JP2005022194A - Ink volatile substance eliminating mechanism from ink-jet head perimeter of ink-jet printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ink volatile substance eliminating mechanism for preventing an organic solvent or the like volatile substance that evaporates from within solvent ink droplets hit on a medium surface from floating and continuously staying in the perimeter of an ink-jet head, and condensing to adhere to an ink-jet head lower face. <P>SOLUTION: A breeze supply means 102 for sending a faint breeze to the perimeter of the ink-jet head 30 is set. The faint breeze is sent by the breeze supply means 102 to the perimeter of the ink-jet head 30, so that the volatile substance staying floating in the perimeter of the ink-jet head 30 is eliminated from the perimeter of the ink-jet head 30 by the faint breeze. The volatile substance is prevented from condensing at the lower face of the ink-jet head 30 to be granular or the like and adhering to the lower face. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an ink volatile substance removal mechanism (hereinafter simply referred to as “ink volatile substance removal mechanism”) from the periphery of an inkjet head of an inkjet printer for removing volatile substances such as an ink solvent floating and staying around the inkjet head from the vicinity of the inkjet head. Ink volatile substance elimination mechanism).
[0002]
[Prior art]
As shown in FIG. 5, nozzles (not shown) arranged on the lower surface of the inkjet head 30 that move relatively above the platen 20 in the X-Y direction (the left-right direction and the front and back direction in FIG. 5) substantially parallel to the surface of the platen 20. Inkjet printers are known in which ink droplets are ejected from the nozzle 10 so as to land on the surface of a medium 10 such as a sheet mounted on the platen 20 in the form of dots. According to this printer, a picture or / and a character consisting of an array of a plurality of ink dots can be printed on the surface of the medium 10 mounted on the platen 20. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 40 denotes a transport unit for transporting the medium 10 on the platen 20 in the X direction.
[0003]
In recent years, an ink jet printer has been developed that uses solvent ink droplets in which an ink pigment or ink dye is dissolved in a highly volatile organic solvent as ink droplets ejected from nozzles arranged on the lower surface of the ink jet head 30. ,in use.
In this printer, a plurality of solvent ink dots are formed on the surface of the medium 10 by the solvent ink droplets ejected from the nozzles arranged on the lower surface of the ink jet head 30 and landed in the form of dots on the surface of the medium 10 mounted on the platen 20. It is possible to print a picture or / and a letter having an array and having excellent weather resistance and water resistance. Then, the media 10 on which the picture or / and characters are printed can be used for outdoor advertisements and the like that require weather resistance and water resistance.
[0004]
In a printer that ejects solvent ink droplets from nozzles arranged on the lower surface of the inkjet head 30, as shown in FIG. 5, the medium 10 mounted on the platen 20 is placed inside the platen 20 below the traveling path of the inkjet head 30. A medium heating means 50 such as an electric heater for heating the plate through the platen 20 is provided.
According to the printer having such a structure, the solvent heating ink droplets that are ejected from the nozzles arranged on the lower surface of the inkjet head 30 and land on the surface of the medium 10 mounted on the platen 20 below the medium are heated by the medium heating unit 50. By forcibly heating together with the medium 10, the highly permeable organic solvent contained in the ink droplets can be quickly evaporated. The ink droplets that have landed on the surface of the medium 10 can be quickly dried to prevent the ink droplets from penetrating into the medium 10 around the landed portion. Then, it is possible to prevent the formation of blurred large-diameter ink dots on the surface of the medium 10 and to accurately form small-diameter ink dots on the surface of the medium 10. Then, it is possible to print a sharp and clear picture or / and character composed of an array of a plurality of small-diameter solvent ink dots on the surface of the medium 10 without blurring spots and blurring.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the ink jet printer provided with the media heating unit 50 as described above, the solvent ink droplets that have landed on the surface of the medium 10 heated together with the medium 10 by the media heating unit 50 evaporate, and the inkjet above A volatile substance such as an organic solvent that floats and stays in the vicinity of the head 30 in a mist form is exposed to the atmosphere and touches the lower surface of the inkjet head 30 in a low temperature state to cause dew condensation. Adhered in granular form. Then, the volatile material attached to the lower surface of the inkjet head 30 hindered accurate ejection of ink droplets from the nozzles arranged on the lower surface of the same inkjet head 30.
