JP7056417B2 - Liquid supply device, liquid application device, liquid discharge device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a liquid supply device, a liquid coating device, and a device for discharging a liquid.

Some devices such as printing devices that discharge liquids include a coating device that uses a member to be printed as a member to be coated and applies a coating liquid such as a treatment liquid.

For example, the treatment liquid is pumped up and supported (held) on the surface by a pumping roller in which a part of the treatment liquid is immersed in the treatment liquid of the treatment liquid storage tank, and the pumping roller is rotated to convey the treatment liquid to the surface of the pumping roller. The retained treatment liquid is transferred to a film thickness control roller that controls the film thickness adhering to the coating roller, and the treatment liquid held by the film thickness control roller is transferred to the coating roller, and the coating roller and the counter roller are used. There is known a method in which a recording medium is conveyed between the recording media and the treatment liquid held on the surface of the coating roller is applied to the recording medium (Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-183336

However, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, when a drawing roller such as a membrane control roller that squeezes the liquid on the peripheral surface of the pumping roller is arranged, a plurality of drawing rollers are sequentially arranged in series in order to increase the drawing force. In this configuration, there is a problem that the device becomes larger in one direction as the number of roller stages increases.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to increase the throttle force while suppressing the increase in size of the apparatus.

In order to solve the above problems, the liquid supply device according to the present invention is
A storage container for storing liquids and
A pumping roller that pumps the liquid in the storage container,
A plurality of drawing rollers that come into contact with the peripheral surface of the pumping roller are provided .
The plurality of drawing rollers include a heating roller and a cooling roller.
In the rotation direction of the pumping roller, the heating roller is arranged on the downstream side of the cooling roller.
It was configured.

According to the present invention, it is possible to increase the throttle force while suppressing the increase in size of the device.

It is explanatory drawing explaining the whole structure of the printing apparatus as the apparatus which ejects a liquid which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is an external perspective explanatory view of the processing liquid coating apparatus which includes the liquid liquid coating apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic explanatory drawing explaining the structure of the treatment liquid coating apparatus. It is a schematic explanatory drawing of the liquid coating apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic explanatory drawing of the liquid coating apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a printing device as a device for discharging a liquid according to the same embodiment.

In the printing device 1, the continuous paper 10 which is a long continuous sheet material wound in a roll shape is fed from the feeding device 11, and the processing liquid application device 12 feeds the continuous paper 10 which is a liquid. Is applied and given. The sheet material may be cut.

After that, the printing unit 13 performs the required printing on the continuous paper 10, is sent to the drying device 14, undergoes a heating / cooling step by the drying device 14, and the continuous book paper 10 is wound by the winding device 15. Taken.

Next, the processing liquid coating apparatus including the liquid liquid coating apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is an external perspective explanatory view of the treated liquid coating device, and FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory view illustrating the configuration of the treated liquid coating device.

The treatment liquid coating device 12 includes a liquid coating device 200 including a liquid supply device according to the present invention for applying a treatment liquid 201 such as a beading inhibitor to a continuous paper 10 which is a member to be coated to which a liquid is applied. There is.

It also includes a reservoir tank 224 and cartridges 229 and 238, which are supply units for supplying the treatment liquid 201 to the liquid coating device 200. In the present embodiment, the member to be coated to which the treatment liquid is applied is a print medium, and the print medium is a continuum. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

Examples of the treatment liquid include a modifier that modifies the surface of the continuous paper 10 by applying it to the surface of the continuous paper 10. Specifically, by applying the ink evenly to the continuous paper 10 in advance, the moisture of the ink quickly permeates the continuous paper 10, the color components are thickened, and the drying is accelerated, so that the ink bleeds. Examples thereof include a fixing agent (setting agent) that prevents (feathering, bleeding, etc.) and strike-through, and makes it possible to increase productivity (number of image outputs per unit time).

The treatment liquid is composed of, for example, celluloses that promote the penetration of water with respect to a surfactant (either an anion type, a cationic type, a nonionic type, or a mixture of two or more kinds thereof). A solution containing (hydroxypropyl cellulose or the like) and a base such as talc fine powder can be used. Further, it can also contain fine particles.

