Plotting instrument

Abstract

The plotter includes an auxiliary roller including a rotating body for pressing the media against the table. The auxiliary roller is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the track. The auxiliary roller is configured to be capable of moving only in the longitudinal direction of the track when installed on the track.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a plotter including auxiliary rollers for pressing a medium against a table. Background Art

[0002] JP 6383196 B (Document 1) discloses a plotter including an auxiliary roller. The plotter includes a driving roller and a clamping roller for conveying a sheet of medium to be cut on a workbench. When the medium is clamped by the driving roller and the clamping roller, the medium is conveyed by the rotation of the driving roller and the clamping roller. The clamping roller is mounted on a rotating shaft arranged in parallel with the driving roller, and is arranged on the end side of the rotating shaft so as to clamp both ends of the medium in the width direction together with the driving roller. The rotating shaft is configured to be rotatable and extends from one side of the workbench to the other side.

[0003] Two auxiliary rollers are provided at the center side of the rotating shaft in the axial direction to press the medium against the worktable. The auxiliary roller includes a cylindrical portion formed of a wire spring material and wound into a cylindrical shape, and the rotating shaft passes through the cylindrical portion, and a spiral portion connects both ends of the cylindrical portion to the rotating shaft. The spiral portion is fixed to the rotating shaft.

[0004] In the plotter disclosed in document 1, when the width of the medium is narrow and the clamping roller moves toward the center to press both ends of the medium, the clamping roller may interfere with the auxiliary roller. In addition, since the range in which the medium can be pressed by the auxiliary roller is limited, when the width of the medium is wide, a part of the medium may rise up from the workbench. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present invention is directed to a plotter in which an auxiliary roller does not interfere with a pinch roller and the effect of pressing a medium against a table is sufficiently obtained.

[0006] One aspect of the present invention relates to a plotter, comprising: a workbench on which a medium is placed; a feeding mechanism configured to transport the medium on the workbench along a transport direction; a pen carriage configured to move above the workbench in a first direction, the first direction being orthogonal to the transport direction and parallel to a horizontal direction; a track arranged upstream of the pen carriage in the transport direction and extending in the first direction; and an auxiliary roller, the auxiliary roller comprising a rotating body configured to press the medium against the workbench, the auxiliary roller configured to be attachable to and detachable from the track, and the auxiliary roller configured to be moveable in the first direction when attached to the track. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1 A perspective view showing a plotter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0008] Figure 2 A side view of the pinch roller unit is shown.

[0009] Figure 3 A perspective cutaway view of a track is shown.

[0010] Figure 4 A perspective view showing an auxiliary roller.

[0011] Figure 5 A perspective view showing an auxiliary roller.

[0012] Figure 6 A side view of the auxiliary roller is shown.

[0013] Figure 7 A top view of the auxiliary roller is shown.

[0014] Figure 8 Shown along Figure 7 Cross-sectional view along line VIII-VIII in FIG.

[0015] Fig. 9 An exploded perspective view showing the auxiliary rollers.

[0016] Fig.10 A rear view of the auxiliary roller is shown.

[0017] Fig.11 Shown along Figure 6 Cross-sectional view along line XI-XI.

[0018] Fig.12 show when Figure 6 A cross-sectional view along line XII-XII when the lever in FIG. 1 moves upward.

[0019] Fig.13 A perspective view is shown of the slide obliquely from above.

[0020] Fig.14 A perspective view is shown, viewed obliquely from below the slide.

[0021] Fig.15A A top view of the rear roller is shown. Fig. 15B A side view of the rear roller is shown. Fig. 15C A perspective view showing the rear roller.

[0022] Fig.16 A perspective cutaway view of an auxiliary roller is shown.

[0023] Fig.17 A cross-sectional view is shown, showing a portion of the auxiliary roller being enlarged.

[0024] Fig.18 A cross-sectional view is shown, illustrating a state in which the slider of the auxiliary roller is bent.

[0025] Fig.19 A cross-sectional view is shown, illustrating a state where the auxiliary roller is removed from the rail. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] In the following, reference will be made to Figures 1 to 19 A plotter according to an embodiment of the present invention is described in detail.

[0027] Figure 1 The plotter 1 shown is used to cut out graphics and characters from a sheet-like medium 2 to be cut (hereinafter referred to as "medium 2"). The plotter 1 includes a workbench 3 on which the medium 2 is conveyed and a pen carriage 4 for supporting a cutting pen (not shown). The medium 2 may be a single sheet, a rolled sheet, or the like.

[0028] Workbench and pen carriage

[0029] The workbench 3 is formed to be in the conveying direction of the medium 2 ( Figure 1 ) and the first direction ( Figure 1 The first direction extends in a direction from the upper left to the lower right in the conveying direction, which intersects the conveying direction and is parallel to the horizontal direction. Hereinafter, the downstream of the medium 2 in the conveying direction is referred to as the "rear side", and the upstream of the medium 2 in the conveying direction is referred to as the "front side". The first direction is referred to as the "left-right direction".

