JP2004155033A - Printing system for plate-shaped body to be printed - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing system for a plate-shaped body to be printed which can shorten not only a transfer device for print processing or the plate-shaped body to be printed, but also shorten a time required for an entire process including the print processing. <P>SOLUTION: A process of supplying new disk-shaped storage media 1 or discharging printed disk-shaped storage media 1' in parallel to the print processing of every unit of a plurality of disk-shaped storage media 1, disk cases C or the like is carried out by parallel working in a maximum tact, whereby not only a total length of a pitch transfer device 2 for supplying and discharging the disk-shaped storage media 1 can be shortened, but also the time required for the entire process including the print processing can be shortened. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printing system for a plate-shaped printing material that prints on a printable surface of an automatically supplied plate-shaped printing material using an ultraviolet curable resin ink by an inkjet method.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As this type of printing system, means for supplying discs such as CDs, CD-ROMs, and DVDs on a belt conveyor installed in series, two or more printing machines and UV (ultraviolet) dryers, inspection means, discharge means, etc. Are placed on a conveyor intermittently conveyed by a drive roller, and the discs are successively placed by a supply unit, printed by a printing machine, dried by each UV dryer, inspected by an inspection unit, and then inspected by an inspection unit, and then conveyed by a discharge unit. A device that discharges to the outside is known (see Patent Document 1).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-10-264356 (paragraphs 0009 to 0013, FIG. 1)
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in the printing system as described above, a disk supply means, two or more printing machines and a UV dryer, an inspection means, a discharge means and the like are continuously arranged on a belt conveyor installed in series, and All printing and inspection processes are performed during the transport process. For this reason, since the transport speed of the belt conveyor is determined by the slowest processing tact of the device to be arranged, not only the time required for all processes including the printing process becomes longer, but also the transport distance of the belt conveyor becomes longer. Had.
[0005]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to reduce the time required for all processes including the printing process, as well as to shorten the transport device for printing the plate-shaped printing material. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing system.
[0006]
[Means for solving the problem]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following technical means. In other words, using the reference numerals used in the accompanying drawings corresponding to the embodiments, a plate-like plate that is printed by an inkjet method using an ultraviolet-curable resin ink on the printable surface of a plate-like substrate that is automatically supplied can be used. A printing system for a printing medium, wherein the plate-shaped printing medium is transported to a predetermined position by a pitch feed from a supply unit in a forward direction in a transport direction, and a plurality of units of the plate-shaped printing medium are positioned and held at predetermined pitches. A transfer device 16 for transferring a plurality of plate-shaped printing materials on the pitch transfer device 2 onto a first tray 14 waiting at a transfer position S1; The holding device 34 for positioning and holding the second tray 15 previously transferred from the transfer position 16 via the transfer devices 18A and 18B at the printing position S2, and the upper surface of the positioned and held second tray 15 in the vertical and horizontal directions. A printing device 22 having a printing head 24 for performing a predetermined pattern printing on each surface of the plurality of unit plate-shaped printing objects and an ultraviolet irradiation unit 25 for irradiating ultraviolet light, and the second tray 15 after printing. A return transfer device 17 provided with an elevating function for receiving the sheet from the holding device 34 and transferring it to the transfer position S1 in a state of being lowered. The pitch transfer device 2 and the first tray 14 or the second tray A printing system for a plate-shaped printing medium, wherein a time for transferring a plurality of units of the plate-shaped printing medium to and from the tray 15 is set as a maximum tact.
Therefore, within the maximum tact, supply of a new plate-shaped print medium or printed plate-shaped print medium is performed in parallel with the step of printing a plurality of plate-shaped print mediums such as the disk storage medium 1 and the disk case. By performing the step of discharging the body in a parallel operation, not only can the overall length of the transport device for supplying and discharging the plate-shaped printing medium be reduced, but also the time required for all steps including the printing process can be reduced.
[0007]
Further, in the present invention, the plate-shaped printing medium is a disk-shaped storage medium 1, and each of a plurality of units of the disk-shaped storage medium 1 arranged and held at predetermined intervals on the first tray 14 or the second tray 15. A printing system for printing a plate-shaped printing medium, in which the printing device 22 is printed on the upper surface in the vicinity of the printable surface while repeatedly performing the fine horizontal movement for each reciprocating movement in the vertical direction, and the printing unit is cured by ultraviolet irradiation. It is.
