Recording device

Abstract

To solve such a problem that there are multiple types of ink storage capacities for ink tanks that constitute an image recording device, and a user feels inconsistency in the ink depletion rate among the ink tanks with different ink storage capacities since the height of a window frame of an ink residual capacity display window is the same.SOLUTION: A recording device includes: a housing section which is provided in the recording device main body and stores a plurality of storage units for storing recording agents; and a status display section which is provided on the front wall surface of the housing section which is constituted by the same surface as the front surface wall of the recording device and is formed with different shapes corresponding to the storage units with different storage capacities of the recording agent. The height of a first status display section corresponding to the storage unit with a larger storage capacity of the recording agent is lower than the height of a second status display section corresponding to another storage unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 15

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a recording device that records information on a recording medium using a recording agent. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, in a recording device equipped with an ink tank, the ink tank is located on the front side of the recording device. In such a configuration, a window is often formed in the front wall of the recording device through which the ink tank storage compartment can be viewed from the outside so that the user can check the remaining amount of ink in the ink tank.

[0003] In addition, in a recording device equipped with a recording head for ejecting ink droplets onto a recording medium, a carriage carrying the recording head reciprocates in the main scanning direction while ejecting droplets from the recording head onto the recording medium to perform recording. The ink ejected from the recording head onto the recording medium is supplied to the recording head from an ink tank provided separately from the carriage. The surface of this ink tank is provided with identification information and scales indicating the type and remaining amount of ink, and the identification information and scales are configured to be visible from the outside so that the user can check the type and remaining amount of ink. Patent Document 1 describes an inkjet printer equipped with an ink tank and a display window for checking the remaining amount of ink on the front of the main body of the device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-112917 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the inkjet printer in Patent Document 1 has multiple ink tanks according to the type of ink, and the ink storage amount of each ink tank is also different. However, in Patent Document 1, the height of the display window corresponding to each ink tank is the same. Therefore, the ink display state of the display window of an ink tank that uses a large amount of ink appears to decrease more rapidly than the decrease in the display state of the display window of other ink tanks that use relatively less ink.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to improve the usability of a recording device having storage sections with different amounts of recording agent. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, a recording device according to one aspect of the present invention has the following configuration: A recording device, comprising: a storage section provided in the recording device body and housing a plurality of storage sections for storing recording agent; a state display section provided on a front wall surface of the storage section that is flush with the front wall surface of the recording device, the state display section having a different shape corresponding to the storage section having a different storage amount of the recording agent; The height of the first status indicator corresponding to the storage section having a large amount of recording agent is lower than the height of the second status indicator corresponding to the other storage sections. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the usability of a printing apparatus having a plurality of storage sections, some of which have different amounts of printing agent stored therein.

[0009] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components throughout the drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a paper feed cassette removed from the main body of the recording apparatus. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the appearance of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a front view of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the recording device according to the embodiment in a state where the reading unit is opened relative to the lower housing. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a top view of the state in which the reading unit is removed from FIG. 5 . [Figure 7] 6A and 6B are diagrams illustrating a state in which the positions of a panel operation unit, an ink reservoir cover, and a waste ink reservoir cover of the printing apparatus according to the embodiment are changed by a user operation. [Figure 8] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating a tilt mechanism for changing the angle of the panel operation surface of the recording apparatus according to the embodiment in multiple stages. [Figure 9] 3A to 3C are diagrams illustrating a panel operation unit and a rotation mechanism for an ink reservoir cover in the recording apparatus 1. [Figure 10] 3A and 3B are a top perspective view and a bottom perspective view of a waste ink storage section cover, respectively; [Figure 11] 4 is a perspective view of the waste ink reservoir of the lower housing and its surroundings with the waste ink reservoir cover removed. FIG. [Figure 12] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating a path of attachment and detachment of a waste ink reservoir cover. [Figure 13] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a waste ink reservoir cover is attached to the recording apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 14A] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating an ink reservoir, an ink reservoir cover, and the surrounding mechanisms of the recording apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 14B] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating an ink reservoir, an ink reservoir cover, and the surrounding mechanisms of the recording apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 15] 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating a window of an ink reservoir of the recording apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 16] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a reading unit 10 is opened relative to a printer unit 104 in a recording apparatus 1 according to an embodiment. [Figure 17] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating a mechanism for attaching a damper unit to a printer section in the recording apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 18] 5A and 5B are diagrams showing the installation state and operation of a reading unit and an arm gear in the recording apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 19] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating a structure of a damper unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 20] 13A and 13B are diagrams showing window partition shapes according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Although the embodiments describe a plurality of features, not all of these features are essential to the invention, and the plurality of features may be combined in any manner. Furthermore, in the attached drawings, the same reference numbers are used for the same or similar configurations, and duplicated descriptions are omitted. Note that the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative positions of the components described in the embodiments should be appropriately changed 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 embodiments.

[0012] First, the terms used in this embodiment are defined as follows. ·"record" In this specification, "recording" does not only mean forming meaningful information such as characters or figures. It does not matter whether it is meaningful or insignificant, and whether it is manifested so that humans can perceive it visually or not. It also broadly means forming images, patterns, etc. on a recording medium, or processing a medium. Furthermore, recording does not matter whether it is manifested so that humans can perceive it visually or not. "Recording media" The recording medium refers not only to paper used in general recording devices, but also to a wide range of materials that can accept ink, such as cloth, plastic film, metal plates, glass, ceramics, wood, and leather. ·"ink" The term "ink" should be interpreted broadly in the same way as the definition of "recording" above, and refers to a medium containing a recording material that can be applied to a recording medium to form an image, design, pattern, etc., or to process the