The present application claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119 from Japanese patent application number 2022-067136 filed on Apr. 14, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
The present disclosure relates to a printer.
Japanese patent application publication number 2021-066165 describes a device that forms a first image on a record medium with an ejection of a first liquid and then forms a second image with an ejection of a second liquid onto the first image. According to Japanese patent application publication number 2021-066165, a time interval (drying time) between formation of the first image and formation of the second image is changed by changing at least one of the number of nozzles to eject the first liquid or the number of nozzles to eject the second liquid, based on the amount of the second liquid to be applied to the record medium.
However, image quality may be varied when the number of nozzles to eject the liquid is changed as described in Japanese patent application publication number 2021-066165.
A first aspect of a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure is a printer including a first head including a first nozzle array including a plurality of first nozzles arranged in a first direction and capable of ejecting a first liquid, a second head including a second nozzle array including a plurality of second nozzles arranged in the first direction and capable of ejecting a second liquid that is to be ejected on the first liquid, a first mover to relatively move the first head, the second head, and a medium in the first direction, and a second mover to move the first head and the second head in a second direction intersecting the first direction, wherein an interval in the first direction between a range of use of the first nozzle array and a range of use of the second nozzle array is changed, while lengths of the range of use of the first nozzle array and the range of use of the second nozzle array in the first direction are respectively maintained.
Further, a second aspect of a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure is a printer including a first head including a first nozzle array including a plurality of first nozzles arranged in a first direction and capable of ejecting a first liquid, a second head including a second nozzle array including a plurality of second nozzles arranged in the first direction and capable of ejecting a second liquid that is to be ejected on the first liquid, a first mover to relatively move the first head, the second head, and a medium in the first direction, and a second mover to move the first head and the second head in a second direction intersecting the first direction, wherein an interval in the first direction between a range of use of the first nozzle array and a range of use of the second nozzle array is changed, while an amount of movement when the first mover relatively moves the first head, the second head, and the medium in the first direction is maintained.
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.
Hereinafter, a direction in which plural nozzles 45 of a nozzle array 44 are arranged may be referred to as “first direction”. As to the printer 1 illustrated in
The printer 1 is an apparatus to print an image on the medium M (printing paper, printing film, etc.). Specifically, the printer 1 is an inkjet printer. The printer 1 includes a first moving unit 20 (first mover), a second moving unit 30 (second mover), a head unit 40 (head), a heating device 50 (heater), a receiver 60, and a controller 70.
The first moving unit 20 is a unit to relatively move the head 41 (41A, 41B) and the medium M in the first direction. Here, the first moving unit 20 is a conveyor unit to move the medium M in the first direction (direction of conveyance). Here, the first moving unit 20 (conveyor unit) includes a conveyor roller 21 and a conveyor motor 22, for example. The conveyor roller 21 is rotatable to convey the medium M in the direction of conveyance. The conveyor motor 22 is a motor (driver) to rotate the conveyor roller 21. Note that the first moving unit 20 is not limited to a configuration in which the conveyor roller 21 is used. For example, the first moving unit 20 may have a conveyor bed (flatbed) and be configured to move this conveyor bed, to thereby convey the medium M in the direction of conveyance. Also, the first moving unit 20 is not limited to the one that moves the medium M in the first direction (direction of conveyance). For example, the first moving unit 20 may move the second moving unit 30 (carriage unit) in the first direction, to thereby relatively move the head 41 (41A, 41B) and the medium M in the first direction. In the following explanation, the operation of the first moving unit 20 relatively moving the head 41 (41A, 41B) and the medium M in the first direction may be referred to as “first moving operation”. The medium M may be a long printing medium such as a roll of paper, or may be a single sheet of paper. The medium M is not limited to paper, but may also be film, cloth, or the like.
The second moving unit 30 is a unit to move the head 41 (41A, 41B) in the second direction. The second moving unit 30 moves the carriage 31 in the second direction, to thereby move the head 41 mounted to the carriage 31 in the second direction. In other words, the second moving unit 30 is a carriage unit to move the carriage 31. The second moving unit 30 includes the carriage 31 and a carriage motor 32. The carriage 31 is able to reciprocate in the second direction (scanning direction), and includes the head 41 (first head 41A and second head 41B, described later) mounted thereto. The carriage motor 32 is a motor (driver) to move the carriage 31 in the scanning direction. In the following explanation, the operation of the second moving unit 30 of moving the head 41 (41A, 41B) in the second direction may be referred to as “second moving operation”.
