JP2007090641A - Inkjet recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inkjet recorder which can carry out image recording without causing jamming even if a recording medium is floated by radiant heat or the like, and moreover which can prevent jamming with low cost and a light-weight member. <P>SOLUTION: The inkjet recorder 1 includes an image recorder 14 which has a recording head 9 equipped with both a nozzle 11 that ejects a photo-curing type ink to the recording medium S, and a light irradiation device 13 that cures the photo-curing type ink hit on the recording medium S by irradiating the ink with light; and a pair of float suppressing members 17 and 17 for suppressing the float of the recording medium. The pair of float suppressing members 17 and 17 are set at the side opposed to the recording medium S of the image recorder 14 to extend in a recording direction X of the image recorder 14 to the recording medium S, each with a length corresponding to a length in the recording direction X of the image recorder 14. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus, and more particularly, to an ink jet recording apparatus in which photocurable ink is irradiated with light to be cured and fixed on a recording medium.

  Nozzle provided on one end surface of a recording head as an image recording apparatus capable of recording an image not only on a normal recording medium such as paper and cloth but also on a recording medium having poor ink absorbability such as a resin film Inkjet recording apparatuses for ejecting ink from ink and landing on recording media have been developed, and the technology is currently applied in various technical fields. In particular, photo-curing inkjet recording devices that cure by fixing light by irradiating light on the recording medium are actively developed as recording devices that can easily obtain high-definition images. (See, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Ultraviolet rays are often used as the light for curing the ink, but ultraviolet rays such as metal halide lamps and high-pressure mercury lamps that can irradiate ultraviolet rays usually emit infrared rays in addition to ultraviolet rays. The temperature of the irradiated recording medium rises due to infrared radiation, and the recording medium may float from the platen surface or bend on the platen surface during image recording.

  When such a floating or deflection of the recording medium occurs, as shown in FIG. 6, the recording head 100 or the ultraviolet irradiation device 101 and the recording medium S come into contact with each other and the recording medium is interposed between the recording head 100 or the like and the platen 102. So-called jam, in which S is clogged, occurs.

In order to prevent the occurrence of such a jam, conventionally, for example, two glass plates are provided on the surface facing the recording medium of the ultraviolet irradiation device, and a radiant heat such as infrared rays is transmitted by making a vacuum between the two glass plates. It has been proposed to form a difficult vacuum layer (see Patent Document 2).
JP-A-60-132767 Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-161656

  However, it is difficult to prevent conduction of radiant heat from a light irradiation device such as an ultraviolet irradiation device to a recording medium, and even if the radiant heat is reduced, it is made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), polycarbonate, or acrylic that does not have heat resistance. It is difficult to completely prevent deformation such as floating and bending with this resin film.

  Even when the recording medium is a heat-resistant resin film, for example, when it receives a non-uniform conveyance force from the conveyance roller, deformation (e.g., collectively referred to as “floating”) occurs relatively easily, such as floating, deflection, and undulation. .

  Further, the production of a glass plate having a vacuum layer described in Patent Document 2 is costly, and there is a problem that the weight increases because the glass plate needs to be relatively thick.

  Therefore, the present invention can perform image recording without generating jam even when the recording medium is lifted by radiant heat or the like, and can prevent jam from occurring at a low cost and with a lightweight member. An object is to provide an ink jet recording apparatus.

