JP2008086920A - Ink applying apparatus and ink applying method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ink applying apparatus and an ink applying method by which a coating film having uniform film thickness is formed on a material to be coated. <P>SOLUTION: The ink applying apparatus for applying ink 7 on the material 5 to be coated has an airtight housing 2 capable of introducing outside air, an ink jet head 6 provided inside the housing 2 and structured so that the ink is discharged to the material 5 to be coated while linearly moving along the material 5 to be coated in a prescribed direction and a first and a second exhaust means 81, 82 respectively having a first and a second exhaust port 91 provided in the front side in the moving direction of the ink jet head 6 and for discharging the atmospheric gas inside the housing 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink application apparatus and an ink application method for ejecting ink from, for example, an ejection nozzle of an inkjet head and forming a coating film on an application target.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, it has been widely performed to form a coating film on an object to be coated by ejecting ink from a discharge nozzle of an inkjet head.
However, in such an apparatus, ink having a relatively low concentration is used, and the ink ejected and landed from the head has a low viscosity. Therefore, the thickness of the coating film formed on the coating object is Although it depends on the wettability with the substrate surface, there is a problem that it is easily affected by the concentration of the ink solvent atmosphere in the vicinity of the coating object.

  In other words, when the concentration of the ink solvent atmosphere is high, the evaporation of the ink solvent during the formation of the coating film is suppressed and effective for leveling (uniformization) of the film thickness, but the ink has poor wettability with the substrate surface. Unevenness of film thickness is likely to occur due to flocculation and repelling.

On the other hand, when the concentration of the ink solvent atmosphere is low, the ink solvent evaporates quickly when the coating film is formed, and at this time, the ink collects at a portion around the coating where the drying speed is fast and at the boundary with the previously coated region. Film thickness unevenness may occur.
As described above, it is difficult to make the coating film formed on the coating object uniform.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, and provides an ink coating apparatus and an ink coating method capable of forming a coating film having a uniform film thickness on a coating target. For the purpose.

In order to achieve the above object, an invention according to claim 1 is an ink application device for applying ink onto an object to be applied, an airtight case capable of introducing outside air, and an interior of the case An inkjet head configured to eject ink onto the application target while moving linearly in a predetermined direction along the application target, and a front side in the movement direction of the inkjet head And an exhaust means having an exhaust port for exhausting the atmosphere inside the housing.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, an ink reservoir for storing ink to be used in the ink application device is provided in the casing. In this specification, “ink” is a broad concept including a solvent, and ink and a solvent are stored in an ink reservoir.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, the ink jet head is configured to move in different directions along the application target, and the exhaust port is the ink jet. It is provided on the front side in the movement direction of the head.
The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the exhaust port is formed so as to extend in a direction orthogonal to a moving direction of the inkjet head, and The exhaust velocity at the exhaust port is configured to have a distribution.
The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the exhaust means has a plurality of intake ports arranged along a longitudinal direction of the exhaust port, Valves for controlling the intake operation of the intake port are respectively provided.
The invention described in claim 6 is an ink application method for applying ink onto an object to be applied by discharging ink from an ink jet head provided inside an airtight casing capable of introducing outside air, wherein the ink jet When the ink is applied while moving the head linearly along the application target, the atmosphere inside the housing is exhausted from an exhaust port provided on the front side in the moving direction of the inkjet head.
A seventh aspect of the invention is a method of applying ink using the ink application device according to the third aspect of the invention, wherein the ink is applied while moving the inkjet head in different directions along the application object. In this case, the atmosphere inside the housing is exhausted only from the exhaust port on the front side in the moving direction of the inkjet head.
The invention according to claim 8 is a method for applying ink using the ink applying apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the ink is applied while moving the ink-jet head in a different direction along the object to be applied. At this time, exhaust is performed by operating a valve corresponding to the application region of the application object among the valves in the exhaust means on the front side in the moving direction of the inkjet head.

In the present invention, an exhaust port is provided on the front side in the moving direction of the ink jet head so that the atmosphere inside the housing is exhausted when ink is applied. Therefore, an increase in the solvent concentration in the gas phase is suppressed over time. Since the airflow becomes uniform, the atmosphere of the solvent concentration existing on the rear side in the moving direction of the inkjet head can be made uniform.
As a result, according to the present invention, a coating film having a uniform film thickness can be formed on the coating object.

