JP2017105091A - Image formation apparatus, image formation method, and image formation program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image formation apparatus that is able to improve the quality of granular appearance in image formation by an ink jet system using ultraviolet curable color ink.SOLUTION: In an ink jetting main part in this apparatus, in a case where an image 5 is formed on a base material 2 on the basis of image data transmitted from outside by an ink jet head 3, and when ultraviolet curable ink including ink of different color is jetted and cured by a curing radiation lamp 4, control means 7 controls order in which droplets of color ink by the ink jet head 3, thereby, after droplets of color ink with low brightness are cured, droplets of white ink with high brightness are cured on the cured color droplets, and droplets of white ink to be jetted are controlled in amount. To control jetting in amount, droplets of white ink cover droplets of ink of another color, droplets of white ink coat the outermost surface of a formed image part 5 in the end of image formation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and an image forming program.

  Conventional image forming apparatuses using a general-purpose inkjet method mainly employ an area gradation method based on a side-by-side color mixing method in which dots are formed by dropping ink onto a recording medium and the density is expressed by the coverage rate. It has been adopted.

  In this area gradation method, ink dots are roughly arranged for light color expression, and ink dots are densely arranged for dark color expression. Further, not only when the colors to be expressed are dark and thin, but also when a plurality of colors of ink are combined, the colors are expressed by using the coarsely arranged colors and the densely arranged colors in combination. In particular, the inkjet method is becoming the mainstream for image formation on substrates that are not permeable to ink such as film, plastic, and metal in recent years. In order to carry out this, ultraviolet (UV) curable inks and photocuring resins are used. In many cases, a light irradiation device is used in an image forming apparatus.

  The characteristics of UV curable inks using photo-curing resins are larger than those of photographic printers that are commonly used, and the ink dots are large and each of the ink dots is cured independently on the substrate. Yes. For this reason, in the color expression by the area gradation method, the arrangement of dots is visually recognized, and the quality of graininess tends to deteriorate.

  Therefore, a technique for improving the quality of image formation when using an ultraviolet curable ink in an image forming apparatus has also been proposed. For example, the recording paper has good feathering resistance and has low ink absorbability or ink. For non-absorbable recording media, an image excellent in beading resistance, color bleed resistance, and graininess is obtained, recording speed is improved, and power consumption is reduced. Image forming method "(see Patent Document 1).

  The technique according to Patent Document 1 described above is intended to improve image quality in an image forming apparatus using ink that is cured by irradiating active energy rays, and has a high absorbance and high reactivity with respect to active energy rays. It is a method of recording and curing in order, specifically, aiming at final image formation by forming ink with high absorbance in the lower layer and ink with low absorbance in the upper layer in order to reach the active energy ray deeper This is a proposal for a method of curing on the street.

  However, the technique according to Patent Document 1 irradiates the ink dots with active energy rays on the base material, and the arrangement of the ink dots is visually recognized on the final image formation. There is a problem that the defect that the quality of the product becomes worse is not solved.

  The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and a technical problem thereof is an image capable of improving the quality of graininess when an image is formed by an inkjet method using an ultraviolet curable color ink. An object is to provide a forming apparatus, an image forming method, and an image forming program.

  In order to achieve the above technical problem, the first means of the present invention includes white ink and color inks of other colors when forming an image on a substrate based on image data transmitted from the outside. Discharging means for discharging the ultraviolet curable ink, curing means for curing the ultraviolet curable ink discharged by the discharging means, and controlling the recording order of the color ink droplets in the discharging means, and setting the color ink by the curing means. And a control unit that cures the white ink on the cured color ink after curing, and the control unit is an image forming apparatus that controls the discharge amount of the white ink discharged by the discharge unit based on the image data. It is characterized by.

