JP2013119215A - Inkjet device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform inkjet-print by using ink containing ultraviolet curable resin and a solvent.SOLUTION: The inkjet device 1 includes a head 2, an ultraviolet irradiation part 5, and a drive part 7, and includes an ink discharge region R1, a solvent transpiration region R2 which transpires the solvent in the ink, and an ultraviolet irradiation region R3 which gives an ultraviolet ray on a medium 100. The drive part 7 moves the medium 100 on the ink discharge region R1, the solvent transpiration region R2, and the ultraviolet irradiation region R3 sequentially.

Description

  The present invention relates to an inkjet apparatus.

  As an ink jet printer using an ultraviolet curable ink, Patent Document 1 describes an ink jet printer for the purpose of suppressing contamination of a light source unit due to ink mist drifting on a print medium.

JP 2010-735 A (published January 7, 2010)

  However, the ink jet printer described in Patent Document 1 cannot use ink in which an ultraviolet curable resin is dissolved in a solvent.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides an ink jet apparatus for performing ink jet printing using an ink containing a curable resin and a solvent that are cured by receiving an external stimulus such as an ultraviolet curable resin. The purpose is to do.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, an ink jet apparatus according to the present invention includes a head that discharges ink including a curable resin and a solvent that is cured by applying a stimulus to a recording medium, and the ink that is discharged onto the recording medium. A recording unit including a curing unit that gives a stimulus for curing the curable resin in the ink, and a drive unit that relatively moves the position of the head and the curing unit and the recording medium. The ejection area where the medium receives ink ejected from the head, the solvent evaporation area for evaporating the solvent in the ink ejected onto the recording medium, and the stimulus is applied to the recording medium. A hardened area, and the hardened area and the solvent evaporation area are at least different from the hardened area. Transpiration region, is characterized by the order of the curing area above the record medium is intended to fall in the respective regions.

  Since the solvent can be evaporated in the solvent evaporation region and then the curable resin can be cured in the cured region, ink jet printing can be performed using the ink containing the curable resin and the solvent.

  In the inkjet device according to the present invention, the generation of the stimulus is accompanied by heat generation, and further includes a blower unit that sends a gas heated by the heat generated from the curing unit to the solvent evaporation region from the curing region. preferable.

  Since the curing unit is cooled by the blower and the solvent is evaporated with the gas heated by cooling the generated heat, the solvent can be efficiently evaporated.

  In the ink jet apparatus according to the present invention, the transpiration stage for placing and heating the recording medium in the solvent transpiration region, the transpiration stage, and the recording medium placed thereon It is more preferable to further include a covering portion that covers.

  The solvent can be evaporated more rapidly by heating with the evaporation table.

  Moreover, since the heat | fever emitted from the transpiration | evaporation mounting base exists in a solvent transpiration | evaporation area for a long time by covering with a coating | coated part, transpiration | evaporation of a solvent becomes quicker.

  Moreover, if it is a form also provided with the above-mentioned ventilation part, since the coating | coated part keeps the warmed gas sent from the said ventilation part on a recording medium, it can warm from the surface of a recording medium also from a back surface. And the evaporation of the solvent is faster.

  In the ink jet device according to the present invention, it is more preferable that the covering portion is in a position that prevents at least a part of the stimulus leaking from the cured region from leaking out of the device itself.

  For example, when the leakage of the stimulus to the outside of the device is restricted due to safety standards, the leakage of the stimulus can be prevented by the covering portion. Therefore, safety is further improved.

  In the ink jet apparatus according to the present invention, it is more preferable that the curing unit is at the end of the transpiration mounting table, and is on the curing region side than the end on the curing region side.

  Energy can be saved because all the heat of the transpiration table can be used for solvent transpiration. Moreover, when it is a form also provided with the above-mentioned ventilation part, the influence which the heat | fever which the mounting table for transpiration gives to the cooling by a ventilation part can be made smaller.

  In the ink jet apparatus according to the present invention, the stimulus may be ultraviolet rays, and the curable resin may be an ultraviolet curable resin. The ink jet apparatus according to the present invention can be suitably used for ultraviolet curable ink.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, there exists an effect that it can inkjet-print using the ink containing the curable resin and solvent which harden | cures in response to external stimuli, such as an ultraviolet curable resin.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of an inkjet apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of an inkjet apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the ultraviolet irradiation part 5 with which the inkjet apparatus 1 which is one Embodiment of this invention is provided. It is a figure which shows the structure of another form of the ultraviolet irradiation part 5 and the fan 6 with which the inkjet apparatus 1 which is one Embodiment of this invention is provided.