Therefore, it is possible to surely cure the hard disk by repeatedly irradiating the ultraviolet light to the printing portion where the ultraviolet curable resin ink is dropped on each printable surface of the plurality of disk storage media.
[0008]
Further, according to the present invention, the printing apparatus 22 includes a plurality of print heads 24 according to coloring that can be increased or decreased, and stores a predetermined print pattern and adjusts the drop amount of the ink according to the determined print pattern. This is a printing system for a plate-shaped printing medium, which includes a control device that performs control on a print head 24 basis.
Therefore, it is possible to save the picture, Braille, and character data created in a predetermined pattern by the control device in advance, and to control the amount of ink dripped in each print head according to various patterns, and to quickly respond to various print patterns. can do.
[0009]
Further, according to the present invention, the first tray 14 and the second tray 15 are provided with a vacuum suction hole on a mounting portion for individually positioning and holding a plurality of units of the disk-shaped storage media 1, and the vacuum suction hole is formed as described above. It communicates with a pair of locking holes 33 formed at both ends of the first tray 14 and the second tray 15 and fits into these locking holes 33 to position and hold the trays 14 and 15 at the printing position S2. This is a printing system for a plate-shaped printing medium in which at least one of the plurality of holding devices 34 has a communication port communicating with a vacuum suction source.
Accordingly, the first tray 14 and the second tray 15 are accurately positioned and held at the printing position S2 by fitting with the pair of locking holes 33, and the first tray 14 and the second tray 15 are positioned and held. At this time, the plurality of disk-shaped storage media 1 held on the mounting portion can be reliably positioned and held.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view showing a printing system for a plate-shaped printing material according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view showing the printing system for a plate-shaped printing material connected to FIG. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an operation of supplying or discharging a plate-shaped printing medium to a printing position.
[0011]
1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a disk-shaped storage medium such as a CD or DVD as a plate-shaped printing medium according to the present invention. The disk-shaped storage medium 1 has an ultraviolet curable resin on a printable surface. In order to print in a predetermined pattern by an ink-jet method using ink, a plurality of units are automatically transferred to a printing device 22 described later.
[0012]
First, as shown in FIG. 1, reference numeral 2 denotes a pitch transport device that intermittently transports two disk-shaped storage media 1 from each other in a predetermined number of rows at a predetermined interval and feeds the media one by one at a time by pitch feed. A supply stocker 3 for loading and holding a new disk-shaped storage medium 1 in a plurality of units is disposed at the left end on the supply side of the pitch transport device 2, and a printed disk-shaped on the right end on the discharge side. A discharge stocker 4 for loading and holding the storage medium 1 'in a plurality of units is provided.
[0013]
Since the supply stocker 3 and the discharge stocker 4 have the same configuration, one of the supply stockers 3 will be described. However, the supply stocker 3 can be indexed in six to load and hold a new disk-shaped storage medium 1 in a plurality of units. A plurality of (for example, 150) disk-shaped storage media 1 are stacked and held on stack poles 6 arranged at equal intervals around the upper surface of the index table 5.
[0014]
Between the above-mentioned supply stocker 3 and discharge stocker 4 and both ends of the pitch conveying device 2, single swing arms 12 and 14 having a plurality of suction cups V arranged on the circumference of the lower surface of the leading end serving as a grip portion are arranged. Is established.
[0015]
In order to position and hold the disk-shaped storage medium 1 at a predetermined interval two by two, the pitch transfer device 2 is capable of intermittently feeding a mounting portion H formed of, for example, a plurality of circular shallow fitting holes in the vertical direction. The two storage units H on the left end receive a new disk-shaped storage medium 1 from the supply stocker 3, and the two storage units H on the right end store the printed disk-shaped storage medium 1 on the two storage units H on the right end. A discharge operation is performed. In the middle portion excluding the mounting portions H at the left and right ends, six rows of two disks are mounted in order to mount a plurality of units of the disk-shaped storage medium 1 or 1 '. The mounting portions H are arranged in rows at predetermined intervals.
[0016]
A plurality of units of a new disk-shaped storage medium 1 or a printed disk-shaped storage between a transfer position S1 arranged near one side of the pitch transport device 2 and a printing position S2 printed by a printing device 22 described later. In order to supply and discharge the medium 1 ', two first trays 14 and second trays 15, which are circulated and transported alternately at upper and lower positions, are used (see FIG. 2).
