JP2016035818A - Light irradiation device and photo-curable material treatment device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a light irradiation device preventing or suppressing radiation of light to another adjacent region and achieving reduction in the size of the entire device, and a photo-curable material treatment device including this light irradiation device.SOLUTION: A light irradiation device comprises: a long light source portion in which a plurality of light-emitting elements is disposed in a state of being aligned in an x-direction along a flat surface extending in the x-direction and a y-direction if it is assumed that three directions orthogonal to one another are the x-direction, the y-direction, and a z-direction; and a columnar lens having a long shape extending in the x-direction along the light source portion, and having a light-receiving surface receiving light from the light source portion and an emission surface emitting the received light on a circumferential surface of the long shape in a longitudinal direction, the light source portion being disposed so that a first plane containing a center of a light-emitting surface of each light-emitting element and extending in the x-direction and the z-direction is located in a plane apart, in the y-direction, from a second plane containing a central axis of the columnar lens and extending in the x-direction and the z-direction, and a direction of the light from the emission surface of the columnar lens is inclined from the second plane in a direction apart from the first plane.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a light irradiation apparatus mounted on, for example, an ink jet printer or a 3D printer, and a photocuring material processing apparatus including the light irradiation apparatus.

  Conventionally, in the printing field and the electronics industry field, for example, a protective film, an adhesive, a paint, an ink, a photoresist, a resin, and an alignment film are cured, dried, melted, and softened. Or in order to perform a modification | reformation process etc., the light irradiation apparatus which radiates | emits the light of a specific wavelength is used abundantly.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an ink jet printer using ultraviolet curable ink. The ink jet printer is equipped with a head unit for ejecting ink and a light irradiation device installed adjacent to the head unit. In such an ink jet printer, the head portion is provided with a plurality of ejection portions. Then, various inks (photo-curing materials) are ejected from these ejection portions onto the recording medium. Thereafter, light is irradiated to the ink ejected on the recording medium by a light irradiation device.

However, in the above-described ink jet printer, when used for a long time, the amount of ink ejected from the ejection unit may become unstable. One cause of this phenomenon is that light from a light irradiation device disposed adjacent to the head unit is directly or indirectly irradiated onto the discharge unit of the head unit, so that ink is discharged from the discharge unit. This is because the cured product obstructs the ejection of ink from the ejection part.
In particular, in an optical modeling apparatus typified by a 3D printer, a three-dimensional structure is formed on an irradiated surface. Therefore, when the light from a light irradiation apparatus is reflected by the obtained three-dimensional structure, the reflected light becomes easy to be irradiated to the discharge part in a head part. As a result, there is a problem that a phenomenon that the injection amount of the photocurable material from the discharge portion becomes unstable is likely to occur.

In order to solve such a problem, Patent Document 2 discloses that the light irradiation device is separated from the head portion by a distance L, and the light irradiation device is inclined so that the light from the light irradiation device is emitted. An ink jet printer that suppresses irradiation of an ejection unit in the head unit is disclosed.
However, in this inkjet printer, there is a problem that the entire apparatus becomes large because the light irradiating device is considerably separated from the head portion and inclined.

JP 2004-358769 A JP 2009-226692 A

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a light irradiation apparatus and a light irradiation apparatus that can prevent or suppress light from being irradiated to other adjacent parts and that can reduce the size of the entire apparatus. It is providing the photocuring material processing apparatus provided.

The light irradiation device of the present invention has three directions orthogonal to each other as an x direction, a y direction, and a z direction.
A long light source unit in which a plurality of light-emitting elements are arranged in the x direction along a plane extending in the x direction and the y direction;
A columnar lens having a long shape extending in the x direction along the light source unit, and having a light receiving surface for receiving light from the light source unit and an output surface for emitting the received light on the circumferential surface in the longitudinal direction And
In the light source unit, a first plane extending in the x direction and the z direction including the center of the light emitting surface of each light emitting element is a second plane extending in the x direction and the z direction including the central axis of the columnar lens. It is arranged so as to be positioned on a plane separated in the y direction,
The direction of light from the exit surface of the columnar lens is inclined in a direction away from the first plane with respect to the second plane.

In the light irradiation apparatus of this invention, it is preferable that the light-shielding body which light-shields the light from the said light source part is provided in the area | region on the opposite side to said 2nd plane with respect to said 1st plane.
In such a light irradiation device, the end portion on the second plane side of the light shielding body is positioned in the first plane or a plane separated from the first plane toward the second plane side. Preferably it is.

