Printing apparatus

Abstract

The invention provides a printing apparatus. Provided is a technique whereby it is possible to improve ease of use while suppressing a decrease in workability when using individual members. The printing apparatus includes: a printhead configured to perform printing by ejecting ink onto a printing medium; a frame member configured to accommodate the printhead; an opening / closing member configured to pivotally move with respect to the frame member; a first storage unit configured to store ink; a first cover configured to cover the first storage unit and mounted adjacent to one side of the opening / closing member in the first direction; and a movable member configured to move relative to the frame member and mounted adjacent to one side of the opening / closing member in the first direction, in which a portion of the movable member and a portion of the first cover together with the opening / closing member form an upper surface of the printing apparatus.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a printing apparatus for performing printing on a printing medium. Background Art

[0002] Typically, in a printing device such as a multifunction peripheral equipped with a printing function and a reading function, a user needs to perform various tasks such as injecting ink, setting a document to be read, inputting to an operation unit, setting a print medium, handling a jam, and disposing of waste ink.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-168134 discloses a technique in which an ink tank and an operation portion that are frequently used when performing corresponding work are placed on the front of an apparatus to improve usability.

[0004] However, in the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-168134, the ink reservoir and the operating unit are centrally arranged on the right front side of the device. Therefore, it is necessary to place multiple components in a small space, which may impose restrictions on the shape and size of the structure of each component and reduce the workability when using each component. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and provides a technology that can improve the usability while suppressing a decrease in workability when using each member.

[0006] A printing device, comprising: a print head configured to perform printing by ejecting ink onto a printing medium; a frame member configured to accommodate the print head; an opening / closing member configured to pivotally move relative to the frame member; a first storage unit configured to store ink; a first cover configured to cover the first storage unit and to be installed adjacent to one side of the opening / closing member in a first direction; and a movable member configured to move relative to the frame member and to be installed adjacent to the one side of the opening / closing member in the first direction, wherein a portion of the movable member and a portion of the first cover together with the opening / closing member form an upper surface of the printing device.

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the usability while suppressing a decrease in workability when using each member.

[0008] Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1A and Figure 1B It is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the printing device;

[0010] Figure 2A and Figure 2BThey are the main view and plan view of the printing device;

[0011] Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a printing unit;

[0012] Figure 4 is a diagram showing the state of some movable members after operation;

[0013] Figure 5A and Figure 5B is a diagram for explaining the structure of the operating unit;

[0014] FIG. 6A to FIG. 6C is a diagram for explaining attachment and detachment of the first cover;

[0015] FIG. 7A to FIG. 7D is a diagram for explaining a locking portion in the second cover;

[0016] Figure 8 is a diagram showing a housing portion of a waste ink tank;

[0017] 9A to 9C is a diagram showing the relationship between the first cover and the reading portion in a closed position;

[0018] Fig.10 is a diagram showing the relationship between a moving area of ​​an operating portion and a working area for an ink tank;

[0019] Fig.11 is a diagram showing a positional relationship between the second cover and the reading section in a closed position;

[0020] Fig.12 is a perspective view of a printing device with a reading portion in an open position;

[0021] FIG. 13A to FIG. 13D is a diagram for explaining connection between a damper unit and a frame member;

[0022] Fig.14A and Fig. 14B is a perspective view of the damper unit;

[0023] FIG. 15A to FIG. 15C is a structural diagram of the damper unit;

[0024] Fig.16 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control system of a printing apparatus; and

[0025] Fig.17A and Fig. 17B It is a diagram for explaining a modified example of the frame member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] In the following, with reference to the accompanying drawings, a detailed description of an example of an embodiment of the printing device is given. It should be noted that the following embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention, and each combination of the features described in the embodiments is not necessarily necessary for the solution provided in the present invention. In addition, the positions, shapes, etc. of the components described in the embodiments are only examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to the examples.

[0027] In the description of the present embodiment, a multifunction peripheral having a printing function for ejecting ink as a printing agent onto a printing medium using an inkjet system to perform printing and a reading function for reading an original placed on a platen glass is taken as an example of a printing device. Note that the printing system is not limited to the inkjet system, and may be, for example, an electrophotographic system. The printing agent that can be ejected by the printing device according to the present embodiment is not limited to ink, and includes various known printing agents for printing, such as a processing liquid for applying a predetermined process to the ejected ink.

[0028] In the present embodiment, "printing" refers not only to the case where meaningful information (such as characters and graphics) is formed. That is, it is not important whether it is meaningful or meaningless. In addition, it is not important whether it is induced in a way that humans can visually perceive, and includes the case of forming an image, design, pattern, etc. on a printing medium in a broad sense or the case of processing the medium. In the present embodiment, "printing medium" includes not only paper used in general printing equipment, but also cloth, plastic film, metal plate, glass, resin, wood, leather, etc. that can accept the printing agent to be used.

[0029] In this specification, when viewed from a position facing the side where the print medium is discharged after printing, the direction from the left side of the device toward the right side is described as the X direction, the direction from the rear side (back side) toward the near side (front side) is described as the Y direction, and the direction from the lower side toward the upper side is described as the Z direction. In this way, the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction are directions from one side toward the other side, and are directions perpendicular to each other. In this specification, each direction is appropriately represented by "+ (positive)" in the case of extending from one side toward the other side, and represented by "- (negative)" in the case of extending from the other side toward one side.

[0030] (Structure of printing equipment)

[0031] Figure 1A and Figure 1B It is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the printing device. Figure 1A shows the reading section in a closed state, Figure 1B The reading section is shown in an open state. Figure 2A is the main view of the printing device, Figure 2Bis a plan view of the printing section. Figure 2B The internal structure of the printing section within the opening section is omitted. Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional diagram of the internal structure of the printing unit.

[0032] Figure 1A and Figure 1B The printing device 10 shown includes a printing section 12 capable of performing printing on a printing medium, a reading section 14 capable of reading a placed original, and an operating section 16 capable of operating the printing device 10. The reading section 14 and the operating section 16 are mounted on the upper surface of the printing section 12. The reading section 14 is located on the back side of the upper surface of the printing section 12, and the operating section 16 is located on the front side of the aforementioned upper surface. As described in detail later, the reading section 14 is mounted on the upper surface of the printing section 12 in an openable / closable manner, and in the open state, the opening section 18 formed in the aforementioned upper surface is exposed to the outside (see Figure 1B and Figure 2B ). Therefore, the user is allowed to access the inside of the printing section 12 through the opening section 18. In addition, in the closed state, the reading section 14 closes the opening section 18 (see Figure 1A ). In the present embodiment, the reading section 14 forms the upper surface of the printing apparatus 10 and serves as an opening / closing member on the upper surface of the printing section 12 that can be opened / closed.

[0033] The printing unit 12 includes a receiving unit 20 for receiving the printing medium and a conveying unit 22 for conveying the printing medium supplied by a supply unit (not shown) to a printing position (see FIG. Figure 3 ). In addition, the printing section 12 includes a print head 24 that performs printing by ejecting ink onto a printing medium that is transported to a printing position by the transport section 22. In addition, the printing section 12 includes a discharge section 26 that discharges the printing medium on which printing has been performed by the print head 24, and a recovery unit 28 that maintains and recovers good ink ejection characteristics of the print head 24.

