Printing apparatus

Abstract

A printing apparatus includes: a storage section configured to store a container that stores a printing material to be applied to a printing medium by a printing unit; a transport unit configured to transport the printing medium along a transport path; and an opening / closing member configured to open / close an access path enabling access to the storage portion. The opening / closing member includes a path forming member configured to form a partial section of the transport path crossing the access path in a state in which the access path is closed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a printing device. Background Technology

[0002] In printing equipment that prints by applying printing material to a printing medium, the printing material, such as toner or ink, is stored in a container and in a storage compartment. If it is necessary to replace the container or replenish the printing material, this is done by accessing the storage compartment (e.g., Japanese Patent No. 6977648).

[0003] Printing equipment includes a transport path for conveying printing media. In conventional technologies, an access path to the storage unit needs to be designed while avoiding the transport path, and there are constraints on the freedom of arrangement of the storage unit. As a result, for example, the printing equipment is bulky, or increasing the amount of printing material stored is hindered. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure provides a technique for increasing the freedom of arrangement of storage units.

[0005] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a printing apparatus is provided, comprising: a storage unit configured to store a container for storing printing material to be applied to a printing medium by a printing unit; a transport unit configured to transport the printing medium along a transport path; and an opening / closing member configured to open / close an access path enabling access to the storage unit, wherein the opening / closing member includes a path forming member configured to form a portion of the transport path intersecting the access path when the access path is closed.

[0006] The features of this disclosure will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description of the embodiments is given by way of example. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the appearance of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0008] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows the internal structure of the printing equipment.

[0009] Figure 3 This is a diagram illustrating the container replacement pattern;

[0010] Figure 4 It is shown Figure 1 The block diagram of the control circuit of the printing device shown is shown.

[0011] Figure 5It is shown by Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating an example of the processing performed by the control circuit shown;

[0012] Figure 6A This is a front view of a printing device according to another embodiment;

[0013] Figure 6B It is along Figure 6A A cross-sectional view taken from line AA in the diagram;

[0014] Figure 7A It is shown in Figure 6A The example shown is a front view of the mode in which the component is disassembled (open / closed).

[0015] Figure 7B It is along Figure 7A A cross-sectional view taken from line BB in the middle;

[0016] Figure 8 This is a front view of a printing device according to yet another embodiment, showing a mode in which the opening / closing component is disassembled;

[0017] Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating an example configuration where containers are placed on a tray and stored.

[0018] Figure 10A and Figure 10B This is another example of a configuration for opening / closing components;

[0019] Figure 11 This is another example of a configuration for opening / closing components;

[0020] Figure 12A and Figure 12B This is another example of a configuration for opening / closing components;

[0021] Figure 13A and Figure 13B This is another example of a configuration for opening / closing components;

[0022] Figure 14 This is a diagram illustrating another example of the configuration of the storage section;

[0023] Figure 15 It is shown Figure 14 A diagram illustrating the container replacement pattern in the example shown;

[0024] Figure 16 It is shown in Figure 14 The flowchart shown is an example of the process performed by the control circuitry in the example example;

[0025] Figure 17 This is a diagram showing the printing material replenishment pattern;

[0026] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a printing device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 19 This is a diagram showing the appearance of a printing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 20 This shows multiple optional devices attached. Figure 19 A diagram showing the appearance of the printing equipment;

[0029] Figure 21 It is shown in Figure 19 A diagram showing the pattern of the storage cartridge being removed in the printing device;

[0030] Figure 22 It is shown in Figure 19 A diagram showing the disassembly pattern of the removable unit in the printing device.

[0031] Figure 23 It is shown in Figure 19 A diagram showing the mode in which the open / close component of the printing device is in the open state;

[0032] Figure 24 It is shown in Figure 19 A diagram showing the mode in which the open / close component of the printing device is in the open state;

[0033] Figure 25 yes Figure 20 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the printing equipment and optional devices shown;

[0034] Figure 26 It is a 3D view of the printing unit;

[0035] Figure 27 It is along Figure 26 A cross-sectional view of line DD in the diagram;

[0036] Figure 28 It is shown in Figure 20 The diagram shows the printing equipment with the cover and feed tray removed.

[0037] Figure 29 yes Figure 28 The diagram shows the internal structure of the printing equipment.

[0038] Figure 30 This indicates that the open / close component is in the open state. Figure 20 A diagram showing the appearance of the printing device 1A;

[0039] Figure 31 The open / close component is in the open state. Figure 20 A floor plan of the printing equipment 1A shown;

[0040] Figure 32 This is an explanatory diagram of the adjusting components;

[0041] Figure 33 This is an explanatory diagram of another adjusting component;

[0042] Figure 34A and Figure 34B This is an explanatory diagram of another adjusting component; and

[0043] Figure 35A and Figure 35B This is an explanatory diagram of another adjusting component. Detailed Implementation

[0044] In the following, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. Several features are described in the embodiments, but not all such features are required, and multiple such features can be appropriately combined. Furthermore, in the drawings, the same reference numerals are given the same or similar configuration, and redundant descriptions are omitted. <First Embodiment> <Overview of Printing Equipment>

[0045] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the appearance of a printing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the application of the present disclosure to an inkjet printing apparatus configured to eject ink as printing material onto a printing medium for printing will be described. However, printing materials can also be applied to other types of printing apparatus.

[0046] Note that "printing" includes not only the formation of important information such as characters and graphics, but also, more broadly, the formation of images, patterns, and designs on a printing medium, or the processing of the medium, regardless of whether the information is important or not, or whether the information is visualized so that humans can visually perceive it. Furthermore, although this embodiment assumes sheet paper as the "printing medium," cloth and plastic film can also be used.

[0047] In the diagram, arrows X, Y, and Z indicate directions that intersect each other. Arrows X and Y indicate horizontal directions that are orthogonal to each other, and arrow Z indicates the up / down direction. The X direction corresponds to the left / right direction (lateral or width direction) of printing device 1, and the Y direction corresponds to the front / back direction (depth direction) of printing device 1. The Z direction corresponds to the height direction of printing device 1. Furthermore, the downstream and upstream sides are defined based on the transport direction of the printing medium, which serves as a reference.

[0048] The printing device 1 includes a main body 100 and storage cartridges 2A and 2B detachably attached to the main body 100. The main body 100 includes a housing 101 having a generally cuboid shape, and the housing 101 forms the outer wall of the printing device 1. Slots for the storage cartridges 2A and 2B, which allow storage of printing media, to be detachably attached to the main body 100 are formed on the front surface 101a of the housing 101, which forms the front portion of the printing device 1. The storage cartridges 2A and 2B are inserted / removed in the Y direction.

[0049] In the main body 100, a storage section 4 is disposed between storage boxes 2A and 2B in the Z direction. The storage section 4 forms a space for storing a container that stores ink as printing material. An opening / closing member 5 that allows the user to access the storage section 4 is disposed on the front 101a of the housing 101.

[0050] A stacking section 3A is provided on top of the main body 100, and the printing media printed by the printing unit 10 in the main body 100 is stacked on the stacking section 3A. The stacking section 3A includes a tray 30. The printed printing media are stacked on the tray 30.

[0051] Apart from Figure 1 In addition, we will also refer to Figure 2 . Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the printing device 1. The printing device 1 prints on a sheet SH via the printing unit 10. The sheet SH is the pre-printing medium stacked on the stacking section 20 of the storage boxes 2A and 2B. The stacking section 20 is a tray on which many sheets SH are stacked.

[0052] In this embodiment, the sheet SH before printing can also be stacked on the stacking section 2C. The stacking section 2C includes a foldable tray 222. Figure 1 The storage pattern of tray 222 is shown, and Figure 2 The diagram shows the unfolded configuration of tray 222. Tray 222 is used, for example, when a user manually feeds the sheet SH to the printing unit 10.

[0053] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the printed sheets SH can also be stacked on the stacking section 3B. The stacking section 3B includes a foldable tray 31. Figure 2 The diagram shows the unfolded configuration of tray 31. The printing device 1 discharges the printed sheet SH into tray 30 or tray 31.

[0054] Within the main body 100, a transport path RT is formed to guide the transport of the sheet SH. The transport path RT is the path via the printing unit 10 that guides the sheet SH from the stacking portion 20 or stacking portion 2C of storage boxes 2A and 2B to the tray 30 or tray 31. The transport path RT includes three starting points P11 to P13 and two ending points P21 and P22. In this embodiment, the transport path RT extends substantially horizontally on the front and rear sides of the printing unit 10 to divide the printing device 1 into an upper section and a lower section. The transport path RT generally extends in a substantially S-shape to cover the front portion and the rear portion of the printing unit 10.

[0055] The sorting of printed sheets SH to stacking sections 3A or 3B can be performed by baffles 9 arranged at branch points of the transport path RT. Baffles 9 switch the transport destination of sheets SH that have passed through the printing unit 10 to stacking sections 3A or 3B. Baffles 9 are rotatably configured and rotated by an actuator such as an electromagnetic solenoid, thereby switching the path.

[0056] Note that the transport path RT is formed by a path forming component. As an example of a path forming component... Figure 2 A path forming member 52 is shown disposed on the opening / closing member 5. The path forming member 52 includes a front and a rear path forming member 52a separated in the Y direction. The path forming member 52 forms a partial segment midway through the transport path RT. More specifically, the path forming member 52 forms a segment extending in the Z direction between intermediate points P31 and P32. The transport path RT is defined by such a path forming member.

