JP2009202347A - Printer system and external ink supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable continuous printing for a long time by enabling ink supply from outside regardless of the kind of a printer body apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: A printer system is constituted of: the printer body apparatus 10; and an external ink supplying device 20. The printer body apparatus 10 makes desired printing on a surface of a printing sheet M while relatively moving a printer head in a state of the head being opposed to the printing sheet M supported by a platen 12a. The external ink supplying device 20 is constituted as a different body from the printer body apparatus and supplies an ink to the printer body apparatus. The printer system has: the external ink supplying device equipped with a sealing container 31 which accepts the ink to be ejected from the printer head; an ink supplying tube 35 which is provided to connect the container with the printer body apparatus and supplies the ink to the printer head; and a suspension mechanism 21 which holds suspending the sealing container. The suspension mechanism is comprised of both a movable strut 23 with a suspension bar 25 and a fixed strut 22b of a foldable tripod structure. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printer system that applies a desired print on the surface of a print medium by ejecting ink while the printer head is moved relative to the print medium, and an external ink supply that is used in this system and supplies ink from the outside. Relates to the device.

  Various types of ink jet printer devices have been used in the past. For example, a sheet-like print medium is supported on a platen, and a printer head is provided on the upper side of the platen so as to face the print medium. There is a printer apparatus configured to perform desired printing on the surface of a print medium by performing control of ejecting ink from the printer head while reciprocating the head left and right and relatively moving in a direction perpendicular to the head. In general, a cartridge type ink tank for supplying ink ejected from a printer head is detachably attached to such a printer apparatus.

On the other hand, while the size of the printer device is being increased, the amount of ink used during printing tends to increase as the size of the print device increases and the size of the print medium increases. Tanks are running out of capacity. In particular, when printing is performed continuously over a long period of time automatically using a roll sheet as a printing medium, there is a problem that ink shortage due to insufficient ink tank capacity may cause a problem in automation. There is. Therefore, a large-capacity ink container is provided separately from the cartridge-type ink tank, and ink can be automatically supplied from the ink container to the cartridge-type ink tank to enable automatic printing for a long time. The proposal which makes it become is made | formed (refer patent document 1 and patent document 2).
US Pat. No. 5,751,319 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-1284

  By the way, in the case of a configuration in which ink is automatically supplied from a large capacity ink container to a cartridge type ink tank as disclosed in the above-mentioned patent document, a housing for arranging the ink tank on the side of the printer is provided. A device that is attached and automatically supplies ink from the ink container according to ink consumption in the cartridge-type ink tank is required, and there is a problem that the configuration of the ink supply device becomes large and complicated.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an external ink supply device that has a simple configuration and is configured separately from the printer device and can supply ink from the outside regardless of the type of the printer body device. An object of the present invention is to provide a printer system provided with

  Another object of the present invention is to provide an external ink supply device that constitutes such a printer system.

  In order to achieve such an object, in the present invention, the printer head is opposed to the print medium (for example, the print sheet M in the embodiment) supported by the medium support means (for example, the platen 12a in the embodiment). The printer main body device that discharges ink from the printer head while moving the print medium relative to the print medium to perform a desired print on the surface of the print medium, and the printer main body device are configured separately, and A printer system is composed of an external ink supply device that supplies ink discharged from the printer head to the printer main body device. In this printer system, the external ink supply device connects an ink container (for example, the sealed container 31 in the embodiment) that receives ink ejected from the printer head, and the ink container and the printer main body device. And an ink supply tube that supplies the ink in the ink container to the printer head, and a suspension mechanism that suspends and holds the ink container, and the suspension mechanism further includes the ink A support leg portion (for example, an embodiment) configured to include a support column (for example, the movable support column 23 in the embodiment) having a suspension bar for suspending the container and a plurality of leg members extending downward. And a fixed column 22a) that is supported by a foldable tripod mechanism 22b and extends upward. .

  In this printer system, the printer body device is detachably provided with a cartridge type intermediate ink tank (for example, the cartridge type ink tank 18 in the embodiment) filled with ink to be supplied to the printer head, and the ink supply tube. Is preferably connected to the intermediate ink tank so that the ink in the ink container is supplied and replenished to the intermediate ink tank.

