JPH10157245A - Printing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To print to an object to be printed, e.g. a corrugated fiberboard box or the like with high quality without requiring manpower. SOLUTION: Printing heads 4 are arranged at both sides of a conveyor 3 set along a transfer path 2 to print to display contents to a side face of a transferred corrugated fiberboard box 1 which is an object to be printed. A gap-regulating means 5 is provided above the transfer path 2 to make constant a gap (c) between the side face and the printing head when the fiberboard box 1 comes to a printing position faced to the printing head. The gap- regulating means consists of a fixed guide 6 at one side of the transfer path, a movable guide 7 at the other side of the transfer path which can be moved forward and backward to the fixed guide, and urging means 8 for urging the movable guide to the fixed guide. Rollers 9 are fitted at confronting faces of the guides to smoothly move the cardboard box. The cardboard box transferred on the conveyor are set at a correct position by the gap-regulating means and the gap between the printing head and the side face of the object to be printed is maintained properly.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus for displaying the contents and the like on, for example, a cardboard box, and more particularly to a printing apparatus for printing on a printing object moving on a transport path.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, when storing or transporting articles, the articles are stored in a cardboard box, and printed on the side or top surface of the cardboard box are the names and types of the stored items. . For such printing, if the number of lots of stored items is large, it is sufficient to print the necessary contents in advance.However, for those with a small number of lots, the printing cost is high, so individual printing using a printing device is necessary. A means for printing is employed.

[0003] As an example of such a printing apparatus, there is an apparatus in which an ink jet type print head is provided on one side or both sides of a transport path of a cardboard box so as to face the side surface of the cardboard box during the transfer of the cardboard box. In this apparatus, a conveyed cardboard box or the like is positioned along a conveyance guide manually, and printing is performed by a print head in which print contents are stored in advance.

[0004]

In order to print on an object to be printed such as a cardboard box which has been conveyed by an ink jet print head, the distance between the print head and the printing surface of the object to be printed is required. It is required to obtain high quality printing while keeping the constant. Since this work is mainly performed manually, there is a problem that the printing work efficiency is reduced.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a printing apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a printing apparatus which is provided with a space between a side face of a box-shaped object to be printed such as a cardboard box and the like which is conveyed on a conveying path and a print head. By providing a gap regulating means for automatically keeping the same constant, high-quality printing can be performed without requiring any manpower.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A printing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a conveying means for conveying a box-shaped object to be printed, such as a cardboard box, and a print head opposed to a side surface of the object during the conveyance of the object. And a gap regulating means for keeping the distance between the side surface of the print target and the print head constant when the print target reaches a print position facing the print head.

[0007] The above-mentioned gap regulating means is provided on one side of the conveyance path of the printing medium and guides the conveyance of the printing medium, and on the other side of the conveyance path opposite to the fixed guide. The movable guide includes a movable guide that guides the conveyance of the print medium and is capable of moving forward and backward with respect to the fixed guide, and a biasing unit that biases the movable guide in a direction approaching the fixed guide. The print head is supported by at least one of the movable guide and the fixed guide.

The fixed guide and the movable guide are provided with a plurality of rollers that roll in contact with the side surface of the print object when the print object is conveyed along the conveying direction of the print object. Is desirable.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. 1, a cardboard box 1 to be printed is placed on a transport path 2. The cardboard box 1 is moved from left to right on the paper by a conveyor 3 which is a conveying means provided along a conveying path 2.

On both sides of a specific position on the transport path 2, ink-jet type print heads 4, 4 are provided. The printing apparatus of the present invention including the print head 4 is attached to a gap regulating means 5 described later. Each print head 4 has a built-in input means for characters and the like, a storage means therefor, a control circuit for controlling a printing operation, and the like, and can print any characters, codes or designs.

