Recording apparatus

Abstract

To provide a recording apparatus which enables improvement of operability.SOLUTION: A recording apparatus includes a carriage 101 configured to support a recording head that discharges a liquid, the carriage 101 including a main body 15 which is provided with an opening for internally housing the recording head and which includes a locking portion 153, and a cover 17 which is rotatable between a closed state, in which the cover blocks the opening, and an open state, in which the cover exposes the opening, and which includes a locked portion 191 that engages with the locking portion in the closed state. The cover 17 includes an operating portion 19 including a protruding portion 192 which protrudes, from a surface constituting an outer wall surface of the carriage 101, in a rotating direction of the cover 17 from the closed state to the open state, the operating portion 19 having an attitude which changes so that engagement between the locked portion 191 and the locking portion 153 is released by the protruding portion 192 being pressed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, a recording device including a recording head and a carriage supporting the recording head is known. Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a cover that can be opened and closed by rotating with respect to the main body of the carriage is provided. In the above-mentioned configuration, when the cover is in a closed state, the cover engages with the main body, and the user can open the cover by releasing the engagement. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3948959 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above-mentioned configuration, the user needs to directly touch the engaging portion between the main body and the cover to release the engagement. However, since the engaging portion is located inside the recording device, the user needs to insert his / her fingers inside the recording device to release the engagement, which makes the cover difficult to operate.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a recording device that can improve operability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, a recording apparatus according to the present invention comprises: A carriage that supports a recording head that ejects liquid, a main body having an opening capable of accommodating the recording head therein and a locking portion; a cover that is rotatable between a closed state in which the opening is closed and an open state in which the opening is exposed, the cover having an engaged portion that engages with the engaging portion when in the closed state; a carriage having The cover is characterized in having an operating part that includes a protrusion that protrudes from a surface that constitutes the outer wall surface of the carriage in the direction of rotation of the cover from the closed state to the open state, and the operating part changes its posture when the protrusion is pressed so that the engagement between the engaged portion and the engaging portion is released. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a recording device that can improve operability. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the internal configuration of a recording apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ink tank and peripheral members according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a carriage according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a front view of a carriage according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] 5A to 5C are explanatory diagrams of the opening and closing operation of the cover of the carriage according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the positional relationship between a housing and a carriage according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a carriage according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative positions of the components described in the embodiment may be changed as appropriate depending on the configuration of the device to which the invention is applied and various conditions. In other words, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment.

[0010] Although the following embodiments describe a number of features, not all of these features are essential to the invention, and the features may be combined in any manner. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0011] First Embodiment (Recording device) First, a schematic configuration of a recording device 11 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an internal configuration of the recording device 11 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The recording device 11 of the first embodiment is an inkjet recording device that ejects ink to record on a recording medium, but the present invention is also applicable to various recording devices other than inkjet recording devices. In the figure, the X direction and the Y direction indicated by the arrows indicate directions that intersect with each other, and in the first embodiment, these are perpendicular to each other. The Z direction indicates the up-down direction (gravity direction). The X direction is the width direction of the recording device 11 (left-right direction, width direction of the recording medium). The Y direction is the depth direction of the recording device 11 (front-rear direction).

[0012] In addition, "recording" includes not only the formation of meaningful information such as characters and figures, but also the formation of images, patterns, and the like on a recording medium, whether meaningful or insignificant, or the processing of the medium, regardless of whether it is manifested in a way that can be visually perceived by humans. In addition, although a sheet of paper is assumed as the "recording medium" in this embodiment, it may also be cloth, plastic film, etc.

[0013] The recording device 11 includes a recording head 12 that ejects ink onto a recording medium, an ink tank 13 that stores ink to be supplied to the recording head 12, and a carriage 101 that reciprocates in the main scanning direction (X direction) and has the recording head 12 detachably mounted thereon. The recording device 11 also includes a supply tube 14 that forms an ink supply path for supplying ink from the ink tank 13 to the recording head 12. The carriage 101 includes a main body 15 that houses the recording head 12 therein, and a cover 17 that is a head set cover member that covers the main body 15 from above. With the cover 17 open, a user can attach or detach the recording head 12 to or from the carriage 101.