  In the printer system, it is preferable that the support column is vertically movable with respect to the support leg. In the printer system, it is preferable that the support leg portion has a tripod structure including the three foldable leg members. Further, in the above printer system, the ink container is a bag made of a flexible water-resistant sheet material (for example, a water-resistant sheet material that can be freely deformed, such as a vinyl sheet or a plastic resin sheet). It is preferable that it is comprised from the sealed container formed in the shape.

  On the other hand, the external ink supply device according to the present invention discharges ink from the printer head while moving the printer head relative to the print medium while facing the print medium supported by the medium support means. An external ink supply device that supplies ink from outside to a printer main body device that performs a desired print on the surface of a print medium, the ink container receiving ink ejected from the printer head, and the ink container An ink supply tube that extends to supply ink in the ink container to the printer head; and a suspension mechanism that suspends and holds the ink container. The suspension mechanism suspends the ink container. It is composed of a support column having a hanging bar to be lowered and a plurality of leg members extending downward to support the support column. Composed of a support leg.

  According to the printer system of the present invention configured as described above, the external ink supply device is configured separately from the printer main body device, and the ink container that is suspended by the suspension mechanism is attached to the ink supply tube. The external ink supply device can be applied to various types of printers and has a versatile external ink supply device. You can get a system. Furthermore, the suspension mechanism has a simple structure in which the support column is supported by a plurality of downwardly extending leg members, and the ink container is suspended from a suspension bar that constitutes the support column. The feeding device can be configured very easily and is easy to carry.

  If the ink supply path is connected to a cartridge-type intermediate ink tank that is detachably attached to the printer main unit, and the ink in the ink container is supplied to the intermediate ink tank, the printer main unit is changed. The external ink supply device can be applied as it is simply by connecting the ink supply path to the intermediate ink tank.

  It is preferable that the support column can move up and down with respect to the support leg, and thereby the vertical position of the ink container with respect to the intermediate ink tank in the printer main body device can be freely adjusted to increase the ink supply speed to the intermediate ink tank. The ink can be easily adjusted to an appropriate value according to the type of ink, the ambient temperature (that is, the actual viscosity of the ink), the ink level in the ink container, and the like.

  In addition, it is preferable that the support leg portion has a tripod structure including three foldable leg members. In this way, the leg member is folded and stored compactly when the external ink supply device is not used. be able to. Further, the ink container is preferably composed of a sealed container formed in a bag shape from a flexible water-resistant sheet material. This makes the ink container easy and easy to handle, such as replacement of the ink container. Can also be simple.

  On the other hand, according to the external ink supply device according to the present invention, it is only necessary to connect the ink supply tube to the printer main body device, and the external ink supply device can be applied to any printer main body device and is versatile. Can be obtained.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 show an example of the overall configuration of a printer system to which the present invention is applied. This printer system includes a printer main body device 10 and an external ink supply device 20 provided separately from the printer main body device 10. The printer body device 10 and the external ink supply device 20 are connected to each other, and the connecting member 5 is connected.

  The printer main body 10 includes a support leg 11 having left and right support legs 11a and 11b, a central body part 12 supported by the support legs 11, a right body part 13 provided on the right side of the central body part 12, The left body part 14 provided on the left side of the central body part 12 and the upper body part 15 that connects the left and right body parts 13 and 14 and that is spaced apart and parallel to the upper side of the central body part 12 are configured. . The central body portion 12 is provided with a platen 12a that is exposed on the upper surface and extends to the left and right. A printed sheet M is placed on the platen 12a, and the pinch is attached to the lower surface side of the upper body portion 15. The printing sheet M is conveyed forward (in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 1 and toward the front side) while being pressed by the roller 15a.

  The right body portion 13 is provided with operation switches and display devices on the front side thereof, and a mechanism for moving the printer head (not shown) to the left and right, and a maintenance station for cleaning the printer head, etc. are provided therein. It has been. A guide rail extending left and right is provided in the upper body portion 15, and a printer head is mounted on the transport rail so as to be movable left and right. The printer head is driven by a mechanism in the right body portion 13 to move the printer head upward. It is transported and moved left and right on the guide rail in the body 15.

