US 12,319,075 B2
Printing apparatus
Shin Goto, Ichikawa (JP); Hiroki Kurosu, Matsudo (JP); Kiyotaka Henmi, Shiroi (JP); and Yasutaka Iwasa, Zama (JP)
Assigned to Canon Finetech Nisca Inc., Saitama (JP)
Filed by CANON FINETECH NISCA INC., Misato (JP)
Filed on Feb. 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/172,495.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-023383 (JP), filed on Feb. 14, 2020; and application No. 2021-018429 (JP), filed on Feb. 8, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2021/0252875 A1, Aug. 19, 2021
Int. Cl. B41J 3/407 (2006.01); B41J 2/325 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 3/40733 (2020.08) [B41J 2/325 (2013.01); B41J 3/40731 (2020.08)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A printing apparatus comprising:
a conveyance unit configured to convey a tube-shaped print medium;
a print head configured to perform printing on the tube-shaped print medium that is conveyed by the conveyance unit in a conveyance direction;
a heater unit arranged on an upstream side relative to the print head with respect to the conveyance direction and configured to include a metal member and a heat generation body for heating the metal member, the metal member including an inner surface of a partially cylindrical shape in a circumferential direction; and
a pressing unit configured to press the tube-shaped print medium toward the partially cylindrical shaped inner surface of the metal member, the tube-shaped print medium being brought into contact with the metal member by being pressed by the pressing unit,
wherein the tube-shaped print medium is capable of passing through between the inner surface of the metal member and the pressing unit.
 
10. A printing apparatus comprising:
a conveyance unit configured to convey a tube-shaped print medium along a predetermined conveyance path;
a heater unit provided with a metal member configured to extend along the predetermined conveyance path and a heat generation body configured to heat the metal member, the heat generation body being mounted on the metal member;
a pressing unit including a pressing member configured to press the tube-shaped print medium; and
a print head configured to perform printing on the tube-shaped print medium being heated by the heater unit and conveyed by the conveyance unit,
wherein the pressing member is arranged so that when the tube-shaped print medium is heated, the pressing member and the heat generation body pinch the metal member and the tube-sharped print medium, and
wherein the pressing member is further configured so as to be movable in the direction of pinching the metal member.
 
12. A tube heating apparatus that is attachable to a printing apparatus including a conveyance unit configured to convey a tube-shaped print medium and a print head configured to perform printing on the tube-shaped print medium, in a state in which the tube heating apparatus is attached to the print apparatus, the tube heating apparatus being located on an upstream side relative to the print head with respect to the conveyance direction, the tube heating apparatus comprising:
a heater unit configured to include a metal member and a heat generation body for heating the metal member, the metal member including an inner surface of a partially cylindrical shape in a circumferential direction; and
a pressing unit configured to press the tube-shaped print medium, which is conveyed by the conveyance unit of the printing apparatus, toward the partially cylindrical shaped inner surface of the metal member, the tube-shaped print medium being brought into contact with the metal member by being pressed by the pressing unit,
wherein the tube-shaped print medium is capable of passing through between the surface and the pressing unit.
 
13. A printing apparatus comprising:
a conveyance unit configured to convey a first tube having a first outer diameter and a second tube having a second outer diameter larger than the first outer diameter along a predetermined conveyance path;
a heater unit provided with a metal member configured to extend along the predetermined conveyance path and a heat generation body configured to heat the metal member, the heat generation body being mounted on the metal member;
a pressing unit including a pressing member configured to press the first tube and the second tube; and
a print head configured to perform printing on the first tube and the second tube heated by the heater unit and conveyed by the conveyance unit,
wherein, when heating the first tube, the pressing member and the heat generation body are capable of pinching the metal member and the first tube, and
wherein, when heating the second tube, the pressing member and the heat generation body are capable of pinching the metal member and the second tube.