switching between ejection and stopping of liquid by the inkjet head 42 during the liquid deposition process. As the liquid deposition process and the transport drive process are repeatedly performed by the control unit 7, an image is printed on the media M in contact with the surface of the transport member 31.

[0055] In the transport drive process, the control unit 7 drives the transport member 31 such that the speed of the transport member 31's circumferential movement becomes a predetermined transport movement speed VB, and the distance the transport member 31 travels during its circumferential movement becomes a predetermined transport movement distance DB. As a result, the media M in contact with the surface of the transport member 31 is transported in the transport direction H1 for each transport drive process performed by the control unit 7 at a transport speed corresponding to the transport movement speed VB of the transport member 31, and for a transport length corresponding to the transport movement distance DB of the transport member 31.

[0056] When a predetermined region MM of the media M is wrapped around the outer circumferential surface 5A of the peeling member 5 from above on the downstream side of the conveying direction H1 relative to the conveying member 31, the position of the peeling start point MPP of the media M relative to the conveying member 31 changes downstream in the rotational direction of the first conveying roller 32 as the conveying member 31 rotates, within the range of the downstream end portion 311 wrapped around the first conveying roller 32 of the conveying member 31. As the position of the peeling start point MPP of the media M changes downstream in the rotational direction of the first conveying roller 32, the peeling angle α of the media M changes to become smaller, and the wrapping angle β of the wrapped portion M21 of the media M wrapped around the peeling member 5 changes to become larger.

[0057] The detection unit 6 turns ON when the peeling angle α formed by the contact portion M1 and the peeling portion M2 of the media M is less than 90 degrees and the peeling portion M2 is located within the detection range 61. In this case, as the conveying member 31 moves circumferentially, the position of the peeling start point MPP of the media M changes downstream in the rotational direction of the first conveying roller 32, and the detection unit 6 turns ON when the peeling angle α becomes smaller than 90 degrees. That is, the first detection switching timing TS1, which indicates the timing when the detection unit 6 switches from the OFF state to the ON state, coincides with the timing when the peeling angle α of the media M becomes less than 90 degrees. When the peeling angle α of the media M is less than 90 degrees, the wrapping angle β of the wrapping portion M21 of the media M with respect to the peeling member 5 is large enough that the frictional force between the outer surface 5A of the peeling member 5 and the wrapping portion M21 is sufficient to peel the media M from the conveying member 31.

[0058] The control unit 7 performs a peeling drive process for each transport drive process, in response to the detection by the detection unit 6, to drive the peeling member 5 in either the first mode or the second mode in response to the drive of the peeling drive unit 50. The drive mode of the peeling member 5 is set to the first mode when the first cloth member is used as the media M, and to the second mode when the second cloth member is used as the media M.

[0059] When the drive mode of the peeling member 5 is set to the second mode, the control unit 7 outputs a forward rotation command C1 at the first detection switching timing TS1 when the detection unit 6 switches from the OFF state to the ON state, causing the peeling member 5 to rotate forward R1. At this time, the control unit 7 drives the peeling member 5 so that it accelerates with a predetermined forward rotation acceleration PA and rotates forward R1 at a predetermined forward rotation peripheral speed PVR, and the distance traveled by the outer circumferential surface 5A of the peeling member 5 along the direction of the forward rotation R1 is a predetermined forward rotation travel distance PDR. As a result, the media M in contact with the surface of the transport member 31 is peeled off at a peeling speed corresponding to the forward rotation peripheral speed PVR of the peeling member 5, and by a peeling length corresponding to the forward rotation travel distance PDR of the peeling member 5.

[0060] The control unit 7 outputs a forward rotation stop command C20 after a predetermined delay time DT10 has elapsed in response to the second detection switching timing TS2, in which the detection unit 6 switches from the ON state to the OFF state in accordance with the forward rotation R1 of the peeling member 5, thereby stopping the forward rotation R1 of the peeling member 5. This suppresses the occurrence of chattering, a phenomenon in which the ON state and OFF state of the detection unit 6 are rapidly repeated. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the phenomenon in which the peeling member 5 abnormally repeats between the driven state and the stopped state due to chattering of the detection unit 6.