[0030] like Figure 2 As shown, the medium 2 on the worktable 3 is conveyed by rotating the medium drive roller 5 while being sandwiched between the medium drive roller 5 and the pinch roller 6. The feeding mechanism for conveying the medium 2 on the worktable 3 in the conveying direction is composed of the medium drive roller 5 and the pinch roller 6.

[0031] The medium drive roller 5 is arranged below the table 3 and extends in the left-right direction. An opening 3a extending in the left-right direction is formed on the table 3, and the upper portion of the medium drive roller 5 protrudes from the opening 3a to the upper surface of the table 3. The opening 3a is formed on the front side of the pen carriage 4 described later. The medium drive roller 5 rotates so that the medium 2 pressed by a plurality of pinch rollers 6 described later is conveyed.

[0032] The pen carriage 4 has a function of driving a cutting pen (not shown) in the up-down direction. The pen carriage 4 is configured to be movable in the left-right direction above the workbench 3. The "up-down direction" herein is a vertical direction intersecting the workbench 3.

[0033] The medium 2 is cut by attaching a cutting pen to the pen carriage 4, rotating the medium drive roller 6 in a forward direction or a reverse direction with the medium 2 being clamped between the medium drive roller 5 and the clamping roller 6, and piercing the cutting pen into the medium 2, and moving the cutting pen together with the pen carriage 4 in the left-right direction.

[0034] Clamping roller

[0035] The plotter 1 includes a plurality of pinch rollers 6 configured to press the medium 2 against the medium drive roller 5. In this embodiment, the plotter 1 includes two pinch rollers 6. The two pinch rollers 6 are respectively arranged at ( Figure 1 The first clamping roller unit 7 and the second clamping roller unit 8 are shown in the left and right parts near the workbench 3 in FIG. The clamping roller units 7 and 8 are supported by a rail 9 arranged on the front side of the pen carriage 4. Therefore, it can be said that the clamping roller 6 is supported by the rail 9.

[0036] Near the upper portion of the table 3 , a rail 9 extends in the left-right direction so as to extend from the left end to the right end of the table 3 , and is fixed to a frame (not shown) of the cutting plotter at both left and right ends.

[0037] The clamp roller units 7 and 8 are supported by rails 9 and are movable in the left-right direction. The clamp roller 6 is supported by the rear ends of the clamp roller units 7 and 8 and is movable in the up-down direction and is rotatable. The clamp roller 6 is biased downward by the spring force of a spring member (not shown). Therefore, the medium 2 is pressed against the medium driving roller 5 by the clamp roller 6 biased by the spring force of the spring member.

[0038] lie in Figure 1 The first clamping roller unit 7 on the right side includes an operating lever 7a that swings in the up-down direction, and is configured so that the clamping roller 6 moves in the up-down direction by swinging around the front end of the operating lever 7a in the up-down direction. When the clamping roller 6 has moved upward, the first clamping roller unit 7 can freely move in the left-right direction along the rail 9. At least one of the plurality of clamping rollers 6 can be supported by the rail 9 and can move in the left-right direction.

[0039] track

[0040] The rail 9 is formed of a drawn material having a predetermined cross section. The rail 9 according to this embodiment is formed so that the cross section is as follows Figure 3The rail 9 is a substantially right triangle as shown, and is used in a posture in which the inclined surface 9a faces upward toward the rear and the front surface 9b extends in the up-down direction. A first groove 9c extending in the left-right direction is formed on the inclined surface 9a of the rail 9, and a second groove 9d extending in the left-right direction is formed on the front surface 9b. A rear surface 9e and a third groove 9f extending in the left-right direction are formed on the rear end of the rail 9. The rear surface 9e is formed parallel to the front surface 9b. In this embodiment, the "left-right direction" is synonymous with the longitudinal direction of the rail 9.

[0041] A plate-like member 10 for positioning the first clamping roller unit 7 in the left-right direction is attached to the first groove 9c. A plurality of recesses 10a are formed on the upper surface of the plate-like member 10. The plurality of recesses 10a are respectively formed at a plurality of positions arranged at predetermined intervals in the left-right direction. The first clamping roller unit 7 is configured so that a portion of the first clamping roller unit 7 fits into the recess 10a, and when the standard-based medium 2 is used, the clamping roller 6 is positioned at an optimal position on the medium 2.

[0042] like Figure 2 As shown, the second groove 9d and the third groove 9f are respectively engaged with the first engaging member 11 and the second engaging member 12 provided on the first clamping roller unit 7. The first engaging member 11 and the second engaging member 12 are engaged with the second groove 9d and the third groove 9f, thereby preventing the first clamping roller unit 7 from disengaging upward relative to the rail 9. Although not shown in detail, similar to the first clamping roller unit 7, the second clamping roller unit 8 is also prevented from disengaging by engaging with the rail 9.

