JP4028199B2 - Sheet adsorption mechanism - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sheet suction mechanism, and more particularly to a sheet suction mechanism suitable for use in an ink jet printer that performs printing on a sheet by numerical control, for example, color printing at a high resolution.
[0002]
In this specification, “sheet” refers to not only paper such as plain paper but also various thin media such as OHP sheets and PVC sheets and thick media. Shall be included.
[0003]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a microcomputer that controls the entire operation, a drive wheel that feeds out the sheet, an ink head that is arranged opposite to the sheet and forms an image on the sheet by an ink jet method, and an ink head are provided. The sheet moves in a direction (sheet width direction, hereinafter referred to as “main scanning direction”) perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction (the longitudinal direction of the sheet, hereinafter referred to as “sub-scanning direction”). And an ink jet while moving the ink head in the main scanning direction by the driving device on the sheet fed by the driving wheel based on the control of the microcomputer according to a predetermined program. There is known an ink jet printer that can perform printing by a method.
In such an ink jet printer, an adsorption hole is formed in a plate-like body having a smooth surface along the upper surface of the base member at a position facing the ink head on the base member to which the sheet is conveyed. An adsorbing plate is provided. Further, a duct is formed below the suction plate and a fan is disposed.
[0004]
And the wind pressure of a fan reaches a sheet | seat from the adsorption | suction hole of a base member through a duct, and a sheet | seat is attracted | sucked to the upper surface of a base member by this wind pressure. At this time, the distance between the ink head and the sheet is maintained at a predetermined distance, and the droplets of ink ejected from the ink head fall to a predetermined position on the sheet, and the ink jet method is used. Printing is performed.
[0005]
However, in the conventional ink jet printer as described above, since the upper surface of the suction plate to which the sheet is sucked by the wind pressure is a smooth surface, the contact area between the upper surface of the suction plate and the sheet increases. There is a problem that the sheet is not smoothly slipped due to the load, and the sheet is not smoothly conveyed.
[0006]
In addition, since negative pressure is locally applied only to the suction holes formed in the suction plate, there is a problem that the efficiency of sucking the sheet is poor.
[0007]
Furthermore, if the suction hole of the suction plate is located at the position where the ink head is opposed, a negative pressure is locally applied only to this suction hole, so that the ink droplets ejected from the ink head are fixed to the sheet. However, there is a problem in that the printing result is deteriorated because vertical stripes appear in the image formed on the sheet.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention has been made in view of the various problems of the conventional techniques as described above, and an object of the present invention is to efficiently adsorb the sheet and smoothly convey the sheet. An object of the present invention is to provide a sheet suction mechanism.
[0009]
Another object of the present invention is to provide a sheet suction mechanism capable of obtaining good printing results in a printing apparatus such as an ink jet printer.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is disposed on the base member of the ink jet printer so as to face the ink head, and one of the substantially plate-like bodies is provided. Concavities and convexities are formed on the surface, and the concave and convex portions are formed at a predetermined angle with a plurality of first grooves extending in a first direction obliquely with respect to the sheet conveyance direction and the first direction. A plurality of second grooves extending in a second direction oblique to the sheet conveying direction communicate with each other at a position corresponding to an intersection of the first groove portion and the second groove portion. Formed at the position corresponding to the intersection of the first groove portion and the second groove portion, and a hole opened at the bottom surface and the other surface of the recess portion, and the hole is formed on the one surface side. Arranged on the suction plate on which the sheet is placed and the other surface side of the suction plate The is obtained by way and a suction means.
[0011]
Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the sheet is attracted to the one surface side of the suction plate by the suction means, the one surface on which the irregularities are formed contacts the sheet. Since the area is small and the negative pressure is uniformly applied to the entire concave portion where the hole is opened, the sheet can be adsorbed efficiently and the sheet can be conveyed smoothly. Further, when the invention according to the first aspect of the present invention is disposed in a printing apparatus such as an ink jet printer, the negative pressure is uniformly applied to the entire concave portion in which the hole is opened, so that it is stable. Adsorption is performed and a good printing result can be obtained.