[Configuration of Inkjet Device 1]
Hereinafter, the configuration of an inkjet apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of the ink jet apparatus 1. FIG. 2 is a view showing an overview of the ink jet apparatus 1. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the ultraviolet irradiation unit 5 provided in the inkjet apparatus 1.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inkjet apparatus 1 includes a head 2, a platen 3, a cover (covering part) 4, an ultraviolet irradiation part (curing part) 5, a fan (fan part) 6, and a driving roller (driving part) 7 a, A drive winding roller (drive unit) 7b and driven rollers 8a and 8b are provided. The inkjet apparatus 1 is an apparatus for ejecting ultraviolet curable ink onto a medium (recording medium) 100 to perform inkjet printing.

  Further, an ink discharge region (discharge target region) R1 is provided between the head 2 and a main platen 3b described later. A solvent evaporation region R2 is provided between the cover 4 and an afterplaten 3c described later. An ultraviolet irradiation region R3 is provided in a region where the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation unit 5 can be received.

  The head 2 is for ejecting ultraviolet curable ink onto the medium 100. Thereby, the ultraviolet curable resin and the solvent exist on the medium 100. In the present embodiment, the case where there is only one head 2 is described for the sake of simplicity, but a plurality of heads 2 may be provided. In many cases, a plurality of heads 2 are provided, and ink is ejected onto the medium 100 in the ink ejection region R1, for example, by forming a staggered array or the like.

  In this embodiment, an apparatus using an ultraviolet curable ink will be described, but the curable resin included in the ink that can be used in the ink jet apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the ultraviolet curable resin.

  Here, in this specification, the “curable resin” refers to a resin that is cured by applying a stimulus. For example, it is a resin that includes one or both of a monomer and an oligomer and has a medium viscosity, for example, 100 to 2,000 mPa · s, and is cured with energy rays such as ultraviolet rays (UV) (hereinafter, “ultraviolet rays” is referred to as “UV”). Also called.). Specifically, ultraviolet curable resins that cure by irradiation with ultraviolet rays, electron beam curable resins that cure by irradiation with electron beams, thermosetting resins that cure by heat, such as epoxy resins, and drying such as latex Heat drying type curable resin etc. which harden | cure by making it be mentioned.

  Further, the ultraviolet curable resin may be a cationic polymerization resin, a radical polymerization resin, or a mixture thereof.

  Further, the type of solvent contained in the ink that can be used in the ink jet apparatus according to the present invention may be set as appropriate according to the type of curable resin.

  The platen 3 includes a pre-platen 3a, a main platen 3b, and an after-platen (mounting table for solvent evaporation) 3c.

  Each of the pre-platen 3a, the main platen 3b, and the after-platen 3c is a mounting table on which the medium 100 is placed. In addition, any of the pre-platen 3a, the main platen 3b, and the after-platen 3c can heat the media 100 placed thereon.

  The cover 4 is for covering the medium 100 on the afterplaten 3c. The cover 4 performs the following two functions. However, when the ink jet apparatus according to the present invention includes a covering portion, the function is not limited to one that fulfills any of the following two, and any one of the functions may be performed.

  The first function is to keep the heat for evaporating the solvent in the solvent evaporating region R2 for a longer time. The heat generated from the afterplaten 3c is kept for a long time in the solvent evaporation region R2, which is the region covered with the cover 4. Moreover, warm air (gas) carried from the fan 6 described later can be retained for a long time by the solvent evaporation region R2. Thereby, the medium 100 can be warmed from the front surface and the back surface, and the solvent can be evaporated in a shorter time. In addition, you may have the shape which guides the air sent from the fan 6 to solvent evaporation area | region R2. That is, the air blower included in the ink jet device according to the present invention may be constituted only by a blower such as a fan, or may be constituted by a guiding means for guiding gas sent from the blower and the blower.

  The second function is to prevent ultraviolet rays from leaking out of the ink jet apparatus 1, so that the ultraviolet irradiation region 5 and the ultraviolet irradiation unit in the medium 100 can pass through the ultraviolet irradiation region R 3 when the medium 100 is conveyed. There is a gap between the region and the region facing 5. Although the ultraviolet rays may leak from this gap, the cover 4 is in a position that prevents at least a part of the ultraviolet rays leaking from the ultraviolet irradiation region R3 from leaking out of the inkjet apparatus 1. Therefore, ultraviolet rays can be prevented from leaking out of the ink jet apparatus 1 and safety is improved.

  The structure of the ultraviolet irradiation part 5 is demonstrated using FIG. The ultraviolet irradiation unit 5 includes an ultraviolet lamp 5a and a reflection plate 5b.

