Patent Grant
10065436
This application claims the benefit of priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-173013 filed on Sep. 5, 2016. The entire contents of this application are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to inkjet recording apparatuses.
An inkjet printer that uses photo-curable ink (which may hereinafter be simply referred to as a “photo-curing printer”) is known. A photo-curing printer discharges photo-curable ink from a discharge head and applies light to the ink discharged. Thus, the ink is rapidly cured and forms an ink layer on a recording medium so as to print a desired image on the recording medium.
In one example, a photo-curing printer may effect printing on a non-ink-absorbing recording medium, such as a resin material or a metal material. Photo-curable ink, however, has poor fixability to such a recording medium, making it difficult to effect high-quality printing. To cope with this problem, Japanese Patent No. 5817059 discloses an inkjet recording apparatus that discharges adhesive primer onto a surface of a non-ink-absorbing recording medium so as to form a primer layer, and then discharges photo-curable ink onto the primer layer so as to effect printing. Forming a primer layer increases fixability of photo-curable ink to a recording medium. Thus, the inkjet recording apparatus is able to suitably effect high-quality printing on a recording medium to which photo-curable ink has poor fixability.
Although fixability of an ink layer to a recording medium is increased by forming a primer layer on the recording medium and forming the ink layer on the primer layer, adhesion between the recording medium and the primer layer may be insufficient depending on how the primer layer is formed. Even if a high-quality ink layer is formed on a primer layer, insufficient adhesion between the primer layer and recording medium may unfortunately cause the primer layer to be peeled off the recording medium.
Accordingly, preferred embodiments of the present invention provide inkjet recording apparatuses that enhance adhesion between a primer layer and a recording medium.
The inventors of preferred embodiments of the present invention conducted extensive research and discovered a solution involving discharging primer onto a recording medium so as to form a primer layer, and then further discharging primer onto the primer layer and the recording medium so as to form another primer layer, thus enhancing adhesion of the primer layers to the recording medium.
An inkjet recording apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a platen, a primer discharge head, an ink discharge head, a light source, a first moving mechanism, a second moving mechanism, and a controller. A recording medium is to be placed on the platen. The primer discharge head discharges photo-curable primer onto the recording medium. The primer discharge head is provided with a first nozzle. The ink discharge head discharges image-forming ink onto the recording medium. The image-forming ink is photo-curable and less adhesive than the primer. The ink discharge head is provided with a second nozzle. The light source applies light to the primer and the image-forming ink discharged onto the recording medium. The first moving mechanism causes the primer discharge head and the ink discharge head to move in a main scanning direction corresponding to a width direction of the recording medium. The second moving mechanism causes the recording medium placed on the platen to move in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction. The controller is configured or programmed to control the primer discharge head, the ink discharge head, the light source, the first moving mechanism, and the second moving mechanism. The controller includes a first controller, a second controller, and a third controller. The first controller causes the primer discharge head to discharge, from the first nozzle, the primer onto the recording medium and then cause the light source to apply light to the primer discharged, thus forming a first primer layer on the recording medium. The second controller causes the primer discharge head to discharge, from the first nozzle, the primer onto the first primer layer and the recording medium and then cause the light source to apply light to the primer discharged, thus forming a second primer layer on the first primer layer and the recording medium. The third controller causes the ink discharge head to discharge, from the second nozzle, the image-forming ink onto the second primer layer and then cause the light source to apply light to the image-forming ink discharged, thus forming an image-forming ink layer on the second primer layer.
An inkjet recording apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is constructed such that the first controller forms the first primer layer on the recording medium, the second controller forms the second primer layer on the first primer layer and the recording medium, and the third controller forms the image-forming ink layer (which may hereinafter be simply referred to as an “ink layer”) on the second primer layer. Forming the second primer layer on the first primer layer and the recording medium in this manner enhances adhesion between the first primer layer and the recording medium. Forming the ink layer on the second primer layer improves the ink layer in quality and increases fixability of the ink layer to the recording medium.
Various preferred embodiments of the present invention provide inkjet recording apparatuses that enhance adhesion between a primer layer and a recording medium.
The above and other elements, features, steps, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
Inkjet recording apparatuses according to preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. An inkjet recording apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is an inkjet printer 100 to effect printing on a recording medium. The inkjet printer 100 will hereinafter be referred to as a “printer 100”. Preferred embodiments described below are naturally not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Components and elements having the same functions are identified by the same reference signs, and description thereof will be simplified or omitted when deemed redundant.
