JP6836157B2 - Printing equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a printing apparatus.

Conventionally, a printing apparatus provided with a medium drying unit for drying a liquid such as ink on which an image or the like is printed on a medium has been known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a printing apparatus including a heating unit (medium drying unit) having a heating means for heating a medium after printing and an exhaust means for exhausting a gas in a medium passage.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-201028

In the printing apparatus described in Patent Document 1, an exhaust port for discharging gas from the medium drying portion is provided on the downstream side of the intake port in the transport direction in which the medium is conveyed, and the gas discharged from the exhaust port is on the back surface of the medium. It is configured to go into the side. However, for example, when an ultrathin medium made of a film-like polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin is used, the medium is lifted from the transport path of the medium by the air that has entered the back surface. As a result, the tip of the medium is easily caught on the drying portion side of the medium, and it is difficult to pass the medium through.

The present invention has been made to solve at least a part of the above-mentioned problems, and can be realized as the following forms or application examples.

[Application Example 1] The printing apparatus according to the present application example has a transport path in which the printed medium is transported in the transport direction, a first opening opened toward the transport path, and the first opening. A second opening located upstream in the transport direction and opened toward the transport path, a communication path connecting the first opening and the second opening, and the first opening provided in the communication path. And a medium drying section including a blower that blows air from one opening of the second opening toward the other opening, the medium drying section discharges gas from the second opening. It is characterized by letting it.

According to this application example, the medium drying portion of the printing apparatus discharges gas from the second opening located on the upstream side of the first opening in the transport direction. As a result, the medium transported on the transport path along the transport direction is subjected to the wind pressure pressed against the transport path facing the second opening, so that the floating of the medium is suppressed. As a result, it is possible to improve the paper passability in the medium drying portion when a medium that easily floats is used.

[Application Example 2] The printing apparatus according to the above application example has a medium detection unit that detects the position of the tip of the medium with respect to the first opening in the transport direction, and the tip is the first opening. When it is on the upstream side in the transport direction, the medium drying portion discharges gas from the first opening, and when the tip is on the downstream side in the transport direction from the first opening, the said It is preferable that the medium drying portion discharges gas from the second opening.

According to this application example, the printing apparatus has a medium detection unit that detects the position of the tip of the medium. The medium drying portion discharges gas from the first opening when the tip of the medium is on the upstream side of the first opening, and discharges gas from the second opening when the tip of the medium is on the downstream side of the first opening. Discharge the gas. As a result, it is possible to improve the paper-passability when using a medium that easily sticks to the transport path.

[Application Example 3] In the printing apparatus described in the above application example, it is preferable that the medium drying unit changes the wind force of the gas discharged from the first opening according to the type of the medium.

According to this application example, since the printing apparatus changes the wind speed of the gas discharged from the first opening according to the type of the medium, the medium can be suitably passed through.

[Application Example 4] In the printing apparatus described in the above application example, it is preferable that the medium drying portion changes the wind speed of the gas discharged from the first opening.

According to this application example, the medium drying portion changes the wind force of the gas discharged from the first opening toward the tip of the medium. As a result, the tip of the medium is conveyed while waving, so that the medium can be suitably passed through.

The side view which shows the schematic structure of the printing apparatus which concerns on embodiment. A side sectional view showing an enlarged medium drying portion. Block diagram of the printing device. The flowchart which explains the blower drive method. A blower drive table showing the relationship between the type of medium and the blow mode and wind power. The figure explaining the direction of the air flow in a medium drying part. The figure explaining the direction of the air flow in a medium drying part.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each of the following figures, in order to make each member or the like recognizable in size, the scale of each member or the like is shown differently from the actual scale.

(Embodiment)
The printing apparatus described in this embodiment is an inkjet printer provided with a medium drying unit for drying the medium from which ink has been ejected. In the present embodiment, a roll-to-roll large format printer (LFP) that handles relatively large media (recording medium) will be described as a configuration example of the printing apparatus.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged side sectional view showing a medium drying portion. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the printing apparatus. The configuration of the printing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

The printing apparatus 1 includes a set unit 2 of the medium P capable of sending out the roll R1 of the medium P for recording. Here, a roll-type medium is used as the medium P, but the present invention is not limited to a printing apparatus that uses such a roll-type medium. When the printing apparatus 1 transports the medium P in the transport direction A, the set unit 2 rotates in the rotation direction C.

