JP2012040501A - Drawing apparatus, and drawing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a drawing apparatus and drawing method which prevent a deposit positional accuracy from being damaged by expansion and contraction of a medium to be plotted in accordance with variation of a temperature of the medium to be plotted.SOLUTION: The drawing apparatus includes: holding means for holding a medium to be drawn on, drawing means having ejection means for ejecting a liquid for disposing the liquid to the medium to be drawn on and drawing images made of the liquid by depositing the ejected liquid from the ejection means on the medium to be drawn on which is held by the holding means, curing acceleration means for accelerating curing the liquid in a state disposed on the medium to be drawn on, temperature adjusting means for adjusting temperature of the holding means, temperature measuring means, and temperature control means for controlling the temperature adjusting means on the basis of the measurement result of the temperature measuring means.

Description

  The present invention provides a drawing apparatus that draws an image or the like on a drawing object by supplying the drawing object to a drawing area and arranging a liquid material at a desired position of the supplied drawing object in the drawing area. And a drawing method.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a liquid material ejecting apparatus that accurately disposes a predetermined amount of a liquid material at a predetermined position by discharging the liquid material as droplets and landing the liquid material on an arbitrary position. There is known a drawing apparatus that draws a predetermined shape such as an image by disposing a liquid material at a predetermined position on a drawing surface of a drawing medium by using the liquid material discharging apparatus. When such a drawing apparatus is used, there is a case in which the drawn shape deviates from the prescribed shape due to the landing liquid flowing.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a method for forming a film pattern by discharging a liquid containing a film forming component and a solvent from a discharge unit of an ink jet apparatus on the surface of a substrate W, and a mounting table provided with a hot plate While the substrate W is fixed on the surface and the surface temperature of the substrate W is controlled to a temperature lower than the boiling point of the solvent and higher than the temperature of the liquid in the discharge means, the relative position between the discharge means and the substrate W is moved, By having a coating process of discharging the liquid from the discharge means and applying the liquid onto the surface of the substrate W, it is possible to form a fine film pattern at low cost by promoting the curing of the applied liquid. Disclosed are a film pattern forming method and a forming apparatus capable of efficiently forming a film pattern of a film, and a film structure, an electro-optical device, an electronic device, and a non-contact type card medium obtained thereby.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-133682

However, in the film pattern forming method and forming apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, the temperature of the substrate as the drawing medium is also the same as that of the liquid, and thus the temperature of the drawing medium changes. When the temperature of the drawing medium changes, the drawing medium expands and contracts.
In general, a drawing apparatus causes a droplet to land accurately at a position defined using a coordinate system defined on the drawing apparatus. The position to be landed on the drawing medium (hereinafter referred to as “scheduled landing position”) is defined using the coordinate system of the drawing medium. By matching the reference point of the drawing medium with the reference point of the drawing apparatus, the coordinate system of the drawing medium is associated with the coordinate system of the drawing apparatus. As a result, the drawing apparatus makes the landing of which the position is specified using the coordinate system of the drawing medium by causing the droplet to land accurately at the position specified using the coordinate system specified on the drawing apparatus. Droplets can be landed accurately at a predetermined position.
However, in the film pattern forming method and forming apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, since the drawing medium expands and contracts when the temperature of the drawing medium changes, the expected landing position with respect to the reference point of the drawing medium There was a possibility that would shift. As a result, the drawing apparatus has a problem that the landing position of the drawing medium may deviate from the planned landing position even though the liquid droplets have landed accurately at the specified position. It was.

  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 drawing apparatus according to this application example includes a holding unit that holds a drawing medium and a discharge unit that discharges a liquid material, and holds the liquid material discharged from the discharge unit in the holding unit. The liquid material is placed on the drawing medium by landing on the drawn medium, and the drawing means for drawing an image made of the liquid material, and the liquid in a state of being placed on the drawing medium Curing accelerating means for accelerating the curing of the body, temperature adjusting means for adjusting the temperature of the holding means, temperature measuring means, and temperature control means for controlling the temperature adjusting means based on the measurement result of the temperature measuring means And.

  According to the drawing apparatus according to this application example, the drawing medium can be held by the holding unit, and the liquid material can be arranged and drawn on the held drawing medium by the drawing unit. Curing of the liquid disposed on the held drawing medium can be promoted by the curing promoting means. The temperature of the drawing medium held by the holding unit can be adjusted by adjusting the temperature of the holding unit by the temperature adjusting unit. Based on the measurement result of the temperature measurement means by the temperature control means, the temperature of the drawing medium held by the holding means can be controlled by controlling the temperature adjusting means and controlling the temperature of the holding means. For example, the temperature variation of the drawing medium caused by promoting the curing of the liquid by the curing accelerating means is measured by the temperature measuring means, the temperature of the holding means is controlled, and the temperature of the drawing medium is appropriately set. It can be adjusted to maintain the temperature.

  Application Example 2 In the drawing apparatus according to the application example, the temperature adjustment unit includes a medium flow path for flowing the temperature adjustment medium, the temperature measurement unit measures the temperature of the holding unit, and It is preferable that the temperature control means controls the flow rate of the temperature adjustment medium that flows through the medium flow path.

According to this drawing apparatus, the temperature of the holding means is measured by the temperature measuring means. The drawing medium is held by the holding unit, and the temperature of the drawing medium held by the holding unit is likely to be a temperature having a certain correlation with the temperature of the holding unit. By measuring the temperature of the holding means, it is possible to estimate the temperature of the drawing medium that is an object to be maintained at an appropriate temperature.
Due to the temperature difference between the temperature adjustment medium and the holding means, heat energy is transferred between the temperature adjustment medium and the holding means. The temperature of the temperature adjusting medium and the temperature of the holding means converge to a temperature at which the amount of movement of the heat energy becomes a constant value. Depending on the amount of the temperature adjusting medium, the amount of thermal energy that can be absorbed or released by the temperature adjusting medium with respect to the holding means changes. By adjusting the amount of the temperature adjusting medium, it is possible to adjust the temperature at which the temperature of the holding means converges by adjusting the amount of thermal energy that can be absorbed or released by the temperature adjusting medium with respect to the holding means.

  Application Example 3 In the drawing apparatus according to the application example, the temperature adjustment unit includes a medium flow path for flowing the temperature adjustment medium, the temperature measurement unit measures the temperature of the holding unit, and The temperature control means preferably controls the temperature of the temperature adjustment medium that flows through the medium flow path.

According to this drawing apparatus, the temperature of the holding means is measured by the temperature measuring means. The drawing medium is held by the holding unit, and the temperature of the drawing medium held by the holding unit is likely to be a temperature having a certain correlation with the temperature of the holding unit. By measuring the temperature of the holding means, it is possible to estimate the temperature of the drawing medium that is an object to be maintained at an appropriate temperature.
Due to the temperature difference between the temperature adjustment medium and the holding means, heat energy is transferred between the temperature adjustment medium and the holding means. The temperature of the temperature adjusting medium and the temperature of the holding means converge to a temperature at which the amount of movement of the heat energy becomes a constant value. The temperature difference between the temperature adjustment medium and the holding means differs depending on the temperature of the temperature adjustment medium, and the amount of heat energy transferred between the temperature adjustment medium and the holding means changes. By adjusting the temperature of the temperature adjusting medium, it is possible to adjust the temperature at which the temperature of the holding means converges by adjusting the amount of thermal energy absorbed or released by the temperature adjusting medium with respect to the holding means.

  Application Example 4 In the drawing apparatus according to the application example, the temperature adjustment unit includes a medium flow path for flowing the temperature adjustment medium, and the temperature measurement unit measures the temperature of the drawing medium, It is preferable that the temperature control unit controls a flow rate of the temperature adjusting medium that flows through the medium flow path.

According to this drawing apparatus, the temperature of the drawing medium, which is a target to be maintained at an appropriate temperature, can be measured by the temperature measuring means. The temperature of the holding means that holds the drawing medium can be estimated from the temperature of the drawing medium.
Due to the temperature difference between the temperature adjustment medium and the holding means, heat energy is transferred between the temperature adjustment medium and the holding means. The temperature of the temperature adjusting medium and the temperature of the holding means converge to a temperature at which the amount of movement of the heat energy becomes a constant value. Depending on the amount of the temperature adjusting medium, the amount of thermal energy that can be absorbed or released by the temperature adjusting medium with respect to the holding means changes. By adjusting the amount of the temperature adjusting medium, it is possible to adjust the temperature at which the temperature of the holding means converges by adjusting the amount of thermal energy that can be absorbed or released by the temperature adjusting medium with respect to the holding means. By adjusting the temperature at which the temperature of the holding means converges, the temperature at which the temperature of the drawing medium held by the holding means converges can be adjusted.

  Application Example 5 In the drawing apparatus according to the application example, the temperature adjustment unit includes a medium flow path for flowing the temperature adjustment medium, and the temperature measurement unit measures the temperature of the drawing medium, It is preferable that the temperature control means controls the temperature of the temperature adjustment medium that flows through the medium flow path.

According to this drawing apparatus, the temperature of the drawing medium, which is a target to be maintained at an appropriate temperature, can be measured by the temperature measuring means. The temperature of the holding means that holds the drawing medium can be estimated from the temperature of the drawing medium.
Due to the temperature difference between the temperature adjustment medium and the holding means, heat energy is transferred between the temperature adjustment medium and the holding means. The temperature of the temperature adjusting medium and the temperature of the holding means converge to a temperature at which the amount of movement of the heat energy becomes a constant value. The temperature difference between the temperature adjustment medium and the holding means differs depending on the temperature of the temperature adjustment medium, and the amount of heat energy transferred between the temperature adjustment medium and the holding means changes. By adjusting the temperature of the temperature adjusting medium, it is possible to adjust the temperature at which the temperature of the holding means converges by adjusting the amount of thermal energy absorbed or released by the temperature adjusting medium with respect to the holding means. By adjusting the temperature at which the temperature of the holding means converges, the temperature at which the temperature of the drawing medium held by the holding means converges can be adjusted.

  Application Example 6 In the drawing apparatus according to the application example described above, the temperature adjustment unit includes a plurality of sub temperature adjustment units, and each of the sub temperature adjustment units includes a plurality of sub temperature adjustment units. It is preferable to include a medium sub-flow channel that is disposed in a part and constitutes the temperature adjusting means.

  According to this drawing apparatus, the temperature adjusting means includes a plurality of sub temperature adjusting means, and the medium sub flow path provided in the sub temperature adjusting means is disposed in a part of the holding means. The temperature of a part of the holding unit in which the medium sub-channel provided in the sub temperature adjusting unit is arranged can be adjusted by the sub temperature adjusting unit. That is, the temperature of the holding means can be individually adjusted for each portion where the medium sub-channel is provided.

