JP2021066142A - Medium retainer and ink jet printer - Google Patents

Abstract

To control generation of suction force on a suction table with simpler configuration.SOLUTION: An ink jet printer 1 has: a plurality of suction holes 21 opened in a mounting surface 2a of a medium M; an air blower 25; pipelines 5 (5A to 5D) which communicate regions (region 1 to region 4), in which the plurality of suction holes 21 in the mounting surface 2a are opened, with the air blower 25; and selector valves 7 (7A to 7D) which are provided in the pipelines 5 (5A to 5D), and change communication/blockage between regions (region 1 to region 4) in which the plurality of suction holes 21 are opened, and the air blower 25. A valve body 73 of the selector valves 7 (7A to 7D) has, on an outer periphery of a cylindrical wall part 731, an opening 734 which communicates the interior and the exterior of the cylindrical wall part 731 with each other. The cylindrical wall part 731 is rotationally driven by a motor 75 (driving source) to change communication/blockage between the air blower 25 and the regions (region 1 to region 4) in which the plurality of suction holes 21 are opened.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a media holding device and an inkjet printing device.

Patent Document 1 discloses a printing apparatus in which a medium to be printed is held on a suction table (platen) having a plurality of suction holes by using negative pressure.

Japanese Patent No. 5870542

The printing apparatus of Patent Document 1 includes a shutter mechanism for opening and closing the suction holes. A plurality of shutter mechanisms are provided, and for each shutter mechanism, which region of the suction table on the suction table to open / close is predetermined.
The shutter mechanism is driven by a cam that rotates with the output rotation of the motor, opens and closes a suction hole in a predetermined region, and generates a suction force in a predetermined region on the suction table.

Since the shutter mechanism of Patent Document 1 is a complicated mechanism with a large number of parts, it is required to be able to control the generation of suction force on the suction table with a simpler configuration.

The present invention
A suction table with a media mounting surface and
A plurality of suction holes that open in the above-mentioned mounting surface,
Negative pressure generating means and
A pipe having a flow path for communicating the negative pressure generating means and the plurality of suction holes in order to generate a negative pressure in the plurality of suction holes.
It is provided in the flow path of the pipe and has a switching valve for switching communication / shutoff between the negative pressure generating means and the suction hole.
The switching valve is a rotating body having a through hole formed inside and being rotationally driven by a drive source.
The rotating body is
The outer wall is installed along the inner wall of the pipe and is rotationally driven by the drive source to slide with the inner wall.
The communication position of the switching valve in which the opening on one side of the through hole and the opening on the other side of the through hole both appear in the flow path in the rotation direction to communicate the negative pressure generating means and the suction hole. , And the media holding device having the shutoff position of the switching valve that shuts off the negative pressure generating means and the suction hole at a position different from the communication position.

According to the present invention, the communication / blocking between the negative pressure generating means and the plurality of suction holes can be switched by rotating the rotating body.
As a result, the generation of suction force on the suction table can be controlled with a simpler configuration. In addition, the structure of the switching valve can be simplified.

The rotating body is a cylindrical body formed in a cylindrical shape.
It is installed so that the longitudinal direction of the cylinder is along the inner wall in the extension direction of the pipe.
By rotating the cylinder about an axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the cylinder as a rotation axis, the outer wall thereof slides with the inner wall of the pipe.
At the communication position of the switching valve that communicates the negative pressure generating means and the suction hole, an opening on one side of the through hole formed in the outer wall of the cylinder appears in the flow path, and at the same time,
At the shutoff position of the switching valve that shuts off the negative pressure generating means and the suction hole, the opening on one side of the through hole formed in the outer wall of the cylinder faces the inner wall of the pipe. It has a structure in which the part is closed.

According to the present invention, since the opening area between one opening and the other opening can be made large, the flow rate at the switching valve at the communication position can be secured, and the decrease in negative pressure can be suppressed.

One end surface of the tubular body in the longitudinal direction is connected to the drive source and driven to rotate, and an opening on the other side of the through hole is formed on the other end surface of the tubular body in the longitudinal direction.

According to the present invention, the mechanism for rotating the rotating body is simplified.

The other end of the tubular body in the longitudinal direction is a free end provided with a sealing member.
The tubular body has a configuration in which the seal member is brought into contact with the opening end of the piping portion connected to the switching valve from the opening direction of the opening on the other side of the through hole from the longitudinal direction.

According to the present invention, since a bearing is not required to support the other end of the tubular body in the longitudinal direction, the work of assembling the switching valve is simplified.
Further, since the seal member is provided at the other end of the cylinder, the resistance when rotating the cylinder is smaller than that when the seal member is provided on the outer periphery of the cylinder.
This makes it possible to reduce the load acting on the motor that rotates the cylinder.

