JP2007167726A - Coating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a coating apparatus having no fear of generating ununiformness of a thickness of a coating film and ununiformness of coating in the apparatus for performing coating by delivering a liquid drop of a coating liquid on a support of a lengthy support wound/supported on a back roll and continuously conveyed. <P>SOLUTION: The line type coating apparatus is provided with a delivery head having a plurality of nozzles for delivering the liquid drop and performs coating by delivering the liquid drop of the coating liquid on the support of the support wound/supported on the back roll for supporting the lengthy support continuously conveyed by the delivery head. The delivery head is arranged near the back roll in a width direction such that the nozzle becomes a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of the support and is arranged movably relative to the back roll. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a coating apparatus that forms a coating film on a long support that is continuously conveyed by using a droplet discharge method, and more particularly to a coating device that is coated by an inkjet method.

  A method of forming an image using an ink jet coating method and forming a continuous film and a patterned coating film are generally known.

  An ejection head (hereinafter also referred to as an inkjet head) used in an inkjet coating method has a plurality of ink ejection nozzles, and forms a desired image or coating film by ejecting droplets onto a support based on print data. To do.

  Hereinafter, ink is synonymous with coating liquid, and printing is synonymous with coating.

  As a method of applying the above-mentioned image or coating film to a wide support, a method of applying the discharge head by moving the discharge head in the transport direction or the width direction of the support, and a plurality of discharge heads in the support width direction. A method of arranging and applying is known.

  When a plurality of discharge heads are disposed in the support width direction as described above for coating, and when a continuous coating film is formed by discharging the same type of coating liquid from a plurality of discharge heads, a plurality of discharge heads are disposed. In addition, if the distance between each nozzle of the ejection head and the support is different, the diameter of the ejected droplets upon landing on the support is different, resulting in variations in the coating film thickness and uneven coating. Will occur. In order to form a coating film having a uniform film thickness on the support, it is important to maintain a constant distance between each of the nozzles of the plurality of ejection heads and the support.

  In order to solve the above problem, in an ink jet head mounting structure in which an ink jet head for ejecting ink droplets from nozzles is mounted on a head holding member, an intermediate holding member is interposed between the ink jet head and the head holding member. A structure is shown in which the holding member is fixed to the ink jet head with an adhesive and is fixed to the head holding member via the adhesive so that the ink jet head is attached with high accuracy (see, for example, Patent Document 1). ).

  In Patent Document 1, the inkjet head is structured to be attached to the head attachment member with high accuracy. However, adjustment after attachment is not possible, and there is a possibility that it is not possible to cope with an error in the distance between the nozzle and the support.

  Further, in a recording apparatus that performs image recording by scanning a plurality of recording heads relative to a recording medium (support), the recording information recorded by the plurality of recording heads (inkjet heads) is read and read. It is shown that the positional deviation of each recording head is detected in accordance with the position of the recorded information, and the positions of the plurality of recording heads are adjusted in accordance with the detected positional deviation (for example, see Patent Document 2).

According to Patent Document 2, the position of the recording head in the conveyance direction and the width direction of the support can be adjusted, but the distance between the nozzle and the support cannot be adjusted, and this corresponds to the case where the distance between the nozzle and the support is changed. There is a risk that you can not.
JP-A-10-309801 JP-A-5-234004

  The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and is performed by discharging droplets of a coating liquid onto a support of a long support that is wound around and supported by a back roll. It is an object of the present invention to provide a coating apparatus that does not cause variations in coating film thickness and uneven coating.

The above object is achieved by the following configuration.
1. An ejection head having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting liquid droplets is applied from the ejection head onto the support of the support wound around and supported by a back roll that supports a long support that is continuously conveyed. A line-type coating apparatus that performs coating by discharging liquid droplets,
The discharge head has a coating device in which the nozzle is disposed in the width direction in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the support and is movably disposed with respect to the back roll in the vicinity of the back roll. .
2. 2. The plurality of ejection heads are arranged in a zigzag manner in the nozzle arrangement direction, and the ejection direction of liquid droplets from the ejection head is substantially the rotation center direction of the back roll. Coating device.
3. The discharge head is movable in a substantially vertical direction and a substantially parallel direction with respect to a tangent line having a contact point near the nozzle on the support supported by the back roll, and in the back roll circumferential direction. 3. The coating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the coating apparatus is movable and movable in the width direction of the support.
4). A first stage independent for each ejection head holding the ejection head, a second stage independent for each first stage holding the first stage, and the second stage are collectively held. And a third stage to
The first stage holds the discharge head movably in a direction substantially perpendicular to a tangent line having a contact point near the nozzle on the support supported by the back roll and in the width direction of the support. ,
The second stage holds the first stage holding the discharge head so as to be movable in a substantially circumferential direction of the back roll,
In the third stage, the normal line of the back roll that passes through the approximate center of the line segment connecting the nozzles of the plurality of ejection heads arranged in a staggered manner together with the second stage intersects the support. 4. The coating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the coating apparatus is held so as to be movable in a substantially vertical direction and a substantially parallel direction with respect to a tangent line having a contact point as a contact point.
5. 5. The coating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first stage, the second stage, and the third stage each include a movement amount display unit that allows the movement amount to be visible.