As a result, the flying miracle of the ink droplets ejected from the nozzles on the lower surface of the inkjet head 30 bends in a direction deviated from the normal direction, or the ink droplets from the nozzles on the lower surface of the inkjet head 30 do not become granular. The ink droplets ejected in the form of a mist are sprayed and dispersed widely on the surface of the medium 10 mounted on the platen 20 below the medium 10. The surface was soiled extensively. Furthermore, ink droplets are not accurately ejected from the nozzles on the lower surface of the inkjet head 30 and ink dots are formed on a part of a picture or / and character printed on the surface of the medium 10 mounted on the platen 20. A so-called dot dropout in which no dot of ink exists at a place to be present occurred, and a striped pattern or the like occurred in the picture or / and the character.
[0006]
The same thing as this is an ink jet printer not provided with the media heating means 50 as shown in FIG. 6, and the ink pigment or ink is applied to the highly volatile solvent from the nozzles arranged on the lower surface of the ink jet head 30. This also occurred when a highly volatile ink droplet in which the dye was dissolved was ejected and landed on the surface of the medium 10 mounted on the platen 20 below the inkjet head 30. That is, even in such a case, a volatile substance such as a solvent evaporates from a highly volatile ink droplet that has landed on the surface of the medium 10, and the volatile substance floats around the inkjet head 30 in the form of a mist. And stayed. Then, the volatile substance was exposed to the air and touched the lower surface of the inkjet head 30 in a low temperature state to cause condensation, and adhered to the lower surface of the inkjet head 30 as small particles. Then, the volatile material attached to the lower surface of the inkjet head 30 hindered accurate ejection of ink droplets from the nozzles arranged on the lower surface of the same inkjet head 30.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and the purpose of the present invention is to suspend a volatile substance such as an organic solvent that evaporates from a solvent ink droplet that has landed on the surface of a medium in a floating state around the inkjet head. An object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism for removing ink volatile substances from the periphery of an ink jet head, which prevents the volatile substance from condensing and adhering to the lower surface of the ink jet head.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve such an object, the ink volatile substance elimination mechanism of the present invention includes:
Evaporate from the ink droplets that are ejected from the nozzles on the bottom of the inkjet head of the inkjet printer and land on the surface of the media mounted on the platen, and remove volatile substances that float and stay around the inkjet head from the periphery of the inkjet head The volatile substance removing means is provided.
[0009]
In the ink volatile substance exclusion mechanism configured as described above, the ink is ejected from the nozzles arranged on the lower surface of the ink jet head of the ink jet printer, and is evaporated from the ink droplets that have landed on the surface of the medium mounted on the platen. Volatile substances that float and stay in the area can be forcibly and quickly excluded from the vicinity of the inkjet head by the volatile substance exclusion means. And it can prevent that the volatile substance which floats and stays in the periphery of the inkjet head continues to contact the lower surface of the inkjet head which is exposed to outside air for a long time. Then, it is possible to prevent the volatile material from condensing on the lower surface of the inkjet head in a state lower than the dew point temperature of the volatile material and adhering to the lower surface of the inkjet head in a small granular form. Then, it is possible to prevent the volatile substance from interfering with accurate ejection of ink droplets from nozzles arranged on the lower surface of the same inkjet head.
[0010]
In this ink volatile substance removing mechanism, the volatile substance removing means sends a breezes around the ink jet head, and the breezes removes volatile substances floating around and staying around the ink jet head from around the ink jet head. In addition, it may be configured from a light wind supply means.
