JP4590246B2 - Head arrangement structure in ink jet printer - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a head arrangement structure in an ink-jet printer, and more specifically, suitable for use when performing printing on a medium such as recording paper by numerical control, for example, color printing at high speed and high resolution. The present invention relates to a head arrangement structure in an ink jet printer.

  In this specification, the term “medium” refers to various recording media such as plain paper and various recording media such as resin materials such as PVC and polyester, and materials such as aluminum, iron, and wood. Material shall be included.

  Further, in this specification, the “ink-jet method” is conventionally known, including various continuous methods such as a binary deflection method or a continuous deflection method, and various on-demand methods such as a thermal method or a piezoelectric element method. This means a printing method based on the ink jet technology based on the various methods described above.

  Conventionally, the entire operation is controlled by a micro computer, and the width direction of the recording paper (in this specification, the width direction of the recording paper is referred to as “main scanning direction” on the recording paper supplied by the paper feeding device. Ink jet printers are known in which predetermined printing is performed by an ink jet method using an ink head that is moved as described above.

  In addition, an apparatus equipped with a cutting function in addition to the printing function of an ink jet printer has been proposed.

  In an ink jet printer having such a printing function and a cutting function, a configuration that performs a printing function such as an ink head and a configuration that performs a cutting function such as a cutter are disposed.

  On the other hand, in recent years, UV curable ink that is cured by ultraviolet rays has been used as ink for printing on recording paper in an ink-jet printer. In such an ink jet printer, when the UV curable ink is ejected onto the recording paper, ultraviolet rays are irradiated from the ultraviolet lamp onto the droplets of the UV curable ink falling on the recording paper. By this ultraviolet irradiation, the droplets of UV curable ink are cured on the recording paper, and printing is performed on the recording paper.

  That is, in an ink jet printer that uses various inks that are solidified or thickened by irradiated light, such as UV curable ink, a predetermined ink such as UV curable ink is applied onto a recording paper by an ink jet method. It is necessary to dispose an ink head provided with an ink head unit for discharging the ink and a light irradiation means such as an ultraviolet lamp for irradiating light for solidifying or thickening the ink.

  For this reason, in order to use UV curable ink in an ink jet printer equipped with a cutting function in addition to the printing function described above, in addition to the configuration for printing and the configuration for cutting, an ultraviolet lamp is used. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a proper light irradiation means.

  Regardless of the type of ink used, in an ink jet printer, an ejection port for ejecting ink onto a recording sheet by the ink jet method is formed on the lower surface of the ink head unit constituting the ink head. A plurality of ink jet nozzles are arranged.

  And conventionally, in the ink jet printer, the ink jet nozzle of the ink head that is waiting when printing is not performed is protected, and the ink is solidified by the ink jet nozzle, In order to prevent dust and the like from adhering to the ink jet nozzle, a cap that covers the ink jet nozzle is provided.

  In addition, the ink jet printer is provided with a wiper that can contact the lower surface of the ink head unit where the ink jet nozzle is located. Adhering matters such as residual ink and adhering foreign matter are removed.

  The maintenance by the cap and the wiper maintains the operation state of the ink head, and a good printing result can be obtained in the ink jet printer.

  However, in an ink jet printer that uses UV curable ink, if the cap or wiper for maintenance is irradiated with ultraviolet rays emitted from an ultraviolet lamp to cure the UV curable ink, the ink head -UV curable ink remaining on the cap when the unit is covered and UV curable ink adhering to the wiper when contacting the ink head unit are cured on the cap or wiper by the irradiated ultraviolet rays. become.

  Then, maintenance is performed by the cap on which the UV curable ink is cured covering the lower surface of the ink head unit or the wiper on which the UV curable ink is cured contacting the lower surface of the ink head unit. As a result, there is a risk of damaging the ink jet nozzle, which is a discharge port for discharging UV curable ink, located on the lower surface of the ink jet unit, and there is a problem in that the printing quality is deteriorated. .

  For this reason, when UV curable ink is used in an ink jet printer having the above-described printing function and cutting function, the cap or the cap is removed by ultraviolet rays irradiated to cure the UV curable ink dropped on the recording paper. In addition to the configuration for printing and the configuration for cutting, it is an optimal arrangement that can prevent damage to the configuration that performs maintenance such as maintenance and maintenance of the ink head such as the wiper. There has been a demand to arrange a light irradiation means such as an ultraviolet lamp.

  The prior art that the applicant of the present application knows at the time of filing a patent is as described above and is not an invention related to a known literature, so there is no prior art information to be described.

