JPH0521072B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical field to which the present invention pertains] The present invention relates to a method for transporting a printing material that has been roughly temporarily positioned in a pre-process of a printing process by reciprocating a movable suction member with a length that covers both processes. At the same time, after this printing material is completely positioned with a positioning member protruding from the top surface of the printing table in the printing process, it is fixed to the printing table and printing processing is performed on the printing material in screen printing. Concerning the printing method.

"Prior Art and Problems to be Solved by the Present Invention" Conventionally, the printing material is perfectly positioned with respect to the screen plate in a positioning process installed just before the printing process, and this is transferred directly to the printing process for printing processing. Printing methods and devices intended for this purpose are widely known.

However, in this type of printing method and device, it is difficult to maintain the pre-positioned state in the positioning process in its perfect state until the printing process due to changes in each operating element over time and the transfer during the printing process. This is extremely difficult due to malfunctions, etc. Therefore, in order to maintain the positioning state as completely as possible, a printing method and apparatus using a means for transporting the printing material long enough to cover both processes has been proposed. However, in this case as well, in order for the transfer means to reliably hold the printed material positioned in the positioning process, it is necessary to keep its top surface flush with the surface of the positioning process. Also, in the printing process, in order to ensure the transfer, this transfer means is temporarily stopped with its top surface flush with the surface of the printing table in the printing process, and then transferred. Care must be taken to prevent slippage.

However, even if such special consideration is given to the operation of the transport means, there still remains a concern that the printing medium may be displaced due to external factors during its delivery in the printing process.

Moreover, in this printing method, the means for transporting the printing material must be operated in at least three stages, that is, the upper, middle, and lower stages centering on the flow line of the printing material, so that it is difficult to carry out a single operation. Printing cycles inevitably take a long time,
This was also problematic from an efficiency standpoint.

"Means for Solving the Problem" The present invention has been made in view of the state of the prior art described above, and includes accurate positioning of the printing material with respect to the screen plate during the printing process.
In the process before the printing process, only rough temporary positioning is done, but positioning in the printing process is
The temporarily positioned printing material is received from the movable suction member slightly above the top surface of the printing table, and a positioning member that performs accurate positioning with respect to the screen plate is used to receive the printing material, and after the positioning is completed, the printing material is transferred to the printing table. After the movable suction member, which was fixed to perform the printing process and transported the printing material, transfers the printing material to the positioning member,
This is a means of solving the problem by descending a predetermined stroke below the printing table and immediately returning to the original position after descending.

"Function" According to the present invention, the printing material that has been roughly temporarily positioned in the process before the printing process is held by the positioning member that protrudes from the printing table in the printing process, and is accurately positioned. Since the processed printing material is delivered to the discharge process, accurate positioning of the printing material with respect to the screen plate in the printing process is ensured, and the movable suction member, which is the means for transporting the printing material, returns to the original position. This speeds up the recovery and reduces the time required for one print cycle.

"Embodiments" Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to conceptual diagrams of devices that are directly used.

The temporary positioning process 1 and the positioning printing process 2 are installed in series, and the printing medium M is transferred to the temporary positioning process 1 by a belt conveyor 1a, where rough temporary positioning is performed.

First, the temporary positioning of the printing medium M is carried out on the conveyor 1.
Conveyor 1a is positioned in the traveling direction by coming into contact with a retractable stopper S provided at the end of the conveyor 1a in the traveling direction.
At the same time as stopping the driving of the conveyor 1,
Alternatively, a temporary positioning table (not shown) that moves up and down relative to the conveyor 1a may be separately provided, and the temporary positioning work may be performed on this table. You can do it.

The means for temporary positioning in the direction perpendicular to the direction of travel may be determined as appropriate, for example, it is possible to move back and forth in the perpendicular direction with the amount of subsequent movement roughly defined in advance in relation to the printing material alignment member 5 of the screen plate 4 described later. The arm member X may be provided opposite to the backing plate member Y set on the other side in the angle direction.

Further, the holding element for the printing medium M in this temporary positioning step 1 may be the belt conveyor 1a itself into which the printing medium M is carried as described above, or may be a flat table. , these need to have a structure such that a movable suction member 6, which will be described in detail later, can protrude from the top surface and can move toward the positioning printing process 2. A corresponding space 7 is formed between the configured belt conveyors 1a.

In the positioning printing process 2, the printing table 8
It consists of a printing material positioning member 5 that can be moved in and out relative to the surface 8a of the printing table 8, and a screen plate 4 formed by forming a predetermined pattern to be printed on the printing material M. The transferred printing medium M is held by the positioning member 5 and accurately positioned with respect to the screen plate 4, and after the positioning is completed, it is fixed to the printing table 8 and the printing process is performed. become.

