JP2006289823A - Image engraving apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a general operator to easily adjust and operate a stylus adjusting mechanism mounted on an engraving head, without the use of a dedicated tool. <P>SOLUTION: This image engraving apparatus is equipped with the engraving head. The engraving head is equipped with a solenoid 28 where a vibration extraction part 26 vibrating based on an engraving electric signal is provided in the state of protruding forward, and a stylus holder 30 to which vibrations of the vibration extraction part 26 are transmitted. The engraving head transmits the vibrations to the stylus 32 held in the stylus holder, and engraves an image on media to be engraved, which are arranged in an opposed manner. The engraving head is equipped with the stylus adjusting mechanism which comprises: a leaf spring member 34 for fixing the front side of the solenoid to a mounting surface of a base member 24; a stylus adjusting screw 38 which supports the rear side of the solenoid, and which moves the rear side in a direction almost orthogonal to the mounting surface of the base member 24; and an adjusting operation part 18 for operating the adjusting screw 38 above the base member. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image engraving apparatus, and more particularly to an image engraving apparatus suitable for application when engraving an image or character on the surface of a medium to be engraved with an engraving needle attached to an engraving head.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image engraving apparatus that is used for engraving an engraved medium such as a passport or a card to prevent forgery or impart aesthetic value is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  Such an image engraving apparatus performs fine engraving on the basis of image data obtained by converting an image into an electrical signal, and generates an image such as a photograph or a figure on a medium. The appearance is engraved as shown in FIG. A sculpture head 100 that drives a needle (stylus), and a drive unit that relatively moves the medium to be engraved and the engraving head 100 and finely cuts the surface of the medium to be engraved with a stylus to reveal a planar image. Has been.

  In such an image engraving apparatus, for example, the medium to be engraved is reciprocated in the left-right direction according to the image length in a state where the medium to be engraved is placed and fixed on the reference surface of the X-axis drive table 90, and the Y-axis drive table. An image is generated on the target surface of the medium to be engraved by oscillating the stylus of the engraving head 100 that performs respective movements in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction by 92 and a Z-axis drive mechanism (not shown) based on the image signal. To do.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of a conventional engraving head 100. The engraving head 100 has a frame 101, and a float plate 102 is connected to the bottom surface of the frame 101 via leaf springs 103 and 113, and an engraving solenoid 104 is attached to the float plate 102. ing.

  An electric signal based on image data is applied to the engraving solenoid 104, and minute vibrations accompanying the induction of a magnetic field change are connected via a connecting piece 105A and a connecting line 106 fixed to the tip of the vibration extraction portion 105. The stylus (needle) 108 transmitted to the needle holder 107 and held by the holder 107 can be vibrated.

  In the engraving head 100, a presser foot 109 for defining a reference height of the stylus 108 with respect to the surface of the medium to be engraved when engraving is supported and fixed to the holder 110.

  Reference numeral 111 in the figure denotes a stylus height (needle height) adjustment screw, and a rear end of the engraving solenoid 104 by the adjustment screw 111 with a mounting screw 112 for fixing the L-shaped leg portion of the front end of the solenoid 104 as a fulcrum. By moving the leg part up and down, the height of the stylus 108 is finely adjusted in units of microns via the connecting piece 105A that protrudes forward and is fixed.

  Also, since the presser foot 109 needs to be adjusted to an appropriate height, the foot 109 inserted through the hole of the presser foot holder 110 is fixed with an adjusting screw 114 as shown in an enlarged view in FIG. It can be adjusted to any height position.

JP 2002-86993 A

  However, in the conventional engraving head, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the position adjusting unit 114 of the presser foot 109 and the needle position adjusting unit 111 for determining the engraving depth are provided below the engraving head 100. Therefore, there were the following problems.

  (1) While the image is engraved, that is, when the Y-axis table that drives the engraving head 100 or the X-axis table that moves the card is moving, both the depth of the stylus 108 and the height of the presser foot 109 are adjusted. I can't. An operator may want to adjust the engraving conditions of an image while observing the image being engraved, but this has not been possible in the past.