  Application Example 7 In the drawing apparatus according to the application example described above, the drawing unit performs a main scan in which the discharge unit and the drawing medium are relatively moved while discharging the liquid material from the discharge unit. In addition, a main scanning unit that relatively moves the ejection unit and the drawing medium in a main scanning direction, and a sub scanning that relatively moves the ejection unit and the drawing medium in a sub scanning direction that intersects the main scanning direction. And a sub-temperature adjusting section in the holding unit in which the one medium sub-flow path is disposed has a width in the sub-scanning direction that is the liquid in the sub-scanning direction of the ejection unit. The width in the main scanning direction is preferably the width in the main scanning direction of the holding unit.

  According to this drawing apparatus, the width in the sub-scanning direction of the sub-temperature adjustment section is a width capable of discharging the liquid material in the sub-scanning direction of the discharging unit, and the width in the main scanning direction is the main scanning direction of the holding unit. The width at. The discharge means can arrange the liquid material from one end to the other end in the main scanning direction of the holding means with a width capable of discharging the liquid material in the sub-scanning direction of the discharge means in one main scan. The sub temperature adjustment section is provided with one medium sub flow path, and the temperature of the holding means can be individually adjusted for each sub temperature adjustment section. Therefore, the temperature of the holding means can be individually adjusted for each region where the liquid material is arranged in one main scan.

  Application Example 8 In the drawing apparatus according to the application example, it is preferable that the temperature control unit simultaneously operates two sub temperature adjustment units adjacent to each other.

  According to this drawing apparatus, the temperatures of the two sub temperature adjustment sections adjacent to each other are adjusted. The drawing apparatus performs a plurality of main scans on one place of the drawing medium by changing the width of the line feed by the sub-scanning means to be smaller than the width in the sub-scanning direction of the discharging means. There is a case where a so-called minute line feed drawing is performed to place a body. In the case of minute line feed drawing, when the liquid material is discharged toward a region corresponding to one sub temperature adjustment section, the liquid material is also applied to the region corresponding to the sub temperature adjustment section adjacent to the region. It will be in the state which is discharging. By operating the two temperature adjusting means adjacent to each other at the same time, it is possible to adjust the temperature of the portion of the holding means corresponding to the region where the liquid material is being arranged in the minute line drawing.

  Application Example 9 In the drawing apparatus according to the application example described above, it is preferable that the temperature control unit operates the sub temperature adjustment unit to be operated next in advance.

  According to this drawing apparatus, the sub-temperature adjusting means is controlled to be operated in advance before being operated. By operating in advance, the state of the auxiliary temperature adjusting means at the start of operation can be changed to a state in which the sub-temperature adjusting unit is in an appropriate operating state during operation. For example, by adjusting the temperature of the sub-temperature adjustment section to a substantially appropriate temperature in advance operation, in the operating state, the time for raising or lowering the temperature of the sub-temperature adjustment section to a substantially appropriate temperature. Can be suppressed.

  Application Example 10 In the drawing apparatus according to the application example, it is preferable that the temperature adjusting unit is disposed in a portion of the holding unit where the curing promoting unit can face.

  According to this drawing apparatus, the temperature adjusting means is disposed at a portion of the holding means where the curing promoting means can face. The part of the holding means that the curing promoting means can face is a part that holds the part of the drawing medium where the liquid material that the curing promoting means accelerates the curing is disposed. In the drawing medium, the portion where the liquid that the curing promoting means accelerates the curing is disposed is a portion where a temperature change is likely to occur due to the curing promoting means promoting the curing. Therefore, the temperature adjusting unit can adjust the temperature of the holding unit that holds the portion of the drawing medium in which the temperature is likely to change due to the curing accelerating unit promoting the curing.

  [Application Example 11] In the drawing apparatus according to the application example, the temperature control unit is disposed in a portion of the plurality of sub temperature adjustment units facing the curing promoting unit operating in the holding unit. It is preferable to operate the sub temperature adjusting means provided.

  According to this drawing apparatus, the sub temperature adjusting means disposed in the portion of the plurality of sub temperature adjusting means facing the curing accelerating means operating in the holding means is operated. The portion of the holding means facing the active curing accelerating means is the portion of the holding means that holds the portion of the drawing medium where the liquid that the curing accelerating means promotes hardening is disposed. It is. In the drawing medium, the portion where the liquid that the curing promoting means accelerates the curing is disposed is a portion where the temperature change is likely to occur due to the curing promoting means promoting the curing. is there. Thus, the temperature control means includes a sub-temperature adjusting means disposed in the holding means for holding the portion of the drawing medium in which the temperature change is likely to occur due to the hardening accelerating means promoting the hardening. It can be operated.

  Application Example 12 A drawing method according to this application example includes a holding step of holding the drawing medium by holding means, and discharging a liquid material toward the holding drawing medium to land on the drawing medium. A drawing process of arranging the liquid on the drawing medium and drawing an image made of the liquid, and a curing accelerating process of accelerating curing of the liquid arranged on the drawing medium; And a temperature control step of controlling the temperature of the holding means based on a measurement result in the temperature measurement step.

  According to the drawing method according to this application example, the drawing medium can be held in the holding step, and the liquid material can be arranged and drawn on the held drawing medium in the drawing step. In the curing accelerating step, the curing of the liquid disposed on the held drawing medium can be promoted. It is possible to control the temperature of the drawing medium held by the holding unit by measuring the temperature in the temperature measuring step and controlling the temperature of the holding unit based on the measurement result of the temperature measuring step in the temperature control step. it can. For example, the fluctuation of the temperature of the drawing medium caused by promoting the hardening of the liquid in the hardening accelerating process is measured in the temperature measuring process, and the temperature of the holding unit is controlled in the temperature control process to The temperature can be controlled to maintain an appropriate temperature.

  Application Example 13 In the drawing method according to the above application example, the temperature control step is performed using a temperature adjusting unit including a plurality of sub temperature adjusting units, and the drawing step is liquid toward the drawing medium. A drawing and discharging step of discharging a body and landing on the drawing medium, wherein the sub-temperature adjusting unit is a part of the holding unit, and the liquid in one drawing and discharging step of the drawing medium It is disposed in a portion that holds a range corresponding to a region where the body can land, and in the temperature control step, it is preferable to operate the two sub temperature adjusting means adjacent to each other.

  According to this drawing method, in the temperature control step, the two sub temperature adjusting means adjacent to each other are operated. A portion of the holding means where the sub temperature adjusting means is disposed is referred to as a sub temperature adjusting section. Generally, a drawing apparatus draws a planar image by alternately repeating a drawing discharge process and a line feed process. By setting the line feed width in the line feed process to be smaller than the width in which the liquid material can be discharged in the sub-scanning direction of the discharge means, the liquid material is arranged by performing a plurality of main scans on one place of the drawing medium. There is a case where so-called minute line feed drawing is performed. In the case of minute line feed drawing, when the liquid material is discharged toward a region corresponding to one sub temperature adjustment section, the liquid material is also applied to the region corresponding to the sub temperature adjustment section adjacent to the region. It will be in the state which is discharging. By operating the two temperature adjusting means adjacent to each other at the same time, it is possible to adjust the temperature of the portion of the holding means corresponding to the region where the liquid material is being arranged in the minute line drawing.

  Application Example 14 It is preferable that the drawing method according to the application example further includes a preliminary operation process in which the sub-temperature adjusting unit that is operated in the temperature control process is operated in advance prior to the temperature control process.

  According to this drawing method, the auxiliary temperature adjusting means is pre-operated in the pre-operation process before being operated. By operating in advance prior to the temperature control step, the state of the sub temperature adjusting means at the start of operation in the temperature control step can be changed to a state in which the sub-temperature adjusting unit is in an appropriate operating state during operation. For example, by adjusting the temperature of the sub-temperature adjustment section to a substantially appropriate temperature in advance operation, in the temperature control process, the temperature of the sub-temperature adjustment section is increased or decreased to be a substantially appropriate temperature. Time can be suppressed.

(A) is a schematic plan view which shows schematic structure of a drawing apparatus. FIG. 2B is a schematic side view illustrating a schematic configuration of the drawing 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. 3 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of the head unit and a positional relationship between the head unit and the curing unit. Explanatory drawing which shows the structure of a cooling unit. Explanatory drawing which shows the electrical structure and signal flow of a droplet discharge head. (A) is explanatory drawing which shows the arrangement position of a discharge nozzle. (B) is explanatory drawing which shows the state which made the droplet land linearly in the extension direction of a nozzle row. (C) is explanatory drawing which shows the state which made the droplet land linearly in the main scanning direction. (D) is explanatory drawing which shows the state which made the droplet land in surface shape. (A) is a flowchart which shows all the processes of a drawing process. FIG. 6B is a flowchart illustrating an image drawing process in the drawing process. (C) is a flowchart which shows the table temperature adjustment process in a drawing process. Explanatory drawing which shows the position of the to-be-drawn area | region of a film with respect to an adsorption | suction table, and the position of a drawing line in a drawing process. Explanatory drawing which shows the structure of a cooling unit. (A) is a flowchart which shows all the processes of a drawing process. FIG. 6B is a flowchart illustrating an image drawing process in the drawing process. (C) is a flowchart which shows the table temperature adjustment process in a drawing process. Explanatory drawing which shows the position of the to-be-drawn area | region of a film with respect to an adsorption | suction table, and the position of a drawing line in a drawing process.

  Hereinafter, a drawing apparatus and a drawing method will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a drawing apparatus and a drawing method used in a step of drawing an image on a belt-like film that is an example of a drawing medium will be described as an example.

<Droplet ejection method>
First, a droplet discharge method used for discharging a drawing functional liquid in a drawing 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.

<Drawing device>
Next, the configuration of the drawing apparatus 1 for drawing on the film 10 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a drawing apparatus. FIG. 1A is a schematic plan view showing a schematic configuration of the drawing apparatus, and FIG. 1B is a schematic side view showing a schematic configuration of the drawing apparatus. The film 10 corresponds to a drawing medium.

As shown in FIG. 1, the drawing 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), and a maintenance device unit 5. ing.
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 drawing target. The supply / discharge mechanism unit 3 supplies and discharges the film 10, which is a drawing target for landing the droplets discharged from the droplet discharge head 20, to the drawing 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 drawing apparatus 1 is also provided with a drawing apparatus control unit 8 (see FIG. 4) 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 30, an idler roller 37, an idler roller 38, a Y-axis scanning mechanism 42, a cooling unit 71 (see FIG. 4), It has.
The Y-axis scanning mechanism 42 includes a pair of Y-axis guide rails 42a and Y-axis sliders 42b. The suction unit 30 includes a suction table 33, 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 the film 10 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 with the suction table 33 interposed therebetween, 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 30 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 suction table 33 of the suction unit 30 is fixed to a table elevating mechanism 44 fixed to the table base 43. The table elevating mechanism 44 is capable of raising and lowering the suction table 33 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. 4) is supported so as to be held at a suction position, which is a predetermined position in the Z-axis direction, and at 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 33a of the suction table 33 located at the suction position is a position that 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 described later.
The suction table 33 is provided with a medium flow path 72 (see FIG. 4) constituting the cooling unit 71 and the like. Details of the cooling unit 71 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 33 in the Y-axis direction. The film 10 is supplied substantially parallel to the Y-axis direction, and the supply roller 34 and the driven roller 34a are disposed on the upstream side of the suction table 33 in the supply direction of the film 10, and the medium feeding roller 36 and the driven roller 36a. Is disposed downstream of the suction table 33.
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. The suction table 33, the supply roller 34 and the driven roller 34a, and the medium feeding roller 36 and the driven roller 36a are slidable in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42, and are at arbitrary positions in the Y-axis direction. It can be held.

