Ink jet printer

• US 7,232,212 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2004
• Issued: 06/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roland DG Corporation
• Original Assignee: Roland DG Corporation
• Inventors: Iwase, Fumiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Meier; Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIANG, LEONARD S
• Application Number:
  US10/809,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20050099478A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,181 Days
• Field of Search: 347/102, 347/101, 347/42, 347/43, 101/488, 219/216, 346/25, 399/320
• US Class Current: 347/102
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/00214 using UV radiation

Abstract

An ink jet head of an ink jet printer comprises an ink jet nozzle ejecting ultraviolet curing ink, a pair of ultraviolet LEDs provided on both sides of the ink jet nozzle in the moving direction for emitting ultraviolet light in order to cure the ultraviolet curing ink.

Claims

1. An ink jet printer forming an image using ultraviolet curing ink, comprising:

an ink jet head configured to eject out the ultraviolet curing ink onto a predetermined sheet,

moving means for moving said ink jet head relatively to said sheet; and

a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) elements arranged in adjacent columns and rows, the LED elements including a plurality of first-wavelength LED elements and a plurality of second-wavelength LED elements, said first-wavelength LED elements and said second-wavelength LED elements being arranged alternately.

2. The ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein said LED elements are provided in a direction of and opposite to the moving direction of said ink jet head.

3. The ink jet printer according to claim 1,

wherein said second-wavelength LED elements output ultraviolet light whose wavelength is longer than the wavelength of said first-wavelength LED elements.

4. The ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein said first-wavelength LED elements and second-wavelength LED elements are alternatively arranged in said moving direction.

5. The ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein said first-wavelength LED elements and said second-wavelength LED elements are arranged close to the side of said ink jet head against said moving direction.

6. The ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein said first-wavelength ranges from 250 nm to 300 nm, and said second-wavelength ranges from 300 to 370 nm.