JP2003072041A - Drawing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problems of the need of mounting a cover member in a state with a nozzle ejection opening part projected from the cover member at the time of attaching a cover member so as to require the labor of detaching the cover member for each wiping operation, and particularly in the case of a large drawing apparatus, for example an apparatus for drawing in a 2 m square size, the need of the frequent wiping operation for each 2-3 reciprocating movements as well as incapability of executing an accurate drawing operation due to displacement of the head by the detaching operation. SOLUTION: A drawing apparatus, wherein a cover member for protecting the writing surface of a drawing head mounted on a drawing apparatus, and the drawing head are disposed relatively movably in the approaching and separating directions, is provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cover member for a drawing head attached to a drawing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A nozzle tip, which is an ink ejection portion of a drawing head, is very delicately constructed. Further, in order to prevent the diffusion of the ejected ink as much as possible and draw accurately, the nozzle tip is made as close as possible to the recording surface.

[0003]

However, if there is a wrinkle or a curled portion on the end face because they are brought close to each other, the nozzle tip (ejection portion) comes into contact with the wrinkled or curled portion. As a result, scratches are formed on the ink ejection portion at the tip of the nozzle, and accurate drawing cannot be performed. By the way, when the wrinkle or the curled portion is large, the tip of the nozzle may be damaged, and it may be impossible to perform drawing. Here, it is conceivable to attach the cover member so as to surround the nozzle, but since the maintenance (wiping dirt on the ejection portion; referred to as wiping) is also performed automatically, the cover member cannot be attached. Even if it is attached, it has to be attached in a state in which the discharge port of the nozzle is projected from the cover member, and when wiping, the cover member has to be removed one by one, which is troublesome. In particular, in a large drawing device, for example, a drawing device that draws 2 m square, wiping must be performed every 2 to 3 reciprocations, which not only makes the above-mentioned work frequent but also requires the above-mentioned attachment / detachment. Sometimes the position of the head was misaligned due to work, making it impossible to draw accurately.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the present invention is a drawing head attached to a drawing device, and a cover member for protecting the writing surface of the drawing head and the drawing head can be relatively approached and separated from each other. The idea is to place them.

[0005]

The nozzle tip is surrounded by the cover member at the time of drawing and projects from the cover member at the time of wiping.

[0006]

EXAMPLE One example will be described with reference to FIGS. It is an example of a drawing device. The housing 1 is provided with a print medium 2 made of paper or a soft resin material to be drawn, a roller 3 for moving the print medium 2 back and forth, and the like. A printing unit 4 such as an ink jet for drawing on the print medium 2 is located on the upper surface of the print medium 2. The printing unit 4 is detachably fixed to an L-shaped base 5. This is because of the ease of maintenance. The base 5 is fixed to a timing belt 6, and the timing belt 6 is rotatably arranged over substantially the entire width of the print medium 2. That is, the printing unit 4 is movable with respect to the entire width of the printing medium 2. As the belt type, in addition to the exemplified timing belt,
Examples include steel belts and belts made of fiber bundles.

Next, the printing unit 4 will be described in detail. Although four ink jet nozzles 7 are arranged on the L-shaped base 5, the number of ink jet nozzles 7 is not limited to this, but as the number of ink jet nozzles 7 increases, it is possible to perform clear drawing at high speed. The tip 8 of the nozzle 7 is the base 5
Slightly protrudes from the through hole 9 formed in the bottom plate portion 5a. Further, a cover member 10 is arranged on the lower surface of the bottom plate portion 5a and can be moved up and down by an electric cylinder 11 fixed to the side plate portion 5b of the base 5, but instead of the electric cylinder. Alternatively, an air cylinder or the like may be used. A through hole 12 is formed in the cover member 10 at a position corresponding to the nozzle 7, so that the tip 8 of the nozzle 7 can protrude from the cover member 10 when the cover member 10 is lifted. Has become. That is, each nozzle 7 is surrounded by the through hole 12 of the cover member 10. The cover member 10 has a U-shaped bent portion on both sides thereof, and the side plate portion 10 a of the slit member 1 is formed on the base 5.
It projects from 3. That is, the side plate portion 1 of the cover member 10
By inserting 0a into the slit 13 of the base 5, the shake of the cover member 10 is prevented. That is, the slit portion 13 serves as a guide portion for the cover member 10. Further, the back plate portion 10 of the cover member 10 to which the cylinder rod of the electric cylinder 11 is fixed.
b is also slidably attached to the guide rail 14 of the base 5, and the cover member 10 can be accurately moved up and down in combination with the above configuration.

Reference numeral 15 is a sensor for detecting the undulation state of the print medium 2 due to wrinkles and curling, and depending on the degree, the drawing device is stopped when the undulation state is large. There is.

Next, the operation will be described. Normally, the cover member 10 descends, and the bottom surface of the cover member 10 and the front end surface of the tip 8 of the nozzle member 7 are substantially the same, but the tip of the nozzle member 8 is slightly in the through hole 12 of the cover member 10. Immerse yourself. Although it is drawn in this state, if there are wrinkles, the bottom surface of the cover member 10 corrects the wrinkles,
The nozzle 7 reaches the corrected portion and discharges / sprays the paint. When the printing unit 4 reciprocates 2 to 3 times by such an operation, the wiping operation for wiping off the excess paint adhering to the tip of the nozzle 7 is started. In this wiping operation, the printing unit 4 temporarily stops near either the left or right end. Of course, this is the direction in which the wiping device is arranged. Next, the cover member 10 is raised by the electric cylinder 11, the tip 8 of the nozzle 7 projects from the through hole 12 of the cover member 10, and the tip 8 is exposed (see FIG. 5). In this state, the tip 8 of the nozzle 7 is wiped clean by a wiping device (not shown). Then, the cover member 10 descends again and drawing is started.

[0010]

According to the present invention, since the drawing head is attached to the drawing device and the cover member for protecting the writing surface of the drawing head and the drawing head are arranged so as to be relatively close to and away from each other, Accurate drawing can be performed without damaging the head.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a drawing device.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a printing unit.

FIG. 3 is a front view of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing the operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 case 2 print media 3 rollers 4 printing units 5 bases 6 belts 7 ink jet nozzle 8 tip 9 through holes 10 Cover member 11 Electric cylinder 12 through holes 13 slit 14 Guide rail 15 sensors

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A drawing head attached to a drawing apparatus, wherein a cover member for protecting the writing surface of the drawing head and the drawing head are arranged so as to be relatively close to and away from each other. . 2. The drawing head is used as an ink jet, and the ink ejecting portion of the ink jet is
The drawing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cover member is arranged so as to be close to and away from the cover member.