As illustrated in
Examples of the permeable sheet or film include paper, such as plain paper and inkjet printable paper. Examples of the non-permeable sheet or film include: a sheet or film made of resin, such as polyester resin (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin, or polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) resin), polyolefin resin (e.g., polyethylene (PE) resin, polypropylene (PP) resin, or ethylene-propylene copolymer), polyether resin (e.g., polyurethane resin), polycarbonate (PC) resin, polyimide resin, polyamide resin, fluororesin, or acrylic resin (e.g., polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) resin); a sheet or film made of metal, such as stainless steel, aluminum, iron, or copper; a sheet or film made of glass; a sheet or film made of rubber; and a composite sheet or film provided by a combination of two or more of these materials. Examples of the coated sheet or coated film include enamel paper, art paper, coated paper, cast-coated paper, mat paper, and glossy paper.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The platen 25 supports the recording medium 5 when printing is effected on the recording medium 5. The recording medium 5 is placed on the platen 25. Printing is effected on the recording medium 5 on the platen 25. In this preferred embodiment, the platen 25 extends in the main scanning direction X. The platen 25 is disposed below the guide rail 20. The platen 25 is continuous with the guide 14 (see
The first moving mechanism 51 causes the head 40 (see
As illustrated in
The second moving mechanism 52 causes the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 25 to move in the sub-scanning direction Y. In this preferred embodiment, the rear of the printer 100 is the upstream side of the printer 100, and the front of the printer 100 is the downstream side of the printer 100. When the recording medium 5 moves from the rear of the printer 100 to the front of the printer 100 during printing, the recording medium 5 moves from the upstream side to the downstream side. The second moving mechanism 52 includes: a plurality of grit rollers 26; a plurality of pinch rollers 27 each disposed above an associated one of the grit rollers 26; and a motor 28 (see
As illustrated in
The primer is used to increase fixability of the image-forming ink to the recording medium 5. The primer is photo-curable. The primer is adhesive. The primer is more adhesive than the image-forming ink. In other words, the adhesion of the primer is higher than the adhesion of the image-forming ink. The primer has the property of being cured by application of light (e.g., ultraviolet light) thereto. The primer contains no coloring agent, such as a pigment. The primer contains a photopolymerization monomer, a photopolymerization initiator system, and a binding agent (e.g., binder resin). When necessary, the primer contains various other additives. Examples of the additives may include a photosensitizer, a polymerization inhibitor, a scavenger, an antioxidant, an ultraviolet light absorber, a plasticizer, a surface conditioner, a leveling agent, a thickener, a disperser, an antifoaming agent, an antiseptic, and a solvent. The primer may be, for example, transparent, white, or gray in color. As illustrated in
The image-forming ink is used to form a print image on the recording medium 5. The image-forming ink is photo-curable. The image-forming ink is adhesive. The image-forming ink has the property of being cured by application of light (e.g., ultraviolet light) thereto. The image-forming ink contains: a coloring agent, such as a pigment; a photopolymerization monomer; and a photopolymerization initiator system. When necessary, the image-forming ink contains various other additives. Examples of the additives may include a photosensitizer, a polymerization inhibitor, a scavenger, an antioxidant, an ultraviolet light absorber, a plasticizer, a surface active agent, a leveling agent, a thickener, a disperser, an antifoaming agent, an antiseptic, and a solvent. The image-forming ink is colored ink. The image-forming ink is process color ink, for example. Examples of the process color ink include cyan ink, magenta ink, yellow ink, black ink, light cyan ink, and light magenta ink. In this preferred embodiment, cyan ink, magenta ink, yellow ink, and black ink are each discharged from the nozzles 42a of an associated one of the ink discharge heads 42.