[0057] The conveying mechanism for conveying the sheet SH along the conveying path RT will be described. Storage boxes 2A and 2B each include a feeding unit (pickup roller) 21. The sheet SH on the stack 20 is introduced into the conveying path RT via the feeding unit 21. The feeding unit 21 rotates while in contact with the topmost sheet SH stacked on the stack 20, and thus begins feeding the sheet SH. The sheet SH is then conveyed to the feeding unit 80.

[0058] In this embodiment, the storage section 4 is arranged in the Z direction between the stacked sections 20 of storage boxes 2A and 2B, and the stacked section 20 of storage box 2A is arranged between the printing unit 10 and the storage section 4. The stacked section 20 of storage box 2B is not arranged in the Z direction between the printing unit 10 and the storage section 4. The sheet SH conveyed from the stacked section 20 of storage box 2B passes through the path forming member 52, but the sheet SH conveyed from the stacked section 20 of storage box 2A does not pass through the path forming member 52.

[0059] The sheets on the stack 2C are fed into the transport path RT by the feeding unit (pick-up roller) 223. The feeding unit 223 rotates while in contact with the topmost sheet SH stacked on the stack 2C, and thus begins feeding the sheet SH. The sheet SH is transported to the transport unit 81.

[0060] The conveying mechanism for the sheet SH also includes a feeding unit 80 and multiple conveying units 81 to 84. In the conveying direction of the sheet SH along the conveying path RT, the feeding unit 80, conveying unit 81, conveying unit 82, conveying unit 83, and conveying unit 84 are arranged from upstream to downstream in this order. Note that in the following description, unless otherwise specified, the leading edge and trailing edge of the sheet SH refer to the downstream end and upstream end of the sheet SH, respectively.

[0061] The feeding unit 80 conveys the sheet SH, which is introduced into the conveying path RT by the feeding unit 21, to the conveying unit 81. The feeding unit 80 includes a feeding roller 80a and a driven roller 80b that is in pressure contact with the feeding roller 80a. The feeding roller 80a is the driving roller, and the driven roller 80b rotates in accordance with the rotation of the feeding roller 80a.

[0062] The sheet SH is held in the roll gap between the feed roller 80a and the driven roller 80b, and is conveyed by the rotation of the feed roller 80a and the driven roller 80b. Note that the feed unit 21 is a unidirectional roller, and even after the sheet SH has been conveyed beyond the roll gap of the feed unit 80, the feed unit 80 can continue to convey even if the drive of the feed unit 21 is stopped.

[0063] The conveying unit 81 is arranged upstream of the print head 11 in the printing unit 10 in the conveying direction, and the sheet SH is conveyed by the conveying unit 81 between the print head 11 and the platen 7 facing the print head 11 to the downstream side. The conveying unit 81 includes a conveying roller 81a and a driven roller (clamping roller) 81b that is in pressure contact with the conveying roller 81a by a spring (not shown) or the like. The conveying roller 81a is the driving roller, and the driven roller 81b rotates following the rotation of the conveying roller 81a. The sheet SH is clamped in the roll gap between the conveying roller 81a and the driven roller 81b, and is conveyed by the rotation of the conveying roller 81a and the driven roller 81b.

[0064] The conveying unit 82 is arranged downstream of the print head 11 in the conveying direction and conveys the sheet SH conveyed by the conveying unit 81 to the conveying unit 83 on the downstream side. The conveying unit 82 includes a conveying roller 82a and a ratchet 82b that is in pressure contact with the conveying roller 82a by a spring (not shown) or the like. The conveying roller 82a is a drive roller, and the ratchet 82b rotates following the rotation of the conveying roller 82a.

[0065] The conveying unit 83 is a discharge unit arranged downstream of the printhead 11 and the conveying unit 82 in the conveying direction. Depending on the position of the baffle 9, it discharges the sheet SH conveyed by the conveying unit 82 to the tray 31 of the stacking section 3B or the conveying unit 84. The conveying unit 83 includes a conveying roller 83a and a driven roller 83b that is in pressure contact with the conveying roller 83a via a spring (not shown). The conveying roller 83a is a drive roller, and the driven roller 83b rotates following the rotation of the conveying roller 83a. The sheet SH is held in the roll gap between the conveying roller 83a and the driven roller 83b and is conveyed by the rotation of the conveying roller 83a and the driven roller 83b.

[0066] The conveying unit 84 is a discharge unit arranged downstream of the conveying unit 83 in the conveying direction, and discharges the sheet SH conveyed by the conveying unit 83 to the tray 30 of the stacking section 3A. The sheet SH discharged to the tray 30 is "discharged downwards," with the image printing surface facing downwards. The conveying unit 84 includes a conveying roller 84a and a driven roller 84b that is in pressure contact with the conveying roller 84a by a spring (not shown) or the like. The conveying roller 84a is a drive roller, and the driven roller 84b rotates following the rotation of the conveying roller 84a. The sheet SH is held in the roll gap between the conveying roller 84a and the driven roller 84b, and is conveyed by the rotation of the conveying roller 84a and the driven roller 84b.

[0067] Printing unit 10 applies ink to the sheet SH to print an image. Ink application to the sheet SH is performed by discharging ink from printhead 11. A discharge surface is formed on the underside of printhead 11, in which multiple nozzles for discharging ink are formed. Printhead 11 can be a full-width printhead. Printhead 11 can be a serial printhead. If printhead 11 is serial, it is mounted on a carriage and moves in the main scanning direction (X direction) while discharging ink (printing scan). The sheet SH is intermittently transported in the secondary scanning direction (Y direction) by transport units 81 and 82, and printing scans are performed alternately to print an image on the sheet SH. <Container storage structure and access structure>

[0068] The ink to be supplied to the printhead 11 is stored in container 6. Ink is supplied to the printhead 11 from container 6 via, for example, a tube. Container 6 is a hollow component with an overall cuboid shape that stores ink internally, and is a flat bottle-shaped container. Container 6 is stored in storage section 4. Storage section 4 has an inlet 4a on the front side of the printing device 1, and container 6 can be inserted into / removed from inlet 4a in the Y direction. If the ink stored in container 6 is consumed, the user can replenish the ink by replacing container 6 with a new container. In this case, the user needs to access storage section 4 (in other words, access container 6).

[0069] The open / close component 5 is a component that opens or closes the access path to enable access to the storage unit 4. Figure 2 This shows the case where the opening / closing component 5 is in the closed state, and Figure 3 The diagram shows the opening / closing member 5 in the open state. In this embodiment, the opening / closing member 5 is detachably attached to the body 100 and, upon attachment, is positioned and locked to the body 100 by an appropriate method. At the front 101a, an opening 101b is formed in the housing 101. (As shown...) Figure 3 As shown, when the opening / closing component 5 is detached from the main body 100, the opening 101b opens, and the access path AR opens. According to this embodiment, the access path AR extends in the Y direction from the inlet 4a of the storage section 4 to the space at the front of the printing device 1. Figure 3 With the access path AR shown open, inlet 4a is exposed to the outside of the printing device 1, and the user can access the storage unit 4 from the outside of the printing device 1. The user can replace the container 6 in the storage unit 4. Whether the container 6 is attached to the storage unit 4 is detected by sensor 40. Sensor 40 is, for example, an optical sensor or a wireless or wired reader that reads information from the memory set on the container 6. When the opening / closing member 5 is attached to the main body 100, inlet 4a (opening 101b) is covered by the opening / closing member 5, and the access path AR is closed by the opening / closing member 5.

[0070] The opening / closing component 5 includes a panel component 51 and a path forming component 52. The panel component 51 closes the opening 101b when the access path AR is closed, and together with the housing 101, forms the outer wall of the printing device 1, particularly the front end 101a. The path forming component 52 is fixed to the back of the panel component 51 and, as described above, forms a portion of the transport path RT extending in the Z-direction between intermediate points P31 and P32. The access path AR is a path passing through the intermediate points P31 and P32 in the Y-direction, and the portion of the transport path RT between intermediate points P31 and P32 intersects the access path AR.

[0071] As described above, in this embodiment, since the opening / closing member 5 forms a portion of the transport path RT, a layout in which the access path AR intersects with a portion of the transport path RT can be adopted. Compared to a layout where the access path AR avoids the transport path RT, the arrangement freedom of the storage unit 4 can be increased. In particular, in recent years, there has been a need for a printing device that includes multiple feed units / discharge units capable of feeding / discharging large quantities of various printing media, and the space occupied by the transport path of the printing media in such a printing device is increasing. In order to increase the capacity of the printing material storage unit in such a printing device, the device size may be large. According to this embodiment, the space of the storage unit 4 can be made larger while suppressing the increase in device size, and the capacity of the container 6 can also be increased.

[0072] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the attachment / removal of storage boxes 2A and 2B or the replacement of container 6 can be performed from the front 101a side of the printing device 1. This provides a printing device 1 with excellent operability, allowing user operation from only one direction. <Control System Configuration>

[0073] Figure 4 This is a block diagram of the control circuit 110 of the printing device 1. The control circuit 110 includes at least one processor and at least one storage device storing programs to be executed by the processor. The storage device is, for example, a semiconductor memory. More specifically, the control circuit 110 includes a CPU 111 that controls the entire printing device 1, and RAM 112 and ROM 113 configured to store various programs and various data to be executed by the CPU 111. A timer 115 measures the elapsed time.