  (2) The engraving depth is usually several tens of microns, and the height adjustment of the stylus 108 and the presser foot 109 to the optimum image requires further fine adjustment work, and the conventional method requires skill and a long time. Necessary work was necessary.

  (3) Since it is a fine adjustment work for a narrow mechanism portion, a dedicated tool such as a round bar wrench or a hexagon wrench is required.

  (4) Even if the height of the presser foot can be adjusted to the optimum state, it is difficult to reproduce it if the state is broken. However, since the stylus 108 is worn according to the engraving work, it is necessary to replace the stylus 108 and adjust it each time, whereas the adjustment frequency of the presser foot 109 is low.

  (5) Since the adjustment site is located at a deep position in the structural mechanism, it is unclear whether the general operator can operate it or not and the engineer must deal with it.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described conventional problems, and an image engraving apparatus that can easily adjust the height of an engraving needle having a high adjustment frequency without using a dedicated tool, even by a general operator. It is an issue to provide.

  The present invention includes a solenoid in which a vibration extraction portion that vibrates based on an engraving electric signal is projected forward, and a stylus holder to which the vibration of the vibration extraction portion is transmitted, and is held by the stylus holder A plate spring member for fixing a front side of the solenoid to a mounting surface of a base member, and an engraving head for engraving a medium to be engraved to transmit the vibration to the engraved medium A stylus adjustment unit that supports the rear side and moves the rear side in a direction substantially orthogonal to the mounting surface of the base member; and an adjustment operation unit that operates the adjustment unit above the base member. The stylus adjusting mechanism including the sculpture head is provided in the engraving head, thereby solving the problems.

  In the image engraving apparatus, the presser foot adjusting unit that finely adjusts the height of the presser foot that abuts the engraved medium at the time of engraving and defines the distance between the engraved medium and the stylus. A presser foot adjustment mechanism including an adjustment operation unit for operating the adjustment unit above the base member is provided in the engraving head.

  According to the present invention, the height of the stylus is increased by moving the rear side of the solenoid up and down with the leaf spring fixed to the base member as a fulcrum on the front side of the solenoid close to the vibration extraction portion to which the stylus is connected via a holder or the like. Since the adjustment operation part is provided above the base member, a general operator can easily adjust the height of the stylus without using a dedicated tool. Become.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing the appearance of the image engraving apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The image engraving apparatus according to the present embodiment includes an apparatus main body 2 in which a control device and the like are stored, an X-axis table 3 on which a medium to be engraved is placed and fixed, and reciprocates in the X-axis direction (lateral direction). And an engraving head 10 which is moved in the front-rear direction by a Y-axis table (not explicitly shown) with respect to the X-axis table 3 and vertically by a Z drive mechanism and engraves the surface of the medium to be engraved.

  FIG. 5 shows an external view of the engraving head 10 and FIG. 6 shows an enlarged internal mechanism portion with the cover removed from FIG.

  This engraving head 10 has a frame 12, and a presser foot adjusting knob 14, a lock lever 16 thereof, a stylus adjusting knob 18 and the like on the upper part of the engraving head above the cover 11 attached to the frame 12. An adjustment operation unit operated by an operator is installed. Further, a scale plate 20 is attached around each of the knobs 14 and 18 so that the amount of rotation when each knob is rotated can be visually confirmed. In addition, the code | symbol 21 in FIG. 6 is a vacuum tube for suction-removing engraving waste.

  In addition, a float plate (base member) 24 is connected to the frame 12 via a leaf spring 22 as in the conventional case shown in FIG.

  As shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 7, the float plate 24 is provided with a solenoid 28 in which a vibration extraction portion 26 that vibrates based on an engraving electric signal input in the same manner as in the prior art is projected. In addition, the vibration in the vertical direction of the vibration extraction portion 26 is transmitted to the stylus holder 30 fixed to the lower end portion of the connecting line 26B made of a wire fixed to the extraction portion 26 via the connection piece 26A. It is like that.

