JP6210461B2 - Inkjet printer system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a capping mechanism for an ink jet printer system that seals a nozzle opening of an end face of an ink jet head so as not to dry.

  Conventionally, an ink jet printer moves to a home position that is a non-printing area and waits when printing is not performed. At this time, the end face of the inkjet head is sealed with a cap so that the nozzle opening on the end face of the inkjet head is not dried. Various mechanisms for sealing the end face of the inkjet head waiting at the home position with a cap have been proposed.

  For example, the latching protrusion arranged on the home position side of the carriage comes into contact with the capping means, and the carriage moves further to the home position side, whereby the lever that supports the slider rotates in the clockwise direction, and the lower end surface of the end of the slider The protrusion formed on the base slides along the inclined surface formed on the base.

  Then, the slider moves to the upper part while maintaining a substantially horizontal state as the carriage progresses, and the nozzle forming surface of the ink jet head is thereby sealed by the capping means arranged on the slider so that the ink jet is capped. A type recording device is known. (See Patent Document 1).

JP 2001-71514 A

  However, the ink jet recording apparatus described in the patent document includes a link and a cam mechanism for sealing the nozzle forming surface of the ink jet head by the capping means when the ink jet head comes to the home position. There was a problem that the substrate could not be inserted.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and when the ink jet head comes to the home position, the capping means is retracted, and the printed material is inserted into the home position for printing or taking out. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink jet printer system which can be used.

In order to solve the above problems, an ink jet printer system according to claim 1 is an ink jet printer system in which an ink jet printer is mounted on a table, and nozzle openings formed on an end face of an ink jet head of the ink jet printer. and the capping unit in contact with the part, the slider containing the said capping means, a guide pin projecting from said capping means, said slider, slits are formed obliquely such that the guide pins slidably contacts the slider the inkjet printer - by the guide pins in the slit is moved up and down while sliding by moving in the longitudinal direction of the system, and moving means for moving the capping means to vertically from the inkjet head end surface Wherein the ink jet head by also waiting at the home position to retract the said capping means, in which can also take out or printed by inserting a printing object at the home position.

  In order to solve the above problem, an ink jet printer system according to claim 2, wherein a flag piece projecting from the slider and a flag piece when the slider comes to the front and rear stroke ends by the moving means. A detecting device for detecting, and detecting the upper and lower positions of the capping means by the detecting device;

The inkjet printer system according to claim 1 is an inkjet printer system in which an inkjet printer is mounted on a table, and capping means that abuts on a nozzle opening formed on an end face of the inkjet head of the inkjet printer ; A slider enclosing the capping means, a guide pin protruding from the capping means, and a slit is formed in the slider so that the guide pin is in sliding contact with the slider, and the slider extends in the front-rear direction of the inkjet printer system. by the guide pin into the slit by moving moves up and down while sliding, and a moving means for moving the capping means to vertically from the inkjet head end surface, said jet By head even waiting at the home position to retract the said capping means, it is possible also to take out or printed by inserting a printing object at the home position, the ink-jet head even in the home position By separating the capping means in contact with the nozzle opening, the printed material can be inserted into the home position, and printing can be performed on a large-sized printed material.

  The ink jet printer system according to claim 2, further comprising: a flag piece projecting from the slider; and a detection device that detects the flag piece when the slider comes to the front and rear stroke ends by the moving means, Since the upper and lower positions of the capping unit are detected by the detection device, it is possible to detect whether or not the capping unit is in contact with the nozzle opening formed on the end face of the inkjet head.

1 is a schematic perspective view of an inkjet printer system including a capping mechanism for an inkjet printer system according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the inkjet printer system with the inkjet printer and the top plate of the table removed from the inkjet printer system with the cap of the capping mechanism of the inkjet printer system according to the present invention pushed down to the lowest point. In the state where the cap of the capping mechanism of the ink jet printer system according to the present invention is pushed up to the uppermost point and is in contact with the nozzle opening formed on the end face of the ink jet head, the ink jet printer system and the table top plate It is the schematic perspective view from which was removed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a left view of the inkjet printer system provided with the capping mechanism of the inkjet printer system which concerns on this invention, Comprising: (a) A figure is a left view of the state in which the cap was pushed down to the lowest point, ( FIG. 4B is a left side view of the state where the cap is pushed up to the highest point and is in contact with the nozzle opening formed on the end face of the inkjet head.