  An object of the present invention is to use various inks having a property of solidifying or thickening by light when arranging a configuration having a printing function such as an ink head and a configuration having a cutting function. Even so, it is an object of the present invention to provide a head arrangement structure in an ink jet printer in which the arrangement for maintaining the ink head by the irradiated light is optimally arranged so as not to be damaged.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, the light irradiation means is positioned between the ink head and the cutting head, and the ink head, the light irradiation means, and the cutting head are sequentially arranged along a predetermined direction. They are arranged.

  Therefore, according to the present invention, the maintenance means is located below the ink head moving along the predetermined direction without the maintenance means being positioned below the light irradiation means moving along the predetermined direction. Even when using various inks having the property of solidifying or thickening by light when placing an ink head having a printing function and a cutting head having a cutting function, which can be positioned, It is possible to achieve an optimal arrangement in which the maintenance means for maintaining the ink head is not damaged by the light emitted from the light irradiation means.

That is, in order to achieve the above object, the invention described in claim 1 of the present invention is an ink head including an ink head unit that ejects predetermined ink onto a medium by an ink jet method, and the above-described ink head. Light irradiation means for irradiating light onto the ink discharged from the ink head unit onto the medium moves relative to the medium while the ink discharged from the ink head unit is applied to the medium. In the head arrangement structure in an ink jet printer that performs printing, an ink head unit that ejects predetermined ink onto a medium by an ink jet method is provided, and can be moved along the main scanning direction on the medium. And an ink ejected onto the medium from the ink head unit of the ink head. Light is irradiated against the click, and the light irradiating means serving light source is movably disposed on the medium along the main scanning direction, provided with a cutter for cutting the medium, the main scanning on the medium A cutting head which is movably disposed along a direction, and the ink head is maintained, and the ink head of the ink head is in a standby position where the ink head moves and stops in the main scanning direction. located on the discharge side of the ink of the head unit, and a maintenance unit disposed so as not to protrude from the region directly under the waiting position of the ink head in the main scanning direction of the ink head has, by positioning the light source between the ink head and the cutting head, the ink head along the main scanning direction, the light source Placed adjacent to the order of the cutting head, the ink head, in a state located at the standby position to rest to move along the main scanning direction, the light source is, the maintenance in the main scanning direction The cutting head is located closer to the cutting head than the unit .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the ink head and the light source are fixedly disposed and are movable in the main scanning direction. The first carriage, the cutting head is fixedly disposed, the second carriage is movably disposed in the main scanning direction, and the first carriage is detachable to a fixed part. A fixing means for fixing the first carriage and the second carriage in a separable manner, and when the image is to be created, the connecting means and the first carriage The first carriage is connected to the second carriage, and the first carriage is detached from the fixing system portion by the fixing means, so that the first carriage and the second carriage move together. When the ink head, the light irradiating means, and the cutting head are moved in the predetermined direction to cut out an image, the one carriage is fixed to the fixing system portion by the fixing means. In addition, the first carriage and the second carriage are separated by the connecting means, and the cutting head is moved in the predetermined direction in accordance with the movement of the second carriage. Is.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the ink ejected from the ink head unit is a UV curable ink. The light source is an ultraviolet lamp.

  The invention according to claim 4 of the present invention is the invention according to any one of claims 1, 2, or 3, wherein the cutter provided in the cutting head is on the medium. The medium is cut out based on a desired image while moving the image in the predetermined direction.

  Even when using various inks having a property of solidifying or thickening by light when arranging a configuration having a printing function such as an ink head and a configuration having a cutting function, the present invention The arrangement of performing maintenance of the ink head by the emitted light has an excellent effect of being optimally arranged so as not to be damaged.

  Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of a head arrangement structure in an ink jet printer according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration explanatory diagram of an ink jet printer provided with an example of an embodiment of a head arrangement structure in an ink jet printer according to the present invention, and FIG. An explanatory view schematically showing the main part is shown.

  In the ink jet printer having the head arrangement structure in the ink jet printer according to the present invention, a recording paper is used as the medium.

  In the ink jet printer according to the present invention, the recording paper is supplied onto the base member 114 described later by a paper feeding device (not shown) (see the recording paper 200 indicated by the broken line in FIGS. 1 and 2). . The recording paper has a predetermined length in the main scanning direction which is the width direction, and is conveyed in a direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction, that is, a longitudinal direction of the recording paper.