In the present invention, if the atmosphere inside the housing is exhausted only from the exhaust port on the front side in the movement direction of the inkjet head, the atmosphere of the solvent concentration near the coating film existing on the rear side in the movement direction of the inkjet head can be made more uniform. Can do.
This is a particularly effective means, for example, when applying ink while moving the inkjet head in different directions along the application target.

  In the present invention, when an ink reservoir for storing ink used in the ink application device is provided in the housing, the ink in the ink reservoir is vaporized, so that the atmosphere concentration inside the housing is uniform. Thus, a coating film having a uniform film thickness can be formed on the object to be coated.

  In the present invention, when the inkjet head is configured to move in different directions along the application target, and the exhaust port is provided on the front side in each movement direction of the inkjet head, the inkjet head is used as the application target. The ink can be applied while moving in different directions along the direction, whereby a coating film having a uniform film thickness can be efficiently formed.

  In the present invention, when the exhaust port is formed so as to extend in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the inkjet head and the exhaust velocity at the exhaust port is configured to have a distribution, The film thickness can be made uniform not only in the moving direction but also in the direction orthogonal thereto.

  In this case, if the exhaust means has a plurality of intake ports arranged along the longitudinal direction of the exhaust port, and each is provided with a valve for controlling the intake operation of the intake port, The distribution of the exhaust speed can be easily adjusted.

  Then, when applying ink while moving the inkjet head in different directions along the application object, a valve corresponding to the application area of the application object among the plurality of valves in the exhaust means on the front side in the movement direction of the inkjet head By performing the exhaust operation, the optimal exhaust can be performed according to the region where the ink is applied.

  According to the present invention, a coating film having a uniform film thickness can be formed on a coating object.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of an ink coating apparatus and an ink coating method using the same according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a front view of an ink coating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of the ink coating apparatus.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ink coating apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes a housing 2 configured to be able to introduce outside air from an intake port (not shown).

A main body 3 is provided inside the housing 2, and a support base 4 is provided above the main body 3. On the support table 4, for example, a rectangular application object 5 is placed.
An inkjet head 6 is provided above the support base 4.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the inkjet head 6 of the present embodiment has substantially the same length as the width of the application target 5, and the ink 7 is applied to the application target 5 above the application target 5. While discharging, it is configured to move linearly in the direction of arrow P1 or arrow P2 from one end in the length direction of the coating object 5 to the other end.

Hereinafter, in this specification, the arrow P1 direction is defined as a first direction, and the arrow P2 direction is defined as a second direction.
A first exhaust unit 81 made of a tubular member is provided on the front side of the housing 2 in the first direction P1.

The first exhaust means 81 is connected to a vacuum device (not shown) via the exhaust pipe 10, and exhausts the atmosphere in the housing 2 to the outside via a first exhaust port 91 provided at the upper end portion thereof. Is configured to do.
The first exhaust means 81 is provided with a first opening / closing valve 111. The opening / closing operation of the first opening / closing valve 111 is controlled in accordance with the moving direction of the inkjet head 6.

As shown in FIG.1 and FIG.2, in the case of this Embodiment, the 1st exhaust port 91 is the front side of the 1st direction P1, and in the vicinity of the edge part of the length direction of the coating target object 5. As shown in FIG. It is provided to be located.
The first exhaust port 91 is formed so as to extend in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the inkjet head 6, and is provided in a rectangular shape that is slightly longer than the width of the application target 5, for example.

A second exhaust unit 82 made of a tubular member is provided on the front side in the second direction P2 in the housing 2.
The second exhaust means 82 has the same configuration as the first exhaust means 81 and is connected to a vacuum device (not shown) via the exhaust pipe 10 and via a second exhaust port 92 provided at the upper end thereof. The atmosphere in the housing 2 is configured to be discharged to the outside.
The second exhaust means 82 is provided with a second opening / closing valve 112. The opening / closing of the second opening / closing valve 112 is controlled according to the moving direction of the inkjet head 6.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the case of the present embodiment, the second exhaust port 92 is on the front side in the second direction P <b> 2 and in the vicinity of the end in the length direction of the application target object 5. It is provided to be located.
The second exhaust port 92 is formed so as to extend in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the inkjet head 6, and is provided in a rectangular shape that is slightly longer than the width of the application target 5, for example.

