JP3667452B2 - Printing device for plate-like recording medium - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is found on the surface of the compact disk itself, the surface of the case, the surface of the case of a floppy disk or the like (hereinafter, these are collectively referred to simply as “plate-shaped recording medium” in the present specification). The present invention relates to a printing apparatus for a plate-like recording medium suitable for printing information on recorded contents, images, and the like.
[0002]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
For plate-shaped recording media such as CD-R, the media can be freely recorded by the user, and the surface of the media is different from characters, designs, etc. that need not be changed for each data recording, such as company name and product name. Although there are some that have already been printed by this method, in consideration of the fact that additional writing is possible and the storage capacity is large, the titles are recorded directly on the surface of the case or the surface of the CD-R. It is convenient to print them.
[0003]
Such printing may be performed in advance by the manufacturer in the case of new music, computer software, or the like whose recorded information is known and manufactured and sold in large quantities. However, there has been no proposal of a method for printing contents and images desired on the user side by a simple operation, and an apparatus embodying the method.
[0004]
In view of this point, the applicant of the present invention first uses a inkjet printer to make it possible to easily print headings or the like on the surface of a plate-like recording medium such as a CD-R or the case surface. A recording medium printing method and apparatus are proposed.
[0005]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to make it possible to form an excellent printing surface in terms of physical and mechanical properties such as durability and wear resistance in such a printing method and printing apparatus for a plate-like recording medium. is there.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problems, the plate-shaped recording medium printing apparatus of the present invention is a photosensitive ink that is cured by irradiating light of a specific wavelength onto the surface of a plate-shaped recording medium such as a compact disk. Is used for printing by an inkjet printer. In general, ultraviolet curable ink may be employed as the photosensitive ink. In the present invention, the printed layer may be fixed on the surface of the plate-shaped recording medium by irradiating the surface of the plate-shaped recording medium after printing with the photosensitive ink.
[0007]
Thus, in the printing apparatus of the present invention, since printing is performed using photosensitive ink, water resistance, abrasion resistance, and peeling resistance are compared to the case where printing is performed using water-based ink as in the past. The printing surface excellent in the property can be formed.
[0008]
The plate-shaped recording medium printing apparatus of the present invention includes a medium tray for conveying a plate-shaped recording medium such as a compact disc, a tray conveying mechanism for conveying the medium tray along a certain conveying path, and the medium tray. An ink jet printer that performs printing using a photosensitive ink that is cured by irradiating light of a specific wavelength on the surface of a plate-like recording medium that is conveyed in a state of being on the plate, and a plate-like recording medium after printing An ink fixing unit for irradiating the surface of the plate with light to fix the printed layer on the surface of the plate-like recording medium, and a medium supply mechanism for supplying the plate-like recording medium to the medium tray, The medium supply mechanism includes a medium storage unit storing a plate-shaped recording medium before printing, a drive for writing preset information to the plate-shaped recording medium stored in the medium storage unit, and a plate Condition A medium transfer tool for transferring a recording medium from the medium storage unit to the medium tray via the drive, and the medium storage unit and the drive are arranged on both sides of the conveyance path of the medium tray. It is characterized by.
[0009]
Here, the medium tray is reciprocated along the conveyance path, the recording medium is placed on the medium tray on one side, and the printed recording medium is taken out from the medium tray on the other side, and the medium tray is emptied. By returning this, it is possible to efficiently perform the printing operation of a large number of recording media.
[0010]
Next, a printing apparatus for a plate-shaped recording medium according to the present invention includes a medium tray for conveying a plate-shaped recording medium such as a compact disk, a conveyance mechanism for conveying the medium tray along a certain conveyance path, Curing is performed by irradiating light of a specific wavelength on an ink jet printer that prints on the surface of a plate-shaped recording medium conveyed in a state of being placed on a medium tray, and on the printing surface of the plate-shaped recording medium after printing. Protective film coating means for forming a photosensitive resin as a protective film, light irradiating means for irradiating and curing the protective film formed on the plate-like recording medium, and medium for supplying the plate-like recording medium to the medium tray The medium supply mechanism is preset with respect to a medium storage unit storing a plate-shaped recording medium before printing and a plate-shaped recording medium stored in the medium storage unit. Write the information And a medium transfer tool for transferring a plate-shaped recording medium from the medium storage unit to the medium tray via the drive, wherein the medium storage unit and the drive are transport paths of the medium tray. It is arrange | positioned on both sides on both sides. As the photosensitive resin, an ultraviolet curable resin can be used.