  The ink jet printer 100 includes a fixed base member 114 supported by a base member 112 and arranged extending in the main scanning direction, and arranged at right and left ends of the base member 114 at right angles to the base member 114. The side members 116L and 116R provided, the side unit 118 disposed on the side member 116R side, the central wall 120 connecting the two left and right side members 116L and 116R, and the wall surface of the central wall 120 A guide rail 122 extended in the main scanning direction, a drive belt 124 movably arranged in the main scanning direction along the wall surface of the central wall 120, and a guide rail 122 are slidable. The carriage 12 mounted, the carriage 14 fixedly disposed on the drive belt 124 and slidably mounted on the guide rail 122; and the base member 114 An ink head 16 disposed on the carriage 12 so as to face the recording paper 200, an ultraviolet lamp 18 disposed on the carriage 12 so as to face the recording paper 200 on the base member 114, and a base member The cutting head 20 is disposed on the carriage 14 so as to face the recording paper 200 on 114, and the maintenance unit 22 is disposed in the side unit 118.

  The overall operation of the ink jet printer 100 is controlled by a microcomputer (not shown).

  Reference numeral 126 denotes an operation panel provided for controlling the overall operation and instructing various processes. The operation panel includes a display unit for displaying an operation state, keys for specifying positions of the ink head 16 and the cutting head 20, and an image for starting creation or clipping based on a signal such as image data. A key or the like is provided.

  Here, the ink head 16 is composed of a plurality of ink head units 30 each having the same configuration, and detailed illustration is omitted, but the lower surface 30 a of the plurality of ink head units 30 A plurality of ink jet nozzles are provided as ejection ports for ejecting ink onto the recording paper 200.

  Each of the plurality of ink head units 30 of the ink head 16 includes a plurality of ink cartridges (not shown) that store liquid inks of different colors disposed in the side unit 118. Are supplied with different colors of ink through ink tubes (not shown).

  Here, the liquid ink contained in each of a plurality of ink cartridges (not shown) is UV curable ink that is cured by ultraviolet rays, and each of the plurality of ink head units 30 is conveyed by an ink tube (not shown). The different colors of UV curable inks are ejected onto the recording paper 200 by the ink-jet method.

  The ink head 16 composed of the plurality of ink head units 30 includes a plurality of ink head units 30 arranged in a line along the main scanning direction, and the ink jet units of the ink head unit 30 are arranged. The nozzle is fixedly disposed on the carriage 12 so as to be able to face the recording paper 200 on the base member 114.

  The ultraviolet lamp 18 is a light irradiation unit that irradiates the UV curable ink ejected on the recording paper 200 with ultraviolet rays and cures it. When UV curable ink is ejected from the ink jet nozzle of the ink head unit 30 toward the recording paper 200 by the ink jet method, the ejected droplets of the UV curable ink fall onto the recording paper 200. However, ultraviolet rays are irradiated from the ultraviolet lamp 30 to the droplets of the UV curable ink falling on the recording paper 200, and the droplets of the UV curable ink are cured on the recording paper 200. Thus, printing is performed on the recording paper 200.

  The ultraviolet lamp 18 is fixedly disposed on the carriage 12 adjacent to the left side of the ink head 16. That is, it is adjacent to the left side of the leftmost ink head unit 30 in the main scanning direction among the plurality of ink head units 30 arranged in a line along the main scanning direction. The ultraviolet lamps 18 are fixedly arranged on the carriage 12 along with the ink head 16 in a line along the main scanning direction.

  The cutting head 20 includes a cutter 34 attached to the holder 32 in a state in which the height position of the cutter blade 34a (see the arrow indicating the height direction in FIGS. 1 and 2) can be freely changed, and the cutter blade to the grip portion 36. And a cutter 38 held in a state where the height position of 38a can be freely changed.

  The cutter 34 changes the height position of the cutter blade 34a at a predetermined timing such as at the end of printing, and moves in the main scanning direction in contact with the recording paper 200, whereby predetermined printing is performed. The recording paper 200 is cut off.

  On the other hand, as the cutter blade 38a, a normal blade such as a swivel knife method and a rotation method, an ultrasonic cutter, a heat heat cutter, and the like can be used. Then, the height position of the cutter blade 38a is changed at a predetermined timing such as when an instruction is input via the operation panel 126, and the cutter blade 38a is in contact with the recording paper 200 in the main scanning direction. While moving, the recording paper 200 is cut out based on a desired image.

  The cutting head 20 in which the cutters 34 and 38 for cutting the recording paper 200 are arranged in a line along the main scanning direction is arranged on the base member 114 when the height positions of the cutter blades 34a and 38a are changed. The carriage 14 is fixedly disposed so as to be able to contact the recording paper 200.

