US 12,447,755 B2
Three-dimensional object printing apparatus and three-dimensional object printing method
Yoshinori Nakajima, Matsumoto (JP); Kohei Utsunomiya, Matsumoto (JP); Masaru Kumagai, Shiojiri (JP); and Yuki Ishii, Shiojiri (JP)
Assigned to SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION, (JP)
Filed by SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Feb. 13, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/439,878.
Claims priority of application No. 2023-020907 (JP), filed on Feb. 14, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0269992 A1, Aug. 15, 2024
Int. Cl. B41J 3/407 (2006.01); B25J 11/00 (2006.01); B41J 25/00 (2006.01); B41J 25/316 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 3/40731 (2020.08) [B25J 11/0075 (2013.01); B41J 25/001 (2013.01); B41J 25/316 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A three-dimensional object printing apparatus comprising:
a head having a plurality of nozzles that eject a liquid to a printing region on a workpiece;
a movement mechanism that changes a relative position and posture between the workpiece and the head; and
a control portion that controls the head and the movement mechanism, wherein
the control portion executes
a first printing operation of ejecting the liquid from the head to the workpiece while changing the relative position between the workpiece and the head through a first path, and
a second printing operation of ejecting the liquid from the head to the workpiece while changing the relative position between the workpiece and the head through a second path,
the printing region includes
a first band region into which the liquid is ejected from the head in the first printing operation, and
a second band region into which the liquid is ejected from the head in the second printing operation, and
when a width of a region in which a region of the first band region into which the liquid is ejected from the head at a first position in the first path and a region of the second band region into which the liquid is ejected from the head at a second position in the second path overlap with each other is set as a first overlapping width,
a width of a region in which a region of the first band region into which the liquid is ejected from the head at a third position in the first path and a region of the second band region into which the liquid is ejected from the head at a fourth position in the second path overlap with each other is set as a second overlapping width,
an angle formed by a vector representing a relative movement between the workpiece and the head at the first position and a vector representing the relative movement between the workpiece and the head at the second position is set as a first angle, and
an angle formed by a vector representing the relative movement between the workpiece and the head at the third position and a vector representing the relative movement between the workpiece and the head at the fourth position is set as a second angle,
the first angle is more than the second angle, and the first overlapping width is less than the second overlapping width.