[0014] The recording device 11 has a plurality of rollers (conveying means) that feed a sheet-like recording medium. The recording medium is conveyed by these rollers in a conveying direction perpendicular to the moving direction (main scanning direction) of a carriage 101 (recording head 12). In addition, a platen 16 that supports the recording medium is provided below the range in which the recording head 12 moves so as to face the recording head 12. In the first embodiment, a recording operation is performed by the recording head 12 while the recording medium is conveyed toward the front (Y direction from rear to front).

[0015] The recording head 12 of the first embodiment is a recording head that performs recording by ejecting ink supplied from an ink tank 13 onto a recording medium. The recording head 12 has an ejection surface on which a plurality of nozzles that eject ink are formed. The ejection surface is disposed to face a platen 16. Each nozzle is provided with, for example, an electrothermal conversion element (heater), which is heated by passing electricity through it to cause the ink to bubble, and the ink is ejected by the bubbling energy. The recording head 12 ejects ink by using a piezoelectric element instead of an electrothermal conversion element. The structure may be

[0016] The carriage 101 reciprocates in the main scanning direction, driven by a motor and a belt 18. While the carriage 101 moves in the main scanning direction, ink is ejected from the recording head 12 onto a recording medium on a platen 16, thereby recording an image on the recording medium.

[0017] As described above, the recording device 11 of the first embodiment is a serial type inkjet recording device in which the recording head 12 is mounted on a carriage 101 that moves back and forth in the X direction. However, the present invention is also applicable to other recording devices, such as an inkjet recording device equipped with a recording head that is a so-called full line head, in which multiple nozzles that eject liquid are provided in an area corresponding to the width of the recording medium.

[0018] (Ink tank) Next, the configuration of the ink tank 13 and its peripheral members will be described. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the ink tank 13 and its peripheral members. The ink tank 13 is an ink storage section provided corresponding to each ink color, and in the first embodiment, four ink tanks 13 are provided in the recording device 11. A supply tube 14 for supplying ink of each color is attached to each ink tank 13. An ink inlet 22 is opened at the top of the ink tank 13, and when ink is not being injected, the ink inlet 22 is sealed by a plug member 231 of the plug portion 23. The ink tank 13 is supported by a housing portion 24.

[0019] The plug portion 23 has a plug member 231 that seals the ink inlet 22, and a holding member 232 that holds the plug member 231. The housing portion 24 is provided with a shaft portion, and the holding member 232 has an engagement portion that engages with the shaft portion. The holding member 232 is supported by the housing portion 24 so as to be rotatable relative to the housing portion 24.

[0020] Stopper portion 23 is engaged by operation portion 25 with stopper member 231 sealing ink inlet 22. A user can rotate holding member 232 by operating operation portion 25 to release the engagement of stopper portion 23 by operation portion 25. A user can open holding member 232 to remove stopper member 231 sealing ink inlet 22 from ink inlet 22 and open ink inlet 22, thereby enabling ink to be injected into ink tank 13.

[0021] (carriage) Next, the structure of the carriage 101 and its peripheral members will be described. Figures 3(a) and (b) are perspective views showing the carriage and its surroundings. Figure 3(a) shows the state when the print head is energized, and Figure 3(b) shows the state when the print head is replaced. Figure 4 is a front view showing the carriage and its surroundings, showing the state when the print head is replaced.

[0022] In the first embodiment, the carriage 101 supports a plurality of recording heads 12. Specifically, two types of recording heads 12, a recording head 121 and a recording head 122, are supported. The recording head 121 is a recording head that ejects cyan ink, magenta ink, and yellow ink. The recording head 122 is a recording head that ejects black ink. In the first embodiment, the recording head 12 is supported by the carriage 101 in an exchangeable (detachable) manner. Since the recording head 12 is exchangeable, the recording head 12 and the rest of the device main body may be formally referred to as the recording device 11, or only the device main body may be referred to as the recording device 11. The recording head 12 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole, and an ink ejection surface is provided at the bottom when supported by the carriage 101.

[0023] The carriage 101 includes a main body 15 in which a head housing portion 151 for housing the recording head 121 and a head housing portion 152 for housing the recording head 122 are formed, and a carriage 102 that rotates relative to the main body 15. and a cover 17 which is movably supported by the carriage 101. The main body 15 has an opening for a head housing section 151 capable of housing the recording head 121 therein and an opening for a head housing section 152 capable of housing the recording head 122 therein, provided at the top. The head housing section 151 and the head housing section 152 are aligned in the X direction, and the recording heads 121 and 122 are arranged aligned in the X direction. The carriage 101 has an opening at its bottom, and the ejection surfaces of the recording heads 121 and 122 are exposed to the outside (downward) of the carriage 101. A locking section 153 which keeps the cover 17 in a closed state is provided at the front (end in the Y direction) of the carriage 101.