[0061] Even if the second fabric member is used as the media M, the drive mode of the release member 5 may be set to the first mode.

[0062] When the drive mode of the peeling member 5 is set to the first mode, the control unit 7 drives the peeling member 5 in such a way that the tension applied to the peeled portion M2 of the media M as it peels from the transport member 31 is reduced. In other words, when the transport member 31 intermittently transports the media M, the control unit 7 drives the peeling member 5 so that the tension applied to the peeled portion M2 of the media M remains low compared to the maximum tension generated as the media M peels from the transport member 31. Specifically, the control unit 7 outputs a forward rotation command C1 at the first detection switching timing TS1 when the detection unit 6 switches from the OFF state to the ON state, causing the peeling member 5 to rotate forward R1. At this time, the control unit 7 drives the peeling member 5 so that, in response to the forward rotation command C1, the peeling member 5 accelerates with a predetermined forward rotation acceleration PA and rotates forward R1 with a predetermined forward rotation peripheral speed PVR, and the distance traveled by the outer peripheral surface 5A of the peeling member 5 along the direction of the forward rotation R1 is a predetermined forward rotation travel distance PDR. As a result, the media M in contact with the surface of the transport member 31 is peeled off at a peeling speed corresponding to the forward rotation peripheral speed PVR of the peeling member 5, and by a peeling length corresponding to the forward rotation travel distance PDR of the peeling member 5.

[0063] The position of the peeling start point MPP of the media M relative to the conveying member 31 changes to the upstream side in the rotational direction of the first conveying roller 32 in accordance with the positive rotation R1 of the peeling member 5, within the range of the downstream end portion 311 wrapped around the first conveying roller 32 on the conveying member 31. When the position of the peeling start point MPP of the media M changes to the upstream side in the rotational direction of the first conveying roller 32, the peeling angle α in the media M changes to increase, and the wrapping angle β of the wrapped portion M21 wrapped around the peeling member 5 in the media M changes to decrease.

[0064] As the peeling member 5 rotates, the position of the peeling start point MPP of the media M changes to the upstream side in the rotation direction of the first conveyor roller 32. When the peeling angle α increases to 90 degrees or more, the peeled portion M2 of the media M is positioned outside the detection range 61, and the detection unit 6 turns OFF. In other words, the second detection switching timing TS2, which indicates the timing at which the detection unit 6 switches from the ON state to the OFF state, coincides with the timing at which the peeling angle α in the media M changes from less than 90 degrees to 90 degrees or more.

[0065] The control unit 7, depending on whether the detection unit 6 is in the OFF state, outputs a forward rotation stop command C2 to stop the forward rotation R1 of the peeling member 5, then outputs a reverse rotation command C3 to make the peeling member 5 rotate in the reverse direction R2, and after a predetermined time has elapsed, outputs a reverse rotation stop command C4 to stop the reverse rotation R2 of the peeling member 5. At this time, the control unit 7 drives the peeling member 5 so that, in response to the forward rotation stop command C2, the peeling member 5 decelerates at a predetermined forward deceleration PD and stops the forward rotation R1, then in response to the reverse rotation command C3, the peeling member 5 accelerates at a predetermined reverse acceleration RA and rotates in the reverse direction R2 until it reaches a predetermined reverse peripheral speed RVR that is slower than the forward peripheral speed PVR, and immediately after reaching the reverse peripheral speed RVR, in response to the reverse rotation stop command C4, the peeling member 5 decelerates at a predetermined reverse deceleration RD and stops the reverse rotation R2. In this case, the control unit 7 rotates the peeling member 5 in the reverse direction R2 such that the distance traveled along the direction of the reverse rotation R2 of the outer circumferential surface 5A of the peeling member 5 is a predetermined reverse movement distance RDR that is shorter than the forward movement distance PDR. As a result, the peeled portion M2 of the media M is moved back slightly toward the transport member 31 by a predetermined return target length TL, which corresponds to the reverse movement distance RDR of the peeling member 5. The return target length TL indicates a target value for the return length to reduce the tension applied to the peeled portion M2 of the media M, and is determined experimentally in advance according to the degree of expansion and contraction of the media M. By moving the peeled portion M2 of the media M slightly toward the transport member 31 in response to the reverse rotation R2 of the peeling member 5, it is possible to reduce the tension applied to the peeled portion M2 of the media M relative to the maximum tension at the time of peeling. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of streaks in the X direction along the peeling start point MPP of the media M relative to the transport member 31 in the image formed on the media M, which would otherwise reduce the print quality.