[0012]
Further, as in the second aspect of the present invention, the ink jet printer is disposed on the base member of the ink jet printer so as to face the ink head, and is staggered on one surface of the substantially plate-like body. Concavities and convexities formed by the disposed convex portions and concave portions located on the outer peripheral side of the convex portions are formed, and the concave portions of the concave and convex portions are extended in a first direction obliquely with respect to the sheet conveying direction. Each of the first groove and a plurality of second grooves extending in a second direction obliquely with respect to the sheet conveying direction at a predetermined angle with the first direction. At the position corresponding to the intersection of the second groove and the second groove, and at the position corresponding to the intersection of the first groove and the second groove, the bottom surface of the recess and the other A hole is formed in the surface, and the sheet is placed on the one surface side. A suction plate which, may have a suction means disposed above the other surface side of the suction plate.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of a sheet suction mechanism according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0014]
FIG. 1 is a schematic structural explanatory diagram of an ink jet printer provided with an example of an embodiment of a sheet suction mechanism according to the present invention.
[0015]
The ink jet printer 10 includes a fixed base member 12 that extends in the main scanning direction of the ink jet printer 10 (a direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 1), and a sub member of the base member 12. A pair of drive wheels 14 positioned in the gap formed on the rear side 12d in the scanning direction (see FIG. 1) and extended in the main scanning direction and opposed to each other at both ends of the drive wheels 14 The pinch roll 16, the suction plate 18 disposed in the hole 12 e of the base member 12 in parallel with the drive wheel 14, the suction chamber 20 formed by the case 20 a on the lower surface 18 h side of the suction plate 18, and the suction The suction fan 22 is disposed below the chamber 20 and the ink head 24 is disposed to face the suction plate 18.
[0016]
The overall operation of the ink jet printer 10 is controlled by the micro computer 100.
[0017]
Here, on the upper surface 12a of the base member 12, a sheet 200 supplied by a sheet feeding device (not shown) is placed.
[0018]
The drive wheel 14 rotates the sheet 200 placed on the upper surface 12a of the base member 12 by a predetermined amount of rotation in a predetermined direction with the sheet 200 sandwiched between the pair of pinch rows 16. Transport in the scanning direction.
[0019]
FIG. 2A is a schematic configuration explanatory view showing the suction plate 18 as a center, as viewed in the direction of arrow A in FIG.
[0020]
The suction plate 18 is a substantially plate-like body, and is formed of, for example, a resin. Concavities and convexities 18 b are formed on the upper surface 18 a of the suction plate 18. More specifically, the unevenness 18b includes a concave portion 18c and a convex portion 18d.
[0021]
The concave portion 18c of the concave-convex portion 18b extends in the direction of arrow D (see the solid line arrow in FIG. 2D) and is parallel to each other, and in the direction of arrow E (see the broken line arrow in FIG. 2D). It consists of a plurality of grooves 18c-2 that are extended and parallel to each other. Here, the arrow D direction and the arrow E direction are different from each other, and the angle α (see FIG. 2D) formed by the arrow D direction and the arrow E direction is approximately 120 degrees.
[0022]
The groove 18c-1 and the groove 18c-2 are both formed on the same plane and have the same width W (see FIG. 2 (c)) and the same depth H (see FIG. 2 (c)). The cross section has a rectangular shape. In this embodiment, the width W of the groove 18c-1 and the groove 18c-2 is about 4 mm, and the depth H of the groove 18c-1 and the groove 18c-2 is about 0.8 mm. Yes.
[0023]
At a plurality of intersection points 18cc where each of the plurality of groove portions 18c-1 and each of the plurality of groove portions 18c-2 intersect, the groove portion 18c-1 and the groove portion 18c-2 communicate with each other, and the hole 18e is formed. It has been drilled.