The head unit 40 is a unit to eject liquid (such as ink and processing liquid) to the medium M. The head unit 40 includes the first head 41A and the second head 41B.
The first head 41A is a head to eject a first liquid. The first head 41A includes a first nozzle array 44A including a plurality of first nozzles 45A arranged in the first direction (direction of conveyance), the plurality of first nozzles 45A being capable of ejecting the first liquid. The second head 41B is a head to eject a second liquid. The second liquid is a liquid different from the first liquid, and is to be ejected onto the first liquid. The second head 41B has a second nozzle array 44B including a plurality of second nozzles 45B arranged in the first direction (direction of conveyance), the plurality of second nozzles 45B being capable of ejecting the second liquid. In the first preferred embodiment, the first head 41A is a processing liquid head to eject the processing liquid (corresponding to the first liquid), and the second head 41B is an ink head to eject ink (corresponding to the second liquid). However, as described later, the first head 41A does not have to be the processing liquid head, and the second head 41B does not have to be the ink head. In the following, the processing liquid head (corresponding to the first head) is given the reference numeral 41A, and the ink head (corresponding to the second head) is given the reference numeral 41B.
The processing liquid head 41A is a head including plural nozzles (processing liquid nozzles 45A; corresponding to the first nozzles) to eject processing liquid. The processing liquid is also referred to as an undercoat, optimizer, pre-treatment agent, adjuster, transparent ink, special ink, or primer. The processing liquid may be a liquid to thicken ink or coagulate/insolubilize color materials, to thereby fix the ink to the medium M, for example. Here, the processing liquid is a transparent liquid. However, the processing liquid does not have to be transparent. The processing liquid head 41A includes plural nozzle arrays (processing liquid nozzle arrays 44A; corresponding to the first nozzle arrays) (here, the processing liquid head 41A has four processing liquid nozzle arrays 44A). The plural processing liquid nozzle arrays 44A are arranged in the second direction (scanning direction). The processing liquid nozzle arrays 44A each include plural nozzles (processing liquid nozzles 45A) arranged in the first direction (direction of conveyance). Here, each of the processing liquid nozzle arrays 44A includes plural nozzles (processing liquid nozzles 45A) arranged in a staggered manner. That is, each of the processing liquid nozzle arrays 44A includes two nozzle groups. Each of the two nozzle groups includes plural nozzles (processing liquid nozzles 45A) arranged at a predetermined pitch in the first direction (direction of conveyance). One of the nozzle groups includes plural nozzles (processing liquid nozzles 45A) arranged in the direction of conveyance such that the plural nozzles in the one of the nozzle groups are displaced in the direction of conveyance by a half pitch with respect to the nozzles (processing liquid nozzles 45A) in the other one of the nozzle groups. However, each processing liquid nozzle array 44A may include plural processing liquid nozzle 45A arranged in a row in the direction of conveyance. Further, the processing liquid head 41A may only have a single processing liquid nozzle array 44A, instead of including plural processing liquid nozzle arrays 44A. In the following explanation, even in the case where the nozzle array 44 (44A) includes the plural nozzles 45 (45A) arranged in the staggered manner, a description may be given as a nozzle array in which plural nozzles are arranged in a row in the direction of conveyance. In the following explanation, the length of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A in the first direction (direction of conveyance) is denoted by L1.
An ink head 41B is a head including plural nozzles (ink nozzles 45B, corresponding to second nozzles) to eject ink. An ink is a liquid to form dots (ink dots) configuring an image (ink image, color image, etc.) on the medium M. The ink is also a liquid sometimes referred to as color ink, process ink, etc. The ink head 41B includes plural nozzle arrays (ink nozzle arrays 44B, corresponding to the second nozzle arrays). The plural ink nozzle arrays 44B are arranged in the scanning direction. For example, the ink head 41B includes a black ink nozzle array (Bk) to eject black ink, a cyan ink nozzle array (C) to eject cyan ink, a magenta ink nozzle array (M) to eject magenta ink, and a yellow ink nozzle array (Y) to eject yellow ink. These four color ink nozzle arrays 44B (black ink nozzle array, cyan ink nozzle array, magenta ink nozzle array, yellow ink nozzle array) are arranged in the scanning direction. Note that colors of ink are not limited to black, cyan, magenta, and yellow.
