Carriage movement device

Abstract

To maintain a flexible cable connected to a carriage, in a proper posture.SOLUTION: A flexible cable 41 of a carriage movement device 10 has one end that is connected to a carriage 20 and moves together with the carriage 20, another end positionally fixed, and a bent part 53 provided between the one end and the other end. A support member 60 has: a bottom wall 71, a first side wall 76 extended upward in a first direction Y from the bottom wall 71; and a second side wall 77 extended upward in the first direction Y from the bottom wall 71 and arranged in parallel with the first side wall 76 in a second direction S across the bottom wall 71. The bottom wall 71 has: a first groove 81 which is recessed downward, and extends in the first direction Y on the first side wall 76 side to store one end side of the flexible cable 41 from the bent part 53; and a second groove 82 which is recessed downward, and extends in the first direction Y on the second side wall 77 side to store the other end side of the flexible cable 41 from the bent part 53.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a carriage moving device. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a printer including a carriage and a belt-shaped flexible cable connected to the carriage. The carriage is capable of reciprocating in the scanning direction. The flexible cable is extended in an upright position from a predetermined fixed fulcrum in the scanning direction, and the extended tip is connected to the carriage via a U-shaped loop. Here, the upright position refers to an upright position within a certain angle range centered on a vertical position in which the width direction of the flexible cable is vertical.

[0003] The printer includes a support portion that contacts and supports a part of the U-shaped loop portion of the flexible cable (for example, a base end portion of the loop portion located near the fixed fulcrum) from below. In this way, by supporting a part of the loop portion of the flexible cable from below with the support portion, the self-supporting ability of the entire flexible cable in an upright position is improved. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-179819 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Incidentally, in the printer disclosed in Patent Document 1, even if a part of the flexible cable is supported from below by a support portion, the flexible cable may tilt from the upright position. In particular, in so-called large printers, the flexible cable becomes long, and therefore a metal guide member or the like may be required to maintain the upright position of the flexible cable. Here, if the upright position of a long flexible cable can be maintained without using a guide member or the like, the cost can be reduced by the amount of the guide member.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of these points, and its object is to provide a carriage moving device that can maintain a flexible cable connected to the carriage in an appropriate position while the carriage is moving, without using a separate member such as a guide member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The carriage moving device according to the present invention includes a carriage, a moving mechanism, a flexible cable, and a support member. The moving mechanism moves the carriage in a first direction. The flexible cable is connected to the carriage and has one end that moves in the first direction together with the carriage, the other end whose position is fixed, and a bent portion provided between the one end and the other end. The support member has a bottom wall, a first side wall that extends upward from the bottom wall and in the first direction, and a second side wall that extends upward from the bottom wall and in the first direction and is juxtaposed with the first side wall across the bottom wall in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and supports the flexible cable. The bottom wall has a first groove and a second groove. The first groove extends in the first direction on the first side wall side, accommodates the one end side of the flexible cable from the bent portion, and is recessed downward. The second groove extends in the first direction on the second side wall side, accommodates the other end side of the flexible cable from the bent portion, and is recessed downward.

[0008] According to the carriage moving device, when the carriage moves in the first direction, the flexible cable moves in accordance with the movement of the carriage with one end side of the flexible cable from the bent portion housed in the first groove and the other end side of the flexible cable from the bent portion housed in the second groove. At this time, one end side of the flexible cable from the bent portion moves in accordance with the movement of the carriage while being guided by the first groove, and the other end side of the flexible cable from the bent portion moves in accordance with the movement of the carriage while being guided by the second groove, so that the flexible cable can be prevented from falling toward the center side of the bottom wall of the support member (here, the center side between the first side wall and the second side wall). Therefore, when the carriage is moving, the flexible cable can be arranged in an appropriate posture (for example, an upright posture) without using a separate member such as a guide member. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a carriage moving device that can maintain a flexible cable connected to the carriage in an appropriate position while the carriage is moving. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing a schematic diagram of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is a plan view showing a schematic diagram of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] 1 is a plan view showing a schematic diagram of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the cable assembly. [Figure 5A] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic view of a support member. [Figure 5B] FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a schematic view of a support member. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a front view showing a schematic view of a support member. [Figure 7] 7 is a cross-sectional view of the support member taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 5B, illustrating a state in which the first and second portions of the flexible cable are arranged. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 corresponds to FIG. 7 and shows a state in which a bent portion of the flexible cable is disposed on a supporting member. [Figure 9] 5C is a cross-sectional view of the support member taken along line IX-IX of FIG. 5B. [Figure 10] 5C is a cross-sectional view of the support member taken along line XX in FIG. 5B. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a first opposing surface and a second opposing surface. [Figure 12] 11 is a schematic diagram showing that the inclination angle of a first portion of a flexible cable is changed by changing the length of the first portion. FIG. [Figure 13] 11 is a rear view of the cutting carriage, and is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a first portion of the flexible cable rotates relative to the cutting carriage. FIG. [Figure 14] 11 and is a schematic view of a first opposing surface and a second opposing surface in a printer according to another embodiment. FIG. [Figure 15] 7 in a printer according to another embodiment. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a carriage moving device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the embodiment described here is not intended to limit the present invention in any particular way.

[0012] Here, a printer 10 will be described as an example of a carriage moving device of the present invention. FIGS. 1 to 3 are plan views that show the printer 10 according to the embodiment. The symbols F, Rr, L, R, U, and D in the drawings indicate the front, rear, left, right, top, and bottom of the printer 10, respectively. The symbol Y indicates the scanning direction. The scanning direction Y is an example of a first direction. For example, the scanning direction Y is the left-right direction. The symbol X indicates the transport direction. The transport direction X is an example of a second direction that intersects with the first direction. Here, the transport direction X intersects with the scanning direction Y in a plan view (specifically, perpendicular to it). For example, the transport direction X is the front-rear direction. The symbol Z indicates the up-down direction (in other words, the height direction). However, these directions are merely defined for the convenience of explanation, and do not limit the installation mode of the printer 10, nor limit the present invention.

[0013] The printer 10 is an inkjet printer. In this embodiment, the printer 10 is a printer with a cut carriage and has a cutting function. The printer 10 is a print & cut machine capable of printing and cutting on the medium 5.

[0014] The medium 5 is, for example, a roll of recording paper. However, the medium 5 may be made of a resin material such as polyvinyl chloride or polyester, aluminum, iron, or wood, and the material forming the medium 5 is not particularly limited. The medium 5 may be in the form of a sheet, or may be a three-dimensional object having a predetermined shape.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 includes a main body 11, a platen 13, and a guide rail 15. The main body 11 has a casing extending in the scanning direction Y. The platen 13 is provided on the upper part of the main body 11. The platen 13 supports the medium 5 when printing on the medium 5 and when cutting the medium 5. The medium 5 is placed on the platen 13. Here, the upper surface of the platen 13 extends in the scanning direction Y and the transport direction X. The medium 5 supported by the platen 13 is configured to be movable in the transport direction X by a transport mechanism (not shown). The guide rail 15 is fixed to the main body 11 above the platen 13. The guide rail 15 extends in the scanning direction Y.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 includes a cut carriage 20 and a print carriage 25. The cut carriage 20 is an example of a carriage of the present invention. The cut carriage 20 has a function of cutting the medium 5 supported by the platen 13. The cut carriage 20 is configured to be movable in the scanning direction Y. The position of the cut carriage 20 with respect to the main body 11 is different in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3. The cut carriage 20 moves from right to left in the scanning direction Y in the order of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3. The cut carriage 20 is slidably engaged with the guide rail 15. Although not shown, the cut carriage 20 is provided with a cutter. The cutter is configured to be movable in the vertical direction Z. The blade of the cutter can protrude downward from the cut carriage 20. In this embodiment, the cutter is attached to the cut carriage 20 via a solenoid. Here, when the solenoid is turned ON or OFF, the cutter moves in the vertical direction Z to contact or separate from the medium 5. With the cutter in contact with the medium 5, the cutting carriage 20 moves along the guide rail 15 in the scanning direction Y, whereby the medium 5 is cut by the cutter.

[0017] The print carriage 25 has a function of printing on the medium 5 supported by the platen 13. The print carriage 25 is arranged side by side with the cut carriage 20 in the scanning direction Y. The print carriage 25 is configured to be movable in the scanning direction Y. In addition, in Figs. 1 to 3, the print carriage 25 is arranged inside the right part of the main body 11, but when the print carriage 25 is connected to the cut carriage 20 as described later, the print carriage 25 moves in the scanning direction Y together with the cut carriage 20. The print carriage 25 is slidably engaged with the guide rail 15. Although not shown in the drawings, the print carriage 25 is provided with an ink head (not shown) that ejects ink toward the medium 5 supported by the platen 13. The ink head ejects process color inks such as cyan ink, magenta ink, yellow ink, and black ink, and special color inks such as clear ink and white ink.