[0074] The control circuit 110 also includes an external interface (I / F) 114 for receiving print commands (print jobs) including print data from an external print server or external PC, and a driver 116 for driving the print head 11. Sensors 119 form a sensor group for detecting the state of the printing device 1, and include sensors configured to detect the position of the conveyed sheet SH, and sensors 40, etc. The driver 117 is the circuitry for driving the actuator 118, and the actuator 118 includes a motor for driving the drive rollers of the conveying system for the sheet SH and an actuator for driving the baffle 9. <Stacking Selection Process>

[0075] Different types or sizes of sheets SH can be stacked on stacking sections 20 and 2C of storage boxes 2A and 2B. The printing device 1 can select the sheet SH according to the print job. Furthermore, even if, for example, sheets SH of the same type are stacked on stacking section 20, the printing device 1 can feed sheets SH from stacking section 20 with a higher priority order.

[0076] On the other hand, in this embodiment, during the replacement of container 6, the transport path RT cannot be used in the section from intermediate point P31 to intermediate point P32 due to the disassembly of the opening / closing component 5. Therefore, the sheet SH cannot be fed from the stacking section 20 of storage box 2B.

[0077] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing executed by CPU 111 and an example of the stack selection process performed when a print job is received. If a print job is received, in step S1, it is determined whether the stack specified in the print job is the lower stack (stack 20 of storage cartridge 2B). If it is determined that the stack is the lower stack, the process proceeds to step S2. If it is determined that the stack is not the lower stack, the feed source of the sheet SH is determined to be the specified stack (stack 20 of storage cartridge 2A or stack 2C), and Figure 5 The processing shown is now complete.

[0078] In step S2, it is determined whether a user is accessing storage section 4. Here, the detection result of sensor 40 is acquired, and if the detection result indicates that container 6 is not present in storage section 4, it is determined that a user is accessing storage section 4. Note that to determine whether a user is accessing storage section 4, a sensor configured to detect the open / closed state of open / close member 5 can be provided, and if the sensor's detection result indicates the open state, it can be determined that a user is accessing it. If it is determined in step S2 that a user is accessing it, the process proceeds to step S3. If it is determined that a user is not accessing it, the feed source of sheet SH is determined to be the lower stack section, and Figure 5 The processing shown is now complete.

[0079] In step S3, it is determined whether a change to the stacking section is possible based on the content of the print job or the settings of the printing device 1. If a change is possible, the process proceeds to step S4. If a change is not possible, the process proceeds to step S5. In step S4, the user or the printing device 1 selects a stacking section other than the lower stacking section (stacking section 20 of storage box 2A or stacking section 2C) as the feed source for the sheet SH, and confirms this selection. An example where a change is possible is when a sheet SH of the same type as the sheet on the lower stacking section is stacked on another stacking section.

[0080] In step S5, based on the detection result of sensor 40, a waiting process is initiated until the user's access to storage unit 4 is completed. At this time, a message indicating an interruption may be displayed on a display device (not shown) provided on the printing device 1, or an alarm sound may be output to encourage the user to complete the access. Alternatively, if the interruption time is confirmed to have exceeded a predetermined time by timing 115, a save operation of printing unit 10 may be performed (e.g., covering the discharge surface of print head 11 with a cap (not shown)).

[0081] As described above, according to this embodiment, even if the user is accessing the storage unit 4, it is determined whether a printing operation is possible or whether a change in the stacking unit is possible. Therefore, a convenient printing device 1 capable of suppressing printing operation interruptions can be provided. <Second Embodiment>

[0082] An operating section for the user to retrieve the container 6 from the storage section 4 or a display section that shows information related to the printing material stored in the container 6 can be provided on the container 6. Figures 6A to 7B An example is shown. Figure 6A This is a front view of the printing device 1, which shows the periphery of the container 6 with the opening / closing component 5 in the closed state. Figure 6B It is along Figure 6A The cross-sectional view taken from line AA in the diagram. Figure 7A This is a front view of the printing device 1, showing the periphery of the container 6 with the opening / closing component 5 in the open state. Figure 7B It is along Figure 7A The cross-sectional view taken from line BB in the diagram.

[0083] In this embodiment, the operation section 61 and the display section 62 are disposed on the front 60 of the container 6. The operation section 61 has the form of a recess with depth in the Y direction. When the user places his / her finger on the peripheral portion of the operation section 61, he / she can easily grasp the container 6. The operation section 61 may not have the form of a recess, but may instead have the form of a lever or handle.

[0084] The display section 62 has the form of a label attached to the bottom of the operation section 61, and has a portion of the same color as, for example, the ink stored in the container 6, thereby displaying the color of the ink. Figure 7A As shown, if the opening / closing component 5 is in the open state, the operation unit 61 and the display unit 62 are exposed to the front 101a of the printing device 1, and the user can identify them.

[0085] A recess 23 is provided around the opening 101b, through which the container 6 is inserted / removed. In this embodiment, the recess 23, extending in the Y direction, is formed on the upper side of the opening 101b. More specifically, a recess 23 with a downward-opening notch shape is formed in the storage box 2A. In some cases, the printing device 1 is mounted at waist height. In this case, the user, who has already opened / closed the opening / closing member 5, looks down at the operation section 61 and the display section 62 or the entrance 4a, and the front 101a of the housing 101 may obstruct the user's view. When the recess 23 is formed, as... Figure 7B As shown, the user's line of sight can easily reach the operation section 61 and the display section 62 or the inlet 4a, and the user can easily recognize their presence. Furthermore, when the recess 23 is formed, the user can easily insert their fingertips into the operation section 61. Note that in this embodiment, the recess 23 also serves as a handle for the user to place their hand when inserting / removing the storage box 2A.

[0086] Reference Figure 7A The positional relationship between the recess 23 and the operation unit 61 and the display unit 62 is described. Regarding the position in the X direction, the recess 23 extends within a range Rx1, the operation unit 61 extends within a range Rx2, and the display unit 62 extends within a range Rx3. In this embodiment, regarding the position in the X direction, the recess 23 is located at the same position as at least a portion of the operation unit 61. More specifically, in this embodiment, the range Rx1 is included within the range Rx2. Therefore, regarding the position in the X direction, the entire range of the recess 23 is included within the range of the operation unit 61. Additionally, in this embodiment, regarding the position in the X direction, the recess 23 is located at the same position as at least a portion of the display unit 62. More specifically, in this embodiment, the range Rx1 includes the range Rx3. Therefore, regarding the position in the X direction, the entire range of the display unit 62 is included within the range of the recess 23. Therefore, the recess 23 can more reliably improve the visibility of the operation unit 61 and the display unit 62. Note that, regarding the position in the X direction, if at least a portion of the display portion 62 is located at the same position as the recess 23, then the range Rx3 can be greater than the range Rx1.

[0087] Next, refer to Figure 7AThe positional relationship between the recess 23 and the inlet 4a of the storage section 4 is described. Center line CL indicates the center position of the recess 23 in the X direction. Center line CL' indicates the center position of the inlet 4a in the X direction. In this embodiment, both center lines CL and CL' are located at the center of the printing device 1 in the X direction and coincide with each other. Therefore, regarding the position in the X direction, the recess 23 is located at the center of the inlet 4a. For this reason, the recess 23 can more reliably improve the visibility of the inlet 4a, and for example, the inlet 4a is easily visible when the container 6 is inserted into the storage section 4. Note that a configuration where center lines CL and CL' are not aligned is also possible. <Third Embodiment>

[0088] Multiple containers 6 can also be stored in the storage section 4. Figure 8 This is a front view of the printing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, showing the entrance 4a of the storage section 4 when the opening / closing member 5 is in the open state. The storage section 4 includes storage chambers 4A to 4D, which are divided into two levels in the Z direction and two columns in the X direction, and four containers 6A to 6D are stored in the storage chambers 4A to 4D.

[0089] Similar to the second embodiment, an operation unit 61 and a display unit 62 are provided for each container. The operation unit 61 and the display unit 62 are located on the front 60 of each of the containers 6A to 6D. Regarding their position in the X direction, at least a portion of each of the operation unit 61 and the display unit 62 is located within the range Rx1 of the recess 23. Therefore, in this embodiment, the recess 23 can more reliably improve the visibility of the operation unit 61 and the display unit 62. Furthermore, the display units 62 of containers 6A to 6D are located at the center of the inlet 4a. This arrangement allows the user to easily identify all four display units 62 at a glance. <Fourth Embodiment>

[0090] In the above embodiments, the bottle-shaped container is exemplified as container 6. In the above embodiments, container 6 may be a bag-shaped container made of flexible material. In this case, the container can be placed on a tray and stored in the storage section 4. Figure 9 An example is shown. Container 6E is a pouch-type ink cartridge and is placed on tray 41 and stored in storage section 4. Tray 41 has an upward-opening recess 45, on which container 6E is placed. An operation section 43 and a display section 44, corresponding to the operation section 61 and display section 62 in the second and third embodiments, are provided on the front 42 of tray 41. This embodiment can be combined with the second and third embodiments. In this case, the positional relationships described in the second and third embodiments can be applied as the positional relationship between the recess 23 or inlet 4a and the operation section 43 and display section 44. <Fifth Embodiment>

[0091] In the first embodiment, the opening / closing form of the opening / closing member 5 has been illustrated as being attached to / detached from the body 100. However, rotation or translation is also possible. Figure 10A and Figure 10B This is another example of the configuration for opening / closing component 5. Figure 10A This is a diagram showing the appearance of the printing device 1 with the opening / closing component 5 in the open state, and Figure 10B This is a cross-sectional view showing the access path AR near the open / close component 5 when it is in the open state.

