JP2752419B2 - Inkjet printer with ink fixing device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet printer that performs recording by discharging an ink liquid onto a recording medium such as paper or film.

[Conventional technology]

In the inkjet printer, as shown in FIG. 4, plain paper guided conveyed by conveying means (not shown), the storage medium 2 _1, such as a film is supported on the platen roller 1, the surface by the pressing plate 3 ₂ out is performed, the distance between the recording surface and the ink nozzle 3 ₁ of the head surface of the print head 3 is kept constant. Then, from the ink nozzle 3 ₁ by ejecting ink onto the recording medium 2 ₁ recording surface, the ink liquid is a character or image recording is performed by adhering the recording medium 2 _1.

In general, the above-mentioned ink liquid is obtained by dissolving or dispersing a dye or pigment in water or an organic solvent. On the other hand, plain paper, which is a recording medium, is usually subjected to sizing treatment to reduce water repellency. And the film is usually
Has water repellency.

For this reason, the fixability of the ink liquid to the recording medium (absorption of the ink liquid of the recording medium) is poor, and the bleeding and the flow of the ink liquid occur on the recording medium. This is remarkable when recording is performed by superposing three or four types of ink liquids on a recording medium.

In order to improve the bleeding and the phenomenon of flow (ink liquid absorbing and fixing property), conventionally, (1) a recording medium such as a treated paper or a treated film in which paper or a film is coated with an ink absorbing layer in advance. (2) The printer is provided with a mechanism for holding the recording medium horizontally after recording until the ink liquid is fixed. (3) The fixing speed of the ink liquid by blowing hot air onto the recording surface of the recording medium after recording. Was hastened.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional technique, in the case of (1), only expensive processing paper and processing film can be used as a recording medium, so running costs are high, and special materials such as postcards are used as a recording medium. In the case of (2), a horizontal feed mechanism is required, so that the entire printer becomes large. In the case of (3), hot air may also blow on the ink nozzles of the print head. Drying becomes remarkable, and there is a problem that print quality is deteriorated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems,
It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink jet printer having an ink fixing processing device capable of preventing bleeding and flow of ink liquid without increasing the size of the entire printer and lowering print quality, further increasing running cost. And

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to an ink jet printer, comprising: a first pressure roll and a second pressure roll of a recording medium to be conveyed; and an ink absorbing layer in which a sheet substrate is coated with an ink absorbing layer in advance. An unwinding roll and a take-up roll that transport the attached sheet substrate in a state where the ink absorbing layer is pressed against the recording surface of the recording medium by the first pressure roll and the second pressure roll; and a water vapor discharge nozzle. And a humidifier disposed so that the discharge nozzle faces a contact portion between the recording medium and the ink absorbing layer or the ink absorbing layer before contacting the recording medium.

[Action]

In the present invention configured as described above, when the recording medium is conveyed, the ink absorbing layer that is sent out from the unwinding roll and conveyed to the take-up roll by the first pressure roll and the second pressure roll. The humidifier discharges water vapor from the discharge nozzle of the humidifier into the contact area between the recording medium and the ink absorbing layer or the ink absorbing layer before contacting the recording medium. As a result, the viscosity of the ink absorbing layer increases, the ink absorbing layer is uniformly transferred to the recording surface of the recording medium, and recording is performed on the ink absorbing layer of the recording medium after the transfer.

〔Example〕

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

An ink jet printer provided with the ink fixing processing device of this embodiment is an improvement of a conventional ink jet printer, and the differences will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, on the opposite side of the platen roll 1 from the side where the print head 3 is located, a first pressure roll 4 is disposed in parallel with the platen roll 1. Further, below the first pressure roll 4, a second pressure roller 5 whose roll surface is in contact with the roll surface of the first pressure roller 4 is disposed. And the recording medium 2 is the first
And is transported in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. On the other hand, a PET film 9 ink absorbing layer 9 ₁ on one side of the _2, which are coated ink absorbing layer with a PET film 9 is a sheet substrate
While it is pressed against the recording surface of the recording medium 2 through an ink-absorbing layer 9 ₁ by the first and second presser rolls 4,5, unwinding rolls disposed below both sides of the first press roll 4
6, It is transported by the take-up roll 7.

The first and second pressure rolls 4 and 5, the unwind roll 6 and the take-up roll 7 are connected to drive means of a printer (not shown) via a drive mechanism (not shown), and rotate synchronously. As shown by the arrow in FIG.
They are left, right, right and right respectively. Furthermore, ultrasonic humidifier 8 having a discharge nozzle ₈₁ of the steam 11 in the upper end, the discharge nozzle ₈₁ is to be directed to the contact portion between the recording medium 2 and the ink absorbing layer 9 _1, through the member shown frame is fixed to not, the discharge nozzle ₈₁ has a sliding edge controller 10 which is movable in the width direction (arrow a direction), the discharge width of the steam 11 is made variable.

 Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.

The recording medium 2 from a sending unit (not shown) is wound around a first pressure roll 4 and a platen roll 1 and is conveyed to a head unit where the print head 3 is located. While being sent out from the unwinding roll 6, being wound around the second pressure roll 5, and being conveyed to the take-up roll 7, as shown in FIG. It is pressed against the recording surface of the recording medium 2 through an ink-absorbing layer 9 _1. Then, the water vapor 11 discharged from the discharge nozzle ₈₁ of the ultrasonic humidifier 8,
Since according blown to the contact portion between the recording medium 2 and the ink absorbing layer 9 _1, it increases the viscosity of the ink absorbing layer 9 _1, an ink-absorbing layer 9 ₁ is uniformly transferred to the recording surface of the recording medium 2. Then, the recording medium 2 in which the ink absorbing layer 9 ₁ has been transferred is sent to the head unit, the ink nozzle 3 ₁ husk ink liquid ejected printhead 3 is attached to the ink absorbing layer 9 _1.

As described above, according to this embodiment, since carrying ink fixing processing apparatus for forming an ink-absorbing layer 9 ₁ on the recording medium 2 before printing, can respond to any recording medium postcard, high running costs nor may therefore not require hot air drying progress of the ink nozzle 3 ₁ is not remarkable, printing quality does not deteriorate. Further, since there is no horizontal feed mechanism, the entire printer does not become large.

The ink absorbing layer 9 ₁ described above, such low starch and saponified degree of polyvinyl alcohol is preferable, further, more preferable to add inorganic pigments such as silica or titanium oxide. Then, the ink absorbing layer 9 ₁ may be applied in advance to the PET film 9 ₂ in the general coating method using a roll coater or a gravure coater.

In the above embodiment, although a PET film 9 ₂ as the sheet base material of the ink absorbing layer with a PET film 9 is not limited thereto, polypropylene, polyimide, or a commercially available film such as polyethylene. Then, the discharge amount of the water vapor 11 discharged from the discharge nozzle ₈₁ of the ultrasonic humidifier 8,
Often to the extent that only the contact portion between the ink absorbing layer 9 ₁ and the recording medium 2 is water, it is necessary to dehydration of the recording medium due overheating before recording and the discharge amount of water vapor is too great. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the humidifier 8 is discharge nozzle ₈₁ is disposed so as to face the contact portion between the recording medium 2 and the ink absorbing layer 9 _1. However, the recording medium 2 it may be disposed so as to face to the ink-absorbing layer 9 ₁ before the contact.

〔The invention's effect〕

Since the present invention is configured as described above, a horizontal feed mechanism is unnecessary, and the progress of drying of the ink nozzles is not remarkable, so that the overall size of the printer and the print quality are not reduced, and the running cost is further reduced. And the bleeding and flowing phenomenon of the ink liquid can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of an essential part of one embodiment of an ink jet printer provided with an ink fixing processing device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ultrasonic humidifier 8 of FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a side view of a main part of a conventional ink jet printer. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Platen roll, 2 ... Recording medium, 3 ... Print head, 3 ₁ ... Ink nozzle, 3 ₂ ... Holding plate, 4 ... 1st press roll, 5 ... 2nd press roll, 6 ... unwinding roll, 7 ... winding roll, 8 ... ultrasonic humidifier, 8 ₁ ... discharge nozzle, 9 ... PET film with ink absorbing layer, 9 ₁ ... ink absorbing layer, 9 ₂ ... ... PET film, 10 ... Sliding edge controller, 11 ... Steam.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] In an ink jet printer, a first pressure roll (4) and a second pressure roll (5) of a recording medium (2) to be conveyed, and an ink absorbing layer ( ₂ ) are previously provided on a sheet substrate (92). 9 ₁ ) Sheet substrate with ink absorbing layer coated with ₁ ) (9)
The unwinding roll ink absorbing layer by the first pressing roll (4) and the second pressing roll (5) (9 ₁₎ is conveyed in a state of being pressed to the recording surface of the recording medium (2) (6 )
And a take-up roll (7), has a water vapor (11) discharge nozzle (8 _1), said discharge exit nozzle ₍₈₁₎ is, the contact portion of the recording medium and (2) an ink absorbing layer (9 ₁₎ , or an inkjet printer having an ink fixing apparatus characterized in that it comprises a humidifier and (8) disposed so as to face before the ink absorbing layer to (9 ₁₎ which contacts the recording medium (2).