Printer

Abstract

To provide a printer capable of easily forming a cutter groove during manufacturing.SOLUTION: A printer 10 comprises: a platen 60 on which a medium 5 is supported; a conveyance mechanism 50 that conveys the medium 5 supported on the platen 60 from an upstream side to a downstream side in a conveying direction X; an apron 80 that is disposed on the downstream side in the conveying direction X of the platen 60 and that supports the medium 5 conveyed from the platen 60; a cutter groove 90 that is formed of the platen 60 and the apron 80 and that extends in a scanning direction Y between the platen 60 and the apron 80; a sheet cutter 35 that is provided in an upper part of the cutter groove 90 and that cuts the medium 5; and a sheet cutter moving mechanism 40 that moves the sheet cutter 35 in the scanning direction Y. The sheet cutter 35 is configured to enter the cutter groove 90 when cutting the medium 5.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a printer. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an inkjet printer that prints on a roll-shaped recording medium. This inkjet printer includes a platen on which the recording medium is placed, and a carriage that is movable in the main scanning direction above the platen. A cutter groove that extends in the main scanning direction is formed in the platen. The carriage is provided with a sheet cutter that cuts the recording medium in the main scanning direction to divide it into two.

[0003] When cutting a recording medium placed on the platen into two pieces, the sheet cutter is inserted into the cutter groove while the recording medium is placed above the cutter groove. At this time, the sheet cutter penetrates the recording medium. In this state, the sheet cutter is moved in the main scanning direction together with the carriage to cut the recording medium into two pieces. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-15578 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the inkjet printer, the cutter groove is formed on the upper surface of the platen. Therefore, when manufacturing the inkjet printer, the cutter groove is formed by, for example, performing an extrusion process when forming the platen. It is preferable that the work for forming the cutter groove is as simple as possible.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a printer in which it is possible to easily form a cutter groove during manufacturing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The printer according to the present invention includes a platen that supports a medium, a transport mechanism, an apron, a cutter groove, a sheet cutter, and a sheet cutter moving mechanism. The transport mechanism transports the medium supported by the platen from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction. The apron is disposed downstream of the platen in the transport direction and supports the medium transported from the platen. The cutter groove is formed by the platen and the apron between the platen and the apron and extends in the scanning direction. The sheet cutter is provided above the cutter groove and cuts the medium. The sheet cutter moving mechanism moves the sheet cutter in the scanning direction. The sheet cutter is configured to enter the cutter groove when cutting the medium.

[0008] According to the printer, the cutter groove can be formed by the gap between the platen and the apron. Therefore, unlike the conventional method, the cutter groove can be formed without performing extrusion processing when forming the platen, and therefore the cutter groove can be easily formed. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a printer in which it is possible to easily form a cutter groove during manufacturing. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a printer according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a printer according to an embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the inkjet head and the cutting head. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a right side cross-sectional view showing the platen, the upstream apron, and the downstream apron. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the platen, the upstream apron, and the downstream apron. [Figure 6] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of range A in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiment described here is not intended to limit the present invention in particular. In addition, the same reference numerals are used for members and parts that perform the same function, and duplicated descriptions are omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a printer 10 according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the printer 10 according to an embodiment. In the following description, left, right, top, and bottom refer to the left, right, top, and bottom as seen from a user in front of the printer 10. The side of the printer 10 approaching the user is the front, and the side moving away from the user is the rear. The symbols F, Rr, L, R, U, and D in the drawings represent the front, rear, left, right, top, and bottom, respectively. The symbol Y in the drawings indicates the scanning direction. In this embodiment, the scanning direction Y is the left-right direction. The symbol X indicates the transport direction. The transport direction X intersects with the scanning direction Y in a plan view (specifically, perpendicular to it). In this embodiment, the transport direction X is the front-rear direction. However, the above directions are merely defined for convenience and should not be interpreted in a restrictive manner.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 according to this embodiment is a print-and-cut machine capable of printing and cutting a medium 5. The printer 10 has a printing function. The printer 10 is a so-called inkjet type printer, and is an inkjet printer. However, the printing type of the printer 10 is not limited to the inkjet type, and may be, for example, a dot impact type printer, a laser printer, or a thermal printer.

[0014] The medium 5 is, for example, a recording paper. However, the medium 5 is not limited to a recording paper. For example, the medium 5 may be a sheet made of a resin material such as PVC or polyester, a sealant consisting of a mount and a release paper laminated on the mount and coated with an adhesive, a transparent sheet made of resin or glass, or a sheet made of metal or rubber. In this specification, "cutting" includes a case where the entire thickness of the medium 5 is cut (for example, a case where both the mount and release paper of the sealant are cut) and a case where a part of the thickness of the medium 5 is cut (for example, a case where only the release paper is cut without cutting the mount of the sealant).

