System for forming structure on print medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10065431-B2
Application number	US-201715451556-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2017
Priority date	May 17, 2016
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

A system for forming a structure on a print medium 1 includes: a print unit (print device) 10 for printing an electromagnetic wave-heat conversion layer for converting electromagnetic waves into heat, on a medium including an expansion layer that expands by heating; an expansion unit (expansion device) 20 aligned laterally with the print unit 10 , for expanding the expansion layer by irradiating the medium with electromagnetic waves; and a top plate 30 covering the print unit 10 and the expansion unit 20 from above.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for forming a structure on a print medium, the system comprising:
a print device for printing an electromagnetic wave-heat conversion layer for converting electromagnetic waves into heat, on a medium including an expansion layer that expands by heating;
an expansion device aligned laterally with the print device, for expanding the expansion layer by irradiating the medium with electromagnetic waves;
a top plate covering the print device and the expansion device from above; and a slide mechanism for sliding the top plate in a direction intersecting a lateral direction in which the print device and the expansion device are aligned.

2. The system for forming a structure on a print medium according to claim 1 , further comprising a display unit for displaying information about at least one of the print device and the expansion device,
wherein the display unit is incorporated in the top plate.

3. The system for forming a structure on a print medium according to claim 2 ,
wherein an upper surface of the display unit is coplanar with an upper surface of the top plate.

4. The system for forming a structure on a print medium according to claim 2 ,
wherein the display unit is incorporated at a position close to an end of the top plate in the lateral direction in which the print device and the expansion device are aligned.

5. The system for forming a structure on a print medium according to claim 2 ,
wherein a center of the display unit is located more on an expansion device side than a center of the top plate.

6. The system for forming a structure on a print medium according to claim 1 , further comprising a pair of side bases,
wherein the pair of side bases are each shaped like a frame whose lower side is longer than an upper side thereof and whose corners are round.

7. The system for forming a structure on a print medium according to claim 6 ,
wherein the pair of side bases are provided with a respective pair of side panels, and
wherein the pair of side panels each cover at least an upper half of a hollow portion of a corresponding one of the pair of side bases.

8. The system for forming a structure on a print medium according to claim 7 ,
wherein the pair of side panels each cover the hollow portion of the corresponding one of the pair of side bases, to a lower position than a lower end of each of the print device and the expansion device.

9. A system for forming a structure on a print medium, the system comprising:
a print device for printing an electromagnetic wave-heat conversion layer for converting electromagnetic waves into heat, on a medium including an expansion layer that expands by heating;
an expansion device aligned laterally with the print device, for expanding the expansion layer by irradiating the medium with electromagnetic waves; and
a top plate covering the print device and the expansion device from above,
wherein each of the print device and the expansion device includes:
a suction part for sucking the medium; and
a discharge part for discharging the medium, and

wherein the suction part of the print device and the suction part of the expansion device are aligned along a lateral direction in which the print device and the expansion device are aligned, on a back side which is one side of the top plate in a direction intersecting the lateral direction.

10. The system for forming a structure on a print medium according to claim 9 ,
wherein the discharge part of the print device and the discharge part of the expansion device are aligned along the lateral direction, on a front side which is an opposite side to the back side in the intersecting direction.

11. The system for forming a structure on a print medium according to claim 9 , further comprising a control unit located directly below the print device.

12. The system for forming a structure on a print medium according to claim 11 ,
wherein the control unit controls at least one of the print device and the expansion device, and
wherein a stop button for stopping operation of at least one of the print device and the expansion device is provided on a front side of the control unit.

13. The system for forming a structure on a print medium according to claim 12 ,
wherein a front end of the control unit is located more on a back side than a front end of each of the print device and the expansion device.

14. The system for forming a structure on a print medium according to claim 9 , further comprising a back panel covering a back side of the print device and the expansion device,
wherein the back panel is open at a position corresponding to the suction part of the print device and the suction part of the expansion device.

15. The system for forming a structure on a print medium according to claim 14 , further comprising a pair of side bases,
wherein the back panel extends from an upper end of the pair of side bases to a lower position than a lower end of each of the print device and the expansion device.

16. The system for forming a structure on a print medium according to claim 15 ,
wherein an upper part of the back panel lies along a back side of the pair of side bases, in a curved shape.

17. A system for forming a structure on a print medium comprising:
a print device for printing an electromagnetic wave-heat conversion layer for converting electromagnetic waves into heat, on a medium including an expansion layer that expands by heating; and
an expansion device aligned laterally with the print device, for expanding the expansion layer by irradiating the medium with electromagnetic waves,
wherein each of the print device and the expansion device includes:
a suction part for sucking the medium; and
a discharge part for discharging the medium, and

wherein the suction part of the print device and the suction part of the expansion device are aligned along a lateral direction in which the print device and the expansion device are aligned.

18. The system for forming a structure on a print medium according to claim 17 ,
wherein the discharge part of the print device and the discharge part of the expansion device respectively face the suction part of the print device and the suction part of the expansion device.

Assignees

• Casio Computer Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ushigome Youichi
• Kurosawa Satoshi
• Ono Junichi

Classifications

• B41J2/435

  characterised by selective application of radiation to a printing material or impression-transfer material · CPC title

• B29C44/0407

  by regulating the temperature of the mould or parts thereof, e.g. cold mould walls inhibiting foaming of an outer layer · CPC title

• B41M3/16

  Braille printing (typewriters or selective printing mechanisms for Braille printing B41J3/32) · CPC title

• B29L2031/767

  Printing equipment or accessories therefor · CPC title

• B29K2105/0076

  Microcapsules · CPC title