  In order to achieve the above technical problem, the second means of the present invention provides an ultraviolet curable ink containing color inks of different colors when forming an image on a substrate based on image data transmitted from the outside. Discharging means for discharging, curing means for curing the UV curable ink discharged by the discharging means, and the recording order of the color ink droplets in the discharging means is controlled, and the lightness of the color ink is low by the curing means And a controller that cures the liquid droplet of high brightness onto the cured liquid droplet after the liquid droplet of color is cured, and the controller controls the brightness of the liquid ejected by the ejection unit based on the image data. It is an image forming apparatus that controls the discharge amount of high-color droplets.

  In order to achieve the above technical problem, according to a third means of the present invention, when the discharge means provided in the image forming apparatus forms an image on the substrate based on the image data transmitted from the outside, the white ink And a discharge step for discharging ultraviolet curable ink containing color inks of other colors, a curing step in which the curing means provided in the image forming apparatus cures the ultraviolet curable ink discharged in the discharge step, and image formation A control unit provided in the apparatus for controlling the recording order of the color ink droplets in the ejection step and curing the color ink in the curing step, and then curing the white ink on the cured color ink; And the control step is an image forming method for controlling a discharge amount of white ink discharged in the discharge step based on image data.

  In order to achieve the above technical problem, the fourth means of the present invention is that when the ejection means provided in the image forming apparatus forms an image on the substrate based on the image data transmitted from the outside, different colors are used. A discharge step for discharging the ultraviolet curable ink including the color ink, a curing step provided in the image forming apparatus for curing the ultraviolet curable ink discharged in the discharge step, and a control provided in the image forming apparatus. The means controls the recording order of the color ink droplets in the ejection step and cures the low-lightness color droplets of the color ink in the curing step, and then the high-lightness on the cured color droplets. A control step for curing the color droplets, and in the control step, an image shape for controlling a discharge amount of the high-brightness color droplets discharged in the discharge step based on the image data Characterized in that it is a method.

  According to the present invention, the quality of the graininess can be improved when an image is formed by an inkjet method using an ultraviolet curable color ink by the above configuration or processing process. Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will be clarified by the following description of embodiments.

It is the schematic diagram which expanded and showed partially the mode of the general printed matter image-formed with the well-known image forming apparatus using the general purpose ink droplet. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a main part of ink ejection in an ink jet image forming apparatus using ultraviolet curable color ink according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a cross section in a side surface of a formed image portion on a base material when a control unit in the main part of ink ejection described in FIG. 2 is not functioned. It is a schematic diagram which shows the state which looked at the formation image part shown in FIG. 3 from the upper surface direction. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a cross section in a side surface of a formed image portion on a base material when a control unit in the main part of ink ejection described in FIG. 2 is caused to function. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a state in which the formed image portion illustrated in FIG. 5 is viewed from the upper surface direction. FIG. 3 is a characteristic diagram showing the correlation between the brightness and granularity of an image formed with color ink applied when the control means in the main part of ink ejection described in FIG. 2 is functioned. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a formed image portion on a base material in a cross-section in a side surface direction when a control unit in an ink discharge main portion described in FIG. 2 is functioned under a condition where color ink is not used. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing discharge operation processing for each operation mode when white ink is used by causing the control means in the ink discharge main part described in FIG. 2 to function, and (a) is a case in which each color is discharged separately. FIG. 5B is a flowchart in a case where white ink is ejected after ejecting all color inks excluding white ink, and FIG. 5C is a flowchart in a case where each color ink including white ink is ejected collectively. FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram shown for explaining the relative movement in the main part of ink ejection in order to improve the graininess of the formed image in the operation mode of the ejection operation process described in FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a discharge operation process for each operation mode in a case where white ink is not used by causing the control means in the ink discharge main part described in FIG. 2 to function, and (a) is a case where each color is discharged separately. A flowchart and (b) are flowcharts in the case of ejecting ink of each color collectively.

  Hereinafter, an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and an image forming program of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  First, in order to facilitate understanding of the image forming apparatus, the image forming method, and the image forming program of the present invention, the well-known general printed matter will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a partially enlarged state of a general printed material 6 that is image-formed by a known image forming apparatus using general-purpose ink droplets.