[0024] The cover 17 is a rotating member rotatably supported by the main body 15. The cover 17 is configured to be rotatable between an open state (open position) in which the opening of the main body 15 is exposed to enable replacement of the recording head 12, and a closed state (closed position) in which the cover 17 covers the recording head 12 together with the main body 15 to close the opening of the main body 15. In FIG. 3(b), a rotation direction D in which the cover 17 rotates from the closed state to the open state is indicated by a white arrow. In the following description, the side where the rotation center (rotation center line 172) is located in the radial direction when the cover 17 rotates is referred to as the root side, and the side opposite the root side is referred to as the tip side.

[0025] An operating member 19 is connected to the tip side of cover 17 when it is rotated. Operating member 19 is a headset opening member that has a locked portion 191 that is locked by locking portion 153, and a protruding portion 192 that protrudes from cover 17 in rotation direction D.

[0026] When viewed in the direction of the rotation axis of cover 17, locked portion 191 has a claw shape that protrudes in a direction intersecting the rotation direction of cover 17 and is configured to be able to engage with locking portion 153 that protrudes toward the front of recording device 11. When cover 17 is in the closed state, locked portion 191 is locked by locking portion 153, and rotation of cover 17 in rotation direction D from the closed state to the open state is inhibited. With this configuration, cover 17 is maintained in the closed state during recording operations, etc.

[0027] The protruding portion 192 is an operating portion that is operated by the user to release the engagement between the locking portion 153 and the locked portion 191. When the cover 17 is in the closed state, by pressing the protruding portion 192 toward the back of the recording device 11 (Y direction), the engagement between the locking portion 153 and the locked portion 191 is released, and the cover 17 becomes rotatable in the rotation direction D. The opening and closing operation of the cover 17 will be described in detail later.

[0028] In the first embodiment, the cover 17 protrudes forward from the main body 15, and the operating member 19 is connected to the front end of the cover 17. When the cover 17 is in the closed state, the locked portion 191 is located at the lower end of the operating member 19, and the protruding portion 192 is located at the upper end of the operating member 19. When the cover 17 is in the closed state, the protruding portion 192 is located at the front end of the carriage 101. The protruding portion 192 has a central portion in the width direction (X direction) that is recessed in the direction from the tip side to the base side of the cover 17, and is shaped to easily accommodate the user's fingers during operation and to provide excellent operability.

[0029] The main body 15 of the carriage 101 is provided with two rotation shafts 154 spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction (X direction). Bearings 171 that engage with the rotation shafts 154 are provided on the left and right side wall portions of the cover 17. The cover 17 is supported by the rotation shafts 154 so as to be rotatable relative to the main body 15 around a rotation center line 172 that is the center line of the rotation shafts 154. In the first embodiment, the extension direction of the rotation center line 172 is the X direction.

[0030] Near each of the rotation shafts 154, a biasing member 20 is provided to bias the cover 17 in the rotation direction D. The biasing member 20 is a torsion coil spring through which the rotation shaft 154 is inserted. In the first embodiment, when the protrusion 192 of the operating member 19 is pressed, the locking portion 153 and the biasing member 20 are engaged with each other. The engagement of the locking portion 191 is released, and the cover 17 is automatically rotated to the open state by the biasing force of the biasing member 20.

[0031] The cover 17 holds two connection members 21. The connection members 21 are disposed inside an upper wall portion 173 of the cover 17. When the cover 17 is in a closed state, the upper wall portion 173 is configured to cover the recording head 12 from above, and in this respect, the upper wall portion 173 can be said to be a cover portion. When the cover 17 is in a closed state, the connection members 21 are positioned between the upper wall portion 173 and the recording head 12.