In that case, the breezes are supplied to the vicinity of the inkjet head by the breezes supply means, and the breezes forcibly cause the volatile substances floating and staying around the inkjet head to be forced out of the inkjet head to the outside of the inkjet head. It can be eliminated quickly and accurately. Then, the volatile substance continues to stay around the inkjet head for a long time, condenses on the lower surface of the inkjet head that is lower than the dew point temperature of the volatile substance, and becomes small particles on the lower surface of the inkjet head. Adhesion can be prevented.
In addition, since the wind sent to the periphery of the inkjet head by the breezes supply means is subjected to the wind pressure of the breezes, the flight trajectory of the ink droplets ejected from the nozzles arranged on the lower surface of the inkjet head is deviated from the normal direction It is possible to prevent bending and the like.
[0011]
Further, in the ink volatile substance elimination mechanism provided with the light wind supply means, the light wind supply means is arranged around the ink jet head, and the mesh member for sending the fine wind in a laminar flow is sent to the fine wind supply means. It is good to have the structure of having crossed the breeze supply path in the breeze supply path.
In such a case, the fine wind fed to the periphery of the inkjet head is not made into a turbulent flow state in which ink droplets are easily affected by the wind pressure by the mesh member provided across the fine wind supply path in the fine wind supply path of the fine wind supply means. Moreover, it can be set as the state arranged in the laminar flow. In addition, it is possible to reliably prevent the flight trajectory of the ink droplets ejected from the nozzles arranged on the lower surface of the ink jet head from being bent out of the normal direction by receiving the wind pressure sent around the ink jet head. it can.
[0012]
In the ink volatile substance exclusion mechanism of the present invention, the volatile substance exclusion unit causes the volatile substance that floats and stays in the vicinity of the inkjet head to be weakly separated from the inkjet head along with the air around the inkjet head. It may be constituted by a weak gas suction means that sucks and eliminates with a simple suction force.
In that case, the volatile substance that floats and stays around the inkjet head, together with the air around the inkjet head, is forcibly and quickly forced by a weak suction force to a place away from the inkjet head by a weak gas suction means. Can be accurately excluded. Then, the volatile substance continues to stay around the inkjet head for a long time, condenses on the lower surface of the inkjet head that is lower than the dew point temperature of the volatile substance, and becomes small particles on the lower surface of the inkjet head. Adhesion can be prevented.
In addition, the volatile substance that floats and stays in the vicinity of the ink jet head is sucked and removed with a weak suction force to a place away from the ink jet head by the weak air suction means together with the air around the ink jet head. Thus, it is possible to prevent the flight trajectory of the ink droplets ejected from the nozzles arranged on the lower surface of the ink jet head from being bent by being deviated from the normal direction by receiving the suction force by the weak gas suction means.
[0013]
In the ink volatile substance exclusion mechanism according to the present invention, the volatile substance exclusion unit is configured so that the lower surface of the inkjet head is inclined with respect to the direction in which gravity is applied, or substantially in the direction in which gravity is applied to the lower surface of the inkjet head. You may comprise the inkjet head support means which supports the inkjet head in the state which stood up in the diagonal up-down direction or the up-down direction so that it may face a parallel direction.
In that case, a volatile substance that evaporates from the ink droplets landed on the surface of the media mounted on the platen and rises in the opposite direction to the direction in which gravity is applied due to buoyancy from the air. The direction of the inkjet head supported by the inkjet head support means in a state where it is erected in a slanting vertical direction or a vertical direction without being obstructed by the lower surface of the inkjet head covering the top of the medium is inclined with respect to the direction in which gravity is applied. Through the gap between the ink jet head lower surface or the ink jet head lower surface facing in a direction substantially parallel to the direction in which gravity is applied and the media surface mounted on the platen, the air is quickly scattered and disappears in the atmosphere above the ink jet head. be able to. Then, the volatile substance continues to stay around the inkjet head for a long time, condenses on the lower surface of the inkjet head that is lower than the dew point temperature of the volatile substance, and becomes small particles on the lower surface of the inkjet head. Adhesion can be prevented.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIGS. 1 to 4 show a preferred embodiment of the ink volatile substance elimination mechanism of the present invention, and FIGS. 1 to 4 are schematic structural explanatory views thereof. Hereinafter, these ink volatile substance exclusion mechanisms will be described.