  In the following embodiments, the ink jet printer system according to the present invention will be described in detail based on the embodiments. In addition, about this invention, it is not limited only to detailed description of an Example, In the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention, it can change suitably.

  In this embodiment, an ink jet printer system for printing on the back side of a tea bag will be described as an example of a substrate. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an ink jet printer system having a capping mechanism for an ink jet printer system according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, an ink jet printer system 1 has an ink jet printer 2 mounted on a table 3. The positioning guide 4 is positioned in the width direction by contacting one side of the tea bag 5 (indicated by a two-dot chain line). Usually, the tea bag 5 is turned upside down on the table 2 and inserted into the positioning guide 4 so as to be printed in an area avoiding the bonding stitch 5a on the back surface.

  An insertion guide 6 provided at the front end of the bottom surface of the ink jet printer 2 is formed in a tapered shape so that an opening is widened upward with a slight space from the top plate 3a of the table 3, and the tea bag 5 is easily inserted. It has a shape like this. The tea bag 5 is inserted into a slight space between the top plate 3a of the table 3 and the lower surface of the insertion guide 6, and is printed or taken out. The insertion guide 6 is provided with a bonding mark 6b so that a bonding stitch 5a (indicated by a two-dot chain line) on the back surface of the tea bag 5 can be aligned. In addition, the insertion guide 6 is formed with notches 6a and 6a indicating the printing range of the inkjet head 14 to be described later in the width direction.

  A touch panel 10 is provided on the inclined surface of the front surface of the ink jet printer 3 to input and display various data. A power button 11 is provided slightly below the touch panel 10. On the other hand, a slit 3d is formed in the side frame 3c on one side of the table 3, and a front end surface 16c of a connecting frame 16 connected to a moving lever 9 described later slides in the slit 3d in the front-rear direction.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view in which the inkjet printer and the top plate of the table are removed from the inkjet printer system with the cap of the capping mechanism of the inkjet printer system according to the present invention pushed down to the lowest point. FIG. 3 shows a state in which the cap of the capping mechanism of the ink jet printer system according to the present invention is pushed up to the highest point and is in contact with the nozzle opening formed on the end face of the ink jet head. It is the schematic perspective view from which the top plate of the table was removed. 2 and 3, the bottom plate 3b of the table 3 is provided with a pair of guide rails 7 and 7 parallel to the insertion / removal direction of the tea bag 5 (the front-rear direction of the inkjet printer system 1). The slider 8 slides in the front-rear direction while slidably contacting the 7 and 7.

  Transmission type optical sensors 12 and 12 are provided on the bottom plate 3b before and after the slider 8 slides. Further, on one side of the side frame of the slider 8, flag pieces 8a and 8a for shielding the transmitted light of these transmissive photosensors 12 and 12 are provided in the front-rear direction so as to protrude. 12 is shielded. On the other hand, projecting pins 8b, 8b are provided in the front-rear direction so as to project slightly below the side frame on the other side of the slider 8. Flange 8c, 8c is provided in the front-rear direction so as to protrude slightly above these protruding pins 8b, 8b. In addition, guide slits 8d and 8d are formed at the front and rear at the center of the side frames on both sides of the slider 8 so as to be inclined downward toward the front.

  A cap base 15 is included in the slider 8 so as to freely move up and down, and a cap 13 is provided on the upper surface of the cap base 15. Further, guide pins 15 a and 15 a are provided in the front-rear direction so as to protrude from the side frames on both sides of the cap base 15, and these guide pins 15 a and 15 a slide in the guide slits 8 d and 8 d as the slider 8 slides in the front-rear direction. It moves up and down while touching. As described above, the capping means includes the cap base 15 and the cap 13.