[0043] Auxiliary roller

[0044] like Figure 1 As shown, there are two auxiliary rollers 13 (auxiliary roller mechanism) on the rail 9 to be located between the first clamping roller unit 7 and the second clamping roller unit 8. The auxiliary rollers 13 are used to press the medium 2 against the workbench 3 between the first clamping roller unit 7 and the second clamping roller unit 8.

[0045] like Figures 4 to 7 As shown, the auxiliary roller 13 is constructed as a single component by assembling various functional parts on a slide 14 which is supported by the rail 9 and protrudes to the rear of the rail 9 .

[0046] The auxiliary roller 13 includes a front roller 15 (second roller) located at the front end and a rear roller 16 (first roller) located at the rear end. The auxiliary roller 13 is supported by the rail 9 so as to be attachable to and detachable from the rail 9 by a sliding mechanism 17 described later, and when mounted on the rail 9, can move only in the longitudinal direction (left-right direction) of the rail 9. The front roller 15 and the rear roller 16 constitute a rotating body for pressing the medium 2 against the worktable 3. The front roller 15 and the rear roller 16 will be described later.

[0047] When viewed from above, the slider 14 is formed to cross the rail 9 in the front-rear direction. Figure 8 and Fig. 9 As shown, the slide 14 includes: a holding portion 21 in which the upper portion of the rail 9 is fitted, and a pair of left and right arm portions 22 protruding rearward from the holding portion 21. The holding portion 21 constitutes a part of the sliding mechanism 17 described later. The holding portion 21 includes: a protrusion 23 that engages with the second groove 9d of the rail 9 from the front; an inclined surface 24 that contacts the inclined surface 9a of the rail 9 from above; and a longitudinal direction wall 25 that contacts the rear surface 9e of the rail 9 from the rear. The holding portion 21 is formed in a shape that is bent along the inclined surface 9a and the front surface 9b of the rail 9. The slide 14 is formed of a plastic material that can be elastically deformed.

[0048] The side portion of the holding portion 21 has a substantially U-shape corresponding to the shapes of the front surface 9b, the inclined surface 9a, and the rear surface 9e of the rail 9. The holding portion 21 is configured to hold the rail 9 from above and has an opening 21a into which the rail 9 is inserted. The holding portion 21 is formed of a material capable of elastic deformation, and the opening length of the opening portion 21a in the front-rear direction can be changed.

[0049] A pressing lever 26 for pressing the medium 2 against the workbench 3 is mounted on the front side of the slide 14. Figure 6 As shown, the pressing lever 26 includes a transverse plate 26a and a vertical plate 26b, wherein the transverse plate 26a extends in the front-to-rear direction (the conveying direction of the medium 2) above the track 9, and the vertical plate 26b extends from one end of the transverse plate 26a in the up-down direction on the front side of the track 9 (upstream in the conveying direction).

[0050] The cylindrical front roller 15 is rotatably supported on the lower end of the vertical plate 26b of the pressing lever 26. Fig. 9 As shown, a shaft 15a extending in the left-right direction protrudes at both ends in the axial direction of the front roller 15. The shaft 15a is rotatably supported by the bottom end of the pressing lever 26 by engaging with the bottom end from below.

[0051] like Fig. 9As shown, a pair of side walls 27 are provided on the transverse plate 26a of the pressing lever 26, and the pair of side walls 27 are positioned to sandwich the sliding member 14 from the left and right sides. The side walls 27 extend obliquely from the left and right ends of the transverse plate 26a to the rear and lower side (in the opposite direction to the vertical plate 26b). A shaft 28 protruding toward the sliding member 14 is provided on the opposite sides of the side wall 27. The shaft 28 is pivotally fitted to the shaft hole 29 formed on the sliding member 14. Therefore, the pressing lever 26 is supported by the sliding member 14 so as to be pivotable about a point (the shaft 28) on each of the pair of side walls 27.

[0052] The pressing lever 26 is swung relative to the slide member 14 so that the vertical plate 26b moves in the up-down direction around the shaft 28. Figure 6 The upward movement of the vertical plate 26b indicated by the double-dotted chain line in the figure causes the gap between the front end of the auxiliary roller 13 (front roller 15) and the workbench 3 to widen, and facilitates the work of inserting the medium 2 to the initial position. In addition, when an automatic sheet feeder not shown is used, interference between the front end of the auxiliary roller 13 and the automatic sheet feeder can be avoided.