[0015]
Each of the ink volatile substance elimination mechanisms shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 is ejected from the nozzles arranged on the lower surface of the ink jet head 30 of the ink jet printer using ink containing a volatile substance such as an organic solvent onto the platen 20. Volatile substance removing means 100 is provided for evaporating from the ink droplets that have landed on the surface of the mounted medium 10 and volatile substances that float and stay around the inkjet head 30 from the vicinity of the inkjet head 30. Yes.
[0016]
Among them, in the ink volatile substance elimination mechanism shown in FIG. 1, the volatile substance exclusion means 100 sends a breezes around the inkjet head 30 and the volatile substances that float and stay around the inkjet head 30 by the breezes. The light wind supply means 102 is configured to exclude substances from the vicinity of the inkjet head 30. A small air blowing fan 103 that sends out the light air is used as the light air supplying means 102, and the air blowing fan 103 is disposed on the rear side of the platen 20.
Then, the breeze supply means 102 can send a breeze around the inkjet head 30. Then, the volatile substance that floats and stays in the vicinity of the inkjet head 30 can be forcibly and accurately excluded from the vicinity of the inkjet head 30 to the outside of the inkjet head 30 by the breeze. Then, the volatile substance continues to stay around the inkjet head 30 for a long time, is exposed to the outside air, and dew condensation occurs on the lower surface of the inkjet head 30 which is lower than the dew point temperature of the volatile substance. It is possible to prevent the ink jet head 30 from adhering to the lower surface in the form of small particles.
Moreover, the wind sent around the inkjet head 30 by the breeze supply means 102 is a breeze. Then, it is possible to prevent the flight trajectory of the ink droplets ejected from the nozzles arranged on the lower surface of the inkjet head 30 from being bent by being deviated from the normal direction due to the wind pressure of the breeze.
In FIG. 1, a conveying unit 40 is provided in front of the blower fan 103, and it seems that the fine wind sent from the blower fan 103 cannot reach the periphery of the ink jet head 30, but conveys the surface of the medium 10. The pressing roller 42 of the means 40 is formed of a pair of short rollers that are separated from each other on the left and right, and has a structure in which both sides of the surface of the medium 10 are pressed by the pair of left and right pressing rollers 42. Therefore, it is possible to smoothly send the breeze sent out from the blower fan 103 through the gap between the pair of pressing rollers 42 on the left and right sides to the vicinity of the inkjet head 30 without being obstructed by the conveying means 40. .
[0017]
In the ink volatile substance elimination mechanism having the configuration shown in FIG. 2, the volatile substance elimination means 100 is arranged around the inkjet head 30 to send a breeze in a laminar flow, and the laminar flow breeze causes an ink jet. The volatile substance that floats and stays around the head 30 is constituted by a breeze supplying means 120 that excludes the volatile substance from the vicinity of the inkjet head 30. The breeze supply means 120 includes a blower fan 122 for sending a breeze arranged behind the platen 20 and a breeze supply path sent out from the blower fan 122 across the breeze supply path. And a cover 126 that continuously covers the upper periphery of the platen 20 except for the portion where the mesh member 124 is provided. As the net member 124, a net having an appropriately sized mesh is used.
Then, by rotating the blower fan 122 of the fine wind supply means 120, the fine wind sent from the blower fan 122 is arranged in a laminar flow by the net member 124 provided in the fine wind supply path without being turbulent. In this state, the ink can be fed around the ink jet head 30. Then, the volatile substance that floats and stays in the vicinity of the inkjet head 30 can be forcibly and accurately excluded from the vicinity of the inkjet head 30 to the outside of the inkjet head 30 by the breeze. At the same time, the fine wind sent to the periphery of the inkjet head 30 is made into a state where it is arranged in a laminar flow state without being in a turbulent state, and receives the wind pressure of the laminar flow of fine wind, It is possible to reliably prevent the flight trajectory of the ejected ink droplet from being bent out of the normal direction. Further, the fine wind sent from the blower fan 122 of the fine wind supply means 120 through the mesh member 124 to the vicinity of the inkjet head 30 above the platen 20 in a laminar flow is disturbed by the influence of outside air. Can be prevented by a cover 126 covering the upper periphery of the platen 20.