  The stylus holder 30 is supported by a fixed block 30A screwed to the lower surface of the float plate 24 through a support spring 30B so as to vibrate, and is also held at the lower end of the stylus holder 30. The vibration of the vibration extraction portion 26 is transmitted to 32, and a medium to be engraved (not shown) which is arranged to be opposed is engraved. The vibration extraction portion 26 is a part of an armature (vibrator) that is vibrated by a solenoid 28, and is fixed integrally with a connecting wire 26B and a screw by a connection piece 26A.

  In the present embodiment, a leaf spring member 34 that fixes the front side (vibration extraction portion side) of the solenoid 28 to the mounting surface (upper surface) of the float plate 24, and the rear side of the solenoid via the joint plate 36. A stylus adjustment screw (adjustment unit) 38 that supports and finely moves the rear side in a direction substantially orthogonal to the mounting surface, and the knob (operation unit) that rotates the adjustment screw 38 above the float plate 24. 18 is provided. Although not shown, the adjusting screw 38 is screwed into a female screw portion formed on the float plate 24, and can be moved forward and backward by rotation thereof.

  This stylus adjustment mechanism will be described in detail.

  As shown schematically in an exaggerated manner in FIG. 8, the leaf spring member 34 has a thick central fixing portion 34 </ b> A whose back surface is in contact with the upper surface of the float plate 24 and is fixed with screws from the back side of the float plate 24. And on both sides thereof, it is divided by deep cuts from the front end to the middle, and at the time of mounting, the back surface is formed by a thin leaf spring portion 24B that floats from the upper surface of the float plate 24. As in the case shown in FIG. 2, the front side of the solenoid 28 is a leaf spring portion of a leaf spring member 34 in which leg portions 28A whose both side plate portions are bent outward in an L shape are fixed to the float plate 24. It is fixed to 34B with screws.

  Similarly, one end of the joint plate 36 is fixed to the rear side of the solenoid 28 with an L-shaped leg portion 28B in which both side plate portions are bent outward. A shaft portion 38A of the adjusting screw 38 is inserted into the other end portion of the joint plate 36, and the joint plate 36 is pushed down by the step portion 38B as the adjusting screw 38 rotates. Along with the rotation in the reverse direction, the spring 40 interposed between the float plate 24 and the float plate 24 is pushed upward.

  Further, the shaft portion 38A of the adjusting screw 38 is extended above the float plate 24, and the knob (adjusting operation portion) 18 is attached to the upper end portion of the adjusting screw 38 so that the adjusting operation can be performed on the upper portion of the engraving head 10. ing.

  In the stylus adjustment mechanism configured as described above, when the stylus 32 is lowered to increase the engraving depth, the adjustment knob 18 is turned counterclockwise to raise the joint plate 36. As a result, the rear side of the solenoid 28 fixed to the joint plate 36 is raised, so that the solenoid 28 rotates clockwise around the leaf spring member 34 and the position of the stylus 32 is lowered.

  At this time, as shown in FIG. 7, since the distance L1 between the leaf spring member 34 and the adjustment screw 38 is larger than the distance L2 between the leaf spring member 34 and the stylus 32, one rotation of the stylus adjustment screw 38 is performed. The amount of descending due to is reflected in the stylus 32 as screw pitch × (L2 / L1), so a minute amount of moving down is obtained, and the height of the stylus 32 can be finely adjusted in units of microns. It becomes.

  Next, the presser foot adjusting mechanism provided in the engraving head 10 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The presser foot adjusting shaft 52 for adjusting the height of the presser foot 50 is fixed to the float plate 24 and supported by a block 54 whose lower end extends to the back side. The block 54 is inserted with a slide shaft 56 that is movable in the vertical direction in the figure.

