JP2011255529A - Printer and printing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer and a printing method in which printing discharge and curing can be carried out while keeping the preferred conditions of a continuous medium.SOLUTION: The printer includes a supply means for supplying a continuous medium, a holding means for suction holding a region to be printed of the continuous medium supplied by the supply means, a sub-scanning means for making the holding means scan in the sub-scanning direction, a discharge means for discharging a liquid body, a main scanning means for making the discharge means scan in the main scanning direction intersecting the sub-scanning direction, a curing light source which irradiates the liquid body with curing light that cures a liquid body, and a light source scanning means for making the curing light source scan in the light source scanning direction. The discharge means and the curing light source are arranged so that the liquid body can be discharged or the curing light can be radiated toward the area to be printed which is suction held by the holding means when the discharge means is made to scan in the main scanning direction by the scanning means, the curing light source is made to scan in the light source scanning direction by the light source scanning means, and the holding means is made to scan in the sub-scanning direction by the sub-scanning means.

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a printing method for printing an image or the like by supplying the print object in the length direction of the print object and performing printing on a long print object such as a long film. In particular, the present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a printing method for printing using a photocurable liquid material.

  As such a printing apparatus, a long print object such as a long film wound on a supply reel is supplied to a printing execution position, and the printing head is moved relative to the portion supplied to the printing execution position. There is known a printing apparatus that performs printing while causing the printed portion to be wound on a take-up reel. However, when the printing object is, for example, a thin film made of resin, the printing object may be deformed by tension or wrinkles may be formed in a direction crossing the tension. When deformation or wrinkle occurs, the printed shape may become inaccurate or it may be difficult to perform printing.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a scanning mechanism that scans an inkjet head in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction, and a continuous sheet that is opposed to the scanning range of the inkjet head and that is disposed on a continuous paper feed path and is used for printing. Equipped with a suction table that sucks and a paper feed mechanism that feeds continuous paper in the length direction while being sucked by the suction table, and by devising the position of the suction holes in the suction table, it interferes with paper feed and printing There has been disclosed an ink jet printer paper feeding device and an ink jet printer provided with the paper feeding device that can appropriately prevent lifting of both end portions in the width direction of continuous paper without occurring.

  However, when printing is performed while maintaining the continuous paper in a suitable state, the printing needs to be fixed on the continuous paper while maintaining the suitable state of the continuous paper. In the apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the adsorption is released before the suitable printing performed in the state where the continuous paper is adsorbed is cured and fixed on the continuous paper, the uncured ink is deformed. This could impair suitable printing. Patent Document 2 discloses an inkjet head that ejects actinic ray curable ink as ink droplets imagewise onto a recording medium, a head moving mechanism that moves the inkjet head in the main scanning direction, and an activity that emits actinic rays. An actinic ray irradiating unit that emits actinic rays that cure the actinic ray curable ink ejected on the recording medium, and an actinic ray that includes a light source and a condensing unit that collects the light emitted from the actinic light source An irradiation unit moving mechanism that moves the irradiation unit in the main scanning direction; and a conveyance mechanism that conveys the recording medium in the sub scanning direction substantially orthogonal to the main scanning direction. An ink jet drawing apparatus capable of forming a high quality image by devising the length is disclosed. In the ink jet drawing apparatus, since the actinic ray irradiation unit is cured in the immediate vicinity of the drawing position by the ink jet head, there is a possibility that the quality of the image is impaired by deformation when the uncured ink is moved. Can be small.

JP 2003-118902 A JP 2008-87221 A

  However, in the disclosed inkjet drawing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 2, after the drawing by the inkjet head is finished, the portion where the ink of the recording medium is arranged is changed from the drawing position by the inkjet head to the curing position by the active light irradiation unit. It is necessary to transport to. At the time of the conveyance, it is necessary to release a suitable fixed state at the drawing position. When the suitable fixed state is released, there is a problem that suitable printing may be impaired due to deformation of ink before being cured by the actinic ray irradiation unit.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to solve at least a part of the problems described above, and the invention can be implemented as the following forms or application examples.

  Application Example 1 A printing apparatus according to this application example includes a supply unit that sequentially supplies a continuous medium, and a printing area in the continuous medium that is supplied by the supply unit, on the opposite side of the printing surface of the continuous medium. Holding means for sucking and holding on the back surface of the recording medium; and sub-scanning means for causing the holding means to scan in a sub-scanning direction substantially parallel to a length direction of the continuous medium in a portion of the continuous medium sucked and held by the holding means; The discharge means for discharging the liquid material and the discharge means are in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of the continuous medium in the portion of the continuous medium that is sucked and held by the holding means and intersects the sub-scanning direction. Main scanning means for scanning in the main scanning direction, a curing light source for irradiating curing light for curing the liquid, and a light source for scanning the curing light source in a light source scanning direction substantially parallel to the main scanning direction Scanning means, and the ejection means scans the ejection means in the main scanning direction by the main scanning means, and causes the holding means to scan in the sub scanning direction by the sub scanning means. The liquid material is disposed at a position where the liquid material can be ejected toward the printing surface of the printing area sucked and held by the means, and the curing light source is made to be the light source by the light source scanning means. Scanning in the scanning direction and irradiating the curing light toward the printing surface of the printing area attracted and held by the holding means by causing the sub-scanning means to scan the holding means in the sub-scanning direction. It is arranged at a position where it becomes possible.

According to the printing apparatus according to this application example, the holding unit sucks and holds the print area of the continuous medium supplied by the supply unit, and discharges the print area toward the print surface of the print area held by the holding unit. The liquid material can be ejected from the substrate to place the liquid material in the printing area. Discharging the liquid material from the discharge means and arranging the liquid material in the printing area is referred to as printing discharge. By holding by the holding unit, it is possible to maintain the print area in a suitable shape such as a flat state following the holding surface of the holding unit during printing discharge. By providing the sub-scanning unit that scans the holding unit in the sub-scanning direction, the sub-scanning unit can scan the holding unit that holds the print area in the sub-scanning direction. By moving the printing area held by the holding means in the sub-scanning direction, the pre-printed discharge portion printed and discharged to the print discharge width that can be printed and discharged by the discharging means in the printing area is moved in the sub-scanning direction, It is possible to move the unprinted discharge portion in the printing area to a position where the discharge means faces. That is, a so-called line feed can be performed by providing sub-scanning means for scanning the holding means in the sub-scanning direction. As a result, it is possible to perform printing discharge and line feed while maintaining the printing area in a suitable shape such as a flat state.
The curing light source scans the curing light source in the light source scanning direction by the light source scanning unit, and scans the holding unit in the sub scanning direction by the sub scanning unit, so that the curing light source is directed toward the printing surface of the printing region sucked and held by the holding unit. Therefore, it is disposed at a position where curing light can be irradiated. For this reason, it is possible to cure the liquid that has been printed and ejected while maintaining the printing area in a suitable shape, by irradiating the curing light while maintaining the suitable shape of the printing area.

  Application Example 2 In the printing apparatus according to the application example described above, the discharge unit and the curing light source are disposed at a distance that can simultaneously face the suction holding surface of the holding unit in the sub-scanning direction. Preferably it is.

  According to this printing apparatus, the ejection unit and the curing light source can simultaneously face the suction holding surface of the holding unit. Thereby, the discharge of the liquid material by the discharge unit and the irradiation of the curing light by the curing light source toward the printing area held by the holding unit can be performed in parallel.

  Application Example 3 In the printing apparatus according to the application example described above, in the printing discharge onto the printing area, the main scanning unit scans the discharging unit in the main scanning direction, and the liquid material is discharged from the discharging unit. And performing a print discharge scan to be discharged and a line feed for causing the sub-scanning means to scan the holding means that holds the print target area in the sub-scanning direction. Curing of the liquid material arranged in the printing area is performed by scanning the curing light source in the light source scanning direction by the light source scanning unit and irradiating the curing light from the curing light source, and the sub-scanning unit. The holding means holding the print area by suction is performed by performing a line feed for scanning in the sub-scanning direction, and the curing light source is used in the irradiation scanning. The effective curing region that can be effectively cured is a region in which the width in the light source scanning direction is equal to or larger than the width of the printing region, and the width in the sub-scanning direction is a line feed width when the line feed is performed. Preferably there is.

  According to this printing apparatus, in the irradiation scanning, the curing light source has a width in the light source scanning direction that is equal to or larger than the width of the printing area and the effective curing area in which the width in the sub-scanning direction is the line feed width. Irradiating with curing light capable of effectively curing the liquid material disposed in the portion located in the area. Since the printing ejection is performed by alternately repeating the printing ejection scanning and the line feed, when the plurality of printing ejection scanning is not performed on the same portion of the continuous medium, the liquid material is arranged in one printing ejection scanning. The width in the line feed direction is the line feed width. Accordingly, it is possible to irradiate the curing liquid during one irradiation scan on the entire liquid material that is printed and discharged in one printing discharge scan. In addition, the state hardened effectively is the state hardened more than predetermined predetermined hardening rate.

  Application Example 4 In the printing apparatus according to the application example described above, in the printing discharge onto the printing area, the main scanning unit scans the discharging unit in the main scanning direction, and the liquid material is discharged from the discharging unit. And performing a print discharge scan to be discharged and a line feed for causing the sub-scanning means to scan the holding means that holds the print target area in the sub-scanning direction. Curing of the liquid material arranged in the printing area is performed by scanning the curing light source in the light source scanning direction by the light source scanning unit and irradiating the curing light from the curing light source, and the sub-scanning unit. The holding means holding the print area by suction is performed by performing a line feed for scanning in the sub-scanning direction, and the curing light source is used in the irradiation scanning. The effective curing area that can be effectively cured has a width in the light source scanning direction that is equal to or greater than a width of the printing area, and a width in the sub-scanning direction that is at least twice the line feed width when the line feed is performed. It is preferable that the region is an integer multiple of.

  According to this printing apparatus, the curing light source has an effective curing area in which the width in the light source scanning direction is equal to or larger than the width of the printing area and the width in the sub-scanning direction is an integer multiple of twice or more the line feed width. In addition, a curing light that can effectively cure the liquid disposed in the portion of the continuous medium located in the region is irradiated. Since the printing ejection is performed by alternately repeating the printing ejection scanning and the line feed, when the plurality of printing ejection scanning is not performed on the same portion of the continuous medium, the liquid material is arranged in one printing ejection scanning. The width in the line feed direction is the line feed width. Therefore, it is possible to irradiate the entire portion of the liquid material that is printed and discharged in a plurality of printing and discharging scans with the curing light during one irradiation scanning. The liquid material arranged by a plurality of printing discharge scans can be cured by a single irradiation scan. Alternatively, for example, if the width of the effective curing area is twice the width of the line feed, the area where the liquid material is arranged in one print discharge scan on the continuous medium is positioned in the effective curing area, and a line feed is performed once. , Again can be located in the effective curing area. That is, the region where the liquid material is arranged in one printing discharge scan can be positioned in the effective curing region and irradiated with curing light during a plurality of irradiation scans. In addition, the state hardened effectively is the state hardened more than predetermined predetermined hardening rate. If it is set to be cured by one irradiation scan, the region that can be cured by one irradiation scan is an effective curing region, and if it is set to be cured by a plurality of irradiation scans, the plurality of irradiations An area that can be cured by scanning is an effective curing area.

  Application Example 5 In the printing apparatus according to the application example described above, in the printing discharge onto the printing area, the main scanning unit scans the discharging unit in the main scanning direction, and the liquid material is discharged from the discharging unit. And performing a print discharge scan to be discharged and a line feed for causing the sub-scanning means to scan the holding means that holds the print target area in the sub-scanning direction. Curing of the liquid material arranged in the printing area is performed by scanning the curing light source in the light source scanning direction by the light source scanning unit and irradiating the curing light from the curing light source, and the sub-scanning unit. The holding means holding the print area by suction is performed by performing a line feed for scanning in the sub-scanning direction, and the curing light source is used in the irradiation scanning. The effective curing region that can be effectively cured has a width in the light source scanning direction equal to or larger than a width of the printing region, and the ejection unit has a width in the sub-scanning direction when performing the printing ejection scanning. It is preferable that the area is the width in the sub-scanning direction of the landing area where the discharged liquid material lands.