  The ultraviolet rays irradiated from the ultraviolet lamp 5a are directly or indirectly reflected on the reflector 5b and irradiated onto the medium 100. Thereby, the ultraviolet curable resin on the medium 100 is cured by being irradiated with ultraviolet rays.

  Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, the ultraviolet irradiation part 5 is the terminal of the afterplaten 3c, and is located on the ultraviolet irradiation region R3 side from the terminal on the ultraviolet irradiation region R3 side. This saves energy because all the heat of the afterplaten 3c can be used for solvent evaporation. That is, if a part of the ultraviolet irradiation region R3 is superimposed on the afterplaten 3c, the ultraviolet curing process starts before the entire surface of the afterplaten 3c is heated. However, according to this embodiment, since the afterplaten 3c and the ultraviolet irradiation region R3 do not overlap, the ultraviolet irradiation can be performed after the solvent is evaporated using all of the afterplaten 3c. Moreover, the influence which the heat | fever which the afterplaten 3c emits on the cooling by the fan 6 can be made smaller. That is, if the after-platen 3c and the ultraviolet irradiation region R3 overlap, the ultraviolet irradiation region R3 is heated by the after-platen 3c and the cooling efficiency is lowered, but the after-platen 3c and the ultraviolet irradiation region R3 overlap. Therefore, the cooling efficiency can be prevented from decreasing. In addition, since all the heat of the afterplaten 3c can be efficiently used for the evaporation of the solvent, a sufficient solvent evaporation effect can be obtained even if the set temperature of the afterplaten 3c is lowered, thereby saving energy. is there.

  The ultraviolet lamp 5a generates heat as it generates ultraviolet rays.

  The fan 6 is for sending the air heated by the heat generated by the ultraviolet lamp 5a from the ultraviolet irradiation region R3 to the solvent evaporation region R2. Thereby, the ultraviolet irradiation part 5 can be cooled, and the evaporation of the solvent can be performed more energy saving and more quickly.

  In the present embodiment, the air blowing section provided in the ink jet apparatus according to the present invention is configured by only the fan, but is not limited to this form. For example, when the direction in which air is sent cannot be sufficiently controlled with only the fan, and when the user desires to increase the amount of air sent to the solvent irradiation area, a guidance unit that guides the direction of the wind is provided. Also good. For example, in the present embodiment, the cover 4 may also function as a guiding portion. In other words, the fan 6 and the cover 4 may constitute a blower unit.

  The drive roller 7 a and the drive take-up roller 7 b move the medium 100, and these two rollers constitute the drive unit 7. The drive roller 7 a is disposed between the pre-platen 3 a and the main platen 3 b, and the drive take-up roller 7 b is disposed on the downstream side of the conveyance path of the medium 100. Both the drive roller 7a and the drive take-up roller 7b are composed of rollers.

  Further, the medium 100 is moved by the drive winding roller 7b winding the medium 100 wound around a driven roller 8a described later. Specifically, the medium 100 is moved in the order of the ink discharge region R1, the solvent evaporation region R2, and the ultraviolet irradiation region R3 by the drive roller 7a and the drive take-up roller 7b.

  The drive take-up roller 7b is driven in the same manner as the drive roller 7a, but preferably has a higher rotational speed than the drive roller 7a. By making the rotational speed of the drive take-up roller 7b faster than that of the drive roller 7a, the medium 100 can be stably conveyed without sagging.

  The driven rollers 8a and 8b are for assisting the conveyance of the medium 100 by the drive roller 7a and the drive take-up roller 7b. The medium 100 is wound around the driven roller 8a, and the medium 100 can be supplied to the ink discharge region R1 or the like by rotating the medium 100. Further, by placing the medium 100 on the driving roller 7a and driving the driving roller 7a, the driven roller 8a is driven to rotate and the medium 100 moves. The driven roller 8b faces the driving roller 7a via the medium, and is driven to rotate according to the driving of the driving roller 7a.

  In addition, the drive part with which the inkjet apparatus which concerns on this invention is not limited to a roller, the position of a to-be-recorded medium, a hardening part, and a head is moved relatively, and the to-be-discharged area | region and solvent evaporation area | region in a respectively different place And what is necessary is just to drive so that a recording medium may enter into a hardening area | region in this order. For example, you may comprise with a belt conveyor etc. Further, the recording medium may be fixed and members constituting the ink jet device such as a head and an ultraviolet lamp may be moved.

  Next, three regions provided in the inkjet apparatus 1 will be described.

  The ink ejection area R1 is an area where the medium 100 receives ink ejected from the head 2. In this region, the medium 100 receives ink containing an ultraviolet curable resin and a solvent. The ink discharge area R1 is an area where the ink discharged from the head 2 reaches.