The first ultraviolet light applicator 55 and the second ultraviolet light applicator 56 apply light (which is typically ultraviolet light) to the primer and image-forming ink discharged onto the recording medium 5. The first ultraviolet light applicator 55 is an example of a “first light source”. The second ultraviolet light applicator 56 is an example of a “second light source”. In this preferred embodiment, the first ultraviolet light applicator 55 applies light to the primer, discharged onto the recording medium 5, so as to cure the primer, thus forming the first primer layer 62 (see
Primer droplets discharged onto the recording medium 5 spread out on the recording medium 5 until ultraviolet light is applied from the first ultraviolet light applicator 55. Primer droplets discharged onto the recording medium 5 and the first primer layer 62 spread out on the recording medium 5 and the first primer layer 62 until ultraviolet light is applied from the second ultraviolet light applicator 56. In these cases, each primer droplet spreads out separately, while adjacent primer droplets merge together and spread out gradually. Applying ultraviolet light to the primer droplets discharged onto the recording medium 5 or the primer droplets discharged onto the recording medium 5 and the first primer layer 62 cures the primer droplets such that the primer droplets maintain their spread state. Suppose that a time interval between discharge of the primer onto the recording medium 5 (or discharge of the primer onto the recording medium 5 and the first primer layer 62) from the nozzles 41a and application of ultraviolet light to the primer discharged is long (or longer than a predetermined first time, for example). In such a case, the primer droplets that have spread out in accordance with the time interval are cured. Thus, the surfaces of layers made of the primer droplets (e.g., the surfaces of the first primer layer 62 and the second primer layer 64) will be flat. Printing that makes the surfaces of layers flat in this manner will be referred to as “glossy printing”. Suppose that the time interval between discharge of the primer onto the recording medium 5 (or discharge of the primer onto the recording medium 5 and the first primer layer 62) from the nozzles 41a and application of ultraviolet light to the primer discharged is short (or shorter than the predetermined first time, for example). In such a case, the primer droplets are cured without being spread out so much. In other words, each primer droplet merges with its adjacent primer droplet so as to form a new droplet, so that the new droplet maintaining its dome shape is cured. Thus, the layers (e.g., the first primer layer 62 and the second primer layer 64) made of the primer droplets have uneven surfaces, because the primer droplets in this case maintain their shapes unlike glossy printing. Printing that makes the surfaces of layers uneven in this manner will be referred to as “mat printing”. When mat printing is effected, primer is normally not present over an entirety of a substrate (e.g., the recording medium 5) but is scattered over the substrate, so that gaps may exist between the scattered primers. This means that the first primer layer 62 may be regarded as a collection of a plurality of scattered primers.
In this preferred embodiment, the first time between discharge of the primer from the nozzles 41a onto the recording medium 5 and start of application of ultraviolet light from the first ultraviolet light applicator 55 to the primer discharged is shorter than a second time between discharge of the primer from the nozzles 41a onto the first primer layer 62 and the recording medium 5 and start of application of ultraviolet light from the second ultraviolet light applicator 56 to the primer discharged. The first time and the second time may be appropriately adjusted by changing, for example, the position of the primer discharge head 41, the position of the first ultraviolet light applicator 55, the position of the second ultraviolet light applicator 56, the speed of movement of the carriage 30, and/or the speed of movement of the recording medium 5. Alternatively, the first time may be longer than the second time, or the first time may be equal to the second time.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The controller 70 receives printing-related information from the operation interface 12. In one example, the controller 70 receives a signal for a primer discharge pattern PT (see
The controller 70 controls the primer discharge head 41 so as to control the sizes of primer droplets and the timing of discharge of the primer from the nozzles 41a of the primer discharge head 41. The controller 70 controls the ink discharge heads 42 so as to control the sizes of image-forming ink droplets and the timing of discharge of the image-forming ink from the nozzles 42a of the ink discharge heads 42. The controller 70 controls the first ultraviolet light applicator 55 so as to control the timing of application of ultraviolet light from the first ultraviolet light applicator 55 toward the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 25. The controller 70 controls the second ultraviolet light applicator 56 so as to control the timing of application of ultraviolet light from the second ultraviolet light applicator 56 toward the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 25.
As illustrated in
The memory 71 preliminarily stores a print image to be printed on the recording medium 5. The memory 71 preliminarily stores the primer discharge pattern PT illustrated in
The procedure of printing to be effected on the recording medium 5 by the printer 100 will be described below.
In step S10, the user selects, from the primer discharge patterns PT1 to PT3 (see
In step S20, the user selects, from the primer discharge patterns PT1 to PT3 (see
In step S30, printing is started. The user presses, for example, a printing start button (not illustrated) of the operation input 12b so as to start printing. In this preferred embodiment, pressing the printing start button transmits a signal indicating information on the discharge pattern PT2 selected in step S10 and a signal indicating information on the discharge pattern PT2 selected in step S20 to the controller 70.