  According to this printing apparatus, in the irradiation scanning, the curing light source has an effective curing area in which the width in the light source scanning direction is equal to or larger than the width of the printing area and the width in the sub scanning direction is the width of the landing area. Irradiating with curing light capable of effectively curing the liquid disposed in the portion located in the region. As a result, the entire liquid material that has been printed and discharged in one printing discharge scan can be irradiated with curing light in a state in which the printing area is stopped during one printing discharge scan. it can. In addition, the state hardened effectively is the state hardened more than predetermined predetermined hardening rate.

  Application Example 6 In the printing apparatus according to the application example described above, in the sub-scanning direction, the landing area where the liquid material ejected by the ejection unit lands when the print ejection scanning is performed, and the effective curing area. In the above, it is preferable that the discharge means and the curing light source are arranged at positions that are separated by an integer multiple of the line feed width.

  According to this printing apparatus, since the landing area and the effective curing area are located at a distance that is an integral multiple of the line feed width, the area where the liquid material has landed is printed in a single print discharge scan on a continuous medium. The position moved by this is located in the effective curing region. As a result, the liquid material arranged in one printing discharge scan can be cured by one irradiation of the curing light, so that the time from the arrangement of the liquid material to the curing is substantially uniform over the entire printing area. Can be.

  [Application Example 7] In the printing method according to this application example, a printing area in a continuous medium is sucked and held by a holding unit on the back surface opposite to the printing surface of the continuous medium, and the printing area in the printing area is printed. A printing method for printing on the continuous medium using an ejection unit that ejects a liquid material toward a printing surface and a curing light source that irradiates curing light toward the liquid material that has landed on the printing surface. An adsorption step of adsorbing the back surface of the print area by the holding means; and the holding means in a sub-scanning direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the continuous medium in a portion of the continuous medium adsorbed and held by the holding means. A line feed step for moving the print area relative to the ejection unit by moving the surface, and a surface of the continuous medium at a portion of the continuous medium held by suction by the holding unit The discharge means is scanned in the main scanning direction that is substantially parallel to the direction and intersects the sub-scanning direction, and the liquid material is directed from the discharge means toward the printing surface of the printing area. A printing discharge step having a discharge, and a movement of the holding means in the sub-scanning direction by moving the holding means in the sub-scanning direction in the line-breaking step or the line-feeding step. A second line-feeding step for moving the print area relative to the curing light source, and scanning the curing light source in a light source scanning direction substantially parallel to the main scanning direction. The liquid material disposed in the portion adsorbed and held by the holding means maintains the state where the portion is adsorbed and held by the holding means, and the curing light It characterized by having a a curing step with an irradiation scanning step of irradiating the curing light from.

According to the printing method according to this application example, the print area of the continuous medium supplied in the supply process is adsorbed by the holding means in the adsorption process, so that the print area follows the holding surface of the holding means. A suitable shape such as a flat state can be obtained. By positioning the printing area at the printing position in the printing area setting process, the printing area can be formed into a suitable shape that follows the holding surface of the holding means in the printing process.
In the printing discharge scanning process of the printing process, the printing area remains held by the holding means, and a suitable shape is maintained. In the line feed process of the printing process, the printing area and the ejection means are relatively moved by moving the holding means in the sub-scanning direction. For this reason, the printing area remains held by the holding means, and the line feed can be performed while maintaining the state of the suitable shape in which the printing area is sucked and held by the holding means in the sucking step.
In the irradiation scanning process of the curing process, the printing area remains held by the holding means, and a suitable shape is maintained. In the second line feed step, the printing area and the curing light source are relatively moved by moving the holding means in the sub-scanning direction. For this reason, the printing area remains held by the holding unit, and the second line feed process can be performed while maintaining the state of the suitable shape in which the printing area is held by the holding unit in the suction process. .

  Application Example 8 In the printing method according to the application example described above, the ejection unit and the curing light source are disposed at a distance that can simultaneously face the suction holding surface of the holding unit in the sub-scanning direction. In addition, it is preferable that the printing discharge process includes the printing discharge scanning process performed substantially in parallel with the irradiation scanning process.

  According to this printing method, the discharge means and the curing light source can simultaneously face the suction holding surface of the holding means, and the print discharge process and the irradiation scanning process can be performed substantially in parallel. By performing the printing discharge process and the irradiation scanning process substantially in parallel, the time required for printing can be suppressed. By performing the line break process performed before and after the printing discharge process, the second line break process performed before and after the irradiation scanning process can be performed simultaneously.

  Application Example 9 In the printing method according to the application example, in the irradiation scanning process, the width in the light source scanning direction is equal to or larger than the width of the printing area, and the width in the sub-scanning direction is the line feed process and the second line. It is preferable to irradiate the curing light to an area having a line feed width in the line feed process.

According to this printing method, in the irradiation scanning step, the region in which the width in the light source scanning direction is equal to or larger than the width of the printing area and the width in the sub scanning direction is the line feed width is irradiated with curing light.
Since the printing discharge process is performed by alternately repeating the line feed process and the printing discharge scanning process, when the plurality of printing discharge scanning processes are not performed on the same portion, the liquid material is formed in one printing discharge scanning process. The width of the arranged line feed direction is the line feed width. That is, it is possible to cure the liquid material by irradiating the entire liquid material that is printed and discharged in one printing discharge scanning step with curing light during one irradiation scanning step. In addition, the area | region which irradiates curing light is an area | region which irradiates the hardening light of the light quantity which can be hardened more than the predetermined | prescribed predetermined curing rate.

  Application Example 10 In the printing method according to the application example, in the irradiation scanning process, the width in the light source scanning direction is equal to or larger than the width of the printing area, and the width in the sub scanning direction is the line feed process and the second line. It is preferable to irradiate the curing light to a region having a width that is an integer multiple of twice or more the line feed width in the line feed process.

According to this printing method, in the irradiation scanning step, the curing light is applied to a region where the width in the light source scanning direction is equal to or larger than the width of the printed region and the width in the sub-scanning direction is an integral multiple of twice or more the line feed width. Irradiate.
Since the printing discharge process is performed by alternately repeating the line feed process and the printing discharge scanning process, when the plurality of printing discharge scanning processes are not performed on the same portion, the liquid material is formed in one printing discharge scanning process. The width of the arranged line feed direction is the line feed width. Therefore, it is possible to irradiate the curing liquid with a single irradiation scanning step on the entire liquid material that has been printed and discharged in a plurality of printing discharge scanning steps. The liquid material arranged in a plurality of printing discharge scanning steps can be cured in one irradiation scanning step.
Or, for example, if the width of the curing light irradiation is twice the line feed width, the area where the liquid material is arranged in one printing discharge scan on the continuous medium is positioned in the area where the curing light is irradiated, and the line feed is made. It can be performed once and positioned again in the region where the curing light is irradiated. That is, it is possible to irradiate the curing light by positioning the region where the liquid material is arranged in one printing discharge scanning in the region where the curing light is irradiated during a plurality of irradiation scannings. In addition, the area | region which irradiates curing light is an area | region which irradiates the hardening light of the light quantity which can be hardened more than the predetermined | prescribed predetermined curing rate. If it is set to perform curing by performing one irradiation scanning step, a region that can be cured by one irradiation scanning is a region that radiates curing light, and curing is performed by performing a plurality of irradiation scanning steps. If it is the setting to perform, the area | region which can be hardened in the said multiple times of irradiation scanning process is an area | region which irradiates hardening light.

  Application Example 11 In the printing method according to the application example, in the irradiation scanning step, the width in the light source scanning direction is equal to or larger than the width of the printing region, and the width in the sub-scanning direction is in the printing discharge scanning step. It is preferable to irradiate the curing light onto a region having a width of a landing region where the discharged liquid material is landed.

  According to this printing method, in the irradiation scanning step, the region in which the width in the light source scanning direction is equal to or larger than the width of the printing region and the width in the sub scanning direction is the width of the landing region is irradiated with curing light. As a result, the entire liquid material that has been printed and discharged in a single printing discharge scanning step can be irradiated with curing light in a single irradiation scanning step. In addition, the area | region which irradiates curing light is an area | region which irradiates the hardening light of the light quantity which can be hardened more than the predetermined | prescribed predetermined curing rate.

  Application Example 12 In the printing method according to the application example described above, the landing area where the liquid material ejected by the ejection unit in the printing ejection scanning process lands, and the effective curing in which the curing light is irradiated in the irradiation scanning process. It is preferable that the ejection unit and the curing light source are disposed at a position where the region is located at a distance that is an integral multiple of the line feed width in the sub-scanning direction.

  According to this printing method, since the landing area and the effective curing area are located at a distance that is an integral multiple of the line feed width, the area where the liquid material has landed is moved by the line feed process in one print discharge scanning process. The position coincides with the effective curing area. Accordingly, the liquid material disposed in one printing discharge scanning process can be cured by irradiating the curing light in one irradiation scanning process. For this reason, the time from the arrangement of the liquid material to the curing can be made substantially uniform over the entire printing area.

FIG. 2A is a schematic plan view illustrating a schematic configuration of a printing apparatus. FIG. 2B is a schematic side view illustrating a schematic configuration of the printing apparatus. FIG. 3A is an external perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a droplet discharge head. (B) is a perspective sectional view showing the structure of a droplet discharge head. FIG. 6C is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the discharge nozzle portion of the droplet discharge head. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a head unit. The flowchart which shows a printing process. Explanatory drawing which shows the position of the to-be-printed area | region of a film with respect to the position of a head unit and a hardening unit in a printing process, and the position of a suction table. Explanatory drawing which shows the position of the to-be-printed area | region of a film with respect to the position of a head unit and a hardening unit in a printing process, and the position of a suction table. Explanatory drawing which shows the position of the to-be-printed area | region of a film with respect to the position of a head unit and a hardening unit in a printing process, and the position of a suction table. FIG. 2A is a schematic plan view illustrating a schematic configuration of a printing apparatus. FIG. 2B is a schematic side view illustrating a schematic configuration of the printing apparatus.

  Hereinafter, a printing apparatus and a printing method will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a printing apparatus and a printing method used in a process of forming an image on a belt-shaped film, which is an example of a continuous medium, using a photocurable functional liquid will be described as an example.

<Droplet ejection method>
First, a droplet discharge method used for discharging a functional liquid for printing in a printing apparatus will be described. Examples of the discharge technique of the droplet discharge method include a charge control method, a pressure vibration method, an electromechanical conversion method, an electrothermal conversion method, and an electrostatic suction method. In the charge control method, a charge is applied to a material with a charging electrode, and the flight direction of the material is controlled with a deflection electrode to be discharged from a discharge nozzle. In addition, the pressure vibration method is a method in which an ultra-high pressure of about 30 kg / cm ² is applied to the material to discharge the material to the tip side of the discharge nozzle. When no control voltage is applied, the material moves straight and the discharge nozzle When a control voltage is applied, electrostatic repulsion occurs between the materials, and the materials are scattered and are not discharged from the discharge nozzle. The electromechanical conversion method utilizes the property that a piezoelectric element (piezoelectric element) is deformed by receiving a pulse-like electric signal. The piezoelectric element is deformed through a flexible substance in a space where material is stored. Pressure is applied, and the material is extruded from this space and discharged from the discharge nozzle.

  In the electrothermal conversion method, a material is rapidly vaporized by a heater provided in a space in which the material is stored to generate bubbles, and the material in the space is discharged by the pressure of the bubbles. In the electrostatic attraction method, a minute pressure is applied to a space in which a material is stored, a meniscus of material is formed on the discharge nozzle, and an electrostatic attractive force is applied in this state before the material is drawn out. In addition to this, techniques such as a system that uses a change in the viscosity of a fluid due to an electric field and a system that uses a discharge spark are also applicable. The droplet discharge method has an advantage that the use of the material is less wasteful and a desired amount of the material can be accurately disposed at a desired position. Among these, the piezo method has an advantage that it does not affect the composition of the material because it does not apply heat to the liquid material. In the present embodiment, the above piezo method is used from the viewpoint of the high degree of freedom in selecting the liquid material and the good controllability of the droplets.