[0066] The absolute values ​​of the forward rotation acceleration PA, forward rotation deceleration PD, reverse rotation acceleration RA, and reverse rotation deceleration RD of the peeling member 5 may be the same or different. Alternatively, the absolute values ​​of the forward rotation acceleration PA and forward rotation deceleration PD of the peeling member 5 may be the same for forward rotation, and the absolute values ​​of the reverse rotation acceleration RA and reverse rotation deceleration RD of the peeling member 5 may be the same for reverse rotation, while the absolute values ​​for forward rotation and reverse rotation may be different. In this case, the absolute values ​​for reverse rotation may be larger than the absolute values ​​for forward rotation. In this embodiment, the absolute values ​​of the forward rotation acceleration PA, forward rotation deceleration PD, reverse rotation acceleration RA, and reverse rotation deceleration RD of the peeling member 5 are the same.

[0067] Furthermore, the control unit 7 outputs a forward rotation command C1 at the first detection switching timing TS1 when the detection unit 6 switches from the OFF state to the ON state, causing the peeling member 5 to rotate in the forward direction R1. While the peeling member 5 is accelerating with forward rotation acceleration PA in response to the forward rotation command C1 and rotating in the forward direction R1 at forward rotation peripheral speed PVR, the control unit 7 outputs a forward rotation stop command C2 after a predetermined first delay time DT1 has elapsed with respect to the second detection switching timing TS2 when the detection unit 6 switches from the ON state to the OFF state. In response to the forward rotation stop command C2, the peeling member 5 decelerates with forward rotation deceleration PD, and at the forward rotation stop timing TM when the forward rotation R1 of the peeling member 5 stops, the control unit 7 outputs a reverse rotation command C3. In response to the reverse rotation command C3, the peeling member 5 is accelerating with a reverse acceleration RA and rotating in the reverse direction R2. The control unit 7 outputs a reverse rotation stop command C4 after a predetermined second delay time DT2 has elapsed, which is shorter than the first delay time DT1 relative to the timing at which the reverse rotation command C3 was output, thereby stopping the reverse rotation R2 of the peeling member 5.

[0068] After a first delay time DT1 has elapsed with respect to the second detection switching timing TS2 of the detection unit 6, a forward rotation stop command C2 is output to stop the forward rotation R1 of the peeling member 5. This suppresses the occurrence of chattering, in which the ON state and OFF state of the detection unit 6 are rapidly repeated. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the phenomenon in which the peeling member 5 abnormally repeats between the driven state and the stopped state due to chattering of the detection unit 6.

[0069] Moreover, the second delay time DT2 is shorter than the first delay time DT1. The second delay time DT2 indicates the elapsed time from the output of the reverse rotation command C3 to the output of the reverse rotation stop command C4, and therefore serves as an indicator of the reverse rotation time during which the peeling member 5 rotates in the reverse direction R2. When the absolute values ​​of the reverse acceleration RA and reverse deceleration RD of the peeling member 5 are the same, the reverse rotation time of the peeling member 5 is twice the second delay time DT2. On the other hand, the first delay time DT1 indicates the elapsed time from the second detection switching timing TS2 of the detection unit 6 to the output of the forward rotation stop command C2, and therefore serves as an indicator of the forward rotation duration during which the peeling member 5 continues to rotate in the forward direction R1 after the detection unit 6 is turned OFF. In other words, because the second delay time DT2 is shorter than the first delay time DT1, the reverse rotation time of the peeling member 5 can be made shorter than the forward rotation duration of the peeling member 5 after the detection unit 6 is turned OFF. In this case, the reverse movement distance RDR of the outer peripheral surface 5A corresponding to the reverse rotation R2 of the peeling member 5 is a part of the forward movement distance PDR of the outer peripheral surface 5A corresponding to the forward rotation R1 of the peeling member 5, and is shorter than the movement distance of the outer peripheral surface 5A after the detection unit 6 has been turned OFF. As a result, the peeled portion M2 of the media M, which has been peeled from the transport member 31 in accordance with the forward rotation R1 of the peeling member 5, can be moved back slightly towards the transport member 31 by a predetermined return target length TL corresponding to the reverse movement distance RDR of the peeling member 5. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the tension applied to the peeled portion M2 of the media M as it peels from the transport member 31 compared to the maximum tension at the time of peeling.

