Conveying device and recording apparatus

Abstract

The invention relates to a conveying device and a recording apparatus. The conveying device includes: a holding portion configured to hold a roll of sheet; a conveying portion configured to convey a sheet drawn out from the roll of sheets held by the holding portion; a guide portion configured to guide the sheet conveyed by the conveying portion; and a cutting portion disposed in the guide portion for cutting the sheet using a movable blade. The movable blade moves to a first position close to the holding portion and a second position away from the holding portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a conveying device for conveying a sheet (recording medium) and a recording apparatus that performs recording on the sheet. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally known recording apparatuses (printers) store a roll-type recording medium as a long sheet wound into a roll, and record an image or the like on a sheet portion drawn out from a winding portion of the roll-type sheet. In such a recording apparatus, the sheet portion drawn out from the winding portion is conveyed to a recording portion, and recording is performed by ejecting a recording liquid (usually ink) onto the sheet portion at the recording portion. Depending on the type of ink, a fixing process may be required so that the ink ejected onto the sheet is fixed to the sheet, and for this purpose, some recording apparatuses include a fixing device that uses air or heat to dry the ink on the downstream side of the recording portion. In addition, some recording apparatuses include a cutting device that cuts the recorded sheet at a predetermined position (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-162769). Summary of the Invention

[0003] In the above-described recording apparatus, from the viewpoints of downsizing of the apparatus, space saving, etc., components that perform various processes such as recording, fixing, and cutting on the sheet portion drawn out from the winding portion of the roll-type sheet can be arranged to surround the housing portion of the roll-type sheet.

[0004] In other words, a conveyance path for the sheet portion is formed to surround the housing portion (the winding portion of the roll-type sheet), and a recording portion, a fixing portion, a cutting portion, etc. are arranged in sequence along the conveyance path. However, when the roll-type sheet runs out, a new roll-type sheet should be refilled in the housing portion, and a predetermined space needs to be created around the housing portion to perform this refilling operation.

[0005] In addition, in the configuration of the recording apparatus according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-162769, a roll-type sheet (feed roll) for supplying the sheet is set on the back side of the recording apparatus main body, and a roll-type sheet (take-up roll) for collecting the sheet is set on the front side of the recording apparatus main body. In terms of operability, it is preferable that a user performs various operations on the recording apparatus, a collection operation of the recorded sheet (take-up roll), and a refilling operation of the roll-type sheet (feed roll) at the same standing position relative to the apparatus.

[0006] The present disclosure advantageously provides a technique for improving the operability of a conveying device and a recording apparatus.

[0007] According to some embodiments, the conveying device of the present disclosure includes:

[0008] a holding portion configured to hold a roll-type sheet;

[0009] A conveying unit configured to convey a sheet drawn from a wound sheet held by the holding unit;

[0010] A guiding unit configured to guide the sheet conveyed by the conveying unit; and

[0011] A cutting unit disposed in the guiding unit for cutting the sheet using a movable blade, wherein

[0012] the movable blade moves to a first position close to the holding unit and a second position away from the holding unit.

[0013] To achieve the above object, the recording device of the present disclosure includes:

[0014] The conveying device of the present disclosure; and

[0015] A recording unit configured to perform recording on the sheet on the conveying path between the holding unit and the guiding unit.

[0016] According to the present disclosure, the operability of the conveying device and the recording device can be improved.

[0017] Other features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1A and Figure 1B is a schematic perspective view of a recording device according to Embodiment 1;

[0019] Figure 2A and Figure 2B is a diagram for explaining the conveying path of the sheet in the recording device according to Embodiment 1;

[0020] Figure 3 is a diagram for explaining the movement of the sheet discharge unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 4 is a diagram for explaining the sheet discharge unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 5A and Figure 5B is a cross-sectional view taken along line P of the sheet discharge unit according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 6 is a perspective view of a cutting device according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 7 is a top view of a cutting device according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 8This is a diagram for explaining details of the cutting device according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 9 This is a block diagram for explaining the control system according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figures 10A to 10C This is a diagram for explaining the fixing method of the cutting device according to Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure; and

[0028] Figure 11 This is a perspective view of the cutting device and the paper delivery guide part according to Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure. Detailed Embodiments

[0029] Now, various embodiments, features, and aspects of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings using examples. The dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative positions of the elements described in the embodiments may be changed according to the construction and various conditions of the device to which the present disclosure is applied. In other words, the following embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0030] Embodiment 1

[0031] Figure 1A and Figure 1B This is a schematic perspective view of the recording device 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. Figure 1A This is a schematic perspective view of the recording device 100 in a state where the sheet discharge unit 500 and the fixing heater 90 are closed. Figure 1B This is a schematic perspective view of the recording device 100 in a state where the sheet discharge unit 500 and the fixing heater 90 are open, and the state is set to the roll sheet R.

[0032] The recording device 100 according to Embodiment 1 is configured as a printer that extracts a sheet from a roll unit as a roll recording medium (recording material) and performs recording on the sheet. The recording device 100 according to Embodiment 1 is, for example, a recording device that forms a desired recording image (text, picture, etc.) on a recording medium based on a liquid ejection recording system that ejects a liquid (ink) for recording onto the recording medium, that is, a so-called "inkjet printer".

[0033] The recording device 100 according to Embodiment 1 is configured such that full-front operation can be performed. In other words, in the recording device 100 according to Embodiment 1, the operation panel 28 is arranged on a specific side (front side) facing the user of the recording device 100, so that various operations of the recording device 100 and maintenance operations such as refilling the roll sheet R can be performed in this state.

[0034] Here, it is assumed that the X direction is the reel member 2 that holds the roll sheet R (see Figure 2A 、Figure 2B The direction in which the rotation axis of (such as) extends, the Y direction is the horizontal direction orthogonal to the X direction, and the Z direction is the vertical direction (gravity direction) orthogonal to the X direction and the Y direction. The front side of the recording device 100 is one side in the Y direction, and the back side of the recording device 100 is the other side in the Y direction. The definition of this coordinate system assumes that the normal setting state of the recording device 100 is the state where the recording device 100 is set on a horizontal plane.