[0011]
In the printing apparatus for a plate-shaped recording medium of the present invention configured as described above, the printing surface formed on the surface of the plate-shaped recording medium is covered with a protective film. Accordingly, it is possible to improve the durability of the printing surface formed with the water-based ink.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A plate-like recording medium printing apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[0013]
Overall configuration Fig. 1 shows the overall configuration of a CD-R printing apparatus to which the present invention is applied. The printing apparatus 1 shown in the figure is an ink jet printer 2 installed in the center on the apparatus base 1a and a reciprocating medium for transporting a CD-R (hereinafter simply referred to as a medium) 3 printed by the ink jet printer 2. A tray 4, a medium supply mechanism 5 disposed on the side to which the medium before printing in the inkjet printer 2 is supplied, and a medium recovery mechanism disposed on the side on which the medium after printing in the inkjet printer 2 is discharged. 6. In addition, a fixing device 9 is provided for fixing the ink layer formed by the ink jet printer 2 by irradiating the medium 3 after being printed by the ink jet printer 2 with light.
[0014]
The ink jet printer 2 includes an ink jet print head 21 and a tray transport mechanism (not shown) that reciprocates the medium tray 4 along a preset transport path via a print position by the print head 21. ing. The ink jet printer 2 adopts a commonly used ink jet printer as it is, and a tray guide that defines a printing position so that printing is performed on the surface of the medium carried on the medium tray 4. The distance between the member and the print head may be adjusted.
[0015]
However, in this example, the ink used for the ink jet printer 2 is not a commonly used water-based ink but an ultraviolet curable photosensitive ink.
[0016]
Since the other configuration of the inkjet printer 2 is the same as that of a general inkjet printer, a detailed description of the configuration of the inkjet printer itself is omitted in this specification.
[0017]
The fixing device 9 is for fixing ultraviolet curable photosensitive ink. Accordingly, an ultraviolet irradiation lamp 9a is provided. In this example, after the medium tray 4 passes through the printing position by the ink jet printer 2, it reaches the ultraviolet irradiation position in the fixing device 9, passes through this position, and is conveyed to the medium recovery mechanism 6 side. ing.
[0018]
Next, on the medium supply side of the ink jet printer 2, a tray installation unit 23 for installing the reciprocating medium tray 4 on which the medium 3 before printing is placed is formed. When the reciprocating medium tray 4 is installed in the tray installing unit 23 and a tray transport mechanism (not shown) is driven, the reciprocating medium tray 4 is fed in the horizontal direction toward the print head 21, and the print head 21 Predetermined printing is performed on the surface of the medium 3 placed thereon. A discharge portion 24 of the medium tray 4 is formed on the medium discharge side of the fixing device 9 disposed adjacent to the ink jet printer 2. The medium tray 4 on which the medium 3 printed by the print head 21 is placed passes through the fixing device 9 and moves to the discharge unit 24.
[0019]
The tray transport mechanism of this example is configured to reciprocate the reciprocating medium tray 4. The reciprocating mechanism can be constructed using a known driving mechanism. Therefore, the medium tray 4 reaches the discharge unit 24 on the opposite side after passing through the printing position by the print head 21 and the light irradiation position by the fixing device 9 from the tray setting unit 23, and then, again, the tray on the near side again. Return to the installation unit 23.