[0053] like Fig. 9 As shown, the rear end of the side wall 27 of the pressing lever 26 facing the slider 14 includes a truncated-cylinder shaped protrusion 30 having an arc-shaped cross section and extending in the front-rear direction. Fig.10 As shown, the truncated cylindrical protrusion 30 is formed in a shape having an arcuate cross section when viewed from the rear, and the shape is convex on one side of the slider 14. A hemispherical protrusion 31 is formed on the slider 14 at a position facing the truncated cylindrical protrusion 30.

[0054] When the push lever 26 is in Figure 6 When the solid line in the figure indicates the lower position, Fig.11 As shown, the top of the truncated cylindrical protrusion 30 is located above the hemispherical protrusion 31. When the vertical plate 26b of the pressing lever 26 is raised upward from this position, the top of the truncated cylindrical protrusion 30 moves downward over the hemispherical protrusion 31. Figure 6 When the upper position indicated by the double-dotted line in Fig.12 As shown, the top of the truncated cylindrical protrusion 30 is located below the hemispherical protrusion 31. That is, when the pressing lever 26 swings, the truncated cylindrical protrusion 30 and the hemispherical protrusion 31 provide a moderate feeling for the worker, and the truncated cylindrical protrusion 30 and the hemispherical protrusion 31 constitute a click mechanism 32 that keeps the pressing lever 26 at the lower position or the upper position.

[0055] The pressing lever 26 is formed so that when the pressing lever 26 is in the position as shown in FIG. Fig.11 In the lower position shown, the convex curved surface of the truncated cylindrical protrusion 30 is pressed against the hemispherical protrusion 31 by a predetermined pressing force. Therefore, when the pressing lever 26 is positioned in the lower position, the pressing lever 26 moves away from the hemispherical protrusion 31 toward the top of the truncated cylindrical protrusion 30 by the so-called tilt cam principle (the direction in which the pressing lever 26 moves away from the hemispherical protrusion 31). Fig.11 At this time, the pressing lever 26 is biased toward the direction along which the front roller 15 faces the workbench 3. As a result, in the auxiliary roller 13, the front roller 15 presses the medium 2 against the workbench 3 without using a spring member.

[0056] like Figure 7 As shown, a pair of arm portions 22 of the slide member 14 are formed to be arranged at a predetermined interval in the left-right direction. The front sides of the pair of arms 22 are connected to each other via a wall 46 extending in the left-right direction. A shaft 33 is provided on an inner surface located at the rear end of one arm 22 and facing the other arm 22, so that the shaft 33 protrudes toward the other arm 22. The shaft 33 is formed to have a cylindrical shape extending in the longitudinal direction of the track 9 at the rear side (downstream side in the conveying direction) of the track 9. As shown in FIG. Fig.13 and Fig.14 As shown, an annular groove 34 is formed on the middle portion in the axial direction of the shaft 33. In addition, a tapered surface 35 is formed on the protruding end of the shaft 33 so that the outer diameter gradually decreases as it approaches the protruding end.

[0057] The rear roller 16 is mounted on the shaft 33. FIG. 15A to FIG. 15C As shown, the rear roller 16 is formed by winding a wire spring material 36 into a predetermined shape. The rear roller 16 includes: a contact portion 16a formed by the wire spring material 36 to have a coil shape; a pair of connecting portions 16b formed by the spring material 36 and extending from both ends of the contact portion 16a in a direction away from the contact portion 16a; and a pair of shaft portions 16c connected to the contact portion 16a via the pair of connecting portions 16b.

[0058] The connecting portion 16b is formed to have a shape that forms a part of the coil spring. The shaft portion 16c is formed to have a ring shape that is located on the same axis as the contact portion 16a, and is inserted into the annular groove 34 formed on the shaft 33 of the retaining portion 21. The inner diameter of the shaft portion 16c is smaller than the outer diameter of the shaft 33 of the slider 14, and is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the bottom of the groove formed by the cylindrical surface of the annular groove 34 of the shaft 33, so that the shaft portion 16c inserted into the annular groove 34 can rotate in the annular groove 34.

[0059] like Fig.14 As shown, a cutout 37 communicating the inside and outside of the annular groove 34 is formed at the open end of the shaft 33 for inserting the shaft portion 16c into the annular groove 34. By running the open end of the spring material 36 constituting the shaft portion 16c through the cutout 37 and rotating the rear roller 16, and then sequentially feeding the spring material 36 into the annular groove 34, the entire shaft portion 16c is guided into the annular groove 34. The shaft portions 16c located at both ends of the rear roller 16 are accommodated in the annular grooves 34 of the shaft 33 on both sides, so that the rear roller 16 is rotatably supported by the shaft 33.

[0060] The rear roller 16 is configured so that while the slider 14 is attached to the rail 9, the contact portion 16a is pressed against the work table 3, the connecting portion 16b is elastically deformed, and the contact portion 16a is displaced upward relative to the shaft portion 16c. Therefore, the medium 2 is sandwiched between the rear roller 16 and the work table 3, and thus the contact portion 16a presses the medium 2 against the work table 3 by the spring force of the connecting portion 16b.