[0092] exist Figure 10A and Figure 10B In the example shown, the opening / closing member 5 is rotatably supported by the sliding member 53 via a shaft 54. Shaft 54 ​​is an axis in the X direction and is located below the opening / closing member 5. The opening / closing member 5 rotates about a rotation center axis in the X direction. The sliding member 53 is supported inside the body 100 so that it can slide in the Y direction. To open the opening / closing member 5, it is moved proximally in the Y direction and rotated downwards, thereby opening the access path AR. To close the opening / closing member 5, it is rotated upwards and pushed distally in the Y direction, thereby closing the access path AR. Because the opening / closing member 5 is supported by the body 100 regardless of whether it is open or closed, loss or damage in the event of a fall can be prevented. Note that shaft 54 ​​can be arranged above the opening / closing member 5, and the opening / closing member 5 can rotate upwards.

[0093] exist Figure 10A and Figure 10B The example shown illustrates the rotation of the opening / closing component 5 about its rotational center axis in the X direction. However, the opening / closing component 5 can also rotate about its rotational center axis in the Z direction. Figure 11 An example is shown. In Figure 11 In the example shown, the opening / closing member 5 is rotatably supported via a shaft 55 located at its end in the X direction. The shaft 55 is an axis in the Z direction, and the opening / closing member 5 rotates like a door about a rotation center axis in the Z direction.

[0094] then, Figure 12A and Figure 12B An example of opening / closing component 5 by translation is shown. Figure 12A This is a diagram showing the appearance of the printing device 1 with the opening / closing component 5 in the open state, and Figure 12B This is a cross-sectional view showing the access path AR near the open / close component 5 when it is in the open state.

[0095] A pair of left and right track members 56 are connected to the opening / closing member 5. The track members 56 extend in the Y direction and are supported by a plurality of guide members 57 disposed in the main body 100, allowing them to slide in the Y direction. To open the opening / closing member 5, it is moved to the proximal side in the Y direction, thereby opening the access path AR. To close the opening / closing member 5, it is pushed to the distal side in the Y direction, thereby closing the access path AR. <Sixth Embodiment>

[0096] In the first embodiment, the opening / closing member 5 includes a panel member 51 and a path forming member 52. However, the opening / closing member may exclude the panel member and include only the path forming member. Figure 13A and Figure 13B An example is shown. Figure 13A This is a diagram showing the appearance of the printing device 1 according to this embodiment, and Figure 13B This is a cross-sectional view showing the area near the access path AR. Figure 13A and Figure 13B In the example shown, the opening / closing component 5A is a component separate from the panel component 51A corresponding to the panel component 51. The panel component 51A forms part of the housing 101 and is like... Figure 10A and Figure 10B The configuration is rotatably set as shown in the example configuration. The opening / closing member 5A includes a portion corresponding to the path forming member 52, and forms a transport path RT between the intermediate point P31 and the intermediate point P32. When the panel member 51A is closed, the opening / closing member 5A is located inside the panel member 51A in the closed state (rear side in the Y direction).

[0097] Figure 13A The diagram shows the panel member 51A in the open state. In this state, the opening 101b is open, but because the opening / closing member 5A is attached to the body 100, the access path AR is not open. In this state, as... Figure 13B As shown, the opening / closing component 5A is further disassembled, thereby opening the access path AR. To close the access path AR, the opening / closing component 5A is attached to the body 100. Then, the panel component 51A is closed. Therefore, in this embodiment, the opening / closing of the access path AR is performed in two steps. <Seventh Embodiment>

[0098] The location of the storage section 4 or the opening / closing component 5 can be designed appropriately. Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the printing device 1 according to this embodiment. A structure different from that in the first embodiment will be described.

[0099] In the printing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, instead of the storage unit 4, the storage unit 4' is arranged below the stacking unit 3A and above the storage boxes 2A and 2B, and is arranged at the rear side of the printing unit 10 in the Y direction. The storage boxes 2A and 2B are arranged close together in the up / down direction.

[0100] The storage section 4' opens upwards and stores the ink-containing printing material container 6F within it, allowing it to be inserted / removed in the Z direction. The container 6F is a bottle-shaped container. Whether the container 6F is attached to the storage section 4' is detected by a sensor 40A. The sensor 40A is, for example, an optical sensor or a wireless reader that reads information from a memory located on the container 6F.

[0101] The tray 30 of the stacking section 3A includes a downstream fixing part 32 and an upstream opening / closing member 33, which is rotatably mounted on the fixing part 32 via a hinge 34. In the closed state, the opening / closing member 33 forms a portion of the conveying path RT on the stacking section 3A.

[0102] Figure 15 The state of the open / close component 33 is shown. Access path AR is open, and container 6F can be replaced in storage section 4'.

[0103] Next, the process of selecting the stack section for discharging the printed sheet SH will be described. In this embodiment, the stack section to which the sheet is discharged can be either stack section 3A or stack section 3B. On the other hand, in this embodiment, during the operation of changing the container 6F, the sheet SH cannot be discharged into stack section 3A because the opening / closing member 33 is open.

[0104] Figure 16 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing executed by CPU 111 and an example of the stack selection process performed when a print job is received. If a print job is received, in step S11, it is determined whether the stack specified in the print job is the upper stack (stack 3A). If it is determined that the stack is the upper stack, the process proceeds to step S12. If it is determined that the stack is not the upper stack, the discharge destination of the sheet SH is determined to be the specified stack (stack 3B), and Figure 16 The processing shown is now complete.

[0105] In step S12, it is determined whether a user is accessing storage section 4'. Here, the detection result of sensor 40A is acquired, and if the detection result indicates that container 6F is not present in storage section 4', it is determined that a user is accessing storage section 4'. Note that to determine whether a user is accessing storage section 4', a sensor configured to detect the open / closed state of open / close member 33 can be provided, and if the sensor's detection result indicates the open state, it can be determined that a user is accessing it. If it is determined in step S12 that a user is accessing it, the process proceeds to step S13. If it is determined that a user is not accessing it, the discharge destination of sheet SH is determined to be the upper stack (stack 3A), and Figure 16 The processing shown is now complete.

[0106] In step S13, it is determined whether a change to the stacking section is possible based on the content of the print job or the settings of the printing device 1. If a change is possible, the process proceeds to step S14. If a change is not possible, the process proceeds to step S15. In step S14, the rear stacking section (stacking section 3B) excluding the upper stacking section is selected as the discharge destination for the sheet SH, and this selection is confirmed. An example where a change is possible is a case where it can be confirmed that sheets SH of the same size can be discharged into stacking sections 3A and 3B. In step S15, based on the detection result of sensor 40A, the process waits until the user's access to storage section 4' is completed.

[0107] According to this process, even during access to the storage unit 4', it is determined whether a printing operation is possible or whether a change in the stacking unit at the discharge destination is possible. Therefore, a convenient printing device 1 capable of suppressing interruptions to printing operations can be provided.

[0108] Note that the printing device 1 may also include a third or fourth stacking section above the stacking section 3A, having a discharge destination with the same configuration as the stacking section 3A. In this case, the transport path from the printing unit 10 to the third or fourth stacking section intersects with the access path AR, just like the transport path RT from the printing unit 10 to the stacking section 3A. That is, during the process... Figure 16 When selecting the discharge destination in the process, the third or fourth stack section can be processed in the same way as the stack section 3A. <Eighth Embodiment>

[0109] In the above embodiments, the access path AR is described as an example of a container replacement path. However, the access path could also be a print material replenishment path. Figure 17 An example is shown, which is shown in Figure 15In the illustrated embodiment, access path AR is an example of an ink replenishment path. Container 6G is fixed to storage section 4', and ink replenishment is performed by connecting replenishment bottle 120 to container 6G. Sensor 40B is a sensor that detects the open / closed state of open / close member 33. Figure 16 When the processing example shown is applied to this embodiment, in step S12, it is determined whether the user is accessing the storage unit 4' based on the detection result of sensor 40B. <Ninth Embodiment>

[0110] In the first embodiment, a stacking section 20 (or a storage box 2A) is arranged between the printing unit 10 and the storage section 4 in the Z direction. However, multiple stacking sections 20 (or multiple storage boxes 2A) may be arranged. Figure 18 An example is shown. In Figure 18 In the example shown, two storage boxes 2A are arranged between the printing unit 10 and the storage unit 4. Therefore, two stacking sections 20 are arranged between the printing unit 10 and the storage unit 4. This allows for an increase in the storage capacity of the sheet SH, or an increase in the types of sheet SH to be stored. <Tenth Embodiment>

[0111] In the above embodiments, inkjet printing equipment using ink as printing material is exemplified as printing device 1. The printing method of the printing equipment can be a so-called electrophotographic method, and the printing material can be a toner. <Eleventh Embodiment> <Overview of Printing Equipment>

[0112] Figure 19 This is a diagram illustrating the appearance of a printing apparatus 1A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Multiple optional devices may be attached to the printing apparatus 1A. Figure 20 The diagram illustrates a configuration in which optional devices 500A and 500B are attached to printing device 1A. Optional devices 500A and 500B are devices with identical configurations. When referring to optional devices 500A and 500B collectively or without distinction, they will be simply referred to as optional devices 500. Each optional device 500 includes a storage cartridge 501 for storing print media. By adding optional devices 500, the amount of print media to be used for printing or the type of print media to be used for printing can be increased. The storage cartridge 501 is detachably attached to the body of the optional device 500. In this embodiment, the storage cartridge 501 is positioned at the front of the optional device 500 such that it can be inserted into / removed from the body in the Y direction.

[0113] exist Figure 20In the example shown, two levels of optional devices 500 are provided below the printing device 1A. However, only one optional device 500 can be attached to the printing device 1A, or three or more levels of optional devices 500 can be attached to the printing device 1A. Alternatively, the printing device 1A can be used without attaching any optional devices 500.