<Printing device>
Next, the configuration of the printing apparatus 1 that prints on a film 10 that is an example of a continuous medium will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a printing apparatus. FIG. 1A is a schematic plan view illustrating a schematic configuration of the printing apparatus, and FIG. 1B is a schematic side view illustrating a schematic configuration of the printing apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printing apparatus 1 includes a head mechanism unit 2 having a droplet discharge head 20, a supply / discharge mechanism unit 3, a functional liquid supply unit (not shown), a maintenance device unit 5, and a curing unit. 6 are provided.
The droplet discharge head 20 provided in the head mechanism unit 2 is an inkjet droplet discharge head, and discharges a functional liquid having ultraviolet curable properties as droplets toward a printing object. The supply / discharge mechanism unit 3 supplies the printing area 101 (see FIG. 5D, etc.) of the film 10 that is a printing object on which the droplets ejected from the droplet ejection head 20 are landed to the printing position. Eject from position. The functional liquid supply unit supplies the functional liquid to the droplet discharge head 20. The maintenance device unit 5 performs maintenance of the droplet discharge head 20. The curing unit 6 cures the functional liquid landed on the film 10 by irradiating it with ultraviolet rays.
The printing apparatus 1 also includes a printing apparatus control unit (not shown) that comprehensively controls these mechanisms and the like. The droplet discharge head 20 corresponds to the discharge unit. The functional liquid corresponds to a liquid material.

The supply / discharge mechanism unit 3 includes a supply reel 31, a take-up reel 32, a suction unit 33, an idler roller 37, an idler roller 38, and a Y-axis scanning mechanism 42.
The Y-axis scanning mechanism 42 includes a pair of Y-axis guide rails 42a and Y-axis sliders 42b. The suction unit 33 includes a suction table 33a, a table base 43, a table lifting mechanism 44, a supply roller 34, a driven roller 34a, a medium feeding roller 36, and a driven roller 36a. Each reel and each roller can rotate around a rotation axis, and each rotation axis is substantially parallel to each other.
The direction in which the film 10 is fed is a direction that is substantially orthogonal to the axial direction of each reel that is substantially parallel to each other and the rotation axis of each roller. A direction parallel to the axial direction of the rotation axis of each reel and each roller is expressed as an X-axis direction, and a feeding direction of a portion of the film 10 located on the suction surface of the suction table 33a is expressed as a Y-axis direction.

One Y-axis guide rail 42a of the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42 is disposed on each side in the X-axis direction across the suction table 33a, and extends in the Y-axis direction. The Y-axis slider 42b is supported by the Y-axis guide rail 42a via the Y-axis drive motor so that it can slide in the Y-axis direction and can be held at an arbitrary position.
One end of the table base 43 of the suction unit 33 is fixed to the Y-axis slider 42b supported on each of the two Y-axis guide rails 42a. The table 43 having both ends fixed to the Y-axis slider 42b is supported by the Y-axis slider 42b and passed between the two Y-axis guide rails 42a. The table base 43 is slidable in the Y-axis direction along the Y-axis guide rail 42a by the Y-axis drive motor, and can be held at an arbitrary position in the Y-axis direction. The Y-axis direction corresponds to the sub-scanning direction. The Y-axis scanning mechanism 42 corresponds to the sub scanning unit.

  The suction table 33 a of the suction unit 33 is fixed to a table lifting mechanism 44 fixed to the table base 43. The table elevating mechanism 44 can move the suction table 33a up and down with respect to the table base 43 in the Z-axis direction, which is a direction orthogonal to the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. The table elevating mechanism 44 supports the suction table 33a so that the suction surface can be held at a suction position where the position of the suction surface is a predetermined position in the Z-axis direction, and a retracted position closer to the table base 43 than the suction position. The predetermined position in the Z-axis direction of the suction surface of the suction table 33a located at the suction position is a position that substantially coincides with the positions of the surfaces that contact the outer periphery of the supply roller 34 and the outer periphery of the medium feed roller 36, which will be described later.

The supply roller 34 and the driven roller 34a, and the medium feeding roller 36 and the driven roller 36a are fixed to the table base 43 via a support member (not shown). The supply roller 34 and the driven roller 34a, and the medium feeding roller 36 and the driven roller 36a are disposed on both sides of the suction table 33a in the Y-axis direction. The film 10 is unwound from the supply reel 31 and moved toward the take-up reel 32 to be taken up. The supply roller 34 and the driven roller 34a are disposed on the upstream side of the suction table 33a in the moving direction of the film 10, and the medium feeding roller 36 and the driven roller 36a are disposed on the downstream side of the suction table 33a. .
The table base 43 is slidable in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42 and is supported so as to be held at an arbitrary position in the Y-axis direction. As a result, the suction table 33a, the supply roller 34 and the driven roller 34a, the medium feed roller 36, and the driven roller 36a are slidable in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42, and are arbitrary in the Y-axis direction. Can be held in the position.

  The supply reel 31, the idler roller 37, the suction unit 33, the idler roller 38, and the take-up reel 32 provided in the supply / discharge mechanism 3 are arranged in this order. In the suction unit 33, the supply roller 34 and the driven roller 34a, the suction table 33a, the medium feeding roller 36, and the driven roller 36a are arranged in this order. Therefore, in the supply / discharge mechanism 3, the supply reel 31, the idler roller 37, the supply roller 34 and the driven roller 34a, the suction table 33a, the medium feeding roller 36 and the driven roller 36a, the idler roller 38, and the winding roller The reels 32 are arranged in this order in the Y-axis direction.

A belt-shaped film 10 is wound around the supply reel 31, and the film 10 is fed out by rotating the supply reel 31 by a supply reel motor.
The outer periphery of the driven roller 34a is in contact with the outer periphery of the supply roller 34, and is pressed against the supply roller 34 by an urging device (not shown). The supply roller 34 is rotated by the supply motor, and the driven roller 34 a in contact with the supply roller 34 rotates according to the supply roller 34. The film 10 supplied from the supply reel 31 is sandwiched between the supply roller 34 and the driven roller 34 a and pressed against the supply roller 34 by the driven roller 34 a, and the outer periphery is rotated by the rotation of the supply roller 34. A length approximately equal to the length is supplied.

  The idler roller 37 can swing in a direction in which the rotation shaft intersects the axial direction, and is biased in one of the swing directions. The idler roller 37 is in contact with the portion of the film 10 between the supply reel 31, the supply roller 34, and the driven roller 34a by the urging force. By abutting the idler roller 37 in a biased state, the portions between the supply reel 31 and the idler roller 37 and between the idler roller 37 and the supply roller 34 and the driven roller 34a are stretched almost without slack. ing. Thereby, the state at the time of being supplied and pinched between the supply roller 34 and the driven roller 34a is easy to maintain the film 10 substantially flat. Further, the amount of slack in the portion between the supply reel 31, the supply roller 34, and the driven roller 34a varies depending on the difference between the supply speed of the film 10 in the supply roller 34 and the feeding speed of the film 10 in the supply reel 31. However, by changing the position of the idler roller 37 following the fluctuation of the slack amount, the tensioned state is maintained substantially without slack. Similarly, with respect to fluctuations in the amount of slack in the portion between the supply reel 31 and the supply roller 34 and the driven roller 34a due to the movement of the suction unit 33, the tensioned state is maintained substantially without slack.

  The driven roller 36a has an outer periphery that is in contact with the outer periphery of the medium feeding roller 36, and is pressed against the medium feeding roller 36 by an urging device. The medium feeding roller 36 is rotated by a medium feeding motor, and the driven roller 36 a that is in contact with the medium feeding roller 36 rotates according to the medium feeding roller 36. The film 10 supplied by the rotation of the supply roller 34 is sandwiched between the medium feed roller 36 and the driven roller 36a and pressed against the medium feed roller 36 by the driven roller 36a. A length substantially equal to the rotation length of the outer periphery due to the movement is sent.

The feed amount by the medium feed roller 36 is set to be larger than the feed amount by the supply roller 34. A torque control mechanism is incorporated in the power transmission mechanism from the medium feed motor to the medium feed roller 36. The film 10 that can be fed faster than the supply roller 34 by the medium feed roller 36 is stretched at a portion between the supply roller 34 and the medium feed roller 36 with a tension according to the torque controlled by the torque control mechanism.
The suction surface of the suction table 33a faces the stretched portion. The position of the suction surface of the suction table 33 a located at the above-described suction position substantially coincides with the position of the surface in contact with the outer periphery of the medium feed roller 36 and the outer periphery of the supply roller 34. The suction surface of the suction table 33 a located at the suction position is substantially in contact with the film 10 stretched between the supply roller 34 and the medium feed roller 36.

The suction table 33a sucks the film 10 on the suction surface. The adsorption surface is a flat surface, and the portion of the film 10 adsorbed on the adsorption surface is maintained in a flat state. The suction surface of the suction table 33 a located at the suction position is substantially in contact with the film 10 stretched between the supply roller 34 and the medium feed roller 36. For this reason, the possibility that the shape of the film 10 stretched between the supply roller 34 and the medium feeding roller 36 is deformed by the film 10 being sucked by the suction table 33a is very small. That is, there is little possibility that a force that can deform the shape of the film 10 is applied to the film 10 or that the internal stress is generated in the film 10 when the shape of the film 10 is deformed.
As an adsorption method, there can be used a method of providing an atmospheric suction device and adsorbing by negative pressure, a method of providing a charging and neutralizing device and adsorbing by static electricity, and the like.

The take-up reel 32 is rotated by a take-up motor. The film 10 sent out from the medium feed roller 36 is taken up by a take-up reel 32 that rotates.
The idler roller 38 can swing in a direction in which the rotation shaft intersects the axial direction, and is biased in one of the swing directions. An idler roller 38 is in contact with a portion of the film 10 between the medium feeding roller 36 and the driven roller 36 a and the take-up reel 32. Thereby, the part between the medium feed roller 36 and the driven roller 36a and the idler roller 38, and the part between the idler roller 38 and the take-up reel 32 are stretched substantially without slack. Thereby, the film 10 is easily maintained in a substantially flat state when being wound on the take-up reel 32. Further, the amount of slack in the portion between the medium feed roller 36 and the take-up reel 32 varies depending on the difference between the feed speed of the film 10 on the medium feed roller 36 and the take-up speed of the film 10 on the take-up reel 32. . However, by changing the position of the idler roller 38 following the change in the amount of slack, the stretched state is maintained substantially without slack. Similarly, with respect to fluctuations in the amount of slack in the portion between the medium feed roller 36 and the take-up reel 32 due to the movement of the suction unit 33, the tensioned state is maintained substantially without slack.

In such a state, the film 10 is sent from the supply reel 31 to the take-up reel 32, and printing is performed on a portion adsorbed by the adsorption table 33a on the way. The direction in which the film 10 is fed is a direction that is substantially orthogonal to the axial direction of each reel that is substantially parallel to each other and the rotation axis of each roller. As described above, the direction parallel to the axial direction of the rotation axis of each reel and each roller is the direction expressed as the X-axis direction, and the feed direction of the portion adsorbed to the adsorption table 33a in the film 10 is the Y-axis. It is a direction expressed as a direction.
The supply / discharge mechanism 3 corresponds to a supply unit. The film 10 corresponds to a continuous medium. The suction table 33a corresponds to a holding unit. The surface attracted to the suction table 33a of the film 10 is the back surface of the film 10, and the surface opposite to the back surface is the printing surface.

The head mechanism unit 2 includes a head carriage 22 and an X-axis scanning mechanism 11. The head mechanism unit 2 also includes a surface hardening light source (not shown).
The X-axis scanning mechanism 11 includes a pair of an X-axis guide rail 11a, an X-axis slider 11b, and a support column base 11d, and further includes four guide rail support columns 11c. The pair of support column bases 11d and 11d are respectively arranged on both sides of the suction table 33a in the X-axis direction, and are arranged at positions where the pair of Y-axis guide rails 42a and 42a are interposed. It is installed. A maintenance device unit 5 is disposed between the one Y-axis guide rail 42a and the support column base 11d.

  Two guide rail support columns 11c are erected on one support column base 11d, one at each end in the Y-axis direction of the support column base 11d. One X-axis guide rail 11a is passed to a guide rail support column 11c erected on the supply reel 31 side end of the support column base 11d, and in the X-axis direction above the suction table 33a. It is extended. The other X-axis guide rail 11a is passed to the guide rail support column 11c erected on the end of the support column base 11d on the take-up reel 32 side, and above the suction table 33a, Extends in the direction.

  The X-axis slider 11b is supported by the X-axis guide rail 11a via the X-axis drive motor so that it can slide in the X-axis direction and can be held at an arbitrary position. One end of a bridge plate 27 of the head carriage 22 is fixed to the X-axis slider 11b supported on each of the two X-axis guide rails 11a. The bridge plate 27 having both ends fixed to the X-axis slider 11b is supported by the X-axis slider 11b and passed between the two X-axis guide rails 11a. The bridge plate 27 is slidable in the X-axis direction along the X-axis guide rail 11a by the X-axis drive motor, and can be held at an arbitrary position in the X-axis direction.