  Referring to FIG. 1, in a general printed matter 6 subjected to image formation processing by a known image forming apparatus, as shown in an enlarged portion, area gradation by a side-by-side color mixing method in which extremely small ink droplets are arranged on a paper surface. An image is formed by this method. At this time, if the arrangement of the ink droplets per unit area is made rough, a thin image can be formed, and if it is made dense, a dark image can be formed. Further, for example, assuming that an inkjet head equipped with color inks of four primary colors of cyan C, magenta M, yellow Y, and black K is applied to an image forming apparatus, for example, by using cyan C and magenta M at the same time, brown By simultaneously using the B image, magenta M, and yellow Y, it is possible to change the color of the image by mixing colors such as a red R image.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a main part of ink ejection in an ink jet image forming apparatus using ultraviolet curable color ink according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 2, the main part of ink ejection in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment is based on image data transmitted from the outside to the surface on the base material 2 placed on the support 1. When forming an image on the formed image portion 5, the inkjet head 3 as ejection means for ejecting droplets of ultraviolet curable ink containing color inks of different colors and the ultraviolet curable ink ejected by the inkjet head 3 are cured. Curing irradiation lamp 4 as a curing means to be controlled and the recording order of the color ink droplets in inkjet head 3 were controlled to cure the color ink droplets of low brightness among the color inks by curing irradiation lamp 4. And a control means 7 that cures the color droplet having a high brightness onto the color droplet that has been cured later. Incidentally, the curing irradiation lamp 4 can be regarded as the specification of the curing light irradiation apparatus.

  Among these, the inkjet head 3 may be configured separately for each color of the ultraviolet curable ink, or may be configured such that a single-type head ejects droplets of each color. In addition, the color type of the ultraviolet curable ink ejected from the inkjet head 3 is shown as six types of black K, cyan C, magenta M, yellow Y, white W, and transparent, but is not limited thereto. . The curing irradiation lamps 4 installed in the vicinity of both ends of the inkjet head 3 can shorten the time from the landing of the ultraviolet curable ink droplets on the surface of the substrate 2 to the curing, and the ink of different colors. Since the droplets can be cured before being assimilated (unified), a higher-definition image can be formed. However, the number and arrangement of the curing irradiation lamps 4 are not limited to the form shown in FIG. Further, the control means 7 controls the discharge amount of the highly colored liquid droplets discharged by the inkjet head 3 based on the image data.

  In the main part of ink discharge in the image forming apparatus described above, image formation is performed by ejecting droplets of ultraviolet curable ink onto the surface of the substrate 2 with the inkjet head 3 and curing with a curing irradiation lamp 4 in the vicinity thereof. At this time, either or both of the ink jet head 3 and the support 1 are relatively moved, so that a droplet of the ultraviolet curable ink is placed at an arbitrary coordinate position on the surface of the substrate 2. Can be landed to form an image on the layer of the formed image portion 5. The substrate 2 itself may be a flat surface having a flat surface as shown in FIG. 2, a smooth surface having irregularities, or depending on the shape of the formed image portion 5 to be finally formed. It may be a three-dimensional structure. When the base material 2 has a three-dimensional structure, the main part of ink ejection in the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 2 can be regarded as the specification of a three-dimensional object forming apparatus equipped with an inkjet engine.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the formed image portion 5 on the base member 2 in a cross-section in the side surface direction when the control means 7 in the main part of ink ejection described with reference to FIG. 2 is not functioned.