A negative pressure suction hole 8b is provided in the printing table 8 for fixing the printing medium M which has been accurately positioned with respect to the screen plate 4 by adjusting the positioning member 5.

The suction on/off action of the negative pressure suction hole 8b is performed by the operation of a separately provided vacuum pump (not shown).

Further, the printing table 8 is provided with a corresponding space so that the above-mentioned positioning member 5 protrudes from the top surface of the table 8 and can be moved left and right and back and forth with respect to the screen plate 4 and can be rotated. ,
Similar to the case in the temporary positioning step 1, a corresponding groove 8c is formed so that the movable suction member 6 can protrude from the upper surface 8a of the printing table 8 and can move in the direction of the discharge step 3 arranged after the positioning printing step 2. There is.

The screen plate 4 moves up and down with respect to the printing table 8, and the printing material M is moved up and down relative to the printing table 8.
Its operation is adjusted so that it descends when it is fixed at the position, and rises to a predetermined position and waits when the printing process is completed.

The movable suction member 6 transports the temporarily positioned printing medium M to the positioning printing process 2, and simultaneously transfers the printed medium M that has undergone the printing process to the discharging process 3. It has a length that covers the printing process 2, and the surface that holds the printing medium M is formed by a negative pressure suction pad 6a. The on/off action of the suction of the negative pressure suction pad 6a is caused by the operation of a separately provided vacuum pump (not shown), similar to the on/off action of the negative pressure suction hole 8b of the printing table 8.

It is important that the movable suction member 6 has a length that covers both processes 1 and 2, and that it can reliably hold and transport the printing medium M. Of course, the present invention is not limited to the one in which a plurality of comparatively small-diameter negative pressure suction pads 6a are formed on the surface of a plurality of thin tubes 6b connected by 9 and moved together; The structure in which negative pressure suction pads 6a of relatively small diameter (for example, about 5 mm to 8 mm) are formed on the surface of each thin tube 6b has the following advantages. In other words, compared to a flat plate with negative pressure suction holes, it is lighter in weight, has a simpler structure, and is superior in terms of accuracy and durability. .

Also, depending on the degree of distortion of the printing material, it may not be possible to securely hold it with a flat plate with holes, but if the material is suctioned by the elastic pads 6a, each suction pad 6a is capable of evenly sucking the printing material M, so that its holding is reliable, and the disadvantages such as displacement of the printing material midway due to external impact force during transportation are avoided. This is advantageous in that it can be reliably prevented.

As described above, the plurality of thin tubes 6b constituting the movable suction member 6 are connected at their longitudinal ends by the connecting rod 9, and are guided during the temporary positioning process 1, positioning printing process 2, and discharge process 3. It moves while being guided by a member (not shown), and moves in two steps in the vertical direction with respect to the upper surfaces 1a' and 8a of the temporary positioning process 1 and the positioning printing process 2 by the action of an elevating drive device (not shown). It is designed to move up and down.

The movable suction member 6 also includes a first suction section 6a' that suctions and holds the printing medium M on the temporary positioning step 1;
It consists of a second suction section 6a'' that suctions and holds the printing medium M on the positioning printing process 2.

As described above, the positioning member 5 that holds the printing medium M and performs positioning operation with respect to the screen plate 4 protrudes from the upper surface 8a of the printing table 8 and is rotatable in the left and right front and back directions. The surface holding the body M is constituted by a negative pressure suction pad 5a, similar to the surface of the movable suction member 6. The effect of the suction pad 5a is the same as that of the movable suction member 6, as described above.

4A to 4E are conceptual diagrams illustrating the process in which the printing medium M is carried into the temporary positioning step 1, undergoes printing processing through the action of the movable suction member 6, and reaches the discharge step 3 in the present invention. However, when the printing medium M has now reached the temporary positioning step 1 and temporary positioning is performed, the printing medium M' that has been temporarily positioned before this is moved to the first suction section 6a of the movable suction member 6. ' is held in the positioning printing process 2, and the printed material M'' held by the second suction section 6a'' is placed in the discharge process 3.
(see Figure 4a).

Thus, while the printing process and the ejection process are being performed, the movable suction member 6 moves in the direction of the temporary positioning process 1 and returns to the original position, that is, the first suction part 6a' is located below the temporary positioning process 1. , the second suction section 6a'' has returned to the position below the positioning printing step 2 (see FIG. 4b).

Next, waiting for the end of the printing process and the movement of the screen plate 4 upwards, the movable suction member 6 moves in both steps 1,
2 (see Fig. 4c), the first suction section 6a' sucks and holds the temporarily positioned printing medium M', and the second suction section 6a'' removes the printed medium M' that has been printed. In other words, the first suction part 6a' is located above the positioning printing process 2, and the second suction part 6a'' is located above the discharge process 3. (see Figure 4d).