  Here, the guide rail 122 is constituted by an LM guide (linear motion guide), and a plurality of LM blocks 123 (linear motion blocks) are arranged movably along the LM guide. In FIG. 2, three LM blocks 123 are indicated by broken lines.

  The carriage 12 and the carriage 14 are respectively fixedly attached to an LM block 123 movably disposed on an LM guide constituting the guide rail 122 and slidably attached to the guide rail 122. Yes. Thus, the carriage 12 and the carriage 14 are sequentially arranged along the main scanning direction. Specifically, the carriage 12 is arranged on the side member 116R side, and the carriage 14 is arranged adjacent to the left side of the carriage 12. Has been.

  Accordingly, the ink head 16 and the ultraviolet lamp 18 disposed on the carriage 12 and the cutting head 20 disposed on the carriage 14 are arranged from the right to the left in the main scanning direction in the order close to the side member 116R. The ink head 16, the ultraviolet lamp 18, and the cutting head 20 are arranged in this order, and the ultraviolet lamp 18 is positioned between the ink head 16 and the cutting head 20.

  Here, the engaged portion 40 is fixed to the right side portion 12 </ b> R located on the side member 116 </ b> R side of the carriage 12, and the engaged portion 40 is attached to the side member 116 </ b> R of the ink jet printer 100. It is adapted to be engaged and disengaged from the fixed engaging portion 42 (see FIG. 4).

  More specifically, the engaging portion 42 includes a slider (not shown) that is movable along the height direction, and the pin 42a protruding toward the central wall 120 moves with the movement of the slider. (See FIG. 4 and FIGS. 5 (a), (b), (c), and (d)). On the other hand, the engaged portion 40 is formed with a groove portion 40a that can be engaged by guiding and moving the pin 42a of the engaging portion 42 (see FIG. 2).

  The engaged portion 40 and the engaging portion 42 detachably fix the carriage 12 on which the ink head 16 and the ultraviolet lamp 18 are disposed to a side member 116R which is a fixing system portion of the ink jet printer 100. A fixing portion 44 (see FIG. 4) is configured. The engaging / disengaging operation between the engaged portion 40 and the engaging portion 42 is performed by an operation key installed on the operation panel 126.

  A magnet 46 is disposed on the left portion 12L of the carriage 12 on the side member 116L side. A magnet 46 and a magnet 48 that can be attracted to the left part 12L of the carriage 12 are arranged on the right part 14R of the carriage 14 on the side member 116R side.

  The magnet 46 disposed on the carriage 12 and the magnet 48 disposed on the carriage 14 allow both the carriage 12 and the carriage 14 to be appropriately connected or detached. The magnet 46 and the magnet 48 constitute a connecting portion 50.

  The attracting force between the magnet 46 and the magnet 48 that couples the carriage 12 and the carriage 14 is smaller than the holding force in the locked state in which the engaged portion 40 and the engaging portion 42 of the carriage 12 are engaged. Is set.

  The carriage 14 is fixedly disposed on the driving belt 124. When the driving belt 124 moves in the main scanning direction by the driving force of a driving device (not shown) such as a motor, the movement of the driving belt 124 is performed. Accordingly, the carriage 14 moves in the main scanning direction along the guide rail 122.

  Here, when the magnet 46 and the magnet 48 are attracted and the carriage 12 and the carriage 14 are connected by the connecting portion 50, the carriage 12 is main-scanned along the guide rail 122 along with the movement of the carriage 14 described above. Move in the direction.

  Thus, since both the carriage 12 and the carriage 14 move in the main scanning direction, the ink head 16 and the ultraviolet lamp 18 provided on the carriage 12 and the cutting head 20 provided on the carriage 14 are: As the carriages 12 and 14 move, they move in the main scanning direction, that is, move from the side member 116R side to the side member 116L side in the main scanning direction, and from the side member 116L side. It moves in the return direction in the main scanning direction toward the side member 116R.

  Here, FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C are explanatory diagrams schematically showing the operation of the carriages 12 and 14 moving along the main scanning direction in the ink jet printer 100. FIG. Yes. FIG. 3A shows a state corresponding to FIG. 2, and as described above, a moving area where the carriages 12 and 14 move in the forward direction and the return direction in the main scanning direction, that is, the ink head 16 is shown. The moving area E1 of the ultraviolet lamp 18 and the cutting head 20 coincides with a predetermined length in the width direction along the main scanning direction of the recording paper 200 supplied onto the base member 114 by a paper feeder (not shown). It is wider than the print area E2.