[0020]
Next, the configuration of the medium supply mechanism 5 will be described. The medium supply mechanism 5 includes a medium storage unit 51 that stores the medium 3 before printing in a stacked state, and a drive 52 that writes preset information to the medium 3 stored therein. And a medium transfer tool 7 for transferring the medium along a predetermined path. The medium storage unit 51 and the driver 52 are arranged on both sides of the tray installation unit 23 of the inkjet printer 2.
[0021]
The medium 3 is conveyed by the medium transfer tool 7 in the following path. First, the uppermost medium 3 loaded in the medium storage unit 51 is first transported toward the drive 52 by the medium transfer tool 7 and delivered to the drive 52. The medium 3 on which the information is recorded in the drive 52 is transferred again to the tray mounting part 42 of the reciprocating medium tray 4 installed in the tray setting part 23 of the printer 2 (see FIG. 2). Be put on. Thereafter, the medium transfer tool 7 moves again to the medium storage unit and waits in a state where the medium 3 processed by the drive can be transferred.
[0022]
On the other hand, the side of the medium recovery mechanism 6 follows a predetermined path, a medium recovery unit 61 that recovers the printed medium 3 other than defective products, a defective product recovery unit 62 that recovers defective products, and the like. And a medium transfer tool 8 for transferring the medium 3 after printing. The medium recovery unit 61 and the defective product recovery unit 62 are arranged on one side of the tray discharge unit 24 of the inkjet printer 2. These collection units 61 and 62 may be arranged on both sides of the tray discharge unit 24 of the inkjet printer 2.
[0023]
As described above, in the printing apparatus 1 of this example, a headline or the like is printed on the surface of the medium 3 by the ink jet printer 2 using the ultraviolet curable ink, and then the printing surface is cured by the fixing device 9 and the medium is printed. It is fixed on the surface. Accordingly, the water resistance is improved as compared with the case of using a water-based ink for a commonly used inkjet printer. In addition, since the mechanical strength is low as in the case of a printing layer using water-based ink, it is possible to eliminate the adverse effect of being easily scratched. Furthermore, since the peel strength of the formed printing layer is higher than that of the water-based ink, it is possible to prevent the printing layer from peeling off.
[0024]
Thus, according to this example, a printing surface having high physical and mechanical strength can be formed on the surface of the medium 3.
[0025]
Reciprocating media tray FIGS. 2A and 2B show the reciprocating media tray 4. As shown in this figure, the reciprocating medium tray 4 includes a tray body 41 made of a thin rectangular plate, a shallow circular groove 42 formed at an appropriate position on the surface thereof, and a circular shape formed at the center of the circular groove 42. A convex portion 43 is provided. The circular groove 42 is a mounting portion for the medium 3, and the inner diameter thereof is set slightly larger than the diameter of the medium 3. Further, the convex portion 43 at the center is set to a size that fits just into the central hole of the medium 3. As the material of the tray body 41, plastic, cardboard, or the like can be used, but basically any material may be used. Further, the shape of the medium mounting portion 42 is not limited to the circular groove as long as the medium 3 can be mounted without being displaced from front to back and from side to side.
[0026]
Although the tray 4 of this example has a two-layer structure, it may of course be integrally formed with a synthetic resin or the like.
[0027]
(Other embodiments)
In the above embodiment, the surface of the medium 3 is printed by the ink jet printer 2 using the ultraviolet curable ink, and the fixing device 9 fixes the ink.
[0028]
Instead of doing this, the ink of the inkjet printer 2 is a commonly used water-based ink, and after printing, the entire printing surface of the medium 3 is protected by applying an ultraviolet curable resin. Also good.
[0029]
In this case, a protective film applicator is disposed between the inkjet printer 2 and the fixing device 9. After printing on the medium 3 conveyed by the medium tray 4 by the ink jet printer 2, an ultraviolet curable resin is applied in a certain thickness over the entire printing surface of the medium 2 in the protective film applicator. Thereafter, the applied protective film is cured and fixed by irradiating with ultraviolet rays in the fixing device 9.