In step S40, the first primer layer 62 is formed. Specifically, referring to
Next, the first movement controller 78 controls driving of the motor 28 of the second moving mechanism 52 such that the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 25 moves from the upstream side to the downstream side (i.e., from the rear to the front in this preferred embodiment) in the sub-scanning direction Y relative to the primer discharge head 41 and the ink discharge heads 42. The recording medium 5 is moved by a distance corresponding to a single round of scanning, for example. Then, the primer is discharged in accordance with the discharge pattern PT2 while the third movement controller 82 moves the head 40 in the main scanning direction X, so that the primer for a next round of scanning is cured on the recording medium 5. The head 40 is moved in the main scanning direction X and the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 25 is moved from the upstream side to the downstream side alternately in the above-described manner. Thus, the first controller 72 forms the first primer layer 62 on the recording medium 5. In this preferred embodiment, the time interval between discharge of the primer from the nozzles 41a and application of ultraviolet light to the primer is adjusted to be shorter than the predetermined first time. Consequently, projections and depressions are formed on the surface of the first primer layer 62.
In step S50, after the first primer layer 62 has been formed on the recording medium 5, the second movement controller 80 controls driving of the motor 28 of the second moving mechanism 52 such that the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 25 moves from the downstream side to the upstream side (i.e., from the front to the rear in this preferred embodiment) in the sub-scanning direction Y relative to the primer discharge head 41 and the ink discharge heads 42. Specifically, the second movement controller 80 controls driving of the motor 28 of the second moving mechanism 52 such that the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 25 returns to a start position where printing has started.
In step S60, after the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 25 has returned to the start position (i.e., after the movement of the recording medium 5 to the upstream side in the sub-scanning direction Y has been completed), the second primer layer 64 is formed on the recording medium 5 and the first primer layer 62. Specifically, referring to
The head 40 is moved in the main scanning direction X and the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 25 is moved from the upstream side to the downstream side alternately in the above-described manner. Thus, the second controller 74 forms the second primer layer 64 on the recording medium 5 and the first primer layer 62. In this preferred embodiment, the time interval between discharge of the primer from the nozzles 41a and application of ultraviolet light to the primer is adjusted to be equal to or longer than the predetermined first time. Consequently, the second primer layer 64 has a flat surface.
In step S70, after the second primer layer 64 has been formed on the recording medium 5 and the first primer layer 62, the second movement controller 80 controls driving of the motor of the second moving mechanism 52 such that the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 25 moves from the downstream side to the upstream side (i.e., from the front to the rear in this preferred embodiment) in the sub-scanning direction Y relative to the primer discharge head 41 and the ink discharge heads 42. Specifically, the second movement controller 80 controls driving of the motor 28 of the second moving mechanism 52 such that the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 25 returns to the start position where printing has started.
In step S80, after the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 25 has returned to the start position (i.e., after the movement of the recording medium 5 to the upstream side in the sub-scanning direction Y has been completed), the ink layer 66 is formed on the second primer layer 64. Specifically, referring to
Suppose that projections and depressions are formed on the surface of the second primer layer 64, and differences in height between the projections and depressions are large. In such a case, variations may occur in the thickness of the ink layer 66 formed on the second primer layer 64. If the ink layer 66 has a non-uniform thickness, a color difference may unfortunately occur in a region of the ink layer 66 defined by the image-forming ink of the same color. In this preferred embodiment, however, the second primer layer 64 has a flat surface. This makes the thickness of the ink layer 66 uniform or substantially uniform, and thus reduces the color difference in the ink layer 66.
As described above, the printer 100 according to this preferred embodiment is constructed such that the first controller 72 forms the first primer layer 62 on the recording medium 5, the second controller 74 forms the second primer layer 64 on the first primer layer 62 and the recording medium 5, and the third controller 76 forms the ink layer 66 on the second primer layer 64. Forming the second primer layer 64 on the first primer layer 62 and the recording medium 5 in this manner further increases adhesion between the first primer layer 62 and the recording medium 5. Forming the ink layer 66 on the second primer layer 64 improves the ink layer 66 in quality and increases fixability of the ink layer 66 to the recording medium 5.