  As described above, the carriage 12 and the carriage 14 both move in the main scanning direction, but at a predetermined timing such as when printing is not performed, the carriage 12 moves in the return direction from the print area E2. It comes off and stays at the standby position in the side unit 118. Thus, the ink head 16 disposed on the carriage 12 is positioned in the side unit 118 (see the states shown in FIGS. 4 and 3B).

  A maintenance unit 22 for maintaining the ink head 16 is disposed in the side unit 118 in which the ink head 16 waits with the carriage 12 remaining in the standby position. The maintenance unit 22 has a cap device, a wiper device, and a suction device (not shown).

  The cap device includes a nozzle cap portion, and covers the ink jet nozzle which is a discharge port of the lower surface 30 a of the ink head unit 30 in the side unit 118. This cap device protects the ink jet nozzles of the ink head unit 30 waiting in the side unit 118 when printing is not performed, and the ink jet nozzles cause the ink to harden. It is possible to prevent dust from adhering to the ink jet nozzle.

  The wiper device includes a blade, and the blade contacts the lower surface 30 a of the ink head unit 30 in the side unit 118. With this wiper device, it is possible to remove deposits such as ink remaining on the lower surface 30a of the ink head unit 30 waiting in the side unit 118 when printing is not performed and adhered foreign matter.

  The suction device includes a suction pump, a motor for driving the suction pump, and the like, and ink is discharged from the ink jet nozzles of the ink head unit 30 that is waiting in the side unit 118 when printing is not performed. The ink remaining in the ink jet nozzle can be removed.

  The maintenance unit 22 having the cap device, the wiper device, and the suction device is disposed on the carriage 12 at a standby position in the side unit 118 where the carriage 12 moves in the return direction in the main scanning direction and stops. Arranged in the side unit 118 so as to be positioned on the lower side of the ink head 16, that is, on the ink ejection side of the ink head unit 30 of the ink head 16 where the ink jet nozzle is disposed. Has been.

  More specifically, the total length L1 (see FIG. 4) of the maintenance unit 22 along the main scanning direction is substantially equal to the total length L2 (see FIG. 4) of the ink head 16 along the main scanning direction. The dimension is set so as to be short, and the maintenance unit 22 does not protrude from the region immediately below the ink head 16 in the main scanning direction. The nozzle cap portion of the cap device of the maintenance unit 22, the blade of the wiper device, and the suction pump of the suction device are disposed on the carriage 12 when the carriage 12 remains in the standby position in the side unit 118. Further, the size is set so as to substantially coincide with the height position where the lower surface 30a of the ink head unit 30 of the ink head 16 is positioned, and maintenance is performed from the lower side of the ink head 16.

  In the above configuration, an operation when the above-described ink-jet printer 100 creates and prints a desired image on the recording paper 200 or cuts out the outline of the image and the like will be described.

  In this embodiment, the state in which the carriage 12 is stationary at the standby position and the ink head 16 is located in the side unit 118 (see the state shown in FIGS. 4 and 3B) is the initial state. . In this initial state, the magnet 46 disposed in the left portion 12L of the carriage 12 and the magnet 48 disposed in the right portion 14R of the carriage 14 are attracted, and the carriage 12 and the carriage 14 are connected by the connecting portion 50. It is connected.

  First, when printing is performed, the connected carriage 12 and the connected carriage 12 from the initial state (see the states shown in FIGS. 4 and 3B) are controlled by the microcomputer in accordance with an input instruction via the operation panel 126. When the carriage 14 is moved integrally in the return direction in the main scanning direction (see FIG. 5B) and moved in the subsequent direction (see arrow B shown in FIG. 5C), the engaged portion 40 is disengaged from the engaging portion 42, and the carriage 12 is released from being fixed to the side member 116R (see the states shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3A).

  Thereafter, when the carriage 14 moves in the forward direction and the return direction in the main scanning direction as the drive belt 124 moves, the magnet 46 adsorbed to the magnet 48 of the carriage 14 is arranged along with the movement of the carriage 14. The ink head 16 and the ultraviolet lamp 18 of the carriage 12 are integrated on the recording paper 200 supplied onto the base member 114 by a paper feeding device (not shown) in the forward direction and the backward direction in the main scanning direction. Move back and forth.

  When the carriage 14 provided with the cutting head 20 and the ink head 16 and the carriage 12 provided with the ultraviolet lamp 18 are integrally moved, the ink head 16 is conveyed by an ink tube. The cured UV curable ink is ejected from each of the ink jet nozzles of the plurality of ink head units 30 toward the recording paper 200. Then, the UV curable ink droplets ejected from the ink head 16 fall to a predetermined position on the recording paper 200, and the UV curable ink droplets dropped on the recording paper 200 are irradiated with ultraviolet rays from the ultraviolet lamp 18. It is cured by irradiation and printed.