[0035] In the feeding device 200, the outer wound sheet R1 or the inner wound sheet R2 can be selectively set as the wound sheet R. The outer wound sheet R1 is a wound sheet wound such that the outer peripheral side (outer side) of the winding part is the printing surface P (recording surface). The inner wound sheet R2 is a wound sheet R wound such that the inner peripheral side (inner side) of the winding part is the printing surface P. In the wound sheet R, an image is printed on the sheet 1, and the sheet 1 is a sheet part selectively drawn out from the winding part of the wound sheet R. Using various switches and the like arranged on the operation panel 28, the user can input various commands and the like to the recording device 100, such as specifying the size of the sheet 1 and switching between online / offline.

[0036] The recording device 100 according to Embodiment 1 is configured such that the sheet discharge unit 500 (see Figure 2A 、 Figure 2B etc.) can be moved to the shielding position ([[]] Figure 1A [[]]) where the wound sheet R is covered and the release position ([[]] Figure 1B [[]]) where the wound sheet R is exposed (described in detail later). The shielding position is the position (the first position) of the sheet discharge unit 500 when the recording device 100 performs a recording operation, and is the position where the sheet discharge unit 500 approaches the wound sheet R. The release position is the position where the sheet discharge unit 500 is away from the wound sheet R. The release position is the position (the second position) of the sheet discharge unit 500 when the recording device 100 does not perform a recording operation, and is the position where the sheet discharge unit 500 is located during maintenance operations such as refilling the wound sheet R and clearing paper jams.

[0037] In the same way, the recording device 100 according to Embodiment 1 is configured such that the fixing heater 90 (see Figure 2A 、 Figure 2B etc.) can be moved to the fixing position ([[]] Figure 1A [[]]) where the sheet discharge unit 500 is covered and can be moved to the retracted position ([[]] Figure 1B [[]])​​​​​​​)(Detailed description will be given later). The fixing position is a position where the fixing heater 90 faces the sheet discharge section 500. The fixing position is a position (third position) where the fixing heater 90 as the fixing section faces the sheet discharge section 500 when the recording device 100 performs a recording operation, and is a position where a fixing process is performed on a portion of the sheet 1 that is conveyed through the sheet discharge section 500. The retreat position is a position (fourth position) where the fixing heater 90 is located when the recording device 100 does not perform a recording operation, and is a position where the fixing heater 90 is away from the sheet discharge section 500 so that the sheet discharge section 500 can be positioned at the above-mentioned release position.

[0038] Figure 2A and Figure 2B is a schematic cross-sectional view of a key portion of the recording apparatus 100 . Figure 2A It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which the sheet is conveyed when the outer rolled sheet R1 is set. Figure 2B It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which the sheet is conveyed when the inner rolled sheet R2 is set.

[0039] like Figure 2A and Figure 2B As shown, the recording apparatus 100 includes a feeding apparatus 200, a sheet conveying section 300, a recording section 400, a sheet discharging section 500, and a winding section 600. In the recording apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1, components mainly related to conveying a sheet correspond to the conveying means of the present disclosure.

[0040] The feeding device 200 holds the rolled sheet R as a holding portion, and feeds the sheet 1, which is a sheet portion of the rolled sheet R drawn out from the rolling portion, to a conveying path. The sheet conveying portion 300 forms a conveying path of the sheet 1 from the feeding device 200 to the recording portion 400, and provides a conveying force using a conveying roller arranged on the conveying path to move the sheet 1 on the conveying path. The recording portion 400 performs recording on the sheet 1 by ejecting ink onto the recording surface of the sheet 1 in the portion of the sheet 1 conveyed by the sheet conveying portion 300. The sheet discharge portion 500 is a guide portion that guides the portion of the sheet 1 recorded by the recording portion 400 (recorded portion) along the conveying path. The winding portion 600 winds up the portion of the sheet 1 guided by the sheet discharge portion 500.

[0041] The fixing heater 90 is arranged in the sheet discharge section 500. The fixing heater 90 is configured as a heater-type fixing section that performs a fixing process on a portion of the sheet 1 passing through the sheet discharge section 500 by applying hot air to heat and dry the ink. The fixing section may be configured such that ink having a property of being cured by UV light (ultraviolet light) is used as liquid for recording, and UV light is emitted to perform fixing by curing the ink.

[0042] The cutting device 20 as the cutting unit is arranged between the sheet discharging unit 500 and the winding unit 600 on the conveyance path of the sheet 1. The cutting device 20 can cut a predetermined length area of the sheet 1 from the remaining part of the sheet 1 connected to the winding unit, which area includes the part (the recorded part) wound by the winding unit 600, and collect it as the output of the recording device 100.

[0043] The configuration for collecting the recorded sheet 1 is not limited to the configuration of winding the sheet 1 in Embodiment 1, but may be, for example, a configuration in which the sheet 1 is cut by the cutting device 20 and the sheet 1 falling into a basket or the like is received and held.

[0044] Each of the sheet conveyance unit 300, the recording unit 400, the sheet discharging unit 500, and the winding unit 600 is arranged so as to surround the feeding device 200. In other words, the conveyance path of the sheet 1 as the sheet part drawn out from the winding part of the wound sheet R is a path that sequentially passes through the sheet conveyance unit 300, the recording unit 400, the sheet discharging unit 500, and the winding unit 600 around the feeding device 200.

[0045] Now, each part in the recording device 100 will be described in detail.

