JP2022137707A - Liquid discharge device and embroidery system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a liquid discharge device which can impart a liquid to a target position on a medium to be discharged.SOLUTION: A liquid discharge device includes a liquid discharge head having a liquid discharge port for discharging liquid, and a head movement mechanism for moving the liquid discharge head between a first position where the liquid discharge port faces a linear medium to be discharged and a second position where the liquid discharge port does not face the medium to be discharged, and discharges liquid to the medium to be discharged at the first position, wherein the liquid discharge head contacts the medium to be discharged when the liquid discharge head moves to the first position from the second position, and has a route changing member for changing a route of the medium to be discharged relative to the liquid discharge port, and the route changing member contacts the medium to be discharged in one or more parts on the route upstream side and the route downstream side relative to the liquid discharge port.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a liquid ejection device and an embroidery system.

US Pat. No. 5,300,000 discloses an inkjet printhead provided with a guide element (20) on a support structure (10) for guiding the thread (4) to a position facing the jets (12). there is

However, in the above-described prior art, it cannot be said that the countermeasures against displacement of the conveying position are sufficient, and there is a problem that the accuracy of the landing position of the liquid is lowered.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid ejection apparatus capable of applying liquid to a target position on a medium to be ejected.

The present invention provides a liquid ejection head having a liquid ejection port for ejecting liquid, a first position where the liquid ejection port faces a linear target medium, and a position where the liquid ejection port does not face the linear target medium. and a head moving mechanism for moving the liquid ejection head between two positions, wherein the liquid ejection head ejects liquid onto the ejection receiving medium at the first position. It is characterized by comprising a path changing member that is in contact with the medium to be ejected when moved from the second position to the first position and changes the path of the medium to be ejected with respect to the liquid ejection port.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a liquid ejection apparatus capable of applying liquid to a target position on an ejection receiving medium.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a liquid ejection device according to the present invention; FIG. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a second embodiment of a liquid ejection device according to the present invention; FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a third embodiment of a liquid ejection device according to the present invention; 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an embroidery system including a liquid ejection device according to the present invention; FIG.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1A and 1B are bottom views showing a schematic configuration of a liquid ejection apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 1A shows a state in which the head is separated from the ejection medium, and FIG. It shows the state facing.

The liquid ejection device 103 includes a head 11 that ejects liquid. The head 11 has a nozzle surface 1s arranged facing the positive side in the Z direction, and this nozzle surface 1s is provided with a plurality of nozzle rows 1A and 1B. Each of the nozzle rows 1A and 1B consists of a nozzle group in which a plurality of nozzles 1n are arranged in the X direction, and the nozzle rows 1A and 1B are arranged parallel to the X direction with a predetermined distance in the Y direction. Here, the head 11 is an example of a liquid ejection head, and the nozzle 1n is an example of a liquid ejection port.

Note that the nozzle row 1A and the nozzle row 1B do not necessarily have to be composed of one head (nozzle surface). For example, the nozzle row 1A and the nozzle row 1B may be separate heads, and the two heads arranged in parallel may be used as one head.

Further, the head 11 includes path changing members 11a and 11b at the X-direction upstream portion and the X-direction downstream portion of the head 11 . The path changing members 11a and 11b are shaft members or rollers extending downward (positive side in the Z direction) from the nozzle surface 1s of the head 11 .

The path changing members 11a and 11b are used to adjust the position such as parallelism between the linear ejection medium 101 running under the head 11 and the nozzle row 1B (or nozzle row 1A) used for liquid ejection to the ejection medium 101. Used for adjustment.

The liquid ejection device 103 also includes a head moving mechanism 103a and main guides 103e and 103f. The head moving mechanism 103a supports the head 11 so as to be movable in the Y direction (positive side and negative side). The main guides 103e and 103f provided at the X-direction upstream portion and the X-direction downstream portion of the liquid ejection device 103 are composed of shaft members or rollers that can come into contact with the ejection receiving medium 101, and define a reference transport path for the ejection receiving medium 101. .

When the liquid is applied to the ejection receiving medium 101, the head 11 is moved to the negative side in the Y direction by the head moving mechanism 103a to reach the position shown in FIG. 1(b). At this time, the ejection receiving medium 101 on the reference transport path formed by the main guides 103e and 103f moves to the negative side in the Y direction due to contact with the path changing members 11a and 11b, and the transport path changes slightly. As a result, the transport path is finely adjusted so that the ejection receiving medium 101 passes through the target position (for example, the center position of the nozzle) of the nozzle row (nozzle row 1B in this example).

