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US 8,573,736 B2Granted
Inkjet printer, inkjet head, and printing method
AssigneeMimaki Engineering Co., Ltd.
InventorMasaru Ohnishi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
To suitably use a metallic ink or a pearl-colored ink in an inkjet printer. Furthermore, to suitably use an ink containing a large-sized pigment in the inkjet printer. An inkjet printer includes an inkjet head 12 that discharges towards a printing medium 50 ink droplets of a metallic ink or a pearl-colored ink. The inkjet head 12 includes a nozzle 104 that discharges the ink droplets towards the printing medium 50, and an air blowing unit 120 that generates an airflow towards the printing medium 50 along the ink droplets discharged from the nozzle 104.
Claims12
An inkjet printer that includes an inkjet head that discharges towards a printing medium an ink droplet of a metallic ink or a pearl-colored ink,
- wherein the inkjet head includes
- a nozzle that discharges the ink droplet towards the printing medium, wherein the nozzle is formed on the inkjet head on a nozzle surface thereof that faces the printing medium, and
- an air blowing unit that generates an airflow towards the printing medium along the ink droplet discharged from the nozzle, wherein the air blowing unit includes
- a primary-airflow blowing port that generates a primary airflow towards the printing medium along the ink droplet discharged from the nozzle, and that is formed adjacent to the nozzle on the nozzle surface, and
- a secondary-airflow blowing port that generates a secondary airflow towards the printing medium along the ink droplet at a position that is at a greater distance from the ink droplet than a distance from the ink droplet to the primary airflow, and that is formed adjacent to the nozzle on either side of the primary-airflow blowing port on the nozzle surface.
2 more elements
An inkjet printer comprising an inkjet head that discharges towards a printing medium an ink droplet of an ink that contains a pigment,
- wherein the inkjet head includes
- a nozzle that discharges the ink droplet towards the printing medium, wherein the nozzle is formed on the inkjet head on a nozzle surface thereof that faces the printing medium, and
- an air blowing unit that generates an airflow towards the printing medium along the ink droplet discharged from the nozzle, wherein the air blowing unit includes
- a primary-airflow blowing port that generates a primary airflow towards the printing medium along the ink droplet discharged from the nozzle, and that is formed adjacent to the nozzle on the nozzle surface,
- a secondary-airflow blowing port that generates a secondary airflow towards the printing medium along the ink droplet at a position that is at a greater distance from the ink droplet than a distance from the ink droplet to the primary airflow, and that is formed adjacent to the nozzle on either side of the primary-airflow blowing port on the nozzle surface, and
- wherein a length of the pigment in a longer direction is greater than or equal to ⅙th of a diameter of the ink droplet in a cross-section along a plane that is perpendicular to a direction from the nozzle to the printing medium.
3 more elements
An inkjet head that discharges an ink droplet of a metallic ink or a pearl-colored ink towards a printing medium, the inkjet head comprising:
- a nozzle that discharges the ink droplet towards the printing medium, wherein the nozzle is formed on the inkjet head on a nozzle surface thereof that faces the printing medium;
- and
- an air blowing unit that generates an airflow towards the printing medium along the ink droplet discharged from the nozzle, wherein the air blowing unit includes
- a primary-airflow blowing port that generates a primary airflow towards the printing medium along the ink droplet discharged from the nozzle, and that is formed adjacent to the nozzle on the nozzle surface, and
- a secondary-airflow blowing port that generates a secondary airflow towards the printing medium along the ink droplet at a position that is at a greater distance from the ink droplet than a distance from the ink droplet to the primary airflow, and that is formed adjacent to the nozzle on either side of the primary-airflow blowing port on the nozzle surface.
2 more elements
An inkjet head that discharges towards a printing medium an ink droplet of an ink that contains a pigment, the inkjet head comprising:
- a nozzle that discharges the ink droplet towards the printing medium, wherein the nozzle is formed on the inkjet head on a nozzle surface thereof that faces the printing medium;
- and
- an air blowing unit that generates an airflow towards the printing medium along the ink droplet discharged from the nozzle, wherein the air blowing unit includes
- a primary-airflow blowing port that generates a primary airflow towards the printing medium along the ink droplet discharged from the nozzle, and that is formed adjacent to the nozzle on the nozzle surface, and
- a secondary-airflow blowing port that generates a secondary airflow towards the printing medium along the ink droplet at a position that is at a greater distance from the ink droplet than a distance from the ink droplet to the primary airflow, and that is formed adjacent to the nozzle on either side of the primary-airflow blowing port on the nozzle surface,
- wherein a length of the pigment in a longer direction is greater than or equal to ⅙th of a diameter of the ink droplet in a cross-section along a plane that is perpendicular to a direction from the nozzle to the printing medium.
3 more elements
A printing method for printing by an inkjet method by discharging an ink droplet of a metallic ink or a pearl-colored ink towards a printing medium, the printing method comprising:
- discharging the ink droplet from a nozzle towards the printing medium, wherein the nozzle is formed on the inkjet head on a nozzle surface thereof that faces the printing medium;
- and
- blowing from an air blowing unit an airflow towards the printing medium along the ink droplet discharged from the nozzle, wherein the air blowing unit includes
- a primary-airflow blowing port that generates a primary airflow towards the printing medium along the ink droplet discharged from the nozzle, and that is formed adjacent to the nozzle on the nozzle surface, and
- a secondary-airflow blowing port that generates a secondary airflow towards the printing medium along the ink droplet at a position that is at a greater distance from the ink droplet than a distance from the ink droplet to the primary airflow, and that is formed adjacent to the nozzle on either side of the primary-airflow blowing port on the nozzle surface.
2 more elements
A printing method for printing by an inkjet method by discharging an ink droplet of an ink containing pigments towards a printing medium,
- wherein a length of the pigment in a longer direction is greater than or equal to ⅙th of a diameter of the ink droplet in a cross-section along a plane that is perpendicular to a direction from a nozzle to the printing medium, wherein the nozzle is formed on the inkjet head on a nozzle surface thereof that faces the printing medium,
- the printing method comprising:
- discharging the ink droplet from the nozzle towards the printing medium;
- and
- blowing from an air blowing unit an airflow towards the printing medium along the ink droplet discharged from the nozzle, wherein the air blowing unit includes
- a primary-airflow blowing port that generates a primary airflow towards the printing medium along the ink droplet discharged from the nozzle, and that is formed adjacent to the nozzle on the nozzle surface, and
- a secondary-airflow blowing port that generates a secondary airflow towards the printing medium along the ink droplet at a position that is at a greater distance from the ink droplet than a distance from the ink droplet to the primary airflow, and that is formed adjacent to the nozzle on either side of the primary-airflow blowing port on the nozzle surface.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.