The liquid coating device 200 includes a storage container (supply pan) 202 for storing the treatment liquid 201, a coating roller 203, a first drawing roller 204, a second drawing roller 205, a pressure bracket 206, and a pressure roller 207. And have.

The coating roller 203 is a member that pumps the treatment liquid 201 from the storage container 202 and applies the treatment liquid 201 to the continuous paper 10. A part of the coating roller 203 is immersed in the treatment liquid 201 of the storage container 202, and by rotating in the direction of the arrow, the treatment liquid 201 is pumped up and supported on the peripheral surface. In the present embodiment, the coating roller 203 also serves as a pumping roller, and therefore the liquid coating device 200 also serves as a liquid supply device.

The first drawing roller 204 and the second drawing roller 205 come into contact with the peripheral surface of the coating roller 203, and treat (squeeze) the treatment liquid 201 carried on the peripheral surface of the coating roller 203 to form a thin film. In the present embodiment, the first drawing roller 204 and the second drawing roller 205 have the same diameter and are arranged concentrically with respect to the center O of the coating roller 203, but the first drawing roller 204 and the second drawing roller 204 and the second drawing roller 205 are arranged on a concentric circle. The drawing rollers 205 may have different diameters. It is also possible to arrange three or more diaphragm rollers.

Here, the first drawing roller 204 and the second drawing roller 205 are held by the same holding member, the pressure bracket 206, and are arranged along the peripheral surface of the coating roller 203. The pressure bracket 206 is urged in the direction of an arrow toward the peripheral surface of the coating roller 203, and the first drawing roller 204 and the second drawing roller 205 are pressed against the peripheral surface of the coating roller 203. In this way, by holding the plurality of drawing rollers in the same pressure bracket, the drawing force (pressing force) between the plurality of drawing rollers can be made uniform.

The pressurizing roller 207 is urged in the direction of the arrow toward the peripheral surface of the coating roller 203 and pressed with a constant pressing force. In the case of a continuous body such as the continuous paper 10, the pressure roller 207 can be not provided because the continuous body can be pressed against the peripheral surface of the coating roller 203 by the tension of the continuous body.

Here, the coating roller 203, the first drawing roller 204, the second drawing roller 205, and the pressure roller 207 are rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow. Further, the continuous paper 10 is conveyed in the conveying direction.

In the liquid coating device 200, the treatment liquid 201 is pumped up from the storage container pan 202 by the rotation of the coating roller 203, and is supported on the peripheral surface of the coating roller 203 in a liquid film state.

Then, the nip portion between the coating roller 203 and the first drawing roller 204 and the nip portion between the coating roller 203 and the second drawing roller 205 are uniformly stretched (squeezed) to form a thin film.

After that, the treatment liquid 201 thinned on the coating roller 203 is applied to the continuous paper 10 at the nip portion of the coating roller 203 and the pressure roller 207.

In this way, since a plurality of drawing rollers are arranged along the peripheral surface of the pumping roller (which also serves as a coating roller in this embodiment), the device even when a plurality of drawing rollers are arranged to increase the drawing force. Can be miniaturized. As a result, it is possible to increase the throttle force while suppressing the increase in size of the device.

Further, in the treatment liquid application device 12 of the present embodiment, a substantially sealed reservoir tank 224 is connected to the storage container 202 via an evacuation route 225. When the solenoid valve 226 provided in the evacuation path 225 communicating the reservoir tank 224 and the storage container 202 is opened, the treatment liquid 20 of the storage container 202 flows out from the storage container 202 due to the head difference, and the evacuation route 225. It is transferred to the reservoir tank 224 through. As a result, the treatment liquid 201 in the storage container 202 is transferred to the reservoir tank 224 to suppress the increase in viscosity during standby.

The timing at which the solenoid valve 226 is opened is such that the printing process is stopped for a longer time (for example, one hour or more) than the working time between normal printing jobs such as replacement of continuous paper 10 and change of printing pattern. In this case, the waiting time for filling the storage container 202 with the processing liquid 201 is prevented from occurring every time printing is stopped.