  The supply reel 31, the idler roller 37, the suction unit 30, the idler roller 38, and the take-up reel 32 provided in the supply / discharge mechanism unit 3 are arranged in this order. In the suction unit 30, the supply roller 34 and the driven roller 34a, the suction table 33, 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 33, 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-like 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 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. 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 30, 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. Thereby, a length substantially equal to the rotation length of the outer periphery due to the rotation of the medium feeding roller 36 is fed.

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 33a of the suction table 33 faces the stretched portion. The position of the suction surface 33a of the suction table 33 located at the suction position described above 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 33 a of the suction table 33 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 33 sucks the film 10 on the suction surface 33a. The adsorption surface 33a is a flat surface, and the portion of the film 10 adsorbed on the adsorption surface 33a is maintained in a flat state. The suction surface 33 a of the suction table 33 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 33 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 due to the deformation of the shape of the film 10.
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. The medium feed roller 36, the driven roller 36 a and the idler are brought into contact with a portion of the film 10 between the medium feed roller 36 and the driven roller 36 a and the take-up reel 32 with the idler roller 38 being urged. The portions between the rollers 38 and between the idler roller 38 and the take-up reel 32 are stretched almost 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 30, the tensioned state is maintained substantially without slack.

In such a state, the film 10 is fed from the supply reel 31 to the take-up reel 32, and drawing is performed on a portion sucked by the suction table 33 in the middle. 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 a direction expressed as an X-axis direction, and a feeding direction of the film 10 is a direction expressed as a Y-axis direction.
The suction table 33 corresponds to a holding unit.

The head mechanism unit 2 includes a head carriage 22, an X-axis scanning mechanism 11, and a curing unit 6.
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.
A pair of support column bases 11d and 11d are arranged on the both sides of the suction table 33 in the X-axis direction, respectively, and are arranged at positions that sandwich the pair of Y-axis guide rails 42a and 42a. 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 above the suction table 33 in the X-axis direction. 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 33, the X axis 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 33a of the suction table 33 faces.

The curing unit 6 includes a support frame (not shown), a UVLED (Ultraviolet Light Emitting Diode) 61a, an LED housing 62a, a UVLED 61b, and an LED housing 62b. The UVLED 61a and the UVLED 61b are LEDs that emit ultraviolet rays.
The LED housing 62a is fixed to the side surface of the sub-carriage 28 on the main scanning direction (X-axis direction) side via a support frame. The LED casing 62a has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped outer shape, and a casing chamber having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and having an open surface is formed therein. The housing chamber is open on the side facing the suction table 33. The UVLED 61a is fixed in the housing chamber in a state of emitting ultraviolet rays to the opening side. A plurality of UVLEDs 61a are arranged side by side in the Y-axis direction (sub-scanning direction). The plurality of UV LEDs 61 a can irradiate ultraviolet rays in a range including a width in which the head unit 21 can arrange the functional liquid in the Y-axis direction. The curing unit 6 corresponds to curing acceleration means.

  The UVLED 61b and the LED housing 62b have the same configuration as the UVLED 61a or the LED housing 62b. The UVLED 61b and the LED housing 62b are fixed to the side surface of the sub-carriage 28, similarly to the UVLED 61a and the LED housing 62a, on the opposite side of the UVLED 61a and the LED housing 62a in the X-axis direction (main scanning direction). That is, the curing unit 6 is disposed in a substantially symmetrical state with respect to the head unit 21 on both sides of the head unit 21 in the X-axis direction (main scanning direction). The curing unit 6 is moved in the main scanning direction integrally with the head unit 21 by the X-axis scanning mechanism 11.

  By moving the suction unit 30 in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42, the suction table 33 of the suction unit 30 can be scanned in the Y-axis direction. That is, the portion of the film 10 held by suction on the suction table 33 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. In parallel, the UVLED 61a and the UVLED 61b of the curing unit 6 fixed to the sub-carriage 28 can be scanned in the X-axis direction.

The X-axis scanning mechanism 11 scans the droplet discharge head 20 of the head unit 21 in the X-axis direction, and the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42 scans the portion of the film 10 that is sucked and held by the suction table 33 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 33. Similarly, the UVLED 61a and the UVLED 61b can face the substantially entire surface of the portion of the film 10 held by suction on the suction table 33.
The X-axis scanning mechanism 11 corresponds to main scanning means. The Y-axis scanning mechanism 42 corresponds to the sub scanning unit.

  The drawing target portion of the film 10 sucked and held on the suction table 33 is moved to the discharge position in the Y-axis direction and stopped, and the functional liquid for drawing is liquidated in synchronization with the movement of the head unit 21 in the X-axis direction. It is discharged as a drop. In parallel, the curing unit 6 provided in parallel with the head unit 21 irradiates the functional liquid discharged and landed on the drawing target portion with ultraviolet rays.

By controlling main scanning for moving the head unit 21 in the X-axis direction and line feed (sub-scanning) for moving the film 10 sucked and held by the suction table 33 in the Y-axis direction, the suction surface 33a of the suction table 33 is controlled. The head unit 21 is made to oppose to an arbitrary position on the film 10 adsorbed onto the film 10. At the same time, it is possible to perform desired drawing or the like by landing droplets of the functional liquid discharged from the droplet discharge head 20 of the head unit 21. In parallel, the drawn image or the like can be substantially fixed by irradiating the functional liquid constituting the image with ultraviolet rays from the curing unit 6 arranged in parallel with the head unit 21 and substantially curing the functional liquid.
The head mechanism unit 2 and the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42 correspond to a drawing unit.

<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 attached to the drawing 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 drawing 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 in a state where the droplet discharge head 20 is mounted on the drawing 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 part in which an electrode layer and a piezoelectric material are stacked. In the piezoelectric element 59, by applying a driving voltage to the electrode layer, the active portion contracts in the longitudinal direction (the thickness direction of the diaphragm 52 in FIG. 2B or 2C). When the drive voltage applied to the electrode layer is released, the active portion returns to its original length.

  When the driving voltage is applied to the electrode layer and the active portion of the piezoelectric element 59 is contracted, the vibration plate 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 and curing unit>
Next, a schematic configuration of the head unit 21 provided in the head mechanism unit 2 and a positional relationship between the head unit 21 and the curing unit 6 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of the head unit and a positional relationship between the head unit and the curing unit. The X axis and Y axis shown in FIG. 3 coincide with the X axis and Y axis shown in FIG. 1 when the head unit 21 is attached to the drawing 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 drawing 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 discharged from the discharge nozzle 24 of one head unit 21 and landed so that the X-axis direction is at the same position, a straight line is formed in which 3240 points are connected at a pitch interval of 70 μm.

  As described above, the curing unit 6 is disposed on both sides of the head unit 21 in the X axis direction (main scanning direction) in a substantially symmetrical state with respect to the head unit 21. On both sides of the head unit 21, a plurality of UVLEDs 61a or UVLEDs 61b are arranged side by side in the Y-axis direction (sub-scanning direction). The plurality of UVLEDs 61a or UVLEDs 61b can irradiate ultraviolet rays in a range including a width in which the unit nozzle row 240A can arrange the functional liquid in the Y-axis direction.

When the head unit 21 is scanned in the X-axis direction (main scanning direction) and discharges the functional liquid, the UVLED 61a or the UVLED 61b arranged alongside the head unit 21 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays substantially in parallel.
By irradiating ultraviolet rays from the UVLED 61a or the UVLED 61b located on the rear side of the head unit 21 in the scanning direction, it is possible to irradiate ultraviolet rays immediately after landing on the discharged functional liquid. The functional liquid can be cured by irradiating the functional liquid with ultraviolet rays. Factors affecting the curing rate of the functional liquid are the scanning speed, the width of the irradiation region of the UVLED 61a and the UVLED 61b in the X-axis direction, the irradiation intensity of the UVLED 61a and the UVLED 61b, and the like. By setting these factors to appropriate values, the landed functional liquid can be cured to an appropriate curing rate.

<Cooling unit>
Next, the cooling unit 71 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the cooling unit. The X axis and the Y axis shown in FIG. 4 coincide with the X axis and the Y axis shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 4, the cooling unit 71 includes a medium flow path 72, an opening / closing valve 73, a supply pipe 74 a, a drain pipe 74 b, a supply pump 76, a temperature controller 77, and a thermometer 79. And. The cooling unit 71 also includes a table temperature control unit 81 that controls the open / close valve 73, the liquid supply pump 76, and the temperature controller 77.

  The medium flow path 72 is formed in the suction table 33. A suction groove 33 b is formed on the suction surface 33 a of the suction table 33. The suction table 33 includes a suction hole (not shown) that opens at the bottom of the suction groove 33b, and the suction hole is made negative by a negative pressure device (not shown) to which the suction hole is connected. By making the suction hole negative, the suction groove 33b having the suction hole opened at the bottom is made negative pressure, and the film 10 and the like are sucked by the suction surface 33a.

The medium channel 72 includes an inflow channel 72a, a branch channel 72b, and an outflow channel 72c. One end of the inflow channel 72a opens near the side surface of the suction table 33 that is substantially parallel to the X-axis direction and that is substantially parallel to the Y-axis direction. The inflow channel 72a is bent at a substantially right angle near the opening, and extends in the Y-axis direction near the side surface substantially parallel to the Y-axis direction and the suction surface 33a. One end of a plurality of branch channels 72b is connected to a portion of the inflow channel 72a extending in the Y-axis direction. The plurality of branch channels 72b are arranged at substantially equal intervals in the Y-axis direction, and extend in the X-axis direction near the suction surface 33a. The end of the branch channel 72b opposite to the one connected to the inflow channel 72a is connected to the outflow channel 72c. The outflow channel 72c has a shape symmetrical to the inflow channel 72a with respect to a straight line that passes through the center position of the adsorption surface 33a and is perpendicular to the adsorption surface 33a, and is formed at a symmetrical position.
The inflow channel 72a, the branch channel 72b, and the outflow channel 72c are formed at positions that do not overlap with the openings of the suction holes in the surface direction of the suction surface 33a.