[0017]
More specifically, a plurality of units (12 sheets) of new disk-shaped storage media 1 or printed disk-shaped storage media 1 ′ are simultaneously transferred between the transfer position S 1 and the pitch transport device 2. A portal-type transfer device 16 having a number of suction cups V corresponding to the arrangement of the disk-shaped storage media 1 in units is arranged.
[0018]
Further, in the printing position S2, the disk-shaped storage medium 1 is printed, and the second tray 15 on which the printed disk-shaped storage medium 1 'is placed is supported, and is returned to the transfer position in a lowered state. The reciprocating transfer device 17 having the elevating function described above reciprocates between the print position S2 and the transfer position S1, and can be moved up and down at the print position S2 and the transfer position S1.
[0019]
At the transfer position S1, the printed disk-shaped storage medium 1 'on the second tray 15 is collectively transferred in a plurality of units to the empty mounting portion H of the pitch transport device 2 via the transfer device 16. While the pitch conveying device 2 is intermittently moved, one sheet is stacked on the stack pole 6 of the discharge stocker 4 one by one via the turning arm 13 from the right end on the discharge side.
[0020]
In parallel with this, a new disk-shaped storage is provided via the turning arm 12 from the indexed stack pole 6 of the supply stocker 3 to the two mounting sections H on the left end side, which are supply sides of the pitch transport device 2. The medium 1 is placed one by one on a plurality of empty placement units H, and the placed disk-shaped storage medium 1 is intermittently transported two by two.
[0021]
In this way, a new disk-shaped storage medium 1 in six rows in units of two is conveyed to an intermediate portion serving as a transfer position of the pitch conveyance device 2. As shown in FIG. 3, these plural units of disk-shaped storage media 1 are collectively and simultaneously transferred onto a waiting empty second tray 15 via a transfer device 16.
[0022]
As described above, the printed disk-shaped storage medium 1 ′ on the second tray 15, which has returned to the transfer position S <b> 1, is transferred onto the pitch transport device 2 and transferred to the discharge stocker 4 in parallel. Then, a new disk-shaped storage medium 1 is transferred from the supply stocker 3 onto the pitch transport device 2 onto the pitch transport device 2, and the disk-shaped storage media 1 in six rows in units of two are transferred to an intermediate portion on the pitch transport device 2. Is the maximum tact, and the time of parallel operation within this time is the maximum tact. Within this maximum tact, a plurality of units of the plate-shaped printing medium such as the disk-shaped storage medium 1 and the disk case are stored. The process of supplying a new disk-shaped storage medium 1 or discharging the printed disk-shaped storage medium 1 'is performed in parallel with the printing process.
[0023]
In this step, another first tray 14 is located at the printing position S2, and the new disk-shaped storage medium 1 on the first tray 15 can be printed by the printing device 22 as described in detail later. A predetermined pattern is printed on the surface in parallel.
[0024]
When the printing is completed, the first tray 14 is returned to the transfer position S1 while being supported by the return transfer device 17 and lowered, and at the same time, the second tray 15 on which the new disk-shaped storage medium 1 is placed is Both ends are gripped by the clampers 20A and 20B of the transfer devices 18A and 18B, and are transferred to the printing position S2.
[0025]
The second tray 15 transported to the printing position S2 has a pair of left and right clamper functions, which are fixed on a fixed support table 32 and move forward and backward, with respect to a pair of locking holes 33 formed on both end surfaces thereof. By inserting and pressing the tips of the four positioning pins 34, 34, the positioning pins 34 are accurately positioned and supported in the three-dimensional direction.
[0026]
A communication hole (not shown) communicating with a vacuum suction source is formed in at least one of the positioning pins 34, and the communication hole is formed in a vacuum suction hole provided in the mounting portion of the second tray 15. Communicating.
[0027]
Next, the printing apparatus 22 is supported on a base 27 disposed on the left and right in a lateral direction (Y-axis direction) so that movable tables 26A and 26B are movable by a shaft motor serving as a driving source (not shown). , 26B so as to reciprocate in the vertical direction (X-axis direction) by a shaft motor (not shown) on a vertical guide member 28 provided between the two.
[0028]
The control of the movement range and positioning of the printing device 22 in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, or the speed, is performed by the controller of each shaft motor based on a detection signal from an absolute encoder.
