Image forming apparatus

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes: a belt configured to convey a sheet along a conveyance plane; a recording head that has an ejection plane at which ink is ejected; a movable member configured to be movable in a first direction to move the belt toward and away from the recording head; a first adjustment member configured to adjust a distance between the ejection plane and the conveyance plane in the first direction; and a second adjustment member disposed on the movable member, where the first adjustment member is configured to move such that the first adjustment member and the second adjustment member abut against each other at an abutting position, and wherein the second adjusting member is configured to adjust a distance in the first direction by changing a position of the movable member in the first direction with respect to the abutting position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to an imaging apparatus for forming an image on a sheet. Background Technology

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-285952 describes an inkjet imaging device in which a gap adjustment mechanism operates as a pressure plate supporting a conveyor belt moves back and forth relative to the recording head in the thickness direction of the sheet, thereby changing the gap between the recording head and the conveyor belt. Additionally, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-157574 describes another inkjet imaging device in which multiple recording heads move independently relative to a pressure plate supporting a conveyor belt, thereby adjusting the gap between a single recording head and the pressure plate. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This disclosure provides a new technique related to adjusting the gap between the recording head and the tape.

[0004] One aspect of this disclosure provides an imaging apparatus comprising: a belt configured to convey a sheet along a transport plane formed by a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the belt; a recording head disposed facing the belt, the recording head having an ejection plane at which ink is ejected from the recording head toward the sheet conveyed by the belt; a movable member configured to move in a first direction such that the belt moves toward and away from the recording head; a first adjusting member configured to adjust the distance between the ejection plane and the transport plane in a first direction at a position where the belt faces the ejection plane; and a second adjusting member disposed on the movable member and arranged to abut against the first adjusting member, wherein the first adjusting member is configured to move such that the first adjusting member and the second adjusting member abut against each other at an abutment position, and wherein the second adjusting member is configured to adjust the distance in the first direction by changing the position of the movable member relative to the abutment position in the first direction.

[0005] The features of this disclosure will become apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following description of embodiments. The following description of embodiments is by way of example. Attached Figure Description

[0006] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an imaging system including the imaging device of this embodiment.

[0007] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a printing tape unit.

[0008] Figure 3 A three-dimensional view showing the pressure chamber and the negative pressure generating unit.

[0009] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the pressure chamber and the frame of the printing tape unit.

[0010] Figure 5 A perspective view showing the state of a single recording head fixed to the pressure chamber.

[0011] Figure 6 A perspective view showing the printing gap adjustment mechanism.

[0012] Figure 7 This is a block diagram illustrating the control system of the printing gap adjustment mechanism.

[0013] Figure 8A A side view showing the manual adjustment cam in contact with the automatic adjustment cam at scale mark 5.

[0014] Figure 8B A side view showing the manual adjustment cam in contact with the automatic adjustment cam at scale mark 8.

[0015] Figure 9A A side view showing the pressure chamber being furthest from the recording head via an automatic adjustment cam.

[0016] Figure 9B A side view showing the pressure chamber moved closest to the recording head via an automatic adjustment cam.

[0017] Figure 10A A side view showing another embodiment of the manually adjustable cam in which the pressure chamber is furthest from the recording head by the automatic adjusting cam.

[0018] Figure 10B A side view illustrating another embodiment of a manually adjustable cam in which the pressure chamber is moved to the closest possible position to the recording head via an automatically adjusting cam. Detailed Implementation

[0019] In the following description, embodiments of the present disclosure will be illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, reference will be made to... Figure 1 The description includes the imaging system of the imaging device in this embodiment. Figure 1 The imaging system 100 shown is a so-called sheet feed printer that forms an image on a sheet S using ink and a reaction solution. For example, the imaging system 100 is used in commercial / industrial printing applications. The sheet S can be any sheet that can accept ink. For example, the sheet S can be a paper sheet (such as plain paper or thick paper), a plastic film (such as a high-resolution projector sheet), or a cloth sheet.

[0020] like Figure 1As shown, the imaging system 100 includes a feed module 1000, a printing module 2000, a drying module 3000, a fixing module 4000, a cooling module 5000, a reversal module 6000, and a stacking module 7000. A sheet S on which an image is to be formed is fed from the feed module 1000, undergoes various processes while being conveyed along a transport path within the aforementioned modules, and is finally discharged to the stacking module 7000.

[0021] The feed module 1000 includes a plurality of (three in this embodiment) boxes 1100a, 1100b, and 1100c. Each of boxes 1100a to 1100c can store sheets S. Each of boxes 1100a to 1100c can be pulled toward the front of the device for storing sheets S. The feed module 1000 feeds sheets S one by one from any of boxes 1100a to 1100c to the printing module 2000. Therefore, each of boxes 1100a to 1100c includes a separation belt and a conveyor roller. Note that since the above number of boxes 1100a to 1100c is an example, the feed module 1000 may include one, two, four, or more boxes.

[0022] The printing module 2000 is an inkjet imaging device (i.e., an inkjet recording device) that forms an image on a sheet by spraying ink onto the sheet fed and conveyed from the feed module 1000. The printing module 2000 includes a pre-formation registration and correction unit 8, a printing belt unit 2200, a recording unit 2300, and a control unit 600. The pre-formation registration and correction unit 8 corrects the skew and position of the sheet fed from the feed module 1000 and conveys the sheet to the printing belt unit 2200.

[0023] The printing tape unit 2200 and the recording unit 2300 are arranged downstream of the pre-formation registration and correction unit 8, facing each other across the transport path of the sheet S in the transport direction of the sheet S (indicated by arrow G). The printing tape unit 2200 transports the sheet S transported from the pre-formation registration and correction unit 8 while simultaneously adsorbing the sheet S. The recording unit 2300 uses multiple recording heads 2301 (see...) Figure 2 Ink is sprayed from above the sheet S onto the sheet S, forming an image on the sheet S conveyed by the printing belt unit 2200. Since the sheet S is conveyed by the printing belt unit 2200 while being attracted by it, the gap between the multiple recording heads 2301 and the sheet S is maintained approximately.