[0032] The connection member 21 is a member that relays between the recording head 12 and the supply tube 14, and one connection member 21 is connected to the recording head 121, and the other connection member 21 is connected to the recording head 122. A supply tube 14 is provided for each type of ink, and a total of four supply tubes 14 are provided in the first embodiment. Each supply tube 14 is connected to an ink tank 13 that contains the ink corresponding to each supply tube 14. Each supply tube 14 is a long flexible member, and is a supply member that forms an ink supply passage. The connection member 21 may be formed integrally with the cover 17 as a connection portion of the cover 17 that is connected to the supply tube 14.

[0033] The operating member 19 has a holding portion 193 that holds the supply tubes 14. The four supply tubes 14 are held and fixed at their midpoints by the holding portion 193 of the operating member 19. The operating member 19 can be attached to and detached from the cover 17 while holding the supply tubes 14. When the cover 17 is opened or closed, the supply tubes 14 move together with the cover 17 and do not impede the opening or closing operation. This leads to improved service replaceability.

[0034] In the first embodiment, the operating member 19 is a different color from the main body 15 and the cover 17. This improves the visibility of the operating portion and improves the operability of the cover 17. In the above, the entire operation member 19 is a different color from the main body 15 and the cover 17 , but for example, only the protrusion 192 may be a different color from the main body 15 and the cover 17 .

[0035] A hook portion 174 for a user to hook his / her fingers is provided on an upper surface 176 of the cover 17, which faces vertically upward when the cover 17 is in a closed state. The hook portion 174 is a protruding portion that protrudes from the upper surface 176 in the rotation direction, and has an arc shape with a central portion recessed forward when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface 176. The provision of the hook portion 174 allows the user to press the protruding portion 192 in the rear direction while hooking his / her finger on the hook portion 174, making it easier to apply force in a stable state, improving the operability of the cover 17.

[0036] As described above, the carriage 101 is composed of the main body 15, the cover 17, the operating member 19, and the connecting member 21, and holds a plurality of recording heads 12 inside the main body 15. The carriage 101 reciprocates in the main scanning direction while supporting the recording heads 12, and ink is supplied to the recording heads 12 supported by the carriage 101 from the ink tank 13 through the supply tube 14.

[0037] In addition, an operating member 19 and a connecting member 21 are attached to the cover 17 and rotate integrally with the cover 17. The carriage 101 can also be considered to be composed of a cover unit that includes the cover 17 that closes the opening of the main body 15 as a cover main body, the operating member 19 that functions as an operating part during the opening operation, and the connecting member 21 that functions as a connecting part. In this case, the entire cover unit can also be considered as one cover.

[0038] (Opening and closing the headset cover) Next, the opening and closing operation of the cover 17 with respect to the main body 15 will be described in detail. 5(c) is an explanatory diagram of the opening and closing operation of cover 17, and is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 4 when carriage 101 is viewed in the X direction. FIG. 5(a) shows cover 17 in a closed state, FIG. 5(b) shows cover 17 in a position between the closed state and the open state, and FIG. 5(c) shows cover 17 in an open state.

[0039] As described above, the cover 17 is maintained in the closed state by the locked portion 191 of the operating member 19 connected to the cover 17 being locked by the locking portion 153 of the main body 15. Then, by pressing the protruding portion 192, which is the pressed portion (operating portion), the locked state of the locked portion 191 by the locking portion 153 is released, and the urging force of the urging member 20 causes the cover 17 to rotate from the closed state to the open state.

[0040] The protrusion 192 is provided on the upper part of the operating member 19, and is positioned so as to be partially convex from the periphery of the carriage 101 and the cover 17 in the Z direction. More specifically, the protrusion 192 protrudes from the upper surface 176 of the cover 17 in a rotation direction D in which the cover 17 rotates from a closed state to an open state. In the first embodiment, the upper surface 176 is a surface that constitutes the outer wall surface of the cover 17, and faces upward when the cover 17 is in the closed state. In FIG. 5(a), the Z direction position of the upper surface 176 is indicated by line BB, and the pressing direction C of the protrusion 192 for opening the cover 17 is indicated by a hollow arrow. The protrusion 192 is also positioned at the end of the front side of the carriage 101 in the Y direction.

[0041] First, a detailed description will be given of the opening operation of the cover 17. As shown in Fig. 5(a), when the cover 17 is in the closed state, the locked portion 191 of the operating member 19 connected to the cover 17 is locked to the locking portion 153 of the main body 15.