[0018] In this embodiment, the printer 10 includes a moving mechanism 30. The moving mechanism 30 is a mechanism that moves the cut carriage 20 in the scanning direction Y. The configuration of the moving mechanism 30 is not particularly limited. Although not shown, the moving mechanism 30 includes, for example, left and right pulleys provided around both left and right ends of the guide rail 15, a belt wound around the left and right pulleys, and a carriage motor connected to one of the pulleys. The cut carriage 20 is fixed to the belt. Here, the carriage motor is driven to rotate one of the pulleys and run the belt. As a result, the cut carriage 20 moves in the scanning direction Y along the guide rail 15.

[0019] In this embodiment, the cut carriage 20 and the print carriage 25 are configured to be connectable. When the cut carriage 20 and the print carriage 25 are separated from each other, the cut carriage 20 moves independently in the scanning direction Y by the movement mechanism 30, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3. When the cut carriage 20 and the print carriage 25 are connected to each other, the movement mechanism 30 connects the cut carriage 20 and the print carriage 25 to each other and moves in the scanning direction Y. For example, the cut carriage 20 and the print carriage 25 are configured to be connected to each other and separated from each other by a magnet, but the specific configuration for connecting and separating the cut carriage 20 and the print carriage 25 is not particularly limited.

[0020] The printer 10 includes a control device (not shown). The control device is configured, for example, by a microcomputer. The control device includes an interface (I / F) for receiving print data from an external device such as a host computer, a central processing unit (CPU) for executing instructions of a control program, a read only memory (ROM) for storing the program executed by the CPU, a random access memory (RAM) used as a working area for expanding the program, and a memory for storing the above-mentioned program and various data. Although detailed illustration is omitted, the control device is communicatively connected to the above-mentioned conveying mechanism, the cut carriage 20, the print carriage 25, and the moving mechanism 30. The control device is configured to be able to control the conveying mechanism, the cut carriage 20, the print carriage 25, and the moving mechanism 30.

[0021] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1, the printer 10 includes a cable assembly 40 and a support member 60. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the cable assembly 40 moves together with the cutting carriage 20 in accordance with the movement of the cutting carriage 20 in the scanning direction Y. The cable assembly 40 is bent and deformed into a U-shape in accordance with the movement of the cutting carriage 20 in the scanning direction Y. The support member 60 supports the cable assembly 40 bent and deformed into a U-shape. The cable assembly 40 and the support member 60 will be described in detail below.

[0022] The cable assembly 40 is belt-shaped. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cable assembly 40 (more specifically, a cross-sectional view of the cable assembly 40 taken along a thickness direction of the cable assembly 40). As shown in Fig. 4, the cable assembly 40 has a flexible cable 41, a first protective sheet 46, and a second protective sheet 47.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the flexible cable 41 moves in accordance with the movement of the cutting carriage 20 in the scanning direction Y. The flexible cable 41 has a belt-like shape. The flexible cable 41 is, for example, a flexible flat cable (Flexible Flat Cable (FFC)). However, the shape of the flexible cable 41 is not limited to a belt-like shape. As shown in FIG. 1, the flexible cable 41 is configured to be bent and deformed into a U-shape. In this embodiment, one end 51A of the flexible cable 41 is connected to the cutting carriage 20. The one end 51A of the flexible cable 41 moves in the scanning direction Y together with the cutting carriage 20. The other end 52A of the flexible cable 41 is connected to the above-mentioned control device and fixed to the main body 11. In this embodiment, the other end 52A of the flexible cable 41 is fixed at a fixed position P1 in the center of the main body 11 in the scanning direction Y. 1 to 3, when the cutting carriage 20 moves in the scanning direction Y, the other end 52A of the flexible cable 41 is fixed in position, but one end 51A of the flexible cable 41 moves together with the cutting carriage 20. Note that here, the one end 51A and the other end 52A may be one end and the other end of the cable assembly 40, the first protective sheet 46, and the second protective sheet 47.

[0024] 2, the flexible cable 41 has a first portion 51, a second portion 52, and a bent portion 53. The first portion 51 includes one end 51A of the flexible cable 41. An end (here, the right end) of the first portion 51 is connected to the cutting carriage 20. The first portion 51 extends in the scanning direction Y. In the present embodiment, the first portion 51 extends from the cutting carriage 20 toward the scanning direction Y (here, leftward).

[0025] The second portion 52 includes the other end 52A of the flexible cable 41. An end (here, the right end) of the second portion 52 is connected to the main body 11 and is fixed in position. Here, the second portion 52 is fixed at a fixing position P1 located in the center of the main body 11 in the scanning direction Y. The second portion 52 extends in the scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, the second portion 52 extends from the fixing position P1 toward the scanning direction Y (here, leftward). The second portion 52 is arranged next to the first portion 51 in the transport direction X. In this embodiment, the second portion 52 is arranged further rearward than the first portion 51. The second portion 52 is spaced apart from the first portion 51 in the transport direction X.

[0026] The bent portion 53 constitutes a portion of the flexible cable 41 that is bent and deformed into a U-shape. Here, the bent portion 53 is bent and deformed into a U-shape so as to be convex in the scanning direction Y (specifically, to the left). The bent portion 53 is provided between one end 51A and the other end 52A of the flexible cable 41. Here, the bent portion 53 is disposed between the first portion 51 and the second portion 52, and connects the first portion 51 and the second portion 52. In this embodiment, the bent portion 53 is disposed to the left of the first portion 51 and also to the left of the second portion 52.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the flexible cable 41 is configured such that the position of the bent portion 53 with respect to the entire flexible cable 41 is changed by the cutting carriage 20 moving in the scanning direction Y. In addition, the length of the first portion 51 in the scanning direction Y (hereinafter, simply referred to as the length of the first portion 51) and the length of the second portion 52 in the scanning direction Y (hereinafter, simply referred to as the length of the second portion 52) are changed by the cutting carriage 20 moving in the scanning direction Y. In other words, the flexible cable 41 is configured such that the length of the flexible cable 41 on the one end 51A side from the bent portion 53 and the length of the flexible cable 41 on the other end 52A side from the bent portion 53 are changed by the cutting carriage 20 moving in the scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, when the cutting carriage 20 is disposed at the rightmost position, the bent portion 53 is disposed to the left of the fixed position P1. The position of the bent portion 53 at this time is the rightmost position when the cutting carriage 20 is moving. When the cutting carriage 20 is positioned at the rightmost position, the first portion 51 is at its longest and the second portion 52 is at its shortest. As shown in FIG. 2, when the cutting carriage 20 moves to the left, the bent portion 53 also moves to the left. At this time, the length of the first portion 51 gradually shortens and the length of the second portion 52 gradually lengthens. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, when the cutting carriage 20 moves to the leftmost position, the bent portion 53 is positioned at the leftmost position. At this time, the length of the first portion 51 is at its shortest and the length of the second portion 52 is at its longest.

[0028] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, a first protective sheet 46 is provided on one of the opposing wide surfaces of the band-shaped flexible cable 41. A second protective sheet 47 is provided on the other of the opposing wide surfaces of the flexible cable 41. Here, the flexible cable 41 is protected from noise by being sandwiched between the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47. The first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 extend along the flexible cable 41 so as to overlap with the flexible cable 41. Therefore, in the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47, the portions corresponding to the first portion 51 and the second portion 52 of the flexible cable 41 extend in the scanning direction Y, and the portion corresponding to the bending portion 53 is bent and deformed into a U-shape. The first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 are resin sheets formed of resin. However, the material of the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 is not particularly limited.

[0029] Next, the support member 60 will be described. As described above, the support member 60 supports the flexible cable 41 (in other words, the cable assembly 40) as shown in FIG. 2. In the following description, the flexible cable 41 will be appropriately referred to as the cable assembly 40. The support member 60 is disposed above the platen 13 and behind the guide rail 15. However, the position at which the support member 60 is disposed is not particularly limited. The support member 60 extends in the scanning direction Y.

[0030] 5A, 5B, and 6 are respectively a perspective view, a plan view, and a front view of the support member 60. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the support member 60 taken along the line VII-VII in FIG. 5B. FIG. 8 is a view equivalent to FIG. 7. FIGS. 9 and 10 are cross-sectional views of the support member 60 taken along the line IX-IX in FIG. 5B and the line XX in FIG. 5B, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 6, the support member 60 has a bottom wall 71, a first side wall 76, and a second side wall 77. The bottom wall 71 is extended in the scanning direction Y and the transport direction X above the platen 13 (see FIG. 1). Here, the bottom wall 71 has a shape longer in the scanning direction Y than in the transport direction Y.

[0031] 7, the first side wall 76 extends upward from the bottom wall 71 and also extends in the scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, the first side wall 76 is connected to the front end of the bottom wall 71. Here, the first side wall 76 extends directly upward from the front end of the bottom wall 71. However, the first side wall 76 may be inclined, and may be inclined, for example, in a direction away from the bottom to the top, that is, forward in this case.