[0018]
In the ink volatile substance exclusion mechanism shown in FIG. 3, the volatile substance exclusion means 100 causes the volatile substance that floats and stays around the inkjet head 30 to move from the inkjet head 30 together with the air around the inkjet head 30. It consists of weak gas suction means 130 that sucks and removes at a distant place with a weak suction force. The weak gas suction means 130 includes a cover 132 that covers the periphery of the inkjet head 30 with a space, except for the inkjet head lower surface 34, an intake fan 134 disposed in the cover inner space, and an inkjet head lower surface exposed outside the cover 132. 34 is constituted by a gas flow port 136 opened on the lower surface and the upper surface of the cover 132 for allowing gas around the cover 132 to escape to the upper space outside the cover 132 through the space inside the cover 132.
Then, the volatile substance floating and staying in the vicinity of the inkjet head 30 is quickly and forcibly forced by a weak suction force to a place away from the inkjet head 30 by the gas weak suction means 130 together with the air around the inkjet head 30. It is possible to eliminate it accurately. Specifically, by rotating the intake fan 134, the volatile substance that floats and stays around the lower surface of the inkjet head 30 and the air around the lower surface of the inkjet head 30 together with the air inside the cover 132 from the gas circulation port 136 on the lower surface of the cover. The air can be sucked into the space and escaped to the upper space outside the cover 132 through the gas circulation port 136 on the upper surface of the cover. Then, the volatile substance continues to stay around the lower surface of the inkjet head 30 for a long time, and is exposed to the outside air to cause condensation on the lower surface 34 of the inkjet head, which is lower than the dew point temperature of the volatile substance. It is possible to prevent the particles from adhering to the lower surface 34 in the form of small particles.
Further, by using a small fan as the intake fan 134 of the weak gas suction unit 130, the gas weak suction unit 130 causes the volatile substance that floats and stays around the inkjet head 30 to be removed from the air around the inkjet head 30. At the same time, suction is performed with a weak suction force at a location away from the inkjet head 30. Then, it is possible to prevent the flight trajectory of the ink droplets ejected from the nozzles arranged on the ink jet head lower surface 34 from receiving the suction force by the weak gas suction means 130 from being bent out of the normal direction. I have to.
[0019]
In the ink volatile substance exclusion mechanism shown in FIG. 4, the volatile substance exclusion means 100 is oriented so that the inkjet head lower surface 34 is inclined with respect to the direction in which gravity is applied, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4B, or as shown in FIG. 4B, the inkjet head 30 is stood up in a slanting vertical direction or a substantially vertical vertical direction so that the bottom surface 34 of the inkjet head faces a direction substantially parallel to the direction in which gravity is applied. The ink jet head support means 140 is configured to support the head in a closed state. The inkjet head support means 140 uses a guide rail 142 that supports the inkjet head 30 so as to be movable in the Y direction above the platen 20. Specifically, the side surface of the guide rail 142 is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the gravitational direction in accordance with the inclination angle of the inkjet head 30 to be arranged in an obliquely vertical direction or a substantially vertical vertical direction. ing.
Then, a volatile substance that evaporates from the ink droplets landed on the surface of the medium 10 mounted on the platen 20 and rises in the direction opposite to the direction in which gravity is applied by receiving buoyancy from the air, As shown by the arrows in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the ink jet head support means 140 stands up in a slanting vertical direction or a substantially vertical vertical direction without being obstructed by the ink jet head lower surface 34 covering the medium 10. On the platen 20, the inkjet head 30 is supported in a state where the inkjet head 30 is directed in a direction inclined with respect to the direction in which gravity is applied, or the inkjet head lower surface 34 is directed in a direction substantially parallel to the direction in which gravity is applied. Quickly into the atmosphere above the inkjet head 30 through the gap between the surface of the medium 10 mounted on the inkjet head So that it is possible to scatter. Then, the volatile substance stays in the vicinity of the inkjet head 30 for a long time, is exposed to the outside air, and is condensed on the inkjet head lower surface 34 which is at a temperature lower than the dew point temperature of the volatile substance. It is possible to prevent the particles from adhering to 34 in the form of small particles.
