Continuous web printing apparatus

• US 5,345,863 A
• Filed: 07/26/1993
• Issued: 09/13/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kanebo, Ltd. (HOYU Company Limited), Toshin Kogyo Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Kanebo, Ltd. (HOYU Company Limited), Tosmin Kogyo Company Limited
• Inventors: Morita, Toru, Ueno, Naozumi, Ichinose, Shiro, Kurata, Shuichi, Ishihara, Toshihiko, Kusaki, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Eickholt, Eugene H.
• Application Number:
  US08/097,660
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 400/126, 400/56-57, 400/58-59, 400/579, 400/618, 400/605, 400/611, 400/613, 400/614, 346/75, 346/140 R, 395/116, 395/131, 226/3, 226/5, 226/15, 226/16, 226/24, 226/27, 226/28, 226/45, 226/93, 226/96, 358/77, 358/80, 340/675, 340/676
• US Class Current: 101/126
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/007 Conveyor belts or like feeding devices
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/20 Platen adjustments for varying the strength of impression, for a varying number of papers, for wear or for alignment , or for print gap adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 15/04 Supporting, feeding, or guiding devices; Mountings for web rolls or spindles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 15/048 Conveyor belts or like feeding devices B41J11/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17509 Whilst mounted in the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/21 for multi-colour printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/17 Cleaning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4078 Printing on textile
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/0047 by ink-jet printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/0064 on plastics, horn, rubber, or other organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/644 using a reduced set of representative colours, e.g. each representing a particular range in a colour space

Abstract

According to the invention, there is provided a continuous web printing apparatus comprising transport means including an endless belt having a sticky surface, a plurality of support rollers having said endless belt entrained therearound and a drive means for rotating said support rollers to move said endless belt, a press means for pressing a continuous web, such as a fabric or transfer sheet, against said endless belt to stick said continuous web to said endless belt, an ink jet head disposed between said support rollers in opposed relation to the surface of said continuous web stuck to said endless belt, an abutment adapted to abut against said endless belt, said abutment being opposed to said ink jet head with the continuous web and said endless belt interposed therebetween, head gap adjusting means for moving at least either of said ink jet head or said abutment in a direction in which the two are opposed to each other, and recovering means for peeling said continuous web, which has passed by said ink jet head, from said endless belt for recovery.

Claims

1. A continuous web printing apparatus comprising:

transport means including an endless belt made of metal and having a sticky surface, a plurality of support rollers having said endless belt entrained therearound, and drive means for rotating said support rollers to move said endless belt;

press means for pressing a continuous web, such as a fabric or a transfer sheet, against said endless belt to stick said continuous web to said endless belt;

an ink jet head disposed between said support rollers in opposed relation to the surface of said continuous web stuck to said endless belt;

an abutment adapted to abut against said endless belt, said abutment being opposed to said ink jet head with said continuous web and said endless belt interposed therebetween;

head gap adjusting means for moving at least either of said ink jet head or said abutment in a direction in which the two are opposed to each other; and

recovering means for peeling said continuous web, which has passed by said ink jet head, from said endless belt for recovery.

2. A continuous web printing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said abutment has a greater width in the transport direction than the width of the ink jet head in the same direction.

3. A continuous web printing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising means for washing said sticky surface of the endless belt.

4. A continuous web printing apparatus comprising;

transport means including an endless belt having a sticky surface, a plurality of support rollers having said endless belt entrained therearound, and drive means for rotating said support rollers to move said endless belt;

press means for pressing a continuous web, such as a fabric or a transfer sheet, against said endless belt to stick said continuous web to said endless belt;

an ink jet head disposed between said support rollers in opposed relation to the surface of said continuous web stuck to said endless belt;

an abutment adapted to abut against said endless belt, said abutment being opposed to said ink jet head with said continuous web and said endless belt interposed therebetween;

head gap adjusting means for moving at least either of said ink jet head or said abutment in a direction in which the two are opposed to each other;

recovering means for peeling said continuous web, which has passed by said ink jet head, from said endless belt for recovery; and

wherein said endless belt comprising an endless belt having an adhesive double coated sheet stuck thereto.