  When the slider 8 reaches the stroke end in the front-rear direction, these transmissive optical sensors 12 and 12 detect the flag pieces 8a and 8a, and when the slider 8 reaches the rear stroke end, that is, each guide pin 15a is When reaching the lower side of each guide slit 8d, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4A, the cap 13 is pushed down together with the cap base 15 so that it is lower than the top plate 3a of the table 3, that is, the lowest point. Retained. On the other hand, when the slider 8 reaches the front stroke end, that is, when each guide pin 15a reaches the upper side of each guide slit 8d, the cap together with the cap base 15 as shown in FIGS. 13 is pushed up and held in contact with the nozzle opening formed on the end face 14a of the inkjet head, that is, held at the uppermost point.

  A connecting frame 16 that connects the slider 8 and the moving lever 9 is provided. The moving lever 9 is coupled to a distal end surface 16c in which the distal end of the coupling frame 16 is bent horizontally. Further, mounting holes 16a and 16a are provided in the front-rear direction of the rear end surface 16d where the rear end of the connection frame 16 is bent horizontally, and the mounting holes 16a and 16a are provided with flanges 8c and 8c provided in the slider 8. The rear end surfaces 16d are overlapped on the flanges 8c and 8c and fastened with screws or the like. On the other hand, engagement holes 16b and 16b are formed in the front-rear direction of the vertical surface 16e bent downward from the rear end surface 16d. Engagement pins 8e and 8e projecting with a slightly smaller diameter from the tips of the projecting pins 8b and 8b of the slider 8 are engaged with these engaging holes 16b and 16b.

  Thus, the moving lever 9 and the slider 8 are connected by the connecting frame 16, and when the moving lever 9 is slid in the front-rear direction, the connecting frame 16 and the slider 8 are integrally slid in the front-rear direction.

  Hereinafter, the operation of the capping mechanism will be described in detail. First, when the moving lever 9 is slid rearward, the connecting frame 16 and the slider 8 are also slid rearward together. Then, since the guide slits 8d of the slider 8 are formed to be inclined downward toward the front, the guide pins 15a on both sides of the cap base 15 are gradually pushed down while sliding on the guide slits 8d on both sides of the slider 8. . Thus, the moving means of the capping means is configured. Further, when these guide pins 15a come into contact with the front ends of the respective guide slits 8d, the stroke ends, that is, the lowest point, the cap 13 provided on the cap base 15 is pushed down most from the top plate 3a of the table 3. It is kept low. This state is shown in FIG. 2 and FIG.

  Next, when the moving lever 9 is slid forward from the rear stroke end, the connecting frame 16 and the slider 8 are also slid forward. Then, since the guide slits 8d of the slider 8 are inclined downward toward the front, the guide pins 15a on both sides of the cap base 15 are gradually pushed upward while sliding on the guide slits 8d on both sides of the slider 8. When these guide pins 15a come into contact with the rear ends of the respective guide slits 8d, the stroke ends, that is, the uppermost point, the cap 13 provided on the cap base 15 is pushed up most to form a nozzle opening formed on the end face 14a of the inkjet head. Is held in contact with the portion. This state is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4B.