[0046] Figure 2A This shows the state of conveying the sheet when the outer wound sheet R1 is set. In the feeding device 200 arranged at the vertical lower part of the recording device 100, two sheet feeding parts 60a and 60b are respectively arranged corresponding to the wound sheets R1 and R2. A swing member 7 including two rollers and an outer wound sheet arm member 4 are integrated vertically below the outer wound sheet R1 so that the outer wound sheet R1 can rotate around the outer wound sheet arm rotation axis 5. An outer wound sheet arm spring member 3 is arranged so as to press the integrated unit of the outer wound sheet arm member 4 and the swing member 7 in the direction toward the center of the wound sheet. Therefore, the two rollers of the swing member 7 are constantly in pressure contact with the wound sheet R1. In a state where the integrated unit of the outer wound sheet arm member 4 and the swing member 7 is pressed toward the wound sheet R1, the set wound sheet R1 is rotated along the C1 direction by driving the wound sheet (not shown). Therefore, a frictional force is generated between the rollers of the swing member 7 and the wound sheet R1, and the sheet 1 drawn out from the wound sheet R1 can be conveyed to the conveying roller 14 via the conveyance path formed by the outer wound sheet conveyance guide part 12 of the sheet conveyance unit 300. An outer wound sheet detection sensor 6 is arranged in the outer wound sheet conveyance guide part 12.

[0047] The outer roll sheet separation baffle 10 is arranged between the upper part of the wound sheet R1 and the feed port of the outer roll sheet feeding section 60a and is in continuous pressing contact with the wound sheet R1 by its own weight. Due to the function of the outer roll sheet separation baffle 10, when the wound sheet R1 rotates, the front end of the sheet 1 is separated from the wound part of the wound sheet R1, and the sheet 1 can be easily fed into the feed port of the outer roll sheet feeding section 60a.

[0048] Figure 2B It shows the state of transporting the sheet when the inner roll sheet R2 is set.

[0049] Different from the outer roll sheet R1, the inner roll sheet R2 has a structure of a conveying roller 14 that cannot automatically convey the front end of the sheet 1 to the conveying path of the sheet conveying section 300, so the user must manually convey the front end of the sheet 1.

[0050] The user separates the front end of the sheet 1 from the wound part of the wound sheet R2 and places the front end of the sheet 1 on the inner roll sheet manual feeding guide portion 69. Then, the user manually feeds the sheet 1 on the inner roll sheet manual feeding guide portion 69 toward the downstream side, whereby the front end of the sheet 1 drawn out from the wound sheet R2 reaches the conveying roller 14 via the conveying path of the sheet conveying section 300. An inner roll sheet detection sensor 67 is arranged on the conveying path of the sheet 1 drawn out from the inner roll sheet R2.

[0051] By rotating the conveying roller 14 in the feeding direction, when the second sheet sensor 16 detects the paper (paper detection: ON), both the sheet 1 drawn out from the outer roll sheet R1 and the sheet 1 drawn out from the inner roll sheet R2 can be drawn toward the downstream side of the sheet conveying section 300. Then the sheet 1 is conveyed to the recording section 400.

[0052] The recording section 400 includes an inkjet print head 18 (hereinafter "recording head 18"), and can print (record) an image on the sheet 1 by ejecting the liquid (ink) used for recording from the recording head 18. The recording head 18 includes ejection energy generating elements such as electrothermal conversion elements (heaters) and piezoelectric elements. The recording head 18 is configured to eject ink from the ejection port using the energy generated by the ejection energy generating elements. In the case of using an electrothermal conversion element, the ink is foamed by this heating, and the foaming energy can be used to eject the ink from the ejection port.

[0053] The recording head 18 is not limited to the inkjet type, nor is the printing type of the recording section 400 limited. For example, a serial scanning type or a full-line type can be used. In the case of the serial scanning type, the image is printed using the conveying operation of the sheet 1, and the recording head 18 scans in a direction crossing the conveying direction of the sheet 1. In the case of the full-line type, a long recording head 18 extending in a direction crossing the conveying direction of the sheet 1 prints the image while continuously conveying the sheet 1.

[0054] The fixing heater 90 disposed above the sheet discharge unit 500 can fix the ejected ink onto the sheet 1 (recording medium) by blowing warm air onto the sheet 1 drawn out from the recording unit 400 and supported by the paper delivery guide unit 71. Fixing heater landing members 91 are disposed at the four corners of the warm air blowing surface of the fixing heater 90 so as to land on the sheet passing surface of the paper delivery guide unit 71. Accordingly, a gap is formed between the warm air blowing surface of the fixing heater 90 and the sheet conveying surface of the paper delivery guide unit 71. The fixing heater 90 is mounted on the apparatus main body of the recording apparatus 100 via a link mechanism and can be retracted to the upper part of the apparatus main body of the recording apparatus 100.

[0055] Here, the fixing heater 90 is a component having a function of drying and fixing the ink ejected onto the sheet 1 onto the sheet 1 by heat and air. Accordingly, in a recording apparatus that uses ink (e.g., water-based ink) that is quickly fixed after ejection as the liquid for recording, the fixing heater 90 may not be disposed.

[0056] The paper delivery guide unit 71 disposed in the sheet discharge unit 500 is a guide member that forms a conveying surface for the sheet 1 drawn out from the recording unit 400 and guides the sheet 1 discharged from the recording apparatus 100 while supporting the back surface (non-recording surface) of the sheet 1. The paper delivery guide unit 71 integrally includes a cutting device 20 and a downstream R portion 73 of the paper delivery guide unit on the downstream side of the sheet conveyance path, whereby the rolled sheet R that has been fixed can be cut.

[0057] Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view when the sheet discharge unit 500 is moved so that the rolled sheet R (feeding device 200) is exposed to the outside of the recording apparatus 100. The sheet discharge unit 500 is configured to be rotatable about the paper delivery guide unit rotation axis 72. The fixing heater 90 is configured to be raised relative to the apparatus main body via a link mechanism so as to be retracted to the outside of the movable regions of the sheet discharge unit 500 and the cutting device 20.

[0058] In the case of a configuration in which the sheet discharge unit 500 is fixed to the apparatus main body, one possible way to access the rolled sheet R is, for example, to form a space below the sheet discharge unit 500 or to access from the back side of the apparatus on the opposite side of the sheet discharge unit 500. In the former case, the rolled sheet R must be disposed below the sheet discharge unit 500, so that it is necessary to independently access both the rolled sheet (feeding roll) and the recorded sheet (winding roll), and thus the apparatus size, particularly the size in the height direction, may increase. In the latter case, the operation of refilling the rolled sheet (feeding roll) and the operation of collecting the recorded sheet (winding roll) are performed on different sides of the apparatus main body, and thus the operability of the apparatus is impaired.

