US 12,459,247 B2
Printing apparatus and method for producing printed item
Kouji Muraoka, Fukui (JP)
Assigned to Shuhou Co., Ltd., Fukui (JP)
Appl. No. 17/997,183
Filed by Shuhou Co., Ltd., Fukui (JP)
PCT Filed Apr. 28, 2022, PCT No. PCT/JP2022/019269
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 26, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2023/209945, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 2, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0239096 A1, Jul. 18, 2024
Int. Cl. B41M 1/40 (2006.01); B41F 17/00 (2006.01); B41F 31/00 (2006.01); B41F 33/00 (2006.01); B41M 1/06 (2006.01); G03F 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC B41F 17/001 (2013.01) [B41F 31/002 (2013.01); B41F 33/0009 (2013.01); B41M 1/06 (2013.01); B41M 1/40 (2013.01); G03F 7/0002 (2013.01); B41P 2200/22 (2013.01); B41P 2200/31 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A printing apparatus comprising:
a printing pad having a printing surface configured to be deformed to conform to a shape of a surface to be printed of an item to be printed;
a printing original plate stage on which a printing original plate is placed, the printing original plate having a placement surface on which ink is placed;
a printing stage provided for placing the item to be printed;
a blower configured to send air toward the printing surface of the printing pad; and
a controller configured to control an action of the printing pad, wherein
the printing pad is configured to be movable between the printing original plate stage and the printing stage, and is configured to be vertically movable from and to the printing original plate stage or the printing stage,
the blower is configured to send air toward the printing surface of the printing pad in a state where the ink on the placement surface of the printing original plate is transferred to the printing surface, and
the controller includes a pad control unit configured to be capable of controlling the printing pad, when the printing pad is caused to move toward the item to be printed placed on the printing stage, into at least two states, being a movement state at a first speed and a stopped state, and the stopped state is brought about at least before the printing pad is brought into contact with the surface to be printed.