JP2010131773A - Head device and apparatus with the head device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device which can record an image of a uniform dot size by a high resolution, can draw and can apply. <P>SOLUTION: The head device 15 carried on the apparatus includes a nozzle part 20 which includes a plurality of nozzles 21 that eject an ultraviolet-curable ink to a medium, and an irradiation part 30 for curing the ink by shedding ultraviolet rays onto the medium. The nozzle part 20 and the irradiation part 30 are moved relatively to the medium in a direction X. The nozzle part 20 includes a nozzle array 22 in which a plurality of the nozzles 21 are arranged slantwise in the direction X. The irradiation part 30 includes a light emitting band 31 which emits a light in the form of a slantwise band to the movement direction to be nearly parallel to the nozzle array 22. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a photocurable ink head device capable of stably recording or forming an image, a coated surface, or the like on the surface of various materials, and a device having the head device.

  In the cited document 1, an image forming method and an ink jet recording apparatus capable of recording a high-definition image excellent in character quality, free of color mixing, and very stably with good reproducibility without curling or waviness of the recording material. Is provided. Therefore, an actinic ray curable ink containing a photoinitiator, a photopolymerizable compound and a pigment, and a dispersant having an acid value larger than the amine value is jetted onto the recording material from the ink jet recording head, An image forming method for printing, which is cured by a light source that consumes less than 1 kW of power per hour after the actinic ray curable ink has landed is described. Further, cited document 1 describes an image forming method characterized in that after actinic ray curable ink has landed on a recording material, it is cured by a light source in which a plurality of light emitting diodes that generate ultraviolet rays are arranged. .

Cited Document 2 provides an ink jet printer that can produce a thick and thick print of a sharp and clear image regardless of the type of printing medium using low viscosity ink suitable for ink jetting by an ink jet recording head. It is described to do. Therefore, in an inkjet printer that prints on printing paper by irradiating ultraviolet curable ink onto the printing paper from the inkjet recording head, the ultraviolet ray generation unit that generates ultraviolet rays, and the ultraviolet ray generated from the ultraviolet ray generation unit is located near the inkjet recording head. An ultraviolet ray irradiation device having an optical fiber leading to the ink jet process in which the inkjet recording head jets ultraviolet ray curable ink onto the printing paper, and an ultraviolet ray curable type in which the ultraviolet ray irradiation device landed on the printing paper immediately after the ink jetting step It is described that thick film printing is performed by repeating ink curing for curing ink.
JP 2005-224971 A JP 2002-144555 A

  There is provided a method and apparatus capable of performing highly accurate and stable printing (recording) in a printing method in which a photocurable ink such as an ultraviolet curable ink is ejected from a plurality of nozzles using an inkjet technology developed for a printing apparatus. It is requested.

  One embodiment of the present invention includes a nozzle portion that includes a plurality of nozzles that eject photocurable ink onto a medium, and an irradiation unit that radiates and cures light suitable for curing on the photocurable ink on the medium. And a nozzle unit and an irradiation unit for moving the nozzle unit and the irradiation unit in a first direction relative to the medium. The nozzle unit includes a first nozzle row in which a plurality of nozzles are arranged obliquely with respect to the first direction, and the irradiation unit is arranged so as to be substantially parallel to the first nozzle row. A first light emission band that emits light in a slanted band shape with respect to one direction is included.

  One method for recording (printing) a high-definition image or forming a coating surface is oblique to the direction of movement of the head device (moving direction, first direction). A plurality of nozzles are arranged. A photocurable ink such as an ultraviolet curable ink is cured (fixed) by irradiating the ink discharged onto the medium with a curing light such as an ultraviolet ray. Therefore, there is an advantage that printing (recording) and application to various media having a non-absorbing surface such as paper and films other than paper, glass, silicon wafer, and the like are possible. On the other hand, there is a possibility that the surface of the medium wets and spreads until it is cured, and the dot size may change with the passage of time from landing to curing. Even if it is formed, there is a possibility that the image quality and quality may deteriorate at the stage of curing. For this reason, the head device of the present invention is provided with a first light emission band that emits light in an oblique band shape with respect to the first direction so that the irradiation unit is substantially parallel to the first nozzle row, The time elapsed from landing to curing is made uniform so that a high-definition image can be recorded and a coated surface can be formed.