The printer 100 according to this preferred embodiment is constructed such that the first time between discharge of the primer from the nozzles 41a of the primer discharge head 41 onto the recording medium 5 and start of application of ultraviolet light from the first ultraviolet light applicator 55 to the primer discharged is shorter than the second time between discharge of the primer from the nozzles 41a onto the first primer layer 62 and the recording medium 5 and start of application of ultraviolet light from the second ultraviolet light applicator 56 to the primer discharged. As the time between discharge of the primer and application of ultraviolet light decreases, the projections and depressions on the surface of the primer layer will be larger. As the time between discharge of the primer and application of ultraviolet light increases, the primer will spread out accordingly. This makes the projections and depressions on the surface of the primer layer smaller, so that the surface of the primer layer tends to be flat. In this preferred embodiment, the second time is longer than the first time. Thus, the projections and depressions on the surface of the second primer layer 64 are smaller than the projections and depressions on the surface of the first primer layer 62, resulting in a reduction in color difference in the ink layer 66.
The printer 100 according to this preferred embodiment is constructed such that the primer discharge head 41 and the ink discharge heads 42 are disposed side by side in the main scanning direction X, the first ultraviolet light applicator 55 overlaps with the nozzles 41a of the primer discharge head 41 as viewed in the main scanning direction X, and the second ultraviolet light applicator 56 is disposed downstream of the nozzles 41a in the sub-scanning direction Y. This enables appropriate adjustment of the time between discharge of the primer and application of ultraviolet light. Consequently, this preferred embodiment makes it possible to form each of the first primer layer 62 and the second primer layer 64 into a desired shape, provide sufficient adhesion between the recording medium 5 and the first primer layer 62, and reduce color differences in the ink layer 66.
The printer 100 according to this preferred embodiment is able to effect printing on the recording medium 5 made of a material permeable neither to the primer nor to the image-forming ink. Forming a primer layer by discharging primer onto a recording medium made of a material permeable neither to primer nor to image-forming ink provides sufficient fixability of an ink layer to the recording medium. This normally forms a large number of projections and depressions on the primer layer, so that the color difference in the ink layer tends to increase. In this preferred embodiment, however, the surface of the second primer layer 64 on which the ink layer 66 is to be formed is more flattened than the surface of a conventional primer layer. Consequently, this preferred embodiment reduces the color difference in the ink layer 66.
The printer 100 according to this preferred embodiment is constructed such that the second controller 74 forms the second primer layer 64 on the first primer layer 62 and the recording medium 5 after the first controller 72 has completed formation of the first primer layer 62 on the recording medium 5 and the second movement controller 80 has completed movement of the recording medium 5 to the upstream side in the sub-scanning direction Y. The third controller 76 forms the ink layer 66 on the second primer layer 64 after the second controller 74 has completed formation of the second primer layer 64 on the first primer layer 62 and the recording medium 5 and the second movement controller 80 has completed movement of the recording medium 5 to the upstream side in the sub-scanning direction Y. Thus, a single printing operation involves forming the first primer layer 62, the second primer layer 64, and the ink layer 66 in this order. This facilitates control exercised during printing.
As used herein, the term “contact angle” refers to a value (or more specifically a static contact angle) measured by a sessile drop method using a common contact angle meter. In one example, a contact angle measuring method involves automatically dropping droplets of 1.0 μL on the surface of an object of measurement at a temperature of 25° C. and a humidity of 50% using an automatic contact angle meter DM-501Hi manufactured by Kyowa Interface Science Co., Ltd. The method subsequently involves automatically capturing images of the droplets into analysis software (FAMAS) 15 seconds after dropping. The method then involves analyzing the shapes of the droplets on the basis of the captured images by an ellipse fitting method, thus measuring contact angles.
In step S40 of the flow chart illustrated in
In step S60 of the flow chart illustrated in
The head 40 of the printer 100 according to this preferred embodiment includes: the primer discharge head 41 to discharge, from its nozzles 41a, the first primer that is photo-curable and more adhesive than the image-forming ink; and the primer discharge head 43 to discharge, from its nozzles 41a, the second primer that is photo-curable and more adhesive than the image-forming ink. The first primer differs in composition from the second primer. Thus, primer that enhances adhesion between the first primer layer 62 and the recording medium 5 may be appropriately selected and used as the first primer, and primer that increases fixability of the ink layer 66 to the recording medium 5 may be appropriately selected and used as the second primer. This makes it possible to provide a high-quality printed matter with enhanced adhesion between the first primer layer 62 and the recording medium 5.