[0024]
The hole 18e opens at the bottom surface 18f of the recess 18c and opens at the lower surface 18h of the suction plate 18. In this embodiment, the holes 18e are round holes, the diameter R (see FIG. 2B) is about 3 mm, and the arrangement interval of the holes 18e is about 20 mm.
[0025]
On the other hand, the convex portion 18d of the concave and convex portion 18b is separated from each other by a plurality of groove portions 18c-1 and a plurality of groove portions 18c-2 of the concave portion 18c, and the upper surface 18dd of each of the plurality of convex portions 18d has a substantially rhombus shape. . Therefore, the plurality of convex portions 18d are staggered on the upper surface 18a of the suction plate 18, and the concave portions 18c are located on the outer peripheral side of the convex portion 18d.
[0026]
The suction plate 18 has a front in conjunction with the upper surface 18a of the suction plate 18 to extend along the upper surface 12a of the base member 12, the sub-scanning direction of the end portion 18 i is the base member 12 of the suction plate 18 (see FIG. 1) It is located on the side 12c and is disposed in the hole 12e of the base member 12 so that the end 18g of the suction plate 18 is located on the rear side 12d in the sub scanning direction of the base member 12.
[0027]
The suction chamber 20 is located on the lower surface 18h side of the suction plate 18, that is, on the lower surface 12b side of the base member 12, and is formed by a case 20a. A ventilation hole 20d communicating with the suction fan 22 is opened on the bottom surface 20c of the case 20a.
[0028]
The suction fan 22 is driven based on a predetermined control signal. And the wind pressure by the drive of the adsorption | suction fan 22 produces the airflow (refer the broken-line arrow in FIG. 1) in the direction which goes to the ventilation hole 20d from the adsorption | suction board 18 through the ventilation hole 20d of the adsorption | suction chamber 20. FIG.
[0029]
The ink head 24 is disposed in the carriage 26 in a state of being accommodated in an ink head case 28 fixedly disposed on the front surface of the carriage 26 that is movable in the main scanning direction. The ink head 24 can be raised and lowered in the height direction (Z-axis direction) by a driving force of a driving device (not shown) such as a motor.
[0030]
Liquid ink stored in an ink tank (not shown) is transported and supplied to the ink head 24 by an ink tube (not shown). Using the supplied ink, the ink head 24 performs predetermined printing on the sheet 200 according to predetermined print data by an ink jet method.
[0031]
The print data used in the ink jet printer 10 provided with the sheet suction mechanism according to the present invention has a constant distance between the ink head 24 and the sheet 200 placed on the upper surface 12a of the base member 12. In this case, various settings such as ink ejection timing are made.
[0032]
In the above configuration, when printing on the sheet 200 using the ink jet printer 10 having the sheet suction mechanism according to the present invention, first, the sheet 200 is formed on the upper surface 12a of the base member 12 by a sheet feeding device (not shown). Is supplied. Further, the supplied seat 200 is sandwiched between the pair of pinchlows 16 and the drive wheels 14, and in the direction from the rear side 12 d of the base member 12 toward the front side 12 c as the drive wheels 14 rotate, That is, it is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction.
[0033]
Then, with the ink head 24 facing the sheet 200, the ink moves in the main scanning direction as the carriage 26 moves, and ejects the ink conveyed by an ink tube (not shown).
[0034]
At this time, the sheet 200 placed on the upper surface 12 a of the base member 12 is placed on the upper surface 18 a of the suction plate 18 disposed at a position facing the ink head 24. As the printing proceeds, the suction fan 22 is driven by a predetermined control signal, and an airflow (see the broken line arrow in FIG. 1) in the direction from the suction plate 18 toward the ventilation hole 20b occurs.
[0035]
Therefore, the wind pressure of the suction fan 22 reaches the sheet 200 from the hole 18e of the suction plate 18 through the suction chamber 20, and the sheet 200 is attracted to the upper surface 12a of the base member 12, that is, the upper surface 18a of the suction plate 18 by this wind pressure. .