[0032] The second side wall 77 faces the first side wall 76 in the transport direction X. The second side wall 77 is arranged in line with the first side wall 76 in the transport direction X. The second side wall 77 is arranged alongside the first side wall 76 across the bottom wall 71 in the transport direction X. Here, the second side wall 77 is arranged behind the first side wall 76. The second side wall 77 extends upward from the bottom wall 71 and in the scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, the second side wall 77 is connected to the rear end of the bottom wall 71. Here, the second side wall 77 extends directly upward from the rear end of the bottom wall 71. However, the second side wall 77 may be inclined, and may be inclined, for example, in a direction away from the bottom to the top, that is, backward in this case.

[0033] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the first side wall 76 has a first opposing surface 78. The first opposing surface 78 constitutes the rear surface of the first side wall 76 (in other words, the inner surface, the surface on the second side wall 77 side). The first opposing surface 78 is formed on the surface of the first side wall 76 on the second side wall 77 side. The first opposing surface 78 is a surface extending in the scanning direction Y and the up-down direction Z. Here, the first opposing surface 78 is perpendicular to the bottom wall 71 and extends in the vertical direction. However, the first opposing surface 78 may be inclined, for example, may be inclined forward from bottom to top.

[0034] In this embodiment, the second side wall 77 has a second opposing surface 79. The second opposing surface 79 constitutes the front surface of the second side wall 77 (in other words, the inner surface, the surface on the first side wall 76 side). The second opposing surface 79 is formed on the surface of the second side wall 77 on the first side wall 76 side. The second opposing surface 79 is a surface extending in the scanning direction Y and the vertical direction Z. The second opposing surface 79 faces the first opposing surface 78 in the transport direction X. The second opposing surface 79 faces the first opposing surface 78 and is arranged parallel to the first opposing surface 78. Here, the second opposing surface 79 is perpendicular to the bottom wall 71 and extends in the vertical direction. However, the second opposing surface 79 may be inclined like the first opposing surface 78, and may be inclined backward from bottom to top, for example.

[0035] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, a first uneven portion 91 is provided on the first opposing surface 78. The first uneven portion 91 forms unevenness on the first opposing surface 78. FIG. 11 is a diagram that shows the first opposing surface 78 and the second opposing surface 79. Here, as shown in FIG. 11, the first uneven portion 91 has a plurality of first protrusions 93. As shown in FIG. 8, the first protrusion 93 protrudes from the first opposing surface 78, and protrudes, for example, from the first opposing surface 78 toward the second side wall 77 (here, rearward) side. The shape of the first protrusion 93 is not particularly limited. Here, as shown in FIG. 11, the first protrusion 93 has a cylindrical shape and a circular cross-sectional shape. In this embodiment, the plurality of first protrusions 93 are arranged side by side in the scanning direction Y. The plurality of first protrusions 93 are arranged at equal intervals. Therefore, the intervals between adjacent first protrusions 93 in the scanning direction Y are the same. However, the intervals between adjacent first protrusions 93 may be different. The first protrusion 93 is disposed above the center of the first opposing surface 78 in the vertical direction Z. As a result, the contact point between the support member 60 (here, the first opposing surface 78) and the cable assembly 40 is set above the center of the first opposing surface 78 in the vertical direction Z, so that the range in which a gap is formed between the support member 60 (here, the first opposing surface 78) and the cable assembly 40 can be widened. As a result, the cable assembly 40 can be stably maintained in an upright position. However, the first protrusion 93 may be disposed below the center of the first opposing surface 78 in the vertical direction Z, or may be disposed so as to straddle the center. Here, the first protrusion 93 is the convex part of the first uneven portion 91, and the first opposing surface 78 that is recessed with respect to the first protrusion 93 is the concave part of the first uneven portion 91.

[0036] The method of forming the first projection 93 on the first opposing surface 78 is not particularly limited. Here, the first side wall 76 is formed of metal. A half-punch (e.g., half-cutting, doweling) process is performed on the first side wall 76 so that the first side wall 76 is convex toward the first opposing surface 78, thereby forming a half-pierce on the first opposing surface 78 that protrudes from the first opposing surface 78. This half-pierce becomes the first projection 93. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first projection 93 is formed integrally with the first opposing surface 78. However, the first projection 93 may be formed separately from the first opposing surface 78.

[0037] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the second opposing surface 79 is provided with a second uneven portion 92. The second uneven portion 92 forms unevenness on the second opposing surface 79. Here, as shown in FIG. 11, the second uneven portion 92 has a plurality of second protrusions 94. The shape and position of the plurality of second protrusions 94 correspond to the plurality of first protrusions 93. Here, as shown in FIG. 8, the second protrusion 94 protrudes from the second opposing surface 79 toward the first side wall 76 (here, the front) side. The second protrusion 94 has a cylindrical shape and a circular cross-sectional shape. As shown in FIG. 11, the plurality of second protrusions 94 are arranged side by side at equal intervals in the scanning direction Y. The second protrusion 94 is arranged above the center of the second opposing surface 79 in the vertical direction Z, but may be arranged below the center or may be arranged so as to straddle the center. In this embodiment, the second protrusion 94 is a convex portion of the second uneven portion 92, and the second opposing surface 79, which is recessed with respect to the second protrusion 94, is a concave portion of the second uneven portion 92. The method of forming the second protrusion 94 on the second opposing surface 79 is not particularly limited. Here, similar to the first protrusion 93, the second side wall 77 is formed of a metal. The second protrusion 94 is a half pierce formed by performing a half punch process so as to be convex toward the second opposing surface 79 side with respect to the second side wall 77. The second protrusion 94 is formed integrally with the second opposing surface 79, but may be a separate body from the second opposing surface 79.

[0038] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the protruding length L11 of the first protrusion 93 is smaller than the thickness L21 of the first side wall 76. The protruding length L12 of the second protrusion 94 is smaller than the thickness L22 of the second side wall 77. However, the protruding length L11 of the first protrusion 93 may be larger than the thickness L21 of the first side wall 76 or may be the same as the thickness L21. Similarly, the protruding length L12 of the second protrusion 94 may be larger than the thickness L22 of the second side wall 77 or may be the same as the thickness L22. Here, the protruding lengths L11 and L12 refer to the maximum lengths of the first protrusion 93 and the second protrusion 94 in the conveying direction X. The thicknesses L21 and L22 refer to the maximum lengths of the first side wall 76 and the second side wall 77 in the conveying direction X. In this embodiment, the protruding length L11 of the first protrusion 93 is the same as the protruding length L12 of the second protrusion 94, but may be different. The thickness L21 of the first side wall 76 is the same as the thickness L22 of the second side wall 77, but may be different. Here, the diameter of the first protrusion 93 (e.g., the length in the scanning direction Y and the length in the up-down direction Z) is longer than the protrusion length L11 of the first protrusion 93, but may be the same as the protrusion length L11 or may be shorter than the protrusion length L11. In addition, the diameter of the second protrusion 94 is longer than the protrusion length L12 of the second protrusion 94, but may be the same as the protrusion length L12 or may be shorter than the protrusion length L12.

[0039] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1, the cable assembly 40 is disposed above the bottom wall 71 of the support member 60, between a first side wall 76 and a second side wall 77. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the flexible cable 41 moves within the support member 60 in accordance with the movement of the cutting carriage 20 in the scanning direction Y. Therefore, the bent portion 53 of the flexible cable 41 moves in the scanning direction Y above the bottom wall 71. Here, since the flexible cable 41 is bent in a U-shape at the bent portion 53, a repulsive force is applied in a direction in which the flexible cable 41 expands in the U-shape. Due to the repulsive force generated by this bent portion 53, as shown in FIG. 7, the first portion 51 (here, the second protective sheet 47 located at the first portion 51) comes into contact with the first opposing surface 78 of the first side wall 76 (or the first uneven portion 91 provided on the first opposing surface 78), and the second portion 52 (here, the second protective sheet 47 located at the second portion 52) comes into contact with the second opposing surface 79 of the second side wall 77 (or the second uneven portion 92 provided on the second opposing surface 79).

[0040] 1, in plan view, of the entire range of the support member 60 in the scanning direction Y, the range of the passing locus through which the bending portion 53 passes when the bending portion 53 moves together with the cutting carriage 20 is referred to as the passing range AR1 in the scanning direction Y. The passing range AR1 is the range in the scanning direction Y through which the bending portion 53 passes when the cutting carriage 20 moves in the scanning direction Y, of the entire range of the support member 60 in the scanning direction Y.