In the state shown in FIG. 1B, the head 11 ejects liquid from the nozzles 1n constituting the nozzle row 1B toward the positive side in the Z direction toward the ejection receiving medium 101 moving toward the positive side in the X direction. A liquid is applied to the medium 101 .

Here, the position where the nozzle 1n faces the ejection receiving medium 101 (FIG. 1A) is an example of the "first position", and the position where the nozzle 1n does not face the ejection receiving medium 101 (FIG. 1B). is an example of the "second position".

As shown in FIG. 1B, the path changing members 11a and 11b are positionally adjustable in the direction of arrow A (the positive side in the Y direction and the negative side in the Y direction) with respect to the head 11 (nozzle rows 1A and 1B). Preferably. As a result, the positions of the path changing members 11a and 11b can be adjusted according to the thickness of the ejection receiving medium 101 to be used, and the positional relationship between the nozzle row 1B and the ejection receiving medium 101 can be appropriately adjusted.

As described above, in this embodiment, the head 11 having the nozzles 1n for ejecting liquid, the first position (FIG. 1A) where the nozzles 1n face the linear ejection receiving medium 101, and the nozzles 1n A liquid ejecting apparatus 103 that includes a head moving mechanism 103a that moves the head 11 between a second position (FIG. 1B) that does not face the ejection receiving medium 101, and ejects liquid onto the ejection receiving medium 101 at the first position. , the head 11 has path changing members 11a and 11b that come into contact with the ejection receiving medium 101 when the head 11 moves from the second position to the first position and change the path of the ejection receiving medium 101 with respect to the nozzle 1n.

Accordingly, it is possible to provide a liquid ejection apparatus capable of applying liquid to a target position on the ejection receiving medium.

Further, as described above, the path changing members 11a and 11b are in contact with the ejection receiving medium 101 at one or more points on the upstream side and the downstream side of the path of the ejection receiving medium 101 with respect to the nozzle 1n.

As a result, the linear ejection receiving medium 101 can be aligned in parallel with the nozzle rows 1A and 1B formed by the nozzles 1n.

Further, as described above, the path changing members 11a and 11b can be positioned in the arrow A direction with respect to the nozzle 1n.

Accordingly, even when the thickness of the ejection receiving medium 101 is changed, the liquid can be applied to the target position on the ejection receiving medium 101 .

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a second embodiment of the liquid ejection device according to the present invention.

In the second embodiment, a plurality of heads 11 , 12 , 13 and 14 are provided between main guides 103 e and 103 f provided in the liquid ejecting device 103 . The heads 11 to 14 are alternately arranged on the transport path of the linear ejection receiving medium 101, and the heads 11 to 14 are moved in the Y direction by respective head moving mechanisms 103a to 103d.

By arranging the heads 11 to 14 in a staggered manner, the path changing members 11a to 14b provided in the heads 11 to 14 come into contact with the ejection receiving medium 101 in a staggered manner.

As described above, in this embodiment, a plurality of heads 11 to 14 having path changing members 11a to 14b are alternately arranged along the path of the ejection receiving medium 101. FIG.

As a result, an appropriate tension is applied to the ejection receiving medium 101 running inside the liquid ejecting apparatus 103. Therefore, even when the number of heads is increased, the nozzle rows of the heads 11 to 14 can be positioned at the target positions of the ejection receiving medium 101. can be aligned with

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a third embodiment of a liquid ejection device according to the present invention.

The third embodiment also has a plurality of heads 11, 12, 13, and 14 between main guides 103e and 103f provided in the liquid ejection device 103, as in the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the heads 11 to 14 are alternately arranged on the transport path of the ejection receiving medium 101, but in the third embodiment, they are arranged in the same direction.

Each of the heads 11 to 14 is moved in the Y direction by head moving mechanisms 103a to 103d, and all the path changing members 11a to 14b contact the ejection receiving medium 101 from the same direction.

In this case, sub guides 103g to 103' are provided between the heads in order to suppress positional deviation of the ejection receiving medium 101 that occurs when the ejection receiving medium 101 comes into contact with the path changing members 11a to 14b. Secure the positional relationship. Here, the sub-guides 103g to 103o are an example of positional deviation suppressing members.