[0070] Furthermore, the control unit 7 may rotate the peeling member 5 in the forward direction R1 so that the forward rotation distance PDR of the peeling member 5 falls within a predetermined allowable range based on the transport movement distance DB of the transport member 31. For example, the lower limit of the allowable range is set to be the same as the transport movement distance DB, and the upper limit of the allowable range is set to twice the transport movement distance DB. That is, in response to the detection unit 6 being in the ON state, the control unit 7 rotates the peeling member 5 in the forward direction R1 so that the forward rotation distance PDR of the peeling member 5 is greater than or equal to the transport movement distance DB and less than or equal to twice the transport movement distance DB (DB ≤ PDR ≤ 2DB). By rotating the peeling member 5 in the forward direction R1 so that the forward rotation distance PDR of the peeling member 5 is greater than or equal to the transport movement distance DB, it is possible to suppress the position of the starting point MPP of the media M peeling off from the transport member 31 relative to the transport member 31 from becoming too far downstream in the rotation direction of the first transport roller 32 when the media M is peeled off from the transport member 31 in accordance with the forward rotation R1 of the peeling member 5. This prevents the printed surfaces of the media M's contact portion M1 and peel portion M2 from coming into contact with each other between the downstream end portion 311 of the transport member 31 and the outer peripheral surface 5A of the peeling member 5. On the other hand, by rotating the peeling member 5 in the forward direction R1 such that the forward rotation distance PDR of the peeling member 5 is less than or equal to twice the transport movement distance DB, it is possible to prevent the position of the starting point MPP of the media M's peeling from the transport member 31 from becoming too far upstream in the rotational direction of the first transport roller 32 when the media M is peeled from the transport member 31 in accordance with the forward rotation R1 of the peeling member 5. This prevents the portion of the media M to which the liquid is to be attached by the inkjet head 42 from being peeled from the transport member 31.

[0071] Furthermore, the control unit 7 may rotate the peeling member 5 in the forward direction R1 such that the forward rotation peripheral speed PVR of the peeling member 5 is less than or equal to the transport movement speed VB of the transport member 31's circumferential movement (PVR ≤ VB). This prevents the position of the starting point MPP of the peeling of the media M relative to the transport member 31 from becoming too far upstream in the rotational direction of the first transport roller 32 when the media M is peeled off in accordance with the forward rotation R1 of the peeling member 5. As a result, the portion of the media M to which the liquid is to be attached by the inkjet head 42 is more reliably prevented from being peeled off from the transport member 31.

[0072] Furthermore, the control unit 7 outputs error information if the ON state of the detection unit 6 persists even after a time corresponding to the head scan cycle HSC has elapsed since the first detection switching timing TS1, when the detection unit 6 switches from the OFF state to the ON state, which outputs a forward rotation command C1. If the ON state of the detection unit 6 persists despite the peeling member 5 rotating R1 in the forward rotation in response to the forward rotation command C1, it may become impossible to peel the media M from the transport member 31, potentially resulting in a defect in the peeling of the media M from the transport member 31. For this reason, the control unit 7 outputs error information. In response to the output of error information, the control unit 7 may display the error information on a display unit such as a display, or it may stop the printing device 1. This allows the operator of the printing device 1 to take measures to improve the defect in the peeling of the media M from the transport member 31.

[0073] The embodiments described above are not limited to those described herein, and the following embodiments may be taken, for example.

[0074] In the above embodiment, the control unit 7 was described as rotating the peeling member 5 forward R1 when the detection unit 6 is ON and rotating the peeling member 5 in the reverse R2 when the detection unit 6 is OFF during the peeling drive process. However, the embodiment is not limited to this configuration.