  The head device preferably further includes a resolution control mechanism that changes the angle of the first nozzle row with respect to the first direction and a light emission band control mechanism that changes the angle of the first light emission band with respect to the first direction. A typical resolution control mechanism is such that the first nozzle row is supported by a shaft and rotated by a desired angle by a motor or the like. Further, a typical light emission band control mechanism is one that supports the first light emission band by a shaft and turns by a desired angle by a motor or the like. The first light-emitting band may be any material as long as it emits light substantially in a band shape, and can be formed by irradiating curing light such as ultraviolet rays in a band shape (row or line) using an optical fiber. It is. In addition, the first light emission band is obtained by arranging semiconductor light sources such as LEDs or semiconductor lasers that output curing light such as ultraviolet rays in one or a plurality of lines to obtain substantially band-like light emission. There may be. Furthermore, the irradiation unit may include a light emitting matrix in which a plurality of semiconductor light emitting elements are arranged in a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The light emission band control mechanism can form the first light emission band by a part of the semiconductor light emitting elements of the light emission matrix.

  Further, instead of individually controlling the angle of the first nozzle row and the angle of the first light emission band, the head device itself can be turned with respect to the first direction, and the first nozzle row and the first You may make it change simultaneously the angle with respect to the 1st direction of the light emission band.

  Furthermore, it is desirable that the head device of the present invention further includes a control unit that synchronously changes the angle of the first nozzle row with respect to the first direction and the angle of the first light emission band with respect to the first direction. By changing the angle of the first nozzle row, the resolution of the image formed on the medium and the coating surface can be controlled. At the same time, by changing the angle of the first light emission band in synchronization with the angle of the first nozzle row, the dot size formed on the medium can be adjusted, and an image or coating surface with a desired resolution can be fixed on the medium. .

  Further, the head device can reciprocate in the first direction, record on the medium using the nozzle unit and the irradiation unit in the forward path, and be cured using the irradiation unit in the return path. In this case, it is desirable that the control unit includes a function of changing the angle of the first light-emitting band to an angle symmetric with respect to the forward path with respect to the first direction in the return path. It is possible to make constant the time of irradiation with light for fixing.

  Furthermore, it is desirable that the irradiation unit includes a light shielding wall along the first light emission band on the nozzle portion side of the first light emission band. It is easy to control the time that elapses between the landing and the irradiation of light and the start of curing, and the dot size to be fixed tends to be uniform.

  Furthermore, in the head device of the present invention, it is desirable that the first light emission band is longer than the first nozzle row. When the first emission band is tilted, the length in the first direction at the end of the first emission band is insufficient, and the light intensity can be changed between the center and the end of the first emission band. There is sex. Therefore, in order to suppress the influence of such an end, it is desirable that the length of the first light emission band is longer than that of the first nozzle row.

  Another aspect of the present invention is an apparatus that includes the head device described above and a moving device that relatively moves the head device and the medium in the first direction. Devices having a head device are, for example, a recording device, a printer, and a coating device.

  Still another aspect of the present invention is to cure by irradiating light suitable for curing to the photocurable ink on the medium, and a nozzle portion including a plurality of nozzles that eject the photocurable ink to the medium. For example, a recording method, a printing method, and a coating method. The method includes recording on the medium by moving the nozzle section and the irradiation section in a first direction relative to the medium. Further, the nozzle portion includes a first nozzle row in which a plurality of nozzles are arranged obliquely with respect to the first direction, and the irradiation portion is arranged so as to be substantially parallel to the first nozzle row. A first light emission band that emits light in a slanted band shape with respect to one direction is included. The recording method further includes synchronously changing the angle of the first nozzle row with respect to the first direction and the angle of the first light emission band with respect to the first direction.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of a recording apparatus (printing apparatus, coating apparatus) that records an image on a medium by an inkjet method. In this specification, “medium” means various recording media including paper such as plain paper, resin materials such as PVC and polyester, materials such as aluminum, iron, wood and stone, and glass, ceramics, and silicon. Various materials such as wafers are included. Further, in the present specification, the “inkjet method” means a printing method using an ink jet technique by various known methods including a piezoelectric element method and a thermal method. Further, in this specification, an “image” recorded, printed or coated on a medium means a figure, a photograph, a character, a symbol, a code, various patterns, a coating film, a lens ( Microlenses) and all added by ink on a medium such as a pattern that is overlaid several times in the thickness direction.