[0036]
As a result, the distance between the ink head 24 and the sheet 200 is maintained at a predetermined distance, and the ink droplets ejected from the ink head 24 fall to a predetermined position on the sheet 200, and the ink jet Predetermined printing is performed by the method.
[0037]
Here, irregularities 18 b are formed on the upper surface 18 a of the suction plate 18 on which the sheet 200 is placed. For this reason, the area where the upper surface 18a of the suction plate 18 and the sheet 200 are in contact with each other is smaller than that of a conventional suction plate having a smooth upper surface as described in the above section “Prior Art”. As a result, the load is reduced, the sheet 200 is slippery, and the sheet 200 is smoothly conveyed.
[0038]
Further, the hole 18e of the suction plate 18 opens at the bottom surface 18f of the recess 18c and the lower surface 18h of the suction plate 18. For this reason, a negative pressure is locally applied only to the suction holes formed in the suction plate, like the conventional suction plate having a smooth upper surface as described in the above-mentioned section “Prior Art”. There is no such thing. That is, in the suction plate 18, the negative pressure is uniformly applied to the entire recess 18c in which the holes 18e are opened. Therefore, the efficiency of adsorbing the sheet is improved as compared with the conventional adsorption plate.
[0039]
In this way, in the ink jet printer 10 provided with an example of the embodiment of the sheet suction mechanism according to the present invention, the suction plate 18 is provided, so that the load is reduced and the suction efficiency is improved. That is, even if the wind pressure of the suction fan 22 is made smaller than that of the conventional wind pressure, the sheet 200 can be reliably attracted to the upper surface 18a of the suction plate 18 with a wind pressure smaller than that of the conventional wind pressure, realizing reduction of energy consumption and cost. can do.
[0040]
Further, since the negative pressure is uniformly applied to the entire recess 18c in which the holes 18e are opened in the suction plate 18, stable suction can be performed. As a result, the distance between the ink head 24 and the sheet 200 is stably maintained at a predetermined distance, and a good print result can be obtained according to the print data.
[0041]
Further, even if the hole 18e of the suction plate 18 is formed at a position where the ink head 24 faces, the negative pressure is uniformly applied to the entire recess 18c in which the hole 18e is opened. Therefore, the fixing of the droplets of the ink ejected from the ink head 24 to the sheet 200 is not different between the portion where the hole 18e is located and the other portion, and the image formed on the sheet 200 is not changed. Vertical stripes do not appear, and a higher quality printing result can be obtained.
[0042]
The above-described embodiment can be modified as described in the following (1) to ( 5 ).
[0043]
(1) In the above-described embodiment, the suction plate 18 is disposed in the hole 12e of the base member 12. However, the suction plate and the base member are not limited to this. May be integrally formed.
[0044]
(2) In the above-described embodiment, the suction chamber 20 and the suction fan 22 are arranged on the lower surface 18h side of the suction plate 18. However, the present invention is not limited to this, For example, a suction device may be provided on the lower surface 18h side of the suction plate 18 and the sheet 200 may be attracted to the upper surface 18a of the suction plate 18 by the suction force of the suction device.
[0045]
(3) In the above-described embodiment, the suction plate 18 is made of resin. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, aluminum or stainless steel is pressed. The material for forming the suction plate 18 may be changed as appropriate.
[0046]
Further, the shape of the entire unevenness 18b of the suction plate 18 may be changed by changing an angle α (see FIG. 2D) formed by the arrow D direction and the arrow E direction.
[0047]
The width W and the depth H of the groove 18c-1 and the groove 18c-2 can be set to arbitrary depths as necessary. For example, the width W can be set to any value between 2 mm and 6 mm, and the depth H can be set to any value between 0.3 mm and 3.5 mm. . Further, the groove 18c-1 and the groove 18c-2 may be set to have different widths W or depths H, and the cross sections of the groove 18c-1 and the groove 18c-2 are substantially rectangular. For example, the shape may be a substantially semicircular shape.