[0034] The accommodating section 20 carries and accommodates the print medium. The uppermost sheet of the print medium accommodated in the accommodating section 20 is picked up by the supply section and transferred to the back side, and then, after passing through the U-shaped bend of the supply path (not shown in the figure), the sheet is transferred from the back side to the front side and supplied to the conveying section 22. The printing device 10 can be configured to have the ability to supply the print medium from the back side of the printing device 10, or can be configured to have the ability to supply the print medium from both the accommodating section 20 and the back side of the printing device 10. It is to be noted that since various known technologies can be used for the configuration capable of supplying the print medium from the back side of the printing device 10, its detailed description is omitted. The conveying section 22 conveys the print medium supplied by the supply section in the +Y direction to the printing position where printing can be performed by the print head 24. In the present embodiment, the accommodating section 20 is used as a placement section for placing the print medium to be supplied from the front surface 12a side of the printing device 10 to the printing position where printing is performed by the print head 24.

[0035] The print head 24 is configured to have the ability to reciprocate in the X direction, and on the surface facing the print medium transported by the conveying section 22 (the ejection port surface described later), a ejection port array is formed along a direction intersecting the X direction, and a plurality of ejection ports for ejecting ink in the ejection port array are arranged in an array. The print head 24 is configured to have the ability to eject one or more types of ink. In the present embodiment, the print head 24 is configured to eject black (Bk) ink, cyan (C) ink, magenta (M) ink, and yellow (Y) ink. Therefore, on the surface facing the print medium transported by the conveying section 22, the print head 24 has an ejection port array formed for each type of ink. The discharge section 26 transports the print medium on which printing has been performed by the print head 24 in the +Y direction, and discharges the aforementioned print medium to the outside through an opening 30 formed in the front surface 12a of the printing section 12 (see Figure 1A and Figure 2A ).

[0036] The recovery unit 28 is placed at a position facing the ejection port face (the surface on which the ejection port array is formed) of the print head 24 in the standby position. Note that the standby position is the position where the print head 24 is located when printing is not performed (see Figure 3 The recovery unit 28 includes, for example, a capping portion for capping and protecting the ejection port face of the print head 24, a suction portion for forcibly sucking ink from the print head 24 when the ejection port face is in a capped state, a wiping portion for wiping the ejection port face, and the like.

[0037] As described above, during printing in the printing section 12, first, the printing medium is conveyed to the printing position by the conveying section 22. Next, a printing operation is performed on the printing medium conveyed to the printing position, in which the print head 24 ejects ink while moving in the X direction. Thereafter, the conveying section 22 performs a conveying operation so as to convey the printing medium only by a predetermined amount, and then performs a printing operation again. In this way, the printing section 12 performs printing on the printing medium by alternately and repeatedly performing the conveying operation and the printing operation.

[0038] The operation unit 16 includes a display unit 32 for displaying various information and a button unit 34 for mounting various buttons for operation on the operation surface 16a (see FIG. Figure 1B and Figure 2B As described in detail later, the operating portion 16 is configured to be displaceable on the upper surface of the printing portion 12 between a storage position in which the operating surface 16a forms the upper surface of the printing portion 12 and a pull-out position in which the operating portion 16 is pulled out by the user according to the use conditions.

[0039] The operation portion 16 is located on the front side in the Y direction relative to the reading portion 14. In addition, the operation portion 16 is placed at a position at least partially overlapping with the opening 30 in the X direction, and the printed medium after printing passes through the opening 30 and is discharged by the discharge portion 26. Note that in the present embodiment, the operation portion 16 is installed at a position overlapping with the opening 30 in the X direction.

[0040] The reading section 14 is engaged with the upper surface of the printing section 12 via a pivot axis (not shown in the figure), and is configured to be movable between an open position in which the interior of the printing section 12 is open to the outside and a closed position in which the interior of the printing section 12 is closed by pivotally moving around the aforementioned pivot axis. Figure 1B The reading section 14 is in the open position. Figure 1A The reading section 14 is in the closed position. Note that since various known techniques can be used for the specific construction of the reading mechanism in the reading section 14, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0041] When a jam occurs in the printing unit 12, the reading unit 14 is moved in the direction of arrow A (see Figure 1A ) pivotally moves from the closed position to the open position for removing a print medium jammed during conveyance. Therefore, the interior of the printing section 12 is exposed to the outside through the opening section 18, thereby allowing a user to access the interior of the printing section 12 and remove a jammed print medium. In addition, on the upper surface of the printing section 12, the support member 36 supports and maintains the reading section 14 in the open position. In the printing apparatus 10, the damper unit 1202 is installed in the opening / closing mechanism of the reading section 14, which enables a stable opening / closing operation of the reading section 14 (see Figure 1B ). The details of the damper unit 1202 will be described later.

[0042] The printing section 12 is also equipped with a waste ink tank 302 that can store waste ink and an ink tank 304 that stores ink to be supplied to the print head 24, the waste ink tank 302 being located on one side (left side) in the X direction at the front side, and the ink tank 304 being located on the other side (right side) in the X direction at the front side (see Figure 3 In the present embodiment, the waste ink storage 302 is placed at a position that partially overlaps with the opening 30 in the X direction but does not overlap with the opening 30 in the Z direction (see Figure 2A ). In addition, in the present embodiment, the ink reservoir 304 is placed at a position that does not overlap with the opening 30 in the X direction but overlaps with the opening 30 in the Z direction (see Figure 2A ).

[0043] The waste ink tank 302 is connected to the recovery unit 28 so as to transfer the waste ink generated in the recovery operation performed by the recovery unit 28 from the recovery unit 28. The waste ink tank 302 is installed in the printing section 12 in a replaceable manner. In addition, the ink tank 304 is connected to the print head 24 so that the ink stored in the ink tank 304 is transferred to the print head 24. The ink tank 304 is installed in the printing section 12 in a fixed manner and is configured so that the ink can be injected from the ink bottle 1004 (see Fig.10 That is, in the present embodiment, if the amount of ink in the ink tank 304 becomes a predetermined amount or less, the ink from the ink bottle 1004 is injected into the aforementioned ink tank 304 so as to replenish the ink tank 304 with ink.

[0044] The printing section 12 includes a first cover 40 that covers the upper side of the waste ink reservoir 302 to form the upper surface of the printing section 12, and a second cover 42 that covers the upper side of the ink reservoir 304 to form the upper surface of the printing section 12. The first cover 40 and the second cover 42 are placed on the front side of the printing section 12 relative to the reading section 14. In addition, the first cover 40 is placed adjacent to the left side of the operating section 16, and the second cover 42 is placed adjacent to the right side of the operating section 16. In the present embodiment, the upper surface of the first cover 40, the operating surface 16a of the operating section 16, and the upper surface of the second cover 42 are substantially aligned in the Z direction (see Figure 2A ).

[0045] The printing section 12 includes a frame member 44 as a housing, and each of the above-mentioned constituent members is placed in the frame member 44. In addition, the reading section 14, the operating section 16, the first cover 40, and the second cover 42 are mounted on the upper portion of the frame member 44, so that the reading section 14, the operating section 16, the first cover 40, and the second cover 42 form the upper surface of the printing section 12. As described in detail later, the reading section 14 is mounted on the frame member 44 in a manner that can be opened and closed, and the operating section 16, the first cover 40, and the second cover 42 are mounted in a manner that is movable relative to the frame member 44.