  A recording apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes a head device 15 including a nozzle unit 20 that discharges ultraviolet curable ink and an irradiation unit 30 that radiates curing ultraviolet rays, and a moving device that conveys (moves) the medium 5. 14, a base 13 that supports the moving device 14, a column 12 that supports the head device 15 with respect to the base 13, and a control unit 11 that controls the head device 15 and the moving device 14. The recording device 10 receives data for recording from the personal computer 2 that is a host device, and records the data on the medium 5 in the form of an image or the like. The moving device 14 moves or reciprocates the medium 5 in the one-dimensional direction (X direction, first direction) with respect to the head device 15, and moves on the medium 5 by ink ejected from the nozzle portion 20 of the head device 15. Record an image on The moving device 14 may move or reciprocate the head device 15 in the X direction instead of the medium 5 or together with the medium 5. Further, the medium 5 moves in the Y-axis direction relative to the head device 15 by a mechanism (not shown), and an image can be formed over the entire surface of the medium 5.

  2 and 3 show the head device 15 as viewed from below. The nozzle unit 20 of the head device 15 includes a plurality of nozzles 21 that discharge ultraviolet curable ink to the medium 5, and the plurality of nozzles 21 are arranged in one row to form a nozzle row 22. Further, the head device 15 includes a resolution control mechanism 28 that supports the center of the nozzle portion 20 (the center in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle row 22) and can change the angle of the nozzle row 22 with respect to the X direction by an actuator such as a motor. Including. 2, the nozzle array 22 is set in a direction (Y direction) orthogonal to the relative movement direction of the head device 15 (hereinafter, the movement direction, the X direction, or the printing direction), as shown in FIG. Is possible. Further, the resolution control mechanism 28 can set the nozzle row 22 in an oblique direction with respect to the X direction as shown in FIG.

  The irradiation unit 30 of the head device 15 includes a light emitting unit 31 for irradiating the photocurable ink on the medium 5 with light (ultraviolet rays) suitable for curing. The light emitting unit 31 is a band-shaped light emitting unit (light emitting band) extending so as to be substantially parallel (substantially parallel) to the nozzle row 22, and an optical fiber from a light source (not shown) such as an ultraviolet LED or an ultraviolet lamp. Ultraviolet light guided through (not shown) is output. Further, the head device 15 includes a light emission band control mechanism 38 that supports the center in the longitudinal direction of the light emission band 31 and can change the angle of the light emission band 31 with respect to the X direction by an actuator such as a motor. With this light emission band control mechanism 38, it is possible to set the light emission band 31 in a direction (Y direction) orthogonal to the movement direction (X direction) parallel to the nozzle row 22 as shown in FIG. In addition, the light emission band control mechanism 38 can set the light emission band 31 in a direction oblique to the moving direction (X direction) of the head device 15 in parallel with the nozzle row 22 as shown in FIG. is there.

  The head device 15 further has a function of synchronously changing the angle θ1 of the nozzle row 22 with respect to the relative movement direction (X direction, first direction) of the head device 15 and the angle θ2 of the light emission band 31 with respect to the X direction. A control unit 16 is provided. The function of the control unit 16 may be included in the control unit 11 that controls the entire recording apparatus 10.

  4 and 5 show how the resolution can be improved by the resolution control mechanism 28. FIG. As shown in FIG. 4A, when the angle of the nozzle row 22 is fixed in the Y direction, an image with a resolution narrower (higher) than the pitch of the nozzles 21 is recorded as shown in FIG. In addition, it is necessary to increase the number of scans for moving the head device 15 in the Y direction (to narrow the movement pitch in the Y direction). If the application is divided into a plurality of times in units of dots 29 (scanning line units), liquid unevenness may occur, and uniform application may not be possible. In particular, when the medium 5 is a non-absorbing surface, the droplets that have landed wet and spread on the medium over time. For this reason, there are cases where the liquids deposited in the first scan and the second scan merge after wetting and spreading, attracting and moving near the center. In this case, a gap may be formed between the liquid deposited in the third scan. Therefore, when forming the application surface, it is desirable to apply at a stretch with high resolution. Further, since the movement pitch becomes narrow, it becomes difficult to control the position where the dots 29 are landed, and an error is likely to occur depending on the printing conditions. In particular, in the case of ultraviolet curable ink, since dots are applied adjacent to the cured dots, the influence of position control errors tends to appear in the image quality.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5A, the head device 15 can arbitrarily change the angle of the nozzle row 22 with respect to the X direction which is the printing direction. For this reason, by changing the angle of the nozzle row 22, the resolution that can be applied (printed) to the medium at a time can be arbitrarily set. For this reason, it is not necessary to narrow the moving pitch of the head device 15 in the Y direction, and the difficulty of position control for landing the dots 29 can be avoided. Therefore, a high-quality (high-definition) image can be easily recorded on the medium 5.