[0114] Note that in this embodiment, the application of this disclosure to a serial inkjet printing device is described. However, this disclosure can also be applied to other types of printing devices.

[0115] In the accompanying drawings described in this embodiment, arrows X, Y, and Z indicate directions that intersect each other. Arrows X and Y indicate horizontal directions that are orthogonal to each other, and arrow Z indicates the up / down direction. The X direction corresponds to the left / right direction (width direction) of the printing device 1A, and the Y direction corresponds to the front / back direction (depth direction) of the printing device 1A. The Z direction corresponds to the height direction of the printing device 1A. Furthermore, the downstream side and upstream side are defined based on the transport direction of the printing medium, which serves as a reference.

[0116] The printing device 1A includes a main body 100A, a removable unit 640 detachable from the main body 100A, and a storage box 602A. The main body 100A includes a housing 601 having a generally cuboid shape, and the housing 601 forms the outer wall of the printing device 1A. The removable unit 640 and the storage box 602A are attached to the front end 601a of the housing 601 forming the front portion of the printing device 1A, such that the removable unit 640 and the storage box 602A can be inserted into / removed from the main body 100A in the Y direction. The front end 601a is also provided with a cover 653 and an opening / closing member 665, the cover 653 being openable / closable and covering the feed unit 650 within the main body 100A. The cover 653, the removable unit 640, the storage box 602A, and the opening / closing member 665 are arranged in this order from top to bottom in the Z direction.

[0117] Figure 21 The image shows the storage box 602A being removed from the main body 100A in the -Y direction. The main body 100A has a slot SL1 that opens to the front 601a, and the storage box 602A is stored in the slot SL1.

[0118] Figure 22 This is a diagram showing the detachable unit 640 detached from the main body 100A in the -Y direction. The main body 100A has a slot SL2 that opens to the front 601a, and the detachable unit 640 is stored in the slot SL2.

[0119] The discharge tray 617 is located on the upper part of the main body 100A. Printed media is discharged into the discharge tray 617 and stacked on the discharge tray 617.

[0120] Reference Figure 20 and Figure 23 An opening 670 is described, formed on the upper surface of the housing 601 and exposing the interior of the main body 100A of the printing device 1A. The opening 670 is opened / closed by an opening / closing member 617a. In this embodiment, the opening / closing member 617a is a plate-shaped tray member forming part of the discharge tray 617, and is a rotating member configured to rotate about a rotation center axis 617b in the X direction. Figure 23 This shows the opening / closing member 617a in the open state and the opening 670 in the open state. When the opening / closing member 617a is as follows... Figure 20 When the opening 670 is set to the closed state, it is closed.

[0121] Reference Figure 20 and Figure 24 An opening 672 is described, formed on the upper surface of the housing 601 and exposing the interior of the main body 100A of the printing device 1A. The opening 672 is located distally in the Y direction relative to the opening 670. The opening 672 is opened / closed by an opening / closing member 617c. In this embodiment, the opening / closing member 617c is a plate-shaped tray member that forms part of the discharge tray 617 together with the opening / closing member 617a and is removed to the proximal side. When the opening / closing member 617c is removed, the operator can operate it by holding the grip 617e. Figure 24 This shows the opening / closing member 617c in the open state and the opening 672 in the open state. When the opening / closing member 617c is as follows... Figure 20 When the opening 672 is set to the closed state, it is closed.

[0122] Figure 25 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the printing apparatus 1A and the optional device 500. The printing apparatus 1A prints on a sheet SH, which is pre-printing media stacked on a feed tray 602a within a storage cassette 602A. Additionally, the printing apparatus 1A discharges the printed sheet SH into an discharge tray 617. The storage cassette 602A can be detached from the main body 100A of the printing apparatus 1A, and the sheet SH can be placed on the feed tray 602a of the detached storage cassette 602A.

[0123] Furthermore, the printing device 1A prints on a sheet SH, which is pre-printing media stacked on the feed tray 502 in each optional device 500. Additionally, the printing device 1A discharges the printed sheet SH into the discharge tray 617. The storage cassette 501 of each optional device 500 can be detached from the optional device 500, and the sheet SH can be placed on the feed tray 502 of the detached storage cassette 501. <Conveying Path>

[0124] The transport path of the sheet SH will be described. The printing apparatus 1A includes transport paths RT6A to RT6E that guide the transport of the sheet SH. Transport path RT6A is the main transport path formed from the confluence point JP1 to the discharge tray 617. Transport path RT6B is formed from the feed tray 602a to the confluence point JP1. When printing the sheet SH stored in the storage box 602A, the sheet SH is transported in the order of transport path RT6B → transport path RT6A, and printing is performed during transport.

[0125] Conveyor paths RT6D and RT6E are configured to feed sheet SH from optional device 500. Conveyor path RT6D is formed along the Z-direction at the front of storage box 602A. When storage box 602A is attached to main body 100A, conveyor path RT6D is formed from midpoint JP2 to confluence point JP1. Conveyor path RT6E is formed along the Z-direction at the front of opening / closing member 665. When opening / closing member 665 is attached to main body 100A, conveyor path RT6E is formed from midpoint JP3 to midpoint JP2.

[0126] Each optional device 500 includes transport paths RT7A and RT7B for guiding the transport of the sheet SH. Transport path RT7A is a transport path formed from the feed tray 502 to the junction point JP4 in the storage box 501, and is configured to transport the sheet SH in the optional device 500. Transport path RT7B is formed at the front of the storage box 501 from the midpoint JP5 to the junction point JP4. Transport path RT7B is a transport path configured to allow the sheet SH fed from another optional device 500 located below the optional device 500 to pass through. For example, in... Figure 25 In the example shown, the transport path RT7B of the optional device 500A is configured to allow the sheet SH fed from the optional device 500B to pass through the optional device 500A.

[0127] When printing the sheet SH stored in the optional device 500A, the sheet SH is transported in the order of transport path RT7A of the optional device 500A → transport path RT6E of the printing device 1A → transport path RT6D → transport path RT6A, and printing is performed during the transport process.

[0128] When printing the sheet SH stored in the optional device 500B, the sheet SH is transported in the following order: transport path RT7A of the optional device 500B → transport path RT7B of the optional device 500A → transport path RT6E of the printing device 1A → transport path RT6D → transport path RT6A, and printing is performed during the transport process.

[0129] Next, the path configured to invert the sheet SH and convey it to the print head 612 for double-sided printing will be described. In this embodiment, after the first side of the sheet SH is printed by the print head 612, the sheet SH is conveyed to the transport path RT6C, thereby inverting the sheet SH. The transport path RT6C is a sub-transport path formed from the vicinity of the transport unit 605 (described later) to the confluence point JP1. The sheet SH with the printed first side can be inverted via the transport path RT6C and introduced into the transport path RT6A. Then, the second side of the sheet SH can be printed.

[0130] The sheet SH is introduced into the conveyor path RT6C in the following manner: After the trailing edge of the sheet SH reaches or leaves the vicinity of the conveyor unit 605 (described later), at least some of the rollers in the conveyor units 605 to 609 (described later) rotate in the reverse direction. Therefore, the sheet SH with the printed first side can be introduced into the conveyor path RT6C. The sheet SH with the printed second side is discharged into the discharge tray 617.

[0131] Note that each transport path is formed by a path forming component. As an example of a path forming component, Figure 25 A pair of path forming members 666 forming a conveying path RT6E are schematically shown. The pair of path forming members 666 are arranged to face each other in the Y direction and form a conveying path RT6E extending in the Z direction between them. Each conveying path is defined by such path forming members. <Conveying Mechanism>

[0132] Next, the configuration for conveying the sheet SH will be described. The printing apparatus 1A includes a feeding unit 603, a feeding unit 604, and multiple conveying units 605 to 609. The feeding units 603, 604, and 605 to 609 are arranged in conveying paths RT6B and RT6A in this order from upstream to downstream in the conveying direction of the sheet SH. Image formation (printing) of the sheet SH is performed by a printing unit 610 between conveying units 605 and 606. (Delivery Unit 603)

[0133] The sheets SH on the feed tray 602a are fed one after another into the conveying paths RT6B and RT6A via the feed unit 603. The feed unit 603 is a pick-up mechanism that uses a feed motor 622A as a drive source to pick up the sheets SH from the feed tray 602a. The feed unit 603 includes a feed roller (pick-up roller) 603a, a feed roller 603b, a separation roller 603c, a feed roller 603d, and a driven roller 603e that forms a gap with the feed roller 603d.

[0134] Feeding roller 603a contacts the top of the sheet SH stacked on feeding tray 602a and rotates under the driving force of feeding motor 622A, thereby initiating the feeding of sheet SH. Feeding roller 603b, which rotates under the driving force of feeding motor 622A, and separating roller 603c, which forms a roll gap with feeding roller 603b, are arranged downstream of feeding roller 603a. Separating roller 603c is a roller that includes a torque limiter and has rotational resistance. If two or more sheets SH enter the roll gap between feeding roller 603b and separating roller 603c, the sheets SH are separated one after another by the rotational resistance of separating roller 603c.

[0135] The separated sheet SH is conveyed to the downstream feed roller 603d and driven roller 603e. The feed roller 603d uses a feed motor 622A as the drive source. (Delivery Unit 604)

[0136] Feeding unit 604 transports the sheet SH from the confluence point JP1 into the conveying path RT6A to conveying unit 605. Feeding unit 604 includes feed rollers 604a and 604c. Feed rollers 604a and 604c are rotors that rotate under the driving force of a feed motor 623. Feed rollers 604a and 604c are in pressure contact with corresponding driven rollers 604b and 604d to form a roll gap. Driven rollers 604b and 604d are rotors that follow the rotation of feed rollers 604a and 604c.