  When printing is performed in this way, the ink head 16, the ultraviolet lamp 18, and the cutting head 20 are integrally moved in the main scanning direction, but the cutter blades 34a and 38a of the cutters 34 and 38 of the cutting head 20 are The height position is controlled so as not to contact the recording paper 200 on the base member 114, and the recording paper 200 is not cut.

  On the other hand, when cutting by cutting out the outline of the printed image or the like, the connected carriage 12 and carriage 14 are integrated with each other under the control of the microcomputer in accordance with an input instruction via the operation panel 126. After moving in the return direction in the main scanning direction, it is moved in the forward direction, and the engaged portion 40 and the engaging portion 42 are engaged to be in a locked state (see FIGS. 5A and 5D), and the carriage 12 is moved. It fixes to the side member 116R (refer FIG.3 (b) and FIG. 4).

  After that, the carriage 14 is moved in the main scanning direction along with the movement of the drive belt 124 (see arrow C shown in FIG. 3B). At this time, the attractive force of the magnet 46 and the magnet 48 that connect the carriage 12 and the carriage 14 is smaller than the holding force in the locked state in which the engaged portion 40 and the engaging portion 42 of the carriage 12 are engaged. Thus, the magnet 46 and the magnet 48 are separated to separate the carriage 12 from the carriage 14 (see FIG. 3C).

  Then, under the control of the micro computer, the height position of the cutter blade 38a of the cutter 38 of the cutting head 20 is changed, and the cutter blade 38a of the cutter 38 is in contact with the recording paper 200 on the base member 114 ( As shown in FIG. 3C, the carriage 14 moves in the forward and backward directions in the main scanning direction as the drive belt 124 moves, and the recording paper is cut by the cutter blade 38a of the cutter 38 of the cutting head 20. 200 can be cut.

  Here, during the printing described above, the carriage 12 and the carriage 14 move along the main scanning direction, and the ink head 16, the ultraviolet lamp 18, and the cutting head 20 are integrally formed with the base member 114. The carriage 12 does not stay at the standby position in the side unit 118 by reciprocating along the main scanning direction in the print area E2 while facing the upper recording sheet 200 (see FIG. 3A).

  For this reason, printing progresses while the carriage 12 moves in the main scanning direction, and even if the ultraviolet lamp 18 is lit during the printing, the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the ultraviolet lamp 18 are not reflected in the side unit 118. The maintenance unit 22 is not irradiated.

  Then, at a predetermined timing such as after the completion of the predetermined printing, the carriage 12 on which the ink head 16 and the ultraviolet lamp 18 are mounted moves in the return direction (see arrow D shown in FIG. 3A). ), Moves out of the print area E2 and moves into the side unit 118, and is positioned at the standby position (see FIG. 4 and FIG. 3B).

  At this standby position, the maintenance unit 22 is dimensioned so as not to protrude from the region immediately below the ink head 16 in the main scanning direction, so the maintenance unit 22 located below the ink head 16 is Maintenance of the ink head 16 is performed by the cap device, the wiper device, and the suction device.

  Even if the ultraviolet lamp 18 disposed on the carriage 12 together with the ink head 16 is lit until the carriage 12 moving in the main scanning direction stops at the standby position, the carriage 12 moves in the return direction. Since the ultraviolet lamp 18 is disposed on the carriage 12 so as to be adjacent to the left side of the ink head unit 30, the main unit is moved along with the movement of the carriage 12. Without the maintenance unit 22 positioned below the ultraviolet lamp 18 that moves in the return direction in the scanning direction, the ink head 16 that moves in the return direction in the main scanning direction moves to the standby position and moves to the ink head 16. The maintenance unit 22 is located on the lower side of FIG. 3 (b) from the state shown in FIG. See when changing to the state shown in).

  For this reason, even if the ultraviolet lamp 18 is lit, the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the ultraviolet lamp 18 are not irradiated to the maintenance unit 22, and the cap device, the wiper device, and the suction device constituting the maintenance unit 22 are not irradiated. Irradiation with ultraviolet rays can be prevented.

  Therefore, in the ink jet printer 100, when the cap device of the maintenance unit 22 covers the ink head unit 30, it is applied to the UV curable ink remaining in the nozzle cap portion or the ink head unit 30. The UV curable ink adhering to the blade when in contact with the blade is not cured by the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the ultraviolet lamp 18. In addition, it is possible to avoid the entire maintenance unit 22 from being deteriorated by the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the ultraviolet lamp 18.