[0041] On the other hand, in plan view, of the entire range of the support member 60 in the scanning direction Y, the range of the non-passing locus in the scanning direction Y through which the bent portion 53 does not pass when the bent portion 53 moves together with the cutting carriage 20 is referred to as the non-passing range AR2. The non-passing range AR2 is the range in the scanning direction Y through which the bent portion 53 does not pass when the cutting carriage 20 moves in the scanning direction Y, of the entire range of the support member 60 in the scanning direction Y.

[0042] Here, the passing range AR1 and the non-passing range AR2 are aligned in the scanning direction Y. Here, the passing range AR1 is disposed to the left of the non-passing range AR2. In this embodiment, the passing range AR1 and the non-passing range AR2 are separated by a fixed position P1 at which the other end 52A of the flexible cable 41 is fixed. Here, the range of the support member 60 located to the left of the fixed position P1 is the passing range AR1. The range of the support member 60 located to the right of the fixed position P1 is the non-passing range AR2.

[0043] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, a first groove 81 and a second groove 82 are formed in the bottom wall 71 of the support member 60. The first groove 81 is a groove that extends in the scanning direction Y on the first side wall 76 side of the bottom wall 71 and is recessed downward. In other words, the first groove 81 is recessed downward. Here, the first groove 81 extends linearly in the scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 is disposed in the first groove 81. In other words, the first groove 81 accommodates the one end 51A side of the flexible cable 41 from the bent portion 53. In addition, the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 corresponding to the first portion 51 are also disposed in the first groove 81. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 passes through a passing range AR1 and a non-passing range AR2 of the support member 60 when the cutting carriage 20 moves in the scanning direction Y. Therefore, as shown in Figures 7 to 10, the first groove 81 in which the first portion 51 is disposed is formed in a portion of the bottom wall 71 within the passing range AR1, and is also formed in a portion of the bottom wall 71 within the non-passing range AR2.

[0044] The shape of the first groove 81 is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the first groove 81 is a V-shaped groove with a pointed bottom when viewed from the scanning direction Y. Here, the first groove 81 has a first groove side surface 81a and a first groove inclined surface 81b, and the first groove side surface 81a and the first groove inclined surface 81b form a V-shaped groove. The first groove side surface 81a extends in the up-down direction Z and also extends in the scanning direction Y. Here, the first groove side surface 81a is formed by the first opposing surface 78 of the first side wall 76. The first groove inclined surface 81b is disposed closer to the second side wall 77 than the first groove side surface 81a. Here, the first groove inclined surface 81b is disposed further rearward than the first groove side surface 81a. The lower end of the first groove inclined surface 81b is connected to the lower end of the first groove side surface 81a. The first groove inclined surface 81b extends from the lower end of the first groove side surface 81a upward, inclining in a direction away from the first groove side surface 81a. Here, the first groove inclined surface 81b inclines backward as it extends upward. The first groove inclined surface 81b extends in the scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, the angle formed between the first groove side surface 81a and the first groove inclined surface 81b is an acute angle.

[0045] The second groove 82 is a groove extending in the scanning direction Y on the second side wall 77 side of the bottom wall 71 and recessed downward. In other words, the second groove 82 is recessed downward. Here, the second groove 82 extends linearly in the scanning direction Y. The second groove 82 is disposed rearward of the first groove 81. In this embodiment, the second portion 52 of the flexible cable 41 is disposed in the second groove 82. In other words, the second groove 82 accommodates the other end 52A side of the flexible cable 41 from the bent portion 53. In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 corresponding to the second portion 52 are also disposed in the second groove 82. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, when the cutting carriage 20 moves in the scanning direction Y, the second portion 52 of the flexible cable 41 passes through the passing range AR1 of the support member 60 but does not pass through the non-passing range AR2. That is, the second portion 52 is disposed within the passing range AR1. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the second groove 82 in which the second portion 52 is disposed is formed in a portion of the bottom wall 71 within the passing range AR1, and is not formed in a portion of the bottom wall 71 within the non-passing range AR2, as shown in Figures 9 and 10. Also, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 10, the second side wall 77 of the support member 60 is not formed in a part of the non-passing range AR2.

[0046] The shape of the second groove 82 is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the second groove 82 has a shape similar to that of the first groove 81, and is a V-shaped groove with a pointed bottom when viewed from the scanning direction Y. Here, the second groove 82 has a second groove side surface 82a and a second groove inclined surface 82b, and the second groove side surface 82a and the second groove inclined surface 82b form a V-shaped groove. The second groove side surface 82a extends in the up-down direction Z and also extends in the scanning direction Y. Here, the second groove side surface 82a is formed by the second opposing surface 79 of the second side wall 77. The second groove inclined surface 82b is disposed closer to the first side wall 76 than the second groove side surface 82a. Here, the second groove inclined surface 82b is disposed forward of the second groove side surface 82a. The lower end of the second groove inclined surface 82b is connected to the lower end of the second groove side surface 82a. The second groove inclined surface 82b extends from the lower end of the second groove side surface 82a upward, inclining in a direction away from the second groove side surface 82a. Here, the second groove inclined surface 82b inclines forward as it extends upward. The second groove inclined surface 82b extends in the scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, the angle formed between the second groove side surface 82a and the second groove inclined surface 82b is an acute angle.

[0047] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the bottom wall 71 of the support member 60 has a raised portion 83. The raised portion 83 extends in the scanning direction Y between the first groove 81 and the second groove 82. Here, the raised portion 83 is disposed between the first groove 81 and the second groove 82. The raised portion 83 is raised higher than the first groove 81 and the second groove 82. Here, the raised portion 83 being raised means that the raised portion 83 is raised higher than the bottom of the first groove 81 and the bottom of the second groove 82. In this embodiment, the raised portion 83 is continuous with the upper end of the surface forming the first groove 81 and is also continuous with the upper end of the surface forming the second groove 82. Here, the raised portion 83 connects the upper end of the first groove inclined surface 81b of the first groove 81 to the upper end of the second groove inclined surface 82b of the second groove 82. The raised portion 83 is formed by a flat surface that connects the upper end of the first groove inclined surface 81b and the upper end of the second groove inclined surface 82b. However, the raised portion 83 is not limited to a flat surface.

[0048] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the bent portion 53 of the flexible cable 41 is disposed on the raised portion 83. The raised portion 83 supports the bent portion 53. Although not shown, the portions of the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 corresponding to the bent portion 53 are also disposed on the raised portion 83. When the cutting carriage 20 moves in the scanning direction Y, the bent portion 53 moves on the raised portion 83 in the scanning direction Y. Therefore, in the flexible cable 41, as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the bent portion 53 is disposed at a higher position than the first portion 51 disposed in the first groove 81 and at a higher position than the second portion 52 disposed in the second groove 82.

[0049] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing that the inclination angle is changed by changing the length of the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41. Here, as shown in FIG. 12, the first portion 51 is inclined upward from the bottom of the first groove 81 toward the bent portion 53 as it moves from the cutting carriage 20 (here, the right end portion of the first portion 51) toward the bent portion 53. As described above, the first portion 51 is configured such that the length in the scanning direction Y is changed by the cutting carriage 20 moving in the scanning direction Y. For example, when the length in the scanning direction Y of the first portion 51 is long, the distance from the bent portion 53 to the cutting carriage 20 becomes long, the inclination of the first portion 51 becomes gentle, and the inclination angle of the first portion 51 becomes angle R1, which is small. On the other hand, as shown by the two-dot dashed line in FIG. 12, when the length in the scanning direction Y of the first portion 51 is short, the distance from the bent portion 53 to the cutting carriage 20 becomes short, the inclination of the first portion 51 becomes steep, and the inclination angle of the first portion 51 becomes angle R2. Here, angle R2 is greater than angle R1.

[0050] In this embodiment, in order to respond to a case where the inclination angle of the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 is changed, the end portion of the first portion 51 connected to the cutting carriage 20 (here, one end 51A of the flexible cable 41) is rotatably connected to the cutting carriage 20. FIG. 13 is a rear view of the cutting carriage 20, and is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 rotates with respect to the cutting carriage 20. Here, as shown in FIG. 13, a rotating shaft 55 is provided that connects the end portion of the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 (here, the right end portion, one end 51A of the flexible cable 41) to the cutting carriage 20. The rotating shaft 55 extends in the conveying direction X. Here, a rotating hole (not shown) is formed at the end portion of the first portion 51, and this rotating hole is inserted into the rotating shaft 55. Therefore, the first portion 51 (in other words, one end 51A of the flexible cable 41) is configured to be rotatable in the vertical direction Z around the rotating shaft 55 as an axis, as indicated by an arrow A1 in FIG. 13.

[0051] In this embodiment, a restriction hole 56 is formed at an end of the first portion 51. The restriction hole 56 is an elongated hole that is long in the vertical direction Z. A restriction pin 57 extending in the conveying direction X is inserted into the restriction hole 56. The restriction pin 57 is fixed to the cutting carriage 20. Here, when the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 rotates around the rotation shaft 55, the restriction pin 57 moves in the vertical direction Z within the restriction hole 56. When the restriction pin 57 is located at the upper end or lower end of the restriction hole 56, it restricts the rotation of the first portion 51 around the rotation shaft 55.