  A cartridge mounting portion 16 is provided on the upper portion of the left body portion 14, and a plurality of cartridge type ink tanks 18 are detachably mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 16 from the front side. A connection portion (not shown) for receiving the ink tank 18 and receiving ink from the ink tank 18 is provided inside the cartridge mounting portion 16, and the inside of the left body portion 14 and the upper body portion 15 extends from this connection portion. The ink tube is connected to the printer head, and the ink in the ink tank 18 is supplied to the printer head via the ink tube.

  The external ink supply device 20 includes a suspension mechanism 21 that suspends and holds the ink pack 30. The suspension mechanism 21 is supported by a foldable tripod mechanism 22b and extends upward, a movable support 23 that is connected to the fixed support 22a so as to move up and down and extends upward, and a manual operation of the handle 24a. A column moving device 24 that moves the movable column 23 up and down, and a suspension bar 25 that is attached to the upper end of the movable column 23 so as to extend horizontally and is used to suspend the ink pack 30.

  The ink pack 30 is composed of a sealed container 31 formed of a flexible water-resistant sheet material in the shape of a flat rectangular bag and filled with ink. A hook provided on the top of the sealed container 31. 32 is suspended and held on the suspension bar 25. As shown in detail in FIG. 3, the lower end of the sealed container 31 is provided with a connecting portion 31a connected to the inner space of the container to take out ink. The opening / closing operation lever 33a is connected to the connecting portion 31a. A valve 33 is provided, and an ink supply tube 35 having a check valve 34 connected to the open / close valve 33 is provided. As can be seen from this configuration, the ink pack 30 has a form like a medical drip pack.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ink supply tube 35 is connected to the connector portion 18a of the ink tank 18 attached to the cartridge attachment portion 16 of the printer main body device 10, and the ink in the sealed container 31 is supplied with the ink. The ink is supplied into the ink tank 18 through the tube 35. At this time, the ink supply can be controlled by operating the operation lever 33a to open and close the open / close valve 33. The check valve 34 is a valve that allows ink to be supplied from the sealed container 31 side to the ink tank 18 side, but prevents the opposite flow of ink. The check valve 34 causes the ink to flow backward from the ink tank 18. Is to be blocked.

  1 and 2 show one ink pack 30 from which ink is supplied only to the rightmost cartridge type ink tank 18 via the ink supply tube 35. The ink packs 30 are connected to all the ink tanks 18 respectively. That is, the same number of ink packs 30 as the ink tanks 18 are suspended and supported by the suspension bar 25, and ink is replenished and supplied to the corresponding ink tanks 18.

  Further, the printer main body device 10 and the external ink supply device 20 are connected by the connecting bar 5, so that the external ink supply device 20 is prevented from falling. In the case of this embodiment, the upper end portion of the fixed column 22a and the cartridge mounting portion 16 are connected by the connecting bar 5, but this connecting bar 5 is detachable, and the external ink supply device 20 can be connected as necessary. It can be removed and the attachment position has a degree of freedom. Further, the tripod mechanism 22b constituting the external ink supply device 20 can be folded, and when the external ink supply device 20 is removed, it can be folded and the suspension mechanism 21 can be stored compactly. ing.

  An operation example for performing printing on the print sheet M using the printer system configured as described above will be briefly described. The print sheet M is inserted between the central body portion 12 and the upper body portion 15 from the rear side of the printer main body device 10 and is placed on the platen 12a and pressed and held by the pinch rollers 15a. In this state, while the printer head moves back and forth within the upper body 15, ink is ejected from the lower ejection nozzles in a desired pattern, and desired printing is performed on the surface of the print sheet M. In conjunction with the reciprocating movement of the printer head, control is performed so that the print sheet M is intermittently conveyed forward, and desired printing is performed on the entire surface of the print sheet M.