[0061] like Figure 5 As shown, a locking lever 41 serving as a locking member is arranged between the pair of arms 22 of the slider 14 and on the front side of the rear roller 16. The locking lever 41 constitutes a part of the sliding mechanism 17 to be described later. The locking lever 41 is supported by the slider 14 and can be swung and moved in the front-rear direction via the shaft 42. Fig.16 As shown, the shaft 42 is press-fitted into a shaft hole 43 formed on the arm 22 , and bridges between the pair of arms 22 .

[0062] like Figure 8 and Fig. 9 As shown, the locking lever 41 includes an operating portion 41a extending above the shaft 42 and a locking portion 41b extending below the shaft 42. The operating portion 41a (upper end) protrudes upward from the arm 22. The locking portion 41b extends along the vertical wall 25 of the slide member 14 and protrudes downward from the vertical wall 25. A locking piece 44 (convex portion) protruding forward is provided at the lower end of the locking portion 41b. When the locking portion 41b extends in the up-down direction along the vertical wall 25, the locking piece 44 is inserted into the third groove 9f of the rail 9 from the rear. In addition, as shown in FIG. Fig.17 As shown, by the swinging of the locking lever 41 , the locking piece 44 is separated from the third groove 9 f , so that the locking portion 41 b moves rearwardly away from the vertical wall 25 .

[0063] A torsion coil spring 45 (spring member) is arranged in the center portion of the lock lever 41 in the axial direction of the shaft 42. The torsion coil spring 45 biases the lock portion 41b forward (in the direction in which the lock piece 44 is inserted into the third groove 9f). In a state in which the shaft 42 passes through the coil spring 45, one end of the coil spring 45 is pressed against the rear surface of the lock portion 41b, and the other end of the coil spring 45 is pressed against the wall 46 on the front side of the arm 22.

[0064] The locking lever 41 is biased by the spring force of the torsion coil spring 45 to keep the locking portion 41b pressed against the vertical wall 25 in a natural state in which the operating portion 41a is not operated. Hereinafter, the position of the locking lever 41 in which the locking portion 41b is pressed against the vertical wall 25 is referred to as the "locking position".

[0065] By pushing the operating portion 41a forward against the spring force of the torsion coil spring 45, the locking lever 41 moves swingably about the shaft 42, and the locking portion 41b moves backward away from the vertical wall 25. When the auxiliary roller 13 is attached to the rail 9, when the locking lever 41 swings as described above, the locking piece 44 leaves the third groove 9f. Hereinafter, the position of the locking lever 41 in the state where the locking piece 44 leaves the third groove 9f is referred to as an "unlocking position".

[0066] The third groove 9f of the rail 9, the retaining portion 21 of the slider 14, the locking lever 41, and the torsion coil spring 45 constitute a sliding mechanism 17 that detachably and movably attaches the auxiliary roller 13 to the rail 9. According to the sliding mechanism 17, by positioning the locking lever 41 as shown in FIG. Figure 8 In the locking position shown, the auxiliary roller 13 is held so as not to be removed from the rail 9. In this case, the slider 14 slides along the rail 9 so that the auxiliary roller 13 can move in the left-right direction along the rail 9.

[0067] In order to disengage the auxiliary roller 13 attached to the rail 9 from the rail 9, first, the operating portion 41a of the locking lever 41 is pressed forward, and the locking lever 41 is swung and positioned as shown in FIG. Fig.17 Then, in this state, by holding the rear end of the slide member 14 by hand to pull the rear end of the slide member 14 upward, the slide member 14 is bent so that the rear end is displaced upward, as shown in FIG. Fig.18 At this time, since the protrusion 23 formed on the front end of the slider 14 engages with the second groove 9d of the rail 9, the portion extending in the up-down direction at the front end of the slider 14 is less likely to be deformed. As a result, the corner 51 of the curved slider 14 is elastically deformed, so that the corner 51 becomes wider.

[0068] By sliding the slider 14 as Fig.18The slider 14 is moved forward in the bent state as shown and the rear end of the slider 14 is further lifted upward, so that the slider 14 can be moved forward in the bent state as shown in FIG. Fig.19 The engagement between the protrusion 23 and the second groove 9 d is canceled as shown, and the auxiliary roller 13 can be removed from the rail 9 from the front upward.

[0069] When the auxiliary roller 13 is attached to the rail 9, the protrusion 23 of the slider 14 is first engaged with the second groove 9d of the rail 9, and the rear end of the slider 14 is pushed downward while the locking lever 41 swings to the unlocking position. By doing so, the retaining portion 21 of the slider 14 is fitted into the rail 9 from above. Thereafter, by releasing the locking lever 41 and swinging it to the locking position by the spring force of the torsion coil spring 45, the locking member 44 is inserted into the third groove 9f, so that the auxiliary roller 13 cannot be removed from the rail 9.