[0052] In this embodiment, when the cutting carriage 20 is moving, the bent portion 53 of the flexible cable 41 may lift up from the raised portion 83 of the support member 60. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, the support member 60 has an upper wall 73. The upper wall 73 is for making it difficult for the bent portion 53 to lift up from the raised portion 83. The upper wall 73 is disposed above the bent portion 53 when the flexible cable 41 is supported by the support member 60. At least a part of the upper wall 73 is disposed at a position overlapping with the raised portion 83 in a plan view. The upper wall 73 extends in the scanning direction Y above the bottom wall 71 and also extends in the transport direction X. In this embodiment, the upper wall 73 is connected to the upper end of the second side wall 77 and extends forward from the upper end of the second side wall 77 toward the first side wall 76. However, the upper wall 73 may be connected to the upper end of the first side wall 76 and extend from the first side wall 76 toward the second side wall 77.

[0053] The upper wall 73 is preferably disposed in a range through which the bent portion 53 passes. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1, the upper wall 73 is disposed in a passing range AR1 of the entire range in the scanning direction Y of the support member 60, and is not disposed in a non-passing range AR2. However, the upper wall 73 can also be disposed in the non-passing range AR2.

[0054] 1 to 3, in this embodiment, when the cutting carriage 20 moves in the scanning direction Y, the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 directly connected to the cutting carriage 20 also moves in the scanning direction Y within the first groove 81 of the support member 60 as described above. At this time, the first portion 51 may come out of the first groove 81 as shown in Fig. 10. For example, the first portion 51 may try to move from the first groove 81 to the raised portion 83.

[0055] Therefore, in this embodiment, the support member 60 has a guide wall 74. The guide wall 74 guides the first portion 51 that has come out of the first groove 81 so that the first portion 51 returns to the first groove 81. Here, the guide wall 74 is connected to the upper end of the surface of the first groove 81 opposite to the first side wall 76 (here, the first groove inclined surface 82b). The guide wall 74 extends inclined away from the first side wall 76 as it moves upward from the upper end of the first groove inclined surface 82b of the first groove 81, and also extends in the scanning direction Y. In other words, the guide wall 74 is inclined backward as it moves upward from the upper end of the first groove inclined surface 82b. The guide wall 74 is disposed on an extension line of the first groove inclined surface 82b. As shown in FIG. 7, the guide wall 74 is disposed directly above the raised portion 83 when viewed from the scanning direction Y. Here, the inclination angle of the guide wall 74 is the same as the inclination angle of the first groove inclined surface 82b. However, the inclination angle of the guide wall 74 may be smaller or larger than the inclination angle of the first groove inclined surface 82b.

[0056] Thus, in this embodiment, the guide wall 74 is disposed directly above the raised portion 83 when viewed from the scanning direction Y, and therefore is preferably not disposed in a position overlapping the raised portion 83 through which the bent portion 53 of the flexible cable 41 passes in a plan view. Therefore, here, as shown in Fig. 1, the guide wall 74 is disposed in the non-passing range AR2 but not in the passing range AR1 of the entire range of the support member 60 in the scanning direction Y.

[0057] Next, the movement of the flexible cable 41 when the cutting carriage 20 moves in the scanning direction Y will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, when the cutting carriage 20 is disposed at the rightmost position, the bent portion 53 is disposed to the left of the fixed position P1. As shown in FIG. 8, the bent portion 53 is disposed on the raised portion 83 of the support member 60. As shown in FIG. 1, when the cutting carriage 20 is disposed at the rightmost position, the first portion 51 is the longest, and the second portion 52 is the shortest. At this time, as shown in FIG. 7, the first portion 51 is disposed in the first groove 81 of the support member 60, and the second portion 52 is disposed in the second groove 82 of the support member 60.

[0058] In this embodiment, the flexible cable 41 is bent in a U-shape at the bent portion 53, so that a repulsive force is applied in the direction of expanding the U-shape. Due to the repulsive force generated by the bent portion 53, the first portion 51 is pressed against the first opposing surface 78 of the first side wall 76, and the second portion 52 is pressed against the second opposing surface 79 of the second side wall 77, as shown in FIG. 7. At this time, the second protective sheet 47 of the cable assembly 40 is in direct contact with the first opposing surface 78 and the second opposing surface 79. In this embodiment, in the belt-shaped cable assembly 40, the first portion 51 and the second portion 52 are in contact with the first opposing surface 78 (more specifically, the first protrusion 93 of the first uneven portion 91) and the second opposing surface 79 (more specifically, the second protrusion 94 of the second uneven portion 92) in an upright state (i.e., in an upright position), respectively. Here, the "upright state" refers to a state in which the first part 51 extends in the vertical direction Z along the first opposing surface 78 when viewed from the scanning direction Y, and the second part 52 extends in the vertical direction Z along the second opposing surface 79.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 2, when the cutting carriage 20 moves leftward, the bent portion 53 moves leftward on the raised portion 83. At this time, the length of the first portion 51 gradually becomes shorter, and the length of the second portion 52 gradually becomes longer. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, when the cutting carriage 20 moves to the leftmost position, the bent portion 53 is positioned at the leftmost position. At this time, the length of the first portion 51 becomes the shortest, and the length of the second portion 52 becomes the longest. Thereafter, when the cutting carriage 20 moves rightward, the bent portion 53 moves rightward on the raised portion 83. At this time, the length of the first portion 51 gradually becomes longer, and the length of the second portion 52 gradually becomes shorter.

[0060] In this way, when the cutting carriage 20 reciprocates in the scanning direction Y, in the cable assembly 40, the first part 51 slides in an upright state against the first opposing surface 78, and the second part 52 slides in an upright state against the second opposing surface 79. In this way, when the first part 51 and the second part 52 slide, for example, there is a possibility that they may buckle toward the inside. That is, when the first part 51 slides against the first opposing surface 78, the first part 51 may incline toward the second side wall 77. Similarly, when the second part 52 slides against the second opposing surface 79, the second part 52 may incline toward the first side wall 76. Here, the first part 51 slides in a state in which it is in close contact with the first opposing surface 78 (or the second part 52 slides in a state in which it is in close contact with the second opposing surface 79), and thus the sliding resistance, which is the resistance generated when sliding, becomes high. As a result of the increased sliding resistance, it becomes difficult for the first portion 51 and the second portion 52 to slide, which may result in buckling.

[0061] However, in this embodiment, the first opposing surface 78 is provided with a first uneven portion 91, and the second opposing surface 79 is provided with a second uneven portion 92. Therefore, the first portion 51 comes into contact with the first uneven portion 91 of the first opposing surface 78, and a gap is formed at the concave portion, so that the degree of contact with the first opposing surface 78 is reduced. As a result, the sliding resistance in the first portion 51 is reduced. Therefore, the first portion 51 can slide more easily and can be made less likely to buckle. For the same reason, the second portion 52 also has a lower sliding resistance and therefore can slide more easily, and as a result, can be made less likely to buckle.

[0062] 8, when the bent portion 53 is moving on the raised portion 83, the upper wall 73 of the support member 60 is disposed above the bent portion 53. Therefore, even if the bent portion 53 tries to rise up from the raised portion 83, the bent portion 53 comes into contact with the upper wall 73, thereby preventing the bent portion 53 from rising up from the raised portion 83.

[0063] Also, while the cutting carriage 20 is moving, the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 moves together with the cutting carriage 20, and therefore moves on the first groove 81 in the scanning direction Y. As described above, the guide wall 74 is a guide for returning the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 to the first groove 81 in the non-passing range AR2 (here, on the home position side of the cutting carriage 20) when the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 deviates from the first groove 81. Therefore, even if the flexible cable 41 deviates from the first groove 81 in the passing range AR1, in the non-passing range AR2, as shown in FIG. 10, a part of the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 rides on the guide wall 74 of the support member 60. Thereafter, the flexible cable 41 moves into the first groove 81 along the guide wall 74 by gravity, as shown by the arrow A2 in FIG. 10. Therefore, even if the flexible cable 41 deviates from the first groove 81 in the passing range AR1, the flexible cable 41 does not move back and forth between the passing range AR1 and the non-passing range AR2 in a state where it is deviated from the first groove 81. Therefore, the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 can be prevented from moving in the scanning direction Y while being removed from the first groove 81.