In order to solve the above problem, the inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1,
An image recording apparatus comprising: a recording head having a nozzle that discharges photocurable ink to the recording medium; and a light irradiation device that irradiates and cures the photocurable ink that has landed on the recording medium.
On the side of the image recording apparatus facing the recording medium, a length corresponding to the length in the recording direction of the image recording apparatus provided so as to extend in the recording direction of the image recording apparatus with respect to the recording medium is determined. And a pair of floating suppression members for suppressing the floating of each recording medium.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, in the ink jet recording apparatus, the pair of the float suppression members provided on the side facing the recording medium of the image recording apparatus is provided below the image recording apparatus of the recording medium in which the floating occurs. Vertical movement is restricted.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the ink jet recording apparatus according to the first aspect, the pair of floating suppression members are provided on both ends of the nozzle row of the recording head.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the ink jet recording apparatus, the floating is caused by the pair of floating suppressing members provided on both sides of the nozzle row of the recording head provided on the side of the image recording apparatus facing the recording medium. The vertical movement of the generated recording medium below the image recording apparatus is restricted.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the ink jet recording apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the float suppressing member is configured such that the distance from the recording medium becomes longer as both longitudinal ends thereof are directed in the both end directions. It is characterized by being formed.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the both ends in the longitudinal direction of the pair of floating suppression members are formed with cutout portions formed so that the distance from the recording medium becomes longer toward the both ends. The cut-off portion smoothly guides the recording medium in which the float is generated in the platen direction.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the ink jet recording apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, the floating suppression member is detachably attached to the image recording apparatus. It is characterized by.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the floating suppression member is detachably attached to the lower side of the image recording apparatus.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the recording direction of the image recording apparatus relative to the recording medium, that is, the serial head is provided on the side facing the recording medium of the image recording apparatus including the recording head of the inkjet recording apparatus and the light irradiation apparatus. A pair of float suppression members each having a length corresponding to the length in the recording direction of the image recording apparatus provided so as to extend in the main scanning direction in the case of the system and in the transport direction in the case of the line head system. And the vertical movement of the recording medium that is floating below the image recording apparatus is regulated by the pair of floating suppression members.

  For this reason, a resin film such as PET, polycarbonate, acrylic, etc., which is not heat resistant and easily floats due to radiant heat from the light irradiation device, is a jam between the recording head or the light irradiation device and the platen. Can be effectively prevented. In addition, the float suppression member can be easily formed of heat-resistant resin, metal, wood, and the like, and jamming can be effectively prevented with a low-cost and lightweight member.

  At that time, by providing a pair of floating suppression members so as to extend in the recording direction of the image recording apparatus with respect to the recording medium, the floating suppression members are ejected from the recording head and landed on the recording medium, and the ink is not yet cured. Can be prevented from spreading and spreading ink on the recording medium.

  In addition, for example, when the floating suppression member is provided separately for a portion corresponding to the recording head and a portion corresponding to the light irradiation device, the recording medium in which the floating occurs causes the recording head portion of the floating suppression member and the light irradiation device portion to However, it may be jammed or the floating restraining member may be distorted, or the floating restraining member is integrated over the entire length of the image recording device to prevent such catching. It is possible to effectively prevent damage to the floating restraining member and occurrence of jamming.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the ink jet recording apparatus, the floating is caused by the pair of floating suppressing members provided on both sides of the nozzle row of the recording head provided on the side of the image recording apparatus facing the recording medium. The vertical movement of the generated recording medium below the image recording apparatus is restricted. Therefore, the recording medium can be effectively prevented from coming into contact with the nozzle surface of the recording head, and uncured ink can be prevented from being spread on the recording medium by the nozzle surface of the recording head. It becomes possible, and it becomes possible to exhibit the effect of the invention of Claim 1 more precisely.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the both ends in the longitudinal direction of the pair of floating suppression members are formed with cutout portions formed so that the distance from the recording medium becomes longer toward the both ends. The cut-off portion was configured to smoothly guide the recording medium in which the floating occurred in the platen direction. Therefore, it is possible to guide the recording medium in which the float is generated in the platen direction and effectively suppress the float, and it is possible to more effectively exhibit the effects of the inventions described in the above claims. .

  According to the invention described in claim 4, since the float suppressing member is configured to be detachably attached to the lower side of the image recording apparatus, in addition to the effect of the invention described in each of the claims, an old float It is possible to easily replace the restraining member and replace it with a floating restraining member that matches the thickness and type of the recording medium.

  Embodiments of an ink jet recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the ink jet recording apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes a recording unit 3 supported on a support base 2 from below. The recording unit 3 is provided with a substantially flat platen 4 that supports the recording medium S on which an image or the like is recorded from the back side in the horizontal direction, and the main scanning direction indicated by an arrow X in the drawing of the platen 4. The outer sides of both ends are a home position portion 5 and a maintenance portion 6, respectively. Conveying rollers (not shown) that convey the recording medium S are disposed outside the both ends of the platen 4 in the sub-scanning direction indicated by arrows Y in the drawing.