The printing device 1 includes a transport mechanism 15 including a plurality of transport rollers (not shown) for transporting the roll-type medium P in the transport direction A. The transport mechanism 15 is provided with a platen heater 5 capable of heating the medium P supported by the platen 3. The platen heater 5 of the present embodiment is an infrared heater provided at a position facing the platen 3 and capable of heating the surface of the medium P from 35 ° C. to 50 ° C., but the platen is not limited to such a heater. A heater capable of heating the medium P from the 3 side may be used.

The printing device 1 includes a recording mechanism 16 that reciprocally scans the recording head 4 in a scanning direction B intersecting the transport direction A of the medium P to record. The printing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes a recording mechanism 16 that reciprocates and records the recording head 4, but is a so-called line head provided with a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink in a direction intersecting the transport direction A. It may be a printing apparatus provided with. Here, the "line head" is provided so that a region of the nozzle formed in a direction intersecting the transport direction A of the medium P can cover the entire crossing direction of the medium P. It is used in a printing device in which one of a recording head or a medium is fixed and the other is moved to form an image. The region of the nozzle in the crossing direction of the line head may not be able to cover the entire area of the nozzles in the crossing direction of all the media P supported by the printing apparatus. Further, both may be movable without fixing one of the recording head and the medium.

On the downstream side of the media P of the transport mechanism 15 and the recording mechanism 16 in the transport direction A, a medium support portion 6 as a transport path for transporting the printed medium P in the transport direction, and a medium support portion from the recording head 4 side. A medium drying unit 17 as an after-heater for drying the medium P conveyed onto the 6 is provided.

The medium drying portion 17 is a first opening 48 that opens toward the medium support portion 6, and a second opening 49 that is located upstream of the first opening 48 in the transport direction and opens toward the medium support portion 6. , From one opening of the first opening 48 and the second opening 49 provided in the communication path 41 and the communication path 41 that communicate the first opening 48 and the second opening 49 to the other opening. It has a blower 42 that blows air toward the air.

The blower 42 is a so-called fan that gives energy to gas by the rotational movement of an impeller, and is integrally composed of a motor (fan motor 27) that drives the fan. In the blower 42 of the present embodiment, the rotation direction and rotation speed of the impeller can be controlled by the fan motor 27. The control unit 20 changes the opening (first opening 48 or second opening 49) for discharging the gas and the wind force of the discharged gas under the control of the fan motor 27.

Further, the medium drying unit 17 includes a medium heating unit 7 that evaporates a liquid such as ink adhering to the printed medium P. The medium heating unit 7 is provided between the first opening 48 and the second opening 49 at a position facing the surface 44 to which the liquid of the medium P is attached. The medium heating unit 7 of the present embodiment uses an infrared heater that evaporates a liquid using electromagnetic waves, and the infrared heater reflects the infrared light emitting unit 46 and the infrared 50 that emit infrared rays 50 in the medium P direction. It has a reflecting portion 47. Almost all of the infrared rays 50 emitted from the infrared light emitting unit 46 by the reflecting unit 47 are applied to the surface 44 of the medium P. Needless to say, the medium heating unit 7 is not limited to the infrared heater.

When the medium P is irradiated with infrared rays 50 by the medium heating unit 7, a gas containing the vaporized vapor 54 of the liquid enters the communication path 41 from one of the first opening 48 and the second opening 49. It is captured. A recovery unit (not shown) for recovering the vapor 54 contained in the gas is provided in the communication path 41. When the gas containing the steam 54 passes through the recovery portion, the steam 54 is reduced, and the gas is exhausted from the other opening toward the medium P. For the recovery unit, a filter (nonwoven fabric or the like) to which the liquid adheres by using the gap between the fibers as a ventilation path, a perforated plate having many small pores through which the gas passes, or the like is used. In this way, the medium P is dried by circulating the gas through the blower 42.