  FIG. 4 is a left side view of an ink jet printer system provided with a capping mechanism of the ink jet printer system according to the present invention. FIG. 4A is a left side view of a state in which the cap is pushed down to the lowest point. FIG. 4B is a left side view of the state where the cap is pushed up to the uppermost point and is in contact with the nozzle opening formed on the end face of the inkjet head. 4A and 4B, the side panel around the tip of the inkjet head 14 of the inkjet printer-2 is partially removed. As shown in FIG. 4A, when the slider 8 slides and reaches the rear stroke end, the cap 13 together with the cap base 15 is pushed down to the lowest point lower than the top plate 3 a of the table 3. Therefore, in this state, even if the inkjet head 14 stands by at the home position, there is a space between the inkjet head 14 and the top plate 3a of the table 3, so that the tea bag 5 can be inserted into this space for printing or taking out. can do. The height from the top plate 3a to the inkjet head end surface 14a is slightly larger than the space from the top plate 3a to the lower surface of the insertion guide 6.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4B, when the slider 8 slides to reach the front stroke end, the cap 13 together with the cap base 15 is pushed up to the highest uppermost point and formed on the ink jet head end surface 14a. Abuts against the nozzle opening. Here, the position where the cap 13 is brought into contact with the nozzle opening formed on the inkjet head end surface 14a is referred to as a home position.

  Thus, when printing is not performed, the nozzle opening formed in the end face 14a of the ink jet head 14a prevents the ink jet head 14 from waiting at the home position and the ink is dried and the nozzle opening is clogged. Abut. On the other hand, when printing, the cap 13 is pushed down to the lowest point, and the tea bag 5 is inserted to print or take out. Further, when the inkjet head 14 waits at the home position and does not perform a printing operation for a predetermined time, a warning sound or a message is displayed on the touch panel 10 so that the cap 13 is brought into contact with the nozzle opening formed on the inkjet head end surface 14a. Display. Whether or not the cap 13 is in contact with the nozzle opening formed on the end face 14a of the inkjet head can be detected by whether or not the front transmission type optical sensor 12 has detected the front flag piece 8a. On the other hand, whether or not the cap 13 is at the lowest point can be detected by whether or not the rear transmission type optical sensor 12 has detected the rear flag piece 8a.

  As another clogging method, control is performed so that ink is ejected at a predetermined timing at the home position. At this time, the ink ejected at the home position is adsorbed by an ink absorbing material (not shown) contained in the cap base 15. By adsorbing, the cap base 15 is held in a wet state, and the nozzle opening formed on the ink jet head end face 14a is not dried.

  In the present embodiment, the case where printing is performed on the back side of the joint of the tea bag has been described. However, printing can be performed on various types of paper such as normal paper, paper with mount, and magnetic paper.

  In recent years, when a problem occurs in a product, a record from production to sales is traced as a traceability information so that a distribution route can be quickly understood, and a label is attached to the product or directly printed on a product packaging. As described above, an ink jet printer is widely used as a method for directly printing on a packaging material of a product.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Inkjet printer system 2 Inkjet printer 3 Table 3a Top plate 3b Bottom plate 3c Side frame 3d Slit 4 Positioning guide 5 Brown bag 5a Bonding eye 6 Insertion guide 6a Notch 6b Bonding mark 7 Guide rail 8 Slider 8a Flag piece 8b Projection pin 8c Flange 8d Guide slit 8e Engaging pin 9 Moving lever 10 Touch panel 11 Power button 12 Transmission type optical sensor 13 Cap 14 Inkjet head 14a Inkjet head end face 15 Cap base 15a Guide pin 16 Connecting frame 16a Mounting hole 16b Engaging hole 16c End face 16d Rear end face 16e Vertical plane

Claims (2)

An ink jet printer system in which an ink jet printer is mounted on a table, a capping means that comes into contact with a nozzle opening formed on an end face of an ink jet head of the ink jet printer, a slider that contains the capping means, and the capping means The guide pin protruding from the slider and the slider are formed with a slit obliquely so that the guide pin is in sliding contact, and the slider is moved in the front-rear direction of the inkjet printer system to slide the guide pin into the slit. by moving up and down while contacting the capping means and a moving means for moving up and down from the ink jet head end surface, said even the inkjet head is waiting at the home position capping By retracting the stage, inkjet printer, characterized in that it can also take out or printed by inserting a printing object at the home position - system.   A flag piece protruding from the slider, and a detecting device for detecting the flag piece when the slider comes to the front and back stroke ends by the moving means, and detecting the vertical position of the capping means by the detecting device. The ink jet printer system according to claim 1.