[0042] To rotate the cover 17 in the rotation direction D, the user first releases the locked state between the locking portion 153 and the locked portion 191. The locked state is released by pressing the protruding portion 192 in the depth direction (Y direction from front to rear). When the protruding portion 192 is pressed in the depth direction, the position of the operating member 19 changes so that the engagement between the locked portion 191 and the locking portion 153 is released. In the first embodiment, the pressing direction of the protruding portion 192 is horizontal, which is opposite to the transport direction of the recording medium during the recording operation.

[0043] The configuration in which the attitude of the operating member 19 changes so that the engagement between the locked portion 191 and the locking portion 153 is released by pressing the protruding portion 192 can be realized, for example, by supporting the operating member 19 to be rotatable on the cover 17 around a rotation axis extending in the X direction. When the operating member 19 is configured to be rotatable, a biasing member such as a spring that biases the operating member 19 may be provided to fix the attitude of the operating member 19 in the closed state in the non-pressed state. Alternatively, for example, the operating member 19 may be configured so that the contact portion of the operating member 19 with the cover 17 serves as a fulcrum, and the operating member 19 rotates in the clockwise direction in FIG. 3(a) as the protruding portion 192 is pressed in the rear direction. The mechanism for releasing the engagement between the locked portion 191 and the locking portion 153 in conjunction with the pressing of the operating member 19 is not limited to the above-mentioned or illustrated ones, and various mechanisms may be adopted.

[0044] When the engagement between the locked portion 191 and the locking portion 153 is released, the cover 17 is urged in the rotation direction D by the urging member 20 and moves to the open state. FIG. 5(b) shows the cover 17 in the middle of moving from the closed state to the open state. The urging member 20 urges the cover 17, thereby preventing fingers from being accidentally pinched between the cover 17 and the main body 15 when opening or closing the cover 17. Note that, in the opening operation of the cover 17, the urging force of the urging member 20 may be set to a magnitude sufficient to assist the opening operation of the cover 17, so that the user can lift the cover 17.

[0045] When the cover 17 is in the open state, as shown in FIG. 5(c), the cover 17 and the main body 15 are A sufficient space is formed between the cover 17 and the carriage 101 to allow the recording head 12 to be inserted into and removed from the head housing portions 151 and 152. The cover 17 is maintained in the open position by being biased by the biasing member 20, so that the user can safely attach and detach the recording head 12 to and from the carriage 101. Note that the configuration for maintaining the cover 17 in the open position is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration, and a known stopper mechanism or the like may be provided. Through the above operations, the cover 17 rotates from the closed position to the open position, and the carriage 101 becomes capable of attaching and detaching the recording head 12.

[0046] The closing operation for rotating the cover 17 from the open state to the closed state can be performed by performing the above-mentioned opening operation in reverse. By rotating the cover 17 to the closed state against the biasing force of the biasing member 20, the locked portion 191 and the locking portion 153 engage with each other, and the cover 17 is maintained in the closed state. The locked portion 191 has an inclined surface that comes into contact with the locking portion 153 during the closing operation. As the cover 17 is closed, the inclined surface of the locked portion 191 slides against the locking portion 153, and the operating member 19 deforms or changes its position, so that the locked portion 191 engages with the locking portion 153. That is, during the closing operation, the locked portion 191 and the locking portion 153 engage with each other as a so-called snap-fit ​​configuration.

[0047] Further, a recess 175 recessed in the opposite direction to the rotation direction D is provided on the upper surface 176 of the cover 17. The recess 175 is an operation portion (pressed portion) that the user presses to operate the cover 17 when closing the cover 17. Since the recess 175 is recessed in the opposite direction to the rotation direction D, it has a shape that allows the user's fingers to easily fit in when closing the cover 17, thereby improving operability during the closing operation. In the first embodiment, the recess 175 is provided on the front end of the cover 17, and is located at a position that is easy for the user to reach and where force can be easily transmitted to the cover 17.