  A presser foot 50 is inserted into a lower end portion of the slide shaft 56 in a hole formed in an oblique direction, and is brought into contact with the presser foot 50 by a screw 56A screwed from the lower end side. The steel ball 56 </ b> B is pushed in and pressed down to be firmly fixed, and its tip protrudes outward from a groove 54 </ b> A formed in the block 54. The presser foot 50 is fitted into the groove portion 54 </ b> A, and rotation about the slide shaft 56 is restricted.

  A female screw 56C is cut at an upper end portion of the slide shaft, and a first screw portion 52A formed at a pitch P1 is screwed into a lower end portion (tip portion) of the adjustment shaft 52 in the female screw 56C. A first snap ring 52B is fixed to the adjustment shaft 52 at a position close to the upper end of the slide shaft 56. The snap ring 52B is moved upward by a first spring 58 interposed between the block 54 and the first snap ring 52B. The backlash of the first screw portion 52A is prevented by being biased.

  A female screw member 60 is fixed to an upper portion of the block 54 positioned above the first screw portion 52A. The female screw member 60 has a second screw portion 52C formed at a pitch P2 at an intermediate portion of the adjustment shaft 52. It is screwed. Further, a second snap ring 52D is fixed to the adjustment shaft 52 at a position above the second screw portion 52C, and the ring 52D is attached upward by a second spring 62 interposed between the female screw member 60 and the second screw ring 52D. Similarly, the backlash of the second screw portion 52C is prevented from occurring.

  In the present embodiment, there is a difference between the pitch P1 of the first screw portion 52A at the tip portion formed on the adjustment shaft 52 and the pitch P2 of the second screw portion 52C at the middle portion, so-called differential feed. The adjustment knob (operation unit) 14 is attached to the upper end of the upper end of the engraving head 10 so that the adjustment operation can be performed.

  Further, the block 54 is provided with a lock hole 54B that crosses the slide shaft 56 that is inserted obliquely from above, and a lower end portion of the lock shaft 64 that is screwed from above enters the lock hole 54B. The lock lever 16 is attached to the upper end of the lock shaft 64.

  Then, the lock hole 54B is filled with a steel ball 64A as shown in the figure, and the lock lever 16 is rotated to push the lock shaft 64 downward, thereby bringing the steel ball 64A into the outer peripheral surface of the slide shaft 56. It is possible to press strongly, and since the vertical movement of the slide shaft 56 is stopped and fixed, the height adjustment of the adjustment shaft 52 can be locked.

  In the presser foot adjusting mechanism having the above-described configuration, the lock lever 16 is loosened to release the locked state, and the adjustment knob 14 is turned to rotate the presser foot adjusting shaft 52, thereby allowing the slide shaft 56 to move up and down. . The amount of movement due to the rotation of the presser foot adjusting shaft 52 is the difference between the two same pitches of the first screw portion 52A and the second screw portion 52C formed on the adjusting shaft 52.

  That is, for example, when the adjustment shaft 52 is rotated once to the right, the adjustment shaft 52 advances by one pitch (P2) with respect to the block 54 by the second screw portion 52C. At that time, since the first screw portion 52A at the tip of the adjustment shaft 52 is screwed into the upper end portion of the slide shaft 56, it is pulled back upward by one pitch (P1) of the first screw.

  As a result, the slide shaft 56 can be advanced with respect to the block 54 by the pitch P (= P2-P1). If P2 = 0.7 mm and P1 = 0.5 mm, the actual descending height P of the presser foot 50 can be set to 0.2 mm per rotation of the adjusting shaft 52.

  As described above, the combination of the first and second springs 58 and 62 for preventing backlash that brings the screw differential feed and the screw backlash in one direction is reproducible without using a special fine pitch screw. Adjustment can be realized. After the height adjustment, the presser foot 50 can be stably maintained at the set height by tightening the lock lever 16.

  According to the embodiment described in detail above, the following effects can be obtained.