  When printing is performed in this manner, ink is supplied from each ink tank 18 attached to the cartridge attachment portion 16 to the printer head. Depending on the consumption of ink in the ink tank 18, the external ink supply device 20 is supplied. Ink is replenished and supplied from the ink pack 30. For this reason, continuous printing over a long period of time is possible without replacing the cartridge-type ink tank 18. As long as there is ink in the ink tank 18, printing can be continued even if the ink pack 30 is removed, and the ink pack 30 can be replaced while continuing printing.

  At this time, the ink replenishment supply amount and timing from the ink pack 30 can be arbitrarily controlled by opening / closing the opening / closing valve 33. Further, the vertical position of the ink pack 30 is adjusted by operating the handle 24 a and moving the movable column 23 up and down by the column moving device 24, so that the ink in the sealed container 31 acts on the ink in the ink tank 18. (Head) can be adjusted arbitrarily, so that the ink supply speed to the ink tank 18 is appropriate according to the ink type, ambient temperature, ink viscosity, ink level in the sealed container 31 and the ink tank 18, and the like. It can be easily adjusted to achieve a correct value.

  The preferred embodiment of the printer system to which the present invention is applied has been described above, but the printer system according to the present invention is not limited to the above configuration. For example, it is possible to provide a configuration in which ink is supplied directly from the ink pack 30 to the printer head without providing the cartridge type ink tank 18. Moreover, although the form which made the suspension mechanism the foldable tripod mechanism was shown, you may use the support leg part structure which consists of a plurality of foldable leg members, such as a tetrapod structure, considering stability. Further, the form of the sealed container 31 constituting the ink pack 30 is not limited to the flat rectangular shape described above, and may be any shape such as a circular shape or a polygonal shape. It does not limit the color or the like.

1 is a front view showing a printer system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It is a side view of the printer system. It is a partial enlarged view of an ink pack constituting the printer system.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 5 Connection bar 10 Printer main body apparatus 12a Platen 15a Pinch roller 16 Cartridge attachment part 18 Cartridge type ink tank 20 External ink supply apparatus 21 Hanging mechanism 25 Hanging bar 30 Ink pack 31 Sealed container 32 Hook 33 Open / close valve 34 Check valve 35 Ink Supply tube M Printing sheet

Claims (6)

A printer main body that discharges ink from the printer head while moving the printer head relative to the print medium in a state of being opposed to the print medium supported by the medium support means, and performs a desired print on the surface of the print medium Equipment,
The printer main body device is configured separately from the printer main body device, and includes an external ink supply device that supplies ink ejected from the printer head to the printer main body device.
The external ink supply device is provided by connecting an ink container that receives ink ejected from the printer head, the ink container and the printer main body device, and supplies the ink in the ink container to the printer head. An ink supply tube and a suspension mechanism for suspending and holding the ink container;
The suspension mechanism is composed of a column portion having a suspension bar for suspending the ink container, and a support leg portion configured by a plurality of downwardly extending leg members to support the column portion. A printer system.   The printer body device is detachably provided with a cartridge type intermediate ink tank filled with ink to be supplied to the printer head, the ink supply tube is connected to the intermediate ink tank, and the ink in the ink container is The printer system according to claim 1, wherein the printer system is configured to supply and replenish the intermediate ink tank.   The printer system according to claim 1, wherein the support column is vertically movable with respect to the support leg.   The printer system according to claim 1, wherein the support leg portion has a tripod structure including the three foldable leg members.   The printer system according to claim 1, wherein the ink container is a sealed container formed in a bag shape from a flexible water-resistant sheet material. A printer main body that discharges ink from the printer head while moving the printer head relative to the print medium in a state of being opposed to the print medium supported by the medium support means, and performs a desired print on the surface of the print medium. An external ink supply device for supplying ink from the outside to the device,
An ink container that receives ink ejected from the printer head, an ink supply tube that extends from the ink container and can supply ink in the ink container to the printer head, and a suspension that suspends and holds the ink container And a mechanism,
External ink in which the suspension mechanism is composed of a support column having a suspension bar that suspends the ink container and a plurality of downwardly extending leg members and supporting the support column. Feeding device.

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