  The solvent evaporation area R2 is an area for evaporating the solvent in the ink discharged onto the medium 100. Specifically, it is an area on the after-platen 3 c and covered with the cover 4. Since there is heat generated from the afterplaten and air sent by the fan 6 in this region, the solvent on the medium 100 evaporates, and the ultraviolet curable resin remains on the medium 100.

  The solvent evaporation region R2 in the present embodiment is a region where the solvent is evaporated by heat, but the present invention is not limited to this form. That is, the solvent evaporation region provided in the inkjet apparatus according to the present invention may be a space for evaporating the solvent. For example, the recording medium may be left alone to provide a space for drying and evaporating the solvent.

  In this embodiment, the ink discharge region R1 and the solvent evaporation region R2 are provided separately. However, in the present invention, these regions may be the same. For example, by providing a heat source in the head and ejecting ink from the head to the recording medium, evaporating the solvent contained in the ink by the heat source, or providing a heat source on the mounting table facing the ejection region, etc. The discharged area and the solvent evaporation area can be made the same area. When the ejected area and the solvent evaporation area are the same area, the drive unit puts the recording medium into the area to be ejected and the solvent evaporation area, and then puts it into the curing area.

  The ultraviolet irradiation region R <b> 3 is a region that can be irradiated (applied) with ultraviolet rays for curing the ultraviolet curable resin on the medium 100. That is, this is a region where the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the ultraviolet lamp 5a can be irradiated in an amount necessary for curing the ultraviolet curable resin.

[Operation of Inkjet Device 1]
Next, the operation of the inkjet apparatus 1 will be described.

  First, the medium 100 wound around the driven roller 8a drives the drive roller 7a and the drive take-up roller 7b, and starts moving when the medium 100 is wound around the drive take-up roller 7b. The moving direction is a direction in which the medium 100 enters each region in the order of the ink ejection region R1, the solvent evaporation region R2, and the ultraviolet irradiation region R3.

  After the medium 100 passes over the pre-platen 3a, it is placed on the main platen 3b and enters the ink ejection region R1. Note that the pre-platen 3a may be preheated in order to efficiently evaporate the subsequent solvent.

  Ink is ejected from the head 2 in the ink ejection region R1. The head 2 ejects ink onto the medium 100 based on previously inputted character and picture information while reciprocating in the forward and backward directions with respect to the document of FIG. At this time, an ultraviolet curable resin and a solvent exist on the medium 100.

  Next, the area (landing area) where the ink of the medium 100 is ejected enters the solvent evaporation area R2. In the solvent evaporation region R2, the solvent evaporates from the landed ink droplets by the heating by the afterplaten 3c and the heat of the air sent from the fan 6. As a result, the ultraviolet curable resin remains in the landing area.

  Next, the landing area of the medium 100 enters the ultraviolet irradiation area R3. In the ultraviolet irradiation region R3, ultraviolet rays are irradiated on the landing region. As a result, the ultraviolet curable resin on the medium 100 is cured and printing is completed. Finally, the medium 100 is wound around the roller, and the process ends.

[Modified example of ultraviolet irradiation unit 5 and fan 6]
Next, a modified example of the ultraviolet irradiation unit 5 and the fan 6 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of another form of the ultraviolet irradiation unit 5 and the fan 6 included in the inkjet device 1.

  The ultraviolet irradiation unit 5 according to this another embodiment includes an ultraviolet lamp 5a and a reflection plate 5b.

  The fan 6 is disposed on the side opposite to the solvent evaporation region R2 when viewed from the ultraviolet lamp 5a. A vent 6 'is provided in the direction in which air is sent by the fan 6. Thereby, the air warmed by the heat generated by the ultraviolet lamp 5a is sent by the fan 6 to the solvent evaporation region R2 through the vent 6 '.

  Note that a fan may be further provided at the position of the vent 6 '. With such a configuration, the flow rate of the air in the ultraviolet irradiation unit 5 can be controlled more precisely, and the temperature can also be controlled more precisely.

[Additional Notes]
As described above, the inkjet apparatus 1 includes the head 2 that discharges ink including an ultraviolet curable resin and a solvent to the medium 100, and ultraviolet rays that are used to cure the ultraviolet curable resin in the ink discharged onto the medium 100. An ultraviolet irradiation unit 5 for irradiating and a driving unit 7 for moving the medium 100, an ink discharge region R 1 for receiving ink discharged from the head 2 by the medium 100, and a solvent in the ink discharged on the medium 100 A solvent transpiration region R2 for transpiration of water and an ultraviolet irradiation region R3 to which ultraviolet rays are applied are provided on the medium 100. The ink ejection region R1, the solvent transpiration region R2, and the ultraviolet irradiation region R3 are at least Located in different places, the drive unit 7 is arranged in the order of the ink ejection region R1, the solvent evaporation region R2, and the ultraviolet irradiation region R3. 00 is intended to move the.

