JP2019155681A - Inkjet recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an inkjet recording device that can reduce damage of an inkjet head without applying processing to a recording medium.SOLUTION: An inkjet recording device comprises a plurality of head units 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 and 46 which discharge ink to a recording medium R in turn. An interval between a discharge surface 41a in the first head unit 41 and the recording medium R is set to be wider than an interval between a discharge surface 42a in the second head unit 42 and the recording medium. Further, an interval between the discharge surface 41a in the first head unit 41 and the recording medium R is set to be wider than an interval between a discharge surface 43a in the third head unit 43 and the recording medium R.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus that forms an image by ejecting ink onto a recording medium.

  An ink jet recording apparatus forms an image on a recording medium by ejecting ink from a plurality of nozzles provided in an ink jet head. In recent years, an inkjet recording apparatus has also been proposed in which a cloth is used as a recording medium and an image is formed on the cloth.

  When a fabric is used as the recording medium, the fuzz protruding from the surface of the fabric may come into contact with the nozzles of the inkjet head, which may cause damage to the nozzles. In order to prevent the nozzle from being damaged by the fluff of such a fabric, for example, there are those described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2. Patent Document 1 describes a technique for compressing a recording medium by a medium press unit. Patent Document 2 describes a technique including a fluff cutter unit that cuts fluff into a predetermined height and aligns the hair.

JP 2017-122295 A JP 2017-128828 A

  However, in the techniques described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, since the recording medium is processed by the medium press unit and the fluff cutter unit, the recording medium may be damaged.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide an ink jet recording apparatus that can reduce damage to an ink jet head without processing a recording medium.

In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object of the present invention, an ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention includes a plurality of head units that are arranged to face a recording medium and sequentially eject ink onto the recording medium. The plurality of head units have inkjet heads that eject ink.
The interval between the ejection surface and the recording medium in the first head unit that ejects ink first among the plurality of head units is set to be greater than the interval between the ejection surface and the recording medium in the second head unit that ejects ink next. ing. The interval between the ejection surface and the recording medium in the first head unit is set wider than at least the interval between the ejection surface and the recording medium in the third head unit that ejects ink next to the second head unit.

  According to the ink jet recording apparatus having the above configuration, damage to the ink jet head can be reduced without processing the recording medium.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an ink jet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a plan view of a carriage of an ink jet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from a recording medium side. FIG. 3 is a side view of a plurality of carriages of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention as viewed from one side in the width direction. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the inkjet head recording device which concerns on the 2nd Example of this invention. FIG. 6 is a front view of an example of a carriage of an inkjet head recording apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the downstream side in the conveyance direction. It is the front view which looked at the other example of the carriage of the inkjet head recording device which concerns on the 2nd Example of this invention from the downstream of the conveyance direction.

  Below, the form for implementing the inkjet recording device of this invention is demonstrated, referring FIGS. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the common member in each figure. The present invention is not limited to the following form.

1. First embodiment example 1-1. Configuration of Inkjet Recording Apparatus First, the configuration of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as “this example”) will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the ink jet recording apparatus of this example.

  The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is an ink jet recording apparatus that forms an image by ejecting ink droplets toward a recording medium R. An inkjet recording apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a one-pass drawing type inkjet recording apparatus that forms an image using a plurality of inkjet heads when a recording medium R is conveyed. Furthermore, in the inkjet recording apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1, an example in which a fabric is applied as an example of the recording medium R will be described.

  In the following description, the direction in which the recording medium R is conveyed is defined as the conveying direction, and the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction on the image forming surface of the recording medium R is defined as the width direction. The direction perpendicular to the transport direction and the width direction, that is, the direction in which ink is ejected is defined as the vertical direction.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a transport unit 2 that transports a recording medium R, a plurality of carriages 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 (six in this example), a delivery unit 5, and a winding unit 6 are provided.

  The transport unit 2 includes a transport belt 21, a driving roller 22, a driven roller 23, and a pressing member 24. The driving roller 22 and the driven roller 23 are arranged at a predetermined interval in the transport direction. The driving roller 22 and the driven roller 23 are arranged with their axial directions parallel to the width direction. The drive roller 22 is connected to a drive unit (not shown). And when the drive part not shown drives, the drive roller 22 rotationally drives.