[0046] As described above, the waste ink tank 302 is installed in the printing section 12 in a replaceable manner. That is, in order to replace the waste ink tank 302 in the printing section 12, the first cover 40 covering the upper side of the waste ink tank 302 is moved so that the waste ink tank 302 retreated in the printing section 12 is exposed to the outside, and then the replacement is performed. In addition, as described above, the ink tank 304 is configured so that ink can be injected from the ink bottle 1004. Therefore, in order to inject ink into the ink tank 304 in the printing section 12, the second cover 42 covering the upper side of the ink tank 304 is moved so that the ink tank 304 retreated in the printing section 12 is exposed to the outside, and then the ink of the ink bottle 1004 is injected into the ink tank 304.

[0047] (Overview of Operation Section, First Cover, and Second Cover)

[0048] Next, a description is given of the overview of the operation section 16, the first cover 40, and the second cover 42. Note that in the present embodiment, the operation section 16 is a movable member movably mounted on the frame member 44 housing the printing section 12, the waste ink reservoir 302, and the ink tank 304.

[0049] <Operation Section>

[0050] First, a description is given about the overview of the operation section 16 . Figure 4 It shows that the operation part 16, the first cover 40 and the second cover 42 have been removed. Figure 1A A diagram of an example of a state of movement.

[0051] The operating portion 16 is placed in a rotatable manner relative to the frame member 44 of the printing portion 12 via a tilting mechanism so as to allow the angle of the operating surface 16a to be changed in a stepwise manner. The operating portion 16 can be moved from the accommodation position in the direction of arrow B (see Figure 1B ) is pivotally moved so as to be positioned in the extended position (see Figure 4 In the pulled-out position, the operation surface 16a is inclined relative to the surface in contact with the ground in the printing apparatus 10. This allows the user to set the operation surface 16a at an angle that is easy to see and operate according to the installation position of the printing apparatus 10.

[0052] As described above, the operation portion 16 is located on the front side relative to the reading portion 14 in the Y direction. The reading portion 14 has a handle portion 402 in the side surface 14a, and when the reading portion 14 is in the closed position, the handle portion 402 faces the side surface 16b of the operation portion 16 in the accommodated position, and the user can hook his / her hand on the handle portion 402 for opening or closing the reading portion 14. It is to be noted that the handle portion 402 at least partially overlaps with the operation portion 16 in the X direction and the Z direction. In the present embodiment, the handle portion 402 is formed in a position and length aligned with the operation portion 16 in the X direction, and is formed to be longer than the operation portion 16 in the Z direction (see Figure 2A ). This makes it easier for the user to hook his / her finger on the side surface 16b of the operation portion 16 to move the operation portion 16 from the accommodated position to the pulled-out position. Note that the present embodiment includes a grip portion 404 on the side surface 16b of the operation portion 16, where the user can hook his / her hand to move the operation portion 16 in the accommodated position to the pulled-out position. This makes it easier to perform the task of moving the operation portion 16 from the accommodated position to the pulled-out position.

[0053] <First Cover>

[0054] Next, an explanation is given about the overview of the first cover 40. The first cover 40 is installed in a removable manner from the frame member 44. Specifically, the first cover 40 is a removable cover that can be removed from the frame member 44, thereby exposing the waste ink storage 302 to the outside, and can be installed so as to shield the waste ink storage 302 from the outside. It is to be noted that, as described in detail later, the first cover 40 is configured to slide in the Y direction relative to the frame member 44 for attachment and detachment. When replacing the waste ink storage 302, the first cover 40 installed on the frame member 44 slides and moves to a position where the first cover 40 can be removed, and then the first cover 40 is removed from the frame member 44 so as to expose the waste ink storage 302 to the outside. Then, the user replaces the waste ink storage 302 exposed to the outside with, for example, a newly prepared unused waste ink storage 302. Furthermore, after replacing the waste ink tank 302, the first cover 40 is placed in a position where the first cover 40 can be removed, and then slid and moved to a position where the first cover is fixed so as to shield the waste ink tank 302 from the outside.

[0055] <Second Cover>

[0056] Next, a description is given of the outline of the second cover 42. The second cover 42 is a pivotable cover that can be pivotally moved to an open position (see FIG. 1 ) in which the ink reservoir 304 is exposed to the outside. Figure 4 ) and the closed position of the ink reservoir 304 relative to the exterior shielded (see Figure 1A) between. Specifically, the second cover 42 includes a shaft member 1102 (see Fig.11 ) (The shaft member 1102 can be connected to the bearing portion 1104 installed in the frame member 44 (see Fig.11 ) is engaged), and can be pivotally moved about the shaft member 1102 engaged with the bearing portion 1104. When ink is injected into the ink reservoir 304, the second cover 42 in the closed position is moved in the direction of arrow C (see Figure 1A ) is pivotally moved to expose the ink reservoir 304 to the outside. Then, the user injects ink from the ink bottle 1004 into the ink reservoir 304 exposed to the outside. In addition, once the ink is injected into the ink reservoir 304, the second cover 42 in the open position is rotated in the direction of arrow D (see Figure 4 ) so that the ink reservoir 304 is shielded from the outside.

[0057] <Relationship between the Operation Section, the First Cover, and the Second Cover>

[0058] In this way, the printing apparatus 10 has the operation section 16, the first cover 40, and the second cover 42 placed side by side in the X direction without overlapping each other on the front side of the upper surface of the printing section 12. This allows the printing apparatus 10 to have high visibility of the operation section 16, the waste ink tank 302, and the ink tank 304, and high operability of the operation section 16, the waste ink tank 302, and the ink tank 304. In addition, such placement also allows work on the operation section 16, the waste ink tank 302, and the ink tank 304 to be performed in parallel.

[0059] Furthermore, the placement spaces for the operation section 16, the waste ink tank 302, and the ink tank 304 do not interfere with each other. Furthermore, the operation section 16, which can be located in a relatively small space, is placed in the central portion where the opening 30 for discharging the print medium after printing is located with respect to the X direction. Furthermore, the waste ink tank 302 and the ink tank 304, which require a relatively large space, are placed on the left and right sides of the operation section 16 with respect to the X direction.

[0060] This allows the printing apparatus 10 in which a plurality of components are installed side by side in the X direction to secure a wider space for placing the plurality of components, compared to the known technology in which a plurality of components are installed in positions overlapping in the X direction and the Y direction. Therefore, for example, the functions of the operation section 16, the waste ink tank 302, and the ink tank 304 can be expanded by installing a moving mechanism in the operation section 16 or increasing the tank capacity. Note that by making the first cover 40 and the second cover 42 transparent or translucent, respectively, the user can observe the components covered with the respective covers.

[0061] (Detailed structure of the operating unit)

[0062] Next, a detailed description of the moving mechanism of the operating portion 16 is given. As described above, the operating portion 16 is placed on the frame member 44 via a tilting mechanism, and is configured to be movable between the accommodating position and the pulling-out position by pivotally moving via the tilting mechanism. In the accommodating position, the operating surface 16a of the operating portion 16 is substantially parallel to the surface in contact with the ground in the printing device 10, and in the pulling-out position, the operating surface 16a is tilted relative to the surface in contact with the ground. In the present embodiment, the pulling-out position includes a first pulling-out position and a second pulling-out position, the first pulling-out position having a small tilt relative to the surface in contact with the ground, and the second pulling-out position having a large tilt relative to the surface in contact with the ground. It should be noted that the pulling-out position is not limited to having two positions, but can be set to three or more positions having different tilt angles relative to the surface in contact with the ground. In addition, in the present embodiment, the tilting mechanism is used to change the position of the operating portion 16 in a stepwise manner, but is not limited thereto. That is, the operating portion 16 can be placed on the frame member 44 via a moving mechanism that changes the position of the operating portion 16 in a continuous manner.