Further, since the solenoid valve 226 is opened when the electric power is not supplied, the processing liquid 201 stored in the storage container 202 is transferred to the reservoir tank 224 when the power supply of the treatment liquid application device 12 is cut off. Will be done. With such a configuration, it is prevented that the treatment liquid 201 remains stored in the storage container 202 for a long time without being used.

Further, even in the reservoir tank 224, if the treatment liquid 201 has not been used for a long time (for example, several tens of days or more), the viscosity of the treatment liquid 201 will increase. Therefore, when the treatment liquid 20 has not been used for a certain period of time or longer in the reservoir tank 224, the treatment liquid 201 in the reservoir tank 224 is discharged to the waste liquid tank 221 by the waste liquid pump 222, so that the freshness of the treatment liquid 201 is maintained. Dripping.

Further, a circulation route 228 branching from the evacuation route 225 is provided. The circulation path 228 includes an upstream circulation path 228a that leads the evacuation path 225 to the filter 227 and a downstream circulation path 228b that leads from the filter 227 to the three-way valve 233. The circulation path 228a is provided with a solenoid valve 232 on the upstream side of the filter 227.

The filter 227 removes paper dust and the like accumulated in the storage container 202 and prevents the treatment liquid 201 from becoming paste-like. The paper dust and the like that stay in the storage container 202 are generated by sliding the continuous paper 10 by the coating roller 203 and the pressure roller 207.

When the processing liquid 201 is being applied to the continuous paper 10 by the liquid coating device 200, the solenoid valve 232 is appropriately opened so that a part of the processing liquid 201 in the storage container 202 is circulated from the evacuation route 225. It is sent to the filter 227 through 228a, and paper dust and the like contained in the treatment liquid 201 are removed.

Then, when the three-way valve 233 is in a state where the filter 227 and the storage container 202 communicate with each other and the supply pump 230 is driven, the processing liquid 201 from which paper dust and the like are removed by the filter 227 is stored in the storage container 202 by the supply pump 230. Will be resupplied to.

The treatment liquid 201 is supplied to the storage container 202 from the reservoir tank 224 or the cartridges 229 and 238, which are the supply units.

The reservoir tank 224 is provided with a sensor 210 for detecting the remaining amount of the processing liquid 201 in the reservoir tank 224.

When the sensor 210 detects that the remaining amount of the processing liquid 201 in the reservoir tank 224 is equal to or more than a predetermined amount, the solenoid valve 236 is opened. When the solenoid valve 236 is opened, the treatment liquid 201 contained in the reservoir tank 224 is passed to the filter 227 from the circulation supply path 235 that communicates the reservoir tank 224 and the filter 227.

Then, when the three-way valve 233 is in a state where the filter 227 and the storage container 202 communicate with each other and the supply pump 230 is driven, the processing liquid 201 passed through the filter 227 is supplied to the storage container 202 by the supply pump 230. Ru.

On the other hand, when the sensor 210 detects that the amount of the processing liquid 201 in the reservoir tank 224 is less than a predetermined amount, the treatment liquid 201 is supplied from any of the cartridges 229 and 238.

For example, when the supply is performed from the cartridge 229, the solenoid valve 234 is opened, the three-way valve 233 is in a state where the cartridge 229 and the storage container 202 communicate with each other, and the supply pump 230 is driven. Then, the treatment liquid 201 in the cartridge 229 is supplied to the storage container 202 by the supply pump 230 through the path 231.

Further, a remaining amount sensor 223 for detecting the presence / absence of the processing liquid 201 in the cartridges 229 and 238 is provided on the path 231.

For example, when it is detected that there is no processing liquid 201 in the cartridge 229, the control is switched to the supply from the cartridge 238. As a result, the solenoid valve 237 is opened, and the processing liquid 20 contained in the cartridge 238 is supplied to the storage container 202 by the supply pump 230 through the path 231.

Meanwhile, the cartridge 229 that has become the processing liquid end is replaced with a new cartridge 229. As described above, the configuration in which a plurality of cartridges can be mounted makes it possible to replace the cartridges without stopping the operation of the processing liquid coating device 12. In this embodiment, the case where two cartridges 229 and 238 are mounted has been described as an example, but this is an example, and three or more cartridges may be mounted.

Next, the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory view of the liquid coating device according to the same embodiment.