  However, if only the angle of the nozzle row 22 is arbitrarily changed with respect to the X direction and the angle of the light emission band 31 is fixed in the Y direction, the liquid droplets ejected from the nozzles 21 land on the medium 5 (droplet). The time from UV irradiation to irradiation is different. The ultraviolet curable ink may wet and spread with time depending on the surface properties of the medium 5, and the size of each dot after curing (after fixing) varies depending on the time from landing to curing. For this reason, a desired high-definition image cannot be printed on the medium 5 only by changing the angle of the nozzle row 22 arbitrarily.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, the head device 15 of the present example can automatically change the angle θ1 of the nozzle row 22 and the angle θ2 of the light emission band 31 in synchronization with each other, The nozzle row 22 and the light emission band 31 can be juxtaposed in an oblique state with respect to the X direction. Therefore, the distance (movement distance, irradiation start distance) between each nozzle 21 of the nozzle row 22 and the light emission band 31 can be made constant, and from the landing of the droplets ejected from each nozzle 21 and landed on the medium 5. The time to cure can be kept substantially constant. For this reason, in the recording apparatus 10 using the head device 15, the nozzle row 22 is inclined and the liquid droplets can be landed on the medium 5 with high resolution. it can. For this reason, a high-definition image can be formed (printed) on the medium 5.

  2 and 3, the length L2 of the light emission band 31 of the head device 15 is longer than the length L1 of the nozzle row 22. As shown in FIG. 3, when the light emission band 31 is tilted, the length projected in the X direction becomes shorter at both ends 31 t of the light emission band 31, and is closer to both ends 31 t of the light emission band 31 on the medium 5. In the portion, the amount of light received from the light emission band 31 may be smaller than the central portion of the light emission band 31. By making the length L2 of the light emission band 31 longer (larger) than the length L1 of the nozzle row 22, the influence of both ends 31t at the time of curing (fixing) can be suppressed.

  The irradiation unit 30 of the head device 15 is provided with a light shielding wall 32 along the longitudinal direction of the light emission band 31 on the nozzle row 22 side of the light emission band 31. In FIG. 6, the cross section of the lower end of the irradiation part 30 is expanded and shown. In order to adjust the size of the dots 29 formed on the surface 5a of the medium 5, it is important to control the timing of curing (fixing) the droplet 9 that has landed on the surface 5a of the medium 5. Therefore, by using the light shielding wall 32 to suppress light leaking from the light emission band 31 to the front nozzle row 22 side, it is possible to accurately manage the time interval (distance) from landing to irradiation with ultraviolet rays. ing. In particular, when the light emission band 31 is inclined with respect to the X direction, the droplets 9 aligned in the Y direction are simultaneously affected by the ultraviolet light that spreads in the Y direction perpendicular to the printing direction from the light emission band 31 and is cured. May progress. By providing the light shielding wall 32 along the light emission band 31, the influence on the droplets 9 arranged in the Y direction can be suppressed.

  In order to accurately control the time (distance) from landing to the start of curing, it is desirable to reduce the distance L3 between the light emitting band 31 and the surface of the medium 5. However, in order to prevent trouble due to physical contact between the tip 30a of the irradiation unit 30 and the medium 5, it is desirable to set the value of the distance L3 to about 0.5 to 2 mm in order to ensure a certain degree of clearance. It is possible to form the light shielding wall 32 by an elastic member such as silicon rubber, projecting from the tip 30a of the irradiation unit 30 in the direction of the medium 5, and further adjusting the projecting length L4 manually or by an appropriate actuator. It is. By adopting the light shielding wall 32 having a certain degree of flexibility, troubles due to contact can be prevented, and the time from landing to irradiation with ultraviolet rays can be controlled more accurately. The protrusion amount L4 is preferably such that the difference ΔL with respect to the clearance L3 is about 0.1 to 1.5 mm, more preferably about 0.1 to 1 mm, and still more preferably about 0.1 to 0.5 mm.