The main body of the switching valve
The first tubular portion into which the tubular body is inserted from one end side in the longitudinal direction, and
It has a second tubular portion connected to an intermediate position in the longitudinal direction of the first tubular portion, and has.
The opening of one end in the longitudinal direction of the first tubular portion is sealed by the drive source, and the tubular body connected to the rotation shaft of the drive source is formed in the first tubular portion. Is positioned with reference to
In the first tubular portion, the second tubular portion has a configuration in which the second tubular portion is connected to a position corresponding to the opening of the tubular body from the radial direction of the first tubular portion.

According to the present invention, the switching valve can be assembled by inserting the tubular body connected to the rotating shaft of the motor into the first tubular portion until the motor abuts on one end of the first tubular portion. , The assembly work of the switching valve becomes easy.

The above-mentioned surface is divided into a plurality of areas.
The pipe is provided for each of the regions, and the pipe connected to each of the regions shares the negative pressure generating means.
The switching valve has a configuration provided in each of the pipes.

According to the present invention, the region for generating the suction force can be appropriately switched according to the size of the medium on which the medium is placed, so that the load on the negative pressure generating means can be appropriately reduced.
Further, since the generation of the suction force in each region can be controlled by rotating the valve body, the configuration is simpler and cheaper than the case of using the shutter mechanism.

The present invention
A suction table with a media mounting surface and
Inkjet heads placed facing the above-mentioned mounting surface and
A plurality of suction holes that open in the above-mentioned mounting surface,
Negative pressure generating means and
A pipe having a flow path for communicating the negative pressure generating means and the plurality of suction holes,
An inkjet printing apparatus provided in the flow path and having a switching valve for switching communication / blocking between the negative pressure generating means and the suction hole.
The switching valve is
It is a rotating body that is slidably and rotatably arranged in the pipe and is rotationally driven by a drive source.
The rotating body has an opening for communicating the inside and the outside of the rotating body.
The switching valve has an opening of the rotating body between a communication position for communicating the negative pressure generating means and the suction hole and a shutoff position for blocking communication between the negative pressure generating means and the suction hole. It was configured to be displaced with.

According to the present invention, printing can be performed on a medium appropriately supported on a suction table.

According to the present invention, by rotating the valve body, the communication / blocking between the negative pressure generating means and the suction hole can be switched, so that the generation of the suction force on the suction table can be controlled with a simpler configuration. it can.

It is a perspective view of the inkjet printing apparatus. It is a top view of the inkjet printing apparatus. It is a schematic diagram explaining the arrangement of the switching valve in a pipe. It is a figure explaining the switching valve. It is a figure explaining the operation of a switching valve.

Hereinafter, the case where the embodiment of the present invention is applied to the suction table 2 of the inkjet printing apparatus 1 will be described as an example.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the inkjet printing apparatus 1.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the inkjet printing apparatus 1 as viewed from above.

In the following description, the arrangement of each component of the inkjet printing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction, if necessary.
Here, the vertical direction based on the installation state of the inkjet printing apparatus 1 is the Z direction. The main scanning direction of the carriage 4 (inkjet head 41) is the Y direction. The sub-scanning direction of the carriage 4 (inkjet head 41) is the X direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, the inkjet printing apparatus 1 has a suction table 2 on which a medium M, which is a print target, is placed.
A guide rail 3 (Y bar) arranged in the direction along the Y direction is provided above the suction table 2.
One end and the other end of the guide rail 3 in the longitudinal direction are supported by support members 31 and 32 arranged on both sides of the suction table 2 in the width direction (Y direction).

The support members 31 and 32 are provided so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the suction table 2 by a drive mechanism (not shown).
In the inkjet printing apparatus 1, when the support members 31 and 32 move in the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the suction table 2, the guide rail 3 supported by the support members 31 and 32 also moves in the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the suction table 2. Move in the direction).

The guide rail 3 is provided so as to cross the suction table 2 in the width direction (Y direction), and is provided horizontally above the suction table 2.
The guide rail 3 supports a carriage 4 that holds the inkjet head 41 (see FIG. 2, hidden line). The carriage 4 is provided so as to be movable back and forth in the longitudinal direction (Y direction) of the guide rail 3.

In the inkjet printing apparatus 1, when printing on the media M on the suction table 2, the support members 31 and 32 are moved in the sub-scanning direction (X direction) by a drive mechanism (not shown), and the carriage 4 is moved. It moves in the main scanning direction (Y direction) by a drive mechanism (not shown).

At this time, ink droplets are ejected from the inkjet head 41 located above the media M toward the upper surface of the media M, and information such as characters and images is printed on the media M. The ink droplets ejected on the media M are solidified by the ultraviolet rays emitted from the UV irradiation devices 42 on both sides of the inkjet head 41 and fixed on the media M.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the inkjet printing apparatus 1, the upper surface of the suction table 2 is the mounting surface 2a of the media M, and the mounting surface 2a has a plurality of suction holes 21 over substantially the entire surface. It is provided.
In the inkjet printing apparatus 1, when the blower 25 (negative pressure generating means) described later is operated, air is drawn into the suction holes 21 that open in the mounting surface 2a of the suction table 2. As a result, a suction force (negative pressure) is generated in the suction hole 21 on the mounting surface 2a of the suction table 2.
Then, the media M mounted on the suction table 2 is attracted to the mounting surface 2a of the suction table 2 by the suction force generated by the operation of the blower 25, and moves in the horizontal direction (X direction, Y direction). Is kept in a regulated state.