  The conveyor belt 21 is wound around a driving roller 22 and a driven roller 23. The conveyor belt 21 is formed in an endless shape in which both end portions in the longitudinal direction are connected. A recording medium R is placed on the conveyor belt 21. When the driving roller 22 is driven to rotate, the conveying belt 21 circulates between the driving roller 22 and the driven roller 23 and conveys the recording medium R placed thereon.

  Carriages 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36, which will be described later, are arranged on the top surface of the transport belt 21 in the vertical direction. A pressing member 24 is disposed on the upper surface of the transport belt 21 on the upstream side of the carriages 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36 in the transport direction.

  The pressing member 24 is formed in a roller shape, and the pressing member 24 is rotatably supported by a support portion (not shown). The pressing member 24 is disposed with its axial direction parallel to the width direction. The length of the pressing member 24 in the axial direction is set longer than the length of the conveying belt 21 in the width direction. Therefore, the pressing member 24 extends from one end in the width direction of the transport belt 21 to the other end. The pressing member 24 presses the recording medium R transported to the transport unit 2 by a delivery unit 5 described later toward the upper surface of the transport belt 21.

  A delivery unit 5 is disposed on the upstream side of the transport unit 2 in the transport direction. The delivery part 5 is formed in a roller shape and is rotatably supported by a support part (not shown). The sending unit 5 sends the recording medium R toward the transport unit 2 by being rotationally driven.

  Further, the winding unit 6 is disposed on the downstream side in the transport direction of the transport unit 2, and the winding unit 6 is a recording medium on which an image is formed by the carriages 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36. R is separated from the conveyor belt 21 and collected.

  The six carriages 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 are opposed to the upper surface of the transport belt 21 with predetermined intervals t 1, t 2, t 3, t 4, t 5, t 6, respectively. The six carriages 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36 are set so that the length in the width direction is longer than the length in the width direction of the recording medium R. The six carriages 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36 contain head units 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, and 46 that discharge ink.

  The first carriage 31 houses a first head unit 41 that discharges yellow ink. The second carriage 32 accommodates a second head unit 42 that ejects orange ink having higher visibility than yellow, and the third carriage 33 ejects magenta ink having higher visibility than orange. A third head unit 43 is accommodated. The fourth carriage 34 accommodates a fourth head unit 44 that discharges cyan ink having higher visibility than magenta. The fifth carriage 35 and the sixth carriage accommodate a fifth head unit 45 and a sixth head unit 46 that discharge black ink having higher visibility than cyan.

  The six carriages 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36 are arranged in the order of yellow, orange, magenta, cyan, black, and black from the upstream side in the transport direction. In other words, the first carriage 31 that ejects ink having lower visibility than the other carriages 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36 is disposed at the uppermost stream in the transport direction. Then, ink is ejected toward the recording medium R in order from the first carriage 31 that ejects the ink with the lowest visibility.

  Therefore, the carriage arranged on the upstream side in the transport direction ejects light-color ink and ejects darker ink than the carriage arranged on the downstream side.

  Further, in the inkjet recording apparatus 1 of the present example, the example using the above-described monochromatic ink as the ink to be ejected has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a transparent penetrating ink that facilitates soaking ink into the recording medium R may be used. In this case, the penetrating ink is disposed at the uppermost stream in the transport direction, and is ejected toward the recording medium R before other inks.

  The vertical spacing between the six carriages 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 and the recording medium R will be described later.

  Next, the configuration of the head units 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 will be described with reference to FIG. The head units 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, and 46 have the same configuration except for the difference in ink to be ejected. Therefore, here, the configuration of the first head unit 41 will be described. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which the first carriage 31 is viewed from the recording medium side.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the head unit 41 has a plurality (16 in this example) of inkjet heads 242. The two ink-jet heads 242 constitute one set and constitute one ink-jet module 243. Therefore, the head unit 41 of this example is provided with eight ink-jet modules 243.

  The eight inkjet modules 243 are arranged in two rows along the transport direction. Then, four inkjet modules 243 in a row are arranged side by side along the width direction. In addition, the eight inkjet modules 243 have two rows of inkjet modules 243 arranged in a staggered pattern along the conveyance direction.

  The number and arrangement method of the ink jet modules 243 are not limited to those described above, and six or ten or more ink jet modules 243 may be arranged, and the ink jet modules 243 are inclined with respect to the transport direction. May be arranged.

  The ink jet head 242 has a plurality of nozzles 244. Then, the inkjet head 242 ejects ink from the nozzle 244 toward the recording medium R. As a result, an image is formed on the recording medium R placed on the conveyor belt 21.