The head carriage 22 includes a bridge plate 27, a sub-carriage 28, and a head unit 21. The subcarriage 28 is suspended from the approximate center of the bridge plate 27. The head unit 21 is fixed below the sub-carriage 28. In the droplet discharge head 20 provided in the head unit 21, a nozzle substrate 25 (see FIG. 2) on which discharge nozzles 24 (see FIG. 2) are formed is held in a state where the suction surface of the suction table 33a faces.
The droplet discharge head 20 of the head unit 21 is scanned in the X-axis direction by the X-axis scanning mechanism 11, and the functional liquid discharged from the discharge nozzle 24 can be landed on a portion where the discharge nozzle 24 can be opposed. This area is referred to as a landing area. The X-axis direction corresponds to the main scanning direction. The X-axis scanning mechanism 11 corresponds to main scanning means.

By moving the suction unit 33 in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42, the suction table 33a of the suction unit 33 can be scanned in the Y-axis direction. That is, the portion of the film 10 held by suction on the suction table 33a can be scanned in the Y-axis direction. By moving the bridge plate 27 in the X-axis direction by the X-axis scanning mechanism 11, the droplet discharge head 20 of the head unit 21 fixed to the sub-carriage 28 suspended from the bridge plate 27 is scanned in the X-axis direction. Can be made.
The X-axis scanning mechanism 11 causes the droplet discharge head 20 of the head unit 21 to scan in the X-axis direction, and the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42 causes the portion suctioned and held on the suction table 33a in the film 10 to scan in the Y-axis direction. As a result, the discharge nozzle 24 of the droplet discharge head 20 can face the substantially entire surface of the portion of the film 10 held by suction on the suction table 33a.

  The printing target portion of the film 10 held by suction on the suction table 33a is moved to the landing area in the Y-axis direction, stopped, and synchronized with the movement of the head unit 21 in the X-axis direction. It is discharged as a drop. By controlling the main scanning for moving the head unit 21 in the X-axis direction and the line feed (sub-scanning) for moving the film 10 sucked and held on the suction table 33a in the Y-axis direction, the suction surface of the suction table 33a is controlled. The head unit 21 is opposed to an arbitrary position on the attracted film 10. At the same time, it is possible to perform desired printing or the like by landing droplets of functional liquid discharged from the droplet discharge head 20 of the head unit 21. In order to position all the surfaces of the film 10 in the landing area, the line feed width needs to be equal to or smaller than the width of the landing area in the Y-axis direction. The line feed width is set to be equal to the width of the landing area in the Y-axis direction in order to eliminate the portion that overlaps the landing area and efficiently place it in the landing area.

  The surface curing light source is for suppressing the deformation of the shape of the functional liquid until it is cured by the curing unit 6 by slightly curing the surface of the landed functional liquid. The surface hardening light source is fixed to the sub-carriage 28 along with the head unit 21 in the X-axis direction. The surface hardening light source is disposed on both sides of the head unit 21 in the X-axis direction. Corresponding to the discharge of the functional liquid from the droplet discharge head 20 of the head unit 21 from the rear surface hardening light source in the main scanning direction of the head unit 21 in the surface hardening light source disposed on both sides of the head unit 21. Irradiate the curing light. Thereby, the surface of the functional liquid discharged from the droplet discharge head 20 of the head unit 21 and landing on the landing area is cured immediately after landing.

The curing unit 6 includes a UV (Ultraviolet) lamp 61, a lamp housing 62, and a light source scanning mechanism 64.
The light source scanning mechanism 64 includes a light source axis guide rail 64a, a light source axis slider 64b, and a pair of guide rail columns (not shown). One pair of guide rail columns is arranged on the downstream side of the support column base 11d in the feed direction of the film 10 in the Y-axis direction, and on each side of the suction table 33a in the X-axis direction. The above-mentioned pair of Y-axis guide rails 42a and 42a are erected at a position sandwiching them.

  The light source axis guide rails 64a are passed to guide rail columns erected on both sides of the suction table 33a, and extend substantially parallel to the X-axis direction above the suction table 33a. The extending direction of the light source axis guide rail 64a is referred to as a light source scanning direction. The light source scanning direction is the same as the X-axis direction in design. The light source axis slider 64b is supported by the light source axis guide rail 64a through a light source axis drive motor (not shown) so as to be slidable in the direction of the light source axis and to be held at an arbitrary position.

  The lamp housing 62 is suspended from the light source axis slider 64b via a lifting mechanism (not shown). The lamp casing 62 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped outer shape, and a casing chamber having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and having one open surface is formed therein. The housing chamber is opened facing the suction table 33a. A UV lamp 61 that emits ultraviolet rays is fixed in the housing chamber in a state of emitting ultraviolet rays to the opening side. When the lamp housing 62 fixed to the light source axis slider 64b is scanned in the light source scanning direction by the light source scanning mechanism 64, the opening of the lamp housing 62 faces a range including the width of the film 10 in the X-axis direction. It is possible.

The UV lamp 61 can irradiate the film 10 adsorbed on the adsorption table 33 a moved to a position facing the opening of the lamp housing 62 by the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42 with ultraviolet rays. The opening of the lamp housing 62 can reach the range including the width in the X-axis direction of the film 10 by being scanned in the light source scanning direction by the light source scanning mechanism 64. Ultraviolet rays can be irradiated in a range including 10 widths in the X-axis direction. As the UV lamp 61, for example, a metal halide lamp is used because of its high luminance.
The UV lamp 61 provided in the curing unit 6 or the UV lamp 61 and the lamp housing 62 correspond to a curing light source. The light source scanning mechanism 64 corresponds to a light source scanning unit.

  The effective curing region in which the curing unit 6 can cure the functional liquid by irradiating ultraviolet rays has a range in which the width in the X-axis direction includes the width in the X-axis direction of the film 10 as described above. The width in the Y-axis direction is, for example, a range that includes the length in the Y-axis direction of the unit nozzle row 240A (see FIG. 3). The range including the length of the unit nozzle row 240A in the Y-axis direction is the width of the landing region in the Y-axis direction. In the printing apparatus 1, the line feed width is set equal to the width of the landing area in the Y-axis direction, and the width of the effective curing area of the curing unit 6 in the Y-axis direction is the line feed width.

  The ultraviolet curable functional liquid is cured according to the amount of irradiated ultraviolet light. The amount of irradiated ultraviolet rays is obtained by integrating the intensity of ultraviolet rays by the irradiation time. The effective curing region is a region capable of irradiating with an ultraviolet ray having a strength capable of sufficiently curing the functional liquid when the irradiation time is determined. Therefore, the effective curing region is a region whose size varies depending on the set irradiation time even if the ultraviolet light source and the functional liquid to be cured are the same.

  In a lamp such as a metal halide lamp, the intensity of ultraviolet rays is high on the center side of the range that can be irradiated with ultraviolet rays, and the intensity of ultraviolet rays is low on the peripheral side. The effective curing region is a range where the intensity of the ultraviolet ray exceeds a certain value in a range where the light source can irradiate the ultraviolet ray. The range in which the intensity of the ultraviolet rays in the curing unit 6 exceeds a certain value depends on variations in the mounting position of the UV lamp 61, positional accuracy of the UV lamp 61 by the light source scanning mechanism 64, variations in characteristics of the UV lamp 61, and the like. This is a range that changes by about 20%. The size and position of the effective curing region in the curing unit 6 is a range in which the intensity of ultraviolet rays exceeds a certain value in consideration of these variations and the like. Since the size and position of the effective curing region are taken into consideration, the positional accuracy of the UV lamp 61 by the light source scanning mechanism 64 is high, such as the positional accuracy of the head unit 21 by the X-axis scanning mechanism 11. do not need.

  Curing of the functional liquid further proceeds at a portion where the intensity of the irradiated ultraviolet light is high, but as the curing rate becomes high, the progress of curing with respect to the irradiated ultraviolet light becomes small and gradually becomes saturated. For this reason, it is very unlikely that the amount of irradiated ultraviolet rays will be so great as to cause harmful effects. Even in a portion outside the effective curing region, the functional liquid in the portion may be irradiated with ultraviolet rays. When the functional liquid of the part enters the effective curing region, the irradiation amount irradiated at least when the functional liquid does not enter the effective curing region is larger than the irradiation amount necessary for curing. Is saturated, the possibility that the amount of irradiated ultraviolet rays will be so great as to cause harmful effects is very small.

On the other hand, the functional liquid held in the ejection nozzle 24 (see FIG. 2) of the droplet ejection head 20 provided in the head mechanism unit 2 and the functional liquid adhered to the nozzle substrate 25 (see FIG. 2) are in minute amounts. Even if it exists, it is not preferable that it is hardened | cured by irradiating an ultraviolet-ray. In the curing unit 6, a UV lamp 61 is disposed in the lamp housing 62 to shield light between the UV lamp 61 and the head mechanism unit 2. Further, the opening of the lamp housing 62 is brought close to the suction table 33a (film 10) to prevent ultraviolet rays from leaking between the lamp housing 62 and the film 10.
The surface curing light source described above, for example, tilts the direction in which the curing light is emitted to the opposite side of the head unit 21 to suppress the curing light from the surface curing light source from being applied to the droplet discharge head 20 of the head unit 21. ing.

  The effective curing region of the curing unit 6 is a range in which the width in the X-axis direction includes the width in the X-axis direction of the film 10, and the film 10 is located in the effective curing region in the X-axis direction. By scanning the portion of the film 10 that is sucked and held on the suction table 33a in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42, any portion of the portion of the film 10 that is sucked and held on the suction table 33a is within the effective curing region. Can be located.

  In the film 10 sucked and held on the suction table 33a, the portion to be cured for curing the arranged functional liquid is moved to the effective curing region in the Y-axis direction and stopped, and the light source scanning mechanism 64 scans the UV lamp 61 with the light source. While scanning in the direction, the UV lamp 61 irradiates ultraviolet rays. Thereby, the functional liquid arrange | positioned at the hardening object part can be hardened. The suction surface of the suction table 33a is controlled by moving the UV lamp 61 in the light source scanning direction and controlling the irradiation scan for irradiating ultraviolet rays and the line feed for moving the film 10 sucked and held on the suction table 33a in the Y-axis direction. Irradiate ultraviolet rays to an arbitrary position on the film 10 adsorbed on the film. Thereby, the functional liquid arrange | positioned in the arbitrary positions on the film 10 can be hardened.

<Droplet ejection head>
Next, the droplet discharge head 20 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the droplet discharge head. 2A is an external perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the droplet discharge head, FIG. 2B is a perspective sectional view showing the structure of the droplet discharge head, and FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the part of the discharge nozzle of a droplet discharge head. The X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis shown in FIG. 2 coincide with the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis shown in FIG. 1 when the droplet discharge head 20 is mounted on the printing apparatus 1. Yes.

  As illustrated in FIG. 2A, the droplet discharge head 20 includes a nozzle substrate 25. In the nozzle substrate 25, two rows of nozzle rows 24A in which a large number of discharge nozzles 24 are arranged in a substantially straight line are formed. The functional liquid is ejected as droplets from the ejection nozzle 24 and landed on a printing object or the like at an opposing position, thereby arranging the functional liquid at the position. The nozzle row 24A extends in the Y-axis direction shown in FIG. 1 with the droplet discharge head 20 mounted on the printing apparatus 1. In the nozzle row 24A, the discharge nozzles 24 are arranged at equal nozzle pitches, and the position of the discharge nozzle 24 is shifted by a half nozzle pitch in the Y-axis direction between the two nozzle rows 24A. Therefore, as the liquid droplet ejection head 20, functional liquid droplets can be arranged at half nozzle pitch intervals in the Y-axis direction.

As shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C, in the droplet discharge head 20, the pressure chamber plate 51 is stacked on the nozzle substrate 25, and the vibration plate 52 is stacked on the pressure chamber plate 51.
The pressure chamber plate 51 is formed with a liquid pool 55 in which the functional liquid supplied to the droplet discharge head 20 is always filled. The liquid pool 55 is a space surrounded by the diaphragm 52, the nozzle substrate 25, and the wall of the pressure chamber plate 51. The functional liquid is supplied to the liquid pool 55 via the liquid supply hole 53 of the vibration plate 52. Further, the pressure chamber plate 51 is formed with a pressure chamber 58 partitioned by a plurality of head partition walls 57. A space surrounded by the diaphragm 52, the nozzle substrate 25, and the two head partition walls 57 is a pressure chamber 58.