5. A continuous web printing apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said adhesive double coated sheet consists of a synthetic resin film and adhesive layers formed on both surfaces of the synthetic resin film, fine pores being formed in said synthetic resin film and said adhesive layers.

6. A continuous web printing apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said adhesive double coated sheet consists of a nonwoven fabric and a fine porous adhesive film, said nonwoven fabric having a SMD value of not higher than 10 microns measured by KES system, an organic solvent solution of a synthetic polymer being coated on both surfaces of said nonwoven fabric and then immersed in a coagulation bath, said fine porous adhesive film being formed by said synthetic polymer.

7. A continuous web printing apparatus comprising:

transport means including an endless belt having a sticky surface, a plurality of support rollers having said endless belt entrained therearound, and drive means for rotating said support rollers to move said endless belt;

press means for pressing a continuous web, such as a fabric or a transfer sheet, against said endless belt to stick said continuous web to said endless belt;

an ink jet head disposed between said support rollers in opposed relation to the surface of said continuous web stuck to said endless belt;

an abutment adapted to abut against said endless belt, said abutment being opposed to said ink jet head with said continuous web and said endless belt interposed therebetween;

head gap adjusting means for moving at least either of said ink jet head or said abutment in a direction in which the two are opposed to each other;

recovering means for peeling said continuous web, which has passed by said ink jet head, from said endless belt for recovery;

a color transform device for performing reductional color separation so as to transform an input image including numerous kinds of colors to an output image including smaller kinds of colors, said input having been read by a digital image input device and being composed of a plurality of pixels each of which has a digital image data containing at least RGB color value, said color transform device further comprising,

input image data storage means for storing the image data of said input image,

output target color storage means for storing a predetermined number of output target colors to which any pixel color of said input image is to be converted,

pixel color conversion means for calculating distances from the pixel color to said output target colors in a three-dimensional RGB color space with respect to each of the pixels of said input image, based on the image data stored in said input image data storage means, and converting the pixel colors of said input image into the output target colors located at a minimum distance from the respective pixels, and

output image data storage means for storing the image data of said input image converted into said output target colors; and

a digital image output device to which said ink jet head is connected including an RGB/YMCBk transform device for transforming the RGB signals received from said output image data storage means of said color transform device to YMCBk signals so as to output the YMCBk signals to said ink jet head for printing the output image.

8. A continuous web printing apparatus comprising:

transport means including an endless belt having a sticky surface, a plurality of support rollers having said endless belt entrained therearound, and drive means for rotating said support rollers to move said endless belt;

press means for pressing a continuous web, such as a fabric or a transfer sheet, against said endless belt to stick said continuous web to said endless belt;

an ink jet head disposed between said support rollers in opposed relation to the surface of said continuous web stuck to said endless belt;

an abutment adapted to abut against said endless belt, said abutment being opposed to said ink jet head with said continuous web and said endless belt interposed therebetween;

head gap adjusting means for moving at least either of said ink jet head or said abutment in a direction in which the two are opposed to each other;

recovering means for peeling said continuous web, which has passed by said ink jet head, from said endless belt for recovery;

a color transform device for performing reductional color separation so as to transform an input image including numerous kinds of colors to an output image including smaller kinds of colors, said input image having been read by a digital image input device and being composed of a plurality of pixels each of which has a digital image data containing at least RGB color value, said color transform device further comprising,

input image data storage means for storing the image data of said input image,

color space division means for dividing a three-dimensional RGB color space into a plurality of subspaces;

pixel number counting/color value calculation means for counting the number of pixels included in each of said subspaces, and calculating an RGB color value for each of said subspaces, based on the image data stored in said input image data storage means;

output target color selection means for selecting a predetermined m subspaces in descending order of the number of pixels included in said subspaces, and defining the RGB color values of the selected subspaces as output target colors;

pixel color conversion means for calculating distances from the pixel color to said output target colors in said RGB color space with respect to each of the pixels of said input image, based on the image data stored in said input image data storage means, and converting the pixel colors of said input image into the output target colors located at a minimum distance from the respective pixels, and

output image data storage means for storing the image data of said input image converted into the output target colors; and

a digital image output device to which said ink jet head is connected including an RGB/YMCBk transform means for transforming RGB signals received from said output image data storage means of said color transform device to YMCBk signals so as to output the YMCBk signals to said ink jet head for printing the output image.