The medium drying unit 17 has a medium detecting unit 45 that detects the position of the tip of the medium P with respect to the first opening 48 in the transport direction. The medium detection unit 45 is provided on the side wall on the downstream side of the first opening 48, and senses the energy emitted from the object. As the medium detection unit 45, an infrared sensor or the like can be used. The medium detection unit 45 detects the energy emitted from the medium P when the medium P is in the region facing the sensing unit of the medium detection unit 45, and when the medium P is not in the region facing the medium detection unit 45, the medium detection unit 45 detects the energy emitted from the medium P. , The energy emitted from the medium support 6 is detected. The medium P has high energy due to irradiation of infrared rays 50 by the medium heating unit 7. Therefore, it is possible to detect whether or not the tip of the medium P has passed through the first opening 48 by the signal corresponding to the amount of energy output from the medium detection unit 45. The medium P may be detected by a medium detection unit using a laser suncer, a photoelectric sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or the like.

Further, a tension adjusting unit 13 for adjusting the tension of the medium P when winding the medium P is provided on the downstream side of the medium drying unit 17 in the transport direction A of the medium P. A winding unit 14 capable of winding the medium P is provided on the downstream side of the tension adjusting unit 13 in the transport direction A of the medium P. In the printing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, when the medium P is wound, the winding unit 14 rotates in the rotation direction C. As a result, the medium P is wound into a roll to form the roll R2.

Next, the electrical configuration of the printing apparatus 1 will be described.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the printing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment. The control unit 20 is provided with a CPU 21 that controls the entire printing device 1. The CPU 21 is an arithmetic processing device for processing various input signals such as the medium detection unit 45 and controlling the printing operation of the printing device 1. The CPU 21 is connected to a ROM 23 that stores various control programs and the like executed by the CPU 21 and a RAM 24 that can temporarily store data via the system bus 22. Further, the CPU 21 is connected to the head driving unit 25 for driving the recording head 4 via the system bus 22. Further, the CPU 21 is connected to the heater driving unit 18 for driving the platen heater 5 and the infrared heater of the medium heating unit 7 via the system bus 22.

Further, the CPU 21 is connected to a motor drive unit 19 for driving the carriage motor 26, the fan motor 27, the conveyor motor 30, the feeding motor 31 and the take-up motor 32 via the system bus 22. Here, the carriage motor 26 is a motor for moving the carriage on which the recording head 4 is mounted. The fan motor 27 is a motor for driving the blower 42. Further, the transfer motor 30 is a motor for driving a plurality of transfer rollers (not shown) provided in the transfer mechanism 15. Further, the feeding motor 31 is a rotation mechanism of the set portion 2, and is a motor that drives the set portion 2 in order to feed the medium P to the transport mechanism 15. The take-up motor 32 is a drive motor for rotating the take-up unit 14.

Further, the CPU 21 has a monitor 35 and a control panel 36 provided in the printing device 1, an interface 34 for inputting recorded data and the like from an external device such as a PC, and an input for transmitting and receiving data and signals. It is connected to the output unit 33.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a blower driving method. FIG. 5 is a blower drive table showing the relationship between the type of medium, the blow mode, and the wind power. 6 and 7 are views for explaining the direction of the air flow in the medium drying portion. Next, a blower driving method for driving the blower 42 of the medium drying unit 17 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7.

Step S1 is a medium information acquisition step of acquiring the information of the medium P. The control unit 20 receives data including information on the type of the medium P from the external device and stores it in the RAM 24.

Step S2 is a step of determining the blowing mode of the blower 42. In the RAM 24, a blower drive table showing the relationship between the type of the medium P as shown in the example of FIG. 5, the blower mode, and the wind power is stored in advance. As the ventilation mode, a "first ventilation mode" and a "second ventilation mode" are prepared. Specifically, in the "first blower mode", the blower 42 is driven so as to move the gas in the communication path 41 from the first opening 48 side to the second opening 49 side. Hereinafter, this drive is referred to as a first drive. In addition, "wind power" represents the wind power in the second drive described later. In FIG. 6, a white arrow indicates the direction in which the gas moves when the blower 42 is driven by the first drive. That is, in the first blowing mode, the medium drying unit 17 discharges gas from the second opening 49.

