JP2020029001A - Textile printing ink jet printer - Google Patents

Abstract

To cause a cloth to generate a pressing force onto a conveyor belt even if a lining agent is not used, thereby properly bringing the cloth and the conveyor belt into close contact with each other, and further to suppress vibration and slack of the conveyor belt.SOLUTION: A textile printing ink jet printer comprises: an endless conveyor belt which conveys a cloth; plural rollers which define a route on which the conveyor belt is circulated; and plural ink jet heads for discharging an ink onto the cloth. In the printer, respective ink jet heads are sequentially located in an area between a pair of adjacent rollers, and the plural rollers are located so that the conveyor belt becomes a convex shape which bulges toward an outer side of a circumference at a printing part in which the plural ink jet heads are located. Further, a platen, which supports the conveyor belt on a flat surface, is provided at a position facing the ink jet head with a conveyance roller interposed therebetween.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a textile ink jet printer, and more particularly, to a textile ink jet printer capable of carrying and printing a fabric without using an adhesive.

  Conventionally, screen printing or roller printing using a printing plate has been performed as a printing method. However, in such printing, a printing plate needs to be prepared prior to dyeing, so that production efficiency is low. Therefore, in recent years, ink-jet printing for forming an image on a medium such as a cloth by an ink-jet method using an ink-jet printer has been performed.

  In an inkjet printer, a medium is transported using a transport member such as a transport belt, and therefore, it is important to bring the medium into close contact with the transport belt. Therefore, when printing on a paper medium, the paper medium is sucked by a suction fan or the like to adhere to the transport belt, or the paper medium is brought into close contact with the transport belt by static electricity. However, when a cloth or the like is used as the medium, the cloth cannot be brought into close contact with the conveyor belt using suction or static electricity, so that a displacement occurs between the cloth and the conveyor belt, and printing can be performed accurately. Can not. Therefore, conventionally, so-called lining is performed, in which an organic solvent solution of an adhesive called a lining agent is applied to a conveyor belt.

  Since an organic solvent is used for applying the adhesive, there are safety and worker health problems. If the adhesive strength decreases due to repeated use of the adhesive, it is necessary to reapply the adhesive, and at this time, once the adhesive has been scraped off using an organic solvent, A complicated operation such as coating is required. Therefore, various methods have been proposed for suppressing the displacement between the medium and the transporting member without using an adhesive.

  For example, Patent Literature 1 below includes an ink push-out unit, a belt for passing a receiving substrate in the vicinity of the ink push-out unit, and first and second rollers for moving the belt. The belt has first and second ends and a shaft, respectively, and the belt is intermediate the first and second rollers for forming a bulge in the belt extending in the direction of the ink pushing means. An ink jet printer that contacts a placed guide means is disclosed.

  Further, in Patent Document 2 below, a transport member that constitutes a part of a transport mechanism of a medium and transports the medium, and has a medium holding surface that contacts the medium and holds the medium, The transporting member transports the medium by moving the medium holding surface while holding the medium by the medium holding surface, and the medium holding surface is subjected to a surface treatment by thermal spraying. It has been disclosed.

JP 2001-260444 A JP-A-2006-135711

  In FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1 described above, a guide roller is disposed below the transport belt below the head, and the transport belt is pressed toward the head using the guide roller, thereby suppressing the displacement between the medium and the transport member. The configuration is disclosed. However, in this configuration, since the landing surface of the ink ejected from the nozzles of the head has an arc shape reflecting the shape of the guide roller, the distance (gap) between the nozzles of the head and the medium is kept constant. And the displacement of the ink landing position occurs.

  FIG. 2 of Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a conveying belt below a head is supported by two guide rollers to be flat. However, in this configuration, as the size of the head increases, the distance between the guide rollers also increases. Therefore, it is difficult to maintain the plane of the transport belt unless an appropriate tension is applied to the transport belt.

  In particular, in an ink jet printer that performs printing on a fabric, the size of a transport belt or a head increases in order to transport and print a fabric having a width of about 1 to 2 m, and it is difficult to apply an appropriate tension to the transport belt. It's not easy. Furthermore, even if proper tension can be applied to the transport belt, if the distance between the two guide rollers increases, the transport belt vibrates or loosens between the guide rollers, causing a shift in the ink landing position. Occurs.