[0048] 6 is a perspective view of the recording device 11 without its top cover, showing the positional relationship between the housing 111 of the recording device and the carriage 101. The housing 111 is a general term for the cover portion that covers the members and units inside the recording device 11 except for the carriage 101 and its peripheral members (belt 18, etc.). The housing 111 is provided in a position inside the recording device 11 that does not interfere with the scanning of the recording head 12 and carriage 101.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 6, the protrusion 192 is disposed at the vertical upper portion of the carriage 101, and is provided at a position with good visibility. In addition, since the protrusion 192 protrudes upward from the cover 17, the user can open the cover 17 simply by pressing the protrusion 192 at the upper portion of the cover 17. Furthermore, since the pressing direction of the protrusion 192 is a direction from the front side to the back side of the recording device 11 (a direction from the downstream side to the upstream side in the conveying direction of the recording medium), there is a low possibility that the user's fingers will interfere with the surrounding housing 111 during the opening operation. Therefore, according to the configuration of the first embodiment, the operability of the cover 17 is improved compared to a configuration in which an operation unit for opening the cover 17 is located below the upper surface of the cover 17. Furthermore, since there is no need to provide an operation space for operating the protrusion 192 inside the recording device 11, the recording device 11 can be made smaller in size.

[0050] In the first embodiment, the pressing direction C of the protrusion 192 for releasing the locked state of the cover 17 is configured as a back direction (direction from the front side to the back side of the recording device 11), but is not limited to this configuration. For example, the pressing direction C of the protrusion 192 may be a front direction (direction from the back side to the front side of the recording device 11) or the width direction (X direction) of the recording device 11. In addition, the operating member 19 provided with the locked portion 191 and the protrusion 192 may be configured integrally with the cover 17. Therefore, other embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

[0051] Next, configurations of second to fourth embodiments of the present invention will be described. The same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. Figures 7(a) to (c) are schematic cross-sectional views showing the configuration of a carriage 101 in another embodiment. In Figures 7(a) to (c), the pressing direction C of the protrusion 192 for opening the cover 17 is indicated by a hollow arrow.

[0052] <Second embodiment> 7A shows the peripheral area of ​​the locked portion 191 and the protruding portion 192 of the carriage 101 according to the second embodiment. In the opening operation of the cover 17, the pressing direction C of the protruding portion 192 is the Y direction (the direction from the front side to the back side of the recording device 11) in the first embodiment, but in the second embodiment, the pressing direction C of the protruding portion 192 is configured to be pressed in the Z direction (vertically downward). In the second embodiment, the protruding portion 192 also protrudes upward from the upper surface 176 of the cover 17.

[0053] The protruding portion 192 in the second embodiment has a shape that protrudes upward from the upper surface 176 of the cover 17 and is bent toward the rear side of the recording device 11. By pressing this bent portion vertically downward, the attitude of the operating member 19 changes, and the engagement between the locked portion 191 and the locking portion 153 is released. In this way, the pressing direction C of the protruding portion 192 for releasing the engagement between the locked portion 191 and the locking portion 153 is not limited to the horizontal direction.

[0054] <Third embodiment> 7(b) shows the peripheral area of ​​the locked portion 191 and the protruding portion 192 of the carriage 101 according to the third embodiment. In the opening operation of the cover 17, the pressing direction C of the protruding portion 192 is substantially linear in the first embodiment, but in the third embodiment, the pressing direction C of the protruding portion 192 is curved. That is, the protruding portion 192 according to the third embodiment functions like a lever. In the third embodiment, the protruding portion 192 also protrudes upward from the upper surface 176 of the cover 17.

[0055] The operating member 19 according to the third embodiment is supported by the cover 17 so as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft 194 extending in the X direction. The rotation shaft 194 is disposed between the protruding portion 192 and the locked portion 191 in the vertical direction, and is disposed near the upper surface 176 of the cover 17. In this manner, in the third embodiment, since the rotation shaft 194 is disposed above the carriage 101, the operating member 19 rotates about the rotation shaft 194 by pressing the protruding portion 192 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 7B. Then, in conjunction with the pressing operation of the protruding portion 192, the operating member 19 rotates, and the engagement between the locked portion 191 and the locking portion 153 is released. That is, the pressing direction C in the third embodiment is a rotation direction about the rotation shaft 194 parallel to the rotation center line 172 of the cover 17. In this way, the pressing direction C of the protruding portion 192 for releasing the engagement between the locked portion 191 and the locking portion 153 is not limited to a linear direction. Note that, in order to maintain the engagement state between the locked portion 191 and the locking portion 153, it is preferable that the operating member 19 is biased in the direction opposite to the pressing direction C by a biasing member or the like.