3 and 4 are explanatory diagrams of an ink application method using the ink application apparatus of the present embodiment.
In order to form a coating film on the coating object 5 using the ink coating apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, first, as shown in FIG. 3, the inkjet head 6 is coated with the coating object on the second exhaust port 92 side. 5 Place above.

In this state, the first on-off valve 111 is opened, the suction of the atmosphere in the housing 2 from the first exhaust port 91 is started, and the ink 7 is ejected from the ink jet head 6 to the application target 5. The head 6 is moved toward the first exhaust port 91 in the first direction P1. In this case, the second opening / closing valve 112 is closed, and the atmosphere in the housing 2 is not sucked from the second exhaust port 92.
And when the inkjet head 6 reaches the vicinity of the 1st exhaust port 91 above the edge part of the application | coating target object 5, while stopping discharge of the ink 7, the 1st on-off valve 111 is closed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the second opening / closing valve 112 is opened to start suction of the atmosphere in the housing 2 from the second exhaust port 92, and the ink 7 is applied to the application target 5 from the inkjet head 6. , The inkjet head 6 is moved in the second direction P2 toward the second exhaust port 92. In this case, the first opening / closing valve 111 is closed, and the atmosphere in the housing 2 is not sucked from the first exhaust port 91.
When the inkjet head 6 reaches the vicinity of the second exhaust port 92 above the end of the application target object 5, the ejection of the ink 7 is stopped and the second opening / closing valve 112 is closed.

  According to the present embodiment described above, when the inkjet head 6 moves toward the first exhaust port 91 while ejecting the ink 7 to the application target 5, the first exhaust on the front side in the movement direction. By exhausting the atmosphere in the housing 2 from the port 91 only, the rear side in the moving direction of the inkjet head 6 is used to prevent the flow of air from a new application location where the amount of solvent evaporation is large. The solvent atmosphere existing on the (second exhaust port 92 side) is kept uniform.

  On the other hand, when the inkjet head 6 moves toward the second exhaust port 92 while ejecting the ink 7 to the application target 5, only the second exhaust port 92 on the front side in the movement direction can move from the inside of the housing 2 to the inside. By exhausting the atmosphere, in order to prevent the flow of air from a new application location where the amount of solvent evaporation is large from flowing to the already applied direction, the inkjet head 6 is moved to the rear side (first exhaust port 91 side) in the moving direction. The existing solvent atmosphere is kept uniform.

As a result, according to the present embodiment, when the ink 7 is applied, the concentration of the atmosphere inside the housing 2 can be made uniform at all times, so that a coating film having a uniform film thickness can be formed on the application target 5. Can be formed.
In addition, according to the present embodiment, the first and second exhaust ports 91 and 92 are provided, and the ink-jet head 6 is reciprocated along the application object 5 to apply and exhaust ink. Good ink can be applied.

FIG. 5 is a front view of an ink application apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a plan view of the ink application apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Hereinafter, the same reference numerals are given to portions common to the above embodiment, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the ink coating apparatus 1 </ b> A according to the present embodiment is provided with a groove-shaped ink reservoir 12 around the placement portion of the coating object 5 on the support 4. is there.
In the present embodiment, when the ink 7 is ejected onto the application target 5, for example, the ink reservoir 12 is filled with the same ink 7 in advance before the ejection of the ink 7 is started.

According to the present embodiment having such a configuration, the ink concentration in the ink reservoir 12 is vaporized, so that the atmosphere concentration inside the housing 2 is kept uniform, and the coating film 5 has a more uniform film thickness. A coating film can be formed. By providing the ink retaining part, the concentration of the solvent in the atmosphere can be increased and the drying delay can be delayed.
Since other configurations and operational effects are the same as those of the above-described embodiment, detailed description thereof is omitted.

7A is a front view showing an example of the exhaust means used in the present invention, FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 7A, and FIG. 7C is the exhaust means. FIG.
In the present invention, the first and second exhaust means 81 and 82 described above can be configured as described below. Hereinafter, the first exhaust means 81A will be described as an example.