In the same way as in the processing liquid nozzle array 44A, each of the ink nozzle arrays 44B includes plural nozzles (ink nozzles 45B) arranged in the first direction (direction of conveyance). Here, in the same way as in the processing liquid head 41A, each of the ink nozzle arrays 44B includes plural nozzles (ink nozzles 45B) arranged in the staggered manner. However, each ink nozzle array 44B may include plural ink nozzles 45B arranged in a row in the direction of conveyance. In addition, the ink head 41B does not have to include plural ink nozzle arrays 44B. In the following explanation, the length of the ink nozzle array 44B in the first direction (direction of conveyance) is denoted by L1. However, the length of the ink nozzle array 44B in the direction of conveyance may be different from the length of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The heating device 50 is a device to heat the medium M (or the liquid). The heating device 50 includes a heater 51 and an air blower 52, for example. The heater 51 is disposed below a support member (platen, not illustrated) that supports the medium M. The heater 51 is a device to heat the medium M supported by the support member. The air blower 52 is a device to send hot air to the medium M. The heating device 50 may include a device different from the heater 51 and the air blower 52. The printer 1 does not have to include the heating device 50.
The receiver 60 obtains information on at least one of temperature or humidity. Here, the receiver 60 is a sensor to measure at least one of temperature or humidity. Here, the sensor 61 is an environmental sensor to measure both temperature and humidity. However, the sensor 61 may be configured to measure only one of temperature or humidity. The sensor 61 measures an environment (at least one of temperature or humidity) in the vicinity of the medium M on which the head ejects the liquid. For example, the sensor 61 may be mounted to the carriage 31, or may be disposed to the support member (platen) that supports the medium M. The sensor 61 outputs a measurement result (temperature data, humidity data, and/or the like) to the controller 70. In the following explanation, description is given of the case where the receiver 60 is the sensor 61. However, the receiver 60 may be an input part (e.g., input screen, input button, or the like) through which the information on at least one of temperature or humidity is input by a user. If the receiver 60 includes the input part instead of the sensor 61, provision of the sensor 61 is not needed, thereby being able to simplify a configuration of the printer 1. The receiver 60 may obtain a control signal to control the heating device 50, to thereby obtain the information on the temperature of the heating device 50 (temperature of the heater 51 and/or temperature of hot air sent from the air blower 52). That is, the receiver 60 may include a signal receiver to obtain a signal outputted from the controller 70 to the heating device 50. The receiver 60 is not limited to the sensor 61, the input part, or the signal receiver, but may have other configurations as long as information on at least one of temperature or humidity can be obtained.
The controller 70 is a control part to control the printer 1. The controller 70 controls the driving part (conveyor motor 22, carriage motor 32, head driving part 42, and heating device 50, etc.) of the printer 1, based on a print command from an external computer. As described below, based on the measurement result of the sensor 61, the controller 70 controls a range in which the processing liquid is ejected from the processing liquid nozzle array 44A (range of use 46A; corresponding to a first range of use) and a range in which ink is ejected from the ink nozzle array 44B (range of use 46B; corresponding to a second range of use).
As illustrated in
The controller 70 moves the carriage 31 in the scanning direction (after dots are formed in the medium M), and then conveys the medium M in the direction of conveyance as illustrated in FIGS. 3C and 3D. In the following explanation, this operation may be referred to as “conveying operation” (or “first moving operation”, “sub-scanning”). By the conveying operation, the downstream end of the dot formation area of the immediately preceding pass moves to the outside of the dot formation area of the next pass (see
The controller 70 causes the next pass to be executed, as illustrated in
The area A1 in
In the case of four-pass printing, the amount of conveyance L3 during the conveying operation is approximately ¼ of the range of the nozzles (range of use of the nozzle array 44) to eject a liquid (ink or processing liquid). In the case of four-pass printing in which ink is ejected from all the nozzles of the nozzle array 44, the amount of conveyance L3 during the conveying operation is about ¼ of the length L1 of the nozzle array.