[0064] As described above, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the printer 10 includes the flexible cable 41 that moves in accordance with the movement of the cutting carriage 20 in the scanning direction Y, and the support member 60 that extends in the scanning direction Y and supports the flexible cable 41. The flexible cable 41 is connected to the cutting carriage 20 and has one end 51A that moves in the scanning direction Y together with the cutting carriage 20, the other end 52A whose position is fixed, and a bent portion 53 provided between the one end 51A and the other end 52A. As shown in FIG. 7, the support member 60 has a bottom wall 71, a first side wall 76, and a second side wall 77. The first side wall 76 extends upward from the bottom wall 71 and extends in the scanning direction Y. The second side wall 77 extends upward from the bottom wall 71 and extends in the scanning direction Y, and is arranged in parallel with the first side wall 76 in the transport direction X with the bottom wall 71 in between. The bottom wall 71 has a first groove 81 that extends in the scanning direction Y on the first side wall 76 side and accommodates one end 51A side (here, the first part 51) of the flexible cable 41 from the bent portion 53 and is recessed downward, and a second groove 82 that extends in the scanning direction Y on the second side wall 77 side and accommodates the other end 52A side (here, the second part 52) ​​of the flexible cable 41 from the bent portion 53 and is recessed downward.

[0065] 1 to 3, when the cutting carriage 20 moves in the scanning direction Y, the flexible cable 41 moves in accordance with the movement of the cutting carriage 20 with the first portion 51 housed in the first groove 81 and the second portion 52 housed in the second groove 82 as shown in FIG. 7. At this time, the first portion 51 moves in accordance with the movement of the cutting carriage 20 while being guided by the first groove 81, and the second portion 52 moves in accordance with the movement of the cutting carriage 20 while being guided by the second groove 82, so that the flexible cable 41 can be prevented from falling toward the center side of the bottom wall 71 (here, the center side between the first side wall 76 and the second side wall 77). Therefore, when the cutting carriage 20 moves, the flexible cable 41 can be arranged in an appropriate posture (for example, an upright posture).

[0066] In addition, in this embodiment, a separate member such as a guide member used to maintain the flexible cable 41 in an upright position is not required, which can reduce costs. Furthermore, compared to the case where a guide member is used, the distance between the first side wall 76 and the second side wall 77 of the support member 60 can be narrowed, which can reduce the size of the support member 60. The following are considered to be reasons why the support member 60 can be reduced in size.

[0067] For example, when a guide member is used, the guide member is formed of, for example, metal. Therefore, from the viewpoint of durability of the guide member corresponding to the bent portion 53 of the flexible cable 41, a limit is imposed on the bending rate of the guide member. In order to deal with the limit on the bending rate of the guide member, it was necessary to secure a predetermined value of the interval between the first side wall 76 and the second side wall 77. However, in this embodiment, since the guide member is not required, it is not necessary to secure a predetermined value of the interval between the first side wall 76 and the second side wall 77. Therefore, since the interval between the first side wall 76 and the second side wall 77 can be set within a range that does not interfere with the movement of the flexible cable 41 in the scanning direction Y, the support member 60 can be made smaller than when a guide member is used.

[0068] 4, in this embodiment, flexible cable 41 is sandwiched between first protective sheet 46 and second protective sheet 47. One end 51A of each of first protective sheet 46 and second protective sheet 47 is housed in first groove 81, and the other end 52A is housed in second groove 82. Therefore, even when a guide member is not used, flexible cable 41 sandwiched between first protective sheet 46 and second protective sheet 47 can be maintained in an upright position.

[0069] If the flexible cable 41 sandwiched between the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 were to move together with the cutting carriage 20 without using the first groove 81 and the second groove 82, the flexible cable 41 would bend, causing friction between the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 between the one end 51A side and the other end 52A side. Here, since the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 are made of resin (e.g., PET), electrical noise (e.g., static electricity) would be generated by friction between the flexible cable 41 and the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47, which could result in a communication error. However, in this embodiment, even if a guide member is not used, the standing posture of the flexible cable 41 sandwiched between the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 can be maintained. Therefore, it is possible to suppress friction between the one end 51A side and the other end 52A side of the flexible cable 41, and thus suppress the occurrence of a communication error.

[0070] In this embodiment, the flexible cable 41 is configured such that the position of the bent portion 53 changes when the one end 51A moves in the scanning direction Y together with the cutting carriage 20. The first groove 81 extends in the up-down direction Z and has a first groove side surface 81a extending in the scanning direction Y, and a first groove inclined surface 81b disposed closer to the second side wall 77 than the first groove side surface 81a, inclined in a direction away from the first groove side surface 81a as it goes upward, and extending in the scanning direction Y. The second groove 82 extends in the up-down direction Z and has a second groove side surface 82a extending in the scanning direction Y, and a second groove inclined surface 82b disposed closer to the first side wall 76 than the second groove side surface 82a, inclined in a direction away from the second groove side surface 82a as it goes upward, and extending in the scanning direction Y. By configuring the first groove 81 and the second groove 82 as described above, when the flexible cable 41 moves in the scanning direction Y together with the cutting carriage 20, the position of the bent portion 53 in the flexible cable 41 changes in the scanning direction Y, causing the flexible cable 41 to flutter. Even in this case, the flexible cable 41 can be prevented from fluttering by moving the flexible cable 41 along the first groove inclined surface 81b and the second groove inclined surface 82b. Therefore, the one end 51A side and the other end 52A side of the flexible cable 41 can be made less likely to come off the first groove 81 and the second groove 82.

[0071] In this embodiment, the flexible cable 41 is configured such that the position of the bent portion 53 changes when the one end 51A moves in the scanning direction Y together with the cutting carriage 20. The bottom wall 71 has a raised portion 83 that extends in the scanning direction Y between the first groove 81 and the second groove 82, is raised higher than the first groove 81 and the second groove 82, and supports the bent portion 53. This makes it possible to keep the vertical position of the bent portion 53 constant even if the position of the bent portion 53 in the flexible cable 41 changes in the scanning direction Y. This makes it possible to make the flexible cable 41 less likely to come off the first groove 81 and the second groove 82.

[0072] In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the flexible cable 41 is configured such that, as the cutting carriage 20 moves in the scanning direction Y, the position of the bent portion 53 with respect to the entire flexible cable 41 is changed, and the length of the flexible cable 41 from the bent portion 53 to one end 51A side (here, the first portion 51) and the length of the flexible cable 41 from the bent portion 53 to the other end 52A side (here, the second portion 52) are changed. As shown in FIG. 8, the bent portion 53 of the flexible cable 41 is disposed on a protruding portion 83. As shown in FIG. 13, the printer 10 includes a rotating shaft 55 that connects the end of the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 to the cutting carriage 20. The first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 is configured to be rotatable in the vertical direction Z around the rotating shaft 55.

[0073] As a result, in the flexible cable 41, as shown in FIG. 12, the bent portion 53 is disposed at a higher position than one end 51A (here, the first portion 51) of the flexible cable 41 disposed in the first groove 81. The first portion 51 is inclined upward from the bottom of the first groove 81 toward the bent portion 53 as it moves from the cutting carriage 20 (for example, the right end portion of the first portion 51) toward the bent portion 53. As described above, the first portion 51 is configured such that the length of the scanning direction Y is changed by the cutting carriage 20 moving in the scanning direction Y. For example, when the length of the scanning direction Y of the first portion 51 is long, the distance from the bent portion 53 to the cutting carriage 20 becomes long, and the inclination angle of the first portion 51 becomes angle R1, which is small. On the other hand, when the length of the scanning direction Y of the first portion 51 is short, the distance from the bent portion 53 to the cutting carriage 20 becomes short, and the inclination angle of the first portion 51 becomes angle R2, which is large. In this embodiment, even if the inclination angle of the first part 51 is changed, as shown in FIG. 13, the first part 51 rotates around the rotation axis 55 relative to the cutting carriage 20, so that the first part 51 can be properly positioned within the first groove 81.

[0074] In this embodiment, the support member 60 has an upper wall 73 that is arranged above the bent portion 53 as shown in Fig. 8 in a range of a passing trajectory in the scanning direction Y through which the bent portion 53 passes when the bent portion 53 moves together with the cutting carriage 20, within the entire range of the scanning direction Y on the support member 60. As a result, even if the bent portion 53 tries to lift up from the raised portion 83, the bent portion 53 comes into contact with the upper wall 73, and thus can be prevented from lifting up from the raised portion 83.