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 includes a printer body 10a formed in a box shape and a roll support member 18. An internal space 12S is formed in the printer body 10a. The printer body 10a includes a front cover 23. Here, the front cover 23 is supported by the printer body 10a so as to be rotatable about an axis at its upper end. By rotating the front cover 23 upward, the internal space 12S of the printer body 10a is communicated with the external space. The internal space 12S is a space where printing is performed on the medium 5 by an inkjet head 21 (see FIG. 2), which will be described later. In this way, the internal space 12S is covered by the front cover 23, so that external dust and dirt are less likely to enter the internal space 12S during printing, etc.

[0016] 1, a window 23A is provided in the lower part of the front cover 23. The window 23A is formed, for example, from a transparent or semi-transparent acrylic plate. The window 23A is treated so that light from the outside (for example, ultraviolet light) is unlikely to reach the internal space 12S. A user can view the inside of the printer main body 10a (here, the internal space 12S) through the window 23A.

[0017] The roll support member 18 is disposed below the printer body 10a. The roll support member 18 is a member that extends in the scanning direction Y, and supports the medium 5 formed in a roll shape. The medium 5 supported by the roll support member 18 passes through the printer body 10a and is pulled out from the rear to the front of the printer 10. The pulled out medium 5 is supported by a platen 60 (see FIG. 2), which will be described later.

[0018] Next, the internal configuration of the printer 10 will be described. Fig. 3 is a front view showing the inkjet head 21 and the cutting head 31. Fig. 4 is a right side cross-sectional view showing the platen 60, the upstream apron 70, and the downstream apron 80. Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the platen 60, the upstream apron 70, and the downstream apron 80. As shown in Fig. 4, the printer 10 includes the platen 60, the upstream apron 70, the downstream apron 80, a guide rail 15 (see Fig. 2), a carriage 17, the inkjet head 21, the cutting head 31, a sheet cutter 35, a head moving mechanism 40 (see Fig. 2), and a transport mechanism 50.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 4, the platen 60 supports the medium 5 when printing on the medium 5 and when cutting the medium 5. The platen 60 has a support surface 61a that supports the medium 5. The support surface 61a forms the upper surface of the platen 60, and is a flat surface that extends in the scanning direction Y and the transport direction X. Here, the medium 5 is placed on the support surface 61a. Printing on the medium 5 is performed on the support surface 61a.

[0020] In this embodiment, the medium 5 is transported on the platen 60 from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction X. Here, the upstream side in the transport direction X refers to the rear side of the platen 60. The downstream side in the transport direction X refers to the front side of the platen 60. Here, the medium 5 is transported from the rear side to the front side with respect to the platen 16.

[0021] The upstream apron 70 is disposed on the upstream side of the platen 60 in the transport direction X, here on the rear side. The upstream apron 70 is formed, for example, in an arc-shaped cross section. The upstream apron 70 has an upstream curved surface 71a that curves downward as it moves away from the platen 60 toward the upstream side in the transport direction X. The upstream curved surface 71a forms the upper surface of the upstream apron 70.

[0022] The downstream apron 80 is one example of the apron of the present invention. The downstream apron 80 is disposed on the downstream side of the platen 60 in the conveying direction X, here on the front side. The downstream apron 80 is formed, for example, in an arc-shaped cross section. The downstream apron 80 has a downstream curved surface 81a that curves downward as it moves away from the platen 60 toward the downstream side in the conveying direction X. The downstream curved surface 81a forms the upper surface of the downstream apron 80.

[0023] In this embodiment, the medium 5 transported from the roll support member 18 passes over the upstream curved surface 71a of the upstream apron 70 and is transported to the support surface 61a of the platen 60. The medium 5 supported by the platen 60 is transported toward the downstream apron 80, passes over the downstream curved surface 81a of the downstream apron 80, and is then discharged downstream of the downstream apron 80 in the transport direction X. The detailed configurations of the platen 60, the upstream apron 70, and the downstream apron 80 will be described later.

[0024] 2, the guide rail 15 is disposed above the platen 60 and the downstream apron 80. Although not shown, the guide rail 15 is disposed above the upstream apron 70. The guide rail 15 extends in the scanning direction Y. The guide rail 15 is fixed to a main body frame 19 that extends in the scanning direction Y within the printer main body 10a, for example.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 3, the carriage 17 is supported by the guide rail 15 and configured to be slidable in the scanning direction Y relative to the guide rail 15. Here, the carriage 17 is disposed directly above the platen 60 and at a position overlapping with the platen 60 in the transport direction X in a plan view. Here, the carriage 17 has an ink head carriage 20 and a cutting carriage 30. The ink head carriage 20 is provided with an ink jet head 21. The cutting carriage 30 is provided with a cutting head 31. Here, when the carriage 17 moves in the scanning direction Y, the ink jet head 21 and the cutting head 31 move in the scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, the cutting carriage 30 is disposed to the left of the ink head carriage 20, but may be disposed to the right of the ink head carriage 20. Here, the ink head carriage 20 and the cutting carriage 30 are mutually connected via a connecting member 29. Therefore, the ink head carriage 20 and the cutting carriage 30 move in the scanning direction Y at the same time.