[0070] The auxiliary roller 13 according to this embodiment can be attached to and detached from the rail 9. Therefore, when the medium 2 having a narrow width is used, the auxiliary roller 13 can be removed to avoid interference between the auxiliary roller 13 and the first pinch roller unit 7 and the second pinch roller unit 8. At the same time, when the medium 2 having a wide width is used, by adding the auxiliary roller 13, the entire area of ​​the medium 2 in the width direction can be pressed against the workbench 3. Therefore, according to this embodiment, a plotter 1 can be provided in which the auxiliary roller 13 does not interfere with the pinch roller 6 and the effect of pressing the medium 2 against the workbench 3 is sufficiently obtained.

[0071] The slide mechanism 17 according to this embodiment includes: a third groove 9f formed on the rail 9 and extending in the longitudinal direction of the rail 9; a holding portion 21 formed on the auxiliary roller 13 and on which the rail 9 is fitted; a locking lever 41 (locking piece 44) swingably provided on the auxiliary roller 13 and entering and leaving the third groove 9f; and a torsion coil spring 45 biasing the locking lever 41 (locking piece 44) toward the direction in which the locking lever 41 enters the third groove 9f. By the locking lever 41 entering the third groove 9f, the auxiliary roller 13 is held in a state of being attached to the rail 9, and by the locking lever 41 leaving the third groove 9g, the auxiliary roller 13 can be detached from the rail 9. By the locking lever 41, it is possible to switch between a state in which the auxiliary roller 13 can be removed and a state in which it cannot be removed, and thus it is possible to realize the slide mechanism 17 which enables the auxiliary roller 13 to be attached and removed inexpensively with a simple structure.

[0072] When viewed from above, the auxiliary roller 13 according to this embodiment includes a slide 14 formed in a shape that crosses the rail 9 in the front-rear direction. A third groove 9f on the rail 9 is formed at the rear end of the rail 9. The locking lever 41 has a shape extending in the up-down direction. The upper end (operating portion 41a) of the locking lever 41 is configured to move in a swinging manner in the front-rear direction in a state where the upper end protrudes upward from the slide 14. A locking member 44 is provided at the lower end of the locking lever 41, and as a result of the swinging of the upper end, the locking member 44 enters and leaves the third groove 9f.

[0073] Therefore, by pushing the upper end of the locking lever 41 forward and lifting the auxiliary roller 13 forward, the auxiliary roller 13 can be removed from the rail 9. Since the direction of operating the locking lever 41 and the direction of lifting the auxiliary roller 13 when removing the auxiliary roller 13 from the rail 9 are substantially the same, the operation of removing the auxiliary roller 13 can be easily performed.

[0074] The auxiliary roller 13 according to the embodiment includes a shaft 33 extending in the longitudinal direction of the rail 9 at the rear side of the rail 9. The rear roller 16 includes: a contact portion 16a formed of a wire spring material 36 to have a coil shape; a pair of connecting portions 16b formed of a spring material 36 extending from both ends of the contact portion 16a toward a direction opposite to the contact portion 16a; and a pair of shaft portions 16c connected to the contact portion 16a via the pair of connecting portions 16b. The pair of shaft portions 16c are formed in the shape of a ring located on the same axis as the contact portion 16a, and are rotatably supported by the shaft 33. The contact portion 16a is displaced upward relative to the pair of shaft portions 16c to cause the pair of connecting portions 16b to bend, and thus the contact portion 16a is pressed against the medium 2 by the spring reaction force generated on the pair of connecting portions 16b. Therefore, the medium 2 can be pressed by the spring force generated on the rear roller 16, and thus there is no need for a spring member only for pressing the rear roller 16 against the medium 2. Therefore, the number of parts can be reduced compared with using such a spring member.

[0075] The auxiliary roller 13 according to this embodiment includes a pressing lever 26. The pressing lever 26 includes a transverse plate 26a and a vertical plate 26b, the transverse plate 26a extending in the front-rear direction above the rail 9, and the vertical plate 26b extending in the up-down direction from the end of the transverse plate 26a toward the front of the rail 9. The pressing lever 26 is configured so that the vertical plate 26b can be moved in a swinging manner in the up-down direction. The front roller 15 for pressing the medium 2 against the workbench 3 is arranged on the vertical plate 26b. Therefore, the medium 2 can be pressed against the workbench 3 by the front roller 15 and the rear roller 16, and thus the rise of the medium 2 can be suppressed even more reliably.

[0076] The pressing lever 26 and the front roller 15 may be unnecessary for the auxiliary roller 13 .