[0029]
The printing device 22 is on standby on the left end side of the vertical guide member 28 as an initial position, and a print head 24 of four colors is disposed in front of the printing device 22 in the initial position in the transport direction.
[0030]
More specifically, the print head 24 has a shape of about 30 mm in width and 150 mm in length, and is composed of 8 rows × 64 rows (512 nozzles), which serves as one color.
[0031]
The dropping of the ultraviolet curable resin ink is performed by an ink jet (piezo) method, and the control of the ink dropping from each nozzle is performed by the controller board receiving print data from the control device and controlling each nozzle of the print head 24.
[0032]
Printing is performed between the nozzle portion of the print head 24 and the printable surface of the disk-shaped storage medium 1 by reciprocating movement in the X-axis direction and minute movement in the Y-axis direction with an accuracy of 0.8 mm ± 0.1. The print heads 24 are classified into four colors of black, dark blue, yellow, and red, and when a special color is used, the number of heads can be added. An ultraviolet curing lamp 25 for curing the ultraviolet curable resin ink is provided behind the print head 24 in the printing direction.
[0033]
The reason why the print head 24 and the ultraviolet curing lamp 25 are arranged coaxially in the transport direction is that the ultraviolet curing resin ink has a low viscosity (10 to 15 cp), so that the ultraviolet irradiation is performed immediately after the ink is dropped. This is to prevent the outside from expanding from the range to be performed.
[0034]
For example, when the diameter of the disk-shaped storage medium 1 is 120 mm, the reciprocating operation in the X-axis direction is repeated 14 times along with the minute movement in the Y-axis direction, thereby completing the operation.
[0035]
The print pattern printed on the printable upper surface of the disc-shaped storage medium 1 is composed of various patterns and Braille, and various patterns drawn by an application of the control device (personal computer) are stored in the storage unit. Can be laid out or printed on a disk-shaped storage medium basis.
[0036]
Therefore, according to the disk-shaped storage medium printing system as described above, a new disk-shaped storage medium, such as the disk-shaped storage medium 1, is printed in a new disk in the maximum tact time in parallel with the printing process. By supplying the disk-shaped storage medium 1 or discharging the printed disk-shaped storage medium 1 ′ in parallel, not only can the overall length of the pitch transport device 2 for supplying and discharging the disk-shaped storage medium 1 be shortened, but also the printing can be performed. The time required for all the steps including the processing can be reduced.
[0037]
Further, a plurality of disc-shaped storage media can be surely cured by repeatedly irradiating an ultraviolet ray to a printing portion where the ultraviolet curable resin ink is dropped on each printable surface.
[0038]
Further, the controller can store in advance a pattern, a Braille or character data created in a predetermined pattern, and control the drop amount of the ultraviolet curable resin ink in each print head 24 unit according to various patterns. Can respond quickly.
[0039]
Then, the first tray 14 and the second tray 15 are accurately positioned and held at the printing position S2 by fitting with the pair of locking holes 33, and when the first tray 14 and the second tray 15 are positioned and held. The plurality of units of the disk-shaped storage medium 1 held on the mounting portion can be reliably positioned and held.
[0040]
FIGS. 4A to 4C show modified examples of combinations of plate-shaped printing objects placed on the placing portion on the upper surface of the tray, and those shown in FIG. This is an example in which the storage media 1 are arranged in a plurality of units in, for example, two rows on the first tray 14 in six rows.
[0041]
FIG. 2B shows an example in which disk cases C accommodating the disk-shaped storage medium 1 are arranged in a dedicated tray 14A in a plurality of units in two rows of six.
[0042]
Further, (C) shows an example in which the disk-shaped storage medium 1 and the dedicated disk case C corresponding to the disk-shaped storage medium 1 are combined in a row unit and are arranged in a row in the dedicated tray 14B, two by two in a plurality of units.
[0043]
【The invention's effect】
As described in detail above, the present invention has the following effects.
[0044]
That is, according to the first aspect, within the maximum tact, supply or printing of a new plate-shaped printing medium in parallel with the step of printing a plate-shaped printing medium such as a plurality of disk storage media or disk cases. By performing the process of discharging the used plate-shaped printing material in parallel, not only the entire length of the transport device for supplying and discharging the plate-shaped printing material but also the time required for all processes including the printing process can be reduced. be able to.
[0045]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to surely cure the hard disk by repeatedly irradiating the ultraviolet ray to the printing portion where the ultraviolet curable resin ink is dropped on each printable surface of the plurality of disk storage media.