[0026] The inkjet head 21 prints on the medium 5 supported by the platen 60. The inkjet head 21 is configured to be movable in the scanning direction Y. The inkjet head 21 has a recording head 22 having a plurality of nozzles (not shown) that eject ink. The number of recording heads 22 is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the number of recording heads 22 is five, and the five recording heads 22 are supported by the ink head carriage 20. The five recording heads 22 are arranged side by side in the scanning direction Y. The five recording heads 22 eject ink of different colors from each other. Here, each recording head 22 ejects ink of any color among process color inks such as cyan ink, magenta ink, yellow ink, and black ink, and special color inks different from the process color inks such as clear ink and white ink.

[0027] The cutting head 31 cuts the medium 5 supported by the platen 60. The cutting head 31 is configured to be movable in the scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. 3, the cutting head 31 includes a solenoid 32 and a cutter 33. The cutter 33 is attached to the cutting carriage 30 via the solenoid 32. Here, when the solenoid 32 is turned ON / OFF, the cutter 33 moves in the vertical direction to come into contact with the medium 5 or move away from the medium 5. In this embodiment, the cutter 33 cuts the medium 5 based on, for example, cutting data, and is capable of cutting the medium 5 in a curved shape as well as a straight shape.

[0028] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the cutting head 31 includes a sheet cutter 35. The sheet cutter 35 is used when cutting the medium 5 linearly along the scanning direction Y. The medium 5 cut by the sheet cutter 35 is divided into two parts, an upstream part in the transport direction X and a downstream part in the transport direction X. In the following description, cutting the medium 5 linearly into two parts along the scanning direction Y is referred to as "sheet cutting". The sheet cutter 35 has a different purpose from the cutter 33, and does not cut the medium 5 based on cutting data, or cut the medium 5 in a curved shape or in a linear shape along the transport direction X. The sheet cutter 35 is a cutter dedicated to sheet cutting. In this embodiment, the sheet cutter 35 is attached to the cutting head 31 and configured to be movable in the vertical direction relative to the cutting head 31. For example, the sheet cutter 35 may be attached to a solenoid (not shown) and configured to be moved in the vertical direction by turning the solenoid ON / OFF. However, the sheet cutter 35 may be provided on the inkjet head 21 and configured to be movable in the vertical direction relative to the inkjet head 21.

[0029] The head moving mechanism 40 moves the carriage 17 (in other words, the inkjet head 21 and the cutting head 31) in the scanning direction Y relative to the medium 5 supported by the platen 60. The configuration of the head moving mechanism 40 is not particularly limited. As shown in FIG. 2, the head moving mechanism 40 includes left and right pulleys 41 and 42, a belt 43, and a carriage motor 44. The left pulley 41 is provided around the left end of the guide rail 15. The right pulley 42 is provided around the right end of the guide rail 15. The belt 43 is, for example, endless, and is wound around the left and right pulleys 41 and 42. The belt 43 is fixed to the upper part of the rear surface of the carriage 17. Here, the carriage motor 44 is connected to the left pulley 41. In this embodiment, the carriage motor 44 is driven to rotate the left pulley 41, and the belt 43 runs between the left and right pulleys 41 and 42. This causes the carriage 17 to move in the scanning direction Y. As the carriage 17 moves in the scanning direction Y, the ink head carriage 20 and the cutting carriage 30 move in the scanning direction Y, and the inkjet head 21 (here, five recording heads 22) and the cutting head 31 (here, the cutter 33 and the sheet cutter 35) move in the scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, the head moving mechanism 40 is an example of a sheet cutter moving mechanism that moves the sheet cutter 35 in the scanning direction Y.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 4, the transport mechanism 50 is a mechanism that transports the medium 5 from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction X. Here, the transport mechanism 50 moves the medium 5 supported by the platen 60 in the transport direction X (here, downstream). The configuration of the transport mechanism 50 is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the transport mechanism 50 includes a grit roller 51, a pinch roller 52, and a feed motor 53. The grit roller 51 is provided on the platen 60. Here, the grit roller 51 is embedded in the platen 60 so that the upper part of the grit roller 51 is exposed to the outside. The grit rollers 51 are arranged in parallel in the scanning direction Y. The number of the grit rollers 51 is not particularly limited. As shown in FIG. 4, the pinch roller 52 is disposed above the grit roller 51. The pinch roller 52, together with the grit roller 51, pinches the medium 5 and presses down the medium 5. The feed motor 53 is connected to the grit roller 51. Here, the feed motor 53 is driven to rotate the grit roller 51 while the medium 5 is sandwiched between the grit roller 51 and the pinch roller 52. As the grit roller 51 rotates, the medium 5 supported by the platen 60 is transported downstream in the transport direction X.