[0024] like Figure 2As shown, multiple recording heads 2301 are arranged side-by-side facing the conveyor belt 24 along the conveying direction of the sheet S. In this embodiment, the recording heads 2301 are five linear recording heads, which correspond to the four colors Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and K (black), as well as the reaction liquid. Each recording head 2301 includes a jetting section 2302 (also called a nozzle) that jets ink onto the sheet S conveyed by the conveyor belt 24. Ink is jetted from the jetting plane S2 of the jetting section 2302. Note that the number of colors and the number of recording heads 2301 are not limited to five. Furthermore, the inkjet system used can be a system using a heater element, a system using a piezoelectric element, a system using an electrostatic element, or a system using a MEMS element. Ink of each color is supplied from an ink tank (not shown) via a corresponding ink tube to the corresponding recording head 2301.

[0025] Image reading device 1, acting as an in-line scanner, is positioned downstream of recording unit 2300 in the transport direction, facing printing tape unit 2200. Image reading device 1 detects deviations and color density of the image formed on the sheet S transported to printing tape unit 2200. The results detected by image reading device 1 are used to correct the image to be formed on subsequent sheet S via recording unit 2300.

[0026] Return to reference Figure 1 The sheet S on which the image has been formed by the recording unit 2300 is conveyed by the printing belt unit 2200 to the drying module 3000. The drying module 3000 dries the sheet S on which the image has been formed by the printing module 2000. By drying the sheet S, the drying module 3000 reduces the liquid content contained in the ink, thereby increasing the fixing properties between the sheet S and the ink. The drying module 3000 includes a separation unit 3200, a drying belt unit 3300, and a warm air blowing unit 3400.

[0027] The sheet S on which the image has already been formed is conveyed to the separation section 3200 of the drying module 3000. The separation section 3200 conveys the sheet S while holding it by using the air pressure of the air blown onto the sheet S from above and the friction between the sheet S and the belt. Through this operation, the portion of the sheet S remaining in the printing belt unit 2200 is prevented from deviating while the sheet S is passing through the boundary between the printing belt unit 2200 and the separation section 3200.

[0028] When the sheet S conveyed from the separation section 3200 is adsorbed and transported by the drying belt unit 3300, hot air is blown onto the sheet S from the warm air blowing section 3400 located above the belt. Through this operation, the imaging surface of the sheet S (i.e., the surface with ink applied) that has been formed with an image by the printing module 2000 through the application of ink is dried. Note that instead of the system of blowing hot air onto the sheet S, the drying system of the drying module 3000 can be a system that emits electromagnetic waves (such as ultraviolet or infrared rays) to the surface of the sheet S, a heat transfer system that brings the heating element into contact with the sheet S, or a system that combines the above systems.

[0029] The fixing module 4000 fixes an image onto the sheet S by heating the ink dried by the drying module 3000. The fixing module 4000 includes a fixing belt unit 4100, which includes an upper belt unit and a lower belt unit. The fixing module 4000 fixes the ink onto the sheet S conveyed from the drying module 3000 by passing the sheet S through the heated upper and lower belt units.

[0030] The cooling module 5000 cools the sheet S, whose image has been fixed by the fixing module 4000, to solidify the ink that has softened due to heating; and reduces temperature changes in the sheet S caused by equipment located downstream of the cooling module 5000. The cooling module 5000 includes multiple cooling sections 5001. These multiple cooling sections 5001 cool the high-temperature sheet S conveyed from the fixing module 4000. For example, each of the multiple cooling sections 5001 cools the sheet S by increasing the pressure in the corresponding cooling chamber by drawing external air into it using a fan; the pressure in the cooling chamber is then used to blow air ejected from nozzles formed in the conveying guide onto the sheet S. The multiple cooling sections 5001 are arranged on both sides of the conveying path of the sheet S, and can cool both sides of the sheet S.

[0031] The cooling module 5000 includes a transport path switching unit 5002. The transport path switching unit 5002 switches the transport path of the sheet S between a path for transporting the sheet S to the reversing module 6000 and a double-sided transport path, through which the sheet S is transported in double-sided printing.

[0032] In duplex printing, the sheet S is conveyed to a conveyor path located in the lower part of the cooling module 5000 via a conveyor path switching unit 5002. The sheet S is then conveyed through the duplex conveyor paths of each of the fixing module 4000, drying module 3000, printing module 2000, and feed module 1000. In the duplex conveyor section of the fixing module 4000, a first reversing unit 4200 is provided to reverse the front and back sides of the sheet S. After the sheet S is conveyed to the first reversing unit 4200, it is reversed and conveyed to the drying module 3000, thereby reversing the front and back sides of the sheet S. Since the sheet S passes through the first reversing unit 4200, an image can be formed on the back side of the sheet S. The sheet S is then conveyed again to the pre-formation registration and correction unit 8, printing tape unit 2200, and recording unit 2300 of the printing module 2000, thereby forming an image on the sheet S.

[0033] The reversing module 6000 includes a second reversing section 6400. In the reversing module 6000, the second reversing section 6400 can reverse the front and back sides of the conveyed sheet S. This operation changes the orientation of the front and back sides of the sheet S to be conveyed to the stacking module 7000. The stacking module 7000 includes a top tray 7200 and a stacking section 7500; and sorts the sheet S conveyed from the reversing module 6000 into the top tray 7200 or the stacking section 7500, and stacks the sheet S on the top tray 7200 or the stacking section 7500.

[0034] Printing tape unit

[0035] Next, we will refer to Figures 2 to 5 Describe the construction of the printing tape unit 2200. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the printing belt unit 2200 includes a printing belt unit frame 2201, a plurality of (four in this embodiment) tension rollers 20, 21, 22, and 23 supported by the printing belt unit frame 2201, and an annular conveyor belt 24 tensioned around the tension rollers 20 to 23. The printing belt unit frame 2201 supports the tension rollers 20 to 23 such that the two shaft ends of each of the tension rollers 20 to 23 are supported by two walls of the printing belt unit frame 2201, which are formed in a width direction intersecting the conveying direction of the sheet S (indicated by arrow G). Figure 2 The front and back sides of the middle.

[0036] At least one of the tension rollers 20 to 23 serves as a drive roller and rotates the conveyor belt 24. Due to the rotation of the conveyor belt 24, the sheet S is conveyed along the conveying direction. In addition, at least one of the tension rollers 20 to 23, other than the drive roller, serves as a tension roller and applies a predetermined tension to the conveyor belt 24. Because a predetermined tension is applied to the conveyor belt 24, the conveyor belt 24 can rotate without bending.