[0063] Figure 5A and Figure 5B is a cross-sectional view of the area near the operation unit 16. Figure 5A FIG. 4 shows a cross section of the operating portion 16 and a portion of its tilting mechanism (as a moving mechanism) when the operating portion 16 is in the pulled-out position, and FIG. Figure 5B The cross section of the operating portion 16 when it is in the accommodation position is shown ( Figure 1A The cross section at the VB-VB line).

[0064] The tilt mechanism 500 includes a sliding portion 502 fixedly mounted in the operating portion 16 and a cam portion 504 on which the sliding portion 502 can slide (see FIG. Figure 5A ). The cam portion 504 has a plurality of stationary points on which the slide portion 502 rests. That is, in the tilt mechanism 500, the slide portion 502 rests at the stationary points to change the posture of the operating portion 16 fixedly mounted with the slide portion 502. Specifically, the tilt angle of the operating surface 16a relative to the surface in contact with the ground in the printing apparatus 10 is changed.

[0065] In this embodiment, the cam portion 504 has three stationary points 504a, 504b and 504c. When the sliding portion 502 is positioned at the stationary point 504a, the operating portion 16 is in the accommodated position. When the sliding portion 502 is positioned at the stationary point 504b, the operating portion 16 is in the first pulled-out position (see Figure 5A When the sliding portion 502 is positioned at the stationary point 504c, the operating portion 16 is in the second pulled-out position (see Figure 5A). Note that, in the second pulled-out position, the operating portion 16 does not overlap with the opening 30 with respect to the Z direction.

[0066] The sliding portion 502 is configured to be pressed against the cam portion 504 by a force applying member (not shown in the figure), thereby generating a friction force at the contact portion between the sliding portion 502 and the cam portion 504. This reduces unintentional movement of the operating portion 16 because a load is applied to the sliding portion 502 when the sliding portion 502 moves on the cam portion 504, and thus the operating portion 16 moves only when a certain amount or more of pressing force is applied from various positions. It is to be noted that the operating portion 16 and the tilting mechanism 500 are designed in a manner not to overlap with the opening 30 at any position displaced by the movement in the Z direction. This prevents the discharge operation of the print medium after printing from being disturbed.

[0067] Since the operating portion 16 in the accommodated position has the operating surface 16a facing upward, dust and dirt can easily accumulate on the operating surface 16a. For this reason, in the present embodiment, the display portion 32 can be formed as a resistive touch screen, or the display portion 32, the button portion 34 as a mechanical key, and the cover portion of the operating surface 16a can be formed in the same plane, for example. In addition, a fully flat configuration in which the front surface of the display portion 32, the button portion 34, and the cover portion are covered with a sheet key is also possible. This makes it possible to clean the operating surface 16a without impairing the function of the operating portion 16. It should be noted that the display portion 32 is not limited to a resistive touch screen, and various known touch screens such as an electrostatic touch screen can be applied.

[0068] The tilt mechanism 500 is configured to be rotatable about a rotation axis 506 installed in the frame member 44 (see Figure 5B ). Therefore, in the present embodiment, the operation portion 16 is pivotally moved about the rotation axis 506 via the tilt mechanism 500. The operation portion 16 is configured so that the side surface 16b passes through the track 510 (see Figure 5B This allows the operation portion 16 to be moved and pulled out without contacting the reading portion 14 even when the reading portion 14 is in the closed position.

[0069] (Detailed Structure of the First Cover)

[0070] Next, a detailed description is given about the configuration of the first cover 40 . FIG. 6A to FIG. 6C It is a diagram for explaining attachment and detachment of the first cover 40 . Fig. 6A 4 is a left side view of the printing apparatus 10 , with the first cover 40 in a fixed position where the first cover 40 can be fixed to the frame member 44 . Figure 6B is an enlarged side view of an area adjacent to the first cover 40 in a removal position in which the first cover 40 may be removed from the frame member 44 . Figure 6C is an enlarged side view of an area near the first cover 40 removed from the frame member 44 .

[0071] As described above, the first cover 40 is configured to slide and move in the Y direction for being attached to or detached from the frame member 44. When the first cover 40 is removed from the frame member 44, the first cover 40 slides in the +Y direction from the fixed position to move to the removal position (see Figure 6B ). Then, the first cover 40 is removed from the frame member 44 by moving the first cover 40 from the removal position in the +Z direction (see Figure 6C ). In addition, when the first cover 40 is mounted on the frame member 44, the first cover 40 is moved from the upper side of the removal position in the -Z direction so that the first cover 40 is positioned in the removal position (see Figure 6B ). Then, the first cover 40 slides in the -Y direction from the removal position to move to the fixed position (see Fig. 6A ). Note that when the first cover 40 is attached or detached, the reading portion 14 is located in the open position.

[0072] Furthermore, the printing apparatus 10 includes a locking mechanism that fixes the first cover 40 in a fixed position to the frame member 44 with respect to the Y direction. FIG. 7A to FIG. 7D 2 is a diagram for explaining a locking portion in a locking mechanism. Fig. 7A is a three-dimensional view of the upper surface of the first cover 40, Figure 7B is a perspective view of the bottom surface of the first cover 40, Figure 7C yes Figure 7B A partial enlarged view of the VIIC frame, Fig.7D yes Figure 7B A partial enlarged view of the VIID box. Figure 8 This is a diagram for explaining the holding portion in the locking mechanism. FIG. 7A to FIG. 7D The direction shown in is the direction in which the first cover 40 is attached to the printing apparatus 10 .

[0073] The printing apparatus 10 includes a locking portion 702 (see FIG. 1 ) mounted on the first cover 40 as a locking mechanism. Fig. 7A and Figure 7B ) to fix the first cover 40 to the frame member 44 at a fixed position relative to the Y direction. In addition, the printing apparatus 10 includes a holding portion 802 (see Figure 8 ), so that the locking portion 702 can be retained. In the present embodiment, the locking portion 702 is a locking member that can be retained on the retaining portion 802.

[0074] The locking portion 702 includes a user-operable locking lever 704 and a claw portion 706, which can be held on a holding portion 802 mounted on the frame member 44. The locking lever 704 is mounted on the upper surface 40a of the first cover 40 on one side in the Y direction (i.e., near the back side end) in a manner that allows sliding in the X direction. The claw portion 706 is mounted on the bottom surface 40b of the first cover 40 near the back side end in a manner that allows sliding in the X direction in synchronization with the locking lever 704. The claw portion 706 includes a claw portion 706a and a claw portion 706b, and the claw portion 706a and the claw portion 706b are mounted at different positions from each other in the X direction.

[0075] The holding portion 802 is installed in a position and shape capable of holding the claw portion 706 of the first cover 40 in a fixed position at the back surface 804a of the accommodating portion 804 formed by the frame member 44 to accommodate the waste ink tank 302. The holding portion 802 includes a holding portion 802a capable of holding the claw portion 706a and a holding portion 802b capable of holding the claw portion 706b.