[0031] Next, the platen 60 and the configuration of its surroundings will be described. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, a cutter groove 90 is formed between the platen 60 and the downstream apron 80. The cutter groove 90 is formed by the platen 60 and the downstream apron 80. Here, a gap is formed between the downstream end (here, the front end) of the platen 60 and the upstream end (here, the rear end) of the downstream apron 80, and this gap is the cutter groove 90. The cutter groove 90 is a groove into which the sheet cutter 35 enters when cutting the medium 5 into two parts linearly in the scanning direction Y, that is, when cutting the sheet, using the sheet cutter 35 provided in the cutting head 31. As shown in FIG. 5, the cutter groove 90 is a groove extending in the scanning direction Y, and is formed at a position overlapping the sheet cutter 35 in the conveying direction X in a plan view. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the sheet cutter 35 is provided above the cutter groove 90. The sheet cutter 35 is configured to enter the cutter groove 90 when cutting the medium 5.

[0032] 4, in this embodiment, the platen 60 has a platen support wall 61, a first platen extension portion 62, and a second platen extension portion 63. The platen support wall 61 supports the medium 5. The platen support wall 61 extends in the scanning direction Y and the transport direction X. A support surface 61a is provided on the upper surface of the platen support wall 61.

[0033] The first platen extension 62 extends downward from the downstream end (here, the front end) of the platen 60 in the transport direction X. Here, the first platen extension 62 is an example of a platen extension of the present invention. The first platen extension 62 extends downward from the front end of the platen support wall 61. The first platen extension 62 is continuous with the platen support wall 61. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a range A in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 6, the angle formed by the first platen extension 62 and the platen support wall 61 is a right angle. The first platen extension 62 is plate-shaped and extends in the scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. 4, the second platen extension 63 extends downward from a portion of the platen 60 on the upstream side in the transport direction X. The second platen extension 63 extends downward from an end portion on the upstream side (here, rearward) in the transport direction X from the first platen extension 62. In this embodiment, the second platen extension portion 63 is an example of another platen extension portion of the present invention. Here, the second platen extension portion 63 extends downward from the rear end of the platen support wall 61. The second platen extension portion 63 is continuous with the platen support wall 61. The angle formed by the second platen extension portion 63 and the platen support wall 61 is a right angle. The second platen extension portion 63 is plate-shaped like the first platen extension portion 62, and extends in the scanning direction Y.

[0034] In this embodiment, the platen support wall 61, the first platen extension 62, and the second platen extension 63 form a U-shape. The platen support wall 61, the first platen extension 62, and the second platen extension 63 are formed by one first member 65. The first member 65 is a plate-shaped member, for example, a metal plate. The central portion of the first member 65 in the transport direction X becomes the platen support wall 61. The front portion of the first member 65 located forward of the central portion of the first member 65 is bent downward to form the first platen extension 62 by the front portion of the first member 65. Furthermore, the rear portion of the first member 65 located rearward of the central portion of the first member 65 is bent downward to form the second platen extension 63 by the rear portion of the first member 65.

[0035] As shown in Fig. 4, the downstream apron 80 has a downstream apron support wall 81, a first apron extension portion 82, and a second apron extension portion 83. The downstream apron support wall 81 supports the medium 5. The downstream apron support wall 81 is curved downward as it moves away from the platen 60 forward. In this embodiment, the downstream apron support wall 81 is an example of the apron support wall of the present invention. A downstream curved surface 81a is provided on the upper surface of the downstream apron support wall 81.

[0036] The first apron extension 82 extends downward from the downstream end (here, the front end) of the downstream apron 80 in the conveying direction X. Here, the first apron extension 82 extends downward from the front end of the downstream apron support wall 81. More specifically, the first apron extension 82 is inclined rearward as it extends downward from the front end of the downstream apron support wall 81. The first apron extension 82 is continuous with the downstream apron support wall 81. Here, the angle formed by the first apron extension 82 and the downstream apron support wall 81 is an acute angle. The first apron extension 82 is plate-shaped and extends in the scanning direction Y.

[0037] The second apron extension 83 extends downward from the upstream end (here, the rear end) of the downstream apron 80 in the conveying direction X. In this embodiment, the second apron extension 83 is an example of the apron extension of the present invention. Here, the second apron extension 83 extends downward from the rear end of the downstream apron support wall 81. As shown in FIG. 6, the second apron extension 83 is inclined so as to approach the first platen extension 62 side as it goes downward. That is, the second apron extension 83 is inclined backward as it goes downward. The second apron extension 83 is continuous with the downstream apron support wall 81. Here, the angle formed by the second apron extension 83 and the downstream apron support wall 81 is an obtuse angle. The second apron extension 83 is plate-shaped and extends in the scanning direction Y.

[0038] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the downstream apron support wall 81, the first apron extension 82, and the second apron extension 83 are formed by one second member 85. The second member 85 is a plate-shaped member, for example, a metal plate. The central portion of the second member 85 in the conveying direction X is curved. This curved central portion of the second member 85 becomes the downstream apron support wall 81. The front portion of the second member 85 located forward of the central portion of the second member 85 is bent downward and backward to form the first apron extension 82 by the front portion of the second member 85. Furthermore, the rear portion of the second member 85 located rearward of the central portion of the second member 85 is bent downward and backward to form the second apron extension 83 by the rear portion of the second member 85.