[0075] 10, in the range of the non-passing locus in the scanning direction Y where the bent portion 53 does not pass when the bent portion 53 moves together with the cutting carriage 20 (here, non-passing range AR2) of the entire range of the scanning direction Y of the support member 60, the support member 60 has a guide wall 74 that extends at an incline away from the first side wall 76 and extends in the scanning direction Y as it moves upward from the upper end of the face (here, first groove inclined face 81b) opposite to the first side wall 76 in the first groove 81 in which the one end 51A side (here, first portion 51) connected to the cutting carriage 20 is accommodated. The one end 51A side (here, first portion 51) of the flexible cable 41 moves in the scanning direction Y on the first groove 81 to move together with the cutting carriage 20. At this time, even if the first portion 51 moves upward along the first groove inclined surface 81b and rides on the raised portion 83 from the first groove 81 (descending from the first groove 81), in the range of the non-passing trajectory in the scanning direction Y where the bent portion 53 does not pass (here, the non-passing range AR2), the guide wall 74 extends upward from the upper end of the first groove inclined surface 81b in the first groove 81, away from the first side wall 76, and extends in the scanning direction Y. Therefore, when the flexible cable 41 moves in the non-passing range AR2, the part of the first portion 51 that has deviated from the first groove 81 moves upward along the guide wall 74. When moving in the scanning direction Y, a part of the one end 51A side (first portion 51) of the flexible cable 41 that has moved upward along the guide wall 74 moves downward along the guide wall 74 as indicated by the arrow A2 in FIG. 10 by gravity, and moves into the first groove 81. As a result, even if the first portion 51 falls out of the first groove 81, it can be returned to the first groove 81 as it moves through the non-passage range AR2, thereby preventing one end 51A side (first portion 51) of the flexible cable 41 from falling out of the first groove 81 and continuing to move.

[0076] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the first side wall 76 is provided with a first uneven portion 91 having unevenness formed thereon, and has a first opposing surface 78 formed on the surface of the first side wall 76 facing the second side wall 77. The second side wall 77 is provided with a second uneven portion 92 having unevenness formed thereon, and has a second opposing surface 79 formed on the surface of the second side wall 77 facing the first side wall 76. Here, when the cutting carriage 20 moves in the scanning direction Y, the cable assembly 40 moves in accordance with the movement of the cutting carriage 20 with the first portion 51 contacting the first uneven portion 91 provided on the first opposing surface 78 of the first side wall 76 and the second portion 52 contacting the second uneven portion 92 provided on the second opposing surface 79 of the second side wall 77. At this time, the first portion 51 slides against the first opposing surface 78, and the second portion 52 slides against the second opposing surface 79. Here, if the first uneven portion 91 and the second uneven portion 92 are omitted, the contact area between the first portion 51 and the first opposing surface 78 and the contact area between the second portion 52 and the second opposing surface 79 are large. As a result, the sliding resistance generated when the first portion 51 and the second portion 52 slide becomes high, making it difficult to slide. Therefore, the first portion 51 and the second portion 52 buckle and tend to tilt from the upright position. However, in this embodiment, since the first portion 51 is in contact with the first uneven portion 91, a gap is generated between the first portion 51 and the first uneven portion 91, and the contact area is reduced. As a result, the sliding resistance generated when the first portion 51 slides is reduced. Similarly, since the second portion 52 is in contact with the second uneven portion 92, a gap is generated between the second portion 52 and the second uneven portion 92, and the sliding resistance generated when the second portion 52 slides is reduced. Therefore, the first portion 51 and the second portion 52 can slide easily, and are less likely to tilt relative to the first opposing surface 78 and the second opposing surface 79. Therefore, while the cutting carriage 20 is moving, the cable assembly 40 can be maintained in an upright position.

[0077] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, the first uneven portion 91 has a plurality of first protrusions 93 that protrude from the first opposing surface 78 and are arranged side by side in the scanning direction Y. The second uneven portion 92 has a plurality of second protrusions 94 that protrude from the second opposing surface 79 and are arranged side by side in the scanning direction Y. This allows the first protrusions 93 to be the convex portion of the first uneven portion 91, and the first opposing surface 78 that is recessed relative to the first protrusions 93 to be the concave portion of the first uneven portion 91. Therefore, the first uneven portion 91 can be provided on the first opposing surface 78 by the simple method of forming the first protrusions 93 on the first opposing surface 78. For the same reason, the second uneven portion 92 can be provided on the second opposing surface 79 by the simple method of forming the second protrusions 94 on the second opposing surface 78.

[0078] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the protruding length L11 of the first protrusion 93 is smaller than the thickness L21 of the first side wall 76. The protruding length L12 of the second protrusion 94 is smaller than the thickness L22 of the second side wall 77. This allows the protruding lengths L11, L12 of the first protrusion 93 and the second protrusion 94 to be relatively small. Therefore, when the first portion 51 contacts the first uneven portion 91, the sliding resistance between the first portion 51 and the first opposing surface 78 can be reduced while reducing the gap between the first portion 51 and the first uneven portion 91. Similarly, when the second portion 52 contacts the second uneven portion 92, the sliding resistance between the second portion 52 and the second opposing surface 79 can be reduced while reducing the gap between the second portion 52 and the second uneven portion 92.

[0079] In this embodiment, the printer 10 has a second protective sheet 47 that extends along the flexible cable 41 so as to overlap the flexible cable 41 and that contacts the first opposing surface 78 and the second opposing surface 79. Here, the first opposing surface 78 and the second opposing surface 79 are formed with unevenness by the first uneven portion 91 and the second uneven portion 92, respectively, and therefore, when the flexible cable 41 comes into contact with the first uneven portion 91 and the second uneven portion 92, a malfunction due to electrical noise or the like may occur. However, in this embodiment, the flexible cable 41 is covered with the second protective sheet 47, and therefore, direct contact with the first uneven portion 91 and the second uneven portion 92 can be prevented, and therefore, malfunctions of the flexible cable 41 can be made less likely to occur.

[0080] Next, the configuration of the support member 60A according to another embodiment will be described. FIG. 14 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 11, which shows a schematic diagram of the first opposing surface 78 and the second opposing surface 79 in the printer 10A according to another embodiment. FIG. 15 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 7 in the printer 10A according to another embodiment. As shown in FIG. 15, in the printer 10A, the first opposing surface 78 of the first side wall 76 of the support member 60A is provided with a first uneven portion 91A in which unevenness is formed. The first uneven portion 91A has a first sliding sheet 95. The first sliding sheet 95 is provided on the first opposing surface 78 so as to protrude from the first opposing surface 78. Here, the first sliding sheet 95 protrudes from the first opposing surface 78 toward the second side wall 77. As shown in FIG. 14, the first sliding sheet 95 extends in the scanning direction Y. The first sliding sheet 95 is provided on the upper part of the first opposing surface 78. The first sliding sheet 95 is provided above the center in the up-down direction Z of the first opposing surface 78. However, the position of the first sliding sheet 95 with respect to the first opposing surface 78 is not particularly limited, and for example, the first sliding sheet 95 may be provided at the bottom of the first opposing surface 78, or may be provided in the central part of the first opposing surface 78 in the up-down direction Z. The first sliding sheet 95 may be provided below the center in the up-down direction Z of the first opposing surface 78, or may be provided across the center.

[0081] In this embodiment, the first sliding sheet 95 is separate from the first opposing surface 78 and is attached to the first opposing surface 78. Here, the first sliding sheet 95 is a so-called tape, and is attached to the first opposing surface 78. However, the first sliding sheet 95 may also be attached to the first opposing surface 78 by screws or the like. In this embodiment, the first sliding sheet 95 forms the convex part of the first uneven portion 91A, and the first opposing surface 78, which is concave with respect to the first sliding sheet 95, forms the concave part of the first uneven portion 91A.

[0082] As shown in FIG. 15, the second opposing surface 79 of the second side wall 77 of the support member 60A is provided with a second uneven portion 92A having unevenness formed thereon. The second uneven portion 92A has a second sliding sheet 96. The second sliding sheet 96 has a configuration similar to that of the first sliding sheet 95. Therefore, although detailed description is omitted, as shown in FIG. 14, the second sliding sheet 96 is provided on the upper portion of the second opposing surface 79 so as to protrude from the second opposing surface 79, and extends in the scanning direction Y. The second sliding sheet 96 is provided above the center of the second opposing surface 79 in the up-down direction Z. The second sliding sheet 96 is attached by being attached to the second opposing surface 79. In this embodiment, the second sliding sheet 96 is the convex portion of the second uneven portion 92A, and the second opposing surface 79, which is concave with respect to the second sliding sheet 96, is the concave portion of the second uneven portion 92A.

[0083] In this manner, in this embodiment, the first uneven portion 91A can be provided on the first opposing surface 78 by the simple method of providing the first sliding sheet 95 on the first opposing surface 78. Similarly, the second uneven portion 92A can be provided on the second opposing surface 79 by the simple method of providing the second sliding sheet 96 on the second opposing surface 79.