The drainage pipe 74b is connected to the outflow passage 72c via a connection member (not shown).
One end of the liquid supply pipe 74a is connected to the inflow channel 72a via a connection member (not shown). An opening / closing valve 73 is attached in the liquid supply pipe 74a near the connection portion with the inflow channel 72a. The flow path of the liquid supply pipe 74 a can be opened and closed by the opening / closing valve 73. An end of the liquid supply pipe 74 a opposite to the end connected to the inflow channel 72 a is connected to the liquid supply pump 76. The liquid supply pump 76 is connected to a temperature controller 77.
The liquid supply pipe 74a and the drainage pipe 74b are made of a flexible material. Since the liquid supply pipe 74a and the drainage pipe 74b are bent easily, the liquid supply pipe 74a and the drainage pipe 74b become loads that impede the movement of the suction table 33 when the suction table 33 moves in the Y-axis direction. Is suppressed.

  In the cooling unit 71, the temperature controller 77 functions as a cooler. The temperature control medium cooled by the temperature controller 77 is sent by the liquid supply pump 76 to the inflow flow path 72a of the medium flow path 72 via the liquid supply pipe 74a. The temperature control medium is divided into a plurality of branch channels 72b from the inflow channel 72a and flows, and the suction table 33 is cooled by flowing through the branch channels 72b. The temperature control medium that has flowed while being divided into the plurality of branch flow paths 72b joins in the outflow flow path 72c and is discharged through the drainage pipe 74b. For example, water can be used as the temperature control medium.

  The thermometer 79 opens in a side surface substantially parallel to the Y-axis direction of the suction table 33 and is disposed in a hole formed so as to extend in the X-axis direction. The thermometer 79 can measure the temperature of the suction table 33 by measuring the temperature of the hole wall. One thermometer 79 is disposed near the connection between the liquid supply pipe 74a and the inflow passage 72a and near the connection between the drainage pipe 74b and the outflow passage 72c.

The table temperature control unit 81 is provided in the drawing apparatus control unit 8. The table temperature control unit 81 is electrically connected to the open / close valve 73, the liquid supply pump 76, the temperature controller 77, and the thermometer 79.
The table temperature control unit 81 acquires temperature information of the adsorption table 33 measured by the thermometer 79, and controls the open / close valve 73, the liquid supply pump 76, and the temperature controller 77 based on the temperature information.
The medium flow path 72, the open / close valve 73, the liquid supply pipe 74a, the drainage pipe 74b, the liquid supply pump 76, and the temperature controller 77 correspond to the temperature adjusting means. The thermometer 79 corresponds to a temperature measuring unit. The table temperature control unit 81 corresponds to a temperature control unit. The temperature adjustment medium corresponds to a temperature adjustment medium.

<Discharge of functional liquid>
Next, a discharge control method from the droplet discharge head 20 in the drawing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an electrical configuration of the droplet discharge head and a signal flow.

As described above, the drawing apparatus 1 includes the drawing apparatus control unit 8 that controls the operation of each unit of the drawing apparatus 1. The drawing apparatus control unit 8 includes a CPU 84 that outputs a control signal and a head driver 20 d that performs electrical drive control of the droplet discharge head 20.
As shown in FIG. 5, the head driver 20d is electrically connected to each droplet discharge head 20 via an FFC cable. The droplet discharge head 20 corresponds to the piezoelectric element 59 provided for each discharge nozzle 24 (see FIG. 2), and includes a shift register (SL) 85, a latch circuit (LAT) 86, and a level shifter (LS). ) 87 and a switch (SW) 88.

  The discharge control in the drawing apparatus 1 is performed as follows. First, the CPU 84 transmits dot pattern data obtained by converting the arrangement pattern of the functional liquid on the drawing object such as the film 10 to the head driver 20d. Then, the head driver 20d decodes the dot pattern data to generate nozzle data that is ON / OFF (discharge / non-discharge) information for each discharge nozzle 24. The nozzle data is converted into a serial signal (SI) and transmitted to each shift register 85 in synchronization with the clock signal (CK).

  The nozzle data transmitted to the shift register 85 is latched at the timing when the latch signal (LAT) is input to the latch circuit 86, and further converted into a gate signal for the switch 88 by the level shifter 87. That is, when the nozzle data is “ON”, the switch 88 is opened and the drive signal (COM) is supplied to the piezoelectric element 59. When the nozzle data is “OFF”, the switch 88 is closed and the piezoelectric element 59 is closed. The drive signal (COM) is not supplied. Then, the functional liquid is discharged as droplets from the discharge nozzle 24 corresponding to “ON”, and the discharged droplets of the functional liquid land on the drawing object such as the film 10, and the drawing object The functional liquid is placed on the top.

<Landing position>
Next, the relationship between the discharge nozzles 24 of the droplet discharge head 20 and the landing positions of the droplets discharged from the respective discharge nozzles 24 will be described. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the discharge nozzles and the landing positions of the liquid droplets discharged from the respective discharge nozzles. FIG. 6A is an explanatory diagram showing the arrangement positions of the discharge nozzles, and FIG. 6B is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which droplets are landed linearly in the extending direction of the nozzle rows, FIG. 6C is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which droplets are landed linearly in the main scanning direction, and FIG. 6D is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which droplets are landed in a planar shape. is there. The X axis and Y axis shown in FIG. 6 coincide with the X axis and Y axis shown in FIG. 1 when the head unit 21 is attached to the drawing apparatus 1. The X-axis direction is the main scanning direction, and liquid droplets are discharged at an arbitrary position while the discharge nozzle 24 (droplet discharge head 20) is relatively moved in the direction of arrow a shown in FIG. Thus, the droplet can be landed at an arbitrary position in the X-axis direction.

  As shown in FIG. 6A, the discharge nozzles 24 constituting the nozzle row 24A are arranged at the center distance of the nozzle pitch P in the Y-axis direction. As described above, the positions of the discharge nozzles 24 constituting the two nozzle rows 24A are shifted from each other by ½ of the nozzle pitch P in the Y-axis direction.

  As shown in FIG. 6 (b), the landing point 91 indicating the landing position and the landing circle 91A indicating the wet and spreading state of the landed droplets indicate the state of one landed droplet. By ejecting droplets from all the ejection nozzles 24 of the two nozzle rows 24A on the virtual line L indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. A straight line formed by landing circles 91 </ b> A is formed at a center-to-center spacing of / 2.

  As shown in FIG. 6C, by continuously ejecting droplets from one ejection nozzle 24, a straight line is formed in which landing circles 91A are continuous in the X-axis direction. The minimum value of the center-to-center distance between the landing points 91 in the X-axis direction is denoted as the minimum landing distance d. The minimum landing distance d is a product of the relative movement speed in the main scanning direction and the minimum discharge interval of the discharge nozzle 24.

  As shown in FIG. 6 (d), by ejecting liquid droplets at the timing of landing on virtual lines L1, L2, and L3 indicated by two-dot chain lines, the center-to-center spacing of 1/2 of the nozzle pitch P is obtained. Thus, a landing surface is formed in which the straight lines connecting the landing circles 91A are arranged in parallel in the X-axis direction. Each landing point 91 in the case where the distance between the virtual lines L1, L2, and L3 shown in FIG. 6D is the minimum landing distance d is a position where the liquid droplet of the functional liquid can be placed by the drawing device 1.

  At the time of drawing an image, a position where a droplet is arranged is determined for each position of the landing point 91 shown in FIG. For example, an arrangement table specifying the arrangement position and the discharge nozzles 24 that discharge droplets at the arrangement position is formed, and the functional liquid is landed according to the arrangement table, thereby drawing an image defined by the image information. In the example shown in FIG. 6 (d), there is a gap between the landing circles 91A, but the discharge weight per one droplet to be discharged is appropriate for the nozzle pitch P and the minimum landing distance d. It is possible to arrange the functional liquid without gaps.

<Drawing process>
Next, a drawing process of drawing on the film 10 by the drawing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the drawing process. FIG. 7A is a flowchart showing the entire drawing process, FIG. 7B is a flowchart showing the image drawing process in the drawing process, and FIG. 7C is a table temperature adjustment in the drawing process. It is a flowchart which shows a process. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the position of the drawing area of the film and the position of the drawing line with respect to the suction table in the drawing process. The X axis and the Y axis shown in FIG. 8 coincide with the X axis and the Y axis shown in FIG.

  In step S1 of FIG. 7A, the cooling unit 71 is operated to adjust the temperature of the suction table 33 to a predetermined temperature. The predetermined temperature is, for example, the temperature of the film 10 in the environment where the drawing apparatus 1 is installed.

Next, in step S <b> 2, the film 10 is sucked onto the suction table 33.
First, the film 10 is moved in the Y-axis direction, and the drawing area 101 of the film 10 is positioned at a position facing the suction surface 33 a of the suction table 33. The movement of the film 10 in the Y-axis direction is performed by rotating the supply roller 34 and the medium feed roller 36 described above. The drawing area 101 is an area of the film 10 in which drawing can be performed without releasing the state where the film 10 is sucked to the suction table 33.
Next, the drawing area 101 of the film 10 is sucked by the suction table 33. The substantially entire surface of the film 10 that overlaps the suction table 33 is sucked by the suction table 33, and the drawing area 101 is sucked in a state of following the suction surface 33a.

  Next, in step S3, the suction table 33 is moved in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42, and the drawing area 101 sucked by the suction table 33 is moved to the drawing start position. The drawing start position is a position where the position of the drawing area 101 with respect to the head unit 21 in the Y-axis direction can start drawing scanning for causing the head unit 21 to scan in the X-axis direction and discharging functional liquid from the droplet discharge head 20. is there. The drawing area 101 shown in FIG. 8 is located at the drawing start position when the position of the head unit 21 is the position indicated by the head unit 21a. The drawing start position in this case is a drawing start position when drawing is performed by sequentially performing drawing scanning on the drawing area 101 from the most downstream side (the take-up reel 32 side) in the feeding direction of the film 10.

Next, in step S4 of FIG. 7A, image drawing and temperature adjustment of the suction table 33 are performed.
The image drawing process in step S4 is performed by performing each process shown in FIG. The temperature adjustment process of the suction table 33 in step S4 is performed by performing each process shown in FIG.

In step S41 of FIG. 7B, which is the first step in the image drawing process, drawing scanning is performed.
The head unit 21 located at the position of the head unit 21 a is scanned in the X-axis direction (main scanning direction) by the X-axis scanning mechanism 11. At the same time, the liquid droplets of the functional liquid are ejected from the ejection nozzle 24 at the time when the liquid droplets of the functional liquid are landed on the position corresponding to the drawing shape, thereby drawing on the first drawing line 121. In parallel, the curing unit 6 is operated and the functional liquid arranged in the first drawing row 121 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays and cured by the UVLED 61a or the UVLED 61b.

  The first drawing row 121 has a unit drawing width WU in which the width in the Y-axis direction can be drawn by the unit nozzle row 240A of the head unit 21. The first drawing line 121 is an area located on the most downstream side (winding reel 32 side) in the traveling direction of the film 10 in the drawing area 101. The head unit 21 that has performed drawing scanning on the first drawing row 121 is located at the position of the head unit 21b shown in FIG. The width WE in the Y-axis direction of the drawing area 101 is four times the unit drawing width WU.