  The pressure chambers 58 are provided corresponding to the respective discharge nozzles 24, and the number of the pressure chambers 58 and the number of the discharge nozzles 24 are the same. The functional fluid is supplied from the liquid pool 55 to the pressure chamber 58 via the supply port 56 located between the two head partition walls 57. A set of the head partition wall 57, the pressure chamber 58, the discharge nozzle 24, and the supply port 56 is arranged in a line along the liquid pool 55, and the discharge nozzles 24 arranged in a line form a nozzle line 24A. . Although not shown in FIG. 2B, the discharge nozzles 24 arranged in one row are arranged in a substantially symmetrical position with respect to the liquid pool 55 with respect to the nozzle row 24A including the discharge nozzle 24 shown in the figure. A nozzle row 24A is formed. A set of a head partition wall 57, a pressure chamber 58, and a supply port 56 corresponding to the nozzle row 24A is arranged in one row.

One end of each piezoelectric element 59 is fixed to the portion of the diaphragm 52 that constitutes the pressure chamber 58. The other end of the piezoelectric element 59 is fixed to a base (not shown) that supports the entire droplet discharge head 20 via a fixing plate (not shown).
The piezoelectric element 59 has an active portion in which an electrode layer and a piezoelectric material are laminated. By applying a driving voltage to the electrode layer, the active portion is in the longitudinal direction (the diaphragm 52 in FIG. 2B or FIG. 2C). Shrink in the thickness direction). By contracting the active portion, the diaphragm 52 to which one end of the piezoelectric element 59 is fixed receives a force that is pulled to the side opposite to the pressure chamber 58. When the diaphragm 52 is pulled to the opposite side of the pressure chamber 58, the diaphragm 52 is bent to the opposite side of the pressure chamber 58. Thereby, since the volume of the pressure chamber 58 increases, the functional liquid is supplied from the liquid pool 55 to the pressure chamber 58 through the supply port 56. Next, when the driving voltage applied to the electrode layer is released, the active portion returns to the original length, and the piezoelectric element 59 presses the diaphragm 52. When the diaphragm 52 is pressed, it returns to the pressure chamber 58 side. As a result, the volume of the pressure chamber 58 suddenly returns to the original, that is, the increased volume is reduced, so that pressure is applied to the functional liquid filled in the pressure chamber 58 and the pressure chamber 58 communicates with the pressure chamber 58. The functional liquid is discharged as droplets from the discharge nozzle 24 formed in this manner.

<Head unit>
Next, a schematic configuration of the head unit 21 provided in the head mechanism unit 2 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of the head unit. The X axis and the Y axis shown in FIG. 3 coincide with the X axis and the Y axis shown in FIG. 1 when the head unit 21 is attached to the printing apparatus 1.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the head unit 21 includes a unit plate 23 and nine droplet discharge heads 20 mounted on the unit plate 23. The droplet discharge head 20 is fixed to the unit plate 23 via a head holding member (not shown). In the fixed droplet discharge head 20, the head body is loosely fitted in a hole (not shown) formed in the unit plate 23, and the nozzle substrate 25 is located at a position protruding from the surface of the unit plate 23. . FIG. 3 is a view as seen from the nozzle substrate 25 side. The nine droplet ejection heads 20 are divided in the Y-axis direction to form three groups of head groups 20A each having three droplet ejection heads 20 each. The nozzle row 24 </ b> A of each droplet discharge head 20 extends in the Y-axis direction when the head unit 21 is attached to the printing apparatus 1.

  The three droplet discharge heads 20 included in one head set 20A are more than the discharge nozzles 24 at the ends of one droplet discharge head 20 of the droplet discharge heads 20 adjacent to each other in the Y-axis direction. The discharge nozzle 24 at the end of one of the droplet discharge heads 20 is disposed at a position where it is shifted by a half nozzle pitch. In the three droplet discharge heads 20 included in the head set 20A, if the positions of all the discharge nozzles 24 in the X-axis direction are the same, the discharge nozzles 24 are arranged at equal intervals of a half nozzle pitch in the Y-axis direction. In other words, at the same position in the X-axis direction, the droplets ejected from the ejection nozzles 24 constituting each nozzle row 24A included in each droplet ejection head 20 are arranged at equal intervals in the Y-axis direction by design. To land on a straight line. The six nozzle rows 24A included in the three droplet discharge heads 20 included in one head set 20A can be handled as one nozzle row. The nozzle row has, for example, 180 times six times and 1080 discharge nozzles 24, the nozzle pitch in the Y-axis direction is 70 μm, and the distance between the centers of the discharge nozzles 24 at both ends in the Y-axis direction (nozzle row) Length) is about 75.5 mm. Since the droplet discharge heads 20 overlap with each other in the Y-axis direction, the head set 20A is configured in a stepwise manner in the X-axis direction.

  The three head sets 20A included in the head unit 21 are arranged at positions where the nozzle arrays that can be regarded as one nozzle array included in each of the head units 21 are shifted by a half nozzle pitch of the nozzle array 24A in the Y-axis direction. . In other words, each head unit 21 has the other of the droplet discharge heads 20 constituting the adjacent head set 20A with respect to the discharge nozzle 24 at the end of the droplet discharge head 20 in one head set 20A. The discharge nozzle 24 at the end of the droplet discharge head 20 in the head set 20A is disposed at a position shifted by a half nozzle pitch in the Y-axis direction.

  The 18 nozzle rows 24A included in the nine droplet discharge heads 20 in the three head sets 20A provided in one head unit 21 can be handled as one nozzle row. The nozzle row is referred to as “unit nozzle row 240A”. The unit nozzle row 240A has, for example, 180, 18 times, 3240 discharge nozzles 24, the nozzle pitch in the Y-axis direction is 70 μm, and the distance between the centers of the discharge nozzles 24 at both ends in the Y-axis direction (nozzle) The column length) is about 226.7 mm. That is, when one droplet is ejected from the ejection nozzle 24 of one head unit 21 and landed so that the X-axis direction is at the same position, a straight line in which 3240 points are connected at a pitch interval of 70 μm is formed.

  As described above, the head unit 21 can be scanned in the X-axis direction by the X-axis scanning mechanism 11. That is, the unit nozzle row 240A extending in the Y-axis direction can be scanned in the X-axis direction substantially orthogonal to the row extending direction. The landing region described above is a region where the unit nozzle row 240A can be opposed to the surface by the scanning, and the width of the landing region in the Y-axis direction is substantially the length of the unit nozzle row 240A. More specifically, by performing a line feed in which the width of the landing area in the Y-axis direction is the line feed width, the boundary portions of the areas landed by the single unit nozzle row 240A before and after the line feed respectively become unit nozzles. The width is substantially the same as the state between the adjacent discharge nozzles 24 in the row 240A. The length of the width is a length obtained by adding one nozzle pitch to the nozzle row length.

By alternately performing printing ejection for landing the functional liquid on the landing area and line feed with the width in the Y-axis direction of the landing area as the line feed width, printing ejection can be performed on the entire surface of the film 10 or the like.
In the effective curing region described above, the width in the X-axis direction is a range including the width in the X-axis direction of the film 10, and the width in the Y-axis direction includes the length in the Y-axis direction of the unit nozzle row 240A. This is the range and the width of the landing area in the Y-axis direction. Printing is performed on the entire surface of the film 10 or the like by alternately performing an irradiation scanning step of moving the UV lamp 61 in the light source scanning direction and irradiating ultraviolet rays and a line feed with the width of the landing area in the Y-axis direction as the line feed width. Curing of the discharged functional liquid can be performed.

  In the printing apparatus 1, the distance between the landing area and the effective curing area in the Y-axis direction is the line feed width. The portion of the film 10 that has been subjected to printing and ejection in the landing area is positioned between the landing area and the effective curing area when one line feed is performed, and when the next line feed is performed, The irradiation scanning process can be performed in the effective curing region. The width of the print area 101 in the Y-axis direction is at least three times the line feed width, and the print area 101 sucked by the suction table 33a is partly in the landing area and the other part is the effective curing area. It is possible to be in In this state, the printing discharge scanning process and the irradiation scanning process can be performed in parallel.

<Printing process>
Next, a printing process for printing on the film 10 by the printing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4, 5, 6, and 7. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the printing process. 5, 6 and 7 are explanatory views showing the position of the print area of the film and the position of the suction table with respect to the positions of the head unit and the curing unit in the printing process. The X axis, Y axis, and Z axis shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 coincide with the X axis, Y axis, and Z axis shown in FIG.

In step S <b> 21 of FIG. 4, the suction surface of the suction table 33 a is positioned at a position facing the printing area 101 of the film 10. For example, as shown in FIG. 5A, the suction unit 33 (suction table 33a) is located at a position away from the printing area 101 of the film 10 to be printed next in the Y-axis direction. The suction unit 33 (suction table 33a) is moved in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42, and the suction surface of the suction table 33a is moved to the area to be printed on the film 10 as shown in FIG. It is located at a position facing 101.
At this time, the film 10 is moved relative to the suction unit 33 on the side opposite to the moving direction of the suction unit 33 by rotating the supply roller 34 and the medium feeding roller 36 in synchronization with the movement of the suction unit 33. Let Since the supply roller 34 and the medium feed roller 36 are moved by the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42 and feed the film 10 at the same speed in the direction opposite to the moving direction, the supply roller 34 and the medium feed roller 36 move along the film 10. It will be in the state. Thus, if the error of the moving speed is ignored, the suction unit 33 moves in the Y-axis direction, but the position of the film 10 in the Y-axis direction does not move. Further, no force in the Y-axis direction acts on the film 10.
The to-be-printed area 101 is an area in a range where printing can be performed on the film 10 without releasing the state where the film 10 is sucked to the suction table 33a.

  Next, in step S22 of FIG. 4, the film 10 is sucked by the suction table 33a. The substantially entire surface of the film 10 that overlaps the suction table 33a is sucked to the suction table 33a. As shown in FIG. 5B, the print area 101 of the film 10 is located at the position facing the suction surface of the suction table 33a, and the print area 101 is sucked in a state following the suction face.

Next, in step S23 of FIG. 4, the suction table 33a is moved in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42, and the print area 101 sucked by the suction table 33a is moved to the print start position. The print area 101 shown in FIGS. 5C and 5D is located at the print start position.
The print start position is a position where the Y-axis direction position of the print area 101 with respect to the head unit 21 can start the print discharge scanning for causing the head unit 21 to scan in the X-axis direction and discharging the functional liquid from the droplet discharge head 20. It is. 5C and 5D, for example, the print discharge scanning is sequentially performed on the printing area 101 from the most downstream side (the take-up reel 32 side) in the feeding direction of the film 10. This is the print start position when printing.

  Prior to the movement of the suction table 33a in the Y-axis direction in step S21, the suction table 33a may be moved in the Z-axis direction by the table lifting mechanism 44 and moved (lowered) to the retracted position. The suction table 33a shown in FIG. 5A is located at the retracted position. As described above, the suction surface of the suction table 33 a located at the retracted position is separated from the film 10 stretched between the supply roller 34 and the medium feed roller 36. By making the suction table 33a and the film 10 not in contact with each other, the suction table 33a and the film 10 can be prevented from rubbing when the suction table 33a is moved in the Y-axis direction. Thereby, it can suppress that the abrasion table 33a and the film 10 rub, and it is possible to prevent the film 10 from being scratched or subjected to stress due to frictional force. After the movement, the suction table 33a is moved in the Z-axis direction by the table elevating mechanism 44 and moved (raised) to the suction position. The suction table 33a shown in FIG. 5B is located at the suction position.

  Next, in step S24 of FIG. 4, printing discharge scanning is performed. The head unit 21 positioned at the position of the head unit 21a shown in FIG. 5D is scanned in the X-axis direction (main scanning direction) by the X-axis scanning mechanism 11, and the position corresponding to the print shape from the discharge nozzle 24 The first liquid is printed on the first print line 121 by ejecting droplets of the functional liquid toward the head. The first print row 121 is a region in which the width in the Y-axis direction can be printed by the unit nozzle row 240A of the head unit 21 and is located on the most downstream side in the traveling direction of the film 10 in the printing region 101. is there. The head unit 21 that has performed the print ejection scan to the first print line 121 is located at the position of the head unit 21b shown in FIG.

  Next, in step S25 of FIG. 4, a line feed is performed. The line feed is performed by moving the suction table 33a that sucks the print area 101 in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis scanning mechanism. The line feed width is a width that can be printed by the unit nozzle row 240A, for example. By executing the line feed of the line feed width, the print area 101 is placed in the second print line 122 adjacent to the first print line 121 in the unit nozzle row of the head unit 21 as shown in FIG. It is located at a printable position by 240A.