In the "second ventilation mode", when the tip of the medium P is on the upstream side in the transport direction from the first opening 48, the gas in the communication path 41 is transferred from the second opening 49 side to the first opening 48 side. The blower 42 is driven so as to move. Hereinafter, this drive is referred to as a second drive. In FIG. 7, a white arrow indicates the direction in which the gas moves when the blower 42 is driven by the second drive. After that, when the tip of the medium P moves in the transport direction and is on the downstream side in the transport direction from the first opening 48, the blower 42 is driven by the first drive. That is, in the second blowing mode, the medium drying unit 17 discharges the gas from the first opening 48 by the second drive, and then discharges the gas from the second opening 49 by the first drive.

When the control unit 20 receives the type of the medium P, the control unit 20 refers to the blower drive table stored in the RAM 24 and determines whether or not the blow mode is the first blow mode. For example, a medium such as "cloth" that easily floats from the medium support portion 6 is designated as the first ventilation mode, and conversely, a medium such as "PET (film)" that easily adheres to the medium support portion 6 is a second ventilation mode. It is specified in the mode. If the ventilation mode is the first ventilation mode (step S2: Yes), the process proceeds to step S3. If the ventilation mode is not the first ventilation mode (step S2: No), that is, if it is the second ventilation mode, the process proceeds to step S5.

Step S3 is a first driving step of first driving the blower 42. The control unit 20 controls the fan motor 27 to drive the blower 42 by the first drive. As a result, the medium P transported on the medium support portion 6 along the transport direction is subjected to wind pressure pressed against the medium support portion 6 by the gas exhausted from the second opening 49, so that the medium P floats up. Is suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to improve the paper passability in the medium drying portion 17 when the medium P that easily floats is used.

Step S4 is a step of determining whether printing is completed. When the printing stop operation is performed (step S4: Yes), the drive of the blower 42 is stopped and the operation of the medium drying unit 17 is terminated. If the printing stop operation is not performed (step S4: No), the process returns to step S3 and steps S3 and S4 are repeated.

Step S5 is a wind power setting step for setting the wind power in the second drive. The medium drying unit 17 changes the wind speed of the gas discharged from the first opening 48 according to the type of the medium P. The control unit 20 refers to the blower drive table and sets the wind force for second driving the blower 42 according to the type of the medium P used. For example, for a medium such as "PET (film)" in which the thickness of the medium is thin and easily adheres to the medium support portion 6, the wind power is set to "large" and the thickness of the medium is thick such as "PVC (banner)". The medium of the wind power is set to "small".

Step S6 is a second drive step for secondly driving the blower 42. The control unit 20 controls the fan motor 27 to drive the blower 42 by the second drive. At this time, the control unit 20 controls the rotation speed of the impeller of the blower 42 so that the wind force set in step S5 can be obtained. As a result, the gas is discharged from the first opening 48 of the medium drying portion 17, and the gas exhausted from the first opening 48 moves toward the second opening 49.

Step S7 is a step of determining whether the tip of the medium P is on the downstream side of the first opening 48. The control unit 20 analyzes the signal output from the medium detection unit 45 provided on the downstream side of the first opening 48, and the tip of the medium P transported on the medium support portion 6 along the transport direction A is It is determined whether or not it has reached the downstream side from the first opening. When the tip of the medium P is on the downstream side of the first opening 48 (step S7: Yes), the process proceeds to step S8. When the tip of the medium P is not on the downstream side of the first opening 48 (step S7: No), the process returns to step S6 and steps S6 and S7 are repeated.

Until the tip of the medium P reaches the downstream side of the first opening 48, the medium drying portion 17 discharges the gas from the first opening 48 and circulates the gas so as to take in air from the second opening 49. As a result, a part of the gas enters between the medium P and the medium support portion 6, so that the medium P can be reduced from sticking to the medium support portion 6. Further, the gas discharged from the first opening 48 may be such that the medium P sticks to the medium support portion 6 and the medium P floats up and comes into contact with the medium drying portion 17 depending on the type of the medium P. Since the wind power is changed to a level that suppresses the wind power, the paper passability of the medium P in the medium drying unit 17 can be improved.