  In Patent Document 2, a projection having a special shape is formed on the surface of a transport member (drum) that transports a medium so that the cloth does not move in the horizontal and vertical directions with respect to the transport member. The configuration is disclosed. However, it is difficult to accurately form a specially shaped projection on a large drum. Even if the cloth can be fixed to the conveying member using the projections, the ink landing surface becomes an arc shape reflecting the shape of the drum, so that the distance (gap) between the head nozzle and the medium is reduced. Cannot be kept constant, and the ink landing position shifts.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and a main object of the present invention is to generate a pressing force on a transport belt on a fabric without using an upholstery agent, thereby causing the fabric and the transport belt to be separated from each other. An object of the present invention is to provide a textile ink jet printer which can be appropriately brought into close contact with each other.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a printing ink jet printer capable of suppressing vibration and slack of a transport belt.

  One aspect of the present invention is an endless transport belt that transports a fabric, a plurality of rollers that define a path around which the transport belt circulates, and a plurality of rollers that are installed on an outer peripheral side of the transport belt and eject ink to the fabric. And a printing ink-jet printer comprising: a plurality of ink jet heads, wherein each of the ink jet heads is sequentially arranged in a region between a pair of adjacent rollers, and the plurality of rollers are arranged by the plurality of ink jet heads. In the printing section, the transport belt is arranged so as to have a convex shape bulging outwardly.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to the textile ink jet printer of this invention, a pressing force with respect to a conveyance belt is produced | generated to a cloth, and a cloth and a conveyance belt can be made to contact suitably, without using an upholstery agent.

  The reason is that an endless transport belt that transports the fabric, a plurality of rollers that define a path around which the transport belt circulates, and a plurality of inkjet heads that are installed on the outer peripheral side of the transport belt and that discharge ink onto the fabric. In a textile printing ink-jet printer, each of the ink-jet heads is sequentially arranged in a region between a pair of adjacent rollers, and a plurality of rollers are arranged in a printing section where a plurality of ink-jet heads are arranged, in which a transport belt is located on the outer periphery. This is because the transport belt is arranged so as to be convex toward the periphery (the transport belt is bent toward the inner side of the circumference by the rollers positioned between the adjacent inkjet heads).

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to the textile inkjet printer of this invention, the vibration and slack of a conveyance belt can be suppressed.

  The reason is that a platen that supports the transport belt on a plane is provided at a position facing the inkjet head with the transport belt therebetween.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a textile ink jet printer according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a textile inkjet printer according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating an example of a carriage in the textile inkjet printer according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a structure of a transport belt in the textile inkjet printer according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating a problem (variation in distance between a nozzle of a head and a medium) of a conventional textile ink jet printer. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram for explaining a problem (vibration and slack of a conveyor belt) of a conventional textile ink jet printer.

  As described in the background art, when printing on a medium such as a cloth using an ink jet printer, the conveyor belt is lined with an organic solvent solution of an adhesive called a liner, In the case of the upholstery, there is a problem in safety and worker's health, and when the adhesive strength of the upholstery decreases, the upholstery must be reapplied again, which is troublesome. Therefore, in order to suppress the misalignment between the medium and the transport member without using an adhesive, a configuration in which a guide roller is disposed below the transport belt below the head, or a configuration in which the transport belt below the head is divided into two guides There have been proposed a configuration in which a flat surface is supported by rollers and a configuration in which a specially shaped projection is provided on a drum below the head.

  However, as shown in FIG. 5, in the configuration in which the guide roller is disposed below the transport belt below the head, the ink landing surface is formed in an arc shape reflecting the shape of the guide roller, and the distance between the nozzle of the head and the medium is reduced. The distance (gap) cannot be kept constant, causing a shift in the ink landing position. Further, in a configuration in which the transport belt at the lower portion of the head is supported by two guide rollers and made flat, the distance between the guide rollers increases as the size of the head increases. It becomes difficult to keep the belt flat.