[0056] <Fourth embodiment> 7(c) shows the surrounding area of ​​the locked portion 191 and the protruding portion 192 of the carriage 101 according to the fourth embodiment. In the first embodiment, the operating member 19 on which the locked portion 191 and the protruding portion 192 are formed is a separate member from the cover 17, but in the fourth embodiment, the cover 17 is configured as an integrated part including the locked portion 191 and the protruding portion 192. In the fourth embodiment as well, the protruding portion 192 protrudes upward from the upper surface 176 of the cover 17.

[0057] The cover 17 according to the fourth embodiment has an operating part 190 formed on the tip side, and the operating part 190 extends in the vertical direction. A protruding part 192 is provided at the upper end of the operating part 190, and a latched part 191 is provided at the lower end. The connection part between the operating part 190 and the main body part including the upper surface 176 of the cover 17 is formed to be narrow in width, and the pressing direction of the protruding part 192 The attitude of the operating unit 190 changes so that the engagement between the locked portion 191 and the locking portion 153 is released by pressing in the direction C. At this time, in order to prevent damage to the cover 17, it is preferable to determine the degree of engagement between the locked portion 191 and the locking portion 153 and the material of the cover 17. In this manner, the cover 17 in which the portion covering the opening of the main body 15 and the protruding portion 192 are formed as an integrated part may be configured to be provided on the carriage 101.

[0058] In addition, although the operating member 19 in the first embodiment is configured to have a function of holding the supply tube 14, which is a flexible member, it may be configured to be capable of holding other flexible members, such as a flexible flat cable.

[0059] In the first embodiment, a torsion coil spring through which the rotating shaft 154 is inserted is provided as the biasing member 20 that biases the cover 17 from the closed state to the open state. However, the biasing member 20 may be formed of a rubber member or a resin member that biases the cover 17 instead of the torsion coil spring.

[0060] The disclosure of this embodiment includes the following configuration. (Configuration 1) A carriage that supports a recording head that ejects liquid, a main body having an opening capable of accommodating the recording head therein and a locking portion; a cover that is rotatable between a closed state in which the opening is closed and an open state in which the opening is exposed, the cover having an engaged portion that engages with the engaging portion when in the closed state; a carriage having The cover has an operating part that includes a protrusion that protrudes from a surface that constitutes the outer wall surface of the carriage in the direction of rotation of the cover from the closed state to the open state, and the operating part changes its posture when the protrusion is pressed so that the engagement between the engaged portion and the engaging portion is released. (Configuration 2) the surface of the carriage on which the protrusion is provided and which constitutes the outer wall surface faces upward in a vertical direction; 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is positioned higher than a surface that constitutes the outer wall surface of the carriage when the cover is in the closed state. (Configuration 3) In the radial direction when the cover is rotated, the side where the rotation center is located is defined as the root side, and the side opposite to the root side is defined as the tip side. 3. The recording device according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is provided on the tip side of the cover. (Configuration 4) The recording device according to configuration 3, wherein the pressing direction of the protruding portion for releasing the engagement between the locked portion and the locking portion is a direction from the tip side toward the base side. (Configuration 5) 5. The recording device according to configuration 4, wherein the protrusion has a surface facing the radial direction and recessed from the tip side toward the base side. (Configuration 6) 6. The recording device according to any one of configurations 1 to 5, wherein the pressing direction of the protruding portion for releasing the engagement between the locked portion and the locking portion is a horizontal direction. (Configuration 7) 4. The recording device according to any one of configurations 1 to 3, wherein the pressing direction of the protruding portion for releasing the engagement between the locked portion and the locking portion is a vertically downward direction. (Configuration 8) A recording device described in any one of configurations 1 to 3, characterized in that the pressing direction of the protrusion for releasing the engagement between the engaged portion and the engaging portion is a rotation direction centered on a rotation axis parallel to the rotation center line of the cover. (Configuration 9) A recording apparatus that records an image on a recording medium by ejecting liquid onto the recording medium using a recording head while conveying the recording medium in a conveyance direction, The recording device according to any one of configurations 1 to 6, wherein the pressing direction of the protruding portion for releasing the engagement between the locked portion and the locking portion is opposite to the transport direction. (Configuration 10) 10. The recording device according to any one of configurations 1 to 9, wherein the operation unit is a color different from that of the main body. (Configuration 11) 11. The recording apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 10, further comprising a biasing member that biases the cover in the rotation direction. (Configuration 12) 12. The recording device according to any one of configurations 1 to 11, wherein a recess is provided on a surface of the cover facing the rotation direction, the recess being recessed in a direction opposite to the rotation direction. (Configuration 13) 13. The recording device according to configuration 12, wherein the recess is provided on the tip side of the cover. (Configuration 14) an ink container that contains ink therein; and a supply member that supplies ink from the ink container to the recording head; 14. The recording apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 13, wherein the cover has a connection portion that connects the supply member and the carriage. (Configuration 15) the supply member is a flexible member, 15. The recording apparatus according to configuration 14, wherein the cover has a holding portion that holds the supply member. (Configuration 16) The cover includes a cover body and a holding member provided with the holding portion, the holding member being detachable from the cover body, 16. The recording apparatus according to configuration 15, wherein the holding member includes the operation unit. (Configuration 17) 16. The recording device according to any one of configurations 1 to 15, wherein the cover is composed of a cover body and an operation member that includes the operation portion and is connected to the cover body. (Configuration 18) 18. The recording device according to configuration 17, wherein the protrusion is a color different from that of the cover body. (Configuration 19) 16. The recording device according to any one of configurations 1 to 15, wherein the portion of the cover that covers the opening of the main body and the protrusion are formed as an integrated part. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 11: recording device, 12: recording head, 15: main body, 153: engaging portion, 17: cover, 19: operating member (operating portion), 191: engaged portion, 192: protruding portion, 101: carriage