  Next, in step S <b> 26 of FIG. 4, it is determined whether or not the position of the line where printing has been completed (the printing liquid scan has been performed and the functional liquid has already been disposed) is located in the curing position area. The curing position region is a region that can face the opening of the lamp housing 62. That is, the UV light source 61 is scanned by the light source scanning mechanism 64 and the UV light emitted from the UV lamp 61 is irradiated with the UV light emitted. The intensity and scanning speed of the ultraviolet rays emitted from the UV lamp 61 are set so that the curing position area becomes the above-described effective curing area. Scanning the UV lamp 61 and irradiating ultraviolet rays from the UV lamp 61 is the above-described irradiation scanning, and this process is an irradiation scanning process.

When the position of the printed ejection line is not located in the curing position area (NO in step S26), the process returns to step S24, and steps S24 to S26 are repeated. FIG. 6E shows a state in which step S24 is performed when the position of the printed ejection line is not located in the curing position region. A state in which the head unit 21 located at the position of the head unit 21b performs print discharge scanning and is located at the position of the head unit 21c is shown.
If the position of the printed ejection line is located in the curing position area (YES in step S26), the process proceeds to step S27.

After step S26, in step S27 in FIG. 4, the printing discharge scanning and the irradiation scanning are performed in parallel. FIG. 6F shows a state in which step S27 is performed when the position of the first print line 121 that has been printed and discharged is located in the curing position region. The position of the head unit 21 indicates a state in which the head unit 21 located at the position of the head unit 21c performs the print discharge scanning and is positioned at the position of the head unit 21d. The position of the lamp casing 62 (UV lamp 61) indicates a state where the lamp casing 62 located at the position of the lamp casing 62a is positioned at the position of the lamp casing 62b after performing irradiation scanning.
The functional liquid is arranged in the third printing row 123 by the printing discharge scanning. Due to the irradiation scanning performed in parallel, the functional liquid in the first printing row 121 in which the functional liquid is arranged by the printing discharge scanning in step S24 is cured.
It is preferable to proceed the curing until the tackiness of the functional liquid is almost eliminated. In order to cure so that the tackiness of the functional liquid is almost eliminated, the curing rate (polymerization rate) is cured to 95% or more. More preferably, the curing rate (polymerization rate) is cured to 98% or more.

In the printing discharge scanning and the irradiation scanning performed in parallel, the scanning speed in the irradiation scanning is set to be equal to or higher than the scanning speed in the printing discharge scanning, for example. By setting the scanning speed in the irradiation scanning to be the same as or higher than the scanning speed in the printing ejection scanning, in step S27, the time for performing the irradiation scanning is shorter than the time for performing the printing ejection scanning.
There are many restrictions when changing the scanning speed in the print discharge scanning, for example, it is necessary to match with the discharge interval in the droplet discharge head 20. The scanning speed in irradiation scanning can be increased if the intensity of ultraviolet rays emitted from the UV lamp 61 can be set so that an appropriate effective curing region can be obtained, and has a higher degree of freedom than the scanning speed in printing discharge scanning.

  Next, in step S28 of FIG. 4, a line feed is performed. The line break is the same as the line break performed in step S25 described above.

Next, in step S29, it is determined whether or not the printing ejection to the printing area 101 that is currently printing is completed.
If the printing discharge to the printing area 101 has not been completed (NO in step S29), the process returns to step S27, and steps S27 to S29 are repeated.
If the printing discharge to the printing area 101 has been completed (YES in step S29), the process proceeds to step S30. In FIG. 6G, step S27 is performed, that is, after the print ejection scan for the fourth print line 124 and the irradiation scan for the second print line 122 are performed in parallel, the line feed of step S28 is performed. Shows the state. The print discharge scan for the fourth print line 124 has been performed, and the print discharge to the printing area 101 has been completed.

  Following step S29, irradiation scanning is performed in step S30 of FIG. In the state shown in FIG. 6G, the third print row 123 is located in the curing position region. At this position, irradiation scanning is performed on the third printing line 123 to cure the functional liquid arranged in the third printing line 123.

Next, in step S31, it is determined whether or not curing of the functional liquid arranged by performing the print discharge scanning is completed in the printing area 101 where printing is currently performed.
If the curing of the functional liquid arranged in the printing area 101 has not been completed (NO in step S31), the process proceeds to step S32. In step S32, a line feed is performed. The line break is the same as the line break performed in step S25 and step S28 described above. After step S32, the process returns to step S30, and steps S30 and S31 are repeated.
If the curing of the functional liquid arranged in the printing area 101 has been completed (YES in step S31), the process proceeds to step S33. In the state shown in FIG. 6H, the fourth print row 124 is located in the curing position area. At this position, the irradiation scan of step S30 is performed on the fourth print line 124, and the functional liquid arranged in the fourth print line 124 can be cured. The state in which the functional liquid disposed in the fourth printing row 124 is cured is the state in which the curing of the functional liquid disposed in the printing area 101 is completed.

  After step S31, in step S33 of FIG. 4, it is determined whether or not printing on the print target area of the film 10 is completed. If printing on the print target area of the film 10 has not been completed (NO in step S33), the process returns to step S21, and steps S21 to S33 are repeated.

After step S21 to step S33 are executed and printing on one print area 101 is completed, each step is also executed from step S21. In step S21, the suction unit 33 is moved in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42, and the suction surface of the suction table 33a is changed to the printing area as in the suction table 33a shown in FIG. Move to a position facing 101a. The printing area 101a is a printing area 101a adjacent to the printing area 101 for which printing shown in FIG. 6H has been completed, and is a printing area as a printing area 101 to be printed next. 101a.
In step S22 performed after step S21, the print area 101a of the film 10 is sucked by the suction table 33a.
In step S23, which is performed after step S22, the print area 101a sucked on the suction table 33a is moved to the print start position as in the print area 101a shown in FIG.

  In step S21 performed after step S33, the film 10 is moved in the Y-axis direction with the position of the suction table 33a in the Y-axis direction fixed as shown in FIG. The print area 101a may be moved to a position facing the suction surface of the suction table 33a.

  In step S33 of FIG. 4, if printing on the print target area of the film 10 has been completed (YES in step S33), the printing process of printing on the film 10 by the printing apparatus 1 is completed.

<Printer 2>
Next, a configuration of a printing apparatus 110 that is partially different from the above-described printing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the printing apparatus. FIG. 8A is a schematic plan view illustrating a schematic configuration of the printing apparatus, and FIG. 8B is a schematic side view illustrating a schematic configuration of the printing apparatus.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the printing apparatus 110 includes a head mechanism unit 2 having a droplet discharge head 20, a supply / discharge mechanism unit 3, a functional liquid supply unit (not shown), and maintenance, similar to the printing apparatus 1. A device unit 5 and a printing device control unit (not shown) are provided. The printing apparatus 110 includes a curing unit 106 that is different from the curing unit 6 included in the printing apparatus 1.

The curing unit 106 includes two UV lamps 61, a lamp housing 162, and a light source scanning mechanism 164. The light source scanning mechanism 164 includes a light source axis guide rail 164a, a light source axis slider 164b, and a pair of guide rail columns (not shown). The curing unit 106 is different from the curing unit 6 in that it includes two UV lamps 61.
One pair of guide rail columns is arranged on the downstream side of the support column base 11d in the feed direction of the film 10 in the Y-axis direction, and on each side of the suction table 33a in the X-axis direction. The pair of Y-axis guide rails 42a and 42a are erected at a position between them.

  The light source axis guide rail 164a is passed to guide rail columns erected on both sides of the suction table 33a, and extends substantially parallel to the X-axis direction above the suction table 33a. The extending direction of the light source axis guide rail 164a is referred to as a light source scanning direction. The light source scanning direction is the same as the X-axis direction in design. The light source axis slider 164b is supported by the light source axis guide rail 164a through a light source axis drive motor (not shown) so as to be slidable in the direction of the light source axis and held at an arbitrary position.

  The lamp housing 162 is suspended from the light source axis slider 164b via a lifting mechanism (not shown). The lamp casing 162 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped outer shape, and a casing chamber having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and having one open surface is formed therein. The housing chamber is opened facing the suction table 33a. A UV lamp 61 that emits ultraviolet rays is fixed in the housing chamber in a state of emitting ultraviolet rays to the opening side. The two UV lamps 61 are arranged in the Y-axis direction in the housing chamber. The casing chamber opening of the lamp casing 162 generally has a shape in which two casing chamber openings of the lamp casing 62 are arranged in the Y-axis direction.

When the lamp housing 162 fixed to the light source axis slider 164b is scanned in the light source scanning direction by the light source scanning mechanism 164, the opening of the lamp housing 162 reaches a range including the width of the film 10 in the X-axis direction. It is possible. The UV lamp 61 can irradiate the film 10 adsorbed on the adsorption table 33 a moved to a position facing the opening of the lamp housing 162 by the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42 with ultraviolet rays. Since the opening of the lamp housing 162 can face the range including the width of the film 10 in the X-axis direction by being scanned in the light source scanning direction by the light source scanning mechanism 164, the UV lamp 61 Ultraviolet rays can be irradiated in a range including 10 widths in the X-axis direction.
The two UV lamps 61 included in the curing unit 106 or the two UV lamps 61 and the lamp housing 162 correspond to a curing light source. The light source scanning mechanism 164 corresponds to a light source scanning unit.

  In the curing position area where the curing unit 106 can cure the functional liquid by irradiating ultraviolet rays, the width in the X-axis direction is a range including the width in the X-axis direction of the film 10 as described above. The width in the Y-axis direction is, for example, a width that is twice that of the curing unit 6 and includes a range that is twice the length of the unit nozzle row 240A in the Y-axis direction. The width including the range twice as long as the length of the unit nozzle row 240A in the Y-axis direction is twice the width of the landing region in the Y-axis direction. In the printing apparatus 110, the line feed width is set equal to the width in the Y-axis direction of the landing area in the same manner as the printing apparatus 1, and the width in the Y-axis direction of the curing position area of the curing unit 106 is approximately 2 of the line feed width. Is double. Similar to the curing unit 6 described above, the intensity and scanning speed of the ultraviolet rays emitted from the UV lamp 61 are set so that the curing position region becomes the effective curing region described above.

<Printing process 2>
The printing process for printing on the film 10 using the printing apparatus 110 is basically the same as the printing process for printing on the film 10 using the printing apparatus 1.
In the irradiation scan, ultraviolet rays are irradiated to a width approximately twice the line feed width (landing area). The intensity of the ultraviolet light emitted from the UV lamp 61 is set to approximately ½ of the intensity of the ultraviolet light emitted from the UV lamp 61 in the curing unit 6. The scanning speed during irradiation scanning is equivalent to that of the curing unit 6.
In the first irradiation scan, only the UV lamp 61 on one side is changed to the first print line 121. In the next irradiation scan after a line feed, the first print line 121 and the second print line 122 are further. The second printing line 122 and the third printing line 123 are irradiated with ultraviolet rays in a width approximately twice the line feed width (landing area). Each print line such as the first print line 121 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays in two irradiation scans. The functional liquid arranged in the printing line is appropriately cured by two irradiation scans because the intensity of the ultraviolet light emitted from the UV lamp 61 is approximately half that of the UV lamp 61 of the curing unit 6. The As described above, the properly cured state is, for example, a state where the functional liquid is cured until the tackiness of the functional liquid is almost eliminated. In order to cure so that the tackiness of the functional liquid is almost eliminated, the curing rate (polymerization rate) is cured to 95% or more. More preferably, the curing rate (polymerization rate) is cured to 98% or more.
Since the intensity of the ultraviolet rays emitted from the UV lamp 61 is approximately half that of the UV lamp 61 of the curing unit 6, the output of the UV lamp 61 can be reduced. Thereby, a UV lamp with a small output can be used as the UV lamp 61.

Further, for example, the intensity of ultraviolet rays emitted from the UV lamp 61 is set to be equal to the intensity of ultraviolet rays emitted from the UV lamp 61 in the curing unit 6. The scanning speed during irradiation scanning is set to approximately twice the scanning speed in the curing unit 6.
Since the scanning speed is twice, the time for which the ultraviolet ray is irradiated in one irradiation scan is about ½ of the time for which the curing unit 6 is irradiated with the ultraviolet ray. The irradiation time of the ultraviolet rays becomes substantially equal to that of the curing unit 6 by two irradiation scans. The disposed functional liquid is appropriately cured by irradiating the same amount of ultraviolet rays as the curing unit 6 by two irradiation scans.
Since the scanning speed in irradiation scanning is doubled, the time required for irradiation scanning can be shortened to approximately ½.