[0077] In the above embodiment, an example of the cutting plotter 1 applied to the present invention has been described. However, the present invention can also be applied to a pen plotter or other plotters that draw characters or pictures on a sheet-like medium 2. The plotter to which the present invention is applied includes a pen carriage for accommodating a pen according to the function of the plotter.

[0078] appendix

[0079] Hereinafter, appendices related to the present invention will be described.

[0080] Appendix 1 relates to a plotter, comprising: a workbench on which a medium is placed; a feeding mechanism configured to convey the medium on the workbench along a conveying direction; a pen carriage configured to move above the workbench along a first direction, the first direction being orthogonal to the conveying direction and parallel to a horizontal direction; a track, the track being arranged upstream of the pen carriage in the conveying direction and extending along the first direction; and an auxiliary roller, the auxiliary roller comprising a rotating body configured to press the medium against the workbench, the auxiliary roller being configured to be attachable to and detachable from the track, and the auxiliary roller being configured to be able to move along the first direction when attached to the track. The auxiliary roller may be configured to be able to move only along the first direction when attached to the track.

[0081] The feeding mechanism may include a driving roller and a plurality of pinch rollers, the driving roller extending in the first direction, the plurality of pinch rollers configured to press the medium against the driving roller, and the driving roller may be configured to rotate so as to convey the medium pressed by the plurality of pinch rollers in the conveying direction.

[0082] The workbench may include an opening extending in the first direction. The driving roller may be arranged below the workbench, and an upper portion of the driving roller may protrude from the opening to an upper surface of the workbench.

[0083] The opening may be arranged upstream of the pen carriage in the transport direction.

[0084] The auxiliary roller may be disposed between the plurality of pinch rollers.

[0085] The plurality of clamping rollers may be supported by the track. At least one clamping roller among the plurality of clamping rollers may be supported by the track to be movable in the first direction.

[0086] Appendix 2 relates to a plotter according to Appendix 1, wherein the auxiliary roller includes a retaining portion configured to retain the rail from above, an opening is formed on the retaining portion, the rail is inserted into the opening, and the retaining portion is configured so that the opening length of the opening in the conveying direction can be changed.

[0087] The side portion of the retaining portion may have a substantially U-shape.

[0088] The holding portion may be formed of a material that is elastically deformable. The holding portion may be formed of, for example, a plastic material.

[0089] The rotating body may include a first roller disposed downstream of the track in the conveying direction. The rotating body may also include a second roller disposed upstream of the track in the conveying direction. It should be noted that the second roller is not essential.

[0090] Appendix 3 relates to a plotter according to Appendix 1, wherein a groove extending in the longitudinal direction of the track is formed on the track, and the auxiliary roller includes: a sliding member, the sliding member including a retaining portion, and the track is assembled on the retaining portion; a locking member, the locking member is configured to move in a swinging manner to enter and leave the groove; and a spring, the spring is configured to bias the locking member toward a direction along which the locking member enters the groove, wherein, as a result of the locking member entering the groove, the auxiliary roller is retained attached to the track, and as a result of the locking member leaving the groove, the auxiliary roller can be removed from the track.

[0091] The locking member may be swingably supported by the slider.

[0092] Appendix 4 relates to a plotter according to Appendix 3, wherein the locking member has a shape extending in the up-down direction, the upper end of the locking member is configured to move in a swinging manner along the conveying direction when the upper end protrudes upward from the sliding member, and the lower end of the locking member includes a convex portion, which is configured to enter and leave the groove as a result of the swinging of the upper end.

[0093] The slide may be formed to traverse the track in the conveying direction when viewed from above.

[0094] Appendix 5 relates to the plotter according to Appendix 3 or 4, wherein the groove is formed on an end surface of the rail downstream in the conveying direction.

[0095] The groove may be formed on an end surface of the rail upstream in the conveying direction.

[0096] Appendix 6 relates to a plotter according to any one of Appendices 1 to 5, wherein the auxiliary roller includes a shaft extending in the longitudinal direction of the track on the downstream side of the track along the conveying direction, the rotating body includes a first roller supported on the shaft in a rotatable manner, the first roller including: a contact portion, the contact portion being formed into a coil shape by a wire spring material; a pair of connecting portions, the pair of connecting portions being formed by the spring material and extending from both ends of the contact portion in a direction away from the contact portion; and a pair of shaft portions, the pair of shaft portions being connected to the contact portion via the pair of connecting portions, the pair of shaft portions being formed into a ring shape located on the same axis as the contact portion and being rotatably supported by the shaft, wherein the contact portion is pressed against the medium as a result of a spring reaction force generated on the pair of connecting portions by the contact portion being displaced upward relative to the pair of shaft portions and the pair of connecting portions being bent.