[0137] The sheet SH is held in the roll gap between the feed roller 604a and the driven roller 604b, and in the roll gap between the feed roller 604c and the driven roller 604d, and is conveyed by the rotation of these rollers.

[0138] Note that feed rollers 603a, 603b, and 603d are unidirectional rollers. For this reason, even after the leading edge of the sheet SH has been conveyed beyond the roll gap of the feed unit 604, the feed unit 604 can continue to convey the sheet even if the drive of the feed unit 603 is stopped.

[0139] Sensor 631 is a sensor for detecting the passing of the sheet SH, specifically the passing of its leading and trailing edges. The detection position of sensor 631 is set to the downstream side of the roll gap of the feed roller 604a. After detecting the passing of the leading edge of the sheet SH, the detection result of sensor 631 can be used as a trigger for conveying control, to, for example, stop the drive of the feed unit 603 or increase the conveying speed of the feed unit 604.

[0140] Furthermore, using sensor 631, the size of the sheet SH can be detected based on the driving amount of motors 623 and 624 from the detection of the leading edge of the sheet SH to the detection of the trailing edge, and subsequent transport control can be switched. (Conveyor Unit 605)

[0141] A conveying unit 605 is arranged upstream of the printhead 612. The conveying unit 605 conveys the sheet SH downstream between the printhead 612 and a platform 615 facing the printhead 612. The conveying unit 605 includes a conveying roller 605a and a driven roller (clamping roller) 605b that is in pressure contact with the conveying roller 605a via a spring (not shown). The conveying roller 605a is a rotor that rotates under the driving force of a conveying motor 624, and the driven roller 605b is a rotor that rotates following the rotation of the conveying roller 605a. The sheet SH is clamped in the roll gap between the conveying roller 605a and the driven roller 605b and is conveyed by the rotation of the conveying roller 605a and the driven roller 605b.

[0142] Like sensor 631, sensor 632 is a sensor for detecting the sheet SH, and specifically a sensor for detecting the passage of the leading and trailing edges of the sheet SH. Sensor 632 is, for example, an optical sensor. Since sensor 632 is arranged on the upstream side near the conveying unit 605, the detection results can be used to manage the alignment circulation of the sheet SH or the position of the leading and trailing edges of the sheet SH. (Conveyor Unit 606)

[0143] The conveying unit 606 is located downstream of the printhead 612 and conveys the sheet SH conveyed by the conveying unit 605 to the downstream conveying unit 609. The conveying unit 606 includes a conveying roller 606a and a ratchet 606b that is in pressure contact with the conveying roller 606a via a spring (not shown) or the like. The conveying roller 606a is a rotor that rotates under the driving force of the conveying motor 624, and the ratchet 606b is a rotor that rotates following the rotation of the conveying roller 606a. In this embodiment, the conveying units 605 and 606 share a common drive source (the conveying motor 624). (Conveyor Unit 607)

[0144] A conveying unit 607 is arranged downstream of the printhead 612 and the conveying unit 606, and conveys the sheet SH conveyed by the conveying unit 606 to the downstream side. The conveying unit 607 includes a conveying roller 607a and a ratchet 607b that is in pressure contact with the conveying roller 607a by a spring (not shown) or the like. The conveying roller 607a is a rotor that rotates by the driving force of the conveying motor 624, and the ratchet 607b is a rotor that rotates in tandem with the rotation of the conveying roller 607a. The sheet SH is held in the roll gap between the conveying roller 607a and the ratchet 607b, and is conveyed by the rotation of the conveying roller 607a and the ratchet 607b.

[0145] Like sensors 631 and 632, sensor 633 is, for example, an optical sensor and detects the sheet SH. Sensor 633 can be used to detect the leading and trailing edges of the sheet SH, or to detect the presence / absence of the sheet SH in the transport path if jamming of the sheet SH occurs in the transport path. (Conveyor units 608 and 609)

[0146] Delivery units 608 and 609 are arranged downstream of printhead 612 and delivery units 606 and 607. Delivery units 608 and 609 are discharge units that discharge the sheet SH conveyed by delivery unit 607 to discharge tray 617. In single-sided printing, the sheet SH discharged to discharge tray 617 is so-called "downward discharge," where the image printing surface faces downward. In double-sided printing, the second surface faces downward.

[0147] The conveying unit 608 includes a conveying roller 608a and a ratchet 608b that is in pressure contact with the conveying roller 608a via a spring (not shown) or the like. The conveying roller 608a is a rotor that rotates under the driving force of a conveying motor 625, and the ratchet 608b is a rotor that rotates in tandem with the rotation of the conveying roller 608a. The sheet SH is held in the roll gap between the conveying roller 608a and the ratchet 608b, and is conveyed by the rotation of the conveying roller 608a and the ratchet 608b.

[0148] The conveying unit 609 includes a conveying roller 609a and a ratchet 609b that is in pressure contact with the conveying roller 609a via a spring (not shown) or the like. The conveying roller 609a is a rotor that rotates under the driving force of the same conveying motor 625 used in the conveying unit 608, and the ratchet 609b is a rotor that rotates in tandem with the rotation of the conveying roller 609a. The sheet SH is held in the roll gap between the conveying roller 609a and the ratchet 609b and is conveyed by the rotation of the conveying roller 609a and the ratchet 609b.

[0149] In this embodiment, conveying unit 608 and conveying unit 609 share a drive source (conveyor motor 625). However, conveyor motor 625 can be omitted, and conveyor motor 624, which serves as the drive source for conveying units 605 to 607, can also be shared by conveying units 608 and 609.

[0150] Furthermore, in this embodiment, four transport units (transport units 606 to 609) are used on the downstream side of the printhead 612. However, the number of transport units can be reduced depending on the transport direction dimensions of the corresponding printing medium of the printing device 1A. For example, only transport units 606 and 609 can be left, and transport unit 609 can discharge the sheet SH into the discharge tray 617.

[0151] Like sensors 631 to 633, sensor 634 is a sensor for detecting the sheet SH, and specifically, a sensor for detecting the passage of the leading and trailing edges of the sheet SH. Sensor 634 is, for example, an optical sensor. In this embodiment, after sensor 634 detects the trailing edge of the sheet SH, discharge is completed after a predetermined conveying amount (the trailing edge of the sheet SH reaches the discharge tray 617). Therefore, the detection result of sensor 634 can be used to detect the discharge of the sheet SH.

[0152] Next, the conveying mechanism for the sheet SH provided in the optional device 500 will be described. The sheet SH, disposed on the feed tray 502, is separated one by one by the feed unit 510 in the optional device 500 and fed to the conveying path RT7A. The feed unit 510 is a pick-up mechanism that uses a feed motor 522 as a drive source to pick up the sheet SH from the feed tray 502. The feed unit 510 includes a feed roller (pick-up roller) 510a, a feed roller 510b, and a separating roller 510c.

[0153] The feeding unit 511 is located downstream of the feeding unit 510 and includes a feeding roller 511a and a driven roller 511b. The feeding roller 511a is a rotor that rotates by the driving force of the feeding motor 522, and the driven roller 511b is a rotor that rotates following the rotation of the feeding roller 511a.

[0154] The sheet SH is held in the gap between the feed roller 511a and the driven roller 511b, and is conveyed by the rotation of the feed roller 511a and the driven roller 511b.

[0155] The sheet SH, conveyed by the feeding unit 511 of the optional device 500A, passes through the midpoint JP3 between the top side outlet of the optional device 500A and the conveying path inlet, which serves as the bottom surface of the printing device 1A, and enters the conveying path RT6E. The sheet SH is further conveyed to the confluence point JP1 via the conveying path RT6D.

[0156] The sheet SH, conveyed by the feeding unit 511 of the optional device 500B, passes through the midpoint JP5 between the top-side outlet of the optional device 500B and the conveying path inlet, which serves as the bottom surface of the optional device 500A, and enters the conveying path RT7B. The sheet SH further passes through the conveying path RT7B of the optional device 500A and is conveyed by the feeding unit 511 of the optional device 500A to the confluence point JP1 via the conveying path RT6D. <Printing Unit>

[0157] Apart from Figure 25 In addition, will refer to Figure 26 and Figure 27 The printing unit 610 according to this embodiment is described. Figure 26 It is a 3D view of printing unit 610, and Figure 27 It is along Figure 25 The image is a cross-sectional view taken from line DD. The printing unit 610 includes a printhead 612, a carriage 611, and a drive unit 614. The printhead 612 discharges liquid ink onto a sheet SH, thereby printing an image on the sheet SH. A discharge surface is formed on the underside of the printhead 612, in which multiple nozzles for discharging ink are formed.

[0158] The ink to be supplied to the printhead 612 is stored in a container 664. In this embodiment, multiple containers 664 are stored in a storage unit 667. The ink stored in the containers 664 is supplied to the printhead 612 via a tube (not shown) (tube supply method). The opening / closing member 665 is the same member as the opening / closing member 5 described in the first embodiment. The opening / closing member 665 includes a pair of path forming members 666 and forms a delivery path. When the opening / closing member 665 is removed from the main body 100A, the access path to the storage unit 667 is opened to allow replacement of the container 664. Alternatively, the configuration of the opening / closing member 665 and the container 664 can also be adopted. Figures 6A to 13B The configuration illustrated in .