[0037] The sheet S is conveyed while being supported by the outer peripheral surface 24a of the conveyor belt 24. In this embodiment, the sheet S is attracted and adsorbed onto the portion of the conveyor belt 24 that is tensioned between tension rollers 20 and 21. Multiple attraction holes are formed in the conveyor belt 24 to attract the sheet S. Because the sheet S is attracted and adsorbed by the conveyor belt 24, its behavior during conveying becomes stable. Since the behavior of the sheet S conveyed by the conveyor belt 24 becomes stable during conveying, an image is stably formed on the sheet S by ejecting ink from multiple recording heads 2301.

[0038] The printing belt unit 2200 includes a pressure chamber 26 disposed at a position in the vertical direction facing the recording head 2301, across the conveyor belt 24 which carries the sheet S. The pressure chamber 26 includes a pressure plate 25 having a plurality of holes formed therein. The pressure plate 25 is disposed inside the conveyor belt 24 and positioned facing the recording head 2301, for forming a conveying plane S1 in a portion of the outer peripheral surface 24a of the conveyor belt 24. The conveying plane S1 is a plane for adsorbing and conveying the sheet S. Additionally, a plurality of negative pressure generating units 27 for generating negative pressure in the pressure chamber 26 are connected to the pressure chamber 26.

[0039] Pressure chamber 26 and multiple negative pressure generating units 27 constitute an adsorption unit for adsorbing sheet S by conveyor belt 24, and are disposed in printing belt unit frame 2201. In this embodiment, pressure chamber 26, which serves as a movable member, is configured to move vertically (in the first direction) within printing belt unit frame 2201 (i.e., frame) where multiple negative pressure generating units 27 are fixed. Furthermore, to allow the worker to manually move pressure chamber 26 during printing module 2000 assembly, manual adjustment cam 28 is rotatably disposed at multiple (e.g., four) positions located on the outside of the sidewall portion of pressure chamber 26 in the width direction. As described below, in this embodiment, since manual adjustment cam 28 is operated during printing module 2000 assembly, the distance between the spray plane S2 of spray section 2302 and the plane formed by the outer peripheral surface 24a of conveyor belt 24 at the position where the outer peripheral surface 24a faces the spray plane S2, i.e., the distance between spray plane S2 and conveying plane S1, can be adjusted to a predetermined distance (e.g., 1.38 mm).

[0040] like Figure 3As shown, each of the plurality of negative pressure generating units 27 includes a fan F. The fan F exhausts air contained in the corresponding negative pressure generating unit 27. Through this operation, a negative pressure is generated inside the negative pressure generating unit 27. The interior of the plurality of negative pressure generating units 27 is in communication with the interior of the pressure chamber 26. Therefore, if there is a negative pressure inside the plurality of negative pressure generating units 27, there is also a negative pressure inside the pressure chamber 26. If there is a negative pressure inside the pressure chamber 26, an attractive force is generated in the suction holes formed in the conveyor belt 24 through the holes provided in the pressure plate 25 in the upper part of the pressure chamber 26. Therefore, the sheet S is attracted by the conveyor belt 24 by the attractive force generated in the suction holes of the conveyor belt 24.

[0041] like Figure 4 As shown, two recording head holding members 40a and 40b are disposed in the printing belt unit frame 2201 supporting the shafts of the tension rollers 20 to 23. Specifically, the recording head holding members 40a and 40b face each other across the pressure chamber 26 in the width direction; and are disposed on the upper edges of two walls of the printing belt unit frame 2201. The recording head holding members 40a and 40b respectively include head fixing portions 41a and 41b for fixing a plurality of recording heads 2301. In this embodiment, the recording head holding member 40a includes five head fixing portions 41a corresponding to five recording heads 2301, and the recording head holding member 40b includes five head fixing portions 41b corresponding to five recording heads 2301. Note that in Figure 4 The automatic adjustment cam 29 described below is conveniently shown in the image, and the negative pressure generating unit 27 is omitted.

[0042] The recording head 2301 is fixed to the printing tape unit frame 2201. Figure 5 The diagram shows the state in which a single recording head 2301 is fixed to the recording section holding members 40a and 40b of the printing tape unit frame 2201. Note that in Figure 5 In the for ease of understanding and description, the recording section holding members 40a and 40b of the above-described printing tape unit frame 2201 are conveniently shown.

[0043] like Figure 5 As shown, the recording head 2301 is abutted against and fixed to the corresponding head fixing parts 41a and 41b. The recording head 2301 is positioned by the corresponding head fixing parts 41a and 41b. The recording head 2301 is pressed towards the recording part holding members 40a and 40b by the main body of the printing module 2000 or by a pressing mechanism (not shown) provided in the recording head 2301, thereby fixing the recording head 2301 and preventing it from moving.

[0044] In this way, in the printing module 2000 of this embodiment, the position of the recording section 2300, including the recording head 2301, is fixed by a component other than the pressure chamber 26 that does not move, while the position of the pressure chamber 26 can be changed. That is, the pressure chamber 26 can move closer to and further away from the fixed-position recording section 2300. In this configuration, the pressure chamber 26 is moved closer to or further away from the recording head 2301 by moving it vertically. Through this operation, the distance (i.e., the printing gap) between the conveying plane S1 formed by the conveyor belt 24 supported by the pressure plate 25 and the spraying plane S2 of the spraying section 2302 of each recording head 2301 is changed.

[0045] As described above, if the pressure chamber 26 moves vertically relative to the recording head 2301 fixed to the printing belt unit frame 2201, the printing gap is adjusted. If the printing gap is adjusted to a predetermined distance, even if the thickness of the sheet S varies, the ink ejected from each recording head 2301 adheres to a constant area on the surface of the sheet S. As a result, the size of a point of the image formed on the surface of the sheet becomes more constant. In other words, by adjusting the printing gap to an appropriate distance according to the thickness of the sheet S, a high-quality image can be formed on the sheet S regardless of its thickness. Furthermore, since the sheet S does not contact the recording head 2301 when it is conveyed by the conveyor belt 24, image defects and malfunctions caused by the sheet S contacting the recording head 2301 can be prevented.