  For this reason, the maintenance of the ink head 16 is not performed by the cap device, the wiper device, and the suction device to which the UV curable ink cured by the ultraviolet ray is adhered, and the maintenance operation that maintains a good operating state. Maintenance such as maintenance and maintenance of the ink head 16 can be satisfactorily performed by the unit 22. Therefore, the ink jet printer 100 can obtain a high-quality printing result using the UV curable ink.

  As described above, in the ink jet printer 100 provided with an example of the embodiment of the head arrangement structure in the ink jet printer according to the present invention, the ultraviolet ray is interposed between the ink head 16 and the cutting head 20. Since the lamp 18 is provided, it is possible to avoid the ultraviolet lamp 18 moving in the main scanning direction with the movement of the carriage 12 from passing above the maintenance unit 22, so that the ultraviolet lamp 18 has an ultraviolet irradiation region. The maintenance unit 22 is never located. On the other hand, the maintenance unit 22 can be positioned on the ink jet nozzle side of the ink head 16 by moving the ink head 16 moving in the return direction of the main scanning direction to the standby position. Therefore, even when the ink head 16 having a printing function and the cutting head 20 having a cutting function are arranged and UV curable ink which is solidified by ultraviolet rays is used, an ultraviolet lamp as a light irradiation means. The maintenance unit 22 that performs the maintenance of the ink head 16 by the ultraviolet rays emitted from the ink 18 can be optimally arranged so that the head arrangement is not complicated.

  The embodiment described above may be modified as described in the following (1) to (6).

  (1) In the above-described embodiment, the side unit 118 is disposed on the side member 116R side, and the maintenance unit 22 is disposed in the side unit 118. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Needless to say, as shown in FIG. 6, the side unit 118 is disposed on the side member 116L side, and the maintenance unit 22 is disposed in the side unit 118. Good.

  At this time, the ink head 16 and the ultraviolet lamp 18 disposed on the carriage 12 and the cutting head 20 disposed on the carriage 14 are arranged from the left to the right in the main scanning direction in the order closer to the side member 116L. The ink head 16, the ultraviolet lamp 18 and the cutting head 20 are arranged in this order so that the ultraviolet lamp 18 is positioned between the ink head 16 and the cutting head 20.

  In this way, the main unit moves in the main scanning direction in accordance with the movement of the carriage 12 (see arrow E shown in FIG. 6). The ink head 16 that moves in the scanning direction is moved to a standby position in the side unit 118 and the maintenance unit 22 can be positioned below the ink head 16.

  (2) In the above-described embodiment, the maintenance head having the ink head 16, the ultraviolet lamp 18, the cutting head 20, the cap device, the wiper device, and the suction device having a specific configuration as shown in FIG. Although the unit 22 is disposed, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is needless to say that the configuration having a printing function such as an ink head, the configuration having a cutting function, a light irradiation means, and an ink head. The specific configuration and the total number of the configurations for performing maintenance can be changed as appropriate.

  (3) In the above-described embodiment, the carriage 12 and the carriage 14 are fixedly attached to the LM block 123 and slidably attached to the guide rail 122. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Of course not.

  For example, a mounting plate may be fixedly attached to the LM block 123 that is movably disposed on the LM guide that constitutes the guide rail 122, and the carriage 12 and the carriage 14 may be disposed on the mounting plate. . At this time, the engaged portion 40 and the magnet 46 disposed on the carriage 12, the magnet 48 disposed on the carriage 14, and the like may be disposed on the mounting plate instead of the carriage.

  As described above, the configuration in which the carriages 12 and 14 are movably arranged along the main scanning direction or the driving mechanism thereof can be appropriately changed according to the configuration of various heads arranged in the carriage.

  (4) In the above-described embodiment, the fixing portion 44 that removably fixes the carriage 12 to the fixing system portion of the ink jet printer 100 includes the engaged portion 40 and the engaging portion 42, and the carriage The connecting portion 50 that connects the carriage 12 and the carriage 14 so as to be separable is constituted by the magnet 46 and the magnet 48, but it is of course not limited to this, and the fixing portion 44 and the connecting portion 50 are not limited thereto. Each specific configuration, the total number, the arrangement position, and the like can be changed as appropriate.

  For example, the fixing portion 44 ′ (see FIG. 7) may be constituted by the hook 44a and the engaging hook 44b, the coupling portion may be constituted by a magnet and an iron plate, or the protrusion. The connecting portion 50 ′ (see FIG. 7) is formed by a first member 50a that is formed and is movable along the height direction and a second member 50b that has a hole into which the protrusion of the first member 50a can be inserted. You may make it comprise.