[0039] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4, the upstream apron 70 has an upstream apron support wall 71. The upstream apron support wall 71 is curved downward as it moves away from the platen 60 rearward. An upstream curved surface 71a is provided on the upper surface of the upstream apron support wall 71. Here, no gap is formed between the upstream apron 70 and the platen 60. Since the front end of the upstream apron support wall 71 of the upstream apron 70 is placed on the rear end of the platen 60, no gap is formed between the upstream apron 70 and the platen 60.

[0040] In this embodiment, the downstream apron 80 (more specifically, the downstream apron support wall 81) is formed of a plate-like member that is thinner than the platen 60 (more specifically, the platen support wall 61). That is, the second member 85 that forms the downstream apron 80 is thinner than the first member 65 that forms the platen 60. In addition, the upstream apron 70 is formed of a plate-like member that is thinner than the platen 60. The upstream apron 70 and the downstream apron 80 have the same thickness, but may have different thicknesses.

[0041] In this embodiment, the printer 10 includes an adsorption device 110 and a heater device 120. The adsorption device 110 is a device that adsorbs the medium 5 to the platen 60 and the downstream apron 80. The adsorption device 110 is provided below the platen 60 and the downstream apron 80.

[0042] In this embodiment, the downstream apron 80 is formed with a plurality of suction holes 111. As shown in FIG. 5, the suction holes 111 are formed in the downstream apron 80 at the rear of the downstream apron support wall 81. The suction holes 111 are formed to penetrate the downstream apron 80 (here, the downstream apron support wall 81) from top to bottom. The plurality of suction holes 111 are arranged in parallel in the scanning direction Y. Here, the number of rows of the suction holes 111 arranged in the scanning direction Y is not particularly limited, and may be more than one. In this embodiment, the suction holes 111 are formed in the downstream apron 80, but may be formed in the platen 60 (more specifically, the platen support wall 61). The suction holes 111 may be formed in either the downstream apron 80 or the platen 60, or may be formed in both the downstream apron 80 and the platen 60. That is, the suction holes 111 are formed penetrating at least one of the platen 60 and the downstream apron 80 .

[0043] As shown in Fig. 4, the adsorption device 110 includes an adsorption chamber 112 and an adsorption fan 115. The adsorption chamber 112 is formed by the platen 60 and the downstream apron 80, and communicates with the adsorption holes 111. Here, the adsorption chamber 112 is disposed so as to extend from the platen 60 to the downstream apron 80, and is disposed below the platen 60 and the downstream apron 80. Here, the adsorption chamber 112 is disposed at a position overlapping with the adsorption holes 111 in a plan view. Therefore, the adsorption holes 111 are holes that communicate the adsorption chamber 112 with the outside of the adsorption chamber 112.

[0044] In this embodiment, the adsorption chamber 112 is a space surrounded by the adsorption chamber forming member 113, the platen 60, and the downstream apron 80. The adsorption chamber forming member 113 is a member that covers the platen 60 and a part (here, the rear part) of the downstream apron 80 from below. The adsorption chamber forming member 113 has a bottom wall 113a, a front wall 113b, a front flange 113c, a rear wall 113d, and an upper wall 113e.

[0045] The bottom wall 113a is disposed below the platen 60 and is disposed so as to be parallel to the platen support wall 61 of the platen 60. The bottom wall 113a is flat and extends in the scanning direction Y and the transport direction X. The front wall 113b extends upward from the front end of the bottom wall 113a. The upper end of the front wall 113b abuts against the rear surface of the downstream apron support wall 81 of the downstream apron 80. Here, as shown in FIG. 5, the front wall 113b is disposed forward of the suction hole 111 formed in the downstream apron 80. As shown in FIG. 4, the front flange 113c extends rearward from the upper end of the front wall 113b. The front flange 113c is disposed forward of the suction hole 111 formed in the downstream apron 80. The front flange 113c is fixed to the rear surface of the downstream apron support wall 81 of the downstream apron 80. As a result, the adsorption chamber forming member 113 is fixed to the downstream apron 80 .

[0046] The rear wall 113d extends upward from the rear end of the bottom wall 113a. The upper wall 113e extends forward from the upper end of the rear wall 113d. In this embodiment, the upper wall 113e constitutes a part of the platen 60. The upper wall 113e is disposed rearward of the platen support wall 61 and the second platen extension portion 63 of the platen 60. Here, the upper surface of the upper wall 113e and the upper surface of the platen support wall 61 are substantially flush with each other. A front end portion of the upstream apron support wall 71 of the upstream apron 70 is placed on the upper wall 113e.

