Print apparatus and print method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016229206-A1
Application number	US-201615017933-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 8, 2016
Priority date	Feb 9, 2015
Publication date	Aug 11, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A print apparatus includes a printing part configured to print an image onto a first medium, and a take-up part that has a take-up spindle configured to retain a tube onto which the first medium has been mounted and has a motor configured to cause the take-up spindle to rotate such that the first medium is taken up onto the tube. The take-up spindle has an elastic member configured to be disposed on an inside of the tube. The take-up spindle is configured to retain the tube by the elastic member being inflated by gas pressure and being pressed against an inner surface of the tube. The motor is configured to rotate the take-up spindle by a direct drive approach.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A print apparatus, comprising:
a printing part configured to print an image onto a first medium; and a take-up part having a take-up spindle configured to retain a tube onto which the first medium has been mounted and a motor configured to cause the take-up spindle to rotate such that the first medium is taken up onto the tube, the take-up spindle having an elastic member that is configured to be disposed on an inside of the tube, the take-up spindle being configured to retain the tube by the elastic member being inflated by gas pressure and being pressed against an inner surface of the tube, the motor being configured to rotate the take-up spindle by a direct drive approach.

2 . The print apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising
a control unit configured to control tension applied to the first medium when the first medium is being taken up onto the take-up spindle.

3 . The print apparatus as set forth in claim 2 , wherein
the control unit is configured to implement a control such that the tension applied to the first medium when the first medium is being taken up onto the take-up spindle is greater than 0 N and not greater than 30 N.

4 . The print apparatus as set forth in claim 3 , wherein
the control unit is configured to implement the control such that the tension applied to the first medium when the first medium is being taken up onto the take-up spindle is not greater than 20 N.

5 . The print apparatus as set forth in claim 2 , wherein
the control unit is configured to implement the control such that the tension applied to the first medium when the first medium is being taken up onto the take-up spindle is not less than 5 N.

6 . The print apparatus as set forth in claim 2 , wherein
when a second medium of a different type of material than the first medium is being taken up onto the take-up spindle, the control unit is configured to implement a control such that tension applied to the second medium when the second medium is being taken up onto the take-up spindle is greater than the tension applied to the first medium when the first medium is being taken up onto the take-up spindle.

7 . The print apparatus as set forth in claim 2 , wherein
when a second medium having a greater width than the first medium in an axial direction of the take-up spindle is being taken up onto the take-up spindle, the control unit is configured to implement a control such that tension applied to the second medium when the second medium is being taken up onto the take-up spindle is greater than the tension applied to the first medium when the first medium is being taken up onto the take-up spindle.

8 . The print apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , wherein
the printing part has a head configured to discharge onto the first medium a liquid that is cured when irradiated with light, and a light irradiator configured to irradiate with the light for curing the liquid, and the printing part is configured to print the image onto the first medium by curing the liquid, which is discharged onto the first medium by the head, by irradiating with the light of the light irradiator.

9 . A print apparatus, comprising:
a printing part configured to print an image onto a first medium; a take-up spindle configured to rotate and thereby take up the first medium onto which the image has been printed; and a control unit configured to control tension applied to the first medium, the control unit being configured to implement a control such that the tension applied to the first medium when the first medium is being taken up onto the take-up spindle is greater than 0 N and not greater than 8 N.

10 . The print apparatus as set forth in claim 9 , wherein
the control unit is configured to implement the control such that the tension applied to the first medium when the first medium is being taken up onto the take-up spindle is not greater than 5N.

11 . The print apparatus as set forth in claim 9 , wherein
the control unit is configured to implement the control such that the tension applied to the first medium when the first medium is being taken up onto the take-up spindle is not less than 5 N.

12 . The print apparatus as set forth in claim 9 , wherein,
when a second medium of a different type of material than the first medium is being taken up onto the take-up spindle, the control unit is configured to implement a control such that tension applied to the second medium when the second medium is being taken up onto the take-up spindle is greater than the tension applied to the first medium when the first medium is being taken up onto the take-up spindle.

13 . The print apparatus as set forth in claim 9 , wherein
when a second medium having a greater width than the first medium in an axial direction of the take-up spindle is being taken up onto the take-up spindle, the control unit is configured to implement a control such that tension applied to the second medium when the second medium is being taken up onto the take-up spindle is greater than the tension applied to the first medium when the first medium is being taken up onto the take-up spindle.

14 . The print apparatus as set forth in claim 9 , wherein
the printing part has a head configured to discharge onto the first medium a liquid that is cured when irradiated with light, and a light irradiator configured to irradiate with the light for curing the liquid, and the printing part is configured to print the image onto the first medium by curing the liquid, that is discharged onto the first medium by the head, by irradiating with the light of the light irradiator.

15 . The print apparatus as set forth in claim 9 , wherein
the control unit is configured to implement the control such that the tension applied to the first medium when the first medium is being taken up onto the take-up spindle is greater than 0 N and not greater than 8 N when a width of the first medium is not greater than 120 mm, such that the tension applied to the first medium when the first medium is being taken up onto the take-up spindle is greater than 0 N and not greater than 20 N when the width of the first medium is greater than 120 mm and not greater than 195 mm, and such that the tension applied to the first medium when the first medium is being taken up onto the take-up spindle is greater than 0 N and not greater than 30 N when the width of the first medium is greater than 340 mm.

16 . The print apparatus as set forth in claim 15 , wherein
the control unit is configured to implement the control such that the tension applied to the first medium when the first medium is being taken up onto the take-up spindle is greater than 0 N and not greater than 5 N when the width of the first medium is not greater than 120 mm, such that the tension applied to the first medium when the first medium is being taken up onto the take-up spindle is greater than 0 N and not greater than 10 N when the width of the first medium is greater than 120 mm and not greater than 195 mm, and such that the tension applied to the first medium when the first medium is being taken up onto the take-up spindle is greater than 0 N and not greater than 20 N when the width of the first medium is greater than 340 mm.

17 . A print method comprising:
printing an image onto a medium; taking up the medium onto which the image has been printed onto a rotational shaft that is rotating; and implementing a control such that tension applied to the medium when the medium is being taken up onto a take-up spindle is greater than 0 N an

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Onodera Katsuyoshi
• Hori Naoki
• Shiiya Tomoyuki

Classifications

• B41J15/048 Primary

  Conveyor belts or like feeding devices (B41J11/007 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65H18/103

  Reel-to-reel type web winding and unwinding mechanisms · CPC title

• B65H2801/15

  Digital printing machines · CPC title

• B41J15/02 Primary

  Web rolls or spindles; Attaching webs to cores or spindles · CPC title

• B65H75/2437

  comprising a fluid-pressure-actuated elastic member, e.g. a diaphragm or a pneumatic tube · CPC title