Hereinafter, the effect by embodiment is described. According to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) In the printing apparatus 1 and the printing apparatus 110, the suction table 33a is scanned in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42, and the entire width of the suction table 33a in the Y-axis direction is changed to the landing area and the curing unit 6 or the like. It can be located in the effective curing region (curing position region).
With these configurations, when printing is performed on the printing area 101 of the film 10 using the printing apparatus 1 or the printing apparatus 110, the entire printing area 101 is sucked by the suction table 33a. While maintaining the adsorbed state, printing discharge and curing of the arranged functional liquid are performed. As a result, the printing area 101 of the film 10 can be maintained flat, and the printing shape accuracy, printing position accuracy, and the like are impaired due to the fact that a flat state such as wrinkles in the printing area 101 is not maintained. Can be suppressed.

(2) In the printing apparatus 1 and the printing apparatus 110, the suction table 33a is scanned in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42, and the entire width in the Y-axis direction of the suction table 33a is set to the landing area and the curing unit 6 and the like. It can be located in the effective hardening region.
With these configurations, when printing is performed on the printing area 101 of the film 10 using the printing apparatus 1 or the printing apparatus 110, the state where the printing area 101 is sucked to the suction table 33a is maintained. Curing of the functional liquid is performed. When the adsorption is released before the functional liquid is cured, the components of the printing apparatus that transmit the force for handling the film 10 to the film 10 are not cured by directly contacting the uncured functional liquid. There is a high possibility that the functional liquid will adhere to the constituent members. Further, there is a high possibility that the films 10 wound up by, for example, the film 10 are overlapped and adhere to each other through the uncured functional liquid. These adverse effects can be suppressed by maintaining the state of being attracted to the suction table 33a and curing the functional liquid.

  (3) Printing on the film 10 and curing of the functional liquid disposed by printing are performed by sucking the printing area 101 by the suction table 33a. The line feed is performed by moving the suction table 33a that sucks the print area 101 in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis scanning mechanism. Thereby, since the state where the print area 101 is attracted is maintained even when the line breaks, it is possible to suppress the deformation of the print area 101 due to the line break. Since the force for making a line break is not directly applied to the film 10, it is possible to substantially eliminate the deformation of the print area 101 due to the force for making a line break.

  (4) In the printing apparatus 1, the effective curing region has a width in the Y-axis direction that is the width of the landing region in the Y-axis direction. Thereby, the functional liquid arrange | positioned (printed) in the same printing discharge process can be hardened in the same irradiation scanning process.

  (5) In the printing apparatus 1, the width in the Y-axis direction of the landing area, the width in the Y-axis direction of the effective curing area, and the distance between the landing area and the effective curing area are line feed widths. The portion of the film 10 that has been subjected to printing and ejection in the landing area is positioned between the landing area and the effective curing area when one line feed is performed, and when the next line feed is performed, The irradiation scanning process can be performed in the effective curing region. Thereby, the functional liquid arranged (printed) in the same printing discharge process can be cured in the same irradiation scanning process, and at least a part of the printing discharge process and the irradiation scanning process is substantially parallel. Can be implemented. By performing the printing discharge process and the irradiation scanning process substantially in parallel, the time required for performing the necessary curing process can be suppressed as compared with the case where the irradiation scanning process is performed separately.

  (6) In the printing apparatus 1, the scanning speed in the irradiation scan is set to be equal to or higher than the scanning speed in the print discharge scanning, for example. By setting the scanning speed in the irradiation scanning to be equal to or higher than the scanning speed in the printing discharge scanning, in step S27 in the printing process using the printing apparatus 1, the time for performing the irradiation scanning from the time for performing the printing discharge scanning. Can be shorter. Thereby, it is possible to perform the irradiation scan while the print discharge scanning is performed. It can be suppressed that the time for performing the printing discharge scanning and the irradiation scanning substantially in parallel is longer than the time required for the printing discharge scanning.

  (7) In the printing apparatus 1, the distance between the landing area and the effective curing area is the line feed width. Since the landing area is located at a line feed width apart from the effective curing area or the irradiable area, the leakage light of the ultraviolet rays irradiated to the effective curing area or the irradiable area is discharged from the droplet facing the landing area or the landing area. Irradiation to the head 20 can be suppressed.

  (8) When moving the print area 101 to the print start position, the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42 moves the suction table 33a in the Y-axis direction, and starts printing the print area 101 sucked by the suction table 33a. Move to position. Since the printing area 101 is kept sucked by the suction table 33a, the printing area 101 is prevented from being deformed due to being moved to move the printing area 101 to the printing start position. can do. The moving force is not directly applied to the film 10. For this reason, it is possible to substantially eliminate the deformation of the print area 101 due to the force for moving the print area 101 to the print start position.

  (9) The film 10 is moved in the Y-axis direction by the supply roller 34 and the medium feeding roller 36, and before the printing area 101 is positioned at the position facing the suction surface of the suction table 33a, the table lifting mechanism 44 sucks it. The table 33a can be moved (lowered) to the retracted position by moving in the Z-axis direction. Thereby, when the film 10 is moved in the Y-axis direction, the film 10 can be substantially prevented from rubbing against the suction surface of the suction table 33a. By rubbing, it is possible to substantially eliminate the deformation of the film 10 due to drag and the generation of scratches on the film 10.

  (10) When the film 10 is sucked by the suction table 33a, the position of the suction surface of the suction table 33a in the Z-axis direction substantially coincides with the position of the surface in contact with the outer periphery of the supply roller 34 and the outer periphery of the medium feed roller 36. Position. Thereby, the position of the film 10 is substantially constant regardless of whether the film 10 is sucked by the suction table 33a or not. For this reason, it can suppress applying the force which deform | transforms the film 10 to the film 10 by adsorb | sucking the film 10 with the adsorption | suction table 33a.

  (11) The suction unit 33 is moved in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42, and the suction surface of the suction table 33a is positioned at a position facing the printing area 101. When the printing area 101 is moved to face the suction table 33a, it is necessary to apply a force for moving the film 10 to the film 10. However, by moving the suction unit 33, the printing area 101 can be made to face the suction table 33a without applying the force directly to the film 10.

  (12) The suction unit 33 is moved in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42, and the suction surface of the suction table 33 a is positioned at a position facing the printing area 101 of the film 10. At this time, the film 10 is moved relative to the suction unit 33 on the side opposite to the moving direction of the suction unit 33 by rotating the supply roller 34 and the medium feeding roller 36 in synchronization with the movement of the suction unit 33. Let Thereby, the suction unit 33 can be moved in the Y-axis direction without moving the position of the film 10 in the Y-axis direction. That is, the printing area 101 can be positioned at the position facing the suction surface of the suction table 33a without substantially moving the relative position of the film 10 to the printing apparatus 1.

  As mentioned above, although preferred embodiment was described referring an accompanying drawing, suitable embodiment is not restricted to the said embodiment. The embodiment can of course be modified in various ways without departing from the scope, and can also be implemented as follows.

  (Modification 1) In the above embodiment, the line feed width is set equal to the width of the landing area in the Y-axis direction, but it is not essential that the line feed width is the width of the landing area. The configuration may be such that the line feed width is made smaller than the width of the landing area, the same printed portion is positioned in the landing area a plurality of times, and printing is performed a plurality of times on the same printed portion. A configuration in which the line feed width is larger than the width of the landing area and the portion that does not need to be printed may not be positioned in the landing area.

  (Modification 2) In the above embodiment, the printing apparatus and the printing method for printing on the film 10 as the continuous medium have been described as an example of the printing target. However, the printing target is a continuous medium such as the film 10. Is not required. The print target may be a medium in which one print target has one print target area that is sucked and held by the holding unit. The printing apparatus may be an apparatus including a supply unit that can supply and discharge the medium to and from the holding unit.

(Modification 3) In the above-described embodiment, the landing area and the effective curing area are located with a line feed width separated in the Y-axis direction, but the landing area and the effective curing area are separated from the line feed width. Is not required. The distance between the landing area and the effective curing area may be smaller than the line feed width as long as the effect of the curing light applied to the effective curing area on the discharging means facing the landing area is not harmful. In order to make the influence smaller, the distance between the landing area and the effective hardening area may be larger than the line feed width.
When the distance between the landing area and the effective curing area is larger than the line feed width, it is preferably an integer multiple of the line feed width. By making the distance between the landing area and the effective curing area an integral multiple of the line feed width and making the width of the landing area equal to the width of the effective curing area, the portion located in the landing area in the same printing discharge process In the same irradiation scanning step, it is located in the effective curing region. Thereby, the functional liquid arrange | positioned (printed) in the same printing discharge process can be hardened in the same irradiation scanning process. At the same time, at least a part of the printing discharge scanning process and the irradiation scanning process can be performed substantially in parallel.

  (Modification 4) In the embodiment described above, the printing apparatus 1 includes one head unit 21, but it is not essential that the printing apparatus includes one head unit. Any number of head units may be included in the printing apparatus.

  (Modification 5) In the above embodiment, the head unit 21 includes nine droplet discharge heads 20, but it is not essential that the head unit includes nine discharge heads. Any number of ejection heads may be included in the head unit. The head unit may include a plurality of ejection heads or a single ejection head.

  (Modification 6) In the embodiment described above, the printing apparatus 1 includes the medium feeding roller 36 and the driven roller 36a, and the part of the film 10 facing the suction table 33a is maintained substantially flat. However, it is not essential that the tension roller for maintaining the state of the portion facing the holding means in the continuous medium substantially flat is an apparatus such as the medium feed roller 36 and the driven roller 36a. For example, an appropriate length in the film 10 may be held between the take-up reel 32 and the supply roller 34, and an appropriate tension may be applied to the held portion of the film 10 by the idler roller 38. .

  (Modification 7) In the above-described embodiment, the droplet discharge head 20 includes two nozzle rows 24A in which a large number of discharge nozzles 24 are arranged in a substantially straight line. However, how many nozzle rows the discharge head includes. It may be. The positions of the discharge nozzles 24 included in the droplet discharge head 20 are shifted in the extending direction of the nozzle row 24A. However, the discharge heads are discharged at substantially the same position in the extending direction of the nozzle row. The structure provided with two or more nozzles may be sufficient.

  (Modification 8) In the embodiment described above, the supply / discharge mechanism 3 of the printing apparatus 1 includes the take-up reel 32, and the printed film 10 is taken up by the take-up reel 32. However, it is not essential for the printing apparatus to include a take-up reel or to take up the printed portion of the continuous medium. For example, a configuration of a printing apparatus and a printing method in which a cutting device is provided and a printed part is cut into a predetermined length may be used. Alternatively, it may be a configuration of a printing apparatus and a printing method in which a die cutting device is provided, only a product portion is die cut from a printed continuous medium, and a portion other than the product is cut or wound.

  (Modification 9) In the above-described embodiment, the printing apparatus 1 includes the table elevating mechanism 44 and can move (lower) the suction table 33a to the retracted position by moving it in the Z-axis direction. However, it is not indispensable that the printing apparatus includes a separating / moving means such as the table elevating mechanism 44. If it is not necessary to suppress the influence on the continuous medium during the relative movement of the holding means and the continuous medium in the supply direction, the printing apparatus may not include the separation / contact movement means.

  (Modification 10) In the embodiment described above, the relationship between the medium feeding roller 36 and the driven roller 36a is that the supply roller 34 and the medium feeding roller 36 are rotated even in a state where the printing area 101 is sucked by the suction table 33a. Thus, the state when the film 10 was moved in the Y-axis direction was maintained. That is, a force for maintaining the state in which the film 10 is stretched between the supply roller 34 and the medium feeding roller 36 is applied to the film 10. In a state where the print area 101 is sucked by the suction table 33a, the print area 101 is kept flat, and it is not necessary to apply tension. After the printing area 101 is sucked by the suction table 33a, a step of releasing or reducing the tension may be performed. By releasing or reducing the tension, the possibility that the film 10 is deformed due to the tension can be reduced. The step of releasing or reducing the tension is performed, for example, by controlling the urging device of the driven roller 36a and controlling the pressing force of the driven roller 36a against the medium feeding roller 36 by the urging device.