[0020]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the ink volatile substance elimination mechanism of the present invention, the ink volatile substance is evaporated from the ink droplets ejected from the nozzles arranged on the lower surface of the inkjet head of the inkjet printer and landed on the surface of the medium mounted on the platen. The volatile substance that floats and stays around the inkjet head can be forcibly and accurately excluded from the vicinity of the inkjet head by the volatile substance exclusion means. Then, the volatile substance that floats and stays around the inkjet head continues to contact the lower surface of the inkjet head that is exposed to the outside air for a long time, condenses on the lower surface of the inkjet head, and the volatile substance is small on the lower surface of the inkjet head. It is possible to prevent adhesion in the form of particles. Then, it is possible to prevent the volatile substance from interfering with accurate ejection of ink droplets from nozzles arranged on the lower surface of the same inkjet head. As a result, using the printer, it is possible to always print neat and beautiful pictures and / or characters free from dot omission, stripes, dirt and distortion on the surface of the media mounted on the platen.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic structural explanatory diagram of an ink volatile substance elimination mechanism of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic structural explanatory diagram of an ink volatile substance exclusion mechanism of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a schematic structure of an ink volatile substance removal mechanism according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a schematic structural explanatory diagram of an ink volatile substance removal mechanism of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing a schematic structure of an ink jet printer using a solvent ink.
FIG. 6 is a side sectional view showing a schematic structure of an ink jet printer using a highly volatile ink.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Media 20 Platen 30 Inkjet head 34 Inkjet head lower surface 50 Media heating means 100 Volatile substance exclusion means 102 Slight wind supply means 120 Slight wind supply means 124 Net member 130 Gas weak suction means 140 Inkjet head support means

Claims (5)

A plurality of ink dots are formed by ink droplets that are ejected from nozzles arranged on the lower surface of an ink jet head that moves relative to the platen surface in the X and Y directions, which are substantially parallel to the platen surface, and land on the media surface mounted on the platen. In an ink jet printer for printing a picture or / and a character consisting of
Evaporating from the ink droplets ejected from the nozzles arranged on the lower surface of the inkjet head and landed on the surface of the medium mounted on the platen, the volatile substances floating and staying around the inkjet head are excluded from the periphery of the inkjet head. A mechanism for removing ink volatile substances from the periphery of an inkjet head of an inkjet printer, comprising volatile substance exclusion means. The volatile substance removing means is characterized by comprising a breeze supplying means for sending a breeze around the inkjet head and excluding the volatile substance floating and staying around the inkjet head from the circumference of the inkjet head. An ink volatile substance removing mechanism from the periphery of the ink jet head of the ink jet printer according to claim 1. The fine wind supply means is provided with a net member for arranging and sending the fine wind around the inkjet head in a laminar flow in the fine wind supply path of the fine wind supply means across the fine wind supply path. The mechanism for removing ink volatile substances from the periphery of an ink jet head of an ink jet printer according to claim 2. The volatile substance removing means sucks and removes volatile substances floating and staying around the ink jet head together with air around the ink jet head by a weak suction force to a place away from the ink jet head. 2. A mechanism for removing ink volatile substances from the periphery of an inkjet head of an inkjet printer according to claim 1, comprising suction means. The volatile substance removing means tilts the inkjet head so that the lower surface of the inkjet head is inclined with respect to the direction in which gravity is applied, or so that the lower surface of the inkjet head is in a direction substantially parallel to the direction in which gravity is applied. 2. A mechanism for removing ink volatile substances from the periphery of an ink jet head of an ink jet printer according to claim 1, further comprising an ink jet head support means for supporting the ink jet head in an up-down direction or an upright direction.

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