Claims

1. A carriage that supports a recording head that ejects liquid, a main body having an opening capable of accommodating the recording head therein and a locking portion; a cover that is rotatable between a closed state in which the opening is closed and an open state in which the opening is exposed, the cover having an engaged portion that engages with the engaging portion when in the closed state; a carriage having The cover has an operating part that includes a protrusion that protrudes from a surface that constitutes the outer wall surface of the carriage in the direction of rotation of the cover from the closed state to the open state, and the operating part changes its posture when the protrusion is pressed so that the engagement between the engaged portion and the engaging portion is released.

2. the surface of the carriage on which the protrusion is provided and which constitutes the outer wall surface faces upward in a vertical direction; 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is located at a position higher than a surface that constitutes the outer wall surface of the carriage when the cover is in the closed state.

3. In the radial direction when the cover is rotated, the side where the rotation center is located is defined as the root side, and the side opposite to the root side is defined as the tip side.

2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is provided on the tip side of the cover.

4. 4. The recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the direction in which the protrusion is pressed to release the engagement between the engaged portion and the engaging portion is a direction from the tip side toward the base side.

5. 5. The recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the protruding portion has a surface facing the radial direction and recessed from the tip side toward the base side.

6. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressing direction of the protruding portion for releasing the engagement between the engaged portion and the engaging portion is a horizontal direction.

7. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressing direction of the protruding portion for releasing the engagement between the engaged portion and the engaging portion is a vertically downward direction.

8. 2. The recording device according to claim 1, wherein the pressing direction of the protrusion for releasing the engagement between the engaged portion and the engaging portion is a rotation direction about a rotation axis parallel to a rotation center line of the cover.

9. A recording apparatus that records an image on a recording medium by ejecting liquid onto the recording medium using a recording head while conveying the recording medium in a conveyance direction, 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressing direction of the protruding portion for releasing the engagement between the engaged portion and the engaging portion is a direction opposite to the transport direction.

10. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation unit is a color different from that of the main body.

11. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a biasing member that biases the cover in the rotation direction.

12. A surface of the cover facing the rotation direction is provided with a recess that is recessed in a direction opposite to the rotation direction.

2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

13. 13. The recording apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the recess is provided on a tip side of the cover.

14. an ink container that contains ink therein; and a supply member that supplies ink from the ink container to the recording head; 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cover has a connection portion that connects the supply member and the carriage.

15. the supply member is a flexible member, 15. The recording apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the cover has a holding portion that holds the supply member.

16. The cover includes a cover body and a holding member provided with the holding portion, the holding member being detachable from the cover body, 16. The recording apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the holding member includes the operation portion.

17. 16. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cover is composed of a cover body and an operation member that includes the operation portion and is connected to the cover body.

18. 18. The recording apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the protrusion is a color different from that of the cover body.

19. 16. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the cover which covers the opening of the main body and the protrusion are configured as an integrated part.

Images