  In particular, in an ink jet printer that performs printing on a fabric, the size of a transport belt or a head increases in order to transport and print a fabric having a width of about 1 to 2 m, and it is difficult to apply an appropriate tension to the transport belt. If the distance between the two guide rollers supporting the transport belt is increased, the transport belt vibrates or loosens between the guide rollers and shifts to the ink landing position, as shown in FIG. Occurs.

  In addition, it is difficult to accurately form a specially shaped protrusion on a large-sized drum, and even if the cloth can be brought into close contact with the conveying member by using the protrusion, the ink landing surface may have the same shape as the drum. Since the arc shape is reflected, the distance (gap) between the nozzle of the head and the medium cannot be kept constant, causing a shift in the ink landing position.

  Therefore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the conveying belt is made convex during the section until the cloth passes through the head, and the pressing force in the direction of the conveying belt surface due to the tension of the cloth causes the cloth and the conveying belt to move. So that they adhere. Specifically, an endless transport belt that transports the fabric, a plurality of guide rollers that define a path around which the transport belt circulates, and a plurality of inkjet heads that are installed on the outer peripheral side of the transport belt and eject ink to the fabric. , The respective inkjet heads are sequentially arranged in a region between a pair of adjacent rollers, and the plurality of guide rollers are referred to as a portion where a plurality of inkjet heads are arranged (called a printing unit). In (2), the conveyor belt is arranged so as to have a convex shape bulging outward.

  When the transport belt becomes convex, the transport belt becomes flat in a region between the pair of guide rollers where the inkjet heads are arranged, and between the pair of guide rollers and the pair of adjacent guide rollers. Another problem is that the guide belt positioned between the adjacent inkjet heads causes the transport belt to be bent toward the inside of the circumference.

  Further, if necessary, a flat plate such as a platen that supports the transport belt on a flat surface is disposed below the transport belt between the pair of guide rollers (a position facing the inkjet head with the transport belt therebetween). The platen suppresses vibration and slack of the transport belt, and keeps the gap between the head and the fabric constant.

  In general, a platen is required to have a surface processing accuracy of about Δ0.1 to 0.2 mm. However, as in the present invention, a platen disposed below the conveyor belt is provided for each carriage on which a plurality of inkjet heads are mounted. Due to the division, the cost can be reduced and the adjustment can be made easier as compared with a large platen as in a scan type ink jet printer. Further, the number of platens (the number of carriages) is not particularly limited. However, as the number of carriages increases, the carriages at the ends are arranged substantially horizontally in order to keep the transport belt convex. In the ink jet system, it is not preferable to discharge ink horizontally, and therefore, the number of carriages is desirably about four in order to discharge ink almost vertically while maintaining the convex shape of the transport belt.

  Further, if necessary, a protrusion is provided on the surface of the conveyor belt to regulate relative movement of the cloth on the conveyor belt in the conveying direction and a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction, thereby improving a frictional force between the conveyor belt and the cloth. Let it.

  At this time, in the present invention, since the transport belt has a convex shape as described above, a specially shaped projection (for example, an arrowhead type of Patent Document 2) for preventing the cloth from floating from the transport belt is provided. Since it is not necessary to use a protrusion having a simple shape such as a needle, it is easy to realize.

  Thus, in the present invention, the fabric can be appropriately pressed against the transport belt by making the transport belt convex. Further, by arranging the platen at a position facing the inkjet head with the conveyance belt interposed therebetween, vibration and slack of the conveyance belt can be suppressed. Further, by providing projections on the surface of the transport belt, the cloth can be securely fixed on the transport belt. Thus, it is possible to prevent the displacement of the ink landing position, and to improve the accuracy of printing even when printing on a large-sized cloth.

  In order to explain the above-described embodiment of the present invention in more detail, a textile ink jet printer according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of the textile ink jet printer of the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of the textile ink jet printer. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a configuration of a carriage in the textile ink jet printer according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a structure of a transport belt.

  The textile ink jet printer according to the present embodiment is a printing apparatus used in an ink jet recording method for ejecting ink to a recording material and recording an image. Hereinafter, a specific description will be given with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

  The fabric 40 as a recording medium is scattered in a roll shape (not shown), and the fabric 40 unwound from the roll passes through an intermediate roller 11 and a pressing roller (a tension roller that applies tension to the fabric 40) 10. And is pressed against the surface of the conveyor belt 23 to be in close contact with the conveyor belt 23. Then, the fabric 40 that is in close contact with the transport belt 23 is transported in the transport direction indicated by the white arrow in FIG.