  In the light irradiation device of the present invention, each of the light emitting elements in the light source section is provided with a hemispherical sealing lens that covers the light emitting surface of the light emitting element, and the central axis of the sealing lens Is preferably located in a plane translated from the first plane to the second plane side.

A photocuring material processing apparatus of the present invention comprises a head unit having a discharge unit for discharging a photocuring material, and the light irradiation device provided adjacent to the head unit,
The light irradiation device is arranged so that light from an emission surface of the columnar lens is irradiated to a position separated from the head portion.

  According to the light irradiation device of the present invention, the light source unit and the columnar lens are arranged in a specific positional relationship, and the direction of light from the emission surface of the columnar lens is from the first plane with respect to the second plane. Since it inclines in the direction to separate, it can prevent or suppress that an adjacent other site | part is irradiated with light. In addition, since it is not necessary to dispose the light irradiation device separately from other adjacent parts, the overall size of the device can be reduced.

It is a perspective view which cut | disconnects and shows the housing | casing in an example of the light irradiation apparatus of this invention. It is sectional drawing for description which cut | disconnects and shows the housing | casing in an example of the light irradiation apparatus of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which looked at the light source part, the columnar lens, and the heat sink from the y direction. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the principal part in the other example of the light irradiation apparatus of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the outline of a structure in an example of the photocuring material processing apparatus of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure by which the light-shielding body different from the 1st holding member was provided. It is explanatory drawing which shows the modification of a columnar lens. It is explanatory drawing which shows the other modification of a columnar lens. It is sectional drawing for description which shows the structure provided with the light source part by which the surface of two board | substrates has arrange | positioned the several light emitting element in the state located in a line with the x direction along the surface of the said board | substrate. 4 is an explanatory view showing a configuration in which a light reflecting film is formed on one side surface of a first holding member 11. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a configuration in which a light absorption film is formed on one side surface of a second holding member 11. FIG. It is a graph which shows the illumination intensity distribution in the y direction by the light irradiation apparatus which concerns on an Example.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a cut-out case in an example of the light irradiation apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the cut-out case in an example of the light irradiation apparatus of the present invention. is there. In the figure, an x direction, a y direction, and a z direction indicated by arrows are three directions orthogonal to each other.
This light irradiation apparatus 1 has a rectangular parallelepiped housing 10 whose lower surface is open. The housing 10 in the illustrated example has a top surface and a bottom surface that are flat in the x direction (direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 2) and the y direction, and two of the four side surfaces facing each other are in the x direction and the z direction. A plane extending in the direction and other two side surfaces facing each other are a plane extending in the y direction and the z direction.

  A long light source unit 20 extending in the x direction is provided inside the housing 10. A columnar lens 30 having a long shape extending along the light source unit 20 is provided obliquely below the light source unit 20. A first holding member 11 and a second holding member 12 that sandwich the columnar lens 30 are provided in the opening of the housing 10. A heat sink 40 made of, for example, aluminum is provided on the upper surface of the light source unit 20. The heat sink 40 is formed with a plurality of fins 41 that protrude upward. A cooling fan 45 is provided above the heat sink 40.

  The light source unit 20 includes a long rectangular substrate 21. The substrate 21 is arranged in a posture extending in the x direction along a plane extending in the x direction and the y direction. On the surface of the substrate 21 (the lower surface in FIG. 2), a plurality of rectangular plate-like light emitting elements 25 are arranged in the x direction along the surface of the substrate 21, that is, a plane extending in the x direction and the y direction. Has been. Each of the light emitting elements 25 is provided with a hemispherical sealing lens 22 that covers the light emitting surface of the light emitting element 25 so as to protrude from the surface of the substrate 21. And the light source part 20 is arrange | positioned with the attitude | position in which the light emission surface of each light emitting element 25 faces below.

In the light source unit 20, as a material constituting the substrate 21, a ceramic material such as aluminum nitride or alumina ceramic, a composite resin material such as glass fiber reinforced epoxy resin, or the like can be used.
Moreover, as a material which comprises the sealing lens 22, glass materials, such as quartz glass and borosilicate glass, or translucent resin materials, such as a silicone resin, an acrylic resin, and an epoxy resin, etc. can be used.
Further, as the light emitting element 25, a light emitting diode that emits required light such as ultraviolet rays can be used.