In the inkjet printing apparatus 1, information such as an image or characters is printed on the medium M whose movement in the horizontal direction is restricted.

In the inkjet printing apparatus 1, the mounting surface 2a of the suction table 2 is divided into a plurality of regions (regions 1 to 4).
Then, the region where the suction force is generated is switched according to the size of the media M which is the print target, so that negative pressure is not generated in the region where the media M is not placed.

For example, when the size of the media M is such that it straddles the area 1 and the area 2, the suction force is generated in the area 1 and the area 2 and the suction force is generated in the area 3 and the area 4. Do not let it.

FIG. 3 shows the arrangement of the pipes 5 (5A to 5D) connecting each area (areas 1 to 4) and the blower 25, the pipe 6, and the switching valve 7 (7A to 7D) in the pipe 5 (5A to 5D). It is a schematic diagram to explain.

As shown in FIG. 3, each region (regions 1 to 4) on the suction table 2 communicates with the blower 25 via the pipes 5 (5A to 5D) and the pipe 6. In the inkjet printing apparatus 1, the pipes 5 (5A to 5D) share one blower 25.
A switching valve 7 (7A to 7D) is provided in each of the pipes 5 (5A to 5D).
The switching valves 7 (7A to 7D) switch communication / shutoff between each region (regions 1 to 4) provided with the suction holes 21 and the blower 25.
In the present embodiment, the inside of the pipe 5 (5A to 5D) is a flow path for communicating the respective regions (regions 1 to 4) provided with the suction holes 21 and the blower 25.

Each of the pipes 5 (5A to 5D) has a first pipe portion 51 and a second pipe portion 52.
The first piping section 51 is located on the blower 25 side when viewed from the switching valve 7 (7A to 7D), and the first piping section 51 of each piping 5 (5A to 5D) is via the piping 6. , Communicating with the blower 25.
The second piping portion 52 is located on the region (regions 1 to 4) side when viewed from the switching valves 7 (7A to 7D). In the suction table 2, a closed space is formed in the lower part of each region (areas 1 to 4), and the second pipe portion 52 of each pipe 5 (5A to 5D) is in the corresponding space. Communicating.

The blower 25 forms an air flow from one side to the other side of the blower 25 by rotation of an impeller (not shown). The operation / stop of the blower 25 is controlled by the control device 26.
In the present embodiment, the blower 25 forms an air flow from each region (regions 1 to 4) on the suction table 2 toward the blower 25 in the pipes 5 (5A to 5D) and the inside (flow path) of the pipe 6. To do.

The blower 25 is not particularly limited as long as it can form an air flow in the pipe 5 (5A to 5D).
A fan having a compression ratio of 1.1 or less and a blower having a compression ratio of about 1.1-2.0 can be appropriately selected.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a switching valve 7. FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of the switching valve 7. FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 4A, showing a state in which the valve body 73 is arranged at the communication position. FIG. 4 (c) is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the valve body 73 is rotated about the rotation axis X from the communication position shown in FIG. 4 (b) to the cutoff position. FIG. 4D is a perspective view of the valve body 73.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the switching valve 7. FIG. 5A shows a state in which the valve body 73 is discharged to the communication position. FIG. 5B shows a state in which the valve body 73 is arranged at the shutoff position.
Here, when the valve body 73 is arranged at the communication position, the opening 734 of the valve body 73 is arranged at a position where the first piping portion 51 and the second piping portion 52 communicate with each other. When the valve body 73 is arranged at the cutoff position, the opening 734 of the valve body 73 is arranged at a position where the first piping portion 51 and the second piping portion 52 do not communicate with each other.

As shown in FIG. 4, the switching valves 7 (7A to 7D) include a valve body 73, a main body 70 for accommodating the valve body 73, and a motor 75 (drive source) for rotating the valve body 73 around a rotation axis X. And have.

The motor 75 is a stepping motor as an example, but is not particularly limited as long as it is a motor capable of rotating the valve body 73 around the rotation axis X.
The drive of the motor 75 is controlled by the control device 26 (see FIG. 3) included in the inkjet printing device 1.

The main body 70 has a first tubular portion 71 to which the first piping portion 51 is connected, and a second tubular portion 72 to which the second piping portion 52 is connected.
In the main body 70, the second tubular portion 72 is connected to an intermediate position in the longitudinal direction of the first tubular portion 71. The second tubular portion 72 is connected to the first tubular portion 71 from the direction orthogonal to the first tubular portion 71 (the radial direction of the rotation axis X).
Inside the first tubular portion 71, a bottomed tubular valve body 73 is housed in a direction along the rotation axis X of the motor 75.