[0059] The recording apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1 is a printer. As described above, by retracting the sheet discharge unit 500 and the cutting device 20, access to the feeding device 200 and the winding unit 600 can be achieved from the front side of the recording apparatus 100 (that is, front-side operation is possible). In other words, by rotating and retracting the sheet discharge unit 500, a space for performing an operation of feeding the roll sheet R set below the sheet discharge unit 500 (the position before the sheet discharge unit 500 is retracted) can be ensured. Therefore, the feeding device 200 and the sheet discharge unit 500 can be arranged at substantially the same height, and the size of the main body of the recording apparatus 100 can be reduced. In addition, the operations of refilling the roll sheet (feeding roll) and collecting the recorded sheets (winding roll) can be performed on the same side of the apparatus main body, which improves the operability of the apparatus.

[0060] In the above description of Embodiment 1, the drive mechanism for retracting the sheet discharge unit 500 rotates the sheet discharge unit 500 around the paper delivery guide portion rotation axis 72. Instead of rotation, the sheet discharge unit 500 may be raised along a linear movement path using a link mechanism or the like.

[0061] Now, reference will be made to Figure 4 、 Figure 5A and Figure 5B to detail the structure around the sheet discharge unit 500 and the cutting device 20. Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of the sheet discharge unit 500. Figure 5A is a schematic cross-sectional view of the sheet discharge unit 500 ( Figure 4 cross-sectional view taken along line P in Figure 5B is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining the structure of the fixing portion of the paper delivery guide portion 71 and the fixing member 74.

[0062] The sheet discharge unit 500 has the following function: guiding the sheet 1 so that the sheet 1 is discharged from the recording apparatus 100 while supporting the back surface of the sheet 1 drawn out from the recording unit 400. The outer shape of the sheet discharge unit 500 is composed of a paper delivery guide portion 71 that supports the back surface of the sheet 1 and a paper delivery guide portion base 75 connected to the paper delivery guide portion 71. The paper delivery guide portion base 75 as a base member is arranged on the opposite side of the sheet 1 conveyance path with respect to the paper delivery guide portion 71. The paper delivery guide portion 71 and the paper delivery guide portion base 75 are connected to each other in a manner that integrally forms a box shape, thereby ensuring the rigidity of the sheet discharge unit 500 as a whole.

[0063] The paper delivery guide portion 71 is directly heated by the warm air from the fixing heater 90 or heated via the sheet 1, and in the fixing and drying steps, the paper delivery guide portion 71 also has the function of accelerating fixing and drying by heating the sheet 1 from the back side. Therefore, the paper delivery guide portion 71 is required to have heat resistance and high thermal conductivity to prevent temperature unevenness, and steel plates, SUS materials, aluminum plates, etc. are used as the materials for the paper delivery guide portion 71. In the following description, it is assumed that a metal plate is used. However, in the case of using ink that is quickly fixed and dried after ejection (for example, water-based ink), the fixing heater 90 is not required, and the thermal conductivity does not need to be very high, so the paper delivery guide portion 71 can be formed of resin or the like.

[0064] The paper delivery guide portion 71 and the paper delivery guide base portion 75 are connected using a paper delivery guide fixing member 74 (hereinafter "fixing member 74"). The fixing member 74 has a hook on one side in the vertical direction of the paper delivery guide portion 71 with respect to the sheet support surface, and is fixed to the paper delivery guide base portion 75 by hooking onto the paper delivery guide base portion 75. The fixing member 74 has a screw hole on the other side in the vertical direction and is fixed to the paper delivery guide portion 71 using a screw.

[0065] In the paper delivery guide portion 71, a drawn shape is formed so as to be recessed from the support surface of the sheet 1, and the position of the drawn shape matches the position of the fixing member 74, so that the screw head of the screw for fixing is set below the depth of the drawn shape and does not protrude toward the sheet support surface. Therefore, the fixing member 74 does not affect the paper passing performance of the sheet 1. In order to prevent the risk of hooking the front end or the rear end of the sheet 1, it is preferable to arrange the drawn shape so as not to match the edge of the sheet width of the standard size sheet.

[0066] The space between the paper delivery guide portion 71 and the paper delivery guide base portion 75 is filled with a heat insulating material 76. Therefore, heat transfer from the paper delivery guide portion 71 to the paper delivery guide base portion 75 is prevented.

[0067] As Figure 5BAs shown, the paper delivery guide portion 71 and the fixing member 74 are fixed by a shoulder screw 81. The shoulder screw 81 has a threaded portion 811, a shank portion 812, and a head portion 813. The threaded portion 811 is configured to be screwed into a threaded hole 741 of the fixing member 74. The shank portion 812 has a diameter larger than that of the threaded portion 811 and projects from the head portion 813, and the threaded portion 811 is coaxially arranged on the front end side. The head portion 813 is a flange-shaped portion having a diameter larger than that of the shank portion 812. In Embodiment 1, the head portion 813 is a truss head or a round cup head. The threaded portion 811 and the shank portion 812 of the shoulder screw 81 are inserted into a fixing hole 711 of the paper delivery guide portion 71 in a direction perpendicular to the sheet support surface of the paper delivery guide portion 71, and the threaded portion 811 is screwed into the threaded hole 741 of the fixing member 74, thereby fixing the paper delivery guide portion 71 to the fixing member 74.

[0068] The shank portion 812 is a first restricting portion that restricts the allowable relative movement range between the paper delivery guide portion 71 and the fixing member 74 in a direction parallel to the sheet support surface of the paper delivery guide portion 71. The shank portion 812 is formed to have a diameter smaller than that of the fixing hole 711, so that a gap G1 of about 1 millimeter (mm) is formed in a direction parallel to the sheet support surface of the paper delivery guide portion 71 from the fixing hole 711 to allow sliding of the paper delivery guide portion 71 (relative movement with respect to the fixing member 74).