As shown in FIG. 7 (a), the first exhaust means 81A of the present embodiment includes three intake pipes 13a, 13b, 13c and suction provided at the tip of each intake pipe 13a, 13b, 13c. Part 14.
The intake pipes 13a, 13b, and 13c are arranged in a straight line at regular intervals. In the case of the present embodiment, the intake pipes 13a and 13c at both ends are provided at substantially the same interval as the width of the application target 5, and the intake pipe 13b is provided at the center of the intake pipes 13a and 13c. .

The three intake pipes 13a, 13b, and 13c merge into one exhaust pipe 15 and are further connected to the exhaust pipe 10 described above.
Each intake pipe 13a, 13b, 13c is provided with variable valves 16a, 16b, 16c. These variable valves 16a, 16b, and 16c can adjust the flow rate independently of each other.
The on-off valve 111 described above is provided in the exhaust pipe 15.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 (a) and 7 (b), the suction portion 14 has an elongated box-shaped main body portion 17, and the intake pipes 13a, 13b, and 13c are attached to the bottom portion thereof, thereby the main body portion. 17, the intake ports 18a, 18b, 18c are arranged at regular intervals.

As shown in FIG. 7C, the exhaust port 91 </ b> A of the present embodiment is formed by providing a plurality of holes 22 in the rectangular intake member 21. These holes 22 can be provided using, for example, a mesh-like member.
And the density distribution of the hole part 22 is made high from the both ends of the intake member 21 toward the center part, and thereby an exhaust port 91A having a relatively larger opening area at the center part than the both ends is formed.

FIG. 8 is a front view of an ink coating apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a plan view of the ink coating apparatus. Hereinafter, the same reference numerals are used for parts common to the above-described embodiment. And detailed description thereof is omitted.
In general, when applying the ink 7 of the application object 5 in this type of apparatus, the atmospheric concentration on the rear side in the moving direction of the inkjet head 6 is increased as described above, and the application object 5 The atmosphere concentration in the vicinity of the center in the width direction (direction perpendicular to the moving direction) tends to be higher than the surrounding area.

  Therefore, in the ink application apparatus 1B of the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the first exhaust means 81A shown in FIG. 7 is provided as the first exhaust means 81 of the ink application apparatus 1 described above, As the second exhaust means 82, a second exhaust means 82A having the same configuration as the first exhaust means 81A is provided.

  In the present embodiment, when the ink 7 is applied onto the application target 5 while moving the inkjet head 6 in the first direction P1, the flow rate of the variable valve 16b of the first exhaust means 81A is variable. The flow rate is made larger than the flow rates of the valves 16a and 16c, and the exhaust amount from the intake port 18b at the center is made larger than the exhaust rates from the intake ports 18a and 18c at both ends. Similarly, when the ink 7 is applied while moving the inkjet head 6 in the second direction P2, the exhaust amount from the intake port 19b at the central portion is similarly determined from the exhaust amount from the intake ports 19a and 19c at both ends. Enlarge.

  And according to this Embodiment, in addition to making the opening area of the center part of the suction part 14 (exhaust port 91A) relatively larger than both ends, the exhaust speed of the center part is made larger than both ends. As a result, a high-concentration atmosphere can be efficiently exhausted. As a result, the film thickness can be made uniform not only in the moving direction of the inkjet head 6 but also in the direction orthogonal thereto.

Furthermore, FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a procedure for applying ink using an ink applying apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Hereinafter, an example of an ink application method using the ink application apparatus 1B shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In the case of this application method, first, as shown in FIG. 10A, when the inkjet head 6 is moved in the first direction P1, the intake ports 18a, 18b, 19a, Ink 7 is applied to a plurality of application regions 27 located in one side region surrounded by 19b.

In this case, only the variable valve 16a and the variable valve 16b corresponding to each of the intake port 18a and the intake port 18b of the first exhaust unit 81A are opened, and the application region in the atmosphere on the front side in the moving direction of the inkjet head 6 is opened. The atmosphere on the 27th side is exhausted.
When the ink jet head 6 finishes applying the ink 7 to the application region 27 closest to the first exhaust unit 81A, the ejection of the ink 7 from the ink jet head 6 to the application target 5 is once stopped.