  A bar-shaped guide rail 7 is disposed above the platen 4 so as to extend in the main scanning direction X. The guide rail 7 supports a carriage 8 that can reciprocate in the main scanning direction along the guide rail 7 by a drive mechanism (not shown).

  A plurality of recording heads 9 are mounted on the carriage 8, and the recording heads 9 scan above the recording medium S in accordance with the reciprocating movement of the carriage 8 along the guide rail 7 in the main scanning direction X. It has become. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of nozzles 11 that eject photocurable ink to the recording medium S supported by the platen 4 are provided on the nozzle surface 10 that is the bottom surface of each recording head 9. ing. For example, yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) inks are ejected from the nozzles 11 of each recording head 9, respectively.

  Light irradiation devices 13 each having a light source 12 for irradiating light to ink ejected from the nozzles of the recording head 9 and landed on the recording medium S are attached to both ends of the carriage 8 in the main scanning direction. The light irradiation device 13 reciprocates above the recording medium S in accordance with the reciprocal movement of the carriage 8 along the guide rail 7 in the main scanning direction X.

  In the present embodiment, the image recording device 14 is configured by the recording head 9 mounted on the carriage 8 and the light irradiation devices 13 and 13 provided on both ends of the carriage 8 in the main scanning direction. Since recording is performed on the recording medium S when the recording head 9 moves in the main scanning direction X, the recording direction of the image recording apparatus 14 relative to the recording medium S is the main scanning direction X in the present embodiment. .

  As the light source 12, for example, a high pressure mercury lamp, a metal halide lamp, a black light, a hot cathode tube, a cold cathode tube, an LED (Light Emitting Diode), or the like can be employed.

  The ink used in the present embodiment is a photo-curing ink that is cured and fixed to the recording medium S when irradiated with light as described above, and in particular, an ultraviolet-curable ink that is cured by irradiation with ultraviolet light. Is preferably used.

  As the ultraviolet curable ink, a radical polymerization ink containing a radical polymerizable compound, a cation polymerization ink containing a cation polymerizable compound, or a radical polymerization ink and a cation polymerization ink are combined as a polymerizable compound. Hybrid ink or the like is preferably used. In particular, it is preferable to use a cationic polymerization ink that has almost no inhibitory action on the polymerization reaction due to oxygen and is excellent in functionality and versatility.

  A plurality of sub ink tanks (not shown) for temporarily storing ink of each color supplied to the recording head 9 are mounted on the carriage 8, and each sub ink tank stores an ink tank 15 that stores ink of each color. Flexible supply pipes 16 for supplying ink from each other are connected to each other.

  On the side of the image recording device 14 facing the recording medium S, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the length corresponding to the length in the main scanning direction X to the ends of the two light irradiation devices 13, 13 is provided. A pair of rod-like floating restraining members 17, 17 having s are attached detachably by a fixing member so as to extend in the main scanning direction X.

  In the present embodiment, the pair of floating suppression members 17 and 17 are arranged in parallel to both ends of the nozzle row of the recording head 9 so as to sandwich the recording head 9 protruding below the bottom surface of the carriage 8.

  The both ends in the longitudinal direction of the float suppressing member 17 are formed such that the corners of the lower part are cut off, that is, the distance from the lower recording medium S becomes longer toward the both ends. In addition, in FIG. 3 etc., although the case where the linear cut-off part 18 was formed in the corner | angular part of the both ends of the floating suppression member 17 was shown, you may cut off into curvilinear form, such as circular arc shape.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3B, the float suppressing member 17 has a distance La between the lower end thereof and the recording medium S that is the same as or slightly shorter than the distance L between the nozzle surface 10 of the recording head 9 and the recording medium S. It is formed to become.

  In the present embodiment, the pair of floating suppression members 17 and 17 are respectively formed by rod-like connecting members 19a and 19a at both ends in the main scanning direction, and below the attachment portion between the carriage 8 and the light irradiation device 13, respectively. It is connected by connecting members 19b and 19b. Among these, at least the connecting member 19b below the attachment portion between the carriage 8 and the light irradiation device 13 has a distance Lb between the lower end thereof and the recording medium S longer than the distance L between the nozzle surface 10 of the recording head 9 and the recording medium S. It is formed to become.