[0069] The head portion 813 has a restricting surface 814 facing the fixing member 74 and the paper delivery guide portion 71, so that the paper delivery guide portion 71 is held between the head portion 813 and the fixing member 74 in a direction perpendicular to the sheet support surface of the paper delivery guide portion 71. The restricting surface 814 is a second restricting portion that restricts the allowable relative movement range between the paper delivery guide portion 71 and the fixing member 74 in a direction perpendicular to the sheet support surface of the paper delivery guide portion 71. The restricting surface 814 is formed to have a gap G2 of about 0.1 mm to allow sliding of the paper delivery guide portion 71 (relative movement with respect to the fixing member 74), that is, the paper delivery guide portion 71 is not completely fixed in a direction perpendicular to the sheet support surface.

[0070] As described above, the paper delivery guide portion 71 and the fixing member 74 are not completely fixed due to being fixed by the shoulder screw 81, and there is a small gap in a direction perpendicular to the sheet support surface. Therefore, even if thermal expansion occurs in the paper delivery guide portion 71 in a direction parallel to the sheet support surface due to heating of the paper delivery guide portion 71 by the fixing heater 90, the positional deviation of the fixing portion caused by the thermal expansion is eliminated because the paper delivery guide portion 71 slides with respect to the fixing member 74. By this sliding of the paper delivery guide portion 71, deformation of the paper delivery guide portion 71 in a direction perpendicular to the sheet support surface can be prevented.

[0071] In the above-described fixing structure using the shoulder screw, due to component tolerances, the dispersion of the gap between the sheet delivery guide portion 71 and the sheet conveying surface of the fixing heater 90 that blows warm air may increase. The gap has a considerable influence on the fixing property. If the gap is too wide, heat cannot be transferred well, resulting in insufficient fixing. If the gap is too narrow, a wind ripple pattern or the like may be generated due to the blowing of warm air. Therefore, in the case where high precision is required for the gap size, the sheet conveying surfaces of the sheet delivery guide portion 71 and the fixing heater 90 can be assembled after adjusting the flatness respectively.

[0072] Since there is a heat insulating material 76 between the sheet delivery guide portion 71 and the sheet delivery guide base 75, the heat of the sheet delivery guide portion 71 heated by the fixing process is not transferred to the sheet delivery guide base 75. In addition, the transfer of heat from the sheet delivery guide portion 71 to other components is suppressed, preventing the cooling of the heat in the gap between the fixing heater 90 and the sheet delivery guide portion 71. That is to say, the fixing performance can be ensured without wasting power.

[0073] On the sheet conveying path, a cutting device 20 is mounted to the sheet delivery guide base 75 on the downstream side of the sheet delivery guide portion 71 using screws or the like. The structure of the cutting device 20 will be described in detail later. In Embodiment 1, the cutting device 20 is configured to cut the sheet 1 by moving the cutter unit 43 in the sheet width direction (X direction) orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction CD. This means that in the area where the cutter unit 43 passes, a groove recessed from the sheet conveying surface is formed on the sheet conveying path, and there is a concern that the conveying performance of the sheet 1 will be affected. Therefore, in the structure of Embodiment 1, on the downstream side edge of the sheet delivery guide base 75, an inclined bending portion (inclined path 74a) is added to the downstream side of the cutting device 20. The sheet delivery guide base 75 has a recess 75a for mounting the cutting device 20 at the downstream side edge of the conveying path. The recess 75a is recessed from the sheet conveying surface formed by the sheet delivery guide portion 71. An inclined path 74a is formed at the downstream side edge of the conveying path of the recess 75a, and an inclined surface is formed which extends in the direction from the upstream to the downstream of the conveying path while inclining upward from the height of the base of the recess 75a to the same height as the sheet conveying surface of the sheet delivery guide portion 71. By including this inclined path 74a, even if the leading end of the sheet 1 falls into the above-mentioned groove portion during conveyance, the sheet 1 can be conveyed to the downstream side without the leading end of the sheet 1 being hooked.

[0074] On the downstream side of the inclined path 74a, a downstream R portion 73 of the sheet delivery guide, which serves as a downstream guide portion, is arranged. The downstream R portion 73 of the sheet delivery guide is a portion that actively contacts the sheet 1 when the sheet 1 that has been fixed is wound up in the winding portion 600. The downstream R portion 73 of the sheet delivery guide contacts the sheet 1 so as to apply tension to the sheet 1 and guides the sheet 1 between the sheet discharge portion 500 (sheet delivery guide 71) and the winding portion 600 on the conveyance path of the sheet 1.

[0075] The downstream R portion 73 of the sheet delivery guide is configured such that a cross-section perpendicular to the width direction of the sheet 1 that intersects the conveyance direction CD of the sheet 1 is R-shaped (arc-shaped). If this portion is square in cross-section, the fixed sheet 1 may bend or wrinkle. The downstream R portion 73 of the sheet delivery guide according to Embodiment 1 having an arc-shaped cross-section can minimize damage to the sheet 1.

[0076] In the same manner, the upstream main body R portion 78a and the upstream R portion 78b of the sheet delivery guide preferably have an arc-shaped cross-section instead of a square cross-section because they are also located between the platen 17 and the sheet delivery guide 71 and are portions that actively contact the sheet 1. Preferably, with the rotation axis of the sheet delivery guide rotation axis 72 as the corresponding rotation center, the upstream main body R portion 78a of the sheet delivery guide is arranged coaxially with the upstream R portion 78b of the sheet delivery guide and has the same R dimension (radius of curvature of the arc-shaped portion).