  The transport device 20 includes a drive roller 21, a guide roller 22, a transport belt 23, a carriage 25, a belt cleaning unit 26, a belt drying unit 27, and the like, and prints on a fabric 40 on the transport belt 23.

  The driving roller 21 is configured to be able to transmit a driving force of a driving unit (not shown), and is driven to rotate when the driving unit is driven.

  The guide roller 22 is configured to be rotatable, and defines a path around which the transport belt 23 rotates. The guide roller 22 is disposed in the vicinity of the pressing roller 10 and the guide roller 22a (five guide rollers 22a disposed on the upper side in FIGS. 1 and 2) disposed on the print unit on which the carriage 25 is disposed. A guide roller 22b for bringing the fabric 40 into close contact with the transport belt 23, a guide roller 22c for peeling the fabric 40 from the transport belt 23, and the like are provided. Although the guide rollers 22a to 22c have the same size in FIGS. 1 and 2, the size and structure can be appropriately changed according to the purpose. 1 and 2, five guide rollers 22a are arranged to arrange four carriages 25, but the number of guide rollers 22a can be changed as appropriate according to the number of carriages 25.

  The transport belt 23 is formed in a belt shape and in an endless shape in which both ends in the longitudinal direction are connected. When the driving roller 21 is driven to rotate, the transport belt 23 moves around a path defined by the plurality of guide rollers 22. Thus, the cloth 40 placed on the conveyor belt 23 is conveyed.

  The carriage 25 is a unit on which the inkjet head 25a is mounted, and is disposed on the upper surface of the outer peripheral surface of the transport belt 23 at a predetermined interval from the transport belt 23. The details of the carriage 25 will be described later.

  The belt cleaning unit 26 has a nozzle that sprays a cleaning liquid onto the outer peripheral surface of the transport belt 23, and the cleaning liquid is sprayed from the nozzle to wash away the ink attached to the outer peripheral surface of the transport belt 23. In addition, the belt cleaning unit 26 is not limited to the one having the nozzle that sprays the cleaning liquid, and may be configured, for example, such that the cleaning roller impregnated with the cleaning liquid contacts the outer peripheral surface of the transport belt 23.

  The belt drying unit 27 is disposed downstream of the belt cleaning unit 26 in the transport direction of the transport belt 23, and removes the cleaning liquid attached to the transport belt 23 by the belt cleaning unit 26. The belt drying unit 27 may have, for example, a configuration in which air is blown to the transport belt 23 or a configuration in which the cleaning liquid attached to the transport belt 23 is scraped off by a flat blade.

  Then, in the transport device 20, the fabric 40 transported by the transport belt 23 and printed by the carriage 25 is separated from the transport belt 23 by the guide roller 22c, and subjected to a drying process by the pre-drying heater 32. The pre-drying heater 32 may have a configuration in which warm air is blown against the fabric 40, a configuration in which the fabric 40 is irradiated with infrared rays and dried, and the like. After drying by the pre-drying heater 32, the cloth 40 is wound by the winding roller 31 via the intermediate roller 30. At this time, it is desirable to apply a certain tension to the cloth 40 by rotating the winding roller 31 in conjunction with the printing speed.

  In addition, as a material of the fabric 40 used in the textile ink jet printer 1 of this embodiment, for example, cotton, hemp, wool, silk, rayon, cupra, polynosic, polyester, nylon, acrylic, vinylon, and a blend of these are used. be able to.

  In addition, as a material of the transport belt 23 used in the textile ink jet printer 1 of the present embodiment, resin, metal, glass fiber, or the like can be used. Reticulated belts can be used.

  Examples of the fibers include glass fibers, carbon fibers, aramid fibers, aromatic arylate fibers, and steel wires. In particular, glass fibers and aramid fibers are desirable from the viewpoint of preventing deformation due to belt tension. Examples of the weave of the mesh belt include plain weave, satin weave, twill weave, and knit weave, and may be knitted to have a multilayer structure. When knitting with a multilayer structure, a mesh belt may be created by combining the above-described plain weave, satin weave, twill weave, knit weave, and the like.