  Next, in step S <b> 42 of FIG. 7B, it is determined whether or not the drawing on the drawing area 101 where the drawing of the film 10 is currently performed is completed. If the drawing on the drawing area 101 has not been completed (NO in step S42), the process proceeds to step S43.

  After step S42, line feed (sub scanning) is performed in step S43. The line feed is performed by moving the suction table 33 that sucks the drawing area 101 by the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42 in the direction indicated by the arrow a in FIG. 8 in the Y-axis direction. The line feed width is, for example, the unit drawing width WU that can be drawn by the unit nozzle row 240A. By performing the line feed of the line feed width WU, as shown in FIG. 8, the drawing target area 101 is placed on the second drawing line 122 adjacent to the first drawing line 121 by the unit nozzle row 240A of the head unit 21c. Located at a position where drawing is possible.

  Since the line feed is performed by moving the suction table 33 in the Y-axis direction, the position of the head unit 21 in the Y-axis direction is fixed. However, in FIG. 8, the head unit 21 is shown at a position where the head unit 21 is relatively moved for easy understanding of the drawing. The head unit 21 b and the head unit 21 c indicate that the head unit 21 has moved relative to the drawing area 101. In the drawing apparatus 1, the head unit 21b and the head unit 21c are at the same position.

  After step S43, the process proceeds to step S41, and steps S41 and S42 are repeated. After the line feed of step S43 is performed and the drawing target area 101 is positioned at a position where drawing on the second drawing line 122 can be performed by the unit nozzle row 240A, the head unit positioned at the position of the head unit 21c is performed in step S41. Drawing scanning is performed in which 21 is scanned in the X-axis direction by the X-axis scanning mechanism 11. The head unit 21 that has performed drawing scanning on the second drawing row 122 is located at the position of the head unit 21d shown in FIG. The position of the head unit 21d is substantially the same as the position of the head unit 21a.

By repeating Step S43, Step S41, and Step S42, the drawing is performed on the third drawing line 123 and the fourth drawing line 124 following the first drawing line 121 and the second drawing line 122, and the drawing is performed. Drawing on the entire area 101 is completed.
If the drawing on the drawing area 101 has been completed (YES in step S42), the image drawing process in step S4 of FIG.

  In step S46 of FIG. 7C, which is the first step in the temperature adjustment process, the temperature of the suction table 33 is measured. Two thermometers 79 measure the temperature of the suction table 33. The table temperature control unit 81 acquires measured temperature information.

Next, in step S47, the acquired temperature measurement value of the adsorption table 33 is compared with a reference value to determine whether or not the temperature fluctuation amount is within the standard.
If the temperature variation is within the standard (YES in step S47), the process returns to step S46, and steps S46 and S47 are repeated.
If the temperature variation exceeds the standard value (NO in step S47), the process proceeds to step S48.

  Next, in step S48, the temperature of the suction table 33 is adjusted. In step S1 described above, the cooling unit 71 is operated to adjust the temperature of the suction table 33 to a predetermined temperature. Accordingly, when the temperature fluctuation amount exceeds the standard value, there is a high possibility that the temperature of the film 10 or the suction table 33 fluctuates due to the ultraviolet irradiation in the drawing scan in step S41. The table temperature control unit 81 adjusts the temperature of the suction table 33 by changing the operating condition of the cooling unit 71. The operating conditions of the cooling unit 71 include the cooling temperature (adjusted temperature) of the temperature control medium by the temperature controller 77 and the flow rate of the temperature control medium by the open / close valve 73 and the liquid supply pump 76.

Next, in step S49, it is determined whether or not drawing on the drawing area 101 on which the film 10 is currently drawn is completed. Step S49 is the same step as step S42 described above.
If the drawing in the drawing area 101 has not been completed (NO in step S49), the process returns to step S46, and the processes from step S46 to step S49 are repeated.
If the drawing on the drawing area 101 has been completed (YES in step S49), the temperature adjustment process in step S4 of FIG.

Next to step S4 in FIG. 7A, in step S5 in FIG. 7A, it is determined whether or not drawing on the entire drawing target area of the film 10 has been completed.
If the drawing of the entire drawing target area of the film 10 has not been completed (NO in step S5), the process proceeds to step S6.
In step S <b> 6, the film 10 is fed, and the portion of the drawing area 101 where drawing is performed next is positioned at a position facing the suction surface 33 a of the suction table 33. After step S6, the process returns to step S2, and steps S2 to S5 are repeated.
If the drawing on the entire drawing target area of the film 10 has been completed (YES in step S5), the drawing process of drawing on the film 10 by the drawing apparatus 1 ends.

<Cooling unit-2>
Next, a cooling unit 171 that is partially different from the cooling unit 71 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the cooling unit. The X axis and the Y axis shown in FIG. 9 coincide with the X axis and the Y axis shown in FIG. 1 when the cooling unit 171 is incorporated in a drawing apparatus having the same configuration as the drawing apparatus 1.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the cooling unit 171 includes four cooling blocks 171a, a supply pipe 174a, a drain pipe 174b, a supply pump 76, a temperature controller 77, and a thermometer 79. I have. The cooling block 171 a includes a medium flow path 172 and an opening / closing valve 73. The cooling unit 171 also includes a table temperature control unit 181 that controls the opening / closing valve 73, the liquid supply pump 76, and the temperature controller 77.

  The medium flow path 172 is formed in the suction table 333. The suction table 333 is different from the suction table 33 in that a cooling unit 171 having a partially different configuration from the cooling unit 71 is incorporated. The suction table 333 includes the same suction surface 33a as the suction table 33, and a suction groove 33b is formed. Similarly to the suction table 33, the suction groove 33b is set to a negative pressure, and the film 10 and the like are sucked to the suction surface 33a. The suction table 333 corresponds to a holding unit.

In each cooling block 171a, the medium flow path 172 has two branch flow paths 172a and a connection flow path 172b. One end of the branch channel 172a opens on a side surface substantially parallel to the Y-axis direction of the suction table 333, and extends in the X-axis direction near the suction surface 33a. The connection channel 172b connects the ends on the opposite side to the openings of the two branch channels 172a near the side surface substantially parallel to the Y-axis direction on the opposite side to the side surface on which the branch channel 172a is open. .
The branch flow path 172a and the connection flow path 172b are formed at positions that do not overlap with the openings of the suction holes in the surface direction of the suction surface 33a.

The drainage pipe 174b includes four branch ends, and each branch end is connected to one opening of the branch channel 172a via a connection member (not shown).
The liquid supply pipe 174a has four branch ends, and each branch end is connected to an opening on the opposite side of the opening to which the drain pipe 174b is connected in the branch flow path 172a via a connection member (not shown). It is connected. An opening / closing valve 73 is attached in the liquid supply pipe 174a near the connection portion with the branch flow path 172a. The opening / closing valve 73 can open and close the flow path at the branch end of the liquid supply pipe 174a. Thereby, the flow amount of the temperature control medium to be flowed can be adjusted for each cooling block 171a by the opening / closing valve 73.
An end of the liquid supply pipe 174 a opposite to the branched side is connected to the liquid supply pump 76. The liquid supply pump 76 is connected to a temperature controller 77.
The liquid supply pipe 174a and the drainage pipe 174b are made of a flexible material. Since the liquid supply pipe 174a and the drainage pipe 174b are bent easily, the liquid supply pipe 174a and the drainage pipe 174b become loads that impede the movement of the suction table 333 when the suction table 333 moves in the Y-axis direction. That is restrained.

  In the cooling unit 171, the temperature controller 77 functions as a cooler. The temperature control medium cooled by the temperature controller 77 is sent to the medium flow path 172 by the liquid supply pump 76 via the liquid supply pipe 174a. The temperature adjustment medium cools the suction table 333 by flowing through the branch channel 172a and the like. The temperature control medium that has flowed through the medium flow path 172 is discharged through the drain pipe 174b. For example, water can be used as the temperature control medium.

  The thermometer 79 is opened in a side surface of the suction table 333 that is substantially parallel to the Y-axis direction, in which the connection channel 172b is formed nearby, and is formed in a hole that extends in the X-axis direction. It is arranged. The thermometer 79 can measure the temperature of the suction table 333 by measuring the temperature of the hole wall. One thermometer 79 is arranged for each cooling block 171a.

The table temperature control unit 181 is provided in the drawing apparatus control unit 108. The table temperature control unit 181 is electrically connected to the opening / closing valve 73, the liquid supply pump 76, the temperature controller 77, and the thermometer 79.
The table temperature control unit 181 acquires the temperature information of the adsorption table 333 measured by the thermometer 79 for each cooling block 171a. The table temperature control unit 181 controls the temperature of the adsorption table 333 for each cooling block 171a by controlling the open / close valve 73, the liquid supply pump 76, and the temperature controller 77 based on the acquired temperature information.

Each cooling block 171 a corresponds to the first drawing row 121, the second drawing row 122, the third drawing row 123, or the fourth drawing row 124 of the drawing area 101 in the film 10 held by suction on the suction table 333. It is arranged at the position to do. The cooling unit 171 controls the temperature of the suction table 333 for each cooling block 171a, so that the first drawing row 121, the second drawing row 122, the third drawing row 123, or the The temperature can be controlled for each of the four drawing lines 124. A range in the suction table 333 in which each cooling block 171a can control the temperature corresponds to a temperature adjustment section.
The cooling block 171a, the liquid supply pipe 174a, the drainage pipe 174b, the liquid supply pump 76, and the temperature controller 77 correspond to the temperature adjusting means. The cooling block 171a corresponds to the sub temperature adjusting means. A medium flow path 172 included in the cooling block 171a corresponds to a medium sub-flow path. The table temperature control unit 181 corresponds to a temperature control unit.

<Drawing process-2>
Next, a drawing process of drawing on the film 10 using a drawing apparatus having the cooling unit 171 and having the same configuration as the drawing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the drawing process. FIG. 10A is a flowchart showing the entire drawing process, FIG. 10B is a flowchart showing the image drawing process in the drawing process, and FIG. 10C is a table temperature adjustment in the drawing process. It is a flowchart which shows a process. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the position of the drawing area of the film and the position of the drawing line with respect to the suction table in the drawing process. The X axis and the Y axis shown in FIG. 11 coincide with the X axis and the Y axis shown in FIG. 1 when the cooling unit 171 is incorporated in a drawing apparatus having the same configuration as the drawing apparatus 1. .

In step S71 of FIG. 10A, the cooling unit 171 is operated to adjust the temperature of the suction table 333 to a predetermined temperature. The predetermined temperature is, for example, the temperature of the film 10 in the environment where the drawing apparatus 1 is installed. The cooling block 171a operated in the cooling unit 171 includes a cooling block 171a that holds a region where the functional liquid is arranged in the first drawing scan of the suction table 333, and a cooling block 171a adjacent to the cooling block 171a. is there. In the cooling unit 171, the cooling block 171 a can be individually activated by opening and closing the opening / closing valve 73 corresponding to the cooling block 171 a.
In step S71, by operating the cooling block 171a of the cooling unit 171 in advance, it is possible to quickly bring the cooling block 171a into an appropriate operating state when performing temperature adjustment corresponding to image drawing.