In the drawing, among the nozzle arrays 44 illustrated in the rectangular shape, a hatched range is a range to which the nozzles to eject a liquid (ink or processing liquid) belong. It is assumed that the nozzles belonging to the range without hatching are not used, and that these nozzles are not to eject a liquid. In the following explanation, among the nozzle arrays 44 illustrated in the rectangular shape, the range (hatched range in the drawing) to which the nozzles to eject a liquid (ink or processing liquid) belong may be referred to as “range of use”, and the range (range without hatching in the drawing) to which the non-use nozzles that are not to eject a liquid belong may be referred to as “range of non-use”. Here, in the nozzle array 44, a half on the upstream side in the direction of conveyance corresponds to the range of use 46, and another half on the downstream side in the direction of conveyance corresponds to the range of non-use. Here, a length L2 is the length of the range of use 46 in the direction of conveyance, and the length L2 is half of the length L1.
In the case where four-pass printing is performed by using half of the nozzle array 44 as well, the amount of conveyance L3 during the conveying operation is approximately ¼ of the length L2 (the length of the range of use 46 of the nozzles in the direction of conveyance). Note that the amount of conveyance L3 during the conveying operation illustrated in
The processing liquid image 91A is an image configured with dots (processing liquid dots; first dots) that are formed of processing liquid. The ink image 91B is an image (color image) configured with dots (ink dots; second dots) that are formed of ink. The ink image 91B is an image formed on the processing liquid image 91A. As illustrated in the drawings, the printer 1 forms the processing liquid image 91A, which is configured with the processing liquid dots, on the medium M, and forms the ink image 91B, configured with ink dots, on the medium M on which the processing liquid image 91 is formed. With the formation of the ink dots on the medium M applied with the processing liquid, the ink dots can preferably be fixed on the medium M, thereby being able to improve the quality of printed image.
In the area A1, all of the processing liquid dots are formed with four passes (passes 1 to 4), and all of the ink dots are formed with four passes (passes 5 to 8). In the same way, in the areas A2 to A4, all of the processing liquid dots are formed with four passes, and all of the ink dots are formed with four passes. In the area A5, all of the processing liquid dots are formed with four passes (passes 5 to 8), and approximately ¾ of the ink dots are formed with three passes (passes 9 to 11). Note that, in the pass 12, which is not illustrated in the drawing, the processing liquid nozzle array 44A forms the processing liquid dots in the areas A9 to A12 (A12 is not illustrated), and the ink nozzle array 44B forms the ink dots in the areas A5 to A8, which results in all of the ink dots to be formed in the area A5 being formed.
In the dot formation method illustrated in
Among the rectangular-shaped nozzle arrays in the drawing, the hatched ranges indicate the ranges of use 46 (46A, 46B), and the ranges without hatching indicate the ranges of non-use. Here, the range of use 46 (46A, 46B) is located in the center of the nozzle array in the direction of conveyance, and the range of non-use is located on both end portions (upstream end and downstream end) of the nozzle array in the direction of conveyance. In order to make it possible adjust the interval between the range of use 46A and the range of use 46B as described later, it is preferable that the range of use 46 (46A, 46B) is disposed in the central portion of the nozzle array in the direction of conveyance, and the ranges of non-use are disposed in the both end portions (upstream end and downstream end) of the nozzle array in the direction of conveyance. However, the range of use 46 (46A, 46B) does not have to be disposed in the central portion of the nozzle array in the direction of conveyance. The range of use 46 (46A, 46B) may be disposed in the end portion (upstream end or downstream end) of the nozzle array in the direction of conveyance. Here, the length of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A is L1, and the length of the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A is L2, that is half of the length L1. Further, the length of the ink nozzle array 44B is L1, and the length of the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B is L2, that is half of the length L1. The amount of conveyance L3 during the conveying operation is approximately ¼ of the length L2 (the length of the range of use of the nozzle array 44 in the direction of conveyance). Note that the width in the direction of conveyance of each of the areas (A1 to A15) in the drawing corresponds to the length L3.
The controller 70 arranges one or more non-use nozzles between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B, to thereby create an interval between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B. With the nozzle in the end portion on the downstream side in the direction of conveyance of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A not being used, and the nozzle in the end portion on the upstream side in the direction of conveyance of the ink nozzle array 44B not being used, an interval is created between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B. Here, a length L10 between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B in the direction of conveyance corresponds to the amount of conveyance of 4 times of the conveying operation.