[0048]
The diameter R of the hole 18e can also be set to an arbitrary value between 2 mm and 4.5 mm, for example, in the case of a round hole as in the above-described embodiment. Further, the hole 18e may be formed as a square hole instead of a round hole.
[0049]
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the holes 18e are formed at all the intersections 18cc. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the intersections where the holes 18e are not formed. 18cc may be present. Further, the position where the hole 18e is formed may be a portion other than the intersection 18cc of the bottom 18f of the recess 18c. That is, the arrangement interval of the holes 18e can be set to an arbitrary value between 12.7 mm and 38.1 mm, for example.
[0050]
It should be noted that the negative pressure can be generated at an arbitrary value between approximately 15 Pa and 600 Pa by the various changes described above.
[0051]
(4) In the above-described embodiment, the sheet suction mechanism according to the present invention is provided in the ink jet printer. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a thermal transfer printer, Or you may make it provide the sheet | seat adsorption | suction mechanism by this invention in the various apparatuses which perform the predetermined | prescribed process and processing of the said sheet | seat, without conveying a sheet | seat.
[0052]
(5) You may make it combine the above-mentioned embodiment and the modification shown in said (1) thru | or (4) suitably.
[0053]
【The invention's effect】
Since the present invention is configured as described above, there is an excellent effect that the sheet can be efficiently adsorbed and the sheet can be smoothly conveyed to obtain a good printing result.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a schematic configuration of an ink jet printer including an example of an embodiment of a sheet suction mechanism according to the present invention.
2A is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration centered on a suction plate, as viewed from the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. Yes, (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of (a), and (d) is an explanatory view schematically showing the extending direction of the groove portion of the suction plate shown in (a).
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Ink jet printer 12 Base member 12a Upper surface 12b Lower surface 12c Front side 12d Rear side 12e Hole 14 Drive wheel 16 Pinch roll 18 Suction plate 18a Upper surface 18b Concavity and convexity 18c Concavity 18c-1, 18c-2 Groove 18cc Intersection place 18d Convex Part 18dd upper surface 18e hole
18f bottom surface 18g, 18 i end 18h bottom surface 20 adsorption chamber 20a case 20b lower 20c bottom surface 20d ventilation hole 22 adsorption fan 24 ink head 26 carriage 28 ink head case 100 micro computer 200 sheet

Claims (2)

Together is disposed to face the ink head in the base member of the ink jet printer, irregularities are formed on one surface of a substantially plate-like body, the recess of the irregularities, oblique with respect to the conveying direction of the sheet a plurality extending in a second direction oblique to the conveying direction of the sheet form a first plurality of first extending in the direction of the groove and the first direction a predetermined angle to the line Each of the second grooves is formed to communicate with each other at a position corresponding to the intersection between the first groove and the second groove, and corresponds to the intersection between the first groove and the second groove. A hole that opens in the bottom surface and the other surface of the recess, and a suction plate on which the sheet is placed on the one surface side,
Sheet suction mechanism, characterized in that it comprises a suction means the are arranged in the other surface side of the suction plate. A convex portion disposed on the base member of the ink jet printer so as to face the ink head, and disposed in a staggered manner on one surface of the substantially plate-like body, and a concave portion located on the outer peripheral side of the convex portion The recesses of the recesses and protrusions form a predetermined angle with a plurality of first grooves extending in a first direction oblique to the sheet conveyance direction . And a plurality of second grooves extending in a second direction obliquely with respect to the sheet conveying direction, respectively, at positions corresponding to intersections of the first groove portion and the second groove portion. A hole formed at the bottom surface and the other surface of the recess is formed at a position corresponding to the intersection of the first groove portion and the second groove portion, and is formed on the one surface side. A suction plate on which the sheet is placed;
Sheet suction mechanism, characterized in that it comprises a suction means the are arranged in the other surface side of the suction plate.

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