  Step S72 is the same as step S2 described with reference to FIG.

  Next, in step S73, the suction table 333 is moved in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42, and the drawing area 101 sucked by the suction table 333 is moved to the drawing start position.

  Here, the minute line feed drawing step performed in the drawing step will be described. The width in the Y-axis direction that can be drawn by the unit nozzle row 240A of the head unit 21 is referred to as a unit drawing width WU. In the minute line drawing, the minute line break width WK is (1 / m) of the unit drawing width WU (m is an integer), and it is possible to draw using one discharge nozzle 24 in one drawing scan. This is a drawing method in which a drawing image is formed using m discharge nozzles 24 by performing drawing scanning m times. For example, it is possible to form a straight line by continuously landing droplets in the drawing scanning direction using one discharge nozzle 24. Using the m discharge nozzles 24 that are separated from each other by a minute line feed width WK in the sub-scanning direction in the head unit 21, 1 is obtained for each of m droplets that form the straight line in each discharge nozzle 24. It is formed by ejecting individual droplets. In the discharge nozzle 24, the discharge amount and the landing position vary within a range that satisfies the standard. By using m ejection nozzles 24, the influence of the variation can be reduced.

In the minute line feed drawing shown in FIG. 11, the minute line feed width WK is (1/4) of the unit drawing width WU.
The minute drawing line 221, the minute drawing line 222, the minute drawing line 223, and the minute drawing line 224 have a minute line feed width WK in the Y-axis direction. The nozzle pause row 241, the nozzle pause row 242, and the nozzle pause row 243 are regions that have a minute line feed width WK in the Y-axis direction and are not included in the drawing region 101.

The drawing start position is a position where the position of the drawing area 101 with respect to the head unit 21 in the Y-axis direction can start drawing scanning for causing the head unit 21 to scan in the X-axis direction and discharging functional liquid from the droplet discharge head 20. is there.
The drawing area 101 shown in FIG. 11 is located at the drawing start position when the position of the head unit 21 is the position indicated by the head unit 21f. In this case, the drawing start position is a position where the head unit 21 can be opposed to the nozzle pause row 241, the nozzle pause row 242, the nozzle pause row 243, and the minute drawing row 221 in the first drawing scan.

Next, in step S74 of FIG. 10A, image drawing and temperature adjustment of the suction table 333 are performed.
The image drawing process in step S74 is performed by performing each process shown in FIG. The temperature adjustment process of the suction table 333 in step S74 is performed by performing each process shown in FIG.

In step S81 of FIG. 10B, which is the first step in the image drawing process, drawing scanning is performed.
In the first drawing scan for drawing the drawing target area 101 shown in FIG. 11, the head unit 21 is opposed to the nozzle pause row 241, the nozzle pause row 242, the nozzle pause row 243, and the minute drawing row 221, so that the minute drawing is performed. A droplet is ejected from the ejection nozzle 24 facing the row 221. The discharge amount discharged toward the minute drawing row 221 is approximately (1/4) of the amount necessary for drawing on the minute drawing row 221.
The head unit 21 located at the position of the head unit 21 f is scanned in the X-axis direction (main scanning direction) by the X-axis scanning mechanism 11. At the same time, the liquid droplets of the functional liquid are ejected from the ejection nozzle 24 at positions where the liquid droplets of the functional liquid are landed on the positions corresponding to the drawing shape. In parallel, the curing unit 6 is operated and the UVLED 61a or the UVLED 61b is cured by irradiating the functional liquid arranged in the minute drawing row 221 with ultraviolet rays.

  Next, in step S82 of FIG. 10B, it is determined whether or not the drawing on the drawing area 101 where the film 10 is currently drawn is completed. If drawing to the drawing area 101 has not been completed (NO in step S82), the process proceeds to step S83.

  Following step S82, a line feed (sub-scan) is performed in step S83. The line feed is performed by moving the suction table 333 that sucks the drawing area 101 by the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42 in the direction indicated by the arrow a in FIG. 11 in the Y-axis direction. The line feed width is the minute line feed width WK.

  After step S83, the process proceeds to step S81, and steps S81 and S82 are repeated.

  After the drawing scan in the first step S81 is completed, a line feed with a minute line feed width WK is executed in step S83, and the head unit 21 is positioned at a position where the second drawing scan is executed. In the second drawing scan, the head unit 21 faces the nozzle pause row 242, the nozzle pause row 243, the minute drawing row 221, and the minute drawing row 222, and discharges facing the minute drawing row 221 and the minute drawing row 222. Droplets are ejected from the nozzle 24. The discharge amount discharged toward the minute drawing line 221 or the minute drawing line 222 is approximately (1/4) of the amount necessary for drawing on the minute drawing line 221 or the minute drawing line 222.

  After the end of the second drawing scan, a line feed with a minute line feed width WK is performed, and the head unit 21 is positioned at a position where the third drawing scan is performed. In the third drawing scan, the head unit 21 is opposed to the nozzle pause row 243, the minute drawing row 221, the minute drawing row 222, and the minute drawing row 223 so that the minute drawing row 221, the minute drawing row 222, and the minute drawing row are opposed to each other. A droplet is ejected from the ejection nozzle 24 facing the H.223. The discharge amount ejected toward the minute drawing line 221 or the minute drawing line 222 or the minute drawing line 223 is approximately the amount necessary for drawing on the minute drawing line 221 or the minute drawing line 223 (1). / 4).

  After the end of the third drawing scan, a line feed with a minute line feed width WK is performed, and the head unit 21 is positioned at a position where the fourth drawing scan is performed. In the fourth drawing scan, the head unit 21 is opposed to the minute drawing row 221, the minute drawing row 222, the minute drawing row 223, and the minute drawing row 224, and the liquid droplets are ejected from the opposed ejection nozzles 24. The discharge amount discharged toward the minute drawing line 221 or the minute drawing line 222 or the minute drawing line 223 or the minute drawing line 224 is drawn in the minute drawing line 221, the minute drawing line 222, the minute drawing line 223, or the minute drawing line 224. It is an abbreviation (1/4) of the amount required to

  In the minute drawing row 221, approximately (1/4) functional fluid is disposed in an amount necessary for drawing in the minute drawing row 221 in the first, second, third, and fourth drawing scans. ing. In the state in which the fourth drawing scan is performed, the amount of functional liquid necessary for drawing in the minute drawing row 221 is arranged by four drawing scans. Therefore, drawing on the minute drawing line 221 is completed.

In the minute drawing row 222, approximately (1/4) functional fluid is disposed in an amount necessary for drawing in the minute drawing row 222 in the second, third, and fourth drawing scans. . In the state in which the fourth drawing scan is performed, the micro drawing line 222 is provided with an approximately (3/4) amount of functional liquid necessary for drawing on the micro drawing line 222.
In the minute drawing row 223, approximately (1/4) functional liquids of an amount necessary for drawing in the minute drawing row 223 are arranged in the third and fourth drawing scans. In the state in which the fourth drawing scan is performed, the minute drawing row 223 is provided with approximately (1/2) of the functional liquid in an amount necessary for drawing in the minute drawing row 223.
In the minute drawing row 224, approximately (1/4) of the functional liquid necessary for drawing in the minute drawing row 224 is arranged in the fourth drawing scan. In the state in which the fourth drawing scan is performed, the minute drawing row 224 is provided with approximately (1/4) of the functional liquid in an amount necessary for drawing in the minute drawing row 224.

Further, by performing the line feed and the drawing scan of the minute line feed width WK three times, the amount necessary for drawing in each minute drawing line in the minute drawing line 222, the minute drawing line 223, and the minute drawing line 224 Functional fluid is arranged. At this point, the amount of functional liquid necessary for drawing in the minute drawing line 221, the minute drawing line 222, the minute drawing line 223, and the minute drawing line 224 is arranged. Since the minute drawing line 221, the minute drawing line 222, the minute drawing line 223, and the minute drawing line 224 correspond to the first drawing line 121, the drawing on the first drawing line 121 is completed at this point.
Drawing on the first drawing line 121 is completed by performing seven drawing scans. In three drawing scans in the latter half of the seven drawing scans, the head unit 21 ejects the functional liquid toward the first drawing row 121 and the second drawing row 122. In three to four drawing scans in the subsequent drawing scans, the head unit 21 discharges the functional liquid toward a range extending over two drawing lines.

  In the fifth and subsequent drawing scans, the head unit 21 is opposed to the four minute drawing lines, and each of the minute drawing lines is approximately (1/4) of the amount necessary for drawing on the minute drawing lines. Place the functional fluid. By repeating the drawing scanning and the line feed of the minute line feed width WK, the functional liquid is arranged in the area 230 of the drawing area 101 to perform the drawing.

In the drawing scanning for drawing in the minute drawing line 226, the minute drawing line 227, the minute drawing line 228, and the minute drawing line 229 in the drawing area 101 shown in FIG. 11, the minute drawing line 221, the minute drawing line 222, and the minute drawing line are drawn. 223 and a drawing scan similar to the drawing scan drawn on the minute drawing row 224 are performed. In the drawing scanning, liquid droplets are discharged from the discharge nozzle 24 provided in the head unit 21 from the discharge nozzle 24 facing the fine drawing line 226, the fine drawing line 227, the fine drawing line 228, and the fine drawing line 229. Liquid droplets are not ejected from the nozzle resting row 245, the nozzle resting row 246, and the nozzle resting row 247 that are regions outside the drawing region 101.
The minute drawing line 226, the minute drawing line 227, the minute drawing line 228, and the minute drawing line 229 have a minute line feed width WK in the Y-axis direction. The nozzle pause row 245, the nozzle pause row 246, and the nozzle pause row 247 are regions that have a minute line feed width WK in the Y-axis direction and are not included in the drawing region 101.

By repeating Step S83, Step S81, and Step S82, drawing on the entire surface of the drawing target area 101 is completed.
If the drawing to the drawing area 101 has been completed (YES in step S82), the image drawing process in step S74 of FIG.

In step S86 of FIG. 10C, which is the first step in the temperature adjustment process, the temperature of the cooling block 171a is measured. The cooling block 171a that performs the temperature measurement includes a cooling block 171a that holds a region where the functional liquid is arranged in the first drawing scan of the suction table 333, a cooling block 171a that is adjacent to the cooling block 171a, and an adjacent cooling block 171a. The three cooling blocks 171a of the cooling block 171a located next to the first cooling block 171a. As described above, the three cooling blocks 171 a correspond to the first drawing line 121, the second drawing line 122, or the third drawing line 123 in the drawing area 101 of the attracted film 10.
The temperature measurement of the cooling block 171a is performed by measuring the temperature of the cooling block 171a with the thermometer 79 provided in each cooling block 171a. The table temperature control unit 181 acquires measured temperature information.