The second ultraviolet light applicator 56 of the printer 100 according to this preferred embodiment is provided on the carriage 30 and movable in the sub-scanning direction Y. This enables stepless or substantially stepless adjustment of dimensions of projections and depressions on the surface of the second primer layer 64.
The first ultraviolet light applicator 55 of the printer 100 according to this preferred embodiment is provided on the carriage 30 and movable in the sub-scanning direction Y. This enables stepless or substantially stepless adjustment of dimensions of projections and depressions on the surface of the first primer layer 62.
In each of the foregoing preferred embodiments, the dot patterns PT1 to PT3 are preferably used as the discharge patterns, for example. Alternatively, any other patterns may be used. In one example, a linear pattern in which primer ink droplets are linearly continuous in a matrix may be provided. In another example, a combination of linear patterns extending in a plurality of directions may be provided. The discharge pattern may be uniform across the entire print region. A different discharge pattern may be used for only a specified region. The discharge pattern may be gradually changed when a transition is made from one region to another region.
In each of the foregoing preferred embodiments, the ink layer 66 is preferably formed on the second primer layer 64, for example. The ink layer 66, however, may be formed on any other suitable location. In one example, the ink layer 66 may be formed on the first primer layer 62. In this case, the primer is discharged from the nozzles 41a in accordance with the discharge pattern PT illustrated in
In each of the foregoing preferred embodiments, the first primer layer 62 preferably is formed in a matted manner, and the second primer layer 64 preferably is formed in a glossy manner, for example. The first primer layer 62 and the second primer layer 64 may each be formed in any other suitable manner. In one example, the first primer layer 62 may be formed in a glossy manner, and the second primer layer 64 may be formed in a matted manner. In another example, the first primer layer 62 and the second primer layer 64 may both be formed in a matted manner. In still another example, the first primer layer 62 and the second primer layer 64 may both be formed in a glossy manner.
In each of the foregoing preferred embodiments, the second primer layer 64 preferably is formed after an entirety of the first primer layer 62 has been formed, and the ink layer 66 preferably is formed after an entirety of the second primer layer 64 has been formed, for example. The first primer layer 62, the second primer layer 64, and the ink layer 66, however, may be formed in any other suitable manner. In one example, the first primer layer 62, the second primer layer 64, and the ink layer 66 may be formed for every few rounds of scanning.
In each of the foregoing preferred embodiments, the printer 100 preferably includes the platen 25, on which the recording medium 5 is to be placed, and has a structure such that the recording medium 5 is conveyed on the platen 25 in the sub-scanning direction Y, for example. The printer 100, however, is not limited to this configuration. In one example, the printer 100 may include, instead of the platen 25, a table to which the recording medium 5 is to be secured. The table may be movable in the sub-scanning direction Y, for example.
In each of the foregoing preferred embodiments, the second ultraviolet light applicator 56 preferably is disposed leftward of the first ultraviolet light applicator 55, for example. The second ultraviolet light applicator 56, however, may be disposed at any other suitable location. The second ultraviolet light applicator 56 may be disposed rightward of the first ultraviolet light applicator 55.
As described above, the functions of the memory 71, the first controller 72, the second controller 74, the third controller 76, the first movement controller 78, the second movement controller 80, and the third movement controller 82 of the controller 70 may be implemented by software. For example, a computer program may be read into a computer so as to implement the functions of the components of the controller 70 by the computer. A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a printing computer program to allow the computer to function as the components of the controller 70. Another preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores the computer program. The functions of the components of the controller 70 may be implemented by a single processor or a plurality of processors included in the controller 70. A further preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a circuit having functions similar to those of a program to be executed by each component of the controller 70.
While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it is to be understood that variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention, therefore, is to be determined solely by the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-173013 | Sep 2016 | JP | national |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9757960 | Weglicki | Sep 2017 | B2 |
| 9884489 | Ohnishi | Feb 2018 | B2 |
| 20060044376 | Baird | Mar 2006 | A1 |
| 20140227494 | Furuhata et al. | Aug 2014 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 5817059 | Nov 2015 | JP |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20180065381 A1 | Mar 2018 | US |