[0075] The control unit 7 may, in response to the movement of the transport member 31 at a predetermined transport speed VB, detect the peeling portion M2 of the media M by the detection unit 6 and, in response to the detection unit 6 being ON, rotate the peeling member 5 in the forward direction R1 at a predetermined first forward rotation peripheral speed PVR. Then, while the transport member 31 is moving at the transport speed VB, if the detection unit 6 is turned OFF in response to the forward rotation R1 of the peeling member 5, the control unit 7 may rotate the peeling member 5 in the forward direction R1 at a second forward rotation peripheral speed PVR that is slower than both the transport speed VB and the first forward rotation peripheral speed PVR, and stop the forward rotation R1 of the peeling member 5 when the transport member 31 stops. By controlling the peripheral speed of the forward rotation R1 of the peeling member 5 in this way, it is possible to reduce the tension applied to the peeling portion M2 of the media M without rotating the peeling member 5 in the reverse direction R2. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of streaks in the X direction along the peeling start point MPP of the media M from the transport member 31 in the image formed on the media M, which would otherwise reduce print quality.

[0076] Furthermore, while the control unit 7 is continuously peeling the media M from the transport member 31 in accordance with the forward rotation R1 of the peeling member 5, it may accelerate or decelerate the forward rotation peripheral speed PVR of the peeling member 5, or it may repeatedly stop and restart the forward rotation R1 of the peeling member 5. By controlling the forward rotation R1 of the peeling member 5 in this way, it is possible to reduce the tension applied to the peeled portion M2 of the media M without rotating the peeling member 5 in the reverse direction R2. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of streaks in the X direction along the peeling start point MPP of the media M from the transport member 31 in the image formed on the media M, which would otherwise reduce the print quality.

[0077] Furthermore, the control unit 7 drives the peeling member 5 in forward rotation R1 in response to the drive of the transport member 31, thereby peeling the media M from the transport member 31. The control unit 7 may also drive the peeling member 5 in reverse rotation R2 in response to the stopping of the drive of the transport member 31. Alternatively, the control unit 7 may stop the drive of the transport member 31 after a predetermined time difference has been observed after the drive of the peeling member 5 has been stopped. This control of the drive of the peeling member 5 in response to the stopping of the drive of the transport member 31 makes it possible to reduce the tension applied to the peeled portion M2 of the media M. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of streaks in the X direction along the peeling start point MPP of the media M from the transport member 31 in the image formed on the media M, which would otherwise reduce the print quality.

[0078] 1 Printing device 3 Transport unit 31 Transport member 4 Printing unit 42 Inkjet head 421 Ink head (ink unit) 5 Peeling member 6 Detection unit 61 Detection range 7 Control unit 10 Drying device 100 Printing system M Media (printing medium)

Claims

1. A printing apparatus comprising: a transport member capable of transporting a printing medium located on its surface in a transport direction; an ink unit capable of attaching ink to the printing medium; a peeling member located downstream of the transport member in the transport direction and provided to be capable of forward and reverse rotation with a predetermined region of the printing medium in the transport direction attached, and capable of peeling off the portion of the printing medium upstream of the predetermined region in the transport direction from the transport member in accordance with the forward rotation; a detection unit capable of detecting the peeled portion of the printing medium that has been peeled off from the transport member and is located in the region between the transport member and the peeling member; and a control unit that performs an ink attachment process in which the ink unit attaches the ink to the printing medium; a transport drive process in which the transport member is driven in accordance with the ink attachment process; and a peeling drive process in which the peeling member is driven in accordance with the detection of the detection unit, wherein the control unit drives the peeling member in the peeling drive process so as to reduce the tension applied to the peeled portion of the printing medium as it peels off from the transport member.

2. A printing apparatus comprising: a transport member capable of transporting a printing medium located on its surface in a transport direction; an ink unit capable of adhering ink to the printing medium; a peeling member located downstream of the ink unit in the transport direction and capable of peeling off the portion of the printing medium downstream of the ink unit from the transport member by forward rotation; a detection unit capable of detecting the peeled portion of the printing medium that has been peeled off from the transport member and is located in the region between the transport member and the peeling member; and a control unit that performs a transport drive process for driving the transport member and a peeling drive process for driving the peeling member in accordance with the transport drive process, wherein the control unit drives the peeling member in reverse rotation in accordance with the transport drive process.