The controller 70 repeats the pass with an interval between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B, and the conveying operation, alternately. This makes it possible to form the ink dots, after a lapse of the drying period of the processing liquid dots formed with a certain pass. For example, focusing on the area A1 in
If the drying period of the processing liquid is too short, then ink dots may be likely to smear, to thereby degrade the quality of printed image. On the other hand, if the drying period of the processing liquid is too long, then the processing liquid applied onto the medium M coagulates and becomes non-uniform, which may degrade the quality of the printed image formed thereupon. Thus, the drying period of the processing liquid needs to be an appropriate length.
Meanwhile, the appropriate drying period for the processing liquid varies depending on the environment. For example, when the temperature is high or the humidity is low, the processing liquid dries easily. Accordingly, the drying period of the processing liquid should be short. On the other hand, when the temperature is low or the humidity is high, the drying period of the processing liquid should be longer.
Accordingly, the controller 70 adjusts the interval between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B, to thereby control the drying period of the processing liquid, as described below. Additionally, when adjusting the interval between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B, the controller 70 maintains the length of the range of use 46A in the processing liquid nozzle array 44A in the direction of conveyance and the length of the range of use 46B in the ink nozzle array 44B in the direction of conveyance. In other words, the controller maintains the amount of conveyance during the conveying operation. This can keep the length of each area (each of areas A1 to A15 in
As described above, the lengths of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the ink nozzle array 44B in the direction of conveyance is L1. Each of the lengths of the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B in the direction of conveyance, that is L2, is half of the length L1. As illustrated in the upper diagram in
As illustrated in the lower left diagram in
Focusing on the area A1 in
The controller 70 may set the interval between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B to a length further shorter than the length L11, when the temperature increases higher or the humidity decreases lower. Accordingly, the drying period can be further shortened with respect to the drying period by the dot formation method illustrated in
As illustrated in the lower right diagram in
Focusing on the area A1 in
Note that the controller 70 may set the interval between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B to a length further longer than the length L12, when the temperature decreases lower or the humidity increases higher. Accordingly, the drying period can be further lengthened with respect to the drying period by the dot formation method illustrated in
In the above explanation, the controller 70 changes the interval between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B by changing the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A. However, the interval between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B can be changed by changing the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B. In this case as well, when adjusting the interval between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B, the controller 70 maintains the length of the range of use 46A in the processing liquid nozzle array 44A in the direction of conveyance and the length of the range of use 46B in the ink nozzle array 44B in the direction of conveyance. In other words, the controller maintains the amount of conveyance during the conveying operation. This can keep the length of each area (each of areas A1 to A15 in
In the printing method illustrated in
The pass 1 to the pass 15 illustrated in
When the measurement result of the sensor 61 is higher than the first reference temperature, or when the measurement result of the sensor 61 is lower than the first reference humidity, the controller 70 reduces the interval between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B. However, as to the pass 16, as illustrated in the lower left drawing in
Thus, the controller 70 temporarily performs a shift pass (pass 16 to pass 19 in
After repeating such shift pass and conveying operation 4 times, the controller 70 sets the interval between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array, to the length L11 corresponding to the amount of conveyance of 3 times of the conveying operation, as illustrated in the lower left diagram in
Even in the case where the temporal shift pass (pass 16 to pass 19 in
The pass 1 to the pass 15 illustrated in
When the measurement result of the sensor 61 is lower than the second reference temperature, or when the measurement result of the sensor 61 is higher than the second reference humidity, the controller 70 increases the interval between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B. However, as to the pass 16, as illustrated in the lower right diagram in
Thus, the controller 70 temporarily performs the shift pass (pass 16 to pass 19 in
After repeating such shift pass and conveying operation 4 times, the controller 70 sets the interval between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B, to the length L12 corresponding to the amount of conveyance of 5 times of the conveying operation, as illustrated in the lower right diagram in
Even in the case where the temporal shift pass (pass 16 to pass 19 in
Incidentally, in the case where the interval between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B is changed during printing as well, the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B may be changed instead of changing the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A. However, if the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B is changed during printing, the image quality of the ink image 91B may become non-uniform. Accordingly, as illustrated in
In the first modification, the length of the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A in the direction of conveyance and the length of the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B in the direction of conveyance are different. Even if the length of the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A in the direction of conveyance and the length of the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B in the direction of conveyance are not the same, the drying period can be adjusted by adjusting the interval between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B. In the first modification as well, when adjusting the interval between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B, the controller 70 maintains the length of the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A in the direction of conveyance and the length of the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B in the direction of conveyance. In other words, the controller maintains the amount of conveyance during the conveying operation. This can keep the length of each area (each of areas A1 to A15 in