[0046] Printing gap adjustment mechanism

[0047] In this embodiment, the printing tape unit 2200 includes four printing gap adjustment mechanisms 50 to move the pressure chamber 26 closer to or further away from the recording head 2301. Figure 6 The print gap adjustment mechanism 50 is shown. (See figure) Figure 6 As shown, the print gap adjustment mechanism 50 includes an automatic adjustment cam 29 (first cam, first eccentric cam) serving as a first adjustment member. The automatic adjustment cam 29 rotates about the central axis (i.e., the first axis) of the drive shaft 31 and includes an outer surface 29a (i.e., the first outer peripheral surface). The distance from the first axis to the outer surface 29a varies depending on the rotation angle about the first axis. In addition to the automatic adjustment cam 29, the print gap adjustment mechanism 50 also includes a stepper motor M, a drive belt 30, a drive shaft 31, a one-way clutch 32, and a sensor marker 33. The stepper motor M, drive belt 30, drive shaft 31, and one-way clutch 32 constitute the drive unit that drives the automatic adjustment cam 29 and causes it to rotate.

[0048] A stepper motor M is a drive source that outputs driving force when powered by a power source (not shown), and is configured to rotate an auto-adjusting cam 29 attached to a drive shaft 31. The driving force from the stepper motor M is transmitted to the auto-adjusting cam 29 via a drive belt 30 and the drive shaft 31. That is, the driving force output from the stepper motor M is transmitted to the drive shaft 31 via the drive belt 30 wound around the drive shaft 31, thereby causing the drive shaft 31 to rotate. Since the auto-adjusting cam 29 is fixed to the drive shaft 31, it rotates together with the drive shaft 31 as the drive shaft 31 rotates.

[0049] The rotation direction of the stepper motor M can be changed. In this case, if the rotation direction of the stepper motor M changes, a positional deviation may occur in the axial direction due to the dimensional tolerances of the parts constituting the print gap adjustment mechanism 50. As a result, the relationship between the rotation phase of the automatic adjustment cam 29 and the height of the highest point may change. To prevent this problem, the rotation direction of the automatic adjustment cam 29 is restricted to one direction (indicated by arrow B in this embodiment). For this purpose, a one-way clutch 32 is provided in this embodiment.

[0050] Note that the automatic adjustment cam 29 is connected via the manual adjustment cam 28 located on the pressure chamber 26 (see...). Figure 4 The pressure chamber 26 receives a force caused by its own weight and the tension of the conveyor belt 24 tensioned around the tension rollers 20 to 23 (the outer peripheral surfaces of the automatic adjustment cam 29 and the manual adjustment cam 28 are in contact with each other). This force causes the automatic adjustment cam 29 to receive a force applied in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation (indicated by arrow B) according to the rotation phase (i.e., a reverse rotational force). If the automatic adjustment cam 29 receives a reverse rotational force, it may rotate in the opposite direction, potentially causing an unintentional change in the position of the pressure chamber 26 relative to the recording head 2301. Therefore, in this embodiment, the rotational direction of the automatic adjustment cam 29 is restricted to one direction by a one-way clutch 32, thereby preventing the automatic adjustment cam 29 from rotating in the opposite direction under the action of a reverse rotational force. Note that since the rotational direction of the automatic adjustment cam 29 is restricted to one direction by the one-way clutch 32 in this way, it is advantageous that power is not supplied to the stepper motor M when print gap adjustment is not being performed.

[0051] Sensor marker 33 is disposed in drive shaft 31 and is used to detect a reference phase of the rotational phase of automatic adjusting cam 29. For example, the reference phase is set to the rotational phase of automatic adjusting cam 29 obtained when manual adjusting cam 28 is at its lowest or highest point. In this embodiment, the reference phase is set to the rotational phase of automatic adjusting cam 29 obtained when manual adjusting cam 28 is at its lowest point.

[0052] Control system of printing gap adjustment mechanism

[0053] Next, we will refer to Figure 7 The control unit 600 that controls the above-mentioned print gap adjustment mechanism 50 is described. For example... Figure 7 As shown, the control unit 600 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 601, a read-only memory (ROM) 602, a random access memory (RAM) 603, and a non-volatile memory 604. The control unit 600 is electrically connected to the stepper motor M and sensor marker 33 of the print gap adjustment mechanism 50, and is also electrically connected to the operation unit 605 via an input / output interface. Data can be input to and output from the control unit 600 via this input / output interface. The operation unit 605 can display various programs and various types of data on a liquid crystal display (not shown), or various types of displays, such as the end of an imaging job and the occurrence of an error. The operation unit 605 can be a user-operable touch panel, and can accept, for example, the initiation of various programs for an imaging job and various types of data based on the user's touch operations.

[0054] The CPU 601 controls the print gap adjustment mechanism 50 by executing a computer program stored in the ROM 602. The CPU 601 controls the print gap adjustment mechanism 50 according to instructions from a control unit (not shown) that controls the entire imaging system 100. RAM 603 provides a working area for the CPU 601 to perform processing. Non-volatile memory 604 stores various types of information required for controlling the print gap adjustment mechanism 50.

[0055] The non-volatile memory 604 stores information about the rotational phase of the automatic adjustment cam 29 corresponding to an appropriate print gap (i.e., a predetermined distance). During the assembly of the print module 2000, the print gap is set during the stage of attaching the print gap adjustment mechanism 50 to the print module 2000. The information stored in the non-volatile memory 604 and related to the rotational phase corresponds to the number of rotations of the stepper motor M, counted from the reference phase detected by the sensor marker 33. The non-volatile memory 604 stores information about multiple rotational phases corresponding to the corresponding thickness of the sheet S for each of the multiple print gap adjustment mechanisms 50.

[0056] For example, the information stored in the non-volatile memory 604 and related to the rotation phase represents the rotation phase of the automatic adjustment cam 29 measured when the printing gap for each color is maintained at a predetermined distance while the sheet S is actually held by the conveyor belt 24. Under the above conditions, the rotation phase of the automatic adjustment cam 29 is measured for each of the various sheets S with varying thicknesses (plain paper sheet, thick paper sheet, and thin paper sheet), and the information regarding the rotation phase of the automatic adjustment cam 29 measured for each of the various sheets S is stored in the non-volatile memory 604.

[0057] Table 1 shows information stored in the non-volatile memory 604 and related to the rotational phase of the automatic adjustment cam 29.

[0058] Table 1

[0059] In Table 1, the thickness of sheet S is expressed in basis weight (grams per square meter: gsm), and the information regarding the rotation phase of the automatic adjustment cam 29 is expressed by the number of rotations of the stepper motor M associated with the rotation phase of the automatic adjustment cam 29. The number of rotations of the stepper motor M described in this embodiment is the number of pulses (pulses per second: PPS) of the pulse signal used by the CPU 601 to control the stepper motor M. Note that the information representing the thickness of sheet S can be the type of sheet S (e.g., A4, B4, or B3) or the basis weight of sheet S.