Of the sub-guides 103g to 103', the sub-guide 103m, the sub-guide 103n and the sub-guide 103' are provided as guide members having spring properties that are displaceable in the Y direction. As a result, the sub guides 103m to 103o function as buffers, absorbing and suppressing tension fluctuations and changes in the conveying amount of the ejection receiving medium 101 that occur when the path changing members 11a to 14b come into contact with the ejection receiving medium 101. can be done.

As described above, in this embodiment, a plurality of heads 11 to 14 having path changing members 11a to 14b are arranged along the path of the ejection receiving medium 101, and the ejection receiving medium is arranged between the adjacent heads 11 to 14. It has secondary guides 103g to 103' for suppressing displacement of 101. As shown in FIG.

In this case as well, since a suitable tension is applied to the ejection receiving medium 101 running inside the liquid ejecting apparatus 103, even if the number of heads is increased, the nozzle arrays of the heads 11 to 14 are aligned with the target of the ejection receiving medium 101. position can be aligned.

Further, as described above, the sub-guides 103g-103' include the sub-guides 103m-103' as guide members that are displaceable by contact with the ejection receiving medium 101. As shown in FIG.

As a result, the sub-guides 103m to 103o function as buffers, and can absorb and suppress variations in the tension of the ejection receiving medium 101 and variations in the transport amount.

FIG. 4 is an overall schematic side view of an embroidery system including a liquid ejection device according to the present invention.

The embroidery system 1000 is an in-line embroidery device, and mainly includes a yarn feeding device 102, a liquid ejection device 103, a fixing device 104, a post-processing device 105, an embroidery device 106, and the like.

The yarn feeding device 102 includes a supply reel 102a on which a yarn 101 as a linear receiving medium is wound, and transport rollers 102b and 102c for pulling out and transporting the yarn 101 from the supply reel 102a. A wheel encoder 102d is provided between the transport roller 102b and the transport roller 102c.

The wheel encoder 102d rotates following the transport of the yarn 101, and the movement of the yarn 101 is detected by reading the slit of the wheel encoder 102d with an optical sensor (not shown).

Further, a contact member 102e that contacts the yarn 101 is provided at a downstream portion in the X direction with respect to the conveying roller 102c. The contact member 102e contacts a portion of the outer circumference of the thread 101 and twists the thread 101 moving to the positive side in the X direction due to its frictional resistance. In response to this twist, the yarn 101 moves to the positive side in the X direction while rotating on the outer circumference.

In this example, the contact member 102e is provided in the yarn supplying device 102, but the position of the contact member 102e is not limited to this. For example, the contact member 102e may be provided on the liquid ejection device 103. FIG.

The liquid ejecting device 103 includes a plurality of heads 11 to 14 that eject and apply liquid of a desired color to the yarn 101 from the yarn supplying device 102 . The heads 11 to 14 are heads for ejecting liquids of different colors. For example, the head 11 is for black, the head 12 is for cyan, the head 13 is for magenta, and the head 14 is for ejecting yellow droplets. Note that the order of the colors is an example, and the colors may be arranged in an order different from that described here. Also, the number of heads is not limited to four, and the number of heads may be increased or decreased according to the number of colors to be mounted.

The rest of the configuration of the liquid ejection device 103 is as described above, and the description is omitted here.

The fixing device 104 performs fixing processing (drying processing) on the thread 101 to which the liquid has been applied by the liquid ejection device 103 . The fixing device 104 includes heating means such as an infrared irradiation means and a hot air blowing means, and heats and dries the thread 101 .

The post-processing device 105 includes, for example, cleaning means for cleaning the yarn 101, tension adjusting means for adjusting the tension of the yarn 101, feeding amount detecting means for detecting the amount of movement of the yarn 101, and lubricating means for applying lubricant to the surface of the yarn 101. Including agent application means and the like.

The embroidery device 106 includes an embroidery head, and sews the thread 101 onto the cloth after applying the liquid (dyed), thereby embroidering a pattern such as a pattern or a design on the cloth.

Note that in the present embodiment, an example in which the liquid ejection device 103 is incorporated into the embroidery system 1000 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can also be applied to devices that use a linear receiving medium such as thread, such as looms and sewing machines.

In addition, "thread" means glass fiber thread, wool thread, cotton thread, synthetic thread, metal thread, mixed thread of wool, cotton, polymer or metal, yarn, filament, or a linear object to which liquid can be applied (line (shaped member, continuous base material), including braided cords and flat cords.