1-2. Next, the intervals between the inkjet heads 242, that is, the six carriages 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 and the recording medium R will be described with reference to FIG. 3.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the carriages 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, and 37 as viewed from one side in the width direction.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the vertical distance between the first head unit 41 of the first carriage 31 and the recording medium R, that is, the vertical distance between the ejection surface 41a of the inkjet head 242 (see FIG. 2) and the recording medium R is as follows. The first length t1 is set. In addition, the vertical distance between the ejection surface 42a of the second head unit 42 and the recording medium R in the second carriage 32 is set to the second length t2 that is the same as the first length t1.

  The vertical distance between the ejection surface 43a of the third head unit 43 and the recording medium R in the third carriage 33 is set to a third length t3 that is shorter than the first length t1 and the second length t2. Yes. The vertical distance between the ejection surface 44a of the fourth head unit 44 and the recording medium R in the fourth carriage 34 is set to a fourth length t4 that is the same as the third length t3.

  The vertical distance between the ejection surface 45a of the fifth head unit 45 and the recording medium R in the fifth carriage 35 is set to a fifth length t5 that is shorter than the third length t3 and the fourth length t4. Yes. The vertical distance between the ejection surface 46a of the sixth head unit 46 and the recording medium R in the sixth carriage 36 is set to a sixth length t6 that is the same as the fifth length t5.

  That is, in the first carriage 31 and the second carriage 32 arranged on the upstream side in the transport direction, the interval between the ejection surfaces 41a and 42a and the recording medium R is set to be the widest. On the other hand, in the fifth carriage 35 and the sixth carriage 36 arranged on the downstream side in the transport direction, the interval between the ejection surfaces 45a and 46a and the recording medium R is set to be the narrowest.

  Then, by increasing the interval between the recording medium R and the first carriage 31 that discharges ink prior to the other carriages 32 to 36, the fluff R <b> 2 protruding from the surface R <b> 1 of the recording medium R is discharged from the first carriage 31. The amount of contact with the surface 41a can be reduced. Thereby, it is possible to reduce the damage of the first head unit 41 accommodated in the first carriage 31 by the fluff R2.

  Here, the height of the fluff R2 protruding from the surface R1 of the recording medium R is not uniform but nonuniform. Therefore, damage due to the fluff R2 is not concentrated on the first head unit 41 of the first carriage 31 arranged on the upstream side in the transport direction, but is distributed to the other carriages 32-36. That is, damage can be prevented from concentrating on the nozzles of the head unit that ejects ink first, and the positions of the nozzles 244 (see FIG. 2) where the ejection failure has occurred due to the contact of the fluff R2 can also be dispersed. it can.

  Further, when a discharge failure occurs in the nozzle 244 (see FIG. 2), the discharge failure complement operation is performed by increasing the ink discharge amount from the nozzle adjacent to the nozzle in which the discharge failure has occurred. As described above, since the positions of the nozzles in which the ejection failure has occurred due to the contact of the fluff R2 are dispersed, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the complementary operation cannot be performed due to the concentration of the nozzles in which the ejection failure has occurred.

  Further, the fluff R2 protruding from the surface R1 is wetted by the ink ejected from each of the carriages 31 to 36, and gradually falls down toward the downstream side in the transport direction. Therefore, even if the interval between the ejection surfaces 45a and 46a of the fifth carriage 35 and the sixth carriage 36 disposed on the downstream side in the transport direction and the recording medium R is set to be narrow, the fluff R2 remains in the fifth carriage 35 and the sixth carriage 35. The amount of contact with the ejection surfaces 45a and 46a of the carriage 36 can be reduced.

  Thus, according to the ink jet recording apparatus 1 of this example, it is possible to reduce damage to the nozzles 244 of the respective ink jet heads 242 without processing the recording medium R, and damage to the recording medium R. Can be prevented.

  Note that when the interval between the ejection surface and the recording medium R is widened, there is a possibility that the ink landing position is shifted and the image quality is deteriorated. However, as described above, the first carriage 31 having a wider interval between the ejection surface 41a and the recording medium R ejects ink having lower visibility than the other carriages 32-36. Thereby, it is possible to reduce the influence on the image quality degradation caused by the deviation of the ink landing position.

  Further, in the fifth carriage 35 and the sixth carriage 36 that eject ink having higher visibility than the other carriages 31 to 34, the interval between the ejection surfaces 45a and 46a and the recording medium R is narrowed. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the deviation of the ink landing positions in the fifth carriage 35 and the sixth carriage 36, and it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the image quality.

