US-12617216-B2 - Printer and printing method

US12617216B2US 12617216 B2US12617216 B2US 12617216B2US-12617216-B2

Abstract

A printer includes a platen, a head which ejects light-curable ink to a printing object placed on the platen, a lamp which irradiates the printing object, on which the light-curable ink ejected from the head is adhered, with light, a carriage which supports the head and the lamp and which moves the head and the lamp in a main scanning direction, an ink recovering mechanism which faces a predetermined position within a predetermined area where the head is movable with movement of the carriage and which recovers the light-curable ink ejected from the head, and a controller which controls the head, the lamp, the carriage, and the ink recovering mechanism.

Inventors

Yasunari TSUJI
Akihiro Kobayashi

Assignees

BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20221031
Priority Date: 20211126

Claims (15)

1 . A printer comprising: a platen; a head having a plurality of nozzles and configured to eject light-curable ink from the plurality of nozzles; a lamp configured to emit light; a carriage configured to support the head and the lamp, and to move the head and the lamp in a main scanning direction; an ink recovering mechanism facing a predetermined position within a predetermined area where the head is movable with movement of the carriage, including a pump, and configured to recover the light-curable ink ejected from the head; and a controller configured to control the head, the lamp, the carriage, and the ink recovering mechanism, wherein the controller is configured to: acquire print data for printing a print image on a printing object, the print image including a plurality of line images; cause the head to eject the light-curable ink while moving the carriage in the main scanning direction to print each of the plurality of line images on the printing object; determine whether a target nozzle is included in the plurality of nozzles when printing a predetermined line image included in the plurality of line images, the target nozzle being a nozzle in a state of not ejecting the light-curable ink over a predetermined time during a printing of the predetermined line image; in a case where the target nozzle is included in the plurality of nozzles, cause the carriage to move the head and dispose the head at the predetermined position, and cause the head to eject the light-curable ink toward the ink recovering mechanism with the head facing and being separated from the ink recovering mechanism while driving the pump of the ink recovering mechanism to suck the light-curable ink ejected from the head; after recovering the light-curable ink ejected from the head by driving the pump of the ink recovering mechanism, determine whether a next line image to be printed on the printing object is included in the plurality of line images; in a case where the next line image is included in the plurality of line images, cause the head to eject the light-curable ink while moving the carriage in the main scanning direction to print the next line image on the printing object.
2 . The printer according to claim 1 , further comprising a mobile recovering mechanism supported by the carriage and configured to move together with the head to recover the light-curable ink ejected from the head, wherein the controller is configured to stop recovering the light-curable ink by the mobile recovering mechanism, under a condition that the light-curable ink ejected from the head is recovered by the ink recovering mechanism.
3 . The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the ink recovering mechanism is provided as a part of the platen, and the controller is configured to: dispose the head at the predetermined position facing the ink recovering mechanism; cause the head to eject the light-curable ink toward the ink recovering mechanism with the head being disposed at the predetermined position; and cause the ink recovering mechanism to recover the light-curable ink ejected from the head.
4 . The printer according to claim 3 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect a distance between the head and the printing object, wherein the controller is configured to specify that the head has been moved to the predetermined position based on a result detected by the sensor.
5 . The printer according to claim 4 , wherein the carriage is configured to: support the head and the lamp with the head being disposed on one side in the main scanning direction with respect to the lamp; and support the sensor at an end portion on the one side in the main scanning direction.
6 . The printer according to claim 5 , wherein the sensor includes a first sensor and a second sensor, and the carriage is configured to: support the first sensor at an end on one side in a sub scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction; and support the second sensor at another end on the other side in the sub scanning direction.
7 . The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the carriage to move the head and dispose the head at the predetermined position at a timing included in a period of time between completion of movement in the main scanning direction of the head by the carriage and next start of the movement in the main scanning direction of the head by the carriage.
8 . The printer according to claim 7 , wherein the carriage is configured to support the head and the lamp with the head being disposed on one side in the main scanning direction with respect to the lamp, and the predetermined position is a position of the head at completion of movement toward the one side in the main scanning direction of the head by the carriage.
9 . The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to: acquire printing object information related to the printing object; and determine ejection frequency of the light-curable ink from the head toward the ink recovering mechanism based on the printing object information acquired.