In the first modification, the processing liquid image 91A is formed with two-pass printing, and the ink image 91B is formed with four-pass printing. As illustrated in
In the second modification illustrated in
In the third modification, the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the ink nozzle array 44B are arranged in the scanning direction. Even if the processing liquid nozzle array 44A is not arranged on the upstream side in the direction of conveyance with respect to the ink nozzle array 44B, as such, the drying period can be adjusted by changing the interval L10 between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B. However, as can be understood from the comparison between
In the above description, the controller 70 controls the ranges of non-use of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the ink nozzle array 44B, to thereby change the interval L10 between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B. However, a method of changing the interval L10 between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B is not limited to this. For example, the interval L10 between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B may be changed, with at least one of the processing liquid head 41A or the ink head 41B being configured to be movable in the direction of conveyance and the controller 70 controlling the driving part based on the measurement result of the sensor 61, to thereby change the position of the head 41 in the direction of conveyance. Such a configuration can also reduce the number of the nozzles that are not used, thereby being able to utilize the nozzles effectively. However, such a configuration in which the ranges of non-use of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the ink nozzle array 44B are controlled is more preferable since it can simplify a configuration of the printer 1 more than a configuration in which the head 41 is configured to be movable in the direction of conveyance.
In the above description, the printer 1 includes the receiver 60 to obtain the information on at least one of the temperature or the humidity. However, the printer 1 does not have to include the receiver 60 to obtain the information on at least one of the temperature or the humidity. For example, the controller 70 may change the interval between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B in the direction of conveyance so that the drying time according to the amount of the ink is set based on the information on the amount of the ink ejected to the medium M, instead of the information on at least one of the temperature or the humidity. In this case as well, the drying period can be adjusted to the appropriate length. Further, when adjusting the interval between the range of use 46A of the processing liquid nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the ink nozzle array 44B, the controller 70 maintains the length of the range of use 46A in the processing liquid nozzle array 44A in the direction of conveyance and the length of the range of use 46B in the ink nozzle array 44B in the direction of conveyance. In other words, the controller 70 maintains the amount of conveyance during the conveying operation. This can keep the length of each area (each of areas A1 to A15 in
In the first preferred embodiment described above, the first head 41A is the processing liquid head to eject the processing liquid (corresponding to the first liquid), and the second head 41B is the ink head to eject ink (corresponding to the second liquid). However, the first head 41A does not have to be the processing liquid head, and the second head 41B does not have to be the ink head. That is, the first liquid does not have to be the processing liquid, and the second liquid does not have to be the ink (color ink).
For example, the first head 41A may be the ink head to eject white ink (corresponding to the first liquid), and the second head 41B may be the ink head to eject color ink (corresponding to the second liquid). In this case, such a color image is formed in which the color ink is formed on a base image formed with the white ink. Further, the first head 41A may be the ink head to eject color ink (corresponding to the first liquid), and the second head 41B may be the coating head to eject coating liquid (corresponding to the second liquid). In this case, such a coating image (coating layer) is formed in which the coating liquid is formed on an ink image formed with the ink.
In the first preferred embodiment described above, the first moving unit 20 moves the medium M in the direction of conveyance (corresponding to the first direction). However, the first moving unit 20 does not have to be the one to move the medium M in the first direction (direction of conveyance). For example, the first moving unit 20 may relatively move the head 41 (41A, 41B) and the medium M in the first direction by moving the second moving unit 30 (carriage unit) in the first direction (a so-called gantry type printer). In the case of such a gantry type printer, dots are formed on the medium M such that the first moving operation in which the second moving unit (carriage unit) is moved in the first direction by the first moving unit, and the second moving operation in which the head is moved in the second direction by the second moving unit (corresponding to the “pass” described above) are alternately repeated. In this case, the first moving unit 20 moves the second moving unit (carriage unit) to the upstream side in the first movement direction during the first moving operation. In the case of the gantry type printer as well, the interval in the first direction (corresponding to the interval L10 described above) between the range of use 46A of the first nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the second nozzle array 44B is changed, while the length (corresponding to L2 described above) of the range of use 46A of the first nozzle array 44A in the first direction and the length of the range of use 46B of the second nozzle array 44B in the first direction is maintained, and also the amount of movement (corresponding to L3) when the first moving unit 20 relatively moves the medium M and the nozzle array 44 in the first direction is maintained (see
The printer 1 described above includes a first head 41A, a second head 41B, a first moving unit 20, and a second moving unit 30. The first head 41A includes a first nozzle array 44A (e.g., processing liquid nozzle array), the first nozzle array 44A including first nozzles 45A (e.g., processing liquid nozzle) arranged in a first direction (e.g., direction of conveyance), the first nozzles 45A capable of ejecting a first liquid (e.g., processing liquid) (see
In the printer 1 described above, it is preferable that the first liquid is a processing liquid. This makes it possible to preferably fix, onto the medium, the second liquid ejected onto the first liquid, thereby being able to improve the image quality.