  7 and 8 show different examples of head devices that can be attached to the recording apparatus 10. FIG. These drawings show the head device 15a as viewed from below. The basic configuration of the head device 15a is the same as that of the head device 15 described above. The nozzle unit 20 of the head device 15 a includes a plurality of nozzles 21 that discharge ultraviolet curable ink to the medium 5, and the plurality of nozzles 21 are arranged in two rows to form a nozzle row 22. Further, the head device 15 a includes a resolution control mechanism 28 that can change the angle of the nozzle row 22. The light emitting unit 31 of the irradiation unit 30 of the head device 15a constitutes a band-like matrix (light emitting matrix, light emitting array, light emitting band) 36 extending so as to be substantially parallel (substantially parallel) to the nozzle row 22. A plurality of ultraviolet light emitting diodes (LEDs) 35 are arranged. The light emitting matrix 36 of this example includes LEDs 35 arranged in three rows along the longitudinal direction. Further, the head device 15a includes a light emission band control mechanism 38 that axially supports the longitudinal center of the band-shaped light emission matrix 36 and can change the angle of the light emission matrix 36 with respect to the X direction by an actuator such as a motor. A light shielding wall 32 is provided at the tip 30 a of the irradiation unit 30 along the longitudinal direction of the light emitting matrix 36.

  Also in the head device 15a, the controller 16 can synchronously change the angle θ1 of the nozzle row 22 with respect to the moving direction (X direction) of the head device 15a and the angle θ2 of the light emission matrix 36. Therefore, similarly to the head device 15, by controlling the angle θ1 of the nozzle row 22, the resolution and size of the dots printed on the medium 5 can be accurately controlled, and a high-definition image can be formed.

  FIGS. 9 to 11 show further different examples of the head device that can be mounted on the recording apparatus 10. These drawings show the head device 15b as viewed from below. The basic configuration of the head device 15b is the same as that of the head device 15 described above. The nozzle unit 20 of the head device 15 b includes a plurality of nozzles 21 that discharge ultraviolet curable ink to the medium 5, and the plurality of nozzles 21 are arranged in a row to form a nozzle row 22. Further, the head device 15 b includes a resolution control mechanism 28 that can change the angle of the nozzle row 22.

  In the light emitting unit 31 of the irradiation unit 30 of the head device 15b, a plurality of ultraviolet light emitting diodes (LEDs) 35 form a matrix (array) in the relative movement direction (X direction) of the head device 15b and the Y direction orthogonal thereto. The light emitting matrix 37 is arranged as described above. In this example, 17 × 14 LEDs 35 are arranged in the X direction and the Y direction to form the light emitting matrix 37, but the number of LEDs 35 is not limited to this. A part of the LEDs 35 included in the light emission matrix 37 is selected by the partial matrix formation function 16a of the control unit 16 and is substantially parallel (substantially parallel) to the nozzle row 22 (light emission partial matrix (light emission). (Matrix, light emission band) 37a. The area of the partial matrix 37a is set by the partial matrix forming function 16a so that almost the same number of LEDs 35 are included.

  Therefore, similarly to the head device 15, by controlling the angle θ1 of the nozzle row 22, the resolution and size of the dots printed on the medium 5 can be accurately controlled, and a high-definition image can be formed. Further, in the head device 15b, the controller 16 can synchronously change the angle θ1 of the nozzle row 22 with respect to the moving direction (X direction) and the angle θ2 of the partial matrix 37a of the light emitting matrix 37. . Furthermore, the partial matrix 37a can be configured by selecting and lighting the LEDs 35 belonging to and in the parallelogram inclined by the angle θ2 with respect to the X direction. Therefore, the same number of LEDs 35 as the central portion of the partial matrix 37a can be lit at both ends in the longitudinal direction (Y direction) of the partial matrix 37a, and an equal amount of ultraviolet rays can be emitted along the longitudinal direction of the partial matrix 37a. .