[0097] Appendix 7 relates to a plotter according to any one of Appendices 1 to 6, wherein the auxiliary roller includes a pressing lever, the pressing lever includes a transverse plate and a vertical plate, the transverse plate extends above the track along the conveying direction, the vertical plate extends from one end of the transverse plate along the up-down direction, the pressing lever is configured to move in a swinging manner so that the vertical plate moves in the up-down direction, and the rotating body includes a second roller, the second roller is rotatably arranged at the lower end of the vertical plate and is configured to press the medium against the workbench.

[0098] The vertical plate of the pressing lever may be arranged upstream of the track in the conveying direction.

[0099] The pressing lever may include a pair of side walls extending from both ends of the transverse plate in the first direction toward a direction opposite to the vertical plate. The pressing lever may be supported by the sliding member and can pivot about a point on each of the pair of side walls.

[0100] The pressing lever may include a pair of shafts formed on opposite surfaces of the pair of side walls, and the pair of shafts may be configured to be pivotally fitted into a pair of shaft holes formed on the sliding member.

[0101] Incorporated by Reference

[0102] This application claims the benefit of foreign priority from Japanese Patent Application No. JP 2023-179456, filed on October 18, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Claims

1. A plotter, comprising: A workbench (3), on which the medium (2) is placed; A feeding mechanism, the feeding mechanism being configured to transport the medium (2) on the workbench (3) along a transport direction; a pen carriage (4), the pen carriage being configured to move above the workbench (3) along a first direction, the first direction being orthogonal to the conveying direction and parallel to a horizontal direction; A track (9), which is arranged upstream of the pen carriage (4) in the conveying direction and extends along the first direction; and An auxiliary roller (13), the auxiliary roller comprising a rotating body, the rotating body being configured to press the medium (2) against the workbench (3), the auxiliary roller (13) being configured to be attachable to and detachable from the track (9), and the auxiliary roller being configured to be movable along the first direction when attached to the track (9).

2. The plotter according to claim 1, wherein: The auxiliary roller (13) includes a holding portion (21) configured to hold the rail (9) from above, An opening (21a) is formed on the retaining portion (21), the rail (9) is inserted into the opening, and The holding portion (21) is configured such that an opening length of the opening (21a) in the conveying direction can be changed.

3. The plotter according to claim 1, wherein: A groove (9f) extending in the longitudinal direction of the rail (9) is formed on the rail (9), The auxiliary roller (13) comprises: A sliding member (14), the sliding member comprising a retaining portion (21), the track (9) being mounted on the retaining portion; a locking member (41) configured to swingably move to enter and leave the groove (9f); and a spring (45) configured to bias the locking member (41) toward a direction in which the locking member (41) enters the groove (9f), wherein: As a result of the locking member (41) entering the groove (9f), the auxiliary roller (13) is kept attached to the track (9), and as a result of the locking member (41) leaving the groove (9f), the auxiliary roller (13) can be detached from the track (9).

4. The plotter according to claim 3, wherein: The locking member (41) has a shape extending in the up-down direction. The upper end (41a) of the locking member (41) is configured to swingably move in the conveying direction when the upper end (41a) protrudes upward from the slide (14), and The lower end (41b) of the locking member (41) includes a convex portion (44) configured to enter and leave the groove (9f) as a result of the swinging of the upper end (41a).

5. The plotter according to claim 3 or 4, wherein: The groove (9f) is formed on a downstream end surface (9e) of the rail (9) in the conveying direction.

6. The plotter according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The auxiliary roller (13) comprises a shaft (33) extending in the longitudinal direction of the track (9) on the downstream side of the track (9) along the conveying direction, The rotating body comprises a first roller (16) rotatably supported on the shaft (33), The first roller (16) comprises: A contact portion (16a) formed of a wire spring material into a coil shape; a pair of connecting portions (16b), the pair of connecting portions being formed of the spring material and extending from both ends of the contact portion (16a) in a direction away from the contact portion (16a); and A pair of shaft portions (16c), the pair of shaft portions (16c) being connected to the contact portion (16a) via the pair of connecting portions (16b), the pair of shaft portions (16c) being formed into a ring shape located on the same axis as the contact portion (16a), and being rotatably supported by the shaft (33), wherein: The contact portion (16a) is pressed against the medium (2) as a result of a spring reaction force being generated on the pair of connecting portions (16b) as the contact portion (16a) is displaced upward relative to the pair of shaft portions (16c) and the pair of connecting portions (16b) are bent.

7. The plotter according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The auxiliary roller (13) comprises a pressing lever (26), the pressing lever comprising a transverse plate (26a) and a vertical plate (26b), the transverse plate extending above the track (9) along the conveying direction, the vertical plate (26b) extending from one end of the transverse plate (26a) in the up-down direction, The pressing lever (26) is configured to be movable in a swinging manner so that the vertical plate (26b) moves in the up-down direction, and The rotating body includes a second roller (15) which is rotatably disposed at the lower end of the vertical plate (26b) and is configured to press the medium (2) against the workbench (3).

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