[0076] When the locking lever 704 is in the locked position, the claw portion 706 and the retaining portion 802 are retained and locked. Fig. 7A 802, and in the present embodiment, the locked position is to the left of the released position described later. In the fixed position, the first cover 40 is locked, and the claw portion 706 is held on the retaining portion 802, so that its movement in the Y direction relative to the frame member 44 is restricted. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the locking portion 702 and the retaining portion 802 serve as a restricting portion that restricts the movement of the first cover 40 relative to the frame member 44 in the Y direction.

[0077] Furthermore, when the lock lever 704 is in the release position, the claw portion 706 held on the holding portion 802 is released, so that the lock is released. Therefore, the release position is a position where the claw portion 706 held on the holding portion 802 is released and the first cover 40 fixed to the frame member 44 by the locking mechanism is released. If the lock is released by releasing the claw portion 706 held on the holding portion 802, the first cover 40 in the fixed position is allowed to move relative to the frame member 44 in the Y direction.

[0078] Note that in the fixed position, the movement of the first cover 40 in the X direction and the Z direction is restricted by a structure (a slide guide and a slide rail not shown in the figure) that allows sliding between the removal position and the fixed position and a structure such as an engagement portion (not shown in the figure). Therefore, in the first cover 40 of the present embodiment in the fixed position, if the lock lever 704 is moved to the lock position, the movement of the first cover 40 relative to the frame member 44 in the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction is restricted thereby, so that the first cover 40 is fixed.

[0079] The claws 706a and 706b are formed in a shape such that the vicinity of the front end portions 706aa and 706ba gradually inclines in the +Y direction as they go toward the front end portions 706aa and 706ba. Therefore, even if the lock lever 704 is not completely positioned in the release position when the first cover 40 is slid from the removal position to the fixed position, as the first cover 40 moves in the -Y direction, the claws 706 move in the +X direction through the retaining portion 802. With this configuration, even if the lock lever 704 is not completely positioned in the release position when the first cover 40 is moved from the removal position to the fixed position, the first cover 40 can be slid to the fixed position.

[0080] When the first cover 40 is mounted on the frame member 44, first, the reading section 14 in the closed position is moved to the open position. It should be noted that when the reading section 14 is already in the open position, this process is omitted. Next, the first cover 40 is placed in the removal position, and then the first cover 40 is slid from the removal position to the fixed position, and then the locking rod 704 in the release position is moved to the locking position. Therefore, the locking portion 702 (claw portion 706) is retained on the retaining portion 802, thereby limiting the movement of the first cover 40 in the Y direction. Then, the reading section 14 in the open position moves to the closed position.

[0081] In addition, when the first cover 40 is removed from the frame member 44, the reading section 14 in the closed position is moved to the open position. Next, in the first cover 40 in the fixed position, the locking lever 704 in the locked position is moved to the release position. Therefore, the locking portion 702 (claw portion 706) held on the retaining portion 802 is released, thereby allowing the first cover 40 to move in the Y direction. Then, the first cover 40 slides from the fixed position to the removal position, and the first cover 40 is removed from the frame member 44 at the removal position. In addition, if necessary, the reading section 14 in the open position is moved to the closed position.

[0082] Hereinafter, a description is given about the relationship between the first cover 40 in the fixed position and the reading section 14 in the closed position. 9A to 9C : is a diagram showing the relationship between the first cover 40 in the fixed position and the reading unit 14 in the closed position. Fig. 9A is a plan view of the printing device 10, Fig. 9B yes Fig. 9A The cross-sectional view of the IXB-IXB line in Fig. 9C yes Fig. 9A Cross-sectional view of the IXC-IXC line in FIG.

[0083] With the first cover 40 in the fixed position, the area including the vicinity of the back side end of the lock lever 704 overlaps with the reading section 14 in the closed position in the XY plane (see Fig. 9A ). Note that the lock lever 704 is exposed when the reading section 14 is in the open position (see Figure 1B ). Therefore, in the printing apparatus 10, the lock lever 704 cannot be operated when the reading section 14 is in the closed position, and thus the lock by the lock section 702 is not released unintentionally.

[0084] Furthermore, the reading section 14 has a restricting portion 902 formed at a portion facing the first cover 40 in the fixed position so as to restrict movement of the lock lever 704 in the locked position to the released position when the reading section 14 is in the closed position (see Fig. 9C In this embodiment, the lock lever 704 has a protrusion 704a extending in the Y direction in an upward protruding manner (see Fig. 7A and Fig. 9C ). Therefore, the limiting portion 902 is formed to protrude downward in a manner overlapping with the protrusion 704a of the locking rod 704 in the locked position when the reading section 14 is in the closed position in the Z direction. In addition, at this time, the limiting portion 902 is installed at a position that does not allow the locking rod 704 in the locked position to move to the release position along the X direction. In the present embodiment, the limiting portion 902 is positioned to be spaced apart from the X direction by a predetermined distance on the right side of the protrusion 704a of the locking rod 704 in the locked position. The predetermined distance is, for example, a distance at which the holding state between the claw portion 706 and the holding portion 802 is not released even if the locking rod 704 moves to the right by a predetermined distance. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the protrusion 704a and the limiting portion 902 serve as a limiting member capable of limiting the sliding of the locking rod 704 from the locked position to the release position.

[0085] Furthermore, the first cover 40 includes a rib 708 extending in the X direction near the back side end of the upper surface 40a (see Fig. 7A ). The rib 708 is formed in an area where the first cover 40 in the fixed position overlaps with the reading section 14 in the closed position in the XY plane. In other words, the rib 708 is formed on the upper surface 40a at a position facing the reading section 14 in the closed position when the first cover 40 is in the fixed position. Although in the present embodiment, the rib 708 is installed at two positions sandwiching the locking lever 704 in the X direction, the rib 708 may be installed at any of the two positions.

[0086] The reading section 14 has a concave fitting portion 904 that can fit the rib 708 at a portion facing the first cover 40 in the fixed position when the reading section 14 is in the closed position (see Fig. 9B). The fitting portion 904 is formed, for example, in the shape of a groove extending in the X direction, into which the rib 708 can fit. Therefore, even when the reading section 14 is moved to the closed position without being locked by the locking portion 702 of the first cover 40 in the fixed position, the rib 708 fits into the fitting portion 904, thereby restricting the movement of the first cover 40 in the Y direction. That is, in the present embodiment, the fitting portion 904 and the rib 708 cooperate to serve as a restricting portion that restricts the sliding of the first cover 40 in the Y direction.

[0087] Therefore, in the present embodiment, with the first cover 40 in the fixed position, if the lock lever 704 is slid to the lock position and the reading section 14 is positioned in the closed position, the movement of the lock lever 704 in the X direction is restricted by the restriction portion 902. This prevents the lock lever 704 from being unintentionally moved to the release position due to vibration, impact, etc. In addition, even if the user forgets to slide the lock lever 704 to the lock position on the first cover 40 in the fixed position, as long as the reading section 14 is in the closed position, the sliding of the first cover 40 in the Y direction is restricted because the rib 708 is engaged with the engagement portion 904. With the above-mentioned configuration, as long as the reading section 14 is in the closed position, the printing apparatus 10 can prevent the first cover 40 in the fixed position from being unintentionally dropped from the frame member 44.

