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US 2026/0285074 A1Published application
Printing apparatus and adjustment method therefor
AssigneeSCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
InventorsKenichi YOKOUCHI, Keiji HATANO
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The inkjet printing apparatus is configured to be able to execute a batch adjustment process of performing adjustment processes for a plurality of adjustment items related to printing. The batch adjustment process includes a front surface printing process, a front surface reading process, a front surface printing condition setting process, a back surface printing process, a back surface reading process, and a back surface printing condition setting process. The front surface printing process and the back surface printing process are performed in parallel.
Claims20
A printing apparatus capable of printing on both a front surface of a base material having a long belt shape and a back surface of the base material, the printing apparatus comprising:
- a conveyance mechanism configured to convey the base material in a predetermined conveyance direction;
- a front surface print head configured to perform printing on the front surface of the base material by ejecting ink;
- a front surface reader configured to read a printed image obtained by printing by the front surface print head;
- a back surface print head configured to perform printing on the back surface of the base material by ejecting ink;
- a back surface reader configured to read a printed image obtained by printing by the back surface print head;
- and
- a controller configured to control operations of the conveyance mechanism, the front surface print head, the front surface reader, the back surface print head, and the back surface reader, wherein
- a batch adjustment process of performing adjustment processes for a plurality of adjustment items related to printing based on one instruction from an outside is executable,
- the batch adjustment process includes
- a front surface printing process in which the front surface print head prints a front surface inspection chart corresponding to a processing-target adjustment item,
- a front surface reading process in which the front surface reader reads a printed image of the front surface inspection chart,
- a front surface printing condition setting process in which the controller sets a printing condition related to printing on the front surface of the base material based on front surface read data obtained by the front surface reading process,
- a back surface printing process in which the back surface print head prints a back surface inspection chart corresponding to the processing-target adjustment item,
- a back surface reading process in which the back surface reader reads a printed image of the back surface inspection chart, and
- a back surface printing condition setting process in which the controller sets a printing condition related to printing on the back surface of the base material based on back surface read data obtained by the back surface reading process,
- the front surface printing process and the back surface printing process are performed in parallel, and
- regarding a preceding adjustment item and a subsequent adjustment item that are two adjustment items for which adjustment processes are performed consecutively in the batch adjustment process,
- the front surface printing process for the subsequent adjustment item begins in such a way that a distance from an end position of the front surface inspection chart corresponding to the preceding adjustment item to a surface inspection chart start position of the front corresponding to the subsequent adjustment item is equal to or larger than a sum of a distance the base material is conveyed during a period from an end time point of the front surface reading process for the preceding adjustment item to an end time point of the front surface printing condition setting process for the preceding adjustment item and a distance from the front surface print head to the front surface reader, and
- the back surface printing process for the subsequent adjustment item begins in such a way that a distance from an end position of the back surface inspection chart corresponding to the preceding adjustment item to a start position of the back surface inspection chart corresponding to the subsequent adjustment item is equal to or larger than a sum of a distance the base material is conveyed during a period from an end time point of the back surface reading process for the preceding adjustment item to an end time point of the back surface printing condition setting process for the preceding adjustment item and a distance from the back surface print head to the back surface reader.
16 more elements
An adjustment method for a printing apparatus capable of printing on both a front surface of a base material having a long belt shape and a back surface of the base material, the printing apparatus including
- a conveyance mechanism configured to convey the base material in a predetermined conveyance direction;
- a front surface print head configured to perform printing on the front surface of the base material by ejecting ink;
- a front surface reader configured to read a printed image obtained by printing by the front surface print head;
- a back surface print head configured to perform printing on the back surface of the base material by ejecting ink;
- a back surface reader configured to read a printed image obtained by printing by the back surface print head;
- and
- a controller configured to control operations of the conveyance mechanism, the front surface print head, the front surface reader, the back surface print head, and the back surface reader,
- the adjustment method comprising:
- issuing an instruction, by an operator, to the printing apparatus to execute a batch adjustment process of performing adjustment processes for a plurality of adjustment items related to printing;
- and
- executing, by the printing apparatus, the batch adjustment process in accordance with the instruction, wherein
- for each of the plurality of adjustment items, the batch adjustment process includes
- an inspection chart printing process in which the front surface print head prints a front surface inspection chart corresponding to a processing-target adjustment item and the back surface print head prints a back surface inspection chart corresponding to the processing-target adjustment item, in parallel,
- an inspection chart reading process in which the front surface reader reads a printed image of the front surface inspection chart to obtain front surface read data and the back surface reader reads a printed image of the back surface inspection chart to obtain back surface read data, in parallel, and
- a printing condition setting process in which the controller sets a printing condition related to printing on the front surface of the base material based on the front surface read data and sets a printing condition related to printing on the back surface of the base material based on the back surface read data, and
- regarding a preceding adjustment item and a subsequent adjustment item that are two adjustment items for which adjustment processes are performed consecutively in the batch adjustment process,
- printing the front surface inspection chart corresponding to the subsequent adjustment item in the inspection chart printing process for the subsequent adjustment item begins in such a way that a distance from an end position of the front surface inspection chart corresponding to the preceding adjustment item to a start position of the front surface inspection chart corresponding to the subsequent adjustment item is equal to or larger than a sum of a distance the base material is conveyed during a period from an end time point of reading the printed image of the front surface inspection chart in the inspection chart reading process for the preceding adjustment item to an end time point of setting the printing condition related to printing on the front surface of the base material in the printing condition setting process for the preceding adjustment item and a distance from the front surface print head to the front surface reader, and
- printing the back surface inspection chart corresponding to the subsequent adjustment item in the inspection chart printing process for the subsequent adjustment item begins in such a way that a distance from an end position of the back surface inspection chart corresponding to the preceding adjustment item to a start position of the back surface inspection chart corresponding to the subsequent adjustment item is equal to or larger than a sum of a distance the base material is conveyed during a period from an end time point of reading the printed image of the back surface inspection chart in the inspection chart reading process for the preceding adjustment item to an end time point of setting the printing condition related to printing on the back surface of the base material in the printing condition setting process for the preceding adjustment item and a distance from the back surface print head to the back surface reader.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.