  Application of a droplet discharge method in which a liquid droplet of a coating solution is discharged from a discharge head onto a support of the support that is wound around and supported by a back roll that supports a continuous long support. In the support width direction, the nozzle is disposed in the vicinity of the back roll in the direction substantially perpendicular to the transport direction of the support and in the width direction, and is movable with respect to the back roll. It is possible to easily adjust the distance between each of the nozzles of the discharge heads arranged on the substrate and the support, and to keep the distance constant, thereby allowing variation in coating film thickness and coating. It is possible to provide a coating apparatus that does not cause unevenness.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the coating apparatus 1.

  The long support 10 wound in a roll shape is fed out in the direction of the arrow X from the unwinding roll 10A by a driving means (not shown) and conveyed.

  The long support 10 is wound around and supported by the back roll 12 and conveyed, and the ink of the coating liquid is ejected from the inkjet head of the inkjet unit 20 and applied to the support 10.

  The inkjet unit 20 includes an inkjet head 21 (211, 212, 213), a first stage 22 that holds the inkjet head, a second stage 23 and a third stage 24, an ink tank 25, and a head drive unit 26. The As the ink jet head 21 (211 212, 213), a generally known ink jet head can be used.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of the arrangement of the inkjet head. The support 10 is conveyed in the arrow X direction while being supported by the back roll 12. The inkjet head 21 is a head having a predetermined length, and is disposed at a position facing the back roll 12 with the support 10 interposed therebetween. Ink is ejected from the nozzle 21 </ b> A toward the rotation center of the back roll and applied to the support 10. The arrangement position of the inkjet head 21 is not limited to the position illustrated in FIG. 2, and may be any position as long as the support 10 is sandwiched and opposed to the back roll 12.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of an arrangement of a plurality of inkjet heads. In the example shown in FIG. 3, there are three inkjet heads, which are staggered. The three inkjet heads 211, 212, and 213 are combined to form an inkjet head having a predetermined length. The joint of application of each inkjet head is arranged so that the nozzles 211A and 212A and 212A and 213A of each inkjet head overlap. Other than the above, the example is the same as the example shown in FIG.

  The support 10 on which the coating film has been formed is dried by the drying unit 50 and wound around the winding roll 10B.

  Next, the movement adjustment mechanism of the inkjet head will be described by taking the arrangement of the inkjet head shown in FIG. 3 as an example.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic side view showing the inkjet head and the movement adjustment mechanism of the inkjet head. 5 is a plan view seen from the direction of the arrow g in FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a partial view of the ink jet heads 211, 212, and 213, the first stage 22 and the second stage 23 that are independent for each ink jet head. 6 (a) is a side view and FIG. 6 (b) is a plan view.

  The ink jet heads 211, 212, and 213 and the first stage 22 and the second stage 23 independent for each ink jet head are different in arrangement position and direction, and have the same mechanism. Is described only for the inkjet head 211.

  The first stage 22 includes slide members 221 and 222 and micrometers m1 and m2. The second stage 23 includes a slide member 231 and a micrometer m3. The third stage 24 includes a base 241, slide members 242 and 243, and micrometers m4 and m5. The micrometers m1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 can move the slide member by rotating the knob of each micrometer and can read the movement amount by a scale attached to the micrometer.

  The inkjet head 211 is joined to the slide member 221 so as to be movable. The micrometer m1 moves the inkjet head 211 in a substantially vertical direction (arrow y1 direction) with respect to a tangent line S1 having a contact point in the vicinity of the nozzle on the support supported by the back roll with respect to the slide member 221.

  The slide member 221 is movably joined to the slide member 222. The micrometer m2 moves the slide member 221 with respect to the slide member 222 in the width direction of the support (in the arrow y2 direction). Thereby, the inkjet head 211 can be moved in the width direction (arrow y2 direction) of the support.

  The slide member 222 is movably joined to the slide member 231. The micrometer m3 moves the slide member 222 with respect to the slide member 231 in the substantially circumferential direction of the back roll (arrow y3 direction). Thereby, the first stage 22 holding the inkjet head 211 can be moved in the substantially circumferential direction of the back roll (the direction of the arrow y3).

