US 11,840,062 B2
Three-dimensional object printing method and apparatus
Kohei Utsunomiya, Matsumoto (JP); and Tomonaga Hasegawa, Matsumoto (JP)
Assigned to Seiko Epson Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Jun. 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/809,236.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-106769 (JP), filed on Jun. 28, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0410466 A1, Dec. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. B41J 11/00 (2006.01); B41J 3/407 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 11/00218 (2021.01) [B41J 3/4073 (2013.01); B41J 11/00212 (2021.01); B41J 11/00214 (2021.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A three-dimensional object printing method using a head, an energy emitter, and a moving mechanism, the head having an ejection face in which a nozzle for ejecting liquid is provided, the energy emitter having an emission face from which energy for curing or solidifying the liquid ejected from the head is emitted, the moving mechanism changing relative position of the head and the energy emitter with respect to a three-dimensional workpiece, the three-dimensional object printing method comprising:
first operation of concurrently performing ejection of liquid toward the workpiece by the head, emission of energy toward the workpiece by the energy emitter, and relative movement of the head and the energy emitter with respect to the workpiece by the moving mechanism; and
second operation, subsequent to the first operation, of concurrently performing emission of energy toward the workpiece by the energy emitter and relative movement of the head and the energy emitter with respect to the workpiece by the moving mechanism, without performing ejection of liquid toward the workpiece by the head, wherein
a first irradiation distance, which is a distance between the workpiece and the emission face in a direction of a line normal to the emission face during execution of the first operation, and a second irradiation distance, which is a distance between the workpiece and the emission face in a direction of a line normal to the emission face during execution of the second operation, are different from each other.