[0077] The upstream main body R portion 78a of the sheet delivery guide is attached to the apparatus main body of the recording apparatus 100 and is arranged so as not to interfere with the rotation of the sheet discharge portion 500. On the other hand, the upstream R portion 78b of the sheet delivery guide is integrated with the sheet discharge portion 500 and rotates integrally with the sheet discharge portion 500 when the sheet discharge portion 500 rotates. Due to this configuration, when the sheet discharge portion 500 is opened to set the wound sheet R in the main body, a space is formed between the sheet delivery guide 71 and the upstream main body R portion 78a of the sheet delivery guide, and the platen 17 can be observed from the front of the recording apparatus 100. As described above, when the inner wound sheet R2 is fed, the sheet 1 is manually fed, so it is necessary to confirm whether the leading end of the sheet 1 has reached the conveyance roller 14, and forming this space makes it easier to feed and set the sheet.

[0078] The sheet discharge unit 500 can rotate around the paper delivery guide unit rotation shaft 72 and rotates when the roll sheet R is set in the device main body of the recording device 100. The paper delivery guide unit rotation shaft 72 is installed on the main body side plate 70 of the recording device 100, and a member with low sliding resistance such as a bearing is used for the rotating part. An air pressure spring 77 is installed in the lower side of the sheet discharge unit 500 in the left-right direction. The air pressure spring 77 is installed such that one end thereof is fixed to the rear side of the sheet discharge unit 500 on the downstream side and the other end is fixed to the main body side plate 70 respectively. The air pressure spring 77 can expand, and its force is always applied in the expansion direction. Therefore, when the air pressure spring 77 is installed as shown in Figure 4 , Figure 5A and Figure 5B , the force component in the expansion direction of the air pressure spring 77 acts in the direction of opening the sheet discharge unit 500, whereby the sheet discharge unit 500 can be opened with a light force.

[0079] Next, the setting of the reaction force of the air pressure spring 77 will be described. When the roll sheet R is set in the main body of the recording device 100, the sheet discharge unit 500 should be kept in the open state. Therefore, the reaction force of the air pressure spring 77 is set to a force larger than the force by which the sheet discharge unit 500 closes by its own weight. However, when the reaction force for keeping the sheet discharge unit 500 in the open state is too strong, it may become difficult to keep the sheet discharge unit 500 in the closed state, and in some cases, the sheet discharge unit 500 may open naturally. Therefore, a holding member 79 is installed on the paper delivery guide unit base 75, and a landing portion 80 formed by bending is arranged on the main body side plate 70 on the opposite side when the sheet discharge unit 500 is closed. Here, the holding member 79 is composed of a magnet and is adsorbed to the main body side plate 70 by magnetic force. The magnetic force of the magnet of the holding member 79 is set to have a holding force larger than the force for opening the sheet discharge unit 500 by the air pressure spring 77. Therefore, the state of closing the sheet discharge unit 500 can be maintained.

[0080] In some cases, depending on the structure of the sheet discharge unit 500 and the recording device 100, there is no concern about the above problem that the sheet discharge unit 500 automatically opens without being maintained in the closed state. In other words, depending on the weight and center of gravity of the sheet discharge unit 500 and the position of the air pressure spring 77, the sheet discharge unit 500 can be maintained in the state of being opened by the air pressure spring 77, and can be maintained in the closed state by the own weight of the sheet discharge unit 500. In addition, in the above structure, the air pressure spring 77 is installed on the assumption that the printer is a large printer, but in the case where the recording device only supports the width of small sheets, the weight of the sheet discharge unit 500 is light, and if not needed, the air pressure spring 77 can be omitted.

[0081] Reference will be made to Figure 6 ,Figure 7 and Figure 8 Describe the cutting device 20 according to Embodiment 1.

[0082] The cutting device 20 includes a cutter rail 40, a cutter belt 41, a cutter carriage 42, and a cutter unit 43. The cutter rail 40 is configured to guide the cutter carriage 42 in the width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction CD of the sheet 1. The cutter unit 43 and the cutter belt 41 are integrally connected to the cutter carriage 42, respectively. Near one end of the cutter rail 40 in the sheet width direction, a cutter motor 44 and a motor pulley 45 are arranged, and a tension pulley 46 and a tension spring 47 are arranged at the other end. The cutter belt 41 bypasses the motor pulley 45 and the tension pulley 46, and the tension spring 47 is used to prevent tooth skipping of the cutter belt 41 in the X2 direction through the tension pulley 46. The cutter rail 40 of the cutting device 20 is fixed to the paper delivery guide base 75, and the cutting device 20 can be removed from the paper delivery guide base 75 for replacement by removing the screws.

[0083] As a cutting member, the cutter unit 43 includes an upper movable blade 48 (upper blade) and a lower movable blade 49 (lower blade), and the upper movable blade 48 and the lower movable blade 49 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the sheet 1. The upper movable blade 48 and the lower movable blade 49 each have a contact portion, and the sheet 1 is cut at these contact portions by holding the sheet 1 between these contact portions and moving along the width direction of the sheet on a guide rail in this state. Specifically, the upper movable blade 48 and the lower movable blade 49 are arranged to contact each other at a predetermined angle θ (crossing angle) with respect to the cutting direction X1, and the sheet 1 is cut by the contact portions of the upper movable blade 48 and the lower movable blade 49.

[0084] The cutter carriage 42 can move back and forth in the X1 direction and the X2 direction along the cutter rail 40 by the driving force transmitted from the cutter motor 44 via the cutter belt 41. In the same manner as the cutter carriage 42, the cutter unit 43 connected to the cutter carriage 42 can also move back and forth in the X1 direction and the X2 direction.

[0085] The lower movable blade 49 can be rotationally driven by the cutter motor 44 via the cutter belt 41 and the cutter carriage 42. Therefore, when cutting the sheet 1, the lower movable blade 49 and the upper movable blade 48 in contact with the lower movable blade 49 rotate together to cut the sheet 1.

[0086] When recording an image on the sheet 1, the cutter unit 43 stands by at a standby position P1 that is retracted from the paper end 1a on the start position side of the sheet 1. When cutting the sheet 1, the cutter unit 43 moves from the standby position P1 in the X1 direction (cutting direction) until the contact portion of the upper movable blade 48 and the lower movable blade 49 that passes the paper end 1c on the opposite side of the start position cuts the sheet 1. After the sheet 1 is cut, the cutter unit 43 reverses at a reverse position P2 corresponding to the width of the sheet 1 and moves in the X2 direction (return direction) that does not contribute to the cutting operation. Thus, the cutter unit 43 moves to the standby position P1 and stands by for the next cutting operation.