  The partial matrix forming function 16a of the control unit 16 selects a suitable number and arrangement of LEDs 35 using a function or a look-up table for the inclination θ1 of the nozzle row 22 or obtains it by calculation. The function of forming the matrix 37a is included.

  As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, in the recording apparatus 10, the medium 5 can be reciprocated in the X direction with respect to the head apparatus 15 b to print on the medium 5. In the forward path in which the medium 5 is moved in the X plus direction (right direction in the drawing) (the head device 15b relatively moves in the X minus direction), droplets are landed on the medium 5 by the nozzle unit 20, and then the irradiation unit 30 irradiates and cures the ultraviolet rays (ultraviolet light) on the droplets to form dots. On the other hand, in the return path (relatively the head device 15b is in the X plus direction) in which the medium 5 moves in the X minus direction (left direction in the drawing), the irradiation unit 30 further irradiates the curing dots with ultraviolet rays. Promotes curing. In the return pass, it is necessary to irradiate the dots with ultraviolet rays in the same order as in the forward pass. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 11, the LED 35 of the light emission matrix 37 is configured so that the angle θ2 of the partial matrix 37a is symmetric with respect to the forward path (remaining angle of the forward path) by the partial matrix forming function 16a of the control unit 16. ) Is selected and turned on. In the return path, the nozzle unit 20 does not operate.

  The recording device 10 can mount (attach) any of these head devices 15, 15a and 15b, and further, a combination of the nozzle unit 20 and the irradiation unit 30 mounted on each head device 15, 15a and 15b. Is free and is not limited to the above. Furthermore, if the angle with respect to the relative movement direction (X direction) of the head device itself on which the nozzle unit 20 and the irradiation unit 30 are mounted can be changed, the angles of the nozzle unit 20 and the irradiation unit 30 may not be changed. The time from the landing to the start of the effect by ultraviolet irradiation can be made constant. However, in this case, the time from landing to the start of curing may change depending on the angle of the head device. Further, since the effective range of the light emission band of the irradiation unit 30 with respect to the nozzle unit 20 varies depending on the angle of the head device, it is desirable that the length L2 of the light emission band 31 is, for example, about three times the length L1 of the nozzle row 22. .

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an outline of a recording method (printing method, coating method) using the recording apparatus 10, that is, a control method of the recording apparatus 10. First, in step 61, it is determined whether or not the resolution of the dots 29 to be formed (printed) on the medium 5 is to be changed. If the resolution needs to be changed, in step 62, the angles of the nozzle row 22 and the light emission band 31 are both set. Change according to the resolution. Next, in step 63, an image based on image data or print data supplied from the host device 2 such as a personal computer is recorded (printed) on the medium 5 by the nozzle unit 20 including the nozzle row 22 whose angle is adjusted. To do. Then, the irradiation unit 30 irradiates the medium 5 with ultraviolet rays to cure (fix) the dots 29 on the medium 5. By maintaining the angles of the nozzle row 22 and the light emission band 31 substantially in parallel, that is, by synchronously changing the angles of the nozzle row 22 and the light emission band 31 so as to be substantially parallel, The time from landing to the start of curing can be kept constant, and a high-definition image with high resolution and the size of the dots 29 can be formed on the medium 5.