[0084] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 15, the thickness L31 of the first sliding sheet 95 is smaller than the thickness L21 of the first side wall 76. The thickness L32 of the second sliding sheet 96 is smaller than the thickness L22 of the second side wall 77. However, the thickness L31 of the first sliding sheet 95 may be larger than the thickness L21 of the first side wall 76 or may be the same as the thickness L21. The thickness L32 of the second sliding sheet 96 may be larger than the thickness L22 of the second side wall 76 or may be the same as the thickness L22. Here, the thicknesses L31 and L32 refer to the maximum lengths of the first sliding sheet 95 and the second sliding sheet 96 in the conveying direction X. In this embodiment, the thickness L31 of the first sliding sheet 95 is the same as the thickness L32 of the second sliding sheet 96, but they may be different. Here, the length of the first sliding sheet 95 in the up-down direction Z is greater than the thickness L21 of the first sliding sheet 95, but may be the same as the thickness L21 or may be smaller than the thickness L21. Also, the length of the second sliding sheet 96 in the up-down direction Z is greater than the thickness L22 of the second sliding sheet 96, but may be the same as the thickness L22 or may be smaller than the thickness L22.

[0085] In this manner, in this embodiment, the thicknesses L31, L32 of the first sliding sheet 95 and the second sliding sheet 96 can be made relatively small. Therefore, when the first portion 51 contacts the first uneven portion 91A, the sliding resistance between the first portion 51 and the first opposing surface 78 can be reduced while the gap between the first uneven portion 91A and the first portion 51 can be made small. Similarly, when the second portion 52 contacts the second uneven portion 92A, the sliding resistance between the second portion 52 and the second opposing surface 79 can be reduced while the gap between the second uneven portion 92A and the second portion 52 can be made small.

[0086] There is no particular limitation on the material forming the first sliding sheet 95 and the second sliding sheet 96. In this embodiment, the first sliding sheet 95 and the second sliding sheet 96 are formed of resin.

[0087] Even in this embodiment, when the first portion 51 of the cable assembly 40 comes into contact with the first uneven portion 91A of the first opposing surface 78, a gap is formed in the concave portion, and the degree of contact with the first opposing surface 78 is reduced. As a result, the sliding resistance in the first portion 51 is reduced. This makes it easier for the first portion 51 to slide, and the upright position can be easily maintained. For the same reason, the sliding resistance of the second portion 52 is also reduced, making it easier to slide, and as a result, the upright position can be easily maintained.

[0088] In this embodiment, the first uneven portion 91A may have, in addition to the first sliding sheet 95, a plurality of first protrusions 93 arranged side by side in the scanning direction Y as shown in Fig. 11. Similarly, the second uneven portion 92A may have, in addition to the second sliding sheet 96, a plurality of second protrusions 94 arranged side by side in the scanning direction Y as shown in Fig. 11. In this case, for example, the first sliding sheet 95 may be provided on the first opposing surface 78 so as to be located above the plurality of first protrusions 93. The second sliding sheet 96 may be provided on the second opposing surface 79 so as to be located above the plurality of second protrusions 94.

[0089] In each of the above-described embodiments, the first uneven portion 91, 91A forms unevenness on the first opposing surface 78 by providing a member that protrudes from the first opposing surface 78, such as the first protrusion 93 or the first sliding sheet 95. Similarly, the second uneven portion 92, 92A forms unevenness on the second opposing surface 79 by providing a member that protrudes from the second opposing surface 79, such as the second protrusion 94 or the second sliding sheet 96. However, the first uneven portion 91, 91A may form unevenness on the first opposing surface 78 by providing a first recess that is recessed into the first opposing surface 78. The second uneven portion 92, 92A may form unevenness on the second opposing surface 79 by providing a second recess that is recessed into the second opposing surface 79.

[0090] The carriage moving device according to the present invention is not limited to the printers 10 and 10A, and the carriage included in the carriage moving device is not limited to the cutting carriage 20. The carriage moving device according to the present invention does not need to have a printing function like the printers 10 and 10A, and may be a so-called cutting device in which the print carriage 25 is omitted and the cutting carriage 20 is provided. The carriage included in the carriage moving device according to the present invention may be, for example, a sensor carriage equipped with a sensor.

[0091] In this embodiment, the first groove 81 and the second groove 82 of the support member 60 are V-shaped grooves when viewed from the scanning direction Y. However, the shapes of the first groove 81 and the second groove 82 are not particularly limited. For example, the first groove 81 and the second groove 82 may be U-shaped grooves or rectangular grooves when viewed from the scanning direction Y. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] 10 Printer (carriage movement device) 20 Cut carriage (carriage) 30 Moving mechanism 41 Flexible Cable 47 Second protective sheet (protective sheet) 51 Part 1 52 Part 2 53 Bend 55 Rotation axis 60 Support member 71 Bottom wall 73 Upper Wall 74 Guide Wall 76 First side wall 77 Second side wall 78 First opposing surface 79 Second opposing surface 81 First groove 81a 1st groove side 81b 1st groove slope 82 2nd groove 82a 2nd groove side 82b 2nd groove slope 83 Ridge 91 First uneven part 92 Second uneven part 93 1st protrusion 94 Second protrusion 95 First sliding sheet 96 Second sliding sheet X conveying direction (second direction) Y scanning direction (first direction)

Claims

1. A carriage; a moving mechanism that moves the carriage in a first direction; a flexible cable connected to the carriage, the flexible cable having one end that moves together with the carriage in the first direction, the other end that is fixed in position, and a bent portion provided between the one end and the other end; a support member that supports the flexible cable, the support member having a bottom wall, a first side wall that extends upward from the bottom wall and in the first direction, and a second side wall that extends upward from the bottom wall and in the first direction and is disposed alongside the first side wall with the bottom wall between them in a second direction that intersects the first direction; Equipped with The bottom wall is a first groove extending in the first direction on the first side wall side, accommodating the one end side of the flexible cable from the bent portion, and recessed downward; a second groove extending in the first direction on the second side wall, accommodating the other end of the flexible cable from the bent portion, and recessed downward; A carriage moving device comprising:

2. a position of the bent portion is changed when the one end of the flexible cable moves in the first direction together with the carriage, The first groove is A first groove side surface extending in the vertical direction and in the first direction; a first groove inclined surface that is disposed closer to the second sidewall than the first groove side surface, extends upwardly at an incline away from the first groove side surface, and extends in the first direction; having The second groove is A second groove side surface extending in the vertical direction and in the first direction; a second groove inclined surface that is disposed closer to the first sidewall than the second groove side surface, extends upwardly at an incline away from the second groove side surface, and extends in the first direction; 2. The carriage moving device according to claim 1, further comprising:

3. a position of the bent portion is changed when the one end of the flexible cable moves in the first direction together with the carriage, 2. A carriage moving device as described in claim 1, wherein the bottom wall has a raised portion extending in the first direction between the first groove and the second groove, raised higher than the first groove and the second groove, and supporting the bent portion.

4. the flexible cable is configured such that, when the carriage moves in the first direction, a position of the bent portion with respect to the entire flexible cable is changed, and a length of the flexible cable from the bent portion to the one end side and a length of the flexible cable from the bent portion to the other end side are changed; the bent portion of the flexible cable is disposed on the raised portion, a rotating shaft that connects the one end of the flexible cable and the carriage, 4. The carriage moving device according to claim 3, wherein the one end of the flexible cable is configured to be rotatable in the vertical direction around the rotation shaft.

5. A carriage moving device described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the support member has an upper wall positioned above the bent portion within the range of a passing trajectory in the first direction through which the bent portion passes when the bent portion moves together with the carriage, within the entire range of the support member in the first direction.

6. 5. A carriage moving device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the support member has a guide wall extending in the first direction, in a range of a non-passing trajectory in the first direction through which the curved portion does not pass when the curved portion moves together with the carriage, within the entire range of the support member in the first direction, and extending at an angle away from the first side wall as it moves upward from the upper end of a surface of the first groove opposite the first side wall.

7. the first side wall is provided with a first uneven portion having unevenness formed therein, and has a first opposing surface formed on a surface of the first side wall facing the second side wall, A carriage moving device described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second side wall has a second uneven portion formed therein, and has a second opposing surface formed on a surface of the second side wall facing the first side wall.

8. The first uneven portion has a plurality of first protrusions protruding from the first opposing surface and arranged side by side in the first direction, The carriage moving device according to claim 7 , wherein the second uneven portion has a plurality of second protrusions that protrude from the second opposing surface and are arranged side by side in the first direction.

9. a protruding length of the first protrusion is smaller than a thickness of the first side wall; The carriage moving device according to claim 8 , wherein a protruding length of the second protrusion is smaller than a thickness of the second side wall.

10. the first uneven portion is provided on the first opposing surface so as to protrude from the first opposing surface and has a first sliding sheet extending in the first direction; The carriage moving device according to claim 7 , wherein the second uneven portion has a second sliding sheet provided on the second opposing surface so as to protrude from the second opposing surface and extending in the first direction.

11. The thickness of the first sliding sheet is smaller than the thickness of the first side wall, The carriage moving device according to claim 10 , wherein the thickness of the second sliding sheet is smaller than the thickness of the second side wall.

12. 8. The carriage moving device according to claim 7, further comprising a protective sheet extending along said flexible cable so as to overlap said flexible cable and in contact with said first opposing surface and said second opposing surface.

Images