9. A continuous web printing apparatus comprising:

transport means including an endless belt having a sticky surface, a plurality of support rollers having said endless belt entrained therearound, and drive means for rotating said support rollers to move said endless belt;

press means for pressing a continuous web, such as a fabric or a transfer sheet, against said endless belt to stick said continuous web to said endless belt;

an ink jet head disposed between said support rollers in opposed relation to the surface of said continuous web stuck to said endless belt;

an abutment adapted to abut against said endless belt, said abutment being opposed to said ink jet head with said continuous web and said endless belt interposed therebetween;

head gap adjusting means for moving at least either of said ink jet head or said abutment in a direction in which the two are opposed to each other;

recovering means for peeling said continuous web, which has passed by said ink jet head, from said endless belt for recovery; and

drive means operatively connected to supporting means supporting said press means, for moving said supporting means and said press means so that said press means is retracted from said endless belt to be spaced from said continuous web and said press means is advanced toward said endless belt to be pressed against said continuous web; and

a control device connected to said drive means for controlling said drive means so that said press means is spaced from said continuous web, after said endless belt is stopped, and controlling said drive means so that said press means is pressed against said continuous web, before said endless belt is driven again.

10. A continuous web printing apparatus comprising:

transport means including an endless belt having a sticky surface, a plurality of support rollers having said endless belt entrained therearound, and drive means for rotating said support rollers to move said endless belt;

press means for pressing a continuous web, such as a fabric or a transfer sheet, against said endless belt to stick said continuous web to said endless belt;

an ink jet head disposed between said support rollers in opposed relation to the surface of said continuous web stuck to said endless belt;

an abutment adapted to abut against said endless belt, said abutment being opposed to said ink jet head with said continuous web and said endless belt interposed therebetween;

head gap adjusting means for moving at least either of said ink jet head or said abutment in a direction in which the two are opposed to each other;

recovering means for peeling said continuous web, which has passed by said ink jet head, from said endless belt for recovery;

edge sensor means disposed along the transporting path of the continuous web and positioned near the edge of the continuous web for detecting the edge of the continuous web when the continuous web meanders;

meandering correcting means for correcting the meandering of the continuous web in response to the detection signal from said edge sensor means;

web sensor means disposed along the transporting path of the continuous web and positioned near the center of the continuous web for detecting the presence of the continuous web;

alarm means; and

a control device connected to said edge sensor means, said web sensor means and said alarm means for judging the malfunction of each sensors by the combination of the detection signals of the sensors to control said alarm means.

11. A continuous web printing apparatus comprising:

transport means including an endless belt having a sticky surface, a plurality of support rollers having said endless belt entrained therearound, and drive means for rotating said support rollers to move said endless belt;

press means for pressing a continuous web, such as a fabric or a transfer sheet, against said endless belt to stick said continuous web to said endless belt;

an ink jet head disposed between said support rollers in opposed relation to the surface of said continuous web stuck to said endless belt;

an abutment adapted to abut against said endless belt, said abutment being opposed to said ink jet head with said continuous web and said endless belt interposed therebetween;

head gap adjusting means for moving at least either of said ink jet head or said abutment in a direction in which the two are opposed to each other;

recovering means for peeling said continuous web, which has passed by said ink jet head, from said endless belt for recovery;

a pair of seam detecting means disposed upstream of said press means and spaced to each other widthwise of the continuous web for detecting the seam of the continuous web;

a control device connected to said transport means, said ink jet head, said recovering means and said detecting means for controlling said transport means, said ink jet head and said recovering means in response to the detection signals from the detecting means after detection of the seam, to not run said ink jet head and vacantly transport the continuous web when the seam of the continuous web passes by the ink jet head, and to stop said transport means, said ink jet head and said recovering means when the continuous web is transported by a predetermined distance after seam of the continuous web is detected by one of said detecting means and the seam of the continuous web is then not detected by the other detecting means.