The valve body 73 is a tubular body (rotating body) whose one end side in the longitudinal direction is connected to the output shaft 754 of the motor 75.
The valve body 73 includes a tubular wall portion 731 that surrounds the rotation shaft X of the motor 75 at predetermined intervals, a wall portion 732 that closes an opening on one end side of the tubular wall portion 731, and a central portion of the wall portion 732 to the motor 75 side. It is integrally formed with the extending tubular connecting portion 733.
The cylinder wall portion 731 is provided with an opening 734 that penetrates the cylinder wall portion 731 in the thickness direction (see (b) and (c) of FIG. 4). The opening 734 communicates the internal space 730 of the tubular wall portion 731 with the outside of the tubular wall portion 731, and is formed in a size substantially matching the opening diameter D1 of the second tubular portion 72. ..
In the present embodiment, the opening 734 of the valve body 73 corresponds to the "opening on one side of the through hole" in the invention.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the connecting portion 733 of the valve body 73 is connected to the output shaft 754 of the motor 75 so as not to rotate relative to each other. The tip 733a side of the connecting portion 733 is inserted inside the support cylinder 752 on the motor 75 side. The support cylinder 752 is integrally formed with the cover portion 751 assembled to the case 753 of the motor 75. The support cylinder 752 is formed in a ring shape that surrounds the rotation shaft X at predetermined intervals when viewed from the rotation axis X direction. A bearing B is fixed to the inner circumference of the support cylinder 752.

The outer circumference of the connecting portion 733 of the valve body 73 on the tip 733a side is rotatably supported by the support cylinder 752 on the motor 75 side via the bearing B.
The valve body 73 is cantilevered and supported by the output shaft 754 of the motor 75. The valve body 73 is inserted into the inside of the first tubular portion 71 of the main body 70 from one end 71a side of the first tubular portion 71.

The cover portion 751 of the motor 75 is in contact with one end 71a of the first tubular portion 71 from the rotation axis X direction. A seal ring S is provided at one end 71a of the first tubular portion 71, and an opening on the one end 71a side of the first tubular portion 71 is sealed by a cover portion 751 of the motor 75.

In the valve body 73 inserted into the first tubular portion 71, the cover portion 751 of the motor 75 comes into contact with one end 71a of the first tubular portion 71, so that the valve body 73 is positioned at a predetermined position in the first tubular portion 71. Positioned to.

In the cylinder wall portion 731 of the valve body 73, a ring-shaped seal member 74 is attached to an end portion 731a on the first piping portion 51 side. The sealing member 74 is made of an elastic material such as rubber or resin.
The first piping portion 51 inserted from the other end 71b of the first tubular portion 71 is in contact with the seal member 74 from the rotation axis X direction.
The gap between the first piping portion 51 and the cylinder wall portion 731 is sealed by the sealing member 74.
The internal space 730 of the valve body 73 (cylinder wall portion 731) communicates with the internal space 510 of the first piping portion 51 without a gap through the opening 735 on the other side in the rotation axis X direction.
In the present embodiment, the opening 735 in the valve body 73 (cylinder wall portion 731) corresponds to the "opening on the other side of the through hole" in the invention.

A bulging portion 711 that bulges toward the rotation shaft X side (inner diameter side) is provided on the inner circumference of the first tubular portion 71 that houses the valve body 73. The bulging portion 711 is provided over the entire circumference in the circumferential direction around the rotation axis X (see (b) and (c) of FIG. 4).
The bulging portion 711 is formed with an inner diameter that matches the outer diameter D2 of the tubular wall portion 731 of the valve body 73. The bulging portion 711 supports the outer circumference of the tubular wall portion 731 of the valve body 73 while allowing sliding rotation around the rotation axis X of the valve body 73.
The valve body 73, which is cantilevered and supported by the motor 75, is suppressed from swinging when rotating around the rotation axis X by the bulging portion 711.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the width W1 of the bulging portion 711 in the rotation axis X direction (extending direction) can cover the opening 734 provided in the cylinder wall portion 731 of the valve body 73. It is set to the width.
The bulging portion 711 is provided with a through hole 712 that penetrates the first tubular portion 71 in the radial direction of the rotation shaft X. The through hole 712 communicates the internal space 710 of the first tubular portion 71 with the internal space 720 of the second tubular portion 72.

The through hole 712 is opened at a position facing the opening 734 of the valve body 73 supported by the bulging portion 711 in the rotation axis X direction. The through hole 712 is provided at a position overlapping the opening 734 of the valve body 73 positioned in the first tubular portion 71 when viewed from the radial direction of the rotation shaft X.