[0159] The platen 615 is arranged between the transport units 605 and 606, facing the printhead 612 (particularly the discharge surface). The sheet SH is transported between the printhead 612 and the platen 615 in the direction of arrow SD (+Y direction), and the printhead 612 prints the image.

[0160] The printhead 612 is mounted on the carriage 611. The carriage 611 reciprocates in a direction intersecting the direction SD (the X-axis direction in this embodiment) via the drive unit 614.

[0161] The drive unit 614 includes a support member 620 extending in the X-axis direction. The support member 620 is a base member supporting the components of the drive unit 614. The support member 620 is provided with a guide member 613 that engages with and guides the movement of the carriage 611. In this embodiment, the guide member 613 includes a lower track member 613a and an upper track member 613b. The track members 613a and 613b are separated in the Z-axis direction and extend in the X-axis direction. The track members 613a and 613b engage with and guide the movement of the carriage 611. Note that the guide member 613 may be a member having an axle shape.

[0162] Track member 613a supports carriage 611 in the height (Z) direction and the front / back (Y) direction. When the height (Z) of track member 613a is adjusted relative to support member 620, the height (Z position) of printhead 612 (particularly the discharge surface) relative to table 615 can be adjusted. Track member 613b is located above track member 613a (in the +Z direction) and adjusts the position of carriage 611 about the X-axis. When track member 613b is adjusted relative to support member 620 in the front / back (Y) direction, the tilt of printhead 612 relative to table 615 about the X-axis can be adjusted.

[0163] According to this embodiment, the drive unit 614 is a belt drive mechanism that uses a carriage motor 621 as the drive source. However, the drive unit 614 can be a mechanism type other than a belt drive mechanism. The carriage motor 621 is arranged across the support member 620 on opposite sides of the carriage 611 in the front / back (Y) direction. The drive unit 614 includes a drive pulley 618 and a driven pulley 619 separated in the X-axis direction, and an annular belt 616 wound around these pulleys. These are arranged in the height (Z) direction between the track members 613a and 613b.

[0164] The carriage 611 is fixed to the annular belt 616. When the carriage motor 621 rotates, driving the pulley 618, the annular belt 616 moves, and the carriage 611 moves. The rope 635 is supported by the support member 620. A sensor (not shown) for detecting the slit of the rope 635 is provided on the carriage 611, so the position of the carriage 611 in the X-axis direction or the speed can be adjusted based on the sensor's detection results.

[0165] Electrical contacts between the printhead 612 and the plate (not shown) are provided on the carriage 611. The plate (not shown) may be arranged downstream of the printhead 612 in the transport direction (+Y direction) and between the carriage 611 and the support member 620.

[0166] Next, the image printing operation will be described. During the reciprocating movement of the carriage 611 in the X-axis direction, ink is discharged from the print head 612 onto the sheet SH, thereby printing an image. This operation is called print scanning. The printing operation is performed by alternately repeating the transport operation of the sheet SH being intermittently transported along the direction SD by the transport unit 605 and the print scanning. <Previous Delivery Agency>

[0167] Reference Figure 28 and Figure 29 Describe the front feed mechanism of the printing device 1A. The front feed mechanism allows the sheet SH to be manually supplied from the front of the printing device 1A. Figure 28 It shows from Figure 20 The diagram shows the state in which the cover 653 and the delivery tray 651 are removed. Figure 29 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the printing device 1A, and a schematic diagram of the state in which the cover 653 and the feed tray 651 are removed.

[0168] In this embodiment, in addition to the storage box 602A already described, the feeding unit 650 is arranged above the storage box 602A and the detachable unit 640 in the Z direction (+Z direction), and is arranged on the front 601a side of the printing device 1A. Figure 20 The stacking tray 651 is shown in the closed state, and Figure 28 The diagram shows the stacking tray 651 in the open state. In the closed state, multiple trays are folded and stored internally. In the open state, the multiple folded trays unfold to a length sufficient to hold the stacked sheets SH without them falling off.

[0169] The feed tray 652 is located deep within the open stacking tray 651, and the stacked sheets SH are held together by both the stacking tray 651 and the feed tray 652. A sensor 636 is provided to detect whether the sheets SH are stacked on the feed tray 652.

[0170] Sensor 636 is a sensor for detecting the sheet SH, and is, for example, an optical sensor. Sensor 636 detects the presence / absence of the sheet SH on the feed tray 652, and can also be formed by, for example, a reflective sensor. Furthermore, side guides 656a and 656b, configured to support the stacked sheets SH in the width direction, are attached to the left and right sides of the feed tray 652. The left guide 656a and the right guide 656b are connected by a rack and pinion (not shown). If the user operates one of the side guides, the opposite side guides move interlockingly and can support the left and right edges of the sheet SH.

[0171] Next, the arrangement of the feeding unit 650 and the transport path RT6F will be described. The feeding unit 650 includes a feeding roller 650a that presses against the sheets SH stacked on the feeding tray 652. A conveying roller 650b and a separating roller 650c are located downstream of the feeding roller 650a. The feeding roller 650a and the conveying roller 650b are driven by a feeding motor 623. The sheets SH placed on the feeding tray 652 are picked up by the feeding roller 650a, separated one by one by the roll gap between the conveying roller 650b and the separating roller 650c, and fed to the transport path RT6A. The sheets SH fed from the feeding unit 650 merge with the transport path RT6A at the confluence point JP6 and are transported to the transport unit 605. Thereafter, the sheets SH are transported by the transport unit 605, and an image is printed on the sheets SH by the print head 612. <Layout of components around the printhead>

[0172] Reference Figure 26 and Figure 27 Thin film SH can cause jamming around printhead 612. Drive unit 614 is a structure with a support member 620 fixed in the XZ plane like a wall member. Depending on the arrangement of drive unit 614, drive unit 614 of carriage 611 can easily become an obstacle when considering operator accessibility to jamming points.

[0173] In this embodiment, the drive unit 614 is arranged downstream (+Y direction) of the printhead 612 in the transport direction (direction SD). The space upstream of the printhead 612 is wider, improving operator accessibility. As a latch, the leading edge of the sheet SH is typically engaged between the printhead 612 and the stage 615. Therefore, recovery operations can be performed more smoothly because the operator can easily work from the upstream side of the printhead 612.

[0174] When viewed in the front / back direction (Y direction) of the printing device 1A, the transport unit 605 is arranged on the front side (-Y direction side) relative to the print head 612, and the drive unit 614 is arranged on the rear side (+Y direction side) relative to the print head 612. In many cases, the space on the front side of the printing device 1A is wider, and the space on the rear side is narrower due to the presence of walls, etc. In this embodiment, the space on the front side of the print head 612 is wider. Therefore, if a jam occurs, the operator can easily resume work from the front side of the printing device 1A.

[0175] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the feeding unit 604 is arranged in front of the conveying unit 605. Even if a jam occurs between the feeding unit 604 and the conveying unit 605, the operator can easily resume work from the front 601a of the printing device 1A. <Structures associated with maintenance> Maintenance around the printhead

[0176] The printing device 1A according to this embodiment has a structure that facilitates maintenance (access) of the printing unit 610. This will refer to Figure 23 , Figure 24 , Figure 30 and Figure 31 Describe it. Figure 30 This is a diagram showing the appearance of the printing device 1A with the opening / closing component 617a in the open state, and Figure 31 This is a plan view of the printing device 1A with the open / close component 617a in the open state.

[0177] Examples of maintenance for the printing unit 610 include the removal of the aforementioned jammer and the replacement of the print head 612.

[0178] In the opening 670, the upstream side (-Y direction side) of the printhead 612 in the transport direction (direction SD) is formed to expose more of its downstream side (+Y direction side) than its downstream side. An opening / closing member 617a is arranged above the transport unit 605 (+Z direction). When the opening / closing member 617a is in the open state, the transport unit 605, carriage 611, printhead 612, platform 615, etc., are exposed via the opening 670 and can be accessed by the operator. In this embodiment, since the drive unit 614 is arranged downstream of the printhead 612 in the transport direction (+Y direction side), the operator can easily access the transport unit 605, carriage 611, printhead 612, platform 615, etc., from the front of the printing device 1A.

[0179] like Figure 31 As shown, the width of the opening 670 in the X direction is limited to KW, which is greater than the maximum width of the sheet SH supported by the printing device 1A. Therefore, if the sheet SH causes jamming, the sheet SH can be easily removed from the opening 670. <Twelfth Embodiment>

[0180] In the storage section 4, an adjustment member can be provided to adjust the displacement range of the container 6 in the Y direction. Figure 32 This is an explanatory diagram of the adjusting component 58. Figure 32 For example, with Figure 1 The plan view corresponding to the horizontal cross-sectional view (XY plane cross-sectional view) of the storage unit 4 shown.

[0181] A connecting portion 6001 corresponding to the container 6 and a connecting portion 400 for insertion / removal in the Y direction are provided at the distal end of the storage section 4 in the Y direction. For example, by connecting the connecting portion 6001 and the connecting portion 400, an ink channel can be formed or an electrical connection can be made between the container 600 and the main body 100 of the printing device 1.

[0182] Figure 32 The adjustment member 58 shown is a protruding member provided on the surface of the opening / closing member 5 on the storage section 4 side, and protrudes from the path forming member 52 toward the container 600 side outside the transport path RT in the X direction.

[0183] Aside from when a user inserts / removes container 600 to replace it, container 600 may inadvertently shift to the side of path-forming member 52. Examples of this include situations such as when transporting printing device 1, when the user tilts it in one direction to guide the proximal side of the device downwards, and when force is applied to the proximal side of the device due to swaying or vibration during transport. In these situations, printing device 1 may be in an abnormal posture compared to when the user replaces container 600, or the shifting speed of container 600 may be higher. As a result, ink in the ink supply path may fall or scatter and contaminate the surrounding area.