  (1) Adjustment according to the difference in the image engraving depth and the thickness of a medium such as a card can be easily operated on the upper part of the engraving head 10. The operation part of a general operator is collected in one place and can be understood clearly, so that the operability is improved.

  (2) During the engraving of an image or the like, that is, when the X-axis table or the Y-axis table is moving, any adjustment operation of the stylus depth and the presser foot height can be performed. Therefore, the operator can adjust the state of the image engraving while observing the image being engraved.

  (3) Optimal image stylus and presser foot height adjustment requires extremely fine adjustments, but no skill or long time is required, and no special tools are required. If it is possible, reproduction is easy.

  The specific configuration of the present invention described in detail above is not limited to that shown in the above embodiment.

  For example, the presser foot adjusting mechanism is not limited to the differential feed by two screws, but may be one incorporating a micrometer head 66 as shown in FIG. 11, and the lock mechanism slides the presser member 70 by an eccentric cam 68. It may be configured to be pressed against the shaft 56.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the slide shaft 56 to which the presser foot is attached may be formed in a square shape to prevent rotation, and the presser member 70 is incorporated in the lock mechanism instead of the steel ball. It may be.

Plan view showing an outline of a conventional image engraving apparatus The perspective view which shows the internal mechanism of the engraving head mounted in the conventional image engraving apparatus. The perspective view which expands and shows the presser foot with which the above-mentioned engraving head is provided The perspective view which shows the external appearance of the image engraving apparatus of one Embodiment which concerns on this invention The perspective view which shows the external appearance of the engraving head mounted in the image engraving apparatus of this embodiment A perspective view showing an internal mechanism of the engraving head The side view which expands and shows the stylus adjustment mechanism with which the said engraving head is equipped The perspective view which shows typically the leaf | plate spring member which fixes the solenoid with which the said engraving head is equipped. Side view including a partial cross-sectional view showing a presser foot adjusting mechanism provided in the engraving head Schematic perspective view showing the presser foot adjusting mechanism Sectional drawing which shows the modification of presser foot adjustment mechanism Partial sectional view showing another modification of the presser foot adjusting mechanism The perspective view which shows the presser foot adjustment mechanism of the said FIG.

Explanation of symbols

10 ... Engraving head 12 ... Frame 14 ... Presser foot adjustment knob (operation unit)
16 ... Lock lever 18 ... Stick adjustment knob (operating part)
20 ... Scale plate 22 ... Float leaf spring 24 ... Float plate (base member)
26 ... Vibration extraction part 26A ... Connection piece 26B ... Connecting wire 28 ... Solenoid 30 ... Stylus holder 32 ... Stylus 34 ... Leaf spring member 36 ... Joint plate 38 ... Adjustment screw 40 ... Spring 50 ... Presser foot adjustment shaft 52A ... 1st screw part 52C ... 2nd screw part 54 ... Block 56 ... Slide shaft 58 ... 1st spring 60 ... Female thread member 62 ... 2nd spring 64 ... Lock shaft

Claims (2)

A solenoid having a vibration extraction portion projecting forward based on an engraving electrical signal; and a stylus holder to which the vibration of the vibration extraction portion is transmitted, and the vibration is applied to the stylus held by the stylus holder. In an image engraving apparatus equipped with an engraving head for transmitting and engraving a medium to be engraved facing each other,
A leaf spring member for fixing the front side of the solenoid to the mounting surface of the base member;
A stylus adjustment unit that supports the rear side of the solenoid and moves the rear side in a direction substantially orthogonal to the mounting surface of the base member;
An image engraving apparatus, wherein the engraving head includes a stylus adjustment mechanism including an adjustment operation unit that operates the adjustment unit above the base member. A presser foot adjustment unit that abuts against the medium to be engraved during engraving and finely adjusts the height of the presser foot that defines the distance between the medium to be engraved and the stylus;
The image engraving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a presser foot adjusting mechanism including an adjusting operation unit that operates the adjusting unit above the base member is provided in the engraving head.

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