  Since the solvent can be evaporated in the solvent evaporation region R2, and then the ultraviolet curable resin can be cured in the ultraviolet irradiation region R3, ink jet printing can be performed using the ink containing the ultraviolet curable resin and the solvent.

  The ink jet apparatus 1 further includes a fan 6 that sends heat generated by the heat generated from the ultraviolet irradiation unit 5 to the solvent evaporation region R2 from the ultraviolet irradiation region R3 accompanied with heat generation when the ultraviolet rays are generated.

  Because the fan 6 cools the ultraviolet irradiation unit 5 and the solvent that has been heated by cooling the generated heat can be evaporated, the solvent can be efficiently evaporated.

  The inkjet apparatus 1 further includes an after platen 3c for placing and heating the medium 100 in the solvent evaporation region R2, and a cover 4 for covering the after platen 3c and the medium 100 placed thereon.

  The solvent can be evaporated more rapidly by heating with the afterplaten 3c.

  Moreover, since the heat | fever emitted from the afterplaten 3c exists in the solvent evaporation area | region R2 for a long time by covering with the cover 4, evaporation of a solvent becomes quicker.

  Moreover, since the cover 4 keeps the warmed gas sent from the fan 6 on the medium 100, it can be warmed from both the front surface and the back surface of the medium 100, and the evaporation of the solvent becomes faster.

  In the inkjet apparatus 1, the cover 4 is in a position that prevents at least part of the ultraviolet rays leaking from the ultraviolet irradiation region R3 from leaking out of the apparatus itself.

  For example, when the leakage of ultraviolet rays to the outside of the ink jet apparatus 1 is restricted due to safety standards, the cover 4 can prevent the leakage of ultraviolet rays. Therefore, safety is further improved.

  In the inkjet apparatus 1, the ultraviolet irradiation unit 5 is more preferably located on the ultraviolet irradiation region R3 side than the terminal on the ultraviolet irradiation region R3 side, which is the terminal of the afterplaten 3c.

  Since all the heat of the afterplaten 3c can be used for the evaporation of the solvent, energy is saved. Moreover, the influence which the heat | fever which the afterplaten 3c emits on the cooling by the fan 6 can be made smaller.

  The ink jet apparatus 1 can be suitably used for ink containing an ultraviolet curable resin.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope shown in the claims, and embodiments obtained by appropriately combining technical means disclosed in different embodiments. Is also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  The present invention can be used for inkjet printing.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Inkjet apparatus 2 Head 3 Platen 3a Pre-platen 3b Main platen 3c After platen (mounting stand for evaporation)
4 Cover (covering part)
5 UV irradiation part (curing part)
6 Fan (Blower part)
7 Drive unit 7a Drive roller 7b Drive take-up roller 8a, 8b Driven roller 100 Media (recording medium)
R1 Ink ejection area (ejection area)
R2 Solvent evaporation area R3 UV irradiation area (curing area)

Claims (6)

A head that discharges ink containing a curable resin and a solvent that is cured by applying a stimulus to a recording medium;
A curing unit that gives a stimulus for curing the curable resin in the ink ejected on the recording medium;
A drive unit that relatively moves positions of the head and the curing unit and the recording medium;
With
A discharge area where the recording medium receives ink discharged from the head; and
A solvent evaporation region for evaporating the solvent in the ink discharged onto the recording medium;
A cured region to which the stimulus is applied is provided on the recording medium,
The discharged area and the solvent evaporation area are at least different from the cured area,
An ink jet apparatus in which the recording medium enters each area in the order of the ejection area, the solvent evaporation area, and the curing area by the driving unit. The generation of the irritation is accompanied by fever,
The inkjet apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a blower that sends a gas heated by heat generated from the curing unit to the solvent evaporation region from the curing region.   A transpiration stage for placing and heating the recording medium in the solvent transpiration region, and a covering portion for covering the transpiration stage and the recording medium placed thereon; The ink jet apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an ink jet apparatus according to claim 1.   The inkjet device according to claim 3, wherein the covering portion is in a position that prevents at least a part of a stimulus leaking from the cured region from leaking out of the device itself.   5. The inkjet apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the curing unit is an end of the transpiration mounting table and is located on the curing region side with respect to an end on the curing region side.   The inkjet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stimulus is ultraviolet light, and the curable resin is an ultraviolet curable resin.

Images