[0184] In this embodiment, the gap in the Y direction between the adjusting member 58 and the container 600 is designed to be shorter than the distance used to separate the connecting portions 6001 and 400. Therefore, even if the container 600 is accidentally shifted to the path forming member 52 side, the connecting portions 6001 and 400 will not separate, and ink contamination can be prevented. Furthermore, even if the container 600 shifts in the Y1 direction and applies a strong impact to the path forming member 52, the adjusting member 58 receives the impact force at a position outside the transport path RT in the X direction, and thus damage to the vicinity of the transport path RT can be prevented.

[0185] The adjustment component can be set on the container 600. Figure 33 An example is shown. In Figure 33 In the form shown, multiple containers 600A are arranged in the storage section 4 along the X direction. Each container 600A includes a connecting part 6001A and an adjusting member 6002. The connecting part 6001A and the connecting part 400A for insertion / removal in the Y direction are provided at the distal end of the storage section 4 in the Y direction.

[0186] The adjustment member 6002 is a protruding member that extends towards the opening / closing member 5. The path of the adjustment member 6002 in the X direction forms a position outside the member 52 facing the panel member 51. In this configuration, because the adjustment member 6002 protrudes towards the proximal side of the printing device 1, the user can easily visually identify the container 600A stored in the storage section 4. Note that the adjustment member 6002 may be provided with components corresponding to the aforementioned operation section 61 or display section 62.

[0187] Figure 33An enlarged perspective view of the adjustment member 6002 is shown. The adjustment member 6002 is box-shaped and has corners formed by gently curved surfaces. The container 600A is the part touched by the user during attachment / removal, and the user may inadvertently drop it. However, due to the formation of the adjustment member 6002, the concentration of impact force on the adjustment member 6002 is reduced, thereby preventing damage. The adjustment member 6002 also has the effect of mitigating damage when it collides with the panel member 51 due to the container 600A inadvertently shifting from the attached state. It also prevents the container 600A from colliding with the path forming member 52 and damaging the vicinity of the transport path RT.

[0188] Next, as an option selectable by the user, the printing device 1 can be a product including the storage box 5B (referred to as Type A product) or a product not including the storage box 5B (referred to as Type B product). In the case of Type B product, since the path forming member 52 is not required, the opening / closing member 5 can be formed solely by the panel member 51. The presence / absence of the adjusting member can vary depending on these multiple types.

[0189] exist Figure 34A In the example shown, the adjusting member 6003 is detachably attached to the container 600B. In the case of the type A product, the container 600B is used with the adjusting member 6003 detached from the container 600B, and the displacement of the container 600B is... Figure 32 The form shown in the example is adjusted by the adjustment member 58.

[0190] In the case of Type B product, container 600B is used with adjusting member 6003 attached to container 600B, and the displacement of container 600B is... Figure 34B The form illustrated is adjusted by adjusting member 6003. The length of adjusting member 6003 in the Y direction is the sum of the lengths of path forming member 52 and adjusting member 58 in the Y direction. Adjusting member 6003 faces panel member 51 and adjusts the displacement of container 600B in the Y direction.

[0191] exist Figure 35A In the example shown, the adjusting member 6004 is configured to be displaceable relative to the container 600C. The adjusting member 6004 is connected to the container 600C via a shaft 6004a in the Z direction and can rotate between a retracted position indicated by a solid line and a protruding position indicated by a dashed line. In the retracted position, the adjusting member 6004 does not protrude from the container 600C. In the case of the Type A product, the container 600C is used with the adjusting member 6004 in the retracted position, and the displacement of the container 600C is... Figure 32 The form shown in the example is adjusted by the adjustment member 58.

[0192] In the case of Type B product, container 600C is used with adjusting member 6004 in the protruding position, and the displacement of container 600C is... Figure 35B The form illustrated is adjusted by adjusting member 6004. The protruding length of adjusting member 6004 in direction Y1 is the sum of the lengths of path forming member 52 and adjusting member 58 in the Y direction. Adjusting member 6004 faces panel member 51 and adjusts the displacement of container 600C in the Y direction.

[0193] Note that in this embodiment, bottle-type containers have been exemplified as containers 600 to 600C. However, as described in the fourth embodiment, bag-type containers can be placed on a tray and stored in the storage section 4. In this case, the adjusting member 58 can be arranged to face the tray, and the adjusting members 6002 to 6004 can be provided on the tray. Other embodiments The embodiments of the present invention can also be implemented by the following method: providing software (including computer program products of computer programs) that performs the functions of the above embodiments to a system or device via a network or various storage media, and the computer (central processing unit (CPU) or microprocessor unit (MPU) of the system or device) reads and executes the computer program. While this disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the appended claims should be given the broadest interpretation to cover all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

Claims

1. A printing device, comprising: A storage unit, configured as a storage container, stores printing material to be applied to the printing medium by the printing unit; A delivery unit configured to deliver the printing medium along a delivery path; as well as An open / close component, configured to open / close an access path that enables access to the storage unit. The opening / closing component includes a path forming component, which is configured to form a portion of the transport path that intersects with the access path when the access path is closed.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The access path is the path used by the user to change the container.

3. The device according to claim 1 further includes a stacking section, wherein, The printing media, before printing, is stacked on the stacking section. The storage section is arranged between the printing unit and the stacking section, and The aforementioned section is the section between the stacked section and the printing unit.

4. The device according to claim 1 further includes a plurality of stacked sections, wherein, The printing media, before printing, is stacked on the stacking section. The first stacked section of the plurality of stacked sections is arranged between the printing unit and the storage section. The storage section is arranged between the first stack section and the second stack section of the plurality of stack sections, and The section in question is the section between the second stack and the printing unit, not the section between the first stack and the printing unit.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The path forming member forms part of a stack, on which printed printing media are stacked.

6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of stacked sections, wherein, The printed printing media are stacked on the stacking section. The path forming member forms part of one of the plurality of stacked portions.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The outer wall of the printing device includes: An opening configured to form the access path; and A recess located around the opening.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein, The recess extends in the lateral direction of the printing device, and In the lateral direction, the recess exists at the same location as at least a portion of the operating part configured to remove the container from the storage section.

9. The device according to claim 7, wherein, The recess extends in the lateral direction of the printing device, and In the lateral direction, the recess exists at the same location as at least a portion of the display showing information relating to the printing media stored in the container.

10. The device according to claim 8, wherein, Multiple containers are stored in the storage section. The operating unit is provided for each container, and In the lateral direction, the recess exists at the same position as at least a portion of each operating part.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein, Multiple containers are stored in the storage section. The display unit is provided for each container, and In the lateral direction, the recess exists at the same position as at least a portion of each display unit.

12. The device according to claim 7, wherein, The recess extends in the lateral direction of the printing device. The storage unit includes an entrance, which is exposed when the access path is opened via the opening / closing component, and In the lateral direction, the recess is located at the center of the entrance in the lateral direction.

13. The device according to claim 7, wherein, Multiple containers are stored in the storage section. The recess extends in the lateral direction of the printing device. The storage unit includes an entry point that is exposed when the access path is opened via the opening / closing component. In the lateral direction, the recess is located at the center of the entrance in the lateral direction, and In the lateral direction, a display section, which is provided for each container and shows information related to the printing material stored in the corresponding container, is located at the center of the entrance in the lateral direction.

14. The device according to claim 8, wherein, The operating unit is located on the container.

15. The device according to claim 8, wherein, The container is stored in the storage section in a position placed on a tray, and The operating unit is located on the tray.

16. The device according to claim 9, wherein, The display unit is disposed on the container.

17. The device according to claim 9, wherein, The container is stored in the storage section in a position placed on a tray, and The display unit is mounted on the tray.

18. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The outer wall of the printing device includes an opening configured to form the access path, and The opening / closing component includes a panel component configured to close the opening when the access path is closed.

19. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The outer wall of the printing device includes an opening configured to form the access path. A panel member configured to open / close the opening is provided on the outer wall of the printing device, and When the access path is closed, the open / close component is located inside the panel component in the closed state.

20. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a selection unit configured to select, among the plurality of stacks, a stack for stacking the printing media to be used for printing. in, When the access path is opened via the open / close component, the selection unit selects a stack other than the second stack.

21. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a selection unit configured to select, among the plurality of stacks, the stack to which the printed printing medium is delivered. in, When the access path is opened via the open / close component, the selection unit selects a stack other than the one stack.

22. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The opening / closing component is rotatably mounted.

23. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The opening / closing component is configured to be detachable from the main body of the printing device.

24. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The access path is open to the front of the printing device.

25. The device according to claim 1, wherein, The printing material is ink, and The printing unit discharges the ink into the printing medium.

26. The device of claim 2, further comprising an adjusting member configured to adjust the displacement of the container in the storage section in the insertion / removal direction of the container relative to the storage section.

27. The device according to claim 26, wherein, The adjustment member is a protruding member formed on the surface of the opening / closing member on the storage section side.

28. The device according to claim 26, wherein, The adjusting member is a protruding member formed at the end of the container on the side of the opening / closing member.

29. The device according to claim 28, wherein, The outer wall of the printing device includes an opening configured to form the access path. The opening / closing component includes a panel component configured to close the opening when the access path is closed, and The protruding member is positioned facing the panel member, not the path forming member.

30. The device according to claim 28, wherein, Multiple containers are stored in the storage section, and The protruding member is formed on each of the plurality of containers.

Images