Next, in step S87, the obtained temperature measurement value of the cooling block 171a is compared with a reference value, and it is determined whether or not the temperature variation is within the standard.
If the temperature variation is within the specification (YES in step S87), the process returns to step S86, and steps S86 and S87 are repeated.
If the temperature variation exceeds the standard value (NO in step S87), the process proceeds to step S88.

  Next, in step S88, the temperature of the cooling block 171a is adjusted. In step S71 described above, the cooling block 171a is operated to adjust the temperature of the portion of the suction table 333 where the cooling block 171a is disposed to a predetermined temperature. Therefore, when the fluctuation amount of the temperature exceeds the standard value, it is a case where the temperature of the film 10 or the suction table 333 fluctuates due to the ultraviolet irradiation in the drawing scan in step S81. The table temperature control unit 181 adjusts the temperature of the suction table 333 for each part corresponding to the cooling block 171a by changing the operating condition of the corresponding cooling block 171a of the cooling unit 171. The operating conditions of the cooling block 171a include the cooling temperature (adjusted temperature) of the temperature control medium by the temperature controller 77 and the flow rate of the temperature control medium by opening / closing the opening / closing valve 73.

  In the minute line feed drawing of the present embodiment, the minute line feed width WK is (1/4) of the unit drawing width WU. Three times in four of the drawing scans, the head unit 21 and the curing unit 6 perform drawing or ultraviolet irradiation across two drawing lines (for example, the first drawing line 121 and the second drawing line 122). ing. By operating the two adjacent cooling blocks 171a, the two cooling blocks 171a corresponding to the two drawing lines in which the curing unit 6 performs the irradiation of ultraviolet rays are operated. Further, by operating the cooling block 171a corresponding to the drawing line to be drawn next, the cooling block 171a is preliminarily operated. The preliminary operation of the cooling block 171a corresponds to the preliminary operation. Preliminary operation of the cooling block 171a corresponds to a preliminary operation process.

Next, in step S89, it is determined whether or not drawing on the drawing line that is currently drawing in the drawing area 101 that is currently drawing is completed. As described above, the drawing on the first drawing line 121 is completed when the drawing from the minute drawing line 221 to the minute drawing line 224 is completed. For example, when drawing on the minute drawing line 224 is completed, it is determined that drawing on the first drawing line 121 is completed.
If drawing to the drawing line in which drawing is currently performed, such as the first drawing line 121, has not been completed (NO in step S89), the process returns to step S86, and steps S86 to S89 are repeated. .
If the drawing on the drawing line currently being drawn has been completed (YES in step S89), the process proceeds to step S90.

Next, in step S90, it is determined whether or not drawing on the drawing area 101 on which the film 10 is currently drawn is completed. Step S90 is the same process as step S82 described above.
If drawing to the drawing area 101 has not been completed (NO in step S90), the process proceeds to step S91.

  After step S90, in step S91, the cooling block 171a to be operated is changed. For example, when the cooling block 171a corresponding to the first drawing line 121, the second drawing line 122, and the third drawing line 123 is operated, the process proceeds to step S91 to draw on the first drawing line 121 (ultraviolet rays). This is a case where (irradiation) is completed. Since the subsequent image drawing process is performed across the second drawing line 122 and the third drawing line 123, the cooling block 171a corresponding to the second drawing line 122 and the third drawing line 123 is operated, Perform temperature adjustment. In addition, the cooling block 171a corresponding to the fourth drawing row 124 is operated to perform preliminary operation. That is, the cooling block 171a to be operated is changed from the cooling block 171a corresponding to the first drawing row 121, the second drawing row 122, and the third drawing row 123 to the second drawing row 122, the third drawing row 123, and the fourth drawing. Change to the cooling block 171a corresponding to the row 124.

After step S91, the process returns to step S86, and the processes from step S86 to step S90 are repeated.
If drawing on the drawing area 101 has been completed (YES in step S90), the temperature adjustment process in step S74 of FIG.

Next to step S74 in FIG. 10A, in step S75 in FIG. 10A, it is determined whether or not drawing on the entire drawing target area of the film 10 has been completed.
If the drawing of the entire drawing target area of the film 10 has not been completed (NO in step S75), the process proceeds to step S76.

In step S76, the film 10 is fed, and the portion of the drawing area 101 where drawing is performed next is positioned at a position facing the suction surface 33a of the suction table 333. After step S76, the process returns to step S72, and steps S72 to S75 are repeated.
If the drawing on the entire drawing target area of the film 10 has been completed (YES in step S75), the drawing process of drawing on the film 10 by the drawing apparatus including the cooling unit 171 is ended.

Hereinafter, the effect by embodiment is described. According to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) The medium flow path 72 or the medium flow path 172 is formed in the adsorption table 33 and the adsorption table 333, and the temperature control medium can be flowed through the medium flow path 72 and the medium flow path 172. When the temperature control medium removes heat from the suction table 33 or the suction table 333, the suction table 33 or the suction table 333 can be cooled.

  (2) When drawing is performed on the drawing area 101 of the film 10, the entire drawing area 101 is sucked by the suction table 33 or the suction table 333. Thereby, the portion of the drawing area 101 of the film 10 can be cooled by cooling the suction table 33 or the suction table 333.

  (3) The cooling unit 71 and the cooling unit 171 are arranged so that the suction table 33 or the suction table 333 can be cooled. The film 10 sucked and held on the suction table 33 or the suction table 333 is drawn by placing the functional liquid on the surface opposite to the surface to be sucked. With this configuration, since the temperature of the film 10 is adjusted from the side where the functional liquid is not disposed, it is possible to suppress the transfer of heat for adjusting the temperature of the film 10 from affecting the functional liquid disposed. it can.

(4) The suction table 333 is formed with four medium flow paths 172, and an open / close valve 73 capable of opening and closing the flow paths communicating with the respective medium flow paths 172 is provided. The amount of the temperature control medium that flows into each medium flow path 172 can be adjusted by the opening / closing valve 73. By adjusting the amount of the temperature control medium to be flowed, the temperature of the suction table 333 can be adjusted for each portion where each medium flow path 172 is disposed.
By adjusting the temperature of the suction table 333 for each portion where the medium flow path 172 is disposed, it is possible to adjust the temperature only in the vicinity of the portion receiving heat due to the irradiation of ultraviolet rays. By adjusting the temperature only in the vicinity, the temperature can be quickly and accurately adjusted as compared to the case where the temperature of the entire suction table 333 is uniformly adjusted. Since it is possible to suppress the cooling of the portion not receiving the heat accompanying the ultraviolet irradiation, the temperature of the portion is reduced due to the cooling of the portion not receiving the heat accompanying the ultraviolet irradiation. Deviating from an appropriate temperature can be suppressed.

  (5) When drawing is performed on the drawing area 101 of the film 10, the entire drawing area 101 is sucked by the suction table 33 or the suction table 333. Thereby, the drawing shape accuracy and the drawing position accuracy are deteriorated due to the fact that the drawing region 101 of the film 10 is kept flat and a flat state such as a wrinkle in the drawing region 101 is not maintained. This can be suppressed.

  (6) Drawing on the film 10 is performed by sucking the drawing area 101 with the suction table 33 or the suction table 333, and line feed is the suction table 33 that sucks the drawing area 101 with the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42. Alternatively, the suction table 333 is moved in the Y-axis direction. As a result, the drawn area 101 is maintained in the state of being drawn even when a line break occurs, so that the drawing area 101 can be prevented from being deformed due to the line break. Since the force for making a line break is not directly applied to the film 10, the drawing area 101 can be substantially prevented from being deformed by the force for making a line break.

  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 embodiment, the cooling unit 71 and the cooling unit 171 are provided with the thermometer 79 for measuring the temperature of the suction table 33 or the suction table 333. However, it is not essential that the temperature measuring means is a device for measuring the temperature of the holding means. The temperature measuring means may be a device that measures the temperature of the drawing medium. As an apparatus for measuring the temperature of the drawing medium, for example, a non-contact thermometer such as a radiation thermometer can be used.

  (Modification 2) In the above-described embodiment, the cooling unit 71 and the cooling unit 171 as temperature adjusting means provided in the drawing apparatus include the temperature controller 77, and the temperature controller 77 functions as a cooler. However, it is not essential that the temperature adjusting means is a cooling device. A heating device provided with a heat source may be sufficient, and the adjustment device which can be cooled and heated may be sufficient.

  (Modification 3) In the above-described embodiment, the cooling unit 71 includes the opening / closing valve 73 that can open and close the flow path. However, the temperature adjustment means includes means for adjusting the flow rate of the temperature adjustment medium that causes the medium flow path to flow. It is not essential to prepare. The temperature adjustment unit may include a unit that adjusts the temperature of the temperature adjustment medium, and the temperature control unit may control the temperature adjustment unit to adjust the temperature of the temperature adjustment medium to an appropriate temperature.

  (Modification 4) In the above-described embodiment, the cooling unit 71 and the cooling unit 171 include the temperature controller 77. However, the temperature adjusting unit adjusts the temperature of the temperature adjusting medium such as the temperature controller 77. It is not essential to have In an environment where a temperature adjustment medium having a substantially constant temperature can be obtained, the temperature may be adjusted by controlling only the temperature adjustment medium flow rate.

(Modification 5) In the above embodiment, in the drawing apparatus 1 including the cooling unit 71 in which the medium flow path 72 is formed in the suction table 33, the drawing process for executing the line feed whose line feed width is the unit drawing width WU is performed. It was carried out. In the drawing apparatus including the cooling unit 171 in which the four medium flow paths 172 are formed on the suction table 333, the minute line feed drawing process in which the line feed width is the minute line feed width WK is performed. However, the line feed width in the drawing process is not defined depending on whether the temperature adjusting means is a single temperature adjusting means or a temperature adjusting means including a plurality of sub temperature adjusting means. The drawing device 1 including the cooling unit 71 may perform the minute line-feeding process, or the drawing device including the cooling unit 171 may perform the drawing process that performs the line-feeding whose line-feed width is the unit drawing width WU. .
Even in the case of performing a drawing process in which a line feed width is the unit drawing width WU in the drawing apparatus including the cooling unit 171, some cooling blocks are associated with the portion where drawing (ultraviolet irradiation) is performed. A drawing method for operating 171a may be used.

  (Modification 6) In the embodiment, the cooling unit 171 includes the opening / closing valve 73 that can open and close the flow path for each medium flow path 172, and the operating state of the corresponding medium flow path 172 is controlled by the opening / closing valve 73. Was. However, it is not essential to control the operating state of the sub temperature adjusting means by controlling the flow rate of the temperature adjusting medium supplied to the sub temperature adjusting means. The sub-temperature adjusting means may be provided with devices such as the liquid supply pump 76 and the temperature controller 77 and can be operated independently of each other.

  (Modification 7) In the above-described embodiment, the cooling unit 71 includes the opening / closing valve 73 that can open and close the flow path, but the temperature adjusting means includes means for adjusting the flow rate of the temperature adjusting medium that causes the medium flow path to flow. It is not essential for the valve to open and close the medium flow path. The structure which adjusts the flow volume of a temperature adjustment medium by controlling the apparatus which generate | occur | produces the force which flows the temperature adjustment medium like the feed pump 76 may be sufficient.