The liquid coating device 200 of the present embodiment is a device that applies a liquid to the cut sheet material 110.

The first drawing roller 204A is composed of a cooling roller, and the second drawing roller 205A is composed of a heating roller. At this time, in the rotation direction (arrow direction) of the coating roller 203, which is a pumping roller, the second drawing roller 205A, which is a heating roller, is arranged on the downstream side of the first drawing roller 204A, which is a cooling roller.

As a result, the second drawing roller 205A, which is a heating roller, can be relatively separated from the processing liquid 201 of the storage container 202 from the cooling roller (first drawing roller 204A), and the deterioration of the treatment liquid 201 due to heat can occur. Deterioration and the like can be suppressed.

In the present embodiment, the liquid is applied to the carted sheet material 110, but the liquid can also be applied to a continuous body such as the continuous paper 10 as in the first embodiment. Further, in the present embodiment, the two drawing rollers are described as a cooling roller and a heating roller, but a plurality of drawing rollers may include at least one of the cooling roller and the heating roller.

Next, the third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic explanatory view of the liquid coating device according to the same embodiment.

In the present embodiment, the pumping roller 208 is arranged between the coating roller 203 and the storage container 202.

The first drawing roller 204 and the second drawing roller 205 are arranged in contact with each other around the pumping roller 208 as in the first embodiment. As described in the second embodiment, the first drawing roller 204 and the second drawing roller 205 may be at least one of a cooling roller and a heating roller.

In this embodiment, the pumping roller 208, the first drawing roller 204, and the second drawing roller 205 constitute a liquid supply device 250 that supplies the processing liquid 201 from the drawing roller 208 to the coating roller 203.

The member to which the liquid is applied may be, for example, a continuous paper, a roll paper, a continuous body such as a web, a cut sheet material, a wallpaper, a sheet for an electronic circuit board such as a prepreg, or the like.

In addition to recording images such as characters and figures with a liquid such as ink, an image having no meaning such as a pattern is applied to the member to be coated with a liquid such as ink for the purpose of decoration and decoration. You can do it.

In the present application, the liquid to be applied is not particularly limited, but is preferably one having a viscosity of 30 mPa · s or less at room temperature, under normal pressure, or by heating or cooling. More specifically, solvents such as water and organic solvents, colorants such as dyes and pigments, polymerizable compounds, resins, functionalizing materials such as surfactants, biocompatible materials such as DNA, amino acids and proteins, and calcium. , Solvents, suspensions, emulsions, etc. containing edible materials such as natural pigments, such as inks for inkjets, surface treatment liquids, components of electronic and light emitting elements, and formation of electronic circuit resist patterns. It can be used in applications such as liquids and material liquids for three-dimensional modeling.

When a liquid discharge head is used as a liquid applying means, a piezoelectric actuator (laminated piezoelectric element and thin film type piezoelectric element), a thermal actuator using an electric heat conversion element such as a heat generating resistor, and vibration are used as an energy generation source for discharging the liquid. Those using an electrostatic actuator consisting of a plate and a counter electrode are included.

Note that printing in the present application has the same meaning as image formation, recording, printing, printing, and the like.

1 Printing device (device that discharges liquid)
11 Carry-in means 12 Pretreatment means 13 Printing means 14 Discharge means 100 Coating device 201 Treatment liquid 202 Storage container 203 Coating roller 204 1st drawing roller 205 2nd drawing roller 206 Pressurizing bracket 207 Pressurizing roller (pressurizing member)
208 Pumping roller

Claims (5)

A storage container for storing liquids and
A pumping roller that pumps the liquid in the storage container,
A plurality of drawing rollers that come into contact with the peripheral surface of the pumping roller are provided .
The plurality of drawing rollers include a heating roller and a cooling roller.
In the rotation direction of the pumping roller, the heating roller is arranged on the downstream side of the cooling roller.
A liquid supply device characterized by that. The liquid supply device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of drawing rollers are held by the same holding member. A liquid coating device comprising the liquid supply device according to claim 1 or 2 . The liquid coating device according to claim 3 , wherein the pumping roller also serves as a coating roller. A device for discharging a liquid, which comprises the liquid supply device according to claim 1 or 2 , or the liquid application device according to claim 3 or 4 .

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