As described above, the valve body 73 of the switching valve 7 rotates around the rotation axis X by the rotational driving force of the motor 75.
The control device 26 of the inkjet printing device 1 drives the blower 25 when a negative pressure is generated on the mounting surface 2a of the suction table 2. Further, the control device 26 drives the motor 75 of the switching valve 7 (7A to 7D) corresponding to the region (regions 1 to 4) in which the negative pressure is generated, and the region (regions 1 to 1) to generate the negative pressure. 4) and the blower 25 are communicated with each other.

In the switching valve 7, the valve body 73 has a communication position (see (b) in FIG. 4 and (a) in FIG. 5) and a shutoff position (see (c) in FIG. 4 and (b) in FIG. 5). Displace between.

When the valve body 73 is arranged at the communication position, the opening 734 provided in the tubular wall portion 731 is arranged at a position facing the through hole 712 of the first tubular portion 71.
In this state, the first piping portion 51 connected to the first tubular portion 71 and the second piping portion 52 connected to the second tubular portion 72 pass through the internal space 730 of the valve body 73. Communicate with each other.

When the valve body 73 is arranged at the shutoff position, the through hole 712 of the first tubular portion 71 is sealed by the tubular wall portion 731 of the valve body 73. In this state, the communication between the first piping portion 51 connected to the first tubular portion 71 and the second piping portion 52 connected to the second tubular portion 72 is the tubular wall portion of the valve body 73. It is blocked by 731.

That is, when the valve body 73 is arranged at the communication position, both the opening (opening 734) on one side and the opening 375 on the other side of the cylinder wall portion 731 of the valve body 73 are connected to the pipe 5 (flow path). ) Appears in.
As a result, the plurality of suction holes 21 that open in the mounting surface 2a of the suction table 2 and the blower 25 (negative pressure generating means) communicate with each other through the flow path in the pipe 5 (5A to 5D).

Further, when the valve body 73 is arranged at the blocking position, the opening (opening 734) on one side of the tubular wall portion 731 of the valve body 73 is from a position facing the through hole 712 of the first tubular portion 71. When it comes off, the communication between the plurality of suction holes 21 and the blower 25 (negative pressure generating means) is cut off.

Therefore, in the inkjet printing apparatus 1, for example, when the valve body 73 of the switching valve 7A is arranged at the communication position, the area 1 on the suction table 2 communicates with the blower 25 via the switching valve 7A to reach the area 1. A suction force is generated to hold the media M on the mounting surface 2a.

The operation of the inkjet printing apparatus 1 having such a configuration will be described.
For example, when printing is performed on the media M having a size straddling the regions 1 and 2 of the suction table 2, the control device 26 controls the motors 75 of the switching valves 7A and 7B corresponding to the regions 1 and 2. Is driven to rotate the valve body 73 to the communication position (see (b) in FIG. 4 and (a) in FIG. 5).
Further, when the valve bodies 73 of the switching valves 7C and 7D corresponding to the regions 3 and 4 are not arranged at the shutoff positions (see (c) of FIG. 4 and (c) of FIG. 5), the motor 75 Is driven to rotate the valve body 73 to the shutoff position.

Subsequently, the control device 26 drives the blower 25 to generate an air flow toward the blower 25 in the pipes 5A and 5B.
As a result, a suction force is generated in the suction holes 21 that open in the areas 1 and 2, and the media M arranged across the areas 1 and 2 is sucked onto the mounting surface 2a of the suction table 2. And movement is restricted.
Printing is performed on the media M in this state, and information such as an image is printed on the media M.

Further, when printing is performed on the media M having a size straddling the area 1, the area 2, and the area 3 of the suction table 2, the control device 26 controls the switching valve corresponding to the area 1, the area 2, and the area 3. The motors 75 of 7A, 7B, and 7C are driven to rotate the valve body 73 to the communication position (see (b) in FIG. 4 and (a) in FIG. 5).
As a result, a suction force is generated in the suction holes 21 that open in the area 1, the area 2, and the area 3, and the media M arranged across the area 1, the area 2, and the area 3 is placed on the suction table 2. It is attracted to the surface 2a and its movement is restricted.

In this way, the generation of the suction force in each region (regions 1 to 4) is generated by using the valve body 73 of the switching valve 7 (7A to 7D) provided in the pipe 5 (5A to 5D) as the communication position and the cutoff position. It can be switched by simply rotating between.
The area where the suction force is generated in the suction table 2 can be switched with a simpler configuration than when a shutter is provided in the suction hole.

The suction table 2 having the mounting surface 2a of the media M, the plurality of suction holes 21 opening in the mounting surface 2a, the blower 25, and the region (region) in which the plurality of suction holes 21 in the mounting surface 2a are opened. The media holding device according to the invention comprises the pipes 5 (5A to 5D) for communicating the 1st to region 4) and the blower 25, and the switching valves 7 (7A to 7D) provided in the pipes 5 (5A to 5D). To configure.