[0087] The cutter motor 44 includes an encoder in order to control the moving positions of the cutter unit 43 in the X1 direction and the X2 direction. Since the relationship between the number of pulses of the encoder and the moving distance of the cutter unit 43 is known, the moving distance of the cutter unit 43 can be determined by counting the number of pulses of the encoder. The cutter motor 44 includes a standby position sensor 51 disposed near the standby position P1 in a part of the fixed sensor holder 50, such that the standby position sensor 51 detects the sensor mark portion 20a disposed in the cutter unit 43, and the cutter unit 43 accurately stops at the standby position P1. The standby position sensor 51 can also detect whether the cutter unit 43 is present at the standby position P1.

[0088] Reference will be made to Figure 9 explain the control configuration of the recording apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 9 is a block diagram for explaining the control configuration of Embodiment 1.

[0089] The control unit 700 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a motor driver, etc. (not shown), and is composed of a main control unit 710, a conveyance control unit 720, a recording control unit 730, and a fixing control unit 740. The main control unit 710 sends instructions to the conveyance control unit 720, the recording control unit 730, and the fixing control unit 740. Based on the determination of the main control unit 710, in a state where the position of the sheet 1 is checked using a paper end sensor (not shown), the conveyance control unit 720 drives the conveyance motor and conveys the sheet 1 to an arbitrary position, and then drives the cutter motor 44 and cuts the sheet 1. The recording control unit 730 forms a recorded image at a predetermined position using the linkage of a carriage motor (not shown) and the recording head 18. According to the control program stored in the ROM, the fixing control unit 740 adjusts the air volume of a fan (not shown) included in the fixing heater 90 and the temperature of the heater, and thereby fixes the ink.

[0090] Embodiment 2

[0091] Reference will be made to Figures 10A to 10C and Figure 11Describe the recording apparatus according to Embodiment 2. Here, the structure around the fixing portion of the cutting device 20 according to Embodiment 2 will be described. Figure 10A is a schematic cross-sectional view of the downstream side structure of the sheet discharging unit 500 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 10B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the downstream side structure of the sheet discharging unit 500b according to Embodiment 2. Figure 10C is a schematic cross-sectional view of the downstream side structure of the sheet discharging unit 500c according to a modification of Embodiment 2. Figure 11 is a schematic perspective view of the downstream side structure of the sheet discharging unit 500. In Figures 10A to 10C illustrations of the cutter belt 41, cutter carriage 42, cutter unit 43, etc. are omitted.

[0092] In Embodiment 2, the same components as those in Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals as in Embodiment 1 and their descriptions are omitted. Matters not described in Embodiment 2 are the same as those in Embodiment 1.

[0093] In Figure 10A the fixing heater 90 is arranged above the paper delivery guide portion 71. During the fixing and drying operations, high-temperature hot air is blown from the fixing heater 90 toward the sheet 1 and the paper delivery guide portion 71, and the space between the paper delivery guide portion 71 and the fixing heater 90 can reach a temperature equal to or higher than 100°C. The cutting device 20 arranged immediately downstream of the fixing and drying area is located at a position where heat is easily transferred.

[0094] The cutting device 20 has a structure in which the longitudinal (sheet width direction) rigidity of the cutting device 20 is ensured by the strength of the cutter rail 40 and components such as the cutter belt 41, cutter carriage 42, and cutter unit 43 are mounted. To ensure the strength of the cutter rail 40, a metal material (e.g., a steel plate) is used, and to fix the cutting device 20, the cutter rail 40 is screwed to each of a plurality of fixing portions 203 arranged in the paper delivery guide base 75 in the sheet width direction, as Figure 11 shown. However, heat from the fixing heater 90 can be transferred to the cutter belt 41, cutter carriage 42, and cutter unit 43 via the cutter rail 40 (metal material), and these components may reach a high temperature. In this case, depending on the load applied when cutting the sheet 1, deformation or damage of the components, tooth skipping of the belt, and other problems may occur. Therefore, it is preferable to fix the cutter rail 40 in such a way that not too much heat is transferred.

[0095] In this configuration, the cutter rail 40 is fixed to the sheet delivery guide base 75 using the fixing portion 203. In this fixing method, the sheet delivery guide base 75 is a heat transfer path with not much heat transfer because the heat of the sheet delivery guide 71 that reaches a high temperature due to the heat received from the fixing heater 90 is transferred via the fixing member 74 and the insulating material 76. The material used for the fixing member 74 is preferably a material with a lower thermal conductivity than the materials used for the sheet delivery guide 71 and the sheet delivery guide base 75.

[0096] In the case of a configuration where the cutter rail 40 is fixed only to the sheet delivery guide base 75, the strength of the fixing portion 203 depends on the plate thickness strength of the sheet delivery guide base 75, and it may be difficult to ensure the strength.

[0097] Therefore, in Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure, as Figure 10B shown, a reinforcing member 201 is installed below the sheet delivery guide base 75 as a first configuration for ensuring the above strength. Specifically, the reinforcing member 201 is installed in the sheet delivery guide base 75 on the back side of the portion where the cutter rail 40 is fixed. The reinforcing member 201 includes a portion installed in the sheet delivery guide base 75 on the back side of the portion where the cutter rail 40 is fixed. When viewed in the direction VD perpendicular to the conveying surface of the sheet delivery guide 71 (the surface of the sheet delivery guide 71 along the conveying direction CD of the sheet 1), the reinforcing member 201 is installed in the sheet delivery guide base 75 so as to overlap both the cutter rail 40 and the fixing member 74.