The columnar lens 30 in this example has a circular cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The columnar lens 30 has a light receiving surface 31 that receives light from the light source unit 20 in a region facing the light source unit 20 on the circumferential surface in the longitudinal direction (x direction), and the light receiving surface 31 on the circumferential surface. The opposite area has an emission surface 32 for emitting the received light. In the illustrated columnar lens 30, a region exposed upward from a first holding member 11 and a second holding member 12, which will be described later, serves as a light receiving surface 31, and from the first holding member 11 and the second holding member 12. A region exposed downward is an emission surface 32.
As a material constituting the columnar lens 30, a glass material such as quartz glass or borosilicate glass can be used.

  Each of the first holding member 11 and the second holding member 12 has a long plate shape extending along the columnar lens 30, and one side surface of each of the first holding member 11 and the second holding member 12 is separated from each other. Are arranged to face each other. In the illustrated example, one side surface of each of the first holding member 11 and the second holding member 12 facing each other is a curved surface that matches a part of the circumferential surface of the columnar lens 30 in the longitudinal direction. The columnar lens 30 is sandwiched between one side surfaces of the first holding member 11 and the second holding member 12.

  In the light irradiation device 1 according to the present invention, the light source unit 20 includes the first plane F including the center P of the light emitting surface of each light emitting element 25 and extending in the x direction and the z direction. It arrange | positions so that it may be located in the plane separated in the y direction with respect to the 2nd plane S containing Q and extending in the x direction and the z direction. In addition, the first holding member 11 in this example has a function as a light blocking body that blocks light from the light source unit 20. More specifically, the first holding member 11 is provided in a region opposite to the second plane S with respect to the first plane F. Further, the first holding member 11 is located on the second plane S side end in the y direction on the first plane F or a plane separated from the first plane F to the second plane S side. Has been placed. Thereby, of the light emitted from the light source unit 20, the light traveling along the first plane F and the light traveling in the direction away from the second plane S are transmitted by the first holding member 11 that is a light blocking body. Shaded. As a result, the light from the emission surface 32 of the columnar lens 30 is emitted in a direction inclined in a direction away from the first plane F with respect to the z direction. And the light from the output surface 32 of the columnar lens 30 is irradiated to the irradiated surface W extending in the x direction and the y direction.

In the above, the separation distance between the first plane F and the second plane S is appropriately set according to the shape and dimensions of the columnar lens 30 and the first holding member 11 that is a light shielding body, but is in the y direction. Is preferably 0.3 to 1.5 times the distance from the central axis Q of the columnar lens 30 to the peripheral surface on the first plane F side (the radius of the columnar lens 30 in the illustrated example).
In addition, an angle formed by a straight line connecting the center P of the light emitting surface of the light emitting element 25 and the center axis Q of the columnar lens 30 with respect to the second plane S is, for example, 10 to 60 °.

  According to such a light irradiation device 1, the light source unit 20 and the columnar lens 30 are arranged in a specific positional relationship, and the direction of light from the emission surface 32 of the columnar lens 30 is first with respect to the z direction. Since it is inclined in a direction away from the plane F, it is possible to prevent or suppress light from being directly or indirectly irradiated to another portion adjacent to one side (left side in FIG. 2). In addition, since it is not necessary to dispose the light irradiation device 1 far away from other adjacent parts, the overall size of the device can be reduced.

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a main part in another example of the light irradiation apparatus of the present invention. In the light source unit 20 of the light irradiation device, each of the sealing lenses 22 provided in each light emitting element 25 is a plane whose central axis L is translated from the first plane F to the second plane S side. It is formed to be located inside. Other configurations are the same as those of the light irradiation apparatus shown in FIGS. The separation distance between the central axis L of the sealing lens 22 and the first plane F is appropriately set according to the dimensions of the light emitting element 25 and the sealing lens 22, but the radius of the sealing lens 22 is 0.3 to. It is preferably 0.7 times.

According to such a light irradiation apparatus, the same effect as the light irradiation apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be obtained.
Moreover, in this light irradiation apparatus, the central axis L of the sealing lens 22 is located in a plane translated from the first plane F to the second plane S side. Therefore, a part of the light traveling from the light emitting element 25 along the first plane F and the light traveling in the direction away from the second plane S with respect to the first plane F is on the surface of the sealing lens 22. The first plane F is refracted in a direction approaching the second plane S. Thereby, the quantity of the light shielded by the light shielding body among the light emitted from the light source unit 20 can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to improve the light use efficiency.

  FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of a configuration in an example of the photocuring material processing apparatus of the present invention. This photocuring material processing apparatus is configured as an ink jet printer, and has a rectangular parallelepiped shape including a plurality of ejection units (not shown) that eject ultraviolet curable ink, which is a photocuring material, onto a recording medium M. It has a head portion 2. A light irradiation device 1 for irradiating the photocurable material discharged on the recording medium M with ultraviolet rays is disposed adjacent to the head portion 2 on each side of the head portion 2. This light irradiation apparatus 1 has the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Further, with reference to FIG. 2, each of the light irradiation devices 1 is arranged so that light from the emission surface 32 of the columnar lens 30 is irradiated to a position away from the head unit 2. Specifically, each of the light irradiation devices 1 is arranged in a posture in which the first plane F (see FIG. 2) approaches the head unit 2. Each of the head unit 2 and the light irradiation device 1 is supported by a guide rail 5 extending in the y direction so as to be movable in the y direction.

  In this photocuring material processing apparatus, the recording medium M is intermittently conveyed in the x direction by an appropriate conveying means (not shown). Then, while moving the head unit 2 in the y direction, ink is ejected from the ejection unit of the head unit 2 toward the conveyed recording medium M. Thereby, ink adheres to the recording medium M. Thereafter, the ink attached to the recording medium M is irradiated with light by the light irradiation device 1, whereby the ink is cured and fixed to the recording medium M.

  According to such a photo-curing material processing apparatus, light from the exit surface 32 of the columnar lens 30 in each of the light irradiation apparatuses 1 is irradiated to a position separated from the head part 2, so that the ejection part of the head part 2 is irradiated. Irradiation with light can be prevented or suppressed. In addition, since it is not necessary to dispose each of the light irradiation devices 1 separately from the head unit 2, the entire photocuring material processing device can be reduced in size.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the following various modifications can be added.
(1) As the 2nd holding member 12, the thing of the structure clamped in the both ends of the longitudinal direction of the columnar lens 30 can be used instead of the elongate thing extended along the columnar lens 30, for example.
(2) As shown in FIG. 6, in the region opposite to the second plane S with respect to the first plane F, separately from the first holding member 11, in the x direction (in FIG. A light shielding body 35 having a long shape extending in a vertical direction) may be provided. In the case where such a light shielding body 35 is provided, the first holding member 11 does not need a function as the light shielding body 35, and thus, for example, a structure that is sandwiched at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the columnar lens 30 is used. be able to.

(3) The columnar lens 30 is not limited to a circular cross section, and various shapes can be used. Specifically, the columnar lens 30 is preferably one in which the light is refracted in the direction away from the first plane F at the light receiving surface 31 and the light emitting surface 32. For example, as shown in FIG. A flat surface in which the emission surface 32 is a convex surface or a shape in which a part of the light receiving surface 31 is convex and the emission surface 32 is a flat surface as shown in FIG. 8 can be used.

(4) As shown in FIG. 9, the light source unit 20 includes two substrates 21 each extending in the x direction (direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 9), and a plurality of substrates 21 are provided on each surface of the substrates 21. The light emitting elements 25 may be arranged in a state of being arranged in the x direction along the surface of the substrate 21. When the light source unit 20 having such a configuration is used, the first plane F1 extending in the x direction and the z direction, including the center P1 of the light emitting surface of each light emitting element 25 disposed on one substrate 21, and the other. Each of the first planes F2 extending in the x direction and the z direction including the light emitting surface center P2 of each light emitting element disposed on the substrate 21 includes the central axis Q of the columnar lens 30 in the x direction and the z direction. It suffices if the second plane S is positioned so as to be positioned on a plane separated from the second plane S in the y direction.

(5) As shown in FIG. 10, the light reflecting member 15 can be provided between one side surface of the first holding member 11 and the peripheral surface of the columnar lens 30. The light reflecting member 15 may be fixed to one side surface of the first holding member 11 or may be fixed to the peripheral surface of the columnar lens 30. As a material constituting the light reflecting member 15, a material in which a metal multilayer film is vapor-deposited on the surface of a metal such as aluminum constituting the first holding member 11 or a fluororesin such as polytetrafluoroethylene is used. it can. According to such a configuration, the reflected light from the light reflecting film 15 travels in a direction inclined with respect to the second plane S in a direction away from the first plane F. Therefore, it is possible to improve the light use efficiency.

(6) As shown in FIG. 11, the light absorbing member 16 may be formed between one side surface of the second holding member 12 and the peripheral surface of the columnar lens 30. The light absorbing member 16 may be fixed to one side surface of the second holding member 16 or may be fixed to the peripheral surface of the columnar lens 30. As a material constituting the light absorbing member 16, a metal surface such as aluminum constituting the second holding member 12 having a black anodized treatment or a blackened fluororesin such as polytetrafluoroethylene is used. Can do.
According to such a configuration, light from the columnar lens 30 is not reflected by one side surface of the second holding member 12. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the light traveling from the emission surface 32 of the columnar lens 30 from traveling in a direction inclined in a direction away from the first plane F with respect to the second plane S.