After moving by a predetermined amount, the movable suction member 6 moves a predetermined amount below the positioning printing process 2 and the discharging process 3, that is, to a position spaced apart from both processes 2 and 3 below. At this time, the temporarily positioned criticism print material held by the first suction section 6a'
M' adsorbs and transfers the printing material M' to the alignment member 5 protruding from the upper surface 8a of the printing table 8, and the printed material M'' held by the second suction section 6a'' Then, it is delivered to the belt conveyor 3a, which is a discharge process, and is discharged to the next process (see FIG. 4e). At this time, the suction force of the first suction part 6a' and the second suction part 6a'' of the movable suction member 6 is released, and the positioning member 5 that receives the printing medium M' from the first suction member 6a' This will give it an attractive force.

The printing material M' delivered to the alignment member 5 is accurately positioned with respect to the screen plate 4 by the adjustment operation of the alignment member 5, and then adsorbed from the alignment member 5 to the printing table 8. It is fixed on the table 8 by suction (see FIG. 4a). At this time, it goes without saying that the suction force of the suction pad 5a of the alignment member 5 is released and the suction force is applied to the suction hole 8b of the printing table 8.

The alignment member 5, which has adsorbed the printing material M' onto the printing table 8, descends downward from the upper surface 8a of the printing table 8, and then, when the printing material M' is fixed on the printing table 8, the screen plate 4 is lowered so that it is positioned with a predetermined gap between it and the printing medium M', and the printing process is performed.

When this printing process is carried out, the movable suction member 6 has already returned to its original position, and then protrudes from the upper surfaces 1a' and 8a of both steps 1 and 2 to connect the temporarily positioned printing material M' and the position-processed material M'. Printing material
A predetermined amount in the three directions of the discharge process while adsorbing and holding M″.
The movement is as described above.

In the figure, reference numeral 10 denotes a solid-state image sensor that stores the exact position of the printing material M' with respect to the screen plate 4, and a positioning member 5 that receives the printing material M'.
This is the standard for the adjustment operation.

"Effects of the Present Invention" As described above, when the first suction section of the movable suction member suctions and holds the temporarily positioned printing medium, the second suction section moves the second suction section to the printing medium that has completed the printing process. The movable suction member in this state is moved to transfer the temporarily positioned printing material to the alignment member of the positioning printing process, and the alignment member is adjusted. Then, the printing material is fixed to the printing table and subjected to the printing process, and the movable suction member immediately moves it to the origin after it has been involved in the positioning printing process and the ejection process. Since the printer is returned to its original position, it is now possible to print precise printing patterns safely and quickly.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a top view schematically explaining the equipment used in carrying out the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line A-A, showing a state in which the movable suction member is recessed from the top surface of the printing table, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the movable suction member in FIG. FIG. FIGS. 4a to 4e are conceptual diagrams illustrating one printing cycle, which are related to the implementation process of the present invention. 1...Temporary positioning process, 1a...Belt conveyor, 1a'...Top surface, 2...Positioning printing process, 3...Discharge process, 3a...Belt conveyor, 4...Screen plate, 5...Positioning member, 5a...Suction pad, 6
...Moving suction member, 6a...Suction pad, 6a'...First
Suction part, 6a''...Second suction part, 8...Printing table, 8a...Top surface, 8b...Negative pressure suction hole, 10...Solid-state image sensor, M...To be printed, M'...To be positioned to be printed , M″...printed substrate, S...stopper.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Between the temporary positioning process and the positioning printing process, which are arranged in series, a movable suction member with a length that covers both processes is disposed so as to be movable back and forth in the longitudinal direction, and the first suction part of this movable suction member is When the printing material for the temporary positioning process is suctioned and held, the printing material for the positioning printing process has already been subjected to the printing process and is held by the second suction section of the movable suction member, and the printing material for the positioning printing process is held by the second suction part of the movable suction member. While in this state, the movable suction member is moved in the direction of the discharge process arranged after the positioning printing process, and the first suction unit is positioned above the positioning printing process. When the second suction section is positioned above the discharge process, the second suction section is lowered by a predetermined stroke to project the printing material held by the first suction section upward from the top surface of the printing table in the positioning printing process. Then, the movable suction member moves the printing material in the direction of the temporary positioning process to return it to the original position, and adjusts the positioning member that holds the printing material to adjust the printing material to the screen plate. A method of printing on a printing material in screen printing, characterized in that the printing material whose positioning has been completed is fixed on the printing table and printing processing is performed.