[0088] The printing apparatus 10 is designed so that the moving area (movable area) of the operating portion 16 and the position of the waste ink tank 302 do not overlap each other in the X direction. Therefore, the first cover 40 covering the upper side of the waste ink tank 302 is placed at a position that does not overlap with the moving area of ​​the operating portion 16 in the X direction. In the present embodiment, the moving area of ​​the operating portion 16 and the moving area (sliding area) of the first cover 40 are designed not to overlap each other in the X direction and the Z direction.

[0089] (Structure and position of the second cover)

[0090] Next, a detailed description is given of the configuration and position of the second cover 42 . Fig.10 3 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the operating portion 16 in the second pulled-out position and the ink reservoir 304. Fig.10 In the illustration, some structures around the operating unit 16 and the ink tank 304 are omitted. Fig.11 yes Fig. 9A Cross-sectional view along line XI-XI.

[0091] In this embodiment, the ink reservoir 304 includes an ink reservoir 304Bk for storing Bk ink, an ink reservoir 304C for storing C ink, an ink reservoir 304M for storing M ink, and an ink reservoir 304Y for storing Y ink (see Fig.10). In the printing section 12, each ink reservoir 304 can be accessed by moving the second cover 42 to the open position. Each ink reservoir 304 has an injection port (not shown) that allows ink to be injected into the interior, and each injection port has a cover 1002 to suppress ink leakage. For example, the cover 1002 is made so that the ink stored in the attached ink reservoir 304 can be identified by the user.

[0092] In order to inject ink into each ink tank 304, the second cover 42 in the closed position is moved to the open position, and the cover 1002 of the ink tank 304 to be the target of ink injection is opened to expose the injection port. Next, the injection port is inserted into the ink bottle 1004, which contains the ink type corresponding to the ink stored in the aforementioned ink tank 304. Therefore, the ink contained in the ink bottle 1004 flows into the ink tank 304 via the injection port. If the injection of the ink from the ink bottle 1004 is completed, the injection port is removed from the ink bottle 1004, and the injection port is covered with the cover 1002. Then, the second cover 42 in the open position is moved to the closed position to complete the ink injection into the ink tank 304.

[0093] Note that the printing apparatus 10 is designed so that the moving area of ​​the operating portion 16 does not overlap with the position of the ink tank 304 in the X direction. Furthermore, the moving area of ​​the operating portion 16 is also designed so as not to overlap with the ink bottle 1004 located on the far left and inserted into the injection port of the ink tank 304 in the X direction (see Fig.10 ). Therefore, the second cover 42 covering the upper side of the ink reservoir 304 is placed at a position that does not overlap with the operating portion 16 and the moving area of ​​the operating portion 16 in the X direction. In the present embodiment, the moving area of ​​the operating portion 16 and the moving area (pivoting moving area) of the second cover 42 are designed not to overlap with each other in the X direction and the Z direction. That is, in the present embodiment, the operating portion 16, the first cover 40 and the second cover 42 are designed so that their moving areas do not overlap with each other in the X direction and the Z direction.

[0094] The shaft member 1102 installed in the second cover 42 is rotatably fitted into a bearing portion 1104 installed in the frame member 44 (see Fig.11 ). In addition, the reading section 14 includes a cover section 14b that presses the original placed on the platen glass from the upper side. In the substantially central portion of the front side of the cover section 14b, a handle section 1103 that protrudes toward the front side is installed to make it easier to open and close the cover section 14b. The handle section 1103 is installed at a position that does not overlap with the second cover 42 in the X direction (see Fig. 9A). In addition, the rotation center of the second cover 42 rotatably held by the frame member 44 is located near the side surface 14a of the reading section 14 and on the front side relative to the side surface 14a. Therefore, even if the reading section 14 is in the closed position, the second cover 42 can be pivotally moved to a position where the second cover 42 is substantially perpendicular to the surface in contact with the ground in the printing apparatus 10. This makes it possible to perform the work of injecting ink into the ink reservoir 304 without the ink bottle 1004 and the second cover 42 interfering with each other.

[0095] (Damper unit in the opening / closing mechanism of the reading section)

[0096] Next, a description is given about the damper unit installed in the opening / closing mechanism of the reading section 14 .

[0097] <Installation position of damper unit>

[0098] Fig.12 is a perspective view of the printing device with the reading section 14 in the open position. Fig.12 In the figure, for ease of understanding, the right side of the frame member 44 is shown as transparent. In the printing apparatus 10, the damper unit 1202 is installed in the opening / closing mechanism of the reading section 14 to prevent the reading section 14 from moving from the open position to the closed position at high speed due to its own weight or other reasons (see Fig.12 ). The damper unit 1202 is installed near the rotation fulcrum (not shown in the figure) of the reading section 14. In the case where the damper unit 1202 is installed near the rotation fulcrum of the reading section 14, the movement amount of the components of the opening / closing mechanism can be kept small, so that the size of the damper unit 1202 can be reduced.

[0099] <Mounting structure of damper unit>

[0100] FIG. 13A to FIG. 13D 12 is a diagram showing a mounting structure of the damper unit 1202 on the frame member 44 . Fig.13A 1 is a diagram showing a state where the damper unit 1202 is mounted on the frame member 44. Fig. 13B 12 is a diagram showing a state in which the damper unit 1202 and the frame member 44 are separated from each other. Fig. 13C yes Fig. 13B Magnified view of box XIIIC in . Fig.13D yes Fig. 13B Magnified view of box XIIID in FIG.

[0101] The damper unit 1202 is fastened to the frame member 44 (see FIG. 1 ) by screws 1306 and 1308 in a state supported by the mounting surfaces 1302 and 1304. FIG. 13A to FIG. 13D). Bosses 1310 and 1312 are mounted adjacent to mounting surfaces 1302 and 1304 (see Fig. 13C and Fig.13D ). In order to fasten the damper unit 1202 to the frame member 44 using the screws 1306 and 1308 , the damper unit 1202 is positioned by fitting a hole (not shown) formed in the damper unit 1202 into the bosses 1310 and 1312 .

[0102] The mounting surfaces 1302 and 1304 are formed to be approximately perpendicular to the direction of the load received by the arm gear 1402 (described later) in the damper unit 1202. In addition, the frame member 44 around the mounting surfaces 1302 and 1304 is formed to have a shape and a positional relationship with surrounding members so that the frame member 44 has high rigidity against the load received by the damper unit 1202 from the reading section 14.

[0103] <Structure of Damper Unit>

[0104] Fig.14A and Fig. 14B 14 is a diagram for explaining the connection between the arm gear 1402 and the reading unit 14. Fig.14A is a diagram showing a state where the reading section 14 is in an open position, and Fig. 14B 1 is a diagram showing a state where the reading section 14 is in a closed position. FIG. 15A to FIG. 15C is a structural diagram of the damper unit 1202. In addition, Fig.15A It is a stereogram. Fig. 15B yes Fig.15A Arrow view of arrow E in the middle, Fig. 15C is a perspective view showing a gear train. Fig. 15C In the figure, for ease of understanding, structures other than the gear train are omitted.

[0105] The reading section 14 rotatably mounted on the frame member 44 is connected near the right side end to an arm gear 1402 of a damper unit 1202 mounted on the frame member 44 (see Fig.14A and Fig. 14B ). In the present embodiment, the reading section 14 and the arm gear 1402 are fastened with a screw 1404. The damper unit 1202 is configured to generate a damping force when the reading section 14 moves in a direction from the open position toward the closed position.