3. A printing apparatus comprising: a transport member capable of transporting a printing medium located on its surface in a transport direction; an ink unit capable of adhering ink to the printing medium; a peeling member located downstream of the ink unit in the transport direction and capable of peeling off the portion of the printing medium downstream of the ink unit from the transport member; and a control unit that performs a transport drive process for driving the transport member and a peeling drive process for driving the peeling member in accordance with the transport drive process, wherein the control unit stops driving the transport member after a predetermined time difference following the stop of driving the peeling member.

4. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the detection unit is turned ON when the peeling portion is located within a detection range set in the region between the transport member and the peeling member, and is turned OFF when the peeling portion is located outside the detection range, and the control unit, in the peeling drive process, rotates the peeling member in the forward direction according to the ON state of the detection unit, and rotates the peeling member in the reverse direction according to the OFF state of the detection unit.

5. The printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control unit, in the peeling drive process, outputs a forward rotation command to rotate the peeling member in the forward direction in accordance with the ON state of the detection unit; while the peeling member is rotating in the forward direction in accordance with the forward rotation command, outputs a forward rotation stop command to stop the forward rotation of the peeling member after a predetermined first delay time has elapsed with respect to the timing at which the detection unit switches from the ON state to the OFF state; after the forward rotation of the peeling member has stopped in accordance with the forward rotation stop command, outputs a reverse rotation command to rotate the peeling member in the reverse direction; and outputs a reverse rotation stop command to stop the reverse rotation of the peeling member after a predetermined second delay time that is shorter than the first delay time has elapsed with respect to the timing at which the reverse rotation command was output.

6. The printing apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the control unit rotates the peeling member in the forward direction during the peeling drive process such that the forward rotational movement distance of the outer surface of the peeling member corresponding to the forward rotation of the peeling member falls within a predetermined allowable range based on the transport movement distance of the transporting member during the transport drive process.

7. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the printing medium is a cloth member made of cloth fabric.

8. A printing system comprising: a printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7; and a drying apparatus capable of drying the printing medium that has been peeled off from the transport member by the peeling member in the printing apparatus.

9. A printing method comprising: a transport step of transporting a printing medium in a transport direction using a transport member; an ink application step of attaching ink to the printing medium; and a peeling step of peeling off the portion of the printing medium upstream of the predetermined region in the transport direction from the transport member in accordance with the forward rotation of a peeling member located downstream of the transport member in the transport direction and with a predetermined region of the printing medium in the transport direction attached to it, wherein in the peeling step, the peeling member is driven in such a way that the tension applied to the peeled portion of the printing medium as it is peeled from the transport member is reduced in accordance with the detection of the peeled portion of the printing medium located in the region between the transport member and the peeling member by a detection unit.

10. The printing method according to claim 9, wherein the detection unit is turned ON when the peeled portion is located within a detection range set in the region between the transport member and the peeling member, and is turned OFF when the peeled portion is located outside the detection range, and in the peeling step, the peeling member is rotated forward according to the ON state of the detection unit, and the peeling member is rotated backward according to the OFF state of the detection unit.

11. A printing method comprising: a transport step of transporting a printing medium in a transport direction using a transport member; an ink application step of applying ink to the printing medium using an ink unit; and a peeling step of peeling off the portion of the printing medium downstream of the ink unit from the transport member by forward rotation of a peeling member located downstream of the ink unit in the transport direction, wherein in the peeling step, the peeling member is rotated in the reverse direction in response to the drive of the transport member.

12. A printing method comprising: a transport step of transporting a printing medium in a transport direction using a transport member; an ink application step of applying ink to the printing medium using an ink unit; and a peeling step of peeling off the portion of the printing medium downstream of the ink unit from the transport member by driving a peeling member located downstream of the ink unit in the transport direction, wherein in the peeling step, the drive of the transport member is stopped after a predetermined time difference following the stop of the drive of the peeling member.

Images