  Next, the operation of the ink jet recording apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be described.

  In response to the recording start signal, the inkjet recording apparatus 1 conveys the recording medium S in the sub-scanning direction Y by rotational driving of the conveyance roller, and stops conveyance when the recording medium S is disposed at a predetermined position. Subsequently, the carriage 8 is scanned in the main scanning direction X. In this scanning, photocurable ink is ejected from a predetermined nozzle 11 of the recording head 9 in accordance with image data to be recorded on the recording medium S. At that time, the ink that has landed on the recording medium S is cured by light irradiation from the light source 12 of the light irradiation device 13 that has moved along with the scanning of the carriage 8 and is fixed to the recording medium S.

  When the scanning of the carriage 8 in one direction of the main scanning direction X is completed, the ink jet recording apparatus 1 stops the movement of the carriage 8 and rotates the transport roller to transport the recording medium S in the sub scanning direction Y by a predetermined distance. Then, the recording medium S is stopped. Then, while the carriage 8 is scanned in a direction opposite to the main scanning direction X, ink is ejected from a predetermined nozzle 11 of the recording head 9, and the ink is cured by light irradiation from the light source 12 of the light irradiation device 13 to record the recording medium S. To settle. Thereafter, this operation is repeated until image recording is completed.

  When the carriage 8 scans in the main scanning direction X, if the float that causes a jam, that is, the float, the deflection, the undulation, or the like occurs in the recording medium S, the float suppression member 17 that has moved upward as the carriage 8 is scanned. Thus, the floating of the recording medium S is suppressed.

  More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, when the floating suppression member 17 moves above the portion where the recording medium S is lifted as the carriage 8 is scanned, the floating recording medium S is lifted. The cut-off portion 18 of the suppressing member 17 is smoothly guided in the direction of the platen 4 along the inclination.

  Further, the vertical movement of the recording medium S guided in the platen direction by the floating suppression member 17 is restricted by the floating suppression member 17 and the platen 4, and the floating is flattened. In this way, the floating of the recording medium S is suppressed.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the floating suppression member 17 is provided on both sides of the recording head 9 in the sub-scanning direction so as to sandwich the recording head 9 protruding below the bottom surface of the carriage 8. As the image recording apparatus 14 scans in the main scanning direction X, it is guided in the platen direction on both sides of the nozzle surface 10 of the recording head 9 in the sub-scanning direction by the pair of floating suppression members 17, 17. Vertical movement is restricted.

  As described above, according to the inkjet recording apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the recording direction of the image recording apparatus 14 on the side facing the recording medium S of the image recording apparatus 14 including the recording head 9 and the light irradiation apparatus 13. Since the pair of floating suppression members 17 and 17 having a length corresponding to the length in the main scanning direction X is provided so as to extend in the main scanning direction X, the floating suppression members 17 and 17 cause the floating. The vertical movement of the recording medium S below the image recording device 14 is restricted.

  Therefore, the recording medium S, particularly a resin film made of PET, polycarbonate, acrylic, or the like, which has no heat resistance and is likely to float due to radiant heat from the light irradiation device 13, is formed between the recording head 9, the light irradiation device 13 and the platen 4. In other words, it is possible to effectively prevent jamming.

  In addition, the float suppressing member 17 of the present embodiment can be easily formed of heat-resistant resin, metal, wood, etc., and can effectively prevent jamming with a low-cost and lightweight member. It becomes.

  This effect is not exhibited only in the serial head type ink jet recording apparatus 1 described in the present embodiment, and the same effect is also achieved in the line head type ink jet recording apparatus 20 as shown in FIG. obtain.

  That is, the recording direction of the image recording apparatus 23 relative to the recording medium S, that is, the arrow Z in the present embodiment, is shown on the side facing the recording medium S of the image recording apparatus 23 including the recording head 21 and the light irradiation device 22. By providing a pair of float suppression members 24 and 24 having a length corresponding to the length in the transport direction Z of the image recording apparatus 23 so as to extend in the transport direction of the recording medium S to be recorded, the float suppression member of this embodiment is provided. The same effects as 17 and 17 can be achieved.