Except that the sealing lens was formed according to the configuration shown in FIG. 4, a light irradiation device having the following specifications was produced according to the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
The substrate in the light source unit is made of aluminum nitride and has dimensions of 105 mm × 20 mm × 1.0 mm. The light emitting element is a light emitting diode having a peak wavelength of 395 nm, an output of 700 mW, and a size of 1.0 mm × 1.0 mm × 0.1 mm. The number of light emitting elements is 25, and the arrangement pitch is 4.0 mm. The sealing lens is made of silicone resin and has a radius of 1.1 mm, and is formed so that the distance between the central axis L and the first plane F is 0.5 mm.
The columnar lens is made of quartz glass, has a total length of 110 mm, a diameter of 10 mm, a distance between the first plane F and the second plane S of 5 mm, and the center of the light emitting surface of the light emitting element with respect to the second plane S. The angle formed by the straight line connecting P and the central axis Q of the columnar lens in the shortest is 45 °. The first holding member and the second holding member are made of aluminum and have a total length of 110 mm. Further, the first holding member is arranged so that the end portion on the second plane S side in the y direction is located on the first plane F.

Light was irradiated onto the irradiated surface extending in the x direction and the y direction, separated by 10 mm from the columnar lens in the z direction, by the light irradiation device. And the illuminance distribution in the y direction of the irradiated surface was measured. The results are shown in FIG.
In FIG. 12, the vertical axis represents relative illuminance. The horizontal axis is the distance in the y direction from the reference line where the irradiated surface and the second plane S intersect, and the direction away from the first plane is a positive value, and the opposite direction is Shown as negative values.

As is apparent from the results shown in FIG. 12, according to the above-described light irradiation device, the y-direction of the irradiated surface is at a position 15 mm away from the second plane S in the direction opposite to the first plane F. An irradiation region having an illuminance peak is formed. Further, it was confirmed that the illuminance of the region on the first plane F side from the second plane S is substantially zero in the y direction of the irradiated surface.
From the above, according to the above-described light irradiation device, it is possible to prevent or suppress light from being directly or indirectly irradiated to another part adjacent to one side.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Light irradiation apparatus 2 Head part 5 Guide rail 10 Case 11 1st holding member 12 2nd holding member 15 Light reflection member 16 Light absorption member 20 Light source part 21 Substrate 22 Sealing lens 25 Light emitting element 30 Columnar lens 31 Light reception Surface 32 Emission surface 35 Light shield 40 Heat sink 41 Fin 45 Cooling fans F, F1, F2 First plane L Central axis M of sealing lens Recording medium P Center of light emitting surface Q of light emitting element Center axis S of columnar lens S Second Plane W Irradiated surface

Claims (5)

When three directions orthogonal to each other are defined as an x direction, a y direction, and a z direction,
A long light source unit in which a plurality of light-emitting elements are arranged in the x direction along a plane extending in the x direction and the y direction;
A columnar lens having a long shape extending in the x direction along the light source unit, and having a light receiving surface for receiving light from the light source unit and an output surface for emitting the received light on the circumferential surface in the longitudinal direction And
In the light source unit, a first plane extending in the x direction and the z direction including the center of the light emitting surface of each light emitting element is a second plane extending in the x direction and the z direction including the central axis of the columnar lens. It is arranged so as to be positioned on a plane separated in the y direction,
The light irradiation device, wherein a direction of light from an emission surface of the columnar lens is inclined in a direction away from the first plane with respect to the second plane.   The light irradiation according to claim 1, wherein a light-shielding body that shields light from the light source unit is provided in a region opposite to the second plane with respect to the first plane. apparatus.   The end portion on the second plane side of the light shielding body is located in the first plane or a plane separated from the first plane toward the second plane side. The light irradiation apparatus as described in.   Each of the light emitting elements in the light source unit is provided with a hemispherical sealing lens that covers the light emitting surface of the light emitting element, and the central axis of the sealing lens is the second plane from the first plane. The light irradiation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light irradiation apparatus is located in a plane translated to the plane side. A head unit including a discharge unit that discharges a photocurable material, and the light irradiation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 provided adjacent to the head unit,
The light irradiating apparatus is disposed so that light from an emission surface of the columnar lens is irradiated to a position separated from the head portion.

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