[0106] In the damper unit 1202, if an external force is input from the arm gear 1402, the torque is transmitted to the damper gear 1512 via the first gear 1502, the second gear 1504, the third gear 1506, the clutch 1508 and the fourth gear 1510 (see Fig. 15C). The damper gear 1512 contains an oil damper, which generates a predetermined damping torque when a torque is input from the outside, for example. When the gear train operates so that the reading section 14 moves in the direction from the closed position toward the open position, the drive chain to the damper gear 1512 is cut off by the cooperation of the clutch 1508 and the third gear 1506. This reduces the operating force required by the user to move the reading section 14 in the above-mentioned direction.

[0107] The gear train in the damper unit 1202 is configured to withstand a large load input to the arm gear 1402. Specifically, each gear is supported on both sides, and the gear support portions 1514, 1516, and 1518 are constructed of a material having sufficient strength (see Fig.15A and Fig. 15B ). It is to be noted that the gear supports 1514, 1516, and 1518 may be integrally mounted on the frame member 44. However, by forming the gear supports 1514, 1516, and 1518 in a manner separated from the frame member 44 and independently constructed in the damper unit 1202, the degree of freedom in selecting materials for the frame member 44 and the gear supports 1514, 1516, and 1518 is increased. This makes it possible to use the optimal material for the frame member 44 and the gear supports 1514, 1516, and 1518. Specifically, for example, a material of higher strength can be used for the gear supports 1514, 1516, and 1518 compared to the material used for the frame member 44.

[0108] (Functional Effect)

[0109] As described above, in the printing apparatus 10, the reading section 14 is placed on the back side of the upper surface of the printing section 12. In addition, the operation section 16, the first cover 40 covering the upper side of the waste ink tank 302, and the second cover 42 covering the upper side of the ink tank 304 are placed on the front side of the aforementioned upper surface. In addition, the first cover 40, the operation section 16, and the second cover 42 are placed side by side in the width direction of the printing apparatus 10 so as not to interfere with each other when working on the waste ink tank 302, the operation section 16, and the ink tank 304.

[0110] Therefore, the waste ink storage 302, the operation section 16, and the ink tank 304, which are relatively frequently used in the job executed in the printing apparatus 10, are placed at positions that make such jobs easy to execute in the printing apparatus 10 and do not interfere with each other. Therefore, in the printing apparatus 10, compared with the known technology in which the ink tank and the operation section are installed at overlapping positions in the XY plane, the installation space for each component can be larger, and a configuration that expands the function of each component can be added. This allows the printing apparatus 10 to improve ease of use compared with the known technology while suppressing a decrease in the workability of using each component.

[0111] In addition, the first cover 40 is formed to be able to slide between a fixed position and a removal position, in which the first cover 40 can be fixed to the frame member 44, and in which the first cover 40 can be removed from the frame member 44. In addition, for the first cover 40 in the fixed position, a part of its area overlaps with the reading section 14 in the closed position in the XY plane. In addition, the first cover 40 includes a locking portion 702 for fixing to the frame member 44 in the fixed position. In addition, the first cover 40 has a protrusion 704a mounted on the locking rod 704, and the locking rod 704 can move between a locking position in which the first cover 40 is locked by the locking portion 702 and a release position in which the locking is released. In addition, in the case where the protrusion 704a is mounted on the locking rod 704 and the restriction portion 902 is mounted on the reading section 14, the movement of the locking rod 704 in the locking position to the release position can be restricted. Furthermore, the first cover 40 includes a rib 708 in a region overlapping with the reading section 14 in the closed position in the fixed position, and the rib 708 can engage with the fitting portion 904 installed in the reading section 14 .

[0112] This prevents the first cover 40 in the fixed position in the printing apparatus 10 from easily falling off the frame member 44. Furthermore, even if not locked by the locking portion 702, the rib 708 fits into the fitting portion 904, making it less likely that the first cover 40 will fall off the frame member 44.

[0113] (Other Embodiments)

[0114] Note that the above-described embodiment may be modified as shown in (1) to (8) below.

[0115] (1) In the above embodiment, the reading section 14 is configured to read the original placed on the platen glass, but is not limited thereto. A configuration may be used in which the original is scanned while being fed by an automatic document feeder (ADF), and the above two functions may also be installed. In this case, for example, a plurality of types of damper units are prepared, and the most suitable damper unit may be used according to the weight of the reading section.

[0116] (2) In the above embodiment, three components (i.e., the first cover 40, the operating portion 16, and the second cover 42) are arranged side by side in the width direction (left-right direction) of the printing apparatus 10, but the present invention is not limited thereto. At least two components of the first cover 40, the operating portion 16, and the second cover 42 may be arranged side by side in the width direction. In other words, in this case, the working areas for at least two components of the waste ink reservoir 302, the operating portion 16, and the ink reservoir 304 are arranged side by side in the width direction.

[0117] (3) In the above-described embodiment, the first cover 40, the operating portion 16, and the second cover 42 are arranged side by side on the upper surface of the printing portion 12 on the front side of the reading portion 14 in the width direction of the printing apparatus 10, but are not limited thereto. On the upper surface of the printing portion 12, the first cover 40, the operating portion 16, and the second cover 42 may be placed on the left or right side of the reading portion 14. In this case, the first cover 40, the operating portion 16, and the second cover 42 are arranged side by side in the depth direction (front-rear direction) of the printing apparatus 10. Further, for example, the operating portion 16 is configured to be rotatable around the Z axis so that the operating portion 16 can face forward. Further, on the upper surface of the printing portion 12, the first cover 40, the operating portion 16, and the second cover 42 may be placed on the back side of the reading portion 14. In this case, the first cover 40, the operating portion 16, and the second cover 42 are installed side by side in the width direction of the printing apparatus 10. Further, for example, the operating portion 16 is positioned on the upper side of the reading portion 14 in the pulled-out position.

[0118] (4) In the above-described embodiment, the printing apparatus 10 is a so-called serial scanning type printing apparatus that performs printing by ejecting ink onto a printing medium conveyed in the Y direction while moving the print head 24 in the X direction, but is not limited thereto. A printing apparatus to which the present invention can be applied may be, for example, a so-called line printing apparatus that includes a print head having an array of ejection ports formed in the X direction, the length of the print head corresponding to the size of a printable printing medium, so as to perform printing from a fixed print head onto a printing medium conveyed in the Y direction.

[0119] (5) In the above-described embodiment, the reading section 14 is placed on the back side of the upper surface of the printing section 12, and the first cover 40, the operating section 16, and the second cover 42 are placed on the front side along the left-right direction, but not limited to this. Instead of the reading section 14, a cover section that enables opening and closing operations may be installed. In this case, the cover section is constructed in a manner that partially overlaps with the area of ​​the first cover 40 including the locking lever 704 and the rib 708, and is installed at the aforementioned overlapping portion corresponding to the construction of the restricting section 902 and the fitting section 904. In addition, the cover section may include various known functions to be added to the printing apparatus.

[0120] (6) Although not specifically mentioned in the above embodiment, a sensor capable of detecting the open / closed state of the reading portion 14 may be installed to control the transfer of waste ink to the waste ink tank 302 based on the detection result of the sensor.

[0121] Hereinafter, a description is given about the configuration of the control system of the printing apparatus 10 . Fig.1616 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control system of the printing apparatus 10. A control section 1600 that controls the entire printing apparatus 10 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 1602, a ROM 1604, a RAM 1606, and an input / output port 1608.