As described above, the inkjet printing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has the following configuration.
(1) The inkjet printing device 1 is
A suction table 2 having a mounting surface 2a of the media M and
A plurality of suction holes 21 that open in the mounting surface 2a,
A blower 25 that functions as a negative pressure generating means and generates negative pressure in a plurality of suction holes 21.
Piping 5 (5A to 5D) forming a flow path for communicating the region (regions 1 to 4) where the plurality of suction holes 21 are opened on the mounting surface 2a and the blower 25, and the pipe 5 (5A to 5D).
A switching valve 7 (7A to 7D) provided on the flow path of the pipe 5 (5A to 5D) to switch communication / shutoff between the area (areas 1 to 4) where a plurality of suction holes 21 are opened and the blower 25. And have.
The valve body 73 of the switching valves 7 (7A to 7D) is a cylinder wall portion 731 (rotating body) that has an internal space 730 that serves as a through hole and is rotationally driven by a motor 75 (driving source).
The cylinder wall portion 731 has an opening 734 on one side and an opening 735 on the other side that communicate the internal space 730 (inside) of the cylinder wall portion 731 with the outside.
When the tubular wall portion 731 is rotationally driven by the motor 75 (drive source), the tubular wall portion 731 slides on the inner circumference of the bulging portion 711 of the first tubular portion 71.
The switching valves 7 (7A to 7D) have a communication position and a cutoff position.
At the communication position, the valve body 73 causes both the opening 734 and the opening 735 to appear on the flow path of the pipe 5 (5A to 5D) to communicate the blower 25 with the plurality of suction holes 21.
At the shutoff position, the valve body 73 arranges the opening 734 at a position different from the communication position to block the communication between the blower 25 and the plurality of suction holes 21.

With this configuration, the communication / blocking between the regions (regions 1 to 4) where the plurality of suction holes 21 are opened and the blower 25 (negative pressure generating means) can be switched by rotating the valve body 73.
Thereby, the generation of the suction force on the suction table 2 can be controlled with a simpler configuration.
Further, since the valve body 73 is a rotating body, the structure of the switching valves 7 (7A to 7D) can be simplified.
Further, since the first piping portion 51 is connected to the switching valves 7 (7A to 7D) from the opening direction (rotation axis X direction) of the cylinder wall portion 731, the first piping portion 51 is operated by the operation of the blower 25. The negative pressure generated inside does not hinder the rotation of the valve body 73.

The inkjet printing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has the following configuration.
(2) The cylinder wall portion 731, which is a rotating body, is a cylinder formed in a cylindrical shape.
The tubular wall portion 731 is inside the first tubular portion 71 so that the longitudinal direction of the tubular wall portion 731 is along the inner circumference (inner wall) of the first tubular portion 71 along the extending direction of the pipe. It is installed (internally installed).
By rotating the cylinder wall portion 731 with the axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the cylinder wall portion 731 as the rotation axis X, the outer circumference of the cylinder wall portion 731 (outer wall) becomes the bulging portion 711 of the first tubular portion 71. It slides on the inner circumference of the inner wall.
When the switching valve 7 (7A to 7D) is arranged at the communication position where the cylinder wall portion 731 communicates with the blower 25 (negative pressure generating means) and the plurality of suction holes 21, it is formed on the outer circumference of the cylinder wall portion 731. The opening 734 (the opening on one side of the through hole) appears in the flow path that communicates the region (regions 1 to 4) where the plurality of suction holes 21 open and the blower 25.
When the switching valve 7 (7A to 7D) arranges the cylinder wall portion 731 at a blocking position that blocks communication between the blower 25 (negative pressure generating means) and the plurality of suction holes 21, it is formed on the outer circumference of the cylinder wall portion 731. The opened opening 734 (the opening on one side of the through hole) faces the inner circumference of the bulging portion 711 of the first tubular portion 71, and the opening 734 is closed.

With this configuration, the communication / blocking between the regions (regions 1 to 4) where the plurality of suction holes 21 are opened and the blower 25 (negative pressure generating means) can be switched by rotating the valve body 73.

The inkjet printing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has the following configuration.
(3) The tubular wall portion 731 (cylinder body) is rotationally driven by connecting the wall portion 732 that closes the opening on one end side in the longitudinal direction to the motor 75.
The other side opening of the valve body 73 in the cylinder wall portion 731 (the opening of the end portion 731a of the cylinder wall portion 731 on the first piping portion 51 side) is the other end surface of the cylinder wall portion 731 (cylinder body) in the longitudinal direction. Is formed in.

With this configuration, a large opening area between one opening and the other opening can be obtained, so that the flow rate at the switching valve at the communication position can be secured, and a decrease in negative pressure can be suppressed.

The inkjet printing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has the following configuration.
(4) The other end 731a of the tubular wall portion 731 of the valve body 73 in the longitudinal direction is a free end provided with the seal member 74.
The valve body 73 brings the seal member 74 into contact with the opening end of the first piping portion 51 connected to the switching valve 7 (7A to 7D) from the opening direction of the cylinder wall portion 731 from the rotation axis X direction. ..