  By attaching the slide member 231 to the slide member 243, the second stage 23 holding the inkjet head 211 and the first stage 22 is attached to the third stage 24. Similarly, the second stage 23 related to the inkjet heads 212 and 213 is also attached to the third stage 24.

  The slide member 243 is movably joined to the slide member 242. The micrometer m4 crosses the support member with the normal of the back roll passing through the approximate center of a line segment connecting the nozzles of the plurality of ejection heads arranged in a staggered manner with respect to the slide member 242. It moves in a substantially vertical direction (arrow y4 direction) with respect to the tangent line S2 having the contact point as a contact point.

  The slide member 242 is joined to the base 241 so as to be movable. The micrometer m5 moves the slide member 242 in a direction substantially parallel to the tangent line S2 with respect to the base 241 (arrow y5 direction). Accordingly, the inkjet heads 211, 212, and 213 attached to the third stage 24 via the first and second stages 22 and 23 are collectively perpendicular to the tangent line S2 (in the direction of the arrow y4). And in a substantially parallel direction (arrow y5 direction).

  For joining the slide members, a generally known linear guide mechanism such as a slide rail or a linear guide (not shown) can be used. In addition, the inkjet head and the slide member that have been adjusted for movement can be performed by a generally known clamp, screwing, or the like (not shown).

  In addition, although the above-described movement of the slide member and the display of the movement amount are displayed in the micrometer in the present embodiment, the movement can be performed by an electric drive moving means. In addition, the movement amount can be displayed on an electronic display device by detecting the movement amount with a known electronic displacement meter.

  As described above, droplet discharge is performed by discharging droplets of the coating liquid from the discharge head onto the support of the support that is wound around and supported by the back roll that supports the long support that is continuously conveyed. In the application of the system, the discharge head is supported in the vicinity of the back roll by disposing the nozzle in a direction substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction of the support and in the width direction, and movably with respect to the back roll. The distance between each of the nozzles of the discharge heads arranged in the body width direction and the support can be easily adjusted, and the distance can be easily maintained constant. It is possible to provide a coating apparatus that is free from the possibility of variations in film thickness and uneven coating.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure of the coating device which concerns on this invention. It is a perspective view which shows an example of schematic structure of arrangement | positioning of an inkjet head. It is a perspective view which shows an example of schematic structure of arrangement | positioning of a some inkjet head. It is a schematic side view which shows the movement adjustment mechanism of an inkjet head and an inkjet head. It is a schematic plan view which shows the movement adjustment mechanism of an inkjet head and an inkjet head. FIG. 4 is a partial view showing a side surface and a plane of an independent first stage and second stage for each inkjet head.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Coating device 10 Support body 12 Back roll 20 Inkjet unit 21, 211, 212, 213 Inkjet head 21A, 211A, 212A, 213A Nozzle 22 First stage 221, 222 Slide member 23 Second stage 231 Slide member 24 Third Stage 241 Base 242, 243 Slide member 25 Ink tank 26 Head drive unit 50 Drying unit m1, m2, m3, m4, m5 Micrometer

Claims (5)

An ejection head having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting liquid droplets is applied from the ejection head onto the support of the support wound around and supported by a back roll that supports a long support that is continuously conveyed. A line-type coating apparatus that performs coating by discharging liquid droplets,
The discharge head has a coating device in which the nozzle is disposed in the width direction in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the support and is movably disposed with respect to the back roll in the vicinity of the back roll. . The plurality of ejection heads are arranged in a staggered manner in the nozzle arrangement direction, and the ejection direction of the liquid droplets from the ejection head is substantially the rotation center direction of the back roll. The coating apparatus as described. The discharge head is movable in a substantially vertical direction and a substantially parallel direction with respect to a tangent line having a contact point near the nozzle on the support supported by the back roll, and in the back roll circumferential direction. The coating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the coating apparatus is movable and is movable in a width direction of the support. A first stage independent for each ejection head holding the ejection head, a second stage independent for each first stage holding the first stage, and the second stage are collectively held. And a third stage to
The first stage holds the discharge head movably in a direction substantially perpendicular to a tangent line having a contact point near the nozzle on the support supported by the back roll and in the width direction of the support. ,
The second stage holds the first stage holding the discharge head so as to be movable in a substantially circumferential direction of the back roll,
In the third stage, the normal line of the back roll that passes through the approximate center of the line segment connecting the nozzles of the plurality of ejection heads arranged in a staggered manner together with the second stage intersects the support. The coating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the coating apparatus is held so as to be movable in a substantially vertical direction and a substantially parallel direction with respect to a tangent line having a contact point as a contact point. 5. The coating apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a movement amount display unit that makes the movement amount visible in each of the first stage, the second stage, and the third stage.

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