[0047] Although not shown in the drawings, in this embodiment, a pair of left and right side plates are provided to the right and left of the platen 60, the upstream apron 70, and the downstream apron 80. The platen 60, the upstream apron 70, and the downstream apron 80 are connected and fixed to the pair of left and right side plates. The pair of left and right side plates are also connected to the left and right ends of the suction chamber forming member 113, and the left and right sides of the suction chamber 112 are closed by the pair of left and right side plates.

[0048] As described above, the grit roller 51 of the transport mechanism 50 is embedded in the platen 60 so that its upper portion is exposed. Here, a roller hole 68 is formed in the platen 60 (more specifically, the upper wall 113e). The grit roller 51 is housed in this roller hole 68 with its upper portion exposed. In this state, a gap 69 is formed between the grit roller 51 and the edge of the roller hole 68. This gap 69 communicates with the suction chamber 112.

[0049] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the suction fan 115 generates a negative pressure in the suction chamber 112. The suction fan 115 creates a negative pressure in the suction chamber 112 to suction the medium 5 to the platen 60 or the downstream apron 80. Here, the suction fan 115 is provided on the lower surface of the bottom wall 113a of the suction chamber forming member 113. However, the position of the suction fan 115 is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, when the suction fan 115 is driven (in other words, rotated), the suction chamber 112 becomes negative pressure, and outside air tries to enter the suction chamber 112 through the suction holes 111 and the gap 69 between the roller hole 68 of the platen 60 and the grit roller 51. At this time, the medium 5 is suctioned to the platen 60 (here, the platen support wall 61) or the downstream apron 80 (here, the downstream apron support wall 81).

[0050] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the cutter groove 90 is formed between the first platen extension 62 and the second apron extension 83. In other words, the cutter groove 90 is formed between the first platen extension 62 and the second apron extension 83. Here, the second apron extension 83 is inclined toward the first platen extension 62 as it goes downward. Therefore, the cutter groove 90 is formed in the suction chamber 112, and the interval in the conveying direction X becomes narrower as it goes downward. In this embodiment, the lower end of the first platen extension 62 and the lower end of the second apron extension 83 are in contact with each other, and the lower end is closed at the cutter groove 90. However, a small gap may be formed between the lower end of the first platen extension 62 and the lower end of the second apron extension 83 due to the influence of the variation in the size of the members. In this embodiment, a gap 92 in the transport direction X between the lower end of the first platen extension 62 and the lower end of the second apron extension 83 is smaller than a diameter 111a (see FIG. 5) of the suction hole 111. Here, it is assumed that the gap 92 includes 0. Note that in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, a gap 93 in the transport direction X between the upper end of the first platen extension 62 and the upper end of the second apron extension 83 is larger than the diameter 111a of the suction hole 111, but may be the same as the diameter 111a or smaller than the diameter 111a.

[0051] 4, the heater device 120 is a device that heats the platen 60. By heating the platen 60, the medium 5 supported by the platen 60 is heated. This can promote drying of the ink ejected onto the medium 5. The heater device 120 is provided below the platen 60. In this embodiment, the heater device 120 includes a heater chamber 121 and a heater 122.

[0052] The heater chamber 121 is disposed below the platen 60. Here, a bottom plate 125 is provided below the platen support wall 61 of the platen 60 and above the bottom wall 113a of the adsorption chamber forming member 113. The bottom plate 125 is a plate-shaped member extending in the scanning direction Y and the transport direction X. The bottom plate 125 is disposed so as to be parallel to the platen support wall 61 and the bottom wall 113a. The bottom plate 125 is connected to the lower end of the first platen extension portion 62 and the lower end of the second platen extension portion 63. Note that here, the lower end of the second apron extension portion 83 of the downstream apron 80 is not connected to the bottom plate 125, but may be connected to the bottom plate 125. The bottom plate 125 is connected to at least one of the lower end of the first platen extension portion 62 and the lower end of the second apron extension portion 83. In this embodiment, the heater chamber 121 is a space surrounded by the platen 60 (more specifically, the platen support wall 61), the first platen extension portion 62, the second platen extension portion 63, and the bottom plate 125. Here, the left and right sides of the heater chamber 121 are closed by the pair of left and right side plates described above.

[0053] The heater 122 is disposed in the heater chamber 121. Here, the heater 122 is provided on the lower surface of the platen support wall 61 of the platen 60. In this embodiment, the heater 122 is an electric heating wire such as a nichrome wire or an iron chrome wire. However, the type of the heater 122 is not particularly limited.

[0054] In this embodiment, printing is performed on the medium 5 by ejecting ink from the recording head 22 onto the medium 5 supported by the platen 60. During printing, the heater 122 of the heater device 120 heats up, causing the temperature of the heater chamber 121 to rise. This heats the platen 60, and the medium 5 supported by the platen 60 is heated. This can promote drying of the ink ejected onto the medium 5.