[0098] The reinforcing member 201 includes a mounting portion 201a, which is a mounting portion on the sheet delivery guide base 75 and is an upstream-side mounting portion in the conveying direction CD of the sheet 1. The mounting portion 201a is disposed near the fixing member 74, and in Embodiment 2, the mounting portion 201a is disposed upstream of the fixing member 74 in the conveying path of the sheet 1. Since the sheet delivery guide 71 and the sheet delivery guide base 75 are connected to the fixing member 74, the portion near the fixing member 74 ensures the sectional strength, so the reinforcing member 201 can be firmly installed.

[0099] The reinforcing member 201 further includes a mounting portion 201b, which is a mounting portion on the sheet delivery guide base 75 and is a downstream-side mounting portion in the conveying direction CD of the sheet 1. The mounting portion 201b is disposed downstream of the fixing portion 203 of the cutter rail 40 and the sheet delivery guide base 75 in the conveying path of the sheet 1.

[0100] By arranging the reinforcing member 201, due to the plate thickness of the paper delivery guide base 75 and the reinforcing member 201, the strength of the fixing portion 203 of the cutter rail 40 and the paper delivery guide base 75 can be made stronger. The paper delivery guide base 75 is formed of a plate member (such as a metal plate, etc.), and by installing the reinforcing member 201 as described above, deformation, etc. of at least the portion between the mounting portions 201a and 201b can be prevented.

[0101] In a modification of the second embodiment, as a second structure for ensuring strength, the downstream end of the paper delivery guide portion 71 and the cutter rail 40 are fixed via a spacer member 202 having a low heat conductivity, as Figure 10C shown. The spacer member 202 is fixed to the cutter rail 40 by a fixing portion 204 and is fixed to the paper delivery guide portion 71 by a fixing portion 205. The spacer member 202 is arranged between the cutter rail 40 and the paper delivery guide portion 71 in the sheet conveying direction CD. The heat conductivity of the material constituting the spacer member 202 is lower than the heat conductivity of the material constituting the paper delivery guide portion 71.

[0102] According to this structure, the cutter rail 40 is fixed to the paper delivery guide portion 71 via the paper delivery guide base 75 and the spacer member 202, so that the fixing strength can be ensured.

[0103] The structures in the above-described embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0104] Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the appended claims should be given the broadest interpretation so as to cover all such modifications as well as equivalent structures and functions.

Claims

1. A conveying device, comprising: a holding portion configured to hold a rolled sheet; a conveying portion configured to convey a sheet drawn out from the rolled sheet held by the holding portion; a guide portion configured to guide the sheet conveyed by the conveying portion; and a cutting section arranged in the guide section for cutting the sheet material using a movable blade, wherein The movable blade moves to a first position close to the holding portion and to a second position away from the holding portion.

2. The conveying device according to claim 1, further comprising a fixing unit configured to perform a fixing process on the sheet passing through the conveying path, wherein The fixing section is movable to a third position facing the guide section to heat the sheet and to a fourth position away from the guide section.

3. The conveying device according to claim 2, wherein: The fixing section includes a heater for heating the sheet passing through the conveying path as the fixing process.

4. The conveying device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The guide portion further includes: a guide member configured to form a conveying surface for the sheet, and A base member is arranged on an opposite side of the conveying path with respect to the guide member, wherein the cut-off portion is arranged integrally with the base member.

5. The conveying device according to claim 4, wherein: The guide portion further includes a fixing member configured to connect the guide member and the base member, wherein: The thermal conductivity of the material constituting the fixing member is lower than the thermal conductivity of the material constituting the base member.

6. The conveying device according to claim 5, wherein: The guide portion further includes a heat insulating material filled between the guide member and the base member.

7. The conveying device according to claim 5, wherein: The cutting portion further comprises: a rail extending in a width direction of the sheet intersecting with a conveying direction of the sheet; and a cutting member configured to be movable on the rail in the width direction, wherein: The track is secured to the base member.

8. The conveying device according to claim 7, wherein: The cutting member includes an upper blade and a lower blade, and the upper blade and the lower blade are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the sheet, wherein The upper blade and the lower blade have a contact portion, and move on the rail in the width direction in a state where a sheet is inserted into the contact portion, so that the sheet is cut by the contact portion.

9. The conveying device according to claim 5, further comprising a downstream guide portion configured to guide the sheet along the conveying path downstream of the cutting portion on the conveying path, wherein The downstream guide portion is arranged integrally with the guide portion and the cut-off portion.

10. The conveying device according to claim 9, further comprising a winding portion which is arranged on the conveying path downstream of the downstream guide portion and winds up the sheet, wherein The rolled sheet held by the holding portion is exposed between the guide portion at the second position, the cutting portion, the downstream guide portion, and the winding portion.

11. The delivery device according to claim 10, wherein: The downstream guide portion guides the sheet on the conveying path between the guide portion and the winding portion in a state of being in contact with the sheet to apply tension to the sheet.

12. The delivery device according to claim 11, wherein: The downstream guide portion has an R-shape in a cross section perpendicular to a width direction of the sheet, the width direction intersecting with a conveyance direction of the sheet.

13. The conveying device according to claim 7, wherein: The guide portion further includes a reinforcing member mounted on the base member at a rear side of a portion to which the rail is fixed.

14. The delivery device according to claim 13, wherein: The reinforcing member includes a portion attached to the base member on the rear side of the portion to which the fixing member is fixed.

15. The delivery device according to claim 14, wherein: When viewed in a direction perpendicular to the conveying surface, the reinforcement member overlaps both the rail and the fixing member.

16. The delivery device according to claim 14, wherein: The reinforcing member further comprises: a downstream side mounting portion mounted on the base member on the conveying path on a downstream side of a fixing portion of the rail and the base member; and An upstream mounting portion is mounted on the base member on the transport path at an upstream side of the fixing member.

17. The conveying device according to claim 7, further comprising a spacer configured to connect the guide member and the track, wherein: The thermal conductivity of the material constituting the spacer is lower than the thermal conductivity of the material constituting the guide member.

18. A recording device comprising: The conveying device according to claim 1 or 2; and A recording portion is configured to perform recording on a sheet on a conveying path between the holding portion and the guide portion.

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