JP6362182B2 - Industrial inkjet drawing equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention changes the angle of the nozzle surface by rotating the inkjet head, such as when an inkjet head having a plurality of nozzles is used with the nozzle surface being vertically oriented 90 degrees so that the nozzle surface is perpendicular to the horizontal direction. in case of printing Te, then wipe operation extruding the ink in the nozzle, at the time of printing to eject ink from the cleaning operation and the nozzles of the so-called nozzle surface comprises a method and means for maintaining the nozzle at a constant pressure The present invention relates to an inkjet drawing apparatus .

An inkjet head having a plurality of nozzles is arranged so that the nozzle surface is parallel to the printing surface of the substrate, and printing is performed by moving the inkjet head in the horizontal direction, or the nozzle surface is on the printing surface of the substrate. In general, the inkjet head is fixed so as to face each other in parallel and the printing substrate is moved to perform printing.

Japanese Patent No. 4710686

In recent years, there are many cases where inkjet technology is applied to decoration and drawing applications in various fields. This is the field of so-called industrial inkjet. In recent years, it has been widely deployed in the fields of electronics, biology, building materials, textile printing, and some have been put into practical use. The advantage of industrial inkjet technology is that it can be applied in the required amount where it is needed. For this reason, compared to the conventional process, there is less material waste and there are advantages such as process shortening.

For example, when printing the side surface of a large-sized base material such as a building material, it is difficult to print by placing the base material in the vertical direction and arranging the side surface of the large-sized base material in a horizontal state . Therefore, as the direction of ink ejected from the inkjet nozzle becomes horizontal, the nozzle surface of the inkjet head using the method, etc. $ WARNING Do not rotated 90 degrees in the nozzle row direction, by rotating the ink jet head, an ink jet head of the nozzle surface, although the nozzle surface of the inkjet head needs to be printed is adjusted so as to be substantially parallel to face the printing surface of the printing substrate, 2 a. When the nozzle surface cleaning operation is performed at the same angle at the time of printing as shown in FIG. The ink dripping from the nozzle, like the sneaking of the dripping ink, wraps around the area other than the nozzle surface of the ink jet head and the ink adheres to the peripheral parts of the ink jet head, causing the parts to deteriorate or break. Therefore, it is necessary to perform the cleaning operation of the nozzle surface after the nozzle surface of the ink jet head is made horizontal once.

In this case, the pressure in the nozzle is kept constant by changing the height of the ink liquid surface and the nozzle surface in the sub-tank where ink is temporarily stored during cleaning and printing with the ink jet head angle changed. Therefore, there has been a problem that stable printing becomes difficult. In addition, for example, when the nozzle face of the inkjet head is wide when performing printing at different angles of the inkjet head, such as rotating the nozzle face of the inkjet head 90 degrees in the nozzle row direction, the nozzles on the nozzle face Since there is a difference in height between the head and the rear end of the row, there is a difference in the pressure in the nozzle. When the difference increases, there is a problem that stable ejection becomes difficult.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and prints by rotating the nozzle surface of the inkjet head about 90 degrees in the nozzle row direction so that the direction of ink ejected from the nozzle of the inkjet head is substantially horizontal. When printing by changing the angle of the inkjet head by rotating the inkjet head, even if the orientation of the inkjet head is rotated during printing and cleaning, the pressure inside the inkjet head is kept constant and stable. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ink jet drawing apparatus that can perform printing.

In order to solve the above problems, the following means are proposed.
(1) A rotation mechanism is provided that changes the angle of the ejection direction by adjusting the angle of the inkjet head during printing and during nozzle surface cleaning.
(2) The rotation center of the rotation mechanism is set to 35 mm or less from the nozzle surface of the inkjet head in the direction opposite to the ejection direction, and is substantially the center in the nozzle row width of the nozzle surface in the nozzle row direction.
(3) At the time of nozzle surface cleaning, the nozzle surface is substantially horizontal facing the ink receiving surface of the cleaning unit, and at the time of printing, even if the angle is changed, the liquid level of the sub tank for supplying ink and the inkjet head Control is performed so that the height of the rotation center of the sub-tank is constant and the pressure in the sub-tank at that time is constant.
(4) Changing the head position of the nozzle array on the nozzle surface used for printing when changing the angle of the ink-jet head and the used nozzle area, the range in which the pressure in each nozzle can be stably ejected is changed. Use nozzle area.

In the present invention, in a series of flows of an ink jet drawing apparatus that performs a printing operation after performing a cleaning operation, the ink jet head at the time of printing is rotated 90 degrees in the nozzle row direction , and printing is performed with the ink ejection direction from the nozzles being horizontal. Thus, an industrial ink jet drawing apparatus capable of stable ejection even when the ink jet head is rotated and the angle of the ink jet head is changed is printed . Moreover, the problem that the ink dripping at the time of cleaning wraps around the side surface of the inkjet head can be avoided.

Ink dripping during cleaning Pressure in sub tank and availability of stable discharge Subtank pressure and stable discharge availability measurement environment Relationship between rotation center of ink jet head and water head difference Example of rotating mechanism and sub tank configuration Example of rotating mechanism and sub tank configuration Example side view Example carriage movement Example Substrate transfer

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the present invention with 1a. 42 is a configuration diagram of the state in which the nozzle surface of the inkjet head of FIG. 43 of the base material. Printing on the printing surface of the substrate of 47. 47. After rotating the nozzle surface in the horizontal direction with the rotation mechanism of No. 41, 41. 2 shows an overall configuration for cleaning the nozzle surface with the cleaning unit.