[0060] Referring to Table 1 above, CPU 601 determines the number of pulses corresponding to the weight of sheet S. At the moment when sensor marker 33 detects the reference phase, CPU 601 rotates stepper motor M according to the number of pulses determined by CPU 601. Through this operation, the automatic adjustment cam 29 rotates in a phase corresponding to the number of pulses, and the rotation phase of the automatic adjustment cam 29 is controlled. Pressure chamber 26 moves closer to or further away from recording head 2301 according to the rotation phase of the automatic adjustment cam 29. Therefore, by controlling the rotation phase of the automatic adjustment cam 29, the printing gap can be adjusted to a predetermined distance (e.g., 1.38 mm).

[0061] In this embodiment, an automatic adjusting cam 29 (i.e., the first adjusting member) abuts against a manual adjusting cam 28, which serves as a second adjusting member (i.e., a movable member) disposed on the pressure chamber 26. The contact position between the automatic adjusting cam 29 and the manual adjusting cam 28 changes according to the rotation of the automatic adjusting cam 29, thereby causing the pressure chamber 26 to move together with the manual adjusting cam 28 and adjusting the printing gap. In other words, the automatic adjusting cam 29 (i.e., the first adjusting member) adjusts the printing gap by changing the contact position between the automatic adjusting cam 29 and the manual adjusting cam 28 through movement.

[0062] Traditionally, the automatic adjustment cam 29 is in direct contact with the pressure chamber 26, thereby moving the pressure chamber 26, which is not equipped with a manual adjustment cam 28, closer to or further away from the recording unit 2300 by rotating the automatic adjustment cam 29. In this case, in order to adjust the print gap with high precision according to the rotation of the automatic adjustment cam 29, the pressure chamber 26 is movably attached to the print module 2000 after the print gap adjustment mechanism 50 is properly attached to the print module 2000 during assembly of the print module 2000.

[0063] However, in each printing module 2000, the attachment position of the print gap adjustment mechanism 50 may vary due to part tolerances. In such cases, in some printing modules 2000, the print gap may not be set at a predetermined distance. In such a printing module 2000, even if the print gap adjustment mechanism 50 is operated according to the thickness of the sheet S, it may be difficult to keep the distance from the jet plane S2 of the jet section 2302 to the sheet surface constant regardless of the thickness of the sheet S. In this case, if the print gap adjustment mechanism 50 is to be attached to the printing module 2000 precisely and properly, the worker will need to spend time performing the work, which may reduce the efficiency of the assembly work.

[0064] In view of the above problems, in this embodiment, a manual adjustment cam 28 is provided on the pressure chamber 26 so that, during the assembly of the printing module 2000, the worker can easily attach the pressure chamber 26 to the printing module 2000 at a position where the print gap adjustment mechanism 50 appropriately performs print gap adjustment. Referring below... Figure 8A and 8B Also refer to Figure 2 and 4 The description describes multiple manually adjustable cams 28 set on the pressure chamber 26.

[0065] like Figure 4 As shown, each of the manually adjustable cams 28, which serve as the second adjusting members (second cam, second eccentric cam), is disposed on a corresponding side wall of the pressure chamber 26 on the side of the plurality of negative pressure generating units 27 (i.e., on the lower side of the pressure chamber 26) (the plurality of negative pressure generating units 27 are disposed in the print belt unit frame 2201). With each of the manually adjustable cams 28 always in contact with a corresponding one of the automatic adjusting cams 29 of the plurality of print gap adjusting mechanisms 50, the pressure chamber 26 moves vertically within the print belt unit frame 2201 according to the rotation of the automatic adjusting cam 29. In other words, the automatic adjusting cam 29 serves as the driving member, and the pressure chamber 26 on which the manually adjustable cams 28 are disposed serves as the driven member.

[0066] like Figure 8A and8B As shown, the manual adjustment cam 28 is an eccentric cam with an outer peripheral surface in which a plurality of linear outer surfaces 28a are linearly formed. In the manual adjustment cam 28, the distances from the center of rotation to the linear outer surfaces 28a are different from each other. Note that in Figure 8A and 8B In this diagram, only one of the eleven linear outer surfaces 28a is assigned a symbol. The distance from the center of rotation to one linear outer surface 28a differs from the distance from the center of rotation to another linear outer surface 28a adjacent to said linear outer surface 28a, and the difference between the distance from the center of rotation to one linear outer surface 28a and the distance from the center of rotation to the adjacent linear outer surface 28a is in the range of about 0.05 mm to about 0.1 mm. For example, when the manual adjustment cam 28 has eleven linear outer surfaces 28a and the distance from the center of rotation to the eleven linear outer surfaces 28a varies in steps of 0.1 mm, the pressure chamber 26 can move vertically within a range of 1.0 mm (±0.5 mm) depending on the rotation of the manual adjustment cam 28.

[0067] In other words, the manual adjustment cam 28 rotates about a second axis (different from the axis of the automatic adjustment cam 29, i.e., the first axis) and includes a second outer peripheral surface (i.e., a plurality of linear outer surfaces 28a). Furthermore, the distance from the second axis to the second outer peripheral surface varies depending on the rotation angle about the second axis. Additionally, in this embodiment, when viewed from the direction of the second axis, at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the manual adjustment cam 28 has a polygonal shape comprising a plurality of sides, among which the distance from the second axis to one side is different from each other.

[0068] On the surface of the manually adjustable cam 28, graduations from 0 to 10 are printed at positions corresponding to multiple linear outer surfaces 28a. Therefore, by visually inspecting the graduations, the worker can check how much the pressure chamber 26 has been moved vertically. For example, if the worker begins to move the pressure chamber 26 vertically with the linear outer surface 28a marked 5 in contact with the automatic adjusting cam 29... Figure 8A The manual adjustment cam 28 shown is rotated, and when the manual adjustment cam 28 is rotated clockwise in an incremental step (the scale markings on the linear outer surface 28a in contact with the automatic adjustment cam 29 change from 5 to 10), the pressure chamber 26 moves upward in steps of 0.1 mm (see...). Figure 8BConversely, if the manual adjustment cam 28 is rotated with the linear outer surface 28a, marked with scale 5, in contact with the automatic adjustment cam 29, and the manual adjustment cam 28 is rotated counterclockwise in incremental steps (the scale mark of the linear outer surface 28a in contact with the automatic adjustment cam 29 changes from 5 to 0), the pressure chamber 26 moves downward in steps of 0.1 mm. In this way, the pressure chamber 26 is moved vertically in steps of 0.1 mm by the worker manually operating the manual adjustment cam 28, thereby setting the printing gap to a predetermined distance when assembling the printing module 2000.