  (Modification 11) In the embodiment, the type of functional liquid is not particularly described. However, in the printing apparatus, different types of functional liquid such as different colors may be ejected. Color printing is also possible by discharging a plurality of types of functional liquids having different colors. The type of functional liquid may include a plurality of head units and may be different for each head unit, may be different for each head group, may be different for each droplet discharge head, or nozzle row Each may be different. Different functional liquids may be ejected from one ejection nozzle to another by using a droplet ejection head that can individually supply functional liquid to each ejection nozzle. When performing color printing, a plurality of head units or droplet discharge heads configured to be able to land, for example, different functional liquids at the same landing position, or a scanning method is used. As a result, finer printing is possible.

  (Modification 12) In the above-described embodiment, the print area 101 is divided into the first print line 121 to the fourth print line 124, and four print ejection scan processes and four irradiation scan processes are performed. Was printing. In order to increase the number of times that the printing discharge scanning process and the irradiation scanning process are performed in parallel, one printing area has a width that allows a larger number of printing discharge scanning processes and irradiation scanning processes to be performed. Is preferred.

  (Modification 13) In the embodiment described above, the print area 101 has a width that can be equally divided into four print lines of the first print line 121 to the fourth print line 124, and the entire width of the unit nozzle row 240A. Printing was carried out by performing four printing discharge scanning steps using However, it is not essential that the width of the print area is an integral multiple of the width of the print line. The width of the printing area may be a width that requires a printing process including a printing discharge scanning process that does not use the entire width of the unit nozzle row.

  (Modification 14) In the above-described embodiment, the functional liquid is an ultraviolet curable functional liquid that cures when irradiated with ultraviolet rays. However, it is not essential that the liquid is an ultraviolet curable liquid and the curing light is ultraviolet. The curing light for curing the liquid material may be any light.

  (Modification 15) In the embodiment, the UV lamp 61 corresponding to the curing light source is, for example, a metal halide lamp. However, the curing light source is not limited to a lamp such as a metal halide lamp. For example, UVLED (Ultraviolet Light Emitting Diode) may be used. The UVLED is smaller and lighter than a lamp such as a metal halide lamp, and the use of the UVLED is effective for reducing the size and weight of the curing light source. Further, the UVLED has advantages such as low power consumption and long life compared to the lamp. Since the lamp easily obtains a high output, it is advantageous for securing a sufficient amount of light. The curing light source is not limited to a lamp or LED, and any light source may be used as long as curing light with sufficient intensity can be output.

(Modification 16) In the embodiment described above, the width in the Y-axis direction of the curing position area (effective curing area) of the curing unit 106 is approximately twice the line feed width (landing area). However, the width of the effective curing area in the curing light source in the sub-scanning direction is not limited to twice the line feed width (landing area) but may be larger than twice. When the width of the effective curing region of the curing light source in the sub-scanning direction is larger than twice the line feed width, it is preferably an integer multiple of the line feed width.
By making the width of the effective curing area of the curing light source in the sub-scanning direction larger than twice the line feed width, the area where the liquid material is arranged in one printing discharge scanning is effective during multiple irradiation scannings. Curing light can be irradiated by being positioned in the curing region. By making the width of the effective curing area in the sub-scanning direction an integral multiple of the line feed width, the portion located in the landing area in the same printing discharge process can be positioned in the effective curing area in the same irradiation scanning process. it can.

(Modification 17) In the above-described embodiment, the curing unit 6 has one curing unit 106 having two UV lamps 61. However, the number of curing light sources is not limited to one or two, and a large number of light emission units. The structure provided with a source may be sufficient.
By configuring the curing light source with a large number of light sources, it is possible to suppress the fluctuation of the characteristics of the individual light sources from affecting the characteristics of the curing light source. It is possible to make uniform the distribution of the intensity of the irradiation light in the region where the curing light can be simultaneously irradiated.

  (Modification 18) In the above embodiment, the printing apparatus and the printing method for printing on the film 10 as a continuous medium have been described as an example of the printing target. However, the printing target is a continuous medium such as the film 10. Is not required. The print target may be a medium such as a so-called cut sheet, in which one print target has one print target area that is sucked and held by the holding unit. The printing apparatus may be an apparatus including a supply unit that can supply and discharge the medium to and from the holding unit.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Printing apparatus, 2 ... Head mechanism part, 3 ... Supply / discharge mechanism part, 6 ... Curing unit, 10 ... Film, 11 ... X-axis scanning mechanism, 11a ... X-axis guide rail, 11b ... X-axis slider, 20 ... Liquid Drop ejection head, 21 ... head unit, 24 ... ejection nozzle, 24A ... nozzle row, 27 ... bridge plate, 31 ... supply reel, 32 ... take-up reel, 33 ... suction unit, 33a ... suction table, 34 ... supply roller, 34a ... driven roller, 36 ... medium feeding roller, 36a ... driven roller, 37 ... idler roller, 38 ... idler roller, 42 ... Y-axis scanning mechanism, 42a ... Y-axis guide rail, 42b ... Y-axis slider, 61 ... UV lamp 62 ... Lamp housing, 64 ... Light source scanning mechanism, 64a ... Light source axis guide rail, 64b ... Light source axis slider, 101 ... Marked Area 101a ... area to be printed 106 ... curing unit 110 ... printing device 121 ... first printing line 122 ... second printing line 123 ... third printing line 124 ... fourth printing line 162 ... lamp housing 164 ... light source scanning mechanism, 164a ... light source axis guide rail, 164b ... light source axis slider, 240A ... unit nozzle array.

Claims (12)

Supply means for sequentially supplying a continuous medium;
Holding means for adsorbing and holding the printing area in the continuous medium supplied by the supplying means on the back surface opposite to the printing surface of the continuous medium;
Sub-scanning means for causing the holding means to scan in a sub-scanning direction substantially parallel to the length direction of the continuous medium in a portion of the continuous medium that is sucked and held by the holding means;
A discharge means for discharging a liquid material;
Main scanning means for causing the ejection means to scan in a main scanning direction that is substantially parallel to the surface of the continuous medium at a portion of the continuous medium held by suction by the holding means and intersects the sub-scanning direction; ,
A curing light source for irradiating curing light for curing the liquid material;
A light source scanning means for scanning the curing light source in a light source scanning direction substantially parallel to the main scanning direction,
The ejection unit is configured to cause the ejection unit to scan in the main scanning direction by the main scanning unit, and cause the holding unit to scan in the sub scanning direction by the sub scanning unit, thereby attracting and holding the ejection unit. It is disposed at a position where the liquid material can be discharged toward the printing surface of the printing region,
The curing light source is sucked and held by the holding unit by causing the light source scanning unit to scan the curing light source in the light source scanning direction and causing the sub scanning unit to scan the holding unit in the sub scanning direction. A printing apparatus, wherein the printing apparatus is disposed at a position where the curing light can be irradiated toward the printing surface of a printing area.   2. The printing according to claim 1, wherein the ejection unit and the curing light source are disposed at a distance capable of simultaneously facing the suction holding surface of the holding unit in the sub-scanning direction. apparatus. The printing discharge to the printing area is performed by the main scanning unit scanning the discharge unit in the main scanning direction, and the printing discharge scanning for discharging the liquid material from the discharging unit, and the sub-scanning unit. Carrying out a line feed for scanning the holding means holding the print area by suction in the sub-scanning direction,
Curing of the liquid material ejected from the ejection means and disposed in the printing area is performed by causing the light source scanning means to scan the curing light source in the light source scanning direction and irradiating the curing light from the curing light source. Performing scanning and a line feed for causing the sub-scanning means to scan the holding means that holds the print area by suction in the sub-scanning direction,
The curing light source has an effective curing area that can be effectively cured in the irradiation scanning, the width in the light source scanning direction is equal to or larger than the width of the printing area, and the width in the sub scanning direction performs the line feed. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing apparatus is an area that has a line feed width when the printing is performed. The printing discharge to the printing area is performed by the main scanning unit scanning the discharge unit in the main scanning direction, and the printing discharge scanning for discharging the liquid material from the discharging unit, and the sub-scanning unit. Carrying out a line feed for scanning the holding means holding the print area by suction in the sub-scanning direction,
Curing of the liquid material ejected from the ejection means and disposed in the printing area is performed by causing the light source scanning means to scan the curing light source in the light source scanning direction and irradiating the curing light from the curing light source. Performing scanning and a line feed for causing the sub-scanning means to scan the holding means that holds the print area by suction in the sub-scanning direction,
The curing light source has an effective curing area that can be effectively cured in the irradiation scanning, the width in the light source scanning direction is equal to or larger than the width of the printing area, and the width in the sub scanning direction performs the line feed. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing apparatus is an area that is an integral multiple of twice or more the line feed width when the line breaks. The printing discharge to the printing area is performed by the main scanning unit scanning the discharge unit in the main scanning direction, and the printing discharge scanning for discharging the liquid material from the discharging unit, and the sub-scanning unit. Carrying out a line feed for scanning the holding means holding the print area by suction in the sub-scanning direction,
Curing of the liquid material ejected from the ejection means and disposed in the printing area is performed by causing the light source scanning means to scan the curing light source in the light source scanning direction and irradiating the curing light from the curing light source. Performing scanning and a line feed for causing the sub-scanning means to scan the holding means that holds the print area by suction in the sub-scanning direction,
The curing light source has an effective curing area that can be effectively cured in the irradiation scanning, the width in the light source scanning direction is equal to or larger than the width of the printing area, and the width in the sub-scanning direction is the print ejection scanning. 3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing apparatus is a region having a width in the sub-scanning direction of a landing region on which the liquid material ejected by the ejecting unit is landed.   The landing area where the liquid material ejected by the ejection means when the printing ejection scanning is performed and the effective curing area are located at a distance of an integral multiple of the line feed width in the sub-scanning direction. 6. The printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the ejection unit and the curing light source are arranged at a position where the printing is performed. A discharge means for sucking and holding a printing area in a continuous medium by a holding means on the back surface opposite to the printing surface of the continuous medium, and discharging a liquid material toward the printing surface of the printing area; and A printing method for printing on the continuous medium using a curing light source that irradiates curing light toward the liquid material that has landed on a printing surface,
An adsorption step of adsorbing the back surface of the print area by the holding means;
By moving the holding means in a sub-scanning direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the continuous medium in the portion of the continuous medium held by suction by the holding means, the print area is made relative to the ejection means. The line feed process to be moved, and the ejection means in the main scanning direction which is substantially parallel to the surface direction of the continuous medium in the portion of the continuous medium sucked and held by the holding means and intersects the sub-scanning direction And a printing discharge scanning step of discharging the liquid material from the discharging means toward the printing surface of the printing area,
By moving the holding means in the sub-scanning direction in the line-feeding step, or by moving the holding means in the sub-scanning direction in the same way as the line-feeding step, the print area is moved with respect to the curing light source. The second line feed process for relative movement, and the curing light source is scanned in the light source scanning direction substantially parallel to the main scanning direction, and the liquid disposed in the portion held by the holding means in the print discharge scanning process. A curing method comprising: an irradiation scanning step of irradiating the curing light from the curing light source while maintaining the state in which the portion is adsorbed and held by the holding unit on the body. .   The discharge means and the curing light source are disposed at a distance that can simultaneously face the suction holding surface of the holding means in the sub-scanning direction, and the printing discharge step is substantially the same as the irradiation scanning step. The printing method according to claim 7, wherein the printing discharge scanning step is performed in parallel.   In the irradiation scanning step, the curing light is applied to a region where the width in the light source scanning direction is equal to or larger than the width of the printing region, and the width in the sub-scanning direction is the line feed width in the line feed step and the second line feed step. The printing method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein irradiation is performed.   In the irradiation scanning step, the width in the light source scanning direction is equal to or larger than the width of the printing area, and the width in the sub-scanning direction is an integral multiple of twice or more the line breaking width in the line breaking step and the second line breaking step. The printing method according to claim 7, wherein the curing light is irradiated to a region that is.   In the irradiation scanning step, the width in the light source scanning direction is greater than or equal to the width of the printing region, and the width in the sub-scanning direction is the width of the landing region on which the liquid material ejected in the printing ejection scanning step is landed. The printing method according to claim 7, wherein the curing light is irradiated to a region that is.   The landing area where the liquid material discharged by the discharge means in the printing discharge scanning process lands, and the effective curing area irradiated with the curing light in the irradiation scanning process have the line feed width in the sub-scanning direction. 12. The printing method according to claim 9, wherein the ejection unit and the curing light source are disposed at positions that are separated by an integer multiple distance.

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