With this configuration, no bearing is required to support the other end 731a side of the tubular wall portion 731 of the valve body 73 in the longitudinal direction. Since no bearing is required, the assembly work of the switching valves 7 (7A to 7D) becomes easy.
Further, since the sealing member 74 is provided at the other end portion 731a of the cylinder wall portion 731, the resistance when rotating the valve body 73 is smaller than that in the case where the sealing material is provided on the outer periphery of the cylinder wall portion 731. ..
This makes it possible to reduce the load acting on the motor 75 that rotates the valve body 73.

The inkjet printing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has the following configuration.
(5) The main body 70 of the switching valve 7 (7A to 7D) is
The first tubular portion 71 into which the valve body 73 is inserted from one end 71a side in the longitudinal direction, and
It has a second tubular portion 72 connected to an intermediate position in the longitudinal direction of the first tubular portion 71.
The opening of one end 71a in the longitudinal direction of the first tubular portion 71 is sealed by the motor 75, and the valve body 73 connected to the motor 75 is positioned in the first tubular portion 71 with reference to one end 71a. ing.
In the first tubular portion 71, the second tubular portion 72 is connected to a position corresponding to the opening 734 of the valve body 73 from the radial direction of the first tubular portion 71.

With this configuration, the switching valve 7 is formed by inserting the valve body 73 connected to the motor 75 into the first tubular portion 71 until the motor 75 comes into contact with one end 71a of the first tubular portion 71. Since (7A to 7D) can be assembled, the assembling work of the switching valve 7 (7A to 7D) becomes easy.

The inkjet printing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has the following configuration.
(6) The mounting surface 2a is divided into a plurality of regions (regions 1 to 4).
The pipes 5 (5A to 5D) are provided for each area (areas 1 to 4), and the pipes 5 (5A to 5D) connected to each of the areas (areas 1 to 4) are blowers 25. Is shared.
Switching valves 7 (7A to 7D) are provided in each of the pipes 5 (5A to 5D).

With this configuration, the regions (areas 1 to 4) where the suction force is generated can be appropriately switched according to the size of the placed media M, so that the load on the blower 25 can be appropriately reduced. ..
Further, since the generation of the suction force in each region (regions 1 to 4) can be controlled by rotating the valve body 73, the generation of the suction force is generated as compared with the case where the suction hole is opened and closed by using the shutter mechanism. The mechanism for switching between / non-occurrence can be made into a simple and inexpensive configuration.

The inkjet printing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has the following configuration.
(7) The inkjet printing apparatus 1
A suction table 2 having a mounting surface 2a of the media M and
An inkjet head 41 arranged to face the mounting surface 2a,
A plurality of suction holes 21 that open in the mounting surface 2a,
A blower 25 that functions as a negative pressure generating means and generates negative pressure in a plurality of suction holes 21.
Piping 5 (5A to 5D) forming a flow path for communicating the region (regions 1 to 4) where the plurality of suction holes 21 are opened on the mounting surface 2a and the blower 25, and the pipe 5 (5A to 5D).
A switching valve 7 (7A to 7D) provided on the flow path of the pipe 5 (5A to 5D) to switch communication / shutoff between the area (areas 1 to 4) where a plurality of suction holes 21 are opened and the blower 25. And have.
The valve body 73 of the switching valve 7 (7A to 7D) is a cylinder wall portion 731 (rotating body) that is arranged on the flow path of the pipe 5 (5A to 5D) and is rotationally driven by the motor 75 (driving source). ..
The cylinder wall portion 731 has an opening 734 that communicates the internal space 730 (inside) of the cylinder wall portion 731 with the outside.
The switching valves 7 (7A to 7D) block the communication position between the blower 25 and the plurality of suction holes 21 and the communication between the blower 25 and the plurality of suction holes 21 through the opening 734 of the cylinder wall portion 731. Displace with the shutoff position.

With this configuration, the cylinder wall portion 731 can be rotated by the motor 75 (drive source) to switch the communication / interruption between the blower 25 and the plurality of suction holes 21.
Thereby, the generation of the suction force on the suction table 2 can be controlled with a simpler configuration.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the rotating body is a tubular valve body 73 has been illustrated, but a ball valve having a spherical valve body may be adopted as the switching valve 7.
In this case, the shape of the opening in the ball valve is not particularly limited. For example, a circular opening, a slit-shaped opening, an opening whose opening diameter increases toward one side of the slit, and the like can be appropriately selected.

In the above-described embodiment, the first piping portion 51 is connected to the switching valve 7 (7A to 7D) from the opening direction of the valve body 73, and the second piping portion 52 is connected to the valve body 73 in the radial direction. The case where it is connected to the switching valve 7 (7A to 7D) is illustrated.
The first piping portion 51 is connected to the switching valve 7 (7A to 7D) from the radial direction of the valve body 73, and the second piping portion 52 is connected to the switching valve 7 (7A) from the opening direction of the valve body 73. It may be configured to be connected to ~ 7D).

