Drawing apparatus and drawing method for drawing apparatus

• US 9,894,979 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2016
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Irie, Tamotsu
• Primary Examiner(s): BARNES, TED W
• Application Number:
  US15/268,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20170071314A1
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2029/005 Printing or stamping devices for applying images or ornaments to nails
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 29/22 Finger-supports
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/00222 Controlling the convection means
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/00224 comprising movable shutters, e.g. for redirection of an air flow
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/01 Ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/407 for marking on special material
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 21/004 Nozzle assemblies; Air knives; Air distributors; Blow boxes F26B3/082, F26B13/104, F26B13/108, F26B21/006 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 21/10 Temperature; Pressure F26B23/026 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 21/12 Velocity of flow; Quantity of flow , e.g. by varying fan speed, by modifying cross flow area F26B21/004 takes precedence; changing air flow pattern F26B21/022
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 3/04 the gas or vapour circulating over or surrounding the materials or objects to be dried F26B3/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 9/003 Small self-contained devices, e.g. portable
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 9/06 in stationary drums or chambers

Abstract

A drawing apparatus and a drawing method for a drawing apparatus whereby only an amount of drying necessary to dry the ink can be efficiently performed, and both high-definition drawing and expedited drawing processing can be realized.

The drawing apparatus includes a drawing unit 40 that performs a drawing on a surface of a nail T by applying ink to the surface of the nail T, and a fan 92; a drying unit 90 that performs a drying operation for drying the ink applied to the surface of the nail T; a drying condition determination portion 813 that determines a drying condition for the drying unit 90; and a drying control portion 814 that controls the drying operation of the drying unit 90 in accordance with a determination by the drying condition determination portion 813.

Claims

1. A drawing apparatus comprising:

a drawing device that performs drawing on at least one nail of a finger or toe by applying a liquid material to the nail;

a dryer that performs a drying operation for drying the liquid material that has been applied to the nail; and

a processor that controls the drying operation of the dryer,

wherein the dryer comprises a fan that generates a wind flowing in a direction intersecting a width direction of the nail, and a wind direction adjusting device that adjusts a range where the wind flows in the width direction to one of a plurality of different ranges, and

wherein the processor controls the dryer so that the range where the wind flows in the width direction, which is adjusted by the wind direction adjusting device, corresponds to an application range where the liquid material is to be applied to the nail.

2. The drawing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor controls a blowing volume of the wind generated by the fan in accordance with the adjusting of the range where the wind flows in the width direction by the wind direction adjusting device.

3. The drawing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor controls a blowing volume of the wind generated by the fan in accordance with an amount of the liquid material that is to be applied to the drawing object.

4. The drawing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor controls the dryer so that the range where the wind flows in the width direction, which is adjusted by the wind direction adjusting device, corresponds to a distribution in the width direction of the application range where the liquid material is to be applied.

5. The drawing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor controls a blowing time of the wind generated by the fan in accordance with an ease of drying based on a type of the liquid material.

6. The drawing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the dryer further comprises a heater; and

the processor controls the heater so as to change a temperature of the wind generated by the dryer, in accordance with an ease of drying based on a type of the liquid material.

7. A drawing method for a drawing apparatus, the drawing apparatus comprising (i) a drawing device that performs drawing on at least one nail of a finger or toe by applying a liquid material to the nail, and (ii) a dryer including a fan that generates a wind flowing in a direction intersecting a width direction of the nail, and a wind direction adjusting device that adjusts a range where the wind flows in the width direction to one of a plurality of different ranges, the dryer performing a drying operation for drying the liquid material applied to the nail, and the drawing method comprising:

before drawing by the drawing device, controlling the drying so that the range where the wind flows in the width direction, which is adjusted by the wind direction adjusting device, corresponds to an application range where the liquid material is to be applied to the nail.

8. The drawing method according to claim 7, further comprising controlling a blowing volume of the wind generated by the fan in accordance with the adjusting of the range where the wind flows in the width direction by the wind direction adjusting device.

9. The drawing method according to claim 7, further comprising controlling a blowing volume of the wind by the fan in accordance with an amount of the liquid material that is to be applied to the nail.

10. The drawing method according to claim 7, further comprising controlling the dryer so that the range where the wind flows in the width direction, which is adjusted by the wind direction adjusting device, corresponds to a distribution in the width direction of the application range where the liquid material is to be applied.

11. The drawing method according to claim 7, further comprising controlling a blowing time of the wind generated by the fan in accordance with an ease of drying based on a type of the liquid material.

12. The drawing method according to claim 7, wherein:

the dryer further includes a heater; and

the method further comprises controlling the heater so as to change a temperature of the wind generated by the dryer, in accordance with an ease of drying based on a type of the liquid material.