  Referring to FIG. 3, when an image is formed on a non-penetrable substrate 2 such as plastic using an inkjet head 3 that discharges droplets of ultraviolet curable ink without causing the control means 7 described above to function, recording is performed. In order to cure the droplets of the selected color type, there is a vertical relationship, and here, a state where the droplet of the color with the lowest brightness is recorded last is shown. FIG. 3 illustrates a state in which the color-type liquid droplets are spherical and hardened, but in actuality, a flat shape having a height of a hemisphere or less.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a state in which the formed image portion 5 illustrated in FIG. 3 is viewed from the upper surface direction. Referring to FIG. 4, here, a state in which the color with the lowest lightness is recorded most recently, the color with the lowest lightness is visually recognized from the upper surface of the formed image portion 5 is shown. . Since the lightness is low, the visibility is high, and the graininess of the formed image portion 5 is in a state of poor quality that feels the most rough. That is, when an image is formed on a non-penetrable substrate 2 such as plastic using an ink jet head 3 that ejects droplets of ultraviolet curable ink, unlike an osmotic medium such as photographic glossy paper, an ultraviolet curable product is used. As the type ink does not penetrate into the base material 2, the area of the ink dots formed tends to increase, and the graininess deteriorates.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the formed image portion 5 on the substrate 2 in a cross-section in the side surface direction when the control means 7 in the main part of ink ejection described in FIG. 2 is functioned. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the formed image portion 5 shown in FIG. 5 is viewed from the upper surface direction.

  Referring to FIG. 5, when an image is formed on a non-penetrable substrate 2 such as plastic using an inkjet head 3 that causes the above-described control means 7 to function and ejects droplets of ultraviolet curable ink, the control means 7 cures the droplets of the color ink other than the white ink having the highest brightness by the curing irradiation lamp 4 and then cures the droplets of the white ink on the cured color ink, and based on the image data, the inkjet head In step 3, the amount of white ink droplets discharged is controlled, and at that time, the color ink droplets are covered with the white ink droplets. For this reason, at the end of the image formation, the white ink droplets are applied to the outermost surface of the formed image portion 5 like a film, so that the low-lightness ink dots are visually recognized as shown in FIG. The graininess of the formed image portion 5 can be improved. However, if the amount of white ink applied is large at this time, the improvement amount becomes large, but the color of the formed image portion 5 becomes light.

  Therefore, in the embodiment, the use amount of each color ink for finally realizing the color desired to form an image is determined in consideration of ejecting white ink droplets by the function of the control means 7 described above. More specifically, the control means 7 variably controls the amount of white ink droplets used for clothing according to the brightness and amount of the color ink droplets to be coated. For example, in the case where 20 white inks are ejected to blue B color formed by mixing cyan C ink and magenta M ink 75 by 75, cyan C ink and magenta M ink are mixed by 85 each. To do.

  FIG. 7 is a characteristic diagram showing the correlation between the brightness of the image formed by the color ink and the graininess applied when the control means 7 described above is functioned.

  Referring to FIG. 7, when the amount of white ink discharged is changed according to the lightness of the color to be discharged as indicated by the dotted line characteristic C <b> 1, for example, when the lightness of the formed image with color ink is high (bright) Since individual ink dots stand out and stand out, the graininess tends to deteriorate as shown by the solid line characteristic C2. In such a case, a large amount of white ink may be ejected to increase the probability that the ink dots of the color ink are covered by the white ink droplets. On the contrary, when the brightness of the formed image with color ink is low (dark), the ink dots are dense and the individual ink dots are not conspicuous, so that the graininess is unlikely to deteriorate as shown by the characteristic C2. In such a case, the white ink to be ejected may be noticeable and the graininess may be deteriorated, so the amount of white ink ejected may be reduced. The relationship between the brightness necessary to improve graininess and the amount of white ink discharged, or the relationship between the amount of each color ink used to achieve the target color and the amount of white ink used, Since it differs depending on the component related to the color and density of the ink and the size and arrangement of the droplets, it is not limited to the form shown in FIG. In any case, if the correlation between the brightness and graininess of the image formed with color ink is stored in advance as internal data, and an optimum value based on the data is obtained and applied at the time of data generation, the graininess can be reduced. Reduced image formation can be performed.

  FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing the formed image portion 5 on the base member 2 in a cross-section in the side surface direction when the control means 7 in the ink discharge main portion described above is functioned under the condition where the color ink is not used. is there.

  Referring to FIG. 8, when the formed image portion 5 is imaged on the base material 2 without using white ink, the ink droplets having a higher brightness among the ink color types to be used, It is formed at a position close to the surface. As a result, it is possible to coat the ink droplets of the low brightness color with the ink droplets of the high brightness color, and the graininess when viewed from the surface of the formed image portion 5 can be reduced. For example, when forming a green color, a cyan C ink droplet is formed by forming a yellow Y ink droplet of a high brightness color on a cyan C ink droplet of a low brightness color. The granular feeling by being visually recognized can be reduced. However, the color of the formed image portion 5 differs depending on the relationship between the ink color type clothing and the frequency thereof, and the graininess also differs. Therefore, the graininess can also be reduced by storing the correlation data between the brightness and graininess of the image formed with color ink in advance as internal data, and obtaining and applying the optimum value based on that data at the time of data generation. Image formation can be performed.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the discharge operation processing for each operation mode when white ink is used by causing the control means 7 in the ink discharge main part described in FIG. 2 to function, and FIG. FIG. 5B is a flowchart for discharging each color ink except for the white ink, and FIG. 5C is a flowchart for discharging each color ink including the white ink. It is a flowchart in the case of spitting out collectively. However, here, it is assumed that five colors of ink other than transparent are used instead of the six colors described with reference to FIG.

  Referring to FIG. 9A, in the operation mode of the spout operation process, the five colors of ink to be used are recorded in order from the color with the lowest lightness, the recording is completed for each color, and the next color is then printed. This is a recording method, and the lower the lightness of the ink, the lower the visibility. More specifically, black K ink recording (step S1), cyan C ink recording (step S2), magenta M ink recording (step S3), yellow Y ink recording (step S4), Recording of the white W ink (step S5) is performed sequentially. Since the white ink is used lastly and is applied to the ink of the other color, the recording with the white ink is in a later stage than that of the other color. According to this operation mode, the recording method is the one in which the graininess is reduced most, but there is a disadvantage that the time required for image formation becomes long.

  Referring to FIG. 9B, in the operation mode of the discharge operation process, the ink of each color other than the white ink is simultaneously recorded, and the white ink is recorded after the ink is completed. Specifically, black K ink, cyan C ink, magenta M ink, and yellow Y ink are recorded together (step S1), and then white W ink is recorded (step S2). Will be done. At the time when ink other than white ink is recorded, the graininess of the formed image portion 5 is visually recognized, but the graininess can be reduced by coating with color ink. According to this operation mode, the time required for image formation is much shorter than in the operation mode described with reference to FIG.

  Referring to FIG. 9C, in the operation mode of the discharge operation process, ink of each color including white ink is recorded simultaneously. Specifically, black K ink, cyan C ink, magenta M ink, yellow Y ink, and white W ink are recorded together (step S1). According to this operation mode, it is possible to form an image at the highest speed. However, since the ink overlapping order depends on the positional relationship of the inkjet head 3 assembled in the image forming apparatus, the effect of reducing the graininess is achieved. Becomes difficult. Therefore, in such a case, as described later, recording is performed while relatively moving the inkjet head 3 ′ and the base material 2, and the operation is performed so as to perform recording only when moving in one direction at that time. Limit it. Incidentally, when the operation mode recording method described with reference to FIGS. 9A to 9C is performed, the granularity of the final formed image is different.

  FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram shown for explaining the relative movement in the main part of ink ejection in order to improve the graininess of the formed image in the operation mode of the ejection operation process described in FIG. 9C. is there.

  Referring to FIG. 10, when recording is performed while relatively moving the inkjet head 3 'and the substrate 2, for example, the inkjet head 3' is moving in one direction as indicated by a right arrow. If only the recording is performed, the recording order is uniquely determined such as black K ink, cyan C ink, magenta M ink, yellow Y ink, and white W ink, and the overlapping order of the inks is also determined. Since it is determined uniquely, the same effect as the operation mode described in FIG. 9B can be obtained.

  FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the discharge operation processing for each operation mode when the control means 7 in the ink discharge main part described in FIG. 2 is functioned and white ink is not used, and FIG. Is a flowchart in the case of ejecting the ink separately, and FIG. 5B is a flowchart in the case of ejecting each color ink collectively. However, here, it is assumed that four colors of ink excluding the white ink and the transparent ink are used instead of the six colors described with reference to FIG.

  Referring to FIG. 11A, in the operation mode of the spout operation process, the four colors of ink to be used are recorded in order from the color with the lowest lightness, the recording is completed for each color, and the next color is then printed. This is a recording method, and the lower the lightness of the ink, the lower the visibility. More specifically, black K ink recording (step S1), cyan C ink recording (step S2), magenta M ink recording (step S3), and yellow Y ink recording (step S4). It will be done sequentially. When the white ink is not used, the ink of the other color is applied by using the ink of the color with the higher lightness last, so that the ink of the color with the higher lightness is the latter stage than that of the other color. This operation mode provides a recording method that reduces graininess, but also has the disadvantage of increasing the time required for image formation.

  Referring to FIG. 11B, in the operation mode of the discharge operation process, ink of each color is recorded simultaneously. More specifically, black K ink, cyan C ink, magenta M ink, and yellow Y ink are recorded together (step S1). According to this operation mode, it is possible to form an image at a high speed. However, since the ink overlapping order depends on the positional relationship of the inkjet head assembled in the image forming apparatus, it is difficult to reduce the graininess. Become. Therefore, in such a case, as in the case described with reference to FIG. 9C, recording is performed while relatively moving the ink-jet head and the base material 2, and the recording head moves in one direction at that time. The operation may be limited so that recording is performed only for the case. Incidentally, even when the recording method in the operation mode described with reference to FIGS. 11A and 11B is carried out, the granularity of the final formed image is different.

  According to the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment described above, when an image is formed on the substrate 2 based on the image data transmitted from the outside in the main part of ink discharge, the ultraviolet rays containing color inks of different colors are used. When the curable ink is ejected and cured, the control unit 7 controls the recording order of the color ink droplets to cure the low-lightness color droplets of the color ink and then cure the color ink droplets. In order to cure the liquid droplets with high lightness (white ink when white ink is included) and control the discharge amount of liquid droplets with high lightness, an ink jet method using ultraviolet curable color ink is used. The quality of the graininess can be improved when forming the image of the formed image portion 5 on the material 2.

  In short, in the image forming apparatus of the present invention, in order to control the recording sequence of the color inks so that the ink droplets of the high lightness color are covered with the ink droplets of the low lightness color in the ink ejection essential part, The visibility of ink dots of low brightness color is reduced and the graininess is improved. In particular, when the color ink includes color ink, by applying white ink on the outermost surface of the formed image portion 5 like a film, the graininess of the color for forming an image can be reduced. Naturally, the color becomes lighter depending on the amount of white ink applied, but it is possible to achieve both color and graininess by forming an image with an ink ejection amount that takes this into account. Of course, not only the white ink but also the ink with higher lightness may be formed at a position closer to the surface, the graininess can be similarly reduced.