10 . A printer comprising: a platen; a head having a plurality of nozzles and configured to eject light-curable ink from the plurality of nozzles; a lamp configured to emit light; a carriage configured to support the head and the lamp, and to move the head and the lamp in a main scanning direction; a first recovering mechanism provided in a part of the platen to face a first predetermined position within a predetermined area where the head is movable with movement of the carriage, including a first pump, and configured to recover the light-curable ink ejected from the head; a second recovering mechanism facing a second predetermined position within the predetermined area, including a second pump, and configured to recover the light-curable ink ejected from the head; and a controller configured to control the head, the lamp, the carriage, the first recovering mechanism, and the second recovering mechanism, wherein the controller is configured to: acquire print data for printing a print image on a printing object and, the print image including a plurality of line images; acquire printing object information related to the printing object; cause the head to eject the light-curable ink while moving the carriage in the main scanning direction to print each of the plurality of line images on the printing object; determine whether a target nozzle is included in the plurality of nozzles when printing a predetermined line image included in the plurality of line images, the target nozzle being a nozzle in a state of not ejecting the light-curable ink over a predetermined time during a printing of the predetermined line image; in a case where the target nozzle is included in the plurality of nozzles, cause the head to be disposed at the first predetermined position at a first timing during the printing of the predetermined line image and cause the head to eject the light-curable ink toward the first recovering mechanism with the head facing and being separated from the first recovering mechanism while driving the first pump of the first recovering mechanism to suck the light-curable ink ejected from the head, or cause the head to be disposed at the second predetermined position at a second timing after the printing of the predetermined line image and before printing of a next line image to be printed next to the predetermined line image and cause the head to eject the light-curable ink toward the second recovering mechanism with the head facing and being separated from the second recovering mechanism while driving the second pump of the second recovering mechanism to suck the light-curable ink ejected from the head; after recovering the light-curable ink ejected from the head by driving the first pump of the first recovering mechanism or the second pump of the second recovering mechanism, determine whether the next line image is included in the plurality of line images; and in a case where the next line image is included in the plurality of line images, cause the head to eject the light-curable ink while moving the carriage in the main scanning direction to print the next line image on the printing object, wherein the controller is configured to switch between causing the head to eject the light-curable ink toward the first recovering mechanism and causing the head to eject the light-curable ink toward the second recovering mechanism, according to the printing object information acquired.
11 . The printer according to claim 10 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect a distance between the head and the printing object, wherein the controller is configured to specify that the head has been moved to the first predetermined position based on a result detected by the sensor.
12 . The printer according to claim 10 , wherein the carriage is configured to support the head and the lamp with the head being disposed on one side in the main scanning direction with respect to the lamp, and the second predetermined position is a position of the head at completion of movement toward the one side in the main scanning direction of the head by the carriage.
13 . A printing method carried out by a printer, the printer comprising: a platen; a head having a plurality of nozzles and configured to eject light-curable ink from the plurality of nozzles; a lamp configured to emit light; a carriage configured to support the head and the lamp, and to move the head and the lamp in a main scanning direction; and an ink recovering mechanism facing a predetermined position within a predetermined area where the head is movable with movement of the carriage, including a pump, and configured to recover the light-curable ink ejected from the head, the printing method comprising: acquiring print data for printing a print image on a printing object, the print image including a plurality of line images; causing the head to eject the light-curable ink while moving the carriage in the main scanning direction to print each of the plurality of line images on the printing object; determining whether a target nozzle is included in the plurality of nozzles when printing a predetermined line image included in the plurality of line images, the target nozzle being a nozzle in a state of not ejecting the light-curable ink over a predetermined time during a printing of the predetermined line image; in a case where the target nozzle is included in the plurality of nozzles, causing the carriage to move the head and dispose the head at the predetermined position, and causing the head to eject the light-curable ink toward the ink recovering mechanism with the head facing and being separated from the ink recovering mechanism while driving the pump of the ink recovering mechanism to suck the light-curable ink ejected from the head; after recovering the light-curable ink ejected from the head by driving the pump of the ink recovering mechanism, determine whether a next line image to be printed on the printing object is included in the plurality of line images; and in a case where the next line image is included in the plurality of line images, cause the head to eject the light-curable ink while moving the carriage in the main scanning direction to print the next line image on the printing object.
14 . The printing method according to claim 13 , wherein the printer further comprises a mobile recovering mechanism supported by the carriage and configured to move together with the head to recover the light-curable ink ejected from the head, and recovering the light-curable ink by the mobile recovering mechanism is stopped under a condition that the light-curable ink ejected from the head is recovered by the ink recovering mechanism.
15 . A printing method carried out by a printer, the printer comprising: a platen; a head having a plurality of nozzles and configured to eject light-curable ink from the plurality of nozzles; a lamp configured to emit light; a carriage configured to support the head and the lamp, and to move the head and the lamp in a main scanning direction; a first recovering mechanism provided in a part of the platen, facing a first predetermined position within a predetermined area where the head is movable with movement of the carriage, including a first pump, and configured to recover the light-curable ink ejected from the head; a second recovering mechanism facing a second predetermined position within the predetermined area, including a second pump, and configured to recover the light-curable ink ejected from the head; and a controller configured to control the head, the lamp, the carriage, the first recovering mechanism, and the second recovering mechanism, the printing method comprising: acquiring print data for printing a print image on a printing object and, the print image including a plurality of line images; acquiring printing object information related to the printing object; causing the head to eject the light-curable ink while moving the carriage in the main scanning direction to print each of the plurality of line images