  Further, the mesh belt may be coated with a resin, and the knitted belt is impregnated with a resin solution, and dried, sintered, cross-linked, and the like, so that a resin-coated knit belt can be formed. As the resin impregnating the knit belt, a thermoplastic resin, a silicone resin, a fluororesin, or the like is preferably used. In these resins, synthetic fibers such as cotton yarn, polyamide fiber and aramid fiber, short fibers made of glass fiber, metal fiber, carbon fiber, etc., woven fabric, filler, whisker, silica, inorganic materials such as calcium carbonate, etc. , It is also possible to increase the strength of the resin layer. It is also possible to improve the friction resistance or to adjust the friction coefficient of the surface by making the fiber component slippery by partially exposing the fiber.

  In addition, a conveyor belt 23 containing a resin as a main component without containing a core material such as a metal or a fiber inside can also be preferably used, and an additional component can be added as necessary. As the resin, the above-mentioned thermoplastic resin, silicone resin, and fluorine resin can be used. The above-mentioned additional components can be kneaded with the resin composition before molding using a usual kneader such as a single-screw extruder, a twin-screw extruder, a Banbury mixer, a roll, a Brabender, a plastograph, and a kneader. preferable. Alternatively, each component can be directly supplied to a molding machine, and the composition can be molded while kneading the composition with the molding machine.

  As a belt production method using a mixture of these resins, a known melt molding method such as a continuous melt extrusion molding method, an injection molding method, a blow molding method, and an inflation film molding method can be used. As a desirable continuous melt extrusion molding method of the belt, an internal cooling mandrel method of a downward extrusion method capable of controlling the inner diameter of the extruded tube with high accuracy, or a vacuum sizing method is used.

  In the textile ink jet printer 1 having the above configuration, the following structure is provided to solve the problem of the present invention.

[First structure]
First, as a first structure, the transport belt 23 of the printing unit is formed to have a convex shape bulging outward. Hereinafter, a specific description will be given.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the fabric 40 to be printed by the printing ink jet printer 1 of the present embodiment has a width of about 1.8 m or more, and the transport belt 23 that transports the fabric 40 has a width of about 2 m or more. is there. When printing on such a large-sized cloth 40, a large number of inkjet heads 25a must be arranged, and therefore a unit (carriage 25) in which a plurality of inkjet heads 25a are mounted in combination is used.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of the configuration of the carriage 25 of the present embodiment. In order to reliably print over the entire width of the fabric 40, a plurality of nozzles 25c (here, a plurality of nozzles 25c) are provided for each color. Inkjet heads 25a including (two) inkjet modules 25b are arranged in a staggered manner. In this embodiment, an inkjet head 25a for two colors is mounted on each carriage 25, and an inkjet head 25a for a total of eight colors obtained by adding Gray, Pink, Blue, and Orange to CMYK to express an intermediate color is mounted. The four carriages 25 are arranged. The length of the carriage 25 in the long side direction (horizontal direction in the figure) is about 2 m (the middle part is omitted in the figure) which is equal to the width of the conveyor belt 23, and the short side direction (vertical direction in the figure). ) Is about 30 cm or longer.

  When the carriage 25 having such a large size is used, the distance between the guide rollers 22a in FIGS. 1 and 2 is equal to or longer than the length of the carriage 25 in the short side direction. The length ranges from 1m to 2m. Therefore, when the guide rollers 22a are arranged in a horizontal line, the fabric 40 is pressed against the conveyor belt 23 near the end guide roller 22a, but the fabric 40 is sufficiently pressed against the conveyor belt 23 near the center guide roller 22a. As a result, the cloth 40 floats from the conveyor belt 23, and the precision of printing deteriorates.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the arrangement of the guide rollers 22a is changed so that the pressing force against the transport belt 23 is uniformly and sufficiently applied to the cloth 40 in the entire printing section. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the guide roller 22 a at the center of the print unit is located outside the periphery of the guide roller 22 a at the end of the print unit (the upper side in the configuration of FIGS. 1 and 2). ) Or the guide roller 22a is arranged so that the guide roller 22a gradually becomes outside the circumference from the end of the print portion toward the center. As described above, the transport belt 23 has a convex shape that bulges outward in the entire print section (the transport belt 23 is bent inward in the circumference by the guide rollers 22a positioned between the adjacent carriages 25). By arranging the plurality of guide rollers 22a as shown in FIG. 1, the fabric 40 can be reliably pressed against the conveyor belt 23, and the displacement of the fabric 40 can be prevented.