[0069] Additionally, in the manual adjustment cam 28, a fixing hole 281 is formed at a position separate from the rotation center for fixing a fixing member 290, such as a screw. With any of the eleven linear outer surfaces 28a in contact with the automatic adjustment cam 29, the manual adjustment cam 28 is fixed to the pressure chamber 26 by the fixing member 290 to prevent movement. Figure 8A The diagram shows the state in which the linear outer surface 28a of the manually adjustable cam 28, marked with scale 5, is in contact with the automatically adjustable cam 29. Figure 8B The diagram shows the state in which the linear outer surface 28a of the manually adjustable cam 28, marked with scale 8, is in contact with the automatically adjustable cam 29.

[0070] like Figure 4 As shown, the printing tape unit frame 2201 includes a first opening 42 and a second opening 43, which are formed to position the pressure chamber 26 when it is attached to the interior of the printing tape unit frame 2201. The second opening 43 is formed at four locations corresponding to four manually adjustable cams 28, such that at least a portion of each of the manually adjustable cams 28 of the pressure chamber 26 is inserted into the second opening 43. An automatic adjusting cam 29 is disposed below the second opening 43 such that the automatic adjusting cam 29 contacts the linear outer surface 28a of the manually adjustable cam 28 (see Figure 1). Figure 8A The linear outer surface is the portion of the manually adjustable cam 28 exposed from the second opening 43 into which the manually adjustable cam 28 is already inserted. A downwardly projecting protrusion 44 is formed on the bottom surface of the pressure chamber 26. The protrusion 44 is inserted into the first opening 42. During the assembly of the printing module 2000, the protrusion 44 is inserted into the first opening 42, and at least a portion of the manually adjustable cam 28 is inserted into the second opening 43. Through this operation, the pressure chamber 26 is positioned at a predetermined location within the printing belt unit frame 2201.

[0071] When the pressure chamber 26 moves vertically, the protrusion 44 inserted into the first opening 42 also acts as a guide member. That is, when the pressure chamber 26 moves vertically by the rotation of the automatic adjustment cam 29, the pressure chamber 26 is guided by the protrusion 44 inserted into the first opening 42. In this way, the direction of movement of the pressure chamber 26 is limited to the direction in which the pressure chamber 26 moves toward and away from the recording head 2301. Therefore, the sheet surface (i.e., the surface to be inked) and the recording head 2301 move closer to or further away from each other relative to each other by the rotation of the automatic adjustment cam 29, without deviating from the position on the sheet to be inked.

[0072] When assembling the printing module 2000, the worker sets the rotation phase of the four automatic adjustment cams 29 of the printing gap adjustment mechanism 50, which is already attached to the printing module 2000, as the reference phase, and then temporarily attaches the pressure chamber 26 to the printing belt unit frame 2201. For example, with the manual adjustment cam 28 already adjusted so that the linear outer surface 28a of the manual adjustment cam 28, marked with scale 5, contacts the automatic adjustment cam 29, the pressure chamber 26 is temporarily attached to the printing belt unit frame 2201. With the pressure chamber 26 temporarily attached to the printing belt unit frame 2201, the deviation between the reference position where the conveyor plane S1 of the conveyor belt 24 needs to be positioned and the actual position of the conveyor plane S1 of the conveyor belt 24 is measured from the outside using a laser displacement gauge or the like.

[0073] The worker then temporarily removes the pressure chamber 26 from the printing belt unit frame 2201 and manually rotates the manual adjustment cam 28 clockwise or counterclockwise according to the deviation relative to the reference position, which has been measured using a laser displacement gauge. Rotating the manual adjustment cam 28 reduces the deviation relative to the reference position. The worker then secures the manual adjustment cam 28 to the pressure chamber 26 using a fixing member 290 to prevent rotation; the manual adjustment cam has been rotated to the appropriate scale position to reduce the deviation and position the actual conveying plane S1 of the conveyor belt 24 at the reference position. In other words, the manual adjustment cam 28 is secured to the pressure chamber 26 by the fixing member 290 such that the manual adjustment cam 28 (i.e., the second adjustment member) is immovable after the pressure chamber 26 (i.e., the movable member) is assembled to the imaging device. The worker then reattaches the pressure chamber 26 to the printing belt unit frame 2201.

[0074] Therefore, the operator rotates the manual adjustment cam 28 of the pressure chamber 26, causing the pressure chamber 26, attached to the print belt unit frame 2201, to move vertically relative to the automatic adjustment cam 29. In other words, moving the manual adjustment cam 28 (i.e., the second adjustment member) changes the position of the pressure chamber 26 (i.e., the movable member) relative to the abutment position between the automatic adjustment cam 29 and the manual adjustment cam 28, thereby adjusting the print gap. Through this operation, the position of the pressure chamber 26 can be changed by rotating the manual adjustment cam 28, reducing possible assembly position deviations in the print gap adjustment mechanism 50 attached to the print belt unit frame 2201 due to part tolerances. In this way, the print gap is adjusted to a predetermined distance in the assembled print module 2000.

[0075] Next, we will refer to Figure 9A and Figure 9B Also refer to Figure 2 This describes the print gap adjustment performed by the automatic adjustment cam 29 of the print gap adjustment mechanism 50. Figure 9A The image shows the state in which the pressure chamber 26 is furthest from the recording head 2301 due to the operation of the print gap adjustment mechanism 50. Figure 9B The pressure chamber 26 is shown in a position where it is closest to the recording head 2301, as operated by the print gap adjustment mechanism 50. Note that the pressure chamber 26 is held in contact with the linear outer surface 28a of the manual adjustment cam 28, marked with '5', and the automatic adjustment cam 29.