The gap regulating means 5 includes a block-shaped fixed guide 6 and a movable guide 7 provided on both sides of the transport path 2 so as to face each other. Fixed. The fixed guide 6 is located on the left side of the cardboard box 1 in the traveling direction, and is fixed to an apparatus main body (not shown). The movable guide 7 is located on the right side in the same traveling direction, and is provided so as to be able to advance and retreat with respect to the fixed guide 6. On the outside of the movable guide 7, biasing means 8, 8 composed of a compression spring are provided. Thereby, the inner part of the movable guide 7 can be urged so as to be pushed out onto the transport path 2. Guide portions 6a and 7a formed on an inclined surface (which may be a flat surface or a curved surface) are provided at an inner front portion (left side in FIG. 1) of each of the guides 6 and 7 located on the transport path 2. The cardboard box 1 which moves on the transport path 2 by the conveyor 3 has these guide portions 6a, 7a and biasing springs 8,
8 allows the print heads 4 and 4 to move in parallel.

At the center of the inner portion of each of the guides 6 and 7, four rollers 9 and 9 provided vertically to the conveyor 3 are provided. Four rollers 9 are arranged side by side in parallel with the transport path 2. Therefore, the side surfaces 1a and 1b of the cardboard box 1 fed into the insides of the respective guides 6 and 7 by the conveyor 3 are controlled by these rollers. Print head 4,
4 and can proceed smoothly and smoothly. Also,
By setting the gap C between the rollers 9 and 9 to the side of the cardboard box 1 fed in parallel with the print heads 4 and 4, the optimum printing is always possible.

Next, the operation will be described. When the cardboard boxes 1 to be printed are supplied at predetermined intervals on the conveyor 3, these cardboard boxes are successively printed by the print heads 4 and 4.
Is transported to the position where is provided. The cardboard box 1 being conveyed is adjusted by the guide portions 6a, 7a of both guides 6, 7 in parallel with the traveling direction, and conveyed while the rollers 9 are arranged in parallel.

The cardboard box 1 moving along the guides 6 and 7 is pressed from both sides by rollers 9... By urging springs 8 provided on the movable guide 7 on the right side in the traveling direction. By moving along the guides 6 and 7, the distance c between the print heads 4 and 4 is kept constant. Note that even the cardboard boxes 1 of different sizes can be kept at the same interval c by the action of the biasing springs 8,8.

When the cardboard box 1 arrives at the printing position, the print heads 4 and 4 operate in response to an output signal from a sensor (not shown) so that characters and symbols stored in advance are printed on the sides 1a and 1b of the cardboard box. Print on. The printed cardboard box 1 is moved to the right on the transport path 2 by the conveyor 3 and is provided for the next transportation and storage process.

In this embodiment, the print head is provided on both the guides 6 and 7, but may be provided on either one of the guides. Further, rollers may be provided on the guide portions 6a and 7a in order to further facilitate the conveyance of the cardboard box 1. Further, it is also possible to omit the installation of the rollers in order to simplify the configuration.

[0017]

According to the present invention, the interval between the print head and the print surface of the printing object can be automatically made constant, so that a high-quality print result can be obtained without requiring any manpower. Improves printing work efficiency.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a main part of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printed matter (cardboard box) 2 Transport path 3 Transport means (conveyor) 4 Print head 5 Gap regulating means 6 Fixed guide 7 Movable guide 8 Urging means 9 Roller C interval

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A conveying means for conveying a box-shaped object to be printed such as a cardboard box, a print head facing a side surface of the object to be printed during the conveyance of the object to be printed, A gap regulating unit that keeps a distance between a side surface of the print target and the print head constant when a print position facing the head is reached, wherein the gap restricting unit is provided on one side of a conveyance path of the print target. And a fixed guide that guides the conveyance of the printing medium, and is located on the other side of the conveyance path so as to face the fixed guide and guides the conveyance of the printing medium, with respect to the fixed guide. And a biasing means for biasing the movable guide in a direction approaching the fixed guide. The print head is supported by at least one of the movable guide and the fixed guide. A printing device characterized by being carried. 2. The printing device according to claim 1, wherein the fixed guide and the movable guide are provided with a roller that rolls in contact with a side surface of the print object in the transfer direction of the print object when the print object is transferred. A plurality of printing devices are arranged side by side.