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the media holding device according to the present invention is the suction table 2 of the inkjet printing device 1 is illustrated. The media holding device according to the present invention is not limited to this aspect.
The media holding device according to the present invention may be, for example, a suction table used in a cutting device that cuts roll-shaped media to a predetermined length.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in these embodiments. It can be changed as appropriate within the scope of the technical idea of the invention.

1 Inkjet printing device 2 Suction table 2a Mounting surface 21 Suction hole 25 Blower 26 Control device 3 Guide rail 4 Carriage 41 Inkjet head 42 UV irradiation device 5 (5A to 5D), 6 Piping 51 First piping part 510 Internal space 52 Second piping part 520 Internal space 7 (7A to 7D) Switching valve 70 Main body 71 First tubular part 710 Internal space 711 Swelling part 712 Through hole 72 Second tubular part 720 Internal space 73 Valve body 730 Internal space 731 Cylinder wall part 732 Wall part 733 Connection part 734, 735 Opening 74 Seal member 75 Motor 751 Cover part 752 Support cylinder 754 Output shaft B Bearing M Media S Seal ring X Rotating shaft

Claims (7)

A suction table with a media mounting surface and
A plurality of suction holes that open in the above-mentioned mounting surface,
Negative pressure generating means and
A pipe having a flow path for communicating the negative pressure generating means and the plurality of suction holes in order to generate a negative pressure in the plurality of suction holes.
It is provided in the flow path of the pipe and has a switching valve for switching communication / shutoff between the negative pressure generating means and the suction hole.
The switching valve is a rotating body having a through hole formed inside and being rotationally driven by a drive source.
The rotating body is
The outer wall is installed along the inner wall of the pipe and is rotationally driven by the drive source to slide with the inner wall.
The communication position of the switching valve in which the opening on one side of the through hole and the opening on the other side of the through hole both appear in the flow path in the rotation direction to communicate the negative pressure generating means and the suction hole. , And a media holding device having a shutoff position of the switching valve for shutting off the negative pressure generating means and the suction hole at a position different from the communication position. The rotating body is a cylindrical body formed in a cylindrical shape.
It is installed so that the longitudinal direction of the cylinder is along the inner wall in the extension direction of the pipe.
By rotating the cylinder about an axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the cylinder as a rotation axis, the outer wall thereof slides with the inner wall of the pipe.
At the communication position of the switching valve that communicates the negative pressure generating means and the suction hole, an opening on one side of the through hole formed in the outer wall of the cylinder appears in the flow path, and at the same time,
At the shutoff position of the switching valve that shuts off the negative pressure generating means and the suction hole, the opening on one side of the through hole formed in the outer wall of the cylinder faces the inner wall of the pipe. The media holding device according to claim 1, wherein the unit is closed. One end surface of the tubular body in the longitudinal direction is connected to the drive source and driven to rotate, and an opening on the other side of the through hole is formed on the other end surface of the tubular body in the longitudinal direction. The media holding device according to claim 2. The other end of the tubular body in the longitudinal direction is a free end provided with a sealing member.
The tubular body is characterized in that the seal member is brought into contact with the opening end of the piping portion connected to the switching valve from the opening direction of the opening on the other side of the through hole from the longitudinal direction. The media holding device according to claim 2 or 3. The main body of the switching valve
The first tubular portion into which the tubular body is inserted from one end side in the longitudinal direction, and
It has a second tubular portion connected to an intermediate position in the longitudinal direction of the first tubular portion, and has.
The opening of one end in the longitudinal direction of the first tubular portion is sealed by the drive source, and the tubular body connected to the rotation shaft of the drive source is formed in the first tubular portion. Is positioned with reference to
4. The fourth aspect of the first tubular portion is characterized in that the second tubular portion is connected to a position corresponding to an opening of the tubular body from the radial direction of the first tubular portion. The media holding device described. The above-mentioned surface is divided into a plurality of areas.
The pipe is provided for each of the regions, and the pipe connected to each of the regions shares the negative pressure generating means.
The media holding device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the switching valve is provided in each of the pipes. A suction table with a media mounting surface and
Inkjet heads placed facing the above-mentioned mounting surface and
A plurality of suction holes that open in the above-mentioned mounting surface,
Negative pressure generating means and
A pipe having a flow path for communicating the negative pressure generating means and the plurality of suction holes,
An inkjet printing apparatus provided in the flow path and having a switching valve for switching communication / blocking between the negative pressure generating means and the suction hole.
The switching valve is
It is a rotating body that is slidably and rotatably arranged in the pipe and is rotationally driven by a drive source.
The rotating body has an opening for communicating the inside and the outside of the rotating body.
The switching valve has an opening of the rotating body between a communication position for communicating the negative pressure generating means and the suction hole and a shutoff position for blocking communication between the negative pressure generating means and the suction hole. An inkjet printing device characterized by being displaced by.

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