[0076] like Figure 9A and Figure 9B As shown, the automatic adjustment cam 29 rotates about the drive shaft 31. The center of the automatic adjustment cam 29 is offset from the center of rotation of the drive shaft 31 by a predetermined amount. The automatic adjustment cam 29 is press-fitted into the bearing 35, and the center of rotation of the automatic adjustment cam 29 (or the center of rotation of the drive shaft 31) is offset from the center of the bearing 35 by a value equal to the offset between the center of the automatic adjustment cam 29 and the center of rotation of the drive shaft 31. In this configuration, if the automatic adjustment cam 29 rotates due to the rotation of the drive shaft 31, the manual adjustment cam 28 moves up or down. As a result, the pressure chamber 26 moves vertically relative to the recording head 2301. That is, with the manual adjustment cam 28 (i.e., the second adjustment member) fixed by the fixing member 290, the automatic adjustment cam 29 (i.e., the first adjustment member) moves the pressure chamber 26 (i.e., the movable member).

[0077] In this embodiment, the shape of the automatic adjustment cam 29 is set such that if the pressure chamber 26 is in the state furthest from the recording head 2301 ( Figure 9AThe automatic adjustment cam 29 is started to rotate, and when the automatic adjustment cam 29 is rotated 180 degrees, the pressure chamber 26 moves to be closest to the recording head 2301. Figure 9B The displacement of the pressure chamber 26 and the relationship between the rotation angle and the position of the pressure chamber 26 can be set by automatically adjusting the shape of the cam 29. Furthermore, the range of motion of the pressure chamber 26 is adjusted by automatically adjusting the offset between the rotation center of the cam 29 (or the rotation center of the drive shaft 31) and the center of the bearing 35. In other words, the position of the pressure chamber 26 is determined by automatically adjusting the offset between the rotation center of the cam 29 (or the rotation center of the drive shaft 31) and the center of the bearing 35. Figure 9A The position of pressure chamber 26 in the state shown is relative to Figure 9B The displacement between the positions of the pressure chamber 26 in the state shown.

[0078] In this embodiment, the displacement of the pressure chamber 26 caused by the rotation of the manually adjustable cam 28 is greater than the displacement of the pressure chamber caused by the rotation of the automatically adjustable cam 29. To achieve this, the shapes of the manually adjustable cam 28 and the automatically adjustable cam 29 are defined. In other words, the adjustable range of the print gap is greater when the manually adjustable cam 28 (i.e., the second cam) rotates while the rotation phase of the automatically adjustable cam 29 (i.e., the first cam) is fixed than the adjustable range of the print gap when the automatically adjustable cam 29 (i.e., the first cam) rotates while the rotation phase of the manually adjustable cam 28 (i.e., the second cam) is fixed. The adjustable range of the print gap is equal to the maximum value of the displacement of the pressure chamber 26 determined by the rotation of the automatically adjustable cam 29 (i.e., the first cam) or the maximum value of the displacement of the pressure chamber 26 determined by the rotation of the manually adjustable cam 28 (i.e., the second cam).

[0079] Incidentally, there exists a situation where the attachment position deviation of the printing gap adjustment mechanism 50, caused by the tolerance of the parts, is greater than the adjustment amount required based on the thickness of the sheet S. In this case, to correct the attachment position deviation, the movement of the pressure chamber 26 achieved by the manually adjusted cam 28 can be greater than the movement achieved by the automatically adjusted cam 29.

[0080] As described above, in this embodiment, in addition to the automatic adjustment cam 29 (i.e., the first adjustment member) of the print gap adjustment mechanism 50, a manual adjustment cam 28 (i.e., the second adjustment member) is also provided. Therefore, the distance from the jet plane S2 of the recording head to the conveying plane S1 of the conveyor belt 24 can be adjusted more appropriately.

[0081] Furthermore, a manual adjustment cam 28 is provided on the pressure chamber 26, and the pressure chamber 26 is configured to move vertically while the manual adjustment cam 28 is in contact with the automatic adjustment cam 29. Since the position of the pressure chamber 26 changes according to the rotation of the manual adjustment cam 28, assembly position deviations that may occur in the print gap adjustment mechanism 50 attached to the print module 2000 due to part tolerances are reduced. As a result, the print gap is adjusted to a predetermined distance. Because the print gap is adjusted to a predetermined distance in the print module 2000, for example, when operating the print gap adjustment mechanism 50 based on the thickness of the sheet S in an imaging operation, the distance from the ejection plane S2 of the ejection section 2302 to the sheet surface can be made closer to an appropriate value regardless of the thickness of the sheet S. In this way, when operating the automatic adjustment cam 29, the appropriate adjustment of the distance between the ejection plane S2 of the ejection section 2302 that ejects ink toward the sheet S and the outer peripheral surface 24a of the conveyor belt 24 that transports the sheet S can be easily achieved by adjusting the manual adjustment cam 28.

[0082] Other embodiments

[0083] In the above embodiment, an eccentric cam is used as the manually adjustable cam 28 of the pressure chamber 26. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, it can be... Figure 10A and Figure 10B The sliding plate 51 shown serves as a sliding member and is also a manually adjustable member disposed on the pressure chamber 26. The sliding plate 51, serving as a second adjusting member, is disposed on the pressure chamber 26 to allow sliding of the pressure chamber 26 in the direction of movement toward and away from the recording head 2301. An elongated hole 51a is formed in the sliding plate 51, extending in the direction of movement of the pressure chamber 26 toward and away from the recording head 2301. Therefore, the sliding plate 51 can be fixed such that the relative position of the elongated hole 51a with respect to a fixing member 290, such as a screw, can be changed. In other words, the elongated hole 51a is formed in the sliding plate 51 in the direction of movement of the conveyor belt 24 toward and away from the recording head 2301, the sliding plate 51 is fixed to the pressure chamber 26 via a fixing member 290 inserted into the elongated hole 51a, and the position of the sliding plate 51 relative to the pressure chamber 26 can be changed according to the position of the fixing member 290 relative to the elongated hole 51a.

[0084] The bottom surface of the sliding plate 51 contacts the automatic adjusting cam 29. This causes the sliding plate 51 to move vertically relative to the pressure chamber 26, thereby reducing the aforementioned deviation relative to the reference position. Although in Figure 10A and Figure 10B Not shown, but graduations may be printed on the surface of the sliding plate 51 along the elongated hole 51a to allow the worker to visually check how much the worker has moved the pressure chamber 26 vertically.

[0085] In the above embodiment, as an example, four manually adjustable cams 28 are provided at four positions in the pressure chamber 26. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, when the printing module 2000 is viewed from the width direction, the manually adjustable cams 28 may be provided on the outer side of the side wall of the pressure chamber 26 in the width direction, and at positions corresponding to the plurality of recording heads 2301 provided along the transport direction. For example, in the recording section 2300 as... Figure 2 In the case shown, which includes five recording heads 2301, five manually adjustable cams 28 are arranged at the same position along the transport direction on each side wall. If the manually adjustable cams 28 are arranged in this way corresponding to the multiple recording heads 2301, the impact of the weight of each recording head 2301 on the printing gap can be reduced.

