Three-dimensional object printing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11932035-B2
Application number	US-202217676286-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2022
Priority date	Feb 22, 2021
Publication date	Mar 19, 2024
Grant date	Mar 19, 2024

Abstract

There is provided a three-dimensional object printing apparatus including an imaging device fixed to a base and imaging an object located inside an imaging range, a first robot supporting a head having a nozzle for discharging a liquid and changing a position and a posture of the head, and a second robot supporting a three-dimensional workpiece and changes a position and a posture of the workpiece. The three-dimensional object printing apparatus performs a material feeding step of causing the second robot to move the workpiece from an outside to an inside of the imaging range, and a printing step of causing the head to discharge the liquid to the workpiece while at least one of the first robot and the second robot relatively moves the head and the workpiece inside the imaging range.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A three-dimensional object printing apparatus comprising:
an imaging device fixed to a base and imaging an object located at an inside of an imaging range;
a first articulated robot supporting a head having a nozzle for discharging a liquid and changing a position and a posture of the head;
a second articulated robot supporting a workpiece and changing a position and a posture of the workpiece;
a memory configured to store a program; and
a processor configured to execute the program so as to:
control the second articulated robot to move the workpiece from an outside of the imaging range to the inside of the imaging range as a material feeding step; and
control at least one of the first articulated robot and the second articulated robot to relatively move the head and the workpiece at the inside of the imaging range as a printing step in which the head discharges the liquid to the workpiece.

2. The three-dimensional object printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the second articulated robot has a hand mechanism for holding the workpiece to be attachable and detachable.

3. The three-dimensional object printing apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a mounting base disposed at the outside of the imaging range and on which the workpiece is mountable, wherein
the hand mechanism receives the workpiece supplied from the mounting base.

4. The three-dimensional object printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processor is further configured to:
cause the imaging device to capture an image of the imaging range to generate an imaging result; and
acquire information relating to a relative position of the workpiece with respect to the base based on the imaging result of the imaging device as an information acquisition step, and

the processor is configured to perform the information acquisition step between the material feeding step and the printing step.

5. The three-dimensional object printing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
in the information acquisition step, the head is located at the outside of the imaging range.

6. The three-dimensional object printing apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a maintenance mechanism covering the nozzle, wherein
the maintenance mechanism is located at the outside of the imaging range, and
in the information acquisition step, the nozzle is covered by the maintenance mechanism.

7. The three-dimensional object printing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
the maintenance mechanism is located at an inside of an operation range of the first articulated robot, and is located at an outside an operation range of the second articulated robot.

8. The three-dimensional object printing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
in the printing step, a route for the first articulated robot to move the head is adjusted, based on the information acquired in the information acquisition step.

9. The three-dimensional object printing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the processor is further configured to adjust the position of the workpiece located at the inside of the imaging range as an adjustment step that is performed between the information acquisition step and the printing step, and
in the adjustment step, an operation of the second articulated robot is controlled, based on the information acquired in the information acquisition step.

10. The three-dimensional object printing apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising:
an illumination source that illuminates the inside of the imaging range, wherein
in the information acquisition step, the illumination source is turned on, and
in the printing step, the illumination source is turned off.

11. The three-dimensional object printing apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a maintenance mechanism covering the nozzle, wherein
the maintenance mechanism is located at an outside of an illumination range of the illumination source.

12. The three-dimensional object printing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein
the head has a nozzle surface on which the nozzle is provided, and
the nozzle surface is located at an outside of an illumination range of the illumination source or faces a direction that is shaded by light emitted from the illumination source, when the illumination source is turned on.

13. The three-dimensional object printing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
a color of at least a portion of the first articulated robot, which is located at the inside of the imaging range in the information acquisition step, is different from a color of the workpiece.

14. The three-dimensional object printing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
a color of at least a portion of the second articulated robot, which is located at the inside of the imaging range in the information acquisition step, is different from a color of the workpiece.

15. The three-dimensional object printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the first articulated robot has a first base portion fixed to the base,
the second articulated robot has a second base portion fixed to the base, and
in a plan view of the base, a virtual line segment connecting the first base portion and the second base portion passes through the imaging range.

16. The three-dimensional object printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the liquid discharged from the head has a photocurable property.

17. A three-dimensional object printing apparatus comprising:
an imaging device fixed to a base and imaging an object located at an inside of an imaging range;
a first articulated robot supporting a head having a nozzle for discharging a liquid and changing a position and a posture of the head;
a second articulated robot supporting a workpiece and changing a position and a posture of the workpiece;
a memory configured to store a program; and
a processor configured to execute the program so as to:
control the second articulated robot to move the workpiece from an outside of the imaging range to the inside of the imaging range as a material feeding step;
control at least one of the first articulated robot and the second articulated robot to relatively move the head and the workpiece at the inside of the imaging range as a printing step in which the head discharges the liquid to the workpiece;
cause the imaging device to capture an image of the imaging range to generate an imaging result;
acquire information relating to a relative position of the workpiece with respect to the base based on the imaging result of the imaging device as an information acquisition step that is performed between the material feeding step and the printing step; and
control the first articulated robot to move the head to the outside of the imaging range in the information acquisition step.

18. A three-dimensional object printing apparatus comprising:
an imaging device fixed to a base and imaging an object located at an inside of an imaging range;
a first articulated robot supporting a head having a nozzle for discharging a liquid and changing a position and a posture of the head;
a second articulated robot supporting a workpiece and changing a position and a posture of the workpiece;
a maintenance mechanism covering the nozzle;
a memory configured to store a program; and
a processor configured to execute the program so as to:
control the second articulated robot to move the workpiece from an outside of the imaging range to the inside of the imaging range as a material feedin

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Hasegawa Tomonaga
• Matsuura Yuichiro
• Kumagai Masaru
• Nakamura Shinichi
• Ishii Yuki

Classifications

• B05B13/002

  Machines or plants for applying coating liquids or other fluent materials by inkjet · CPC title

• B05B13/0431

  with spray heads moved by robots or articulated arms, e.g. for applying liquid or other fluent material to three-dimensional [3D] surfaces · CPC title

• B05B13/0221

  characterised by the means for moving or conveying the objects or other work, e.g. conveyor belts (B05B13/0207 takes precedence; conveyors in general B65G) · CPC title

• B41J3/40731 Primary

  Holders for objects, e. g. holders specially adapted to the shape of the object to be printed or adapted to hold several objects · CPC title

• B25J11/0075

  Manipulators for painting or coating · CPC title