12. A continuous web printing apparatus comprising:

transport means including an endless belt having a sticky surface, a plurality of support rollers having said endless belt entrained therearound, and drive means for rotating said support rollers to move said endless belt;

press means for pressing a continuous web, such as a fabric or a transfer sheet, against said endless belt to stick said continuous web to said endless belt;

an ink jet head disposed between said support rollers in opposed relation to the surface of said continuous web stuck to said endless belt;

an abutment adapted to abut against said endless belt, said abutment being opposed to said ink jet head with said continuous web and said endless belt interposed therebetween;

head gap adjusting means for moving at least either of said ink jet head or said abutment in a direction in which the two are opposed to each other;

recovering means for peeling said continuous web, which has passed by said ink jet head, from said endless belt for recovery; and

a clogging detecting device for detecting a clogging in the nozzle means of said ink jet head, said detecting device comprising;

a clogging detecting area disposed beside the continuous web which is printed, a test web being directed to said area and printed by said nozzle means;

sensor means for optically detecting the printing on said test web;

means for judging the clogging in the nozzle means by the difference between the intensities of light from the printed portion and the not printed portion in the output from said sensor means.

13. A continuous web printing apparatus comprising:

transport means including an endless belt having a sticky surface, a plurality of support rollers having said endless belt entrained therearound, and drive means for rotating said support rollers to move said endless belt;

press means for pressing a continuous web, such as a fabric or a transfer sheet, against said endless belt to stick said continuous web to said endless belt;

an ink jet head disposed between said support rollers in opposed relation to the surface of said continuous web stuck to said endless belt;

an abutment adapted to abut against said endless belt, said abutment being opposed to said ink jet head with said continuous web and said endless belt interposed therebetween;

head gap adjusting means for moving at least either of said ink jet head or said abutment in a direction in which the two are opposed to each other;

recovering means for peeling said continuous web, which has passed by said ink jet head, from said endless belt for recovery;

a color transform device for performing reductional color separation so as to transform an input image including numerous kinds of colors to an output image including smaller kinds of colors, said input image having been read by a digital image input device and being composed of a plurality of pixels each of which has a digital image data containing at least RGB color value, said color transform device further comprising,

input image data storage means for storing the image data of said input image,

pixel number counting means for counting the number of pixels for each of the RGB color values so as to generate a histogram and storing data of the histogram, based on the image data stored in said input image data storage means,

color value distribution area calculation means for defining a distribution area of the RGB color values by which a three-dimensional RGB color space is occupied and evaluating a volume of the color value distribution area, based on the image data stored in said input image data storage means,

distance between output target colors calculating means for calculating a radius of a spherical space whose volume corresponds to the value obtained by division of the volume of said color value distribution area by "m" and defining the double radius as a distance between output target colors,

output target color selection means for selecting the RGB color value with the highest frequency as a first output target color, and excluding RGB color values included in a spherical space which is drawn round the position of said first output target color with a radius corresponding to said distance between output target colors in said RGB color space, and selecting the RGB color value with the highest frequency among residual RGB color values as a second output target color, and repeating a similar procedure until an "m^-th " output target color is selected, and if all of the RGB color values are excluded before the "m^-th " output target color is selected, repeating said similar procedure in the overlapped regions of spherical spaces drawn round the positions of the selected output target colors with the radii corresponding to said distance between output target colors in said RGB color space,

pixel color conversion means for calculating distances from the pixel color to said output target colors in said three dimensional RGB color space with respect to each of the pixels of said input image, based on the image data stored in said input image data storage means, and converting the pixel colors of said input image into the output target colors located at a minimum distance from the respective pixels, and

output image data storage means for storing the image data of said input image converted into the output target colors; and

a digital image output device to which said ink jet head is connected including an RGB/YMCBk transform means for transforming RGB signals received from said output image data storage means of said color transform device to YMCBk signals so as to output the YMCBk signals to said ink jet head for printing the output image.