[0055] During printing and when the medium 5 supported by the platen 60 and downstream apron 80 is cut by the cutter 33 of the cutting head 31, the medium 5 may lift up from the platen 60 or downstream apron 80. For this reason, the suction device 110 is operated during printing and cutting. Here, the suction fan 115 of the suction device 110 is rotated to create a negative pressure in the suction chamber 112. At this time, outside air tries to enter the suction chamber 112 through the suction holes 111 and the gaps 69 of the roller holes 68 of the platen 60. Therefore, the medium 5 is suctioned to the platen 60 (here, the platen support wall 61) or the downstream apron 80 (here, the downstream apron support wall 81). As a result, it is possible to make it difficult for the medium 5 to lift up from the platen 60 and downstream apron 80. In this embodiment, the second apron extension portion 83 is inclined toward the first platen extension portion 62 as it goes downward, and the interval in the cutter groove 90 in the conveying direction X becomes narrower as it goes downward. Therefore, when the suction fan 115 is driven, it is possible to make it difficult for outside air to enter the suction chamber 112 from the cutter groove 90. Therefore, it is possible to easily create a negative pressure in the suction chamber 112 when the suction fan 115 is rotated.

[0056] When printing and cutting of the medium 5 is completed in the printer 10, the sheet cutter 35 cuts the medium 5. Here, with the medium 5 placed above the cutter groove 90, the sheet cutter 35 is caused to enter the cutter groove 90. At this time, the sheet cutter 35 penetrates the portion of the medium 5 above the cutter groove 90. In this state, the head movement mechanism 40 moves the carriage 17 in the scanning direction Y. As the carriage 17 moves, the sheet cutter 35 provided on the cutting head 31 moves in the scanning direction Y along the cutter groove 90 while being inside the cutter groove 90. Then, as the sheet cutter 35 moves in the scanning direction Y, the sheet cutter 35 cuts the medium 5 linearly in the scanning direction Y to divide it into two, thereby performing sheet cutting.

[0057] As described above, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the printer 10 includes the platen 60 that supports the medium 5, the transport mechanism 50, the downstream apron 80 that is an example of an apron, the cutter groove 90, the sheet cutter 35, and the head moving mechanism 40 that is an example of a sheet cutter moving mechanism. The transport mechanism 50 transports the medium 5 supported by the platen 60 from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction X. The downstream apron 80 is disposed downstream of the platen 60 in the transport direction X, and supports the medium 5 transported from the platen 60. The cutter groove 90 is formed by the platen 60 and the downstream apron 80 between the platen 60 and the downstream apron 80, and extends in the scanning direction Y as shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 6, the sheet cutter 35 is provided above the cutter groove 90 and cuts the medium 5. The head moving mechanism 40 moves the sheet cutter 35 in the scanning direction Y. The sheet cutter 35 is configured to enter the cutter groove 90 when cutting the medium 5. In this manner, the cutter groove 90 can be formed by the gap between the platen 60 and the downstream apron 80. Therefore, the cutter groove 90 can be formed without performing an extrusion process or the like when forming the platen as in the conventional method, and therefore the cutter groove 90 can be easily formed when manufacturing the printer 10.

[0058] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the platen 60 includes a platen support wall 61 that supports the medium 5, and a first platen extension 62 that extends downward from a downstream end (here, the front end) of the platen support wall 61 in the conveying direction X. The downstream apron 80 includes a downstream apron support wall 81 that supports the medium 5, and a second apron extension 83 that extends downward from an upstream end (here, the rear end) of the downstream apron support wall 81 in the conveying direction X. The cutter groove 90 is formed between the first platen extension 62 and the second apron extension 83. This makes it possible to easily form the cutter groove 90 by the gap between the first platen extension 62 and the second apron extension 83 while increasing the rigidity of the downstream end of the platen support wall 61 and the upstream end of the downstream apron support wall 81.

[0059] In this embodiment, at least one of the platen 60 and the downstream apron 80 (here, only the downstream apron 80) has a suction hole 111 formed therethrough. The printer 10 includes a suction chamber 112 and a suction fan 115. The suction chamber 112 is formed by the platen 60 and the downstream apron 80, and communicates with the suction hole 111. The suction fan 115 generates negative pressure in the suction chamber 112. The cutter grooves 90 are formed in the suction chamber 112, and the interval between the cutter grooves 90 narrows toward the bottom. For example, when the suction fan 115 is rotated to create a negative pressure in the suction chamber 112, air may enter the suction chamber 112 from the cutter grooves 90 formed between the first platen extension 62 and the second apron extension 83. However, in this embodiment, the distance between the cutter groove 90 narrows downward, that is, the distance between the first platen extension 62 and the second apron extension 83 narrows downward, making it difficult for outside air to enter the suction chamber 112 through the cutter groove 90. This makes it easier to create a negative pressure in the suction chamber 112 when the suction fan 115 is rotated. This makes it easier to suction the medium 5 to the platen 60 or the downstream apron 80 when the suction fan 115 is rotated.