  The extent to which the guide roller 22a at the center is disposed outside the guide roller 22a at the end of the print portion is appropriately changed according to the size and number of the carriage 25, the pressing force applied to the cloth 40, and the like. Although it is possible, if the amount of displacement of the arrangement of the guide rollers 22a becomes large, the inclination of the transport belt 23 at the end of the printing section becomes large. Here, since the carriage 25 needs to be arranged so that the nozzle surface is parallel to the surface of the transport belt 23, the inclination of the carriage 25 increases with the inclination of the transport belt 23. In this case, since the ink is ejected from the nozzle 25c, if the inclination of the carriage 25 becomes large, the landing position of the ink is shifted. Accordingly, it is possible to adjust the shift amount of the arrangement of the guide rollers 22a so that the inclination of the carriage 25 falls within the predetermined range (or adjust the number of the carriages 25 so that the inclination of the carriage 25 falls within the predetermined range). preferable.

[Second structure]
Next, as a second structure, if necessary, the printing surface of the fabric 40 is provided at a position facing the carriage 25 with the conveyance belt 23 interposed therebetween (under the conveyance belt 23 in an area where the carriage 25 is arranged). A plurality of platens 24 are provided to regulate the flatness of the platen. Hereinafter, a specific description will be given.

  When the carriage 25 having a large size as described above is used, the distance between the guide rollers 22a is long, and therefore, the conveyance belt 23 may be vibrated or loosened between the guide rollers 22a. There is a possibility that a displacement occurs in the cloth 40 and the accuracy of the printing deteriorates.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, a platen 24 that supports the transport belt 23 in a plane is disposed below the transport belt 23 in a region between the guide rollers 22a as necessary. By arranging the platen 24 below the transport belt 23, vibration and slack of the transport belt 23 between the guide rollers 22a can be suppressed, and displacement of the ink landing position can be prevented. .

  The size of the platen 24 can be set as appropriate, but is preferably at least a size including a region facing each carriage 25.

  In addition, the thickness and material of the platen 24 can be set as appropriate. However, the platen 24 of the present embodiment is intended to support the transport belt 23 and has a suitable hardness and surface flatness. For example, it can be formed using, for example, metal or hard resin.

  As described above, since the platen 24 of the present embodiment is divided for each carriage 25, the size can be reduced as compared with a large platen used for a scan type ink jet printer, and cost can be reduced and adjustment can be performed. Can also be easier.

[Third structure]
Further, as a third structure, a plurality of protrusions for fixing the fabric 40 are provided on the printing surface side of the transport belt 23 as necessary. Hereinafter, a specific description will be given.

  As described above, by arranging the guide rollers 22a so that the transport belt 23 is convex in the printing section, the cloth 40 can be pressed against the transport belt 23 in the entire printing section. Since the printer 1 uses the cloth 40 having a large size, the cloth 40 may be shifted on the conveyor belt 23, and the accuracy of printing may be deteriorated.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, in order to increase the frictional force between the cloth 40 and the transport belt 23, a projection is provided on the transport belt 23 as necessary. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of the conveyor belt 23. A plurality of needle-like projections 23a are formed on the printing surface (the side on which the cloth 40 is placed) of the conveyor belt 23. As described above, by forming the plurality of protrusions 23 a on the transport belt 23, the protrusions 23 a are caught by the fibers of the cloth 40, and the cloth 40 can be securely fixed on the transport belt 23.

  The position at which the protrusions 23 a are arranged and the number (density) of the protrusions 23 a can be appropriately set. The protrusions 23 a may be formed at a constant density over the entire conveyance belt 23, or the end of the conveyance belt 23 may be formed. The number of the protrusions 23a may be increased in the portion.