[0122] The CPU 1602 performs processing operations such as calculation, selection, determination, and control, operation control of each component member of the printing apparatus 10, and image processing of input image data. The ROM 1604 stores various control and image data processing programs executed by the CPU 1602. The RAM 1606 is used as a work area for the CPU 1602 and the like.

[0123] The input / output port 1608 is connected to the operation section 16, and the control section 1600 controls the printing apparatus 10 based on information input from the operation section 16 via the input / output port 1608. In addition, the input / output port 1608 is connected to a sensor 1618 capable of detecting the open / closed state of the reading section 14. The sensor 1618 is capable of detecting that the reading section 14 is in the open position, and is also capable of detecting that the reading section 14 is in the closed position. Since various known techniques can be used for a specific detection mechanism capable of detecting the open / closed state of the reading section 14, a detailed description thereof is omitted.

[0124] In addition, the input / output port 1608 is connected to the conveying unit 22 via the driving unit 1610. The control unit 1600 controls the conveying of the printing medium by the conveying unit 22 via the driving unit 1610. In addition, the input / output port 1608 is connected to the print head 24 via the driving unit 1612. The control unit 1600 controls the movement of the print head 24 in the X direction, ink ejection, etc. via the driving unit 1612. In addition, the input / output port 1608 is connected to the pump 1616 via the driving unit 1614, and the pump 1616 transfers the waste ink generated in the recovery unit 28 to the waste ink storage 302. The control unit 1600 controls the transfer of the waste ink by the pump 1616 via the driving unit 1614.

[0125] In the printing apparatus 10, if the sensor 1618 detects that the reading section 14 is in the open position during the process of the pump 1616 transferring the waste ink to the waste ink tank 302, the control section 1600 stops driving the pump 1616 to stop transferring the waste ink. Therefore, the movement of the reading section 14 to the open position (which is first performed when the waste ink tank 302 is replaced) causes the transfer of the waste ink to stop, so that the waste ink tank can be safely replaced.

[0126] (7) Although not specifically mentioned in the above embodiment, the frame member 44 may be constructed with a member (see Fig.17A ) or multiple components (see Fig. 17B). Furthermore, the frame member 44 may be configured to be combined with an exterior member forming the exterior of the printing apparatus 10, or the frame member 44 may be configured integrally with the exterior member.

[0127] (8) The above-described embodiment and the various forms shown in (1) to (7) can be combined appropriately.

[0128] While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments.The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

Claims

1. A printing device, comprising: a print head configured to perform printing by ejecting ink onto a print medium; a frame member configured to accommodate the print head; an opening / closing member configured to pivotally move relative to the frame member; a first storage unit configured to store ink; a first cover configured to cover the first storage unit and installed adjacent to one side of the opening / closing member in a first direction; and a movable member configured to move relative to the frame member and installed adjacent to the one side of the opening / closing member in the first direction, A portion of the movable member and a portion of the first cover form an upper surface of the printing apparatus together with the opening / closing member.

2. The printing device according to claim 1, The movable member and the first cover have movable areas that do not overlap each other in a second direction and in a third direction, the second direction intersecting the first direction, and the third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction.

3. The printing device according to claim 1 or 2, The movable member and the first cover are placed side by side in a second direction intersecting the first direction.

4. The printing device according to claim 1, The first cover is installed in a manner that it can be attached to and detached from the frame member.

5. The printing device according to claim 1, The first cover is pivotally moved relative to the frame member so as to be installed in an openable / closable manner, and a center of pivotal movement of the first cover is positioned near the opening / closing member in the first direction.

6. The printing device according to claim 1, in, The movable member is mounted to be rotatable in the frame member by changing the inclination angle of the surface forming the upper surface relative to the surface in contact with the ground in the printing apparatus in a stepwise or continuous manner.

7. The printing device according to claim 4, The first cover is configured to be slidable in the first direction between a fixed position in which the first cover is fixable to the frame member and a removal position in which the first cover is removable from the frame member.

8. The printing device according to claim 7, in, When the first cover is in the fixed position, the first cover has an area overlapping with the opening / closing member in the closed position.

9. The printing device according to claim 8, The first cover is a cover that shields the first storage unit accommodated in the frame member relative to the outside of the frame member when the first cover is installed on the frame member and exposes the first storage unit to the outside of the frame member when the first cover is removed from the frame member.

10. The printing device according to claim 9, The first storage unit stores waste ink.

11. The printing device according to claim 9, further comprising: A restriction unit is configured to restrict movement of the first cover at the fixed position relative to the frame member in the first direction.

12. The printing device according to claim 11, The limiting unit includes a rod that slides in a second direction intersecting the first direction to limit movement of the first cover relative to the frame member in the first direction and releases the limitation on the movement.

13. The printing device according to claim 12, wherein The rod Installed in the area is shielded from the exterior of the printing apparatus when the opening / closing member is in the closed position, and The opening / closing member is exposed to the outside of the printing apparatus when the opening / closing member is in the open position.

14. The printing device according to claim 12, The restriction unit comprises: a locking member movable in the first cover in synchronization with the sliding movement of the rod, and A retaining portion capable of retaining the locking member in the frame member.

15. The printing device according to claim 12, further comprising: a sensor configured to detect an open / closed state of the opening / closing member; a pump configured to transfer waste ink to the first storage unit; and a control unit configured to control the driving of the pump, If the sensor detects that the opening / closing member is in the closed position, the control unit controls the pump to stop the transfer of the waste ink.

16. The printing device according to claim 12, The opening / closing member includes a restricting member capable of restricting sliding movement of the lever in a portion overlapping with the first cover in the closed position.

17. The printing device according to claim 9, wherein in the region, the first cover includes a rib extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and wherein the opening / closing member includes an engaging portion that can be engaged with the rib in a portion overlapping with the first cover in the closed position.

18. The printing device according to claim 6, in, The movable member pivotally moves between a position where the surface is parallel to the surface in contact with the ground and a position where the surface is substantially perpendicular to the surface in contact with the ground.

19. The printing device according to claim 6, The movable member is an operating unit configured to operate the printing apparatus.

20. The printing device according to claim 6, further comprising: an opening which is installed in a side surface of the frame member of the printing apparatus and through which the print medium after being printed by the print head is discharged, The movable region of the movable member does not overlap with the opening in a second direction intersecting the first direction.

21. The printing device according to claim 5, The first cover is a cover that shields the first storage unit accommodated in the frame member from the outside of the frame member when the first cover is closed and exposes the first storage unit to the outside of the frame member when the first cover is opened.

22. The printing device according to claim 21, The first storage unit stores ink to be supplied to the print head.

23. The printing device according to claim 22, further comprising: a second storage unit configured to store waste ink; and a second cover configured to cover the second storage unit and installed adjacent to the one side of the opening / closing member in the first direction, The second cover forms the upper surface of the printing apparatus together with the opening / closing member and the first cover.

24. The printing device according to claim 23, The second cover is installed in a manner that it can be attached to and detached from the frame member.

25. The printing device according to claim 1, comprising: an opening through which the print medium after being printed by the print head is discharged from the first surface of the printing device; and an arranging unit configured so as to be able to arrange the printing medium to be supplied to the printing head, The arrangement unit is installed on at least one of a side where the first surface is located and a side where a second surface opposite to the first surface is located in the printing device.

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