Next, as shown in FIG. 10 (b), when the inkjet head 6 is moved in the second direction P2, a region on one side surrounded by the intake ports 18b, 18c, 19b, and 19c on the application target 5 is formed. The ink 7 is applied to the application region 28 located.
In this case, only a variable valve (not shown) corresponding to each of the intake port 19b and the intake port 19c of the second exhaust unit 82A is opened, and the application region in the atmosphere on the front side in the moving direction of the inkjet head 6 is opened. The atmosphere above 28 is inhaled.

Then, as shown in FIG. 10C, when the inkjet head 6 returns to the position where the application of the ink 7 is started, the ejection of the ink 7 from the inkjet head 6 is terminated.
According to the present embodiment as described above, the atmosphere in the vicinity of the region to which the ink 7 is to be applied can be locally and selectively sucked, so that optimum exhaust is performed according to the region to which the ink is applied. Can do.

Since other configurations and operational effects are the same as those of the above-described embodiment, detailed description thereof is omitted.
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes can be made.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the groove-shaped ink reservoir is provided around the placement portion of the application object placed on the support base, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the ink reservoir is not limited thereto. A means for absorbing ink may be disposed in the groove portion of the portion.
In the above embodiment, the number of intake ports of the first and second exhaust means is three. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of intake ports are provided according to the ink application region of the application object. Can also be provided.

Further, when a plurality of intake ports are provided, exhaust can be performed from an arbitrary intake port on the front side in the moving direction of the inkjet head.
Furthermore, the present invention can be applied to various apparatuses as long as it is an apparatus that applies ink onto an object to be applied by an inkjet method.

The front view of embodiment of the ink application apparatus of this invention Top view of the same ink applicator Explanatory drawing of the ink application method using the same ink application device Explanatory drawing of the ink application method using the same ink application device The front view of the ink application apparatus of other embodiment of this invention Top view of the same ink applicator (A): Front view showing an example of exhaust means used in the present invention, (b): AA line sectional view of FIG. 7 (a), (c): Plan view of the exhaust means. The front view of the ink application apparatus of other embodiment of this invention The top view of the ink application apparatus of other embodiment of this invention (A)-(c): Explanatory drawing explaining the procedure which applies an ink using the ink application apparatus of other embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Ink application apparatus 2 ... Housing | casing 3 ... Main body 4 ... Support stand 5 ... Application | coating object 6 ... Inkjet head 7 ... Ink 81 ... 1st exhaust means 82 ... 2nd exhaust means 91 ... 1st exhaust port 92 ... 2nd Exhaust port 10 ... Exhaust pipe 111 ... First on-off valve 112 ... Second on-off valve

Claims (8)

An ink application device that applies ink onto an object to be applied,
An airtight housing capable of introducing outside air;
An inkjet head provided inside the housing and configured to eject ink to the application object while moving linearly in a predetermined direction along the application object;
An ink coating apparatus comprising: an exhaust unit provided on a front side in the moving direction of the inkjet head and having an exhaust port for exhausting an atmosphere inside the housing.   The ink application device according to claim 1, wherein an ink reservoir for storing ink used in the ink application device is provided in the casing. The inkjet head is configured to move in different directions along the application target,
The ink coating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust port is provided on a front side in each movement direction of the inkjet head.   4. The exhaust port according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust port is formed so as to extend in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the inkjet head, and the exhaust velocity at the exhaust port has a distribution. The ink coating apparatus according to claim 1.   5. The exhaust system according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust unit has a plurality of intake ports arranged along a longitudinal direction of the exhaust port, and a valve for controlling an intake operation of the intake port is provided. The ink coating apparatus according to claim 1. An ink application method for applying ink onto an object to be applied by discharging ink from an inkjet head provided inside an airtight housing capable of introducing outside air,
When applying ink while moving the inkjet head linearly along the application object,
An ink application method for exhausting the atmosphere inside the housing from an exhaust port provided on the front side in the moving direction of the inkjet head. A method for applying ink using the ink applying apparatus according to claim 3, comprising:
When applying ink while moving the inkjet head in different directions along the application object,
An ink application method for exhausting the atmosphere inside the housing from only the exhaust port on the front side in the moving direction of the inkjet head. A method for applying ink using the ink applying apparatus according to claim 5, comprising:
When applying ink while moving the inkjet head in different directions along the application object,
An ink application method in which exhaust is performed by operating a valve corresponding to an application region of the application object in the valve in the exhaust unit on the front side in the moving direction of the inkjet head.

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