[0046]
According to the third aspect, a pattern, Braille, or character data created in a predetermined pattern by a control device in advance is stored, and the amount of ink dripping can be controlled for each print head according to various patterns. Quick response to print patterns.
[0047]
According to the fourth aspect, the first tray and the second tray are accurately positioned and held at the printing position by fitting with the pair of locking holes, and the first tray and the second tray are positioned and held. The positioning and holding of a plurality of disk-shaped storage media held on the mounting portion can be reliably performed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view showing a printing system for a plate-shaped printing medium according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view showing a printing system for a plate-shaped printing medium connected to FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an operation of supplying or discharging a plate-shaped printing medium to a printing position.
FIGS. 4A to 4C are plan views showing modified examples of a combination of plate-shaped printing materials placed on a placement portion on the upper surface of each tray.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 New disk-shaped storage media (disk-shaped storage media)
1 'Printed disk storage medium (disk storage medium)
2 Pitch transfer device 3 Supply stocker 4 Discharge stocker 5 Index table 6 Stack poles 12, 13 Swivel arm 14 First tray 14A, 14B Dedicated tray 15 Second tray 16 Transfer device 17 Return transfer device 18A, 18B Transfer device 20A, 20B Clamper 22 printing device 24 print head 25 ultraviolet curing lamp (ultraviolet irradiation unit)
26A, 26B Moving table 27 Base 28 Vertical guide member 32 Fixed supporting table 33 Locking hole 34 Positioning pin (holding device)
C Disk case H Placement section S1 Transfer position S2 Printing position V Sucker

Claims (4)

A printing system for a plate-shaped printing body that performs printing by an inkjet method using an ultraviolet curable resin ink on a printable surface of the automatically supplied plate-shaped printing body,
A pitch transport device 2 that transports the plate-shaped printing medium to a predetermined position by a pitch feed from a supply unit located in front of the feeding direction and positions and holds a plurality of unit plate-shaped printing bodies at predetermined pitches; A transfer device 16 for batch-transferring a plurality of plate-shaped printing materials on the apparatus 2 onto the first tray 14 waiting at the transfer position S1, and transfer devices 18A and 18B from the transfer position 16; And a holding device 34 for positioning and holding the second tray 15 previously transferred through the second tray 15 at the printing position S2, and a plurality of the plate-shaped printing materials which travel in the vertical and horizontal directions on the upper surface of the second tray 15 thus positioned and held. A printing device 22 having a print head 24 for performing predetermined pattern printing on each surface and an ultraviolet irradiation unit 25 for irradiating ultraviolet light, and a state in which the second tray 15 is received from the holding device 34 after printing and is lowered. A return transfer device 17 having an elevating function for transferring to the transfer position S1; a plurality of units between the pitch transfer device 2 and the first tray 14 or the second tray 15 located at the transfer position S1; A printing system for a plate-shaped printing material, wherein a time for delivering the plate-shaped printing material is set to a maximum tact. The plate-shaped printing medium is the disk-shaped storage medium 1, and the printable surface of each of the plurality of units of the disk-shaped storage medium 1 arranged and held on the first tray 14 or the second tray 15 at predetermined intervals. 2. The printing of a plate-shaped printing material according to claim 1, wherein the printing device 22 is printed while repeatedly performing a fine horizontal movement for each reciprocating movement in the vertical direction, and the printing unit is cured by irradiation with ultraviolet light. system. The printing device 22 includes a plurality of coloring-specific print heads 24 that can be increased or decreased. The printing device 22 stores a predetermined print pattern, and adjusts a drop amount of ink in each of the print heads 24 according to the determined print pattern. 3. The printing system according to claim 1, further comprising a control device for performing control. The first tray 14 and the second tray 15 are provided with a vacuum suction hole in a mounting portion for individually positioning and holding a plurality of units of the disk-shaped storage media 1, and the vacuum suction hole is provided in the first tray 14 and the second tray 15. A plurality of holding devices 34 which communicate with a pair of locking holes 33 formed at both ends of the second tray 15 and fit in the locking holes 33 to position and hold the trays 14 and 15 at the printing position S2. 3. The printing system for a plate-shaped printing medium according to claim 2, wherein a communication port communicating with the vacuum suction source is formed in at least one of the plurality of communication ports.

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