2. Second Embodiment Next, an ink jet recording apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an ink jet recording apparatus according to the second embodiment.

  The ink jet recording apparatus according to the second embodiment is a scan type ink jet recording apparatus in which a carriage moves in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction with respect to the recording medium R to form an image. Here, portions common to the inkjet recording apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

  In the following description, the direction in which the recording medium R is conveyed is defined as the conveying direction, and the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction on the image forming surface of the recording medium R, that is, the direction in which the carriage moves is defined as the scanning direction. The direction perpendicular to the transport direction and the scanning direction, that is, the direction in which ink is ejected is defined as the vertical direction.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the ink jet recording apparatus 100 includes a conveyance unit 102, a carriage 130, and a guide rail 107 that indicates a support mechanism. The conveyance unit 102 includes a conveyance belt 121, a driving roller 122, and a driven roller 123. The driving roller 122 and the driven roller 123 are arranged at a predetermined interval in the transport direction. The driving roller 122 and the driven roller 123 are arranged with their axial directions parallel to the width direction. The drive roller 122 is connected to a drive unit (not shown). When the driving unit (not shown) is driven, the driving roller 122 is rotationally driven.

  The conveyor belt 121 is wound around the driving roller 122 and the driven roller 123. The conveyor belt 121 is formed in an endless shape in which both ends in the longitudinal direction are connected. A recording medium R is placed on the conveyor belt 121. When the driving roller 122 is rotationally driven, the conveying belt 121 circulates between the driving roller 122 and the driven roller 123 and conveys the recording medium R that is placed.

  A carriage 130 that is supported by the guide rail 107 so as to be movable in the scanning direction is opposed to the upper surface portion of the transport belt 121 in the vertical direction. The guide rail 107 is disposed along a scanning direction orthogonal to the transport direction. A carriage 130 is supported on the guide rail 107 so as to be movable in the scanning direction. The carriage 130 is supported by the guide rail 107 at a predetermined interval on the upper surface portion of the transport belt 121.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the carriage 130 as viewed from the downstream side in the transport direction.
Note that FIG. 5 illustrates an example in which ink is ejected only when moving in one direction when the carriage 130 reciprocates along the guide rail 107.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the opposed surface portion 137 facing the recording medium R in the carriage 130 is formed so that the vertical distance from the recording medium R becomes narrower in steps from the upstream side to the downstream side in the scanning direction. Yes. Nine inkjet heads 141 to 149 are accommodated in the facing surface portion 137 of the carriage 130.

  When the carriage 130 moves once, the first head unit 141 that discharges ink before the other head units 142 to 149 is disposed at the end of the carriage 130 on the most upstream side in the scanning direction. Therefore, the vertical distance between the ejection surface 141a of the first head unit 141 and the recording medium R is set wider than the vertical distance between the ejection surfaces 142a to 149a of the other head units 142 to 149 and the recording medium R. Is done.

  The ninth head unit 149 that discharges ink lastly is disposed at the end of the carriage 130 on the most downstream side in the scanning direction. Therefore, the vertical distance between the ejection surface 149a of the ninth head unit 149 and the recording medium R is set to be narrower than the vertical distance between the ejection surfaces 141a to 148a of the other head units 141 to 148 and the recording medium R. Is done.

  The other head units 142 to 148 are second head unit 142, third head unit 143, fourth head unit 144, fifth head unit 145, first head from the upstream side to the downstream side in the scanning direction of carriage 130. The six head units 146, the seventh head unit 147, and the eighth head unit 148 are arranged in this order.

  Further, the nine head units 141 to 149 sequentially eject ink with low visibility from the first head unit 141 disposed on the most upstream side in the scanning direction.

In addition, there is an example in which the ink jet recording apparatus of the scan method ejects ink in both the forward path and the return path when the carriage reciprocates. With reference to FIG. 6, the carriage 130 </ b> B that ejects ink in both the forward path and the backward path will be described.
FIG. 6 is a front view of the carriage 130B as viewed from the downstream side in the transport direction.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the facing surface portion 138 of the carriage 130 </ b> B is formed in a shape that protrudes downward in the vertical direction stepwise from both ends in the scanning direction toward the central portion in the scanning direction. For this reason, the vertical distance from the recording medium R at both ends in the scanning direction on the facing surface 138 is set wider than the vertical distance from the recording medium R at the center in the scanning direction.