  At that time, in both the serial head system and the line head system, as shown in FIG. 2 and the like and FIG. 5, the pair of floating suppression members 17 and 17 extend in the main scanning direction X of the image recording apparatus 14. Alternatively, by providing the pair of floating suppression members 24 and 24 so as to extend in the transport direction Z of the image recording apparatus 23, the ink is discharged from the recording heads 9 and 21 and landed on the recording medium S, and has not yet been cured. It is possible to prevent the floating suppression members 17 and 24 from coming into contact with the ink and spreading the ink on the recording medium.

  Further, for example, when the floating suppression members 17 and 24 are provided separately in a portion corresponding to the recording heads 9 and 21 and a portion corresponding to the light irradiation devices 13 and 22, the recording medium S in which the floating has occurred is lifted. May be caught between the recording head portion and the light irradiating device portion or the connecting portion, causing jamming, or the floating suppressing member may be distorted. However, by providing the float suppressing members 17 and 24 integrally over the entire length of the image recording apparatuses 14 and 23 as in this embodiment, such a catch can be prevented, and the float restraining member is damaged or jammed. Can be effectively prevented.

  Further, by providing the pair of floating suppression members 17, 17, 24, 24 on both ends of the nozzle rows of the recording heads 9, 21, it is effective that the recording medium S contacts the nozzle surfaces of the recording heads 9, 21. It is possible to prevent the uncured ink from being spread on the recording medium by the nozzle surfaces of the recording heads 9 and 21.

  Further, the cut-off portions are formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the float suppressing members 17 and 24, that is, the distance from the recording medium S is increased toward the both ends. The medium S can be smoothly guided in the platen direction to suppress the floating.

  In addition, by allowing the floating suppression members 17 and 24 to be detachably attached to the image recording apparatuses 14 and 23, replacement of an old floating suppression member or a floating suppression member that matches the thickness and type of the recording medium S is possible. Can be easily exchanged.

  Moreover, the rigidity of the float suppression members 17, 17, 24, and 24 is obtained by connecting the pair of float suppression members 17, 17, 24, and 24 with connection members 19a, 19a, 19b, 19b, 25a, 25a, 25b, and 25b. Is secured. Further, if the distance between the lower end of the connecting members 19b, 25b provided between the recording head and the light irradiation device and the recording medium S is longer than the distance between the nozzle surface of the recording head and the recording medium S, the connection is established. The members 19b and 25b can be prevented from coming into contact with uncured ink and spreading the ink on the recording medium.

It is a perspective view which shows the inkjet recording device of this embodiment. It is the figure which looked at the carriage part from the lower part. It is the (A) front view of a carriage part, and (B) the enlarged view of a floating suppression member part. It is a figure which shows the floating suppression member which guides the recording medium in which the floating generate | occur | produced below. It is a figure which shows the floating suppression member in a line head type inkjet recording device. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a jam that occurs below a recording head or a light irradiation device.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,20 Inkjet recording device 9,21 Recording head 11 Nozzle 13,22 Light irradiation device 14,23 Image recording device 17,24 Lifting suppression member 19a, 19b, 25a, 25b Connecting member S Recording medium X Main scanning direction Z Conveyance direction

Claims (4)

An image recording apparatus comprising: a recording head having a nozzle that discharges photocurable ink to the recording medium; and a light irradiation device that irradiates and cures the photocurable ink that has landed on the recording medium.
On the side of the image recording apparatus facing the recording medium, a length corresponding to the length in the recording direction of the image recording apparatus provided so as to extend in the recording direction of the image recording apparatus with respect to the recording medium is determined. An ink jet recording apparatus comprising: a pair of floating suppression members for suppressing floating of each recording medium.   The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pair of floating suppression members are provided on both ends of the nozzle row of the recording head.   3. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the floating suppression member is formed such that a distance from the recording medium becomes longer as both longitudinal ends thereof extend in the both end directions.   The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the floating suppression member is detachably attached to the image recording apparatus.

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