[0030]
As the protective film applicator, a configuration in which a protective film is applied to the printing surface of the medium 3 using a coater roller can be employed. In this case, the medium 3 may be passed between the coater roller and the driven roller facing it, and a protective film may be applied to the medium surface. In the case of a disk-shaped medium, the protective film may be applied by rolling the coater roller in the circumferential direction along the medium surface.
[0031]
Instead of doing this, a resin coating film may be formed on the surface of the medium using a brush, a spray gun or the like.
[0032]
It should be noted that the range in which the protective film is applied basically needs only to be printed by an ink jet printer. However, it is preferable to form a protective film on the entire surface of the medium because the surface of the medium is protected.
[0033]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the printing method and apparatus for a plate-like recording medium of the present invention, desired printing is performed on the surface of a plate-like recording medium such as a CD-R using photosensitive ink. Yes. Therefore, it is possible to form a printing surface that is superior in terms of water resistance, durability, peel resistance, and the like as compared with printing formed with water-based ink or the like.
[0034]
Further, according to the printing method and apparatus for a plate-like recording medium of the present invention, after printing on the surface of the plate-like recording medium by an ink jet printer, a protective film made of a photosensitive resin covering the printing surface is formed. I have to. Accordingly, even in this case, it is possible to improve the durability of the printing surface formed on the recording medium.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a printing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are explanatory views showing examples of a reciprocating medium tray used in the apparatus of FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printing apparatus 2 Inkjet printer 3 Plate-shaped recording medium 31 Index | index 4 Medium tray 42 Medium mounting part 5 Medium supply mechanism 51 Medium storage part 52 Driver 6 Medium collection | recovery mechanisms 7, 8 Medium transfer tool 9 Fixing device 9a

Claims (5)

A medium tray for conveying a plate-shaped recording medium such as a compact disk, a tray conveying mechanism for conveying the medium tray along a certain conveying path, and a plate-shaped recording medium conveyed on the medium tray An inkjet printer that performs printing using a photosensitive ink that is cured by irradiating light of a specific wavelength to the surface of the substrate, and irradiating the surface of the plate-shaped recording medium after printing with the printed layer An ink fixing means for fixing on the surface of the plate-shaped recording medium, and a medium supply mechanism for supplying the plate-shaped recording medium to the medium tray,
The medium supply mechanism includes a medium storage unit storing a plate-shaped recording medium before printing, a drive for writing preset information to the plate-shaped recording medium stored in the medium storage unit, A medium transfer tool for transferring a plate-shaped recording medium from the medium storage unit to the medium tray via the drive;
The plate-like recording medium printing apparatus, wherein the medium storage unit and the drive are disposed on both sides of a conveyance path of the medium tray. 2. The printing apparatus for a plate-like recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the photosensitive ink is an ultraviolet curable ink. 3. The printing apparatus for a plate-shaped recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the tray transport mechanism reciprocates the medium tray along a transport path. A medium tray for conveying a plate-shaped recording medium such as a compact disk, a tray conveying mechanism for conveying the medium tray along a certain conveying path, and a plate-shaped recording medium conveyed on the medium tray An ink jet printer that prints on the surface of the sheet, and protective film coating means that forms a protective resin on the printed surface of the plate-shaped recording medium after printing as a protective film that is cured by irradiating light of a specific wavelength And a light irradiation means for irradiating and curing the protective film formed on the plate-shaped recording medium, and a medium supply mechanism for supplying the plate-shaped recording medium to the medium tray,
The medium supply mechanism includes a medium storage unit storing a plate-shaped recording medium before printing, a drive for writing preset information to the plate-shaped recording medium stored in the medium storage unit, A medium transfer tool for transferring a plate-shaped recording medium from the medium storage unit to the medium tray via the drive;
The plate-like recording medium printing apparatus, wherein the medium storage unit and the drive are disposed on both sides of a conveyance path of the medium tray. 5. The printing apparatus for a plate-shaped recording medium according to claim 4, wherein the photosensitive resin is an ultraviolet curable resin.

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