Printing apparatus, printing system, and printing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016229199-A1
Application number	US-201514977188-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 21, 2015
Priority date	Dec 25, 2014
Publication date	Aug 11, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A printing apparatus includes a plasma processor, a recording unit, and a heating unit. The plasma processor performs plasma processing on a processing target matter. The recording unit discharges ink and records dots onto the processing target matter on which the plasma processing has been performed. The heating unit heats an ink discharge region of the processing target matter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A printing apparatus comprising:
a plasma processor that performs plasma processing on a processing target matter; a recording unit that discharges ink and records dots onto the processing target matter on which the plasma processing has been performed; and a heating unit that heats an ink discharge region of the processing target matter.

2 . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the heating unit heats the ink discharge region of the processing target matter at at least one timing of first timing before the dots are recorded, second timing at which the dots are recorded, and third timing after the dots are recorded.

3 . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller that controls at least one of plasma energy by the plasma processor and heating energy by the heating unit such that predetermined dots are recorded on the processing target matter.

4 . The printing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the controller controls at least one of the plasma energy by the plasma processor and the heating energy by the heating unit so that the dots satisfying at least one of a predetermined diameter, a predetermined shape, and a predetermined density distribution are recorded.

5 . The printing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the controller controls at least one of the plasma energy by the plasma processor and the heating energy by the heating unit such that the predetermined dots are recorded on the processing target matter in accordance with at least one of a printing mode used by the recording unit, a type of the processing target matter, an amount of the ink that is discharged onto the processing target matter, and a type of the ink that is discharged onto the processing target matter.

6 . The printing apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising a detector that detects a surface temperature of the processing target matter at the time of recording of the dots, wherein
the controller controls at least one of the plasma energy by the plasma processor and the heating energy by the heating unit such that the predetermined dots are formed on the processing target matter in accordance with the detected surface temperature.

7 . The printing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
the controller performs control to increase at least one of the plasma energy and the heating energy when the detected surface temperature is lower than a target temperature for the heating unit.

8 . The printing apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a head unit that supports the plasma processor, the recording unit, and the heating unit, a driving unit that moves the head unit in a direction of being close to or separated from the processing target matter; and a sensor that detects a distance between the head unit and the processing target matter, wherein the controller controls at least one of the plasma energy by the plasma processor and the heating energy by the heating unit so that the predetermined dots are formed on the processing target matter in accordance with at least one of the detected distance and the detected surface temperature.

9 . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the heating unit heats the ink discharge region of the processing target matter with heat generated by heat generation of the heating unit.

10 . The printing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
the controller controls heating energy by the heating unit by controlling a heating temperature as a heat generation temperature by the heating unit and heating time by the heating unit.

11 . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the heating unit heats the ink discharge region of the processing target matter by blowing out hot air toward the ink discharge region of the processing target matter.

12 . The printing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein
the controller controls heating energy by the heating unit by controlling a temperature of the hot air, a velocity of the hot air, and heating time.

13 . A printing system comprising:
a plasma processing device that performs plasma processing on a processing target matter, and a printing apparatus including a recording unit that discharges ink and records dots onto the processing target matter on which the plasma processing has been performed and a heating unit that heats an ink discharge region of the processing target matter.

14 . A printing method that is executed by a printing apparatus including a plasma processor that performs plasma processing on a processing target matter, a recording unit that discharges ink and records dots onto the processing target matter on which the plasma processing has been performed, and a heating unit that heats an ink discharge region of the processing target matter, the printing method comprising:
controlling at least one of plasma energy by the plasma processor and heating energy by the heating unit so that predetermined dots are recorded on the processing target matter.

Assignees

• Nakai Junji
• Matsumoto Hiroyoshi
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nakai Junji
• Matsumoto Hiroyoshi

Classifications

• B41M5/0011

  Pre-treatment or treatment during printing of the recording material, e.g. heating, irradiating (after-treatment of prints B41M7/00; printers for treating or overcoating copy materials before, during or after printing B41J11/0015) · CPC title

• B41J11/002 Primary

  Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating · CPC title

• B41J2/01

  Ink jet · CPC title

• B41J11/0015 Primary

  for treating before, during or after printing or for uniform coating or laminating the copy material before or after printing (selective coating B41J2/2114) · CPC title

• B41J11/00216

  using infrared [IR] radiation or microwaves · CPC title