  The processing function in the main part of ink ejection of the image forming apparatus described above can be restated as a processing process of the image forming method according to whether or not the color ink includes white ink. The process of the image forming method in which the former color ink includes white ink is used when the ejection unit provided in the image forming apparatus forms an image on a substrate based on image data transmitted from the outside. An ejection step for ejecting ultraviolet curable ink containing color inks of other colors, a curing step in which the curing means provided in the image forming apparatus cures the ultraviolet curable ink ejected in the ejection step, and an image forming apparatus A control step for controlling the recording order of the droplets of the color ink in the ejection step and curing the color ink in the curing step, and then curing the white ink on the cured color ink. And in the control step, the ejection amount of the white ink ejected in the ejection step is controlled based on the image data. The process of the image forming method in which the latter color ink does not contain white ink is different in color when the ejection unit provided in the image forming apparatus forms an image on the substrate based on image data transmitted from the outside. A discharge step for discharging the ultraviolet curable ink including the color ink, a curing step provided in the image forming apparatus for curing the ultraviolet curable ink discharged in the discharge step, and a control provided in the image forming apparatus. The means 7 controls the recording order of the color ink droplets in the ejection step and cures the low-lightness color droplets of the color ink in the curing step, and then sets the lightness on the cured color droplets. A control step for curing the high-color liquid droplets, and in the control step, discharge of high-lightness color liquid droplets discharged in the discharge step based on the image data It becomes to control.

  In any of the image forming methods, the processing process (ejection step, curing step, control step) can be applied as an image forming program for causing a computer to execute the processing process. Specifically, the image forming program may be stored in a storage medium provided in the image forming apparatus, and the image forming program may be read and executed by a separately provided CPU (Central Processing Unit) function. .

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Support body 2 Base material 3, 3 'Inkjet head 4 Irradiation lamp for hardening 5 Formed image part 6 Printed matter 7 Control means

JP 2007-118409 A

Claims (8)

When forming an image on a substrate based on image data transmitted from the outside, a discharge unit that discharges ultraviolet curable ink including white ink and color inks of other colors and the discharge unit Curing means for curing the ultraviolet curable ink, and controlling the recording order of the droplets of the color ink by the ejection means to cure the color ink by the curing means, and then the white ink on the cured color ink. Control means for curing the ink,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls an ejection amount of the white ink ejected by the ejection unit based on the image data. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit applies the color ink droplets with the white ink droplets when controlling the discharge amount of the white ink. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit variably controls the amount of the white ink droplet used for clothing according to the brightness and amount of the color ink droplet to be coated. When forming an image on a substrate based on image data transmitted from the outside, an ejection unit that ejects an ultraviolet curable ink containing color inks of different colors, and the ultraviolet curable ink ejected by the ejection unit A curing unit that cures the color ink, and a recording order of the droplets of the color ink in the discharge unit is controlled, and the cured unit cures the low-lightness color droplets of the color ink by the curing unit. A control means for curing the light-colored liquid droplets on the liquid droplets,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls a discharge amount of the high-brightness liquid droplets discharged by the discharge unit based on the image data. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means causes the low-lightness color droplets to be covered with the high-lightness color droplets when controlling the discharge amount of the high-lightness color droplets. Discharge that discharges UV curable ink containing white ink and color ink of other colors when the discharge unit provided in the image forming apparatus forms an image on the substrate based on image data transmitted from the outside Steps,
A curing unit provided in the image forming apparatus, a curing step for curing the ultraviolet curable ink ejected in the ejection step;
Control means provided in the image forming apparatus controls the recording order of the droplets of the color ink in the ejection step to cure the color ink in the curing step, and then applies the white ink onto the cured color ink. A control step for curing,
In the control step, the discharge amount of the white ink discharged in the discharge step is controlled based on the image data. When the ejection unit provided in the image forming apparatus forms an image on the substrate based on the image data transmitted from the outside, the ejection step of ejecting ultraviolet curable ink including color inks of different colors;
A curing unit provided in the image forming apparatus, a curing step for curing the ultraviolet curable ink ejected in the ejection step;
The control means provided in the image forming apparatus controls the recording order of the color ink droplets in the ejection step and cures the low-lightness color droplets of the color ink in the curing step. Curing the light color droplets on the cured color droplets; and
In the control step, an ejection amount of the high-brightness color droplets ejected in the ejection step is controlled based on the image data.   8. An image forming program for causing a computer to execute the ejection step, the curing step, and the control step in the image forming method according to claim 6.