Printer and curl straightening method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10689805-B2
Application number	US-201815885825-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2018
Priority date	Feb 16, 2017
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

A curl straightening method applied upon printing on a spread medium in a printing step, the method being provided with a first spreading step of spreading the medium fed out from a medium roll between a feeding step of feeding the medium from the medium roll in which the medium made of a textile fabric and having a predetermined width is wound on a roll core, and the printing step of printing on the medium fed out from the medium roll, and in the first spreading step, spreading of the medium is performed in a state where the medium fed out from the medium roll is stretched on an outer circumference of a first spreader roller rotating about a pivotal axis parallel to a pivotal axis of the medium roll, and the medium has its surface side with a curl stretched on the outer circumference of the first spreader roller.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A printer, comprising:
a medium roll for feeding a medium, wherein the medium made of a textile fabric and having a predetermined width is wound on a roll core;
a printing section, configured to print on the medium fed out from the medium roll;
a first spreader roller, provided on a transport path of the medium between the medium roll and the printing section, the first spreader roller being configured to spread the medium stretched on its outer circumference while rotating about a first pivotal axis parallel to a center axis of the medium roll; and
an angle retaining section, configured to retain an angle of approach of the medium onto the outer circumference of the first spreader roller as seen along an axial direction of the first pivotal axis at a first predetermined angle,
wherein on the first spreader roller, the medium has a curled surface side stretched on the outer circumference of the first spreader roller, and
wherein the first predetermined angle is an angle by which a contact area of the outer circumference of the first spreader roller and the medium becomes a first predetermined area.

2. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein
the first pivotal axis is located on a vertical line passing through the center axis of the medium roll as seen along the axial direction of the first pivotal axis; and
the angle retaining section is configured of a first retaining section and a second retaining section that are arranged symmetrically with the vertical line interposed in between.

3. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein
the first pivotal axis is located on a vertical line passing through the center axis of the medium roll as seen along the axial direction of the first pivotal axis; and
the angle retaining section is a columnar member arranged on the vertical line and parallel to the center axis of the medium roll.

4. The printer according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a second spreader roller, provided on the transport path of the medium between the first spreader roller and the printing section, the second spreader roller being configured to spread the medium stretched on its outer circumference while rotating about a second pivotal axis parallel to the center axis of the medium roll; and
a tensioning bar, provided on the transport path of the medium between the first spreader roller and the second spreader roller, the tensioning bar being configured to apply tension to the medium,
wherein the tensioning bar is provided rotatably about a third pivotal axis parallel to the second pivotal axis, and configured to be capable of displacing a contacting portion with the medium arranged on a radially outer side of the third pivotal axis along a circumferential direction about the third pivotal axis,
wherein on the second spreader roller, the medium has a curled surface side stretched on the outer circumference of the second spreader roller,
wherein the tensioning bar brings the contacting portion into contact with a non-curled surface side of the medium to retain an angle of approach of the medium onto the outer circumference of the second spreader roller as seen along an axial direction of the second pivotal axis at a second predetermined angle, and
wherein the second predetermined angle is an angle by which a contact area of the outer circumference of the second spreader roller and the medium becomes a second predetermined area.

5. The printer according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a switching section, provided on the transport path of the medium between the first spreader roller and the tensioning bar, and configured to switch a transporting direction of the medium,
wherein the switching section is configured to be rotatable about a fourth pivotal axis parallel to the first pivotal axis, and provided so that a contact position of an outer circumference of the switching section and the medium is located on the vertical line or in a vicinity of the vertical line as seen along an axial direction of the fourth pivotal axis.

6. The printer according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a guide bar for guiding the medium, the transporting direction of which has been switched by the switching section, to the second spreader roller by passing the medium through an outer side of a movable region of the contacting portion that displaces in a circumferential direction about the third pivotal axis.

7. The printer according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a transport mechanism section, provided on the transport path of the medium between the second spreader roller and the printing section,
wherein the transport mechanism section comprising:
a driving roller, provided rotatably about a fifth pivotal axis;
a transport belt, strapped on the driving roller to be transported toward a side of the printing section along with rotation of the driving roller about the fifth pivotal axis; and
a pressing roller, provided on an opposite side from the driving roller with the transport belt interposed in between, and provided rotatably about a sixth pivotal axis parallel to the fifth pivotal axis, and

wherein the pressing roller is arranged with a gap from the transport belt strapped on the driving roller, the gap being smaller than a thickness of the medium, and the medium held between an outer circumference of the pressing roller and an outer circumference of the transport belt and brought into pressure contact with the transport belt by the pressing roller is transported to the side of the printing section together with the transport belt transported by rotation of the driving roller.

8. The printer according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a second spreader roller, provided on the transport path of the medium between the first spreader roller and the printing section, the second spreader roller being configured to spread the medium stretched on its outer circumference while rotating about a second pivotal axis parallel to the center axis of the medium roll; and
a tensioning bar, provided on the transport path of the medium between the first spreader roller and the second spreader roller, the tensioning bar being configured to apply tension to the medium,
wherein the tensioning bar is provided rotatably about a third pivotal axis parallel to the second pivotal axis, and configured to be capable of displacing a contacting portion with the medium arranged on a radially outer side of the third pivotal axis along a circumferential direction about the third pivotal axis,
wherein on the second spreader roller, the medium has a curled surface side stretched on the outer circumference of the second spreader roller,
wherein the tensioning bar brings the contacting portion into contact with a non-curled surface side of the medium to retain an angle of approach of the medium onto the outer circumference of the second spreader roller as seen along an axial direction of the second pivotal axis at a second predetermined angle, and
wherein the second predetermined angle is an angle by which a contact area of the outer circumference of the second spreader roller and the medium becomes a second predetermined area.

9. The printer according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a switching section, provided on the transport path of the medium between the first spreader roller and the tensioning bar, and configured to switch a transporting direction of the medium,
wherein the switching section is configured to be rotatable about a fourth pivotal axis parallel to the first pivotal axis, and provided so that a contact position of an outer circumference of the switching section and the medium is located on the vertical line or in a vicinity of the vertical line as seen along an axial direction of the fourth pivota

Assignees

• Mimaki Eng Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ito Shin
• Takano Tomohiro

Classifications

• D06B23/026

  characterised by particular surface features · CPC title

• B41F23/00

  Devices for treating the surfaces of sheets, webs, or other articles in connection with printing · CPC title

• B41F17/38

  for printing on knitted fabrics · CPC title

• D06P7/00 Primary

  Dyeing or printing processes combined with mechanical treatment · CPC title

• D06C3/06

  by rotary disc, roller, or like apparatus · CPC title