  In the recording apparatus, the medium is moved by the moving device. However, the head device may be moved, or both the medium and the head device may be moved. The ultraviolet light source for curing is not limited to an ultraviolet lamp or an LED that emits ultraviolet light, but may be another semiconductor light emitting element such as a semiconductor laser. The recording apparatus may be a recording apparatus (serial printer type) that prints on the medium while moving the head apparatus relatively reciprocally in the scanning direction of the medium, and the nozzle rows are arranged in the scanning direction. It may be a line printer type. The nozzle row and the light emission band (light emission matrix) may be fixed obliquely with respect to the moving direction of the head device. Further, the head device may be mounted with a combination of a plurality of (symmetric) nozzle rows and light emission bands (light emission matrix) having different angles with respect to the moving direction.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a recording apparatus. It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of the head apparatus of embodiment, and is a figure which shows the state which set the nozzle row and the light emission zone in the direction orthogonal to the relative moving direction (X direction) of a head apparatus. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the nozzle row and the light emission band are set to be inclined with respect to the X direction in the head device illustrated in FIG. 2. FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating a state in which the resolution can be improved by tilting the nozzle row. FIG. 4A shows a state in which the nozzle row is set in a direction orthogonal to the X direction, and FIG. Indicates the order in which FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating a state in which the resolution can be improved by tilting the nozzle row, FIG. 5A is a state in which the nozzle row is set in a direction inclined with respect to the X direction, and FIG. 5B is a diagram in which dots are formed. Indicates the order in which The expanded sectional view which shows the structure of the front-end | tip of an irradiation part. It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of the head apparatus of different embodiment, and is a figure which shows the state which set the nozzle row and the light emission matrix in the direction orthogonal to the relative moving direction (X direction) of a head apparatus. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the nozzle row and the light emission matrix are set to be inclined with respect to the X direction in the head device illustrated in FIG. 7. Furthermore, it is a figure which shows the outline | summary of the head apparatus of another embodiment, and is a figure which shows the state which set the nozzle row and the partial light emission matrix in the direction orthogonal to the relative moving direction (X direction) of a head apparatus. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the nozzle row and the partial light emission matrix are set to be inclined with respect to the X direction in the head device illustrated in FIG. 9. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the head device illustrated in FIG. 9 is provided with a partial light emission matrix having a symmetrical inclination in a return path. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a recording method performed by the recording apparatus according to the embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

5 medium, 10 recording device, 14 moving device 15, 15a, 15b head device 20 nozzle unit, 21 nozzle, 22 nozzle array 30 irradiation unit, 31 light emission band, 35 LED, 36, 37 light emission matrix

Claims (10)

A nozzle portion including a plurality of nozzles for discharging photocurable ink to the medium;
An irradiation unit for irradiating and curing light suitable for curing on the photocurable ink on the medium;
A head device for moving the nozzle part and the irradiation part in a first direction relative to the medium,
The nozzle portion includes a first nozzle row in which the plurality of nozzles are arranged obliquely with respect to the first direction,
The irradiation device includes a first light emission band that emits light in a slanted band shape with respect to the first direction so as to be substantially parallel to the first nozzle row. In Claim 1, the resolution control mechanism which changes the angle of the 1st nozzle row to the 1st direction,
A head device further comprising a light emission band control mechanism for changing an angle of the first light emission band with respect to the first direction;   In Claim 2, the irradiation unit includes a light emission matrix in which a plurality of semiconductor light emitting elements are arranged in the first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and the light emission band control mechanism includes: A head device in which the first light emission band is formed by a part of semiconductor light emitting elements of the light emission matrix.   The head device according to claim 1, wherein the head device is turnable with respect to the first direction.   5. The control unit according to claim 1, further comprising a controller that synchronously changes an angle of the first nozzle row with respect to the first direction and an angle of the first light emission band with respect to the first direction. Head device having. The head device according to claim 5, wherein the head device reciprocates in the first direction, records on the medium using the nozzle unit and the irradiation unit in a forward path, and cures using the irradiation unit in a return path,
The control unit includes a function of changing the angle of the first light emission band to an angle symmetric with respect to the forward path with respect to the first direction in the return path.   7. The head device according to claim 1, wherein the irradiation unit includes a light shielding wall along the first light emission band on the nozzle part side of the first light emission band.   8. The head device according to claim 1, wherein the first light emission band is longer than the first nozzle row.   9. A device comprising: the head device according to claim 1; and a moving device that relatively moves the head device and the medium in the first direction. An apparatus having a nozzle portion including a plurality of nozzles for discharging a photocurable ink to a medium and an irradiation unit for irradiating the photocurable ink on the medium with light suitable for curing is used. A method,
Recording on the medium by moving the nozzle part and the irradiation part in a first direction relative to the medium;
The nozzle unit includes a first nozzle row in which the plurality of nozzles are arranged obliquely with respect to the first direction, and the irradiation unit is substantially parallel to the first nozzle row. Including a first emission band that emits light in a slanted band shape with respect to the first direction,
The method is
Synchronously changing an angle of the first nozzle row with respect to the first direction and an angle of the first light emission band with respect to the first direction.

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