[0060] In this embodiment, a distance 92 (see FIG. 6) between the lower end of the first platen extension 62 and the lower end of the second apron extension 83 is smaller than a diameter 111a (see FIG. 5) of the suction hole 111. Here, the distance 92 includes the value of 0. This makes it possible to reduce the distance 92 between the lower ends of the first platen extension 62 and the second apron extension 83. Therefore, when the suction fan 115 is rotated, it is more difficult for outside air to enter the suction chamber 112 through the cutter groove 90, making it easier to create a negative pressure in the suction chamber 112.

[0061] 6, in this embodiment, the second apron extension 83 is inclined so as to approach the first platen extension 62 as it extends downward. In this manner, by the simple method of forming the second apron extension 83 so as to be inclined, the distance between the first platen extension 62 and the second apron extension 83 can be made smaller as it extends downward.

[0062] 4, the printer 10 includes a bottom plate 125 that is connected to at least one of the lower end of the first platen extension 62 and the lower end of the second apron extension 83 and extends in the transport direction X. As a result, even if air attempts to enter the suction chamber 112 from the cutter groove 90 formed between the first platen extension 62 and the second apron extension 83, the air is prevented from entering the suction chamber 112 by being blocked by the bottom plate 125. This makes it easier to create a negative pressure in the suction chamber 112.

[0063] 4, in this embodiment, the downstream apron 80 is formed of a plate-like member that is thinner than the platen 60. The suction holes 111 are formed in the downstream apron 80. Since the suction holes 111 are formed in the downstream apron 80, which is thinner than the platen 60, it is easy to form the suction holes 111 during manufacturing.

[0064] In this embodiment, the platen 80 includes a second platen extension 63 that extends downward from an end portion upstream of the first platen extension 62 in the transport direction X and is connected to the bottom plate 125. The second platen extension 63 is an example of another platen extension portion. The printer 10 further includes a heater chamber 121 surrounded by the platen support wall 61, the first platen extension 62, the bottom plate 125, and the second platen extension 63, and a heater 122 disposed in the heater chamber 121. This makes it possible to form the heater chamber 121 using the first platen extension 62 used to form the cutter groove 90. Therefore, while reducing the number of parts, the heater 122 can be driven to heat the medium 5 on the platen 60, thereby accelerating the drying of the ink. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 5 Medium 35 Sheet cutter 40 Head movement mechanism (sheet cutter movement mechanism) 50 Conveyor mechanism 60 Platen 61 Platen support wall 62 First platen extension section (platen extension section) 63 Second platen extension section (another platen extension section) 80 Downstream Apron (Apron) 81 Downstream apron support wall (apron support wall) 83 Second apron extension (apron extension) 90 Cutter groove 111 Adsorption hole 112 Adsorption chamber 115 Suction fan 121 Heater Room 122 Heater 125 Bottom plate X conveying direction Y scanning direction

Claims

1. a platen for supporting the medium; a conveying mechanism that conveys the medium supported by the platen from an upstream side to a downstream side in a conveying direction; an apron disposed downstream of the platen in the transport direction and supporting the medium transported from the platen; a cutter groove formed between the platen and the apron and extending in a scanning direction; a sheet cutter provided at an upper portion of the cutter groove for cutting a medium; a sheet cutter moving mechanism that moves the sheet cutter in the scanning direction; Equipped with The printer, wherein the sheet cutter is configured to enter the cutter groove when cutting the media.

2. The platen is a platen support wall for supporting the medium; a platen extension portion extending downward from a downstream end of the platen support wall in the transport direction; Equipped with The apron is an apron support wall for supporting the medium; an apron extension portion extending downward from an upstream end of the apron support wall in the conveying direction; Equipped with The printer of claim 1 , wherein the cutter groove is formed between the platen extension and the apron extension.

3. At least one of the platen and the apron has a suction hole formed therethrough, an adsorption chamber formed by the platen and the apron and communicating with the adsorption hole; an adsorption fan that generates a negative pressure in the adsorption chamber; Equipped with 3. The printer according to claim 2, wherein the cutter grooves are formed in the suction chamber, and the intervals between the cutter grooves become narrower in a downward direction.

4. 4. The printer according to claim 3, wherein the apron extension is inclined so as to approach the platen extension as it extends downward.

5. 4. The printer according to claim 3, wherein a distance between a lower end of the platen extension and a lower end of the apron extension is smaller than a diameter of the suction hole.

6. The apron is formed of a plate-like member that is thinner than the platen, The printer according to claim 3 , wherein the suction holes are formed in the apron.

7. The printer according to claim 2 , further comprising a bottom plate connected to at least one of a lower end of the platen extension and a lower end of the apron extension, the bottom plate extending in the transport direction.

8. the platen includes another platen extension portion that extends downward from an end portion that is upstream of the platen extension portion in the transport direction and is connected to the bottom plate, a heater chamber surrounded by the platen support wall, the platen extension, the bottom plate, and the other platen extension; a heater disposed in the heater chamber; 8. The printer of claim 7, comprising:

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