US 11,926,095 B2
Three-dimensional object printing apparatus
Keigo Sugai, Chino (JP)
Assigned to SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION, (JP)
Filed by SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Aug. 31, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/899,651.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-142195 (JP), filed on Sep. 1, 2021; and application No. 2021142195 (JP), filed on Sep. 1, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0062985 A1, Mar. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. B29C 64/232 (2017.01); B29C 64/129 (2017.01); B29C 64/209 (2017.01); B29C 64/236 (2017.01); B29C 64/241 (2017.01); B29C 64/264 (2017.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01)
CPC B29C 64/232 (2017.08) [B29C 64/129 (2017.08); B29C 64/209 (2017.08); B29C 64/236 (2017.08); B29C 64/241 (2017.08); B29C 64/264 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A three-dimensional object printing apparatus, comprising:
a first head having a first nozzle face in which a first nozzle for ejecting liquid is provided;
an energy emitter having an emission face from which energy for curing the liquid ejected from the first head is emitted; and
a moving mechanism that changes relative positions of the first head and the energy emitter in relation to a workpiece, wherein
the moving mechanism includes:
a first linear motion mechanism that has a carriage carrying the first head and the energy emitter and a first motor generating a driving force to move the carriage and that changes the relative positions of the first head and the energy emitter in relation to the workpiece along a first axis;
a first up-and-down mechanism that has a second motor generating a driving force to move the first head up and down partly within the first up-and-down mechanism to change a position of the first nozzle face along a second axis intersecting with the first axis; and
a second up-and-down mechanism that has a third motor generating a driving force to move the energy emitter up and down partly within the second up-and-down mechanism to change a position of the emission face along a third axis parallel to the second axis, wherein
the first linear motion mechanism changes the relative positions of the first head and the energy emitter in relation to the workpiece in a first direction along the first axis during execution of a first scan by using the first motor,
the first head ejects the liquid toward the workpiece during the execution of the first scan, and
the first up-and-down mechanism and the second up-and-down mechanism change the positions of the first nozzle face and the emission face, respectively, such that a distance between the first nozzle face and the workpiece in a second direction along the second axis is shorter than a distance between the emission face and the workpiece in the second direction during the execution of the first scan by using the second motor and the third motor, respectively.