  Further, nine head units 141 to 149 are accommodated in the facing surface portion 138 of the carriage 130B. The first head unit 141 that discharges ink prior to the other head units 142 to 149 during the forward path of the carriage 130B is disposed at the end on the most upstream side in the scanning direction during the forward path of the carriage 130B. Further, the second head unit 142 that discharges ink prior to the other head units 141 and 143 to 149 when the carriage 130B is in the return path is disposed at the end on the most upstream side in the scanning direction of the carriage 130B during the return path. The In addition, the ninth head unit 149 is disposed at the center of the carriage 130B in the scanning direction.

  Further, the third head unit 143 that discharges ink second during the forward path of the carriage 130B is disposed downstream of the first head unit 141 in the scanning direction during the forward path. The fourth head unit 144 that discharges ink second when the carriage 130B returns is disposed downstream of the second head unit 142 in the scanning direction during the return path.

  The fifth head unit 145 that ejects ink third during the forward path is disposed downstream of the third head unit 143 in the scanning direction during the forward path, and the sixth head unit 146 that ejects ink third during the backward path is The fourth head unit 144 is disposed downstream of the fourth head unit 144 in the scanning direction during the return path. The seventh head unit 147 that ejects ink fourth during the forward path is arranged downstream of the fifth head unit 145 in the scanning direction during the forward path, and is the eighth head unit that ejects ink fourth during the backward path. 148 is disposed downstream of the sixth head unit 146 in the scanning direction during the return path.

  The first head unit 141 and the second head unit 142 that discharge ink first during the forward pass and the return pass discharge ink that is less visible than the other head units 143 to 149. In addition, the ninth head unit 149 disposed in the center of the carriage 130B in the scanning direction ejects ink with higher visibility than the other head units 141 to 148. That is, in the nine head units 141 to 149, ink with lower visibility is arranged in order from the both ends in the scanning direction of the carriage 130B toward the center.

  Since other configurations are the same as those of the ink jet recording apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment described above, description thereof is omitted. Also with the ink jet recording apparatus 100 having such carriages 130 and 130B, the same operations and effects as those of the ink jet recording apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment described above can be obtained.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above and shown in the drawings, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention described in the claims.

  In this specification, words such as “parallel” and “orthogonal” are used, but these do not mean only strict “parallel” and “orthogonal”, but include “parallel” and “orthogonal”. Further, it may be in a state of “substantially parallel” or “substantially orthogonal” within a range where the function can be exhibited.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,100 ... Inkjet recording device, 2,102 ... Conveyance part, 21 ... Conveyance belt, 31 ... 1st carriage, 32 ... 2nd carriage, 33 ... 3rd carriage, 34 ... 4th carriage, 35 ... 5th carriage, 36 ... Sixth carriage 41 ... First head unit 41a, 42a, 43a, 44a, 45a, 46a ... Discharge surface 42 ... Second head unit 43 ... Third head unit 44 ... Fourth head unit 45 ... 5th head unit, 46 ... 6th head unit, 107 ... Guide rail (support mechanism), 130, 130B ... Carriage, 130B ... Carriage, 242 ... Inkjet head, 243 ... Inkjet module, 244 ... Nozzle, R ... Recording medium , R1 ... surface, R2 ... fluff

Claims (6)

A plurality of head units that are arranged to face the recording medium and sequentially eject ink onto the recording medium,
The plurality of head units have an inkjet head that ejects the ink,
Of the plurality of head units, the distance between the ejection surface of the first head unit that ejects ink first and the recording medium is equal to or greater than the distance between the ejection surface of the second head unit that ejects ink next and the recording medium. An ink jet recording apparatus that is set wider than at least the interval between the ejection surface of the third head unit that ejects ink next to the second head unit and the recording medium. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a head unit that discharges ink to the recording medium first among the plurality of head units discharges ink that is less visible than a head unit that discharges ink later. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ink ejected from the plurality of head units is a single color ink. A transport unit for transporting the recording medium;
The plurality of head units are arranged along a conveyance direction of the recording medium,
The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first head unit is disposed upstream of the second head unit and the third head unit in the transport direction. A carriage for accommodating the plurality of head units;
A support mechanism that movably supports the carriage on a surface parallel to the image forming surface of the recording medium,
The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first head unit is disposed on an upstream side in a direction in which the carriage moves. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording medium is a fabric.

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