The printer 1 described above further includes a receiver 60 configured to obtain information on at least one of temperature or humidity. And, based on the information obtained by the receiver 60 (information on at least one of the temperature or the humidity), the interval in the first direction between the range of use 46A of the first nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the second nozzle array 44B is changed (see
Further, the receiver 60 described above is a sensor 61 configured to measure at least one of the temperature or the humidity. And, based on the measurement result of the temperature or the humidity of the sensor 61, the interval of the range of use 46A of the first nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the second nozzle array 44B in the first direction is changed (see
Note that the receiver 60 described above may obtain the information (information on at least one of temperature or humidity) inputted by a user. This negates the need to provide the sensor 61, thereby being able to simplify a configuration of the printer 1.
Further, the receiver 60 described above may obtain a control signal to control a heating device 50 (e.g., heater 51, air blower 52, etc.), to thereby obtain the information on at least one of the temperature or the humidity. This makes it possible to adjust the drying time to the length suitable for the drying environment adjusted by the heater 50.
Further, in the printer 1 described above, it is preferable that the interval in the first direction between the range of use 46A of the first nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the second nozzle array 44B is reduced more, as the temperature obtained by the receiver 60 is higher or the humidity obtained by the receiver 60 is lower. This makes it possible to adjust the drying period to a shorter period, in the situation where the first liquid is easily dried.
Further, in the printer 1 described above, it is preferable that the interval in the first direction between the range of use 46A of the first nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the second nozzle array 44B is increased more, as the temperature obtained by the receiver 60 is lower, or as the humidity obtained by the receiver 60 is higher. This makes it possible to adjust the drying period to a longer period, in the situation where the first liquid is not easily dried.
Further, in the printer 1 described above, it is preferable to perform multi-pass printing. That is, in the printer 1 described above, it is preferable that the formation of the dots to be formed in the area of the medium M with a width corresponding to a single time of an amount of movement (corresponding to L3 described above) of the first moving operation by the first moving unit 20 is completed by performing a plurality of times of the second moving operation (corresponding to the pass described above) by the second moving unit 30. This makes it possible to improve image quality, as compared to that using the printing method in which the formation of the dots to be formed are completed with a single time of the second moving operation (corresponding to the pass) (one-pass printing).
Further, in the printer described above, it is preferable that the interval in the first direction between the range of use 46A of the first nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the second nozzle array 44B is changed during printing, based on the information (information on at least one of the temperature or the humidity) obtained by the receiver 60 during printing (see
Further, it is preferable that when the interval is changed during printing, the length of the range of use 46A of the first nozzle array 44A in the first direction is temporarily changed, and then the length of the range of use 46A of the first nozzle array 44A in the first direction is returned (see the pass 16 to the pass 19 in
In the case where the first liquid is the processing liquid and the first head 41A is the processing liquid head, it is preferable that the first nozzle array 44A (processing liquid nozzle array 44A in this case) is located on the upstream side in the first direction with respect to the second nozzle array 44B (ink nozzle array in this case) (see
Further, the printer 1 described above changes the interval (e.g., interval L10) in the first direction between the range of use 46A of the first nozzle array 44A and the range of use 46B of the second nozzle array 44B, while the amount of movement (corresponding to L3 described above) when the first moving unit 20 relatively moves the head 41 (first head 41A and second head 41B) and the medium M in the first direction is maintained (see
The present disclosure is directed to adjusting a drying period to an appropriate length while restraining variations in image quality.
According to the present disclosure, it is possible to adjust a drying period to an appropriate length, while restraining variations in image quality.
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 |
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2022-067136 | Apr 2022 | JP | national |