  Further, the shape of the projection 23a can be appropriately set. However, in the case of the present embodiment, the transport belt 23 is convex in the print portion, and there is no possibility that the fabric 40 floats from the transport belt 23. It is not necessary to adopt a special shape as described above, and any shape may be used as long as it can restrict movement of the fabric 40 on the transport belt 23 (particularly, relative movement in the transport direction and a direction perpendicular to the transport direction).

  The size of the projections 23a can be set as appropriate. However, since the thickness of the cloth 40 is usually about 100 to 200 μm, a thickness of about several μm to several tens μm is set so that the projections 23a do not penetrate the cloth 40. Preferably.

  The shape, size, and density of the protrusions 23a can be set according to the combination of the material of the cloth 40 and the material of the conveyor belt 23. For example, when the fibers of the cloth 40 are coarse, 23a can be increased in size and density.

  Further, the material of the projection 23a is also arbitrary, and the same material (for example, resin) as the transport belt 23 may be used, or a plastic material such as polypropylene or a metal material may be used. The method of forming the projections 23a is also arbitrary. When the transport belt 23 and the projections 23a are made of the same material (eg, resin), the above-described continuous melt extrusion molding method, injection molding method, blow molding method, inflation It can be prepared by a known melt molding method such as a film molding method. After the transport belt 23 is formed, a protrusion 23a made of a plastic material or a metal material may be embedded, or may be inserted from the back surface of the transport belt 23.

  Further, FIG. 4 shows a configuration in which the projection 23a is provided on the transport belt 23. However, a configuration in which the printing surface side of the transport belt 23 is ground to form irregularities on the surface, and the convex portion functions as the projection 23a. Is also good.

  As described above, by forming the transport belt 23 of the printing unit into a convex shape bulging outward, the fabric 40 can be reliably pressed against the transport belt 23, and the displacement of the fabric 40 is prevented. can do. In addition, if necessary, a plurality of platens 24 that regulate the printing surface of the fabric 40 to be flat are provided at positions facing the carriage 25 with the conveyance belt 23 interposed therebetween, so that the conveyance belt 23 between the guide rollers 22a is formed. Vibration and slack can be suppressed, and displacement of the ink landing position can be prevented. In addition, if necessary, by providing a plurality of protrusions 23 a for fixing the fabric 40 on the printing surface side of the transport belt 23, the fabric 40 can be reliably fixed on the transport belt 23.

  It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the configuration of the device can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the printing ink jet printer for printing on the fabric 40 has been described. However, the structure of the present invention can be similarly applied to any ink jet printer that prints on a medium having a large size.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is applicable to a printing ink jet printer that can carry and print a fabric without using a base material.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Textile inkjet printer 10 Press roller 11 Intermediate roller 20 Transport device 21 Drive roller 22, 22a, 22b, 22c Guide roller 23 Transport belt 23a Projection 24 Platen 25 Carriage 25a Inkjet head 25b Inkjet module 25c Nozzle 26 Belt washing unit 27 Belt drying unit Reference Signs List 30 intermediate roller 31 take-up roller 32 pre-drying heater 40 fabric

Claims (5)

An endless transport belt for transporting the fabric,
A plurality of rollers defining a path around which the conveyor belt circulates;
A plurality of inkjet heads that are installed on the outer peripheral side of the transport belt and eject ink to the cloth,
Each of the inkjet heads is sequentially arranged in an area between a pair of adjacent rollers,
The plurality of rollers are arranged in a printing unit where the plurality of inkjet heads are arranged, such that the transport belt has a convex shape that bulges toward the outside of the circumference,
Textile inkjet printer characterized by the above-mentioned. The fact that the transport belt is convex means that the transport belt is bent toward the inside of the circumference by the rollers positioned between the adjacent inkjet heads.
The textile printing ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein: At a position facing the inkjet head with the transport belt interposed, a platen that supports the transport belt in a plane,
The textile printing ink jet printer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: On the surface of the transport belt, having a protrusion that regulates relative movement of the cloth on the transport belt in a transport direction and a direction perpendicular to the transport direction,
The textile printing ink jet printer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The protrusion has a needle shape, and the height of the needle is equal to or less than the thickness of the cloth.
The textile printing ink jet printer according to claim 4, wherein:

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