Step S8 is a first driving step of first driving the blower 42. The control unit 20 controls the fan motor 27 to switch the drive of the blower 42 from the second drive to the first drive. The medium drying unit 17 discharges the gas from the second opening 49 and circulates the gas so as to take in air from the first opening 48. Further, the gas discharged from the second opening 49 draws in a gas drier than the circulating gas from the upstream side of the second opening 49. As a result, the dried gas hits the medium P before being heated by the medium heating unit 7, so that the drying of the medium P can be promoted.

Step S9 is a step of determining whether printing is completed. When the printing stop operation is performed (step S9: Yes), the drive of the blower 42 is stopped and the operation of the medium drying unit 17 is terminated. If the printing stop operation is not performed (step S9: No), the process returns to step S8 and the steps S8 and S9 are repeated.

As described above, according to the printing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
When the medium drying portion 17 of the printing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment uses the medium P that easily floats from the medium support portion 6, the second opening located upstream of the first opening 48 in the transport direction A of the medium P. The gas is discharged from the part 49. As a result, the medium P transported on the medium support portion 6 along the transport direction is subjected to wind pressure pressed against the medium support portion 6 by the gas exhausted from the second opening 49, so that the medium P floats up. Is suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to improve the paper passability in the medium drying portion 17 when the medium P that easily floats is used.

The medium drying unit 17 of the printing apparatus 1 has a medium detecting unit 45 that detects the position of the tip of the medium P with respect to the first opening 48. When a medium P that easily sticks to the medium support portion 6 is used, the medium drying portion 17 is more than the second opening 49 in the transport direction A of the medium P until the medium P reaches the downstream side of the first opening 48. Gas is discharged from the first opening 48 located on the downstream side. Further, the printing apparatus 1 changes the wind speed of the gas discharged from the first opening 48 according to the type of the medium P. As a result, a part of the gas enters between the medium P and the medium support portion 6, so that the medium P can be reduced from sticking to the medium support portion 6. Further, the gas discharged from the first opening 48 may be such that the medium P sticks to the medium support portion 6 and the medium P floats up and comes into contact with the medium drying portion 17 depending on the type of the medium P. Since the wind power is changed to a level that suppresses the wind power, the paper passability of the medium P in the medium drying unit 17 can be improved.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes and improvements can be added to the above-described embodiment. A modified example will be described below.

(Modification example)
The medium drying unit 17 changes the wind force of the gas discharged from the first opening 48 in the second driving step of step S6 in the blower driving method described in the embodiment. The control unit 20 controls the fan motor 27 to drive the blower 42 by the second drive so that the wind speed of the gas discharged from the first opening 48 repeats strength and weakness. As a result, the tip of the medium P is conveyed while waving, so that the medium can be suitably passed through.

1 ... printing device, 4 ... recording head, 6 ... medium support unit as a transfer path, 7 ... medium heating unit, 15 ... transfer mechanism, 16 ... recording mechanism, 17 ... medium drying unit, 18 ... heater drive unit, 19 ... Motor drive unit, 20 ... control unit, 21 ... CPU, 24 ... RAM, 27 ... fan motor, 41 ... communication path, 42 ... blower, 44 ... surface, 45 ... medium detector, 46 ... infrared light emitting unit, 47 ... reflection Part, 48 ... 1st opening, 49 ... 2nd opening, 50 ... infrared.

Claims (3)

A transport path in which the printed medium is transported in the transport direction, and
A first opening opened toward the transport path, a second opening located upstream of the first opening in the transport direction and opened toward the transport path, the first opening and the first opening. Medium drying including a communication path communicating with the two openings, a blower provided in the communication path and blowing air from one opening of the first opening and the second opening toward the other opening. Department and
A medium detection unit that detects the position of the tip of the medium with respect to the first opening in the transport direction.
With
The medium drying part is
Gas is discharged from the second opening ,
When the tip is on the upstream side of the first opening in the transport direction, the medium drying portion discharges gas from the first opening.
When the tip is on the downstream side in the transport direction with respect to the first opening, the medium drying portion discharges gas from the second opening.
A printing device characterized by. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the medium drying unit changes the wind speed of the gas discharged from the first opening according to the type of the medium. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the medium drying unit changes the wind speed of the gas discharged from the first opening.

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