on the printing object; determine whether a target nozzle is included in the plurality of nozzles when printing a predetermined line image included in the plurality of line images, the target nozzle being a nozzle in a state of not ejecting the light-curable ink over a predetermined time during a printing of the predetermined line image; in a case where the target nozzle is included in the plurality of nozzles, causing the head to be disposed at the first predetermined position at a first timing during the printing of the predetermined line image and causing the head to eject the light-curable ink toward the first recovering mechanism with the head facing and being separated from the first recovering mechanism while driving the first pump of the first recovering mechanism to suck the light-curable ink ejected from the head, or causing the head to be disposed at the second predetermined position at a second timing after the printing of the predetermined line image and before printing of a next line image to be printed next to the predetermined line image and cause the head to eject the light-curable ink toward the second recovering mechanism with the head facing and being separated from the second recovering mechanism while driving the second pump of the second recovering mechanism to suck the light-curable ink ejected from the head; after recovering the light-curable ink ejected from the head by driving the first pump of the first recovering mechanism or the second pump of the second recovering mechanism, determining whether the next line image is included in the plurality of line images; and in a case where the next line image is included in the plurality of line images, causing the head to eject the light-curable ink while moving the carriage in the main scanning direction to print the next line image on the printing object, wherein whether causing the head to eject the light-curable ink toward the first recovering mechanism or causing the head to eject the light-curable ink toward the second recovering mechanism is switched according to the printing object information acquired.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-192038 filed on Nov. 26, 2021. The entire content of the priority application is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, there is known an image recording apparatus using a light-curable ink to record images on a printing object. Such an image recording apparatus includes a recording head, an ultraviolet ray irradiating device, and a maintenance mechanism. In recording an image, the image recording apparatus ejects the ink from the recording head onto the printing object while moving the recording head reciprocatingly in a main scanning direction within a recording area. Then, the ultraviolet ray irradiating device irradiates the ink landed on the printing object with ultraviolet ray. By virtue of this, the ink is cured and fastened such that the image is recorded on the printing object. On the other hand, in maintenance, the image recording apparatus moves the recording head to a maintenance area. Next, in the image recording apparatus, the ink in the recording head is sucked via a suction cap of the maintenance mechanism. Next, the image recording apparatus causes the recording head to eject the ink toward a receiver of the maintenance mechanism. In the above manner, the recording head is prepared in a preferable condition for carrying out an image recording again. DESCRIPTION In the case of a printer using a light-curable ink, light of a lamp may be reflected from a printing object and the head is irradiated with the light reflected so as to cure the ink in nozzles of the head. In order to prevent the cured ink from clogging the nozzles, after the ink is ejected onto the printing object from the head, it is necessary to immediately discharge the ink remaining in the nozzles of the head. In the above image recording apparatus, although the ink is discharged from the recording head in maintenance, the ink is not discharged from the recording head in image recording. Therefore, there is a problem that the ink inside the nozzles may be cured in image recording so as to clog the nozzles. An object of the present disclosure is to provide a printer and a printing method capable of preventing nozzle clogging by immediately discharging the ink remaining in the nozzles of the head in printing operations. According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a printer including: a platen;a head configured to eject light-curable ink to a printing object placed on the platen;a lamp configured to irradiate the printing object, on which the light-curable ink ejected from the head is adhered, with light;a carriage configured to support the head and the lamp, and to move the head and the lamp in a main scanning direction;an ink recovering mechanism facing a predetermined position within a predetermined area where the head is movable with movement of the carriage, and configured to recover the light-curable ink ejected from the head; anda controller configured to control the head, the lamp, the carriage, and the ink recovering mechanism,wherein the controller is configured to: cause the carriage to move the head and dispose the head at the predetermined position at a timing within a printing period from start to end of a printing on the printing object;cause the head to eject the light-curable ink toward the ink recovering mechanism with the head being disposed at the predetermined position; andcause the ink recovering mechanism to recover the light-curable ink ejected from the head. The controller causes the head to eject the light-curable ink therefrom toward the ink recovering mechanism in the printing period. By virtue of this, it is possible to discharge the light-curable ink remaining in the nozzles of the head, thereby preventing the nozzles from clogging. On this occasion, the printer can properly prevent the nozzles from clogging because even if the light-curable ink supplied to the head for printing remains in the nozzles, the light-curable ink can still be discharged from the nozzles immediately during the printing period. In the first aspect, the printer may further include a mobile recovering mechanism supported by the carriage and configured to move together with the head to recover the light-curable ink ejected from the head, and the controller may be configured to stop recovering the light-curable ink by the mobile recovering mechanism, under a condition that the light-curable ink ejected from the head is recovered by the ink recovering mechanism. The printer can prevent the direction of ejecting the light-curable ink from the head toward the ink recovering mechanism, from being changed by driving the mobile recovering mechanism. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility of adhering the ink ejected toward the ink recovering mechanism to other parts than the ink recovering mechanism. In the first aspect, the ink recovering mechanism may be