  (Modification 8) In the embodiment described above, four cooling blocks 171a are incorporated in the suction table 333, but no boundary between the cooling blocks 171a is formed. However, the holding means may be configured with a boundary portion that clearly separates the auxiliary temperature adjusting means. For example, the boundary part which used the heat insulation member in the boundary of the cooling block 171a may be provided, and the structure which suppresses the heat conduction between the cooling blocks 171a may be sufficient.

  (Modification 9) In the embodiment described above, the drawing apparatus 1 includes one head unit 21, but it is not essential that the drawing apparatus includes one head unit. Any number of head units may be provided in the drawing apparatus.

  (Modification 10) In the above-described 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 11) In the above-described embodiment, the drawing apparatus 1 includes the medium feeding roller 36 and the driven roller 36a corresponding to the tension roller, and keeps the portions facing the suction table 33 and the suction table 333 in the film 10 substantially flat. Was. 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 12) In the above 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 13) In the above-described embodiment, the supply / discharge mechanism 3 of the drawing apparatus 1 includes the take-up reel 32, and the drawn film 10 is taken up by the take-up reel 32. However, it is not essential for the drawing apparatus to include a take-up reel or to take up the drawn portion of the continuous medium. For example, a configuration of a drawing apparatus and a drawing method may be provided in which a cutting device is provided and a drawn portion is cut into a predetermined length. Alternatively, there may be a drawing apparatus configuration and drawing method in which a die cutting device is provided, only a product portion is die cut from a drawn continuous medium, and a portion other than the product is cut or wound.

(Modification 14) In the embodiment, the head mechanism unit 2 of the drawing apparatus 1 includes the head carriage 22 and the X-axis scanning mechanism 11. The head carriage 22 is scanned in the X-axis direction by the X-axis scanning mechanism 11, and the functional liquid is ejected from the ejection nozzle 24 of the droplet ejection head 20 provided in the head carriage 22, thereby drawing on the film 10. However, it is not essential that the drawing apparatus includes a device that moves the discharge nozzle relative to the continuous medium in the main scanning direction. The drawing apparatus may be configured to include a so-called line head in which discharge nozzles are disposed so as to be able to discharge droplets over substantially the entire width of the continuous medium. In this case, the curing unit is preferably provided in the immediate vicinity of the downstream side of the line head in the continuous medium feeding direction. The functional liquid can be cured immediately after being disposed by irradiating ultraviolet rays from a curing unit disposed in the immediate vicinity of the downstream side of the line head.
When the drawing apparatus includes a line head, the step of discharging droplets from the line head to the position defined in the drawing image corresponds to the drawing step.

  (Modification 15) In the embodiment, the type of functional liquid is not particularly described. However, in the drawing apparatus, different types of functional liquid such as different colors may be discharged. Color drawing 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. In order to perform color drawing, 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. It is preferable.

  (Modification 16) 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.

  (Modification 17) In the above embodiment, in the drawing apparatus 1 or the like, the drawing scan is performed by sucking the drawing area 101 by the suction table 33 or the suction table 333, and the line feed is performed by the Y-axis scanning mechanism 42. In this case, the suction table 33 or the suction table 333 that sucks the drawing area 101 is moved in the Y-axis direction. However, it is not essential to perform line breaks by moving the holding means that holds the drawing medium. The drawing apparatus may be configured to perform a line feed by moving an ejection unit such as the head unit 21.

  (Modification 18) In the above embodiment, the drawing process is a process of performing each step shown in FIG. 7 or FIG. 10, but the drawing process is limited to the process shown in FIG. 7 or FIG. Absent. The drawing step may be, for example, a step of developing an image to be drawn into a bitmap and drawing according to the bitmap. The bit map is a map in which an image is defined by position information for landing droplets of functional liquid and information on discharge nozzles that discharge the functional liquid.

  (Modification 19) In the above embodiment, water is used as the temperature control medium. Other liquid materials may be used as the temperature control medium. In addition to the liquid material, a gas or the like may be used. The temperature control medium is preferably a substance having a high thermal conductivity so that heat can be easily exchanged with the holding means. Moreover, since it is preferable that the temperature change of the temperature control medium is small when heat is exchanged with the holding means, a substance having a high specific heat is preferable.

  (Modification 20) In the above embodiment, the temperature control medium after use has been discarded through the drainage pipe 74b or the like, but the temperature control medium may be repeatedly used, for example, by circulation. . In particular, when the temperature control medium is a substance that affects the environment when discarded, or is an expensive substance, it is preferably used repeatedly without being discarded.

  (Modification 21) In the embodiment, the cooling unit 171 includes the four cooling blocks 171a. In the suction table 333, the sub-temperature adjustment section corresponding to one cooling block 171a corresponds to a portion that sucks one drawing row such as the first drawing row 121. It is not essential to form the sub temperature adjustment section corresponding to the drawing line. For example, a configuration in which a large number of sub-temperature adjusting sections (sub-temperature adjusting means) is provided as compared to the drawing line may be used. By providing a large number of sub-temperature adjusting sections (sub-temperature adjusting means), it is possible to set the portion of the holding means that performs temperature adjustment in units of a narrower range.

  (Modification 22) In the embodiment, the curing unit 6 is configured to be movable integrally with the head unit 21. However, it is not essential that the curing accelerating means can be moved, nor can the curing accelerating means be moved integrally with the discharge means. A configuration may be employed in which the curing accelerating means is arranged separately from the discharge means. In this case, the temperature adjusting means is disposed at least on the portion of the holding means where the curing accelerating means faces.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Drawing apparatus, 2 ... Head mechanism part, 3 ... Supply / discharge mechanism part, 6 ... Curing unit, 8 ... Drawing apparatus control part, 10 ... Film, 11 ... X-axis scanning mechanism, 20 ... Droplet discharge head, 21 ... Head unit, 24 ... discharge nozzle, 24A ... nozzle row, 30 ... suction unit, 33 ... suction table, 33a ... suction surface, 42 ... Y-axis scanning mechanism, 61a, 61b ... UVLED, 62a, 62b ... LED housing, 71 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Cooling unit, 72 ... Medium flow path, 73 ... Open / close valve, 74a ... Supply pipe, 74b ... Drain pipe, 76 ... Supply pump, 77 ... Temperature controller, 79 ... Thermometer, 81 ... Table temperature control part 91 ... Landing point, 91A ... Landing circle, 101 ... Drawing area, 108 ... Drawing device controller, 121 ... First drawing line, 122 ... Second drawing line, 123 ... Third drawing line, 124 ... Fourth drawing Row, 171 ... Cooling Uni 171a ... Cooling block, 172 ... Medium flow path, 174a ... Liquid supply pipe, 174b ... Drainage pipe, 181 ... Table temperature controller, 221, 222, 223, 224, 226, 227, 228, 229 ... Fine drawing Row, 333 ... Suction table.

Claims (14)

Holding means for holding the drawing medium;
An ejection unit that ejects the liquid material, and the liquid material ejected from the ejection unit is landed on the drawing medium held by the holding unit, thereby arranging the liquid material on the drawing medium. Drawing means for drawing an image made of the liquid material;
A curing accelerating means for accelerating curing of the liquid in a state of being arranged on the drawing medium;
Temperature adjusting means for adjusting the temperature of the holding means;
Temperature measuring means;
A drawing apparatus comprising: temperature control means for controlling the temperature adjustment means based on a measurement result of the temperature measurement means. The temperature adjusting means includes a medium flow path for flowing the temperature adjusting medium,
The temperature measuring means measures the temperature of the holding means;
The drawing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the temperature control unit controls a flow rate of the temperature adjustment medium that causes the medium flow path to flow. The temperature adjusting means includes a medium flow path for flowing the temperature adjusting medium,
The temperature measuring means measures the temperature of the holding means;
The drawing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the temperature control unit controls a temperature of the temperature adjustment medium that flows in the medium flow path. The temperature adjusting means includes a medium flow path for flowing the temperature adjusting medium,
The temperature measuring means measures the temperature of the drawing medium,
The drawing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the temperature control unit controls a flow rate of the temperature adjustment medium that causes the medium flow path to flow. The temperature adjusting means includes a medium flow path for flowing the temperature adjusting medium,
The temperature measuring means measures the temperature of the drawing medium,
The drawing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the temperature control unit controls a temperature of the temperature adjustment medium that flows in the medium flow path. The temperature adjusting means includes a plurality of sub temperature adjusting means,
The sub temperature adjusting means of each of the plurality of sub temperature adjusting means is disposed in a part of the holding means, and includes a medium sub flow path constituting the temperature adjusting means. The drawing apparatus according to any one of 1 to 5. The drawing means includes
In the main scanning in which the ejection unit and the drawing medium are relatively moved while the liquid material is ejected from the ejection unit, the ejection unit and the drawing medium are relatively moved in the main scanning direction. Main scanning means;
Sub-scanning means for relatively moving the ejection unit and the drawing medium in a sub-scanning direction intersecting the main scanning direction,
In the holding means, the sub-temperature adjustment section in which the one medium sub-flow path is disposed has a width in the sub-scanning direction that can discharge the liquid material in the sub-scanning direction of the discharge means. The drawing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a width in the main scanning direction is a width of the holding unit in the main scanning direction.   The drawing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the temperature control unit simultaneously operates two sub temperature adjustment units adjacent to each other.   The drawing apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the temperature control unit operates the sub-temperature adjusting unit to be operated next in advance.   The drawing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the temperature adjusting unit is disposed in a portion of the holding unit where the curing accelerating unit can face.   The temperature control means operates the sub temperature adjusting means disposed in a portion of the plurality of sub temperature adjusting means facing the curing accelerating means operating in the holding means. The drawing apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein A holding step of holding the drawing medium by holding means;
A drawing step of drawing an image made of the liquid material by discharging the liquid material toward the held drawing medium and landing on the drawing medium, thereby placing the liquid material on the drawing medium. When,
A curing accelerating step for accelerating curing of the liquid material disposed on the drawing medium;
A temperature measurement process;
And a temperature control step of controlling the temperature of the holding means based on a measurement result in the temperature measurement step. The temperature control step is performed using a temperature adjusting means including a plurality of sub temperature adjusting means,
The drawing step includes a drawing and discharging step of discharging a liquid material toward the drawing medium and landing on the drawing medium;
The sub-temperature adjusting unit is disposed in a part of the holding unit that holds a range corresponding to an area in which the liquid material can be landed in one drawing discharge process on the drawing medium. Has been established,
The drawing method according to claim 12, wherein in the temperature control step, the two sub-temperature adjusting units adjacent to each other are operated.   14. The drawing method according to claim 13, further comprising a pre-operation step of pre-operating the sub-temperature adjusting unit operated in the temperature control step prior to the temperature control step.

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