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of the present invention with 1a. FIG. 40 is a configuration diagram in which the nozzle surface of the inkjet head of FIG. 44. The carriage unit on which the inkjet head is mounted is mounted at 44. Of X axis, 34. 42. Move the carriage portion on which the inkjet head is mounted to the left and right as shown in FIG. 43 of the base material. 1 shows the overall configuration of an ink jet drawing apparatus that prints on the printing surface of a base material.

FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of the present invention with 1a. FIG. 40 is a configuration diagram in which the nozzle surface of the inkjet head of FIG. The carriage portion on which the inkjet head is mounted does not move, and 42. The base material is 46. The base material transport unit moves the 1 shows the overall configuration of an ink jet drawing apparatus that prints on the printing surface of a base material.

FIG. 2 shows the pressure, the number of missing nozzles, and the range in which stable ejection is possible when the ink is supplied to the inkjet head when the nozzle surface of the inkjet head is horizontal. This is an example.

FIG. 3 shows the height relationship between the sub-tank liquid surface and the nozzle surface of the inkjet head during the measurement of FIG. 1a. 10. Ink jet head 11. From the sub tank 12. through the ink tube 10 ink, The sub-tank is 13. A constant pressure is maintained by the pressure control unit. 2a. Nozzle face of horizontally arranged, 12. Ink level in the sub-tank of 2a. The height difference from the nozzle surface was 200 mm.

The range in which stable discharge is possible in FIG. 2 is found to be from minus 2.2 kpa to minus 2.8 kpa when the difference from the sub tank liquid level is 200 mm. The width of the range is 0.6 kpa, which is about 61.2 mmH2O when converted to a hydraulic head difference. Therefore, even when the inkjet head is rotated in the nozzle row direction, the difference between the length from the first nozzle to the rear nozzle and the height during printing and cleaning is stable within 61.2 mm. Discharge is possible. The range in which stable ejection can be performed varies depending on the inkjet head and ink, and therefore measurement is required each time the inkjet head or ink changes.

FIG. 4 shows the distance from the nozzle surface to the center of rotation when the inkjet head is rotated and the positional relationship from the first nozzle to the rear nozzle in the nozzle row direction.
For example, 1a. 1b. When rotated in the nozzle row direction as in the case of 90 ° rotation, 31. Of rotation and 2a. 21. The distance to the nozzle surface is 35 mm or less. 23. from the nozzle tip. 21a. 2a. Can be rotated with as little distance to the nozzle surface as possible, 21a. Change the top nozzle position as shown in FIG. By using a nozzle length of 50 mm, for example, 2a. 1a. Even if the inkjet head is rotated 90 degrees, the difference in distance between the tip of the top nozzle and the nozzle surface in the horizontal direction is 32. As shown in the difference between the nozzle surface in the horizontal state and the nozzle tip after the change, the difference is 60 mm, and the above-mentioned water head difference can be within 61.2 mm.

FIG. 10. Rotation mechanism of The sub-tank of FIG. Even if the angle of the inkjet head changes, the sub tank is fixed at a location different from the rotation mechanism, and the positional relationship between the rotation center and the liquid level of the sub tank is constant.

1a. Inkjet head 1b. Inkjet head rotated 90 degrees in nozzle row direction
2a. Nozzle surface 2b. 2. Enlarged dotted line 10. Dripping ink wraparound Sub tank 11. Ink tube 12. Ink 13. Pressure control unit 21. Lead nozzle position 21a. 21. Top nozzle position when the used nozzle area is limited Use nozzle area 23. Rear nozzle 23a. Rear nozzle position when the used nozzle area is limited 30. Distance from the approximate center of the used nozzle area to the center of rotation 31. Center of rotation 32. Difference in height between head nozzle position in horizontal state and head nozzle position after rotation 33. Direction of rotation 34. Carriage movement direction (left / right)
35. Substrate transport direction 40. Carriage 41. Cleaning unit 42. Printing substrate 43. Print surface 44 of the substrate. X axis 45. Z axis 46. Substrate transport unit 47. Rotating mechanism

Claims (3)

In an ink jet drawing apparatus having a carriage portion on which at least one ink jet head having a plurality of nozzles is mounted, the carriage portion performs a printing operation during printing of the ink jet head and a cleaning operation during cleaning of the nozzle surface of the ink jet head. when the have a rotation mechanism to the nozzle row direction of the ink jet head carried by respective different angles, the carriage portion is printed by changing the angle in the nozzle row direction of the ink jet head, the first nozzle of the nozzle region to be used An inkjet drawing apparatus characterized in that the position of the nozzle and the nozzle area to be used can be changed . 2. The rotation mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the rotation center of the inkjet head is located at a position of 35 mm or less in the direction opposite to the ejection direction from the nozzle surface, and is approximately the center of the nozzle row width in the nozzle row direction. Inkjet drawing device. The pressure in the sub tank for temporarily storing ink to supply ink to the inkjet head is controlled at a constant pressure, and the height between the sub tank and the rotation center of the inkjet head is constant. The inkjet drawing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

Images