Printing device, printing system, and frame exchanging unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12122141-B2
Application number	US-202118263824-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2021
Priority date	Feb 2, 2021
Publication date	Oct 22, 2024
Grant date	Oct 22, 2024

Abstract

A printing device includes a printing section configured to execute a printing process of a viscous fluid on a printing target using a screen mask, and a receiving section configured to receive an accommodation rack having multiple shelf sections for accommodating frames configured to support exchangeable members for a printing process that is executed at the printing section.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A printing device comprising:
a printing section configured to execute a printing process of a viscous fluid on a processing target using a screen mask, the printing section including a print head;
a receiving section configured to receive an accommodation rack having multiple shelf sections for accommodating frames configured to support exchangeable members for a printing process that is executed at the printing section;
a lifting and lowering section configured to lift up and lower the accommodation rack;
an exchanging section configured to move one of the frames between a shelf section of the accommodation rack at a predetermined height and the printing section, the exchanging section including a conveyance rod disposed on the print head; and
a controller configured to control the printing section, the lifting and lowering section, and the exchanging section,
wherein the controller is configured to execute a receiving process in which the receiving section receives the accommodation rack from an automatic conveyance vehicle by
controlling the lifting and lowering section to move to a lowermost position, and
controlling the lifting and lowering section to be lifted upon receiving a receipt signal from the automatic conveyance vehicle that the accommodation rack is in a receiving position of the receiving section,

wherein the controller is configured to execute a transfer process in which the accommodation rack is transferred from the receiving section to the automatic conveyance vehicle by controlling the lifting and lowering section to move to the lowermost position upon receiving a transfer signal from the automatic conveyance vehicle, and
wherein the controller is configured to execute an exchanging process in which screen masks, which are the exchangeable members, are exchanged by
controlling the lifting and lowering section to move the accommodation rack to position a vacant shelf section of the accommodation rack to an exchanging position,
controlling the exchanging section to move a first screen mask, that has been used up, from the printing section to the vacant shelf section,
controlling the lifting and lowering section to move the accommodation rack to position a shelf section of the accommodation rack including a second screen mask to the exchanging position, and
controlling the exchanging section to move the second screen mask, from the shelf section to the printing section.

2. The printing device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the lifting and lowering section is formed such that a length along a movement direction of the frame is shorter than a size of the accommodation rack.

3. The printing device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the lifting and lowering section includes, as the receiving section, a left unit installed on a left side of a housing of the printing device and a right unit installed on a right side of the housing, and has a lifting and lowering space where the accommodation rack is lifted up and lowered at a center of the lifting and lowering section.

4. The printing device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the multiple shelf sections of the accommodation rack enable frames supporting the exchangeable members to be placed in an up-down direction, and
wherein the accommodation rack has an opening section configured to communicate with the printing section.

5. A printing system comprising:
the printing device according to claim 1 ; and
a management device comprising a management control section configured to manage information on the printing device.

6. The printing system according to claim 5 ,
wherein upon acquisition of request information for requesting a movement of the accommodation rack from the printing device, the management control section outputs a command to move the accommodation rack to the automatic conveyance vehicle for conveying the accommodation rack to and from the printing device.

Assignees

• Fuji Corp

Inventors

• Yokoi Yoshimune
• Kondo Takeshi

Classifications

• B41F15/34

  Screens, Frames; Holders therefor · CPC title

• B41F27/00

  Devices for attaching printing elements or formes to supports (attaching by chemical means B41N6/00) · CPC title

• B41F33/16

  Programming systems for automatic control of sequence of operations · CPC title

• B41F15/0881

  for printing on polyhedral articles · CPC title

• B41F15/12 Primary

  with auxiliary equipment, e.g. for drying printed articles · CPC title