In addition to the above-described linear objects, belt-shaped members (continuous substrates) to which liquid can be applied, such as ropes, cables, and cords, can also be used as ejection receiving media that can be dyed with liquid droplets, in addition to the linear objects. include. Each of the ejection receiving media is a linear or belt-like medium having a narrow width and continuous in the transport direction.

What has been described above is only an example, and the present invention has specific effects in each of the following aspects.

[First aspect]
In the first mode, a liquid ejection head (for example, head 11) having liquid ejection openings (for example, nozzles 1n) for ejecting liquid faces a linear receiving medium (for example, ejection receiving medium 101). a head moving mechanism (for example, a head moving mechanism 103a) that moves the liquid ejection head between a first position and a second position where the liquid ejection port does not face the ejection receiving medium; In a liquid ejection apparatus (for example, the liquid ejection apparatus 103) that ejects liquid onto an ejection target medium, the liquid ejection head is arranged to eject liquid onto the ejection target medium when the liquid ejection head moves from the second position to the first position. It has path changing members (for example, path changing members 11a and 11b) that are in contact with and change the path of the medium to be ejected with respect to the liquid ejection port. It is characterized by contacting the ejection receiving medium at one or more locations on the downstream side of the path.

According to the first aspect, it is possible to provide a liquid ejecting apparatus capable of applying liquid to a target position on an ejection receiving medium.

[Second aspect]
A second aspect is characterized in that, in the first aspect, the path changing members (for example, path changing members 11a and 11b) can be position-adjusted with respect to the liquid ejection port (for example, nozzle 1n). be.

According to the second aspect, the liquid can be applied to the target position on the ejection receiving medium even when the thickness of the linear ejection receiving medium is changed.

[Third aspect]
A third aspect is the first aspect or the second aspect, wherein the liquid ejection heads (for example, heads 11 to 14) provided with the path changing members (for example, path changing members 11a and 11b) are combined with the ejection target medium (for example, the target medium). It is characterized in that a plurality of them are alternately arranged along the path of the ejection medium 101).

[Fourth mode]
A fourth aspect is any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the liquid ejection heads (for example, the heads 11 to 14) provided with the path changing members (for example, the path changing members 11a and 11b) are arranged on the ejection receiving medium. (For example, a plurality of positional deviation suppressing members (for example, sub-guides 103g to 103') are arranged along the path of the medium to be ejected 101) and suppress the positional deviation of the medium to be ejected between the adjacent liquid ejection heads. It is characterized by

According to the third aspect and the fourth aspect, an appropriate tension is applied to the ejection target medium running in the liquid ejection apparatus, and even when the number of liquid ejection heads is increased, each liquid ejection port is aligned with the ejection target medium. You can align at the target position.

[Fifth aspect]
According to a fifth aspect, in the fourth aspect, the misalignment suppressing member (for example, the sub-guides 103g to 103o) is a guide member (for example, the sub-guide 103m ~ 103?).

According to the fifth aspect, the displaceable guide member functions as a buffer, and can absorb and suppress variations in the tension and conveyance amount of the ejection receiving medium.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 101 ejection target medium 103 liquid ejection device 103a head moving mechanism 103e, 103f main guide 11 head 11a, 11b path changing member 1n nozzle 1s nozzle surface 1A, 1B nozzle row

Japanese translation of PCT publication No. 2012-513817

Claims (6)

a liquid ejection head including liquid ejection ports for ejecting liquid;
a head moving mechanism for moving the liquid ejection head between a first position where the liquid ejection port faces the linear receiving medium and a second position where the liquid ejection port does not face the receiving medium; , in a liquid ejection device that ejects liquid onto the ejection target medium at the first position,
The liquid ejection head includes a path changing member that contacts the ejection receiving medium when the liquid ejection head moves from the second position to the first position and changes the path of the ejection receiving medium with respect to the liquid ejection opening. have
The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the path changing member contacts the ejected medium at one or more locations on the upstream side of the path and the downstream side of the path with respect to the liquid ejection port. 2. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the path changing member is positionally adjustable with respect to the liquid ejection port. 3. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said liquid ejecting heads having said path changing member are alternately arranged along the path of said ejected medium. A plurality of the liquid ejection heads having the path changing member are arranged along the path of the ejection receiving medium, and a positional deviation suppressing member for suppressing positional deviation of the ejection receiving medium is provided between the adjacent liquid ejection heads. 4. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, comprising: 5. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the positional deviation suppressing member includes a guide member that is displaceable by contact with the ejected medium. An embroidery system comprising the liquid ejection device according to claim 1 .

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