  (5) In the above-described embodiment, the ultraviolet lamp 18 for irradiating ultraviolet rays onto the recording paper 200 and the UV curable ink are used. However, the present invention is not limited to this. May use light irradiation means for irradiating visible light of different radiation, electron beam or other light, and may use various inks having a property of solidifying or thickening by light irradiated on the recording paper.

  (6) You may make it combine the above-mentioned embodiment and the modification shown in said (1) thru | or (5) suitably.

  The present invention can be applied to an ink jet printer using various inks having a property of solidifying or thickening by light irradiated on a recording paper such as UV curable ink.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration explanatory view showing an ink jet printer having an example of an embodiment of a head arrangement structure in an ink jet printer according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the main part of FIG. FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C are explanatory views schematically showing an operation in which the carriage moves along the main scanning direction in the ink jet printer shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the main part corresponding to FIG. FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D are explanatory views schematically showing the operation of the fixing unit of the ink jet printer shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. It is explanatory drawing corresponding to the A arrow directional view of a). FIG. 6 is an explanatory view corresponding to FIG. 3 showing another embodiment of the head arrangement structure in the ink jet printer according to the present invention. FIG. 7 is an explanatory view corresponding to FIG. 4 showing another embodiment of the head arrangement structure in the ink jet printer according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

12, 14 Carriage 16 Ink head 18 UV lamp 20 Cutting head 22 Maintenance unit 30 Ink head unit 34, 38 Cutter 100 Ink jet printer 112 Base member 114 Base member 116L, 116R Side member 118 side Side unit 120 central wall 122 guide rail 124 drive belt 200 recording paper

Claims (4)

An ink head having an ink head unit that ejects predetermined ink onto a medium by an ink jet method, and light irradiation that irradiates light onto the ink ejected from the ink head unit onto the medium In a head arrangement structure in an ink jet printer that performs printing on the medium with ink ejected from the ink head unit, while the means moves relative to the medium,
An ink head unit that ejects predetermined ink onto a medium by an ink jet method; an ink head that is movably disposed on the medium along a main scanning direction; and the ink head A light source as light irradiating means for irradiating the ink discharged from the ink head unit onto the medium with light, and being arranged to be movable along the main scanning direction on the medium;
A cutting head that includes a cutter for cutting the medium, and is disposed on the medium so as to be movable along the main scanning direction;
The Maintain the ink head, the ink head is positioned on the discharge side of the ink of the ink head unit of the ink head in the standby position to rest by moving in the main scanning direction, and the ink Maintenance means arranged so as not to protrude from a region immediately below the standby position of the ink head in the main scanning direction of the head ;
Have
The light source is positioned between the ink head and the cutting head, and arranged adjacent to the ink head, the light source , and the cutting head in the main scanning direction in this order,
In a state where the ink head is positioned at a standby position where the ink head moves and stops along the main scanning direction, the light source is positioned closer to the cutting head than the maintenance unit in the main scanning direction. A head arrangement structure in an ink-jet printer characterized by comprising: The head arrangement structure in the ink jet printer according to claim 1,
A first carriage in which the ink head and the light source are fixedly disposed and movably disposed in the main scanning direction;
A second carriage in which the cutting head is fixedly arranged and movably arranged in the main scanning direction;
Fixing means for detachably fixing the first carriage to a fixing system part;
Coupling means for detachably coupling the first carriage and the second carriage;
In the case of creating an image, the first carriage and the second carriage are connected by the connecting means, and the first carriage is detached from the fixing system portion by the fixing means, and the first carriage is disconnected. Along with the integral movement of the first carriage and the second carriage, the ink head, the light irradiation means, and the cutting head are moved in the predetermined direction,
When cropping an image, the first carriage is fixed to the fixing system portion by the fixing means, and the first carriage and the second carriage are separated by the connecting means, and the first carriage is separated. A head arrangement structure in an ink-jet printer, wherein the cutting head is moved in the predetermined direction as the carriage 2 moves. In the head arrangement structure in the ink jet printer according to claim 1,
The ink ejected from the ink head unit is UV curable ink,
The light emitting means light source is an ultraviolet lamp. A head arrangement structure in an ink-jet printer. In the head arrangement structure in the ink jet printer according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3,
The head arrangement structure in an ink-jet printer, wherein the cutter provided in the cutting head cuts out the medium based on a desired image while moving on the medium in the predetermined direction.

Images