[0086] In the above embodiments, the automatic adjustment cam 29 is driven by a stepper motor M or the like. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the cam that is manually operated by a worker in the above embodiments (i.e., the manual adjustment cam 28) can be driven by a stepper motor M or the like and rotate automatically. In this case, the cam driven by the stepper motor M or the like in the above embodiments (i.e., the automatic adjustment cam 29) is rotated by the worker manually operating the cam.

[0087] In this disclosure, because a first adjusting member and a second adjusting member are included, the distance from the jetting plane of the recording head to the conveying plane of the conveyor belt transporting the sheet can be adjusted more appropriately. Furthermore, in this disclosure, the distance from the jetting plane to the conveying plane is pre-adjusted by the second adjusting member, and then the first adjusting member is operated according to the thickness of the sheet. As a result, regardless of the sheet thickness, the distance from the jetting plane to the sheet surface can be set to a value closer to the appropriate value.

[0088] Other embodiments

[0089] Embodiments of this disclosure can also be implemented by a computer of a system or device that reads and executes computer-executable instructions (e.g., one or more programs) recorded on a storage medium (which may also be more fully referred to as a "non-transitory computer-readable storage medium") to perform the functions of one or more of the above embodiments, and / or the system or device includes one or more circuits (e.g., application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs)) for performing the functions of one or more of the above embodiments; and by a method executed by a computer of a system or device, which performs the functions of one or more of the above embodiments, for example, by reading and executing computer-executable instructions from a storage medium and / or by controlling one or more circuits. The computer may include one or more processors (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor unit (MPU)) and may include a network of individual computers or individual processors to read and execute computer-executable instructions. The computer-executable instructions may, for example, be provided to the computer from a network or storage medium. The storage medium may include, for example, a hard disk, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), the memory of a distributed computing system, an optical disk (e.g., a compressed optical disk (CD), a digital versatile optical disk (DVD), or a Blu-ray disc (BD)). TM One or more of the following: flash memory devices, memory cards, etc.

[0090] Other embodiments

[0091] 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 out and executes the computer program.

[0092] While this disclosure has been described with reference to embodiments, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be interpreted in the broadest sense to cover all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

Claims

1. An imaging device, comprising: A belt, the belt being configured to convey a sheet along a conveying plane formed by a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the belt; A recording head, the recording head being configured to face the belt, the recording head having a jetting plane at which ink is jetted from the recording head toward the sheet conveyed by the belt; A movable member configured to move in a first direction such that the tape moves toward and away from the recording head; A first adjusting member is configured to adjust the distance in the first direction between the spray plane and the conveying plane at the position where the belt faces the spray plane by moving the movable member in the first direction; and A second adjusting member is disposed on the movable member and arranged to abut against the first adjusting member. The first adjusting member is configured to move such that the first adjusting member and the second adjusting member abut against each other at an abutment position. The second adjusting member is configured to adjust the distance in the first direction by changing the position of the movable member relative to the abutment position in the first direction.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising: A fixing member is configured to fix the second adjusting member relative to the movable member, such that the second adjusting member is immovable after the movable member is assembled to the imaging device. The first adjusting member is configured to move the movable member while the second adjusting member is fixed by the fixed member.

3. The imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising: Multiple rollers, around which the belt is tensioned; and A frame, configured to support the plurality of rollers, The recording head is fixed to the frame, and The movable component is movably disposed within the frame.

4. The imaging device according to claim 3, in, The frame includes an opening into which at least a portion of the second adjusting member is inserted, and The first adjusting member is configured to contact at least a portion of the second adjusting member exposed from the opening.

5. The imaging device according to claim 1, in, The movable member is an adsorption member configured to adsorb the sheet onto the belt.

6. The imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in, The first adjusting member is a first cam, which is configured to rotate about a first axis and includes a first outer peripheral surface, the first outer peripheral surface being formed such that the distance from the first axis to the first outer peripheral surface varies with the rotation angle about the first axis.

7. The imaging device according to claim 6, further comprising: A drive unit, configured to drive the first cam and cause the first cam to rotate, The second adjustment component is configured to be manually operated by the user.

8. The imaging device according to claim 7, in, The rotation direction of the first cam, achieved by the drive unit, is restricted to one direction.

9. The imaging device according to claim 8, in, The drive unit includes: A driving source, the driving source being configured to generate driving force; A drive shaft configured to transmit the driving force from the drive source to the first cam; and A one-way clutch, which is disposed on the drive shaft and configured to restrict the rotational direction of the first cam to the one direction.

10. The imaging device according to claim 8, further comprising: A control unit, configured to control the drive unit, The control unit is configured to adjust the distance by causing the drive unit to rotate the first cam by a certain amount of rotation based on the thickness of the sheet.

11. The imaging device according to claim 6, in, The second adjusting member is a second cam, which is configured to rotate about a second axis and includes a second outer peripheral surface. The second outer peripheral surface is formed such that the distance from the second axis to the second outer peripheral surface varies with the rotation angle about the second axis. The first outer peripheral surface and the second outer peripheral surface are configured to abut against each other at the abutting position.

12. The imaging device according to claim 11, in, The adjustable range of the distance is greater when the second cam rotates while the rotation phase of the first cam is fixed than when the first cam rotates while the rotation phase of the second cam is fixed.

13. The imaging device according to claim 12, in, When viewed along the second axis, at least a portion of the second outer peripheral surface has a polygonal shape comprising a plurality of sides at different distances from the second axis.

14. The imaging device according to claim 13, in, The second cam is configured to be fixed to the movable member while any one of the plurality of sides is in contact with the first outer peripheral surface, so that it cannot be rotated.

15. The imaging device according to claim 6, in, The second adjustment member is a sliding member configured to slide in the direction in which the belt moves toward and away from the recording head.

16. The imaging device according to claim 15, in, The sliding member (i) is provided with an elongated hole extending in the direction in which the tape moves toward and away from the recording head, (ii) is fixed to the movable member by a fixing member inserted into the elongated hole, and (iii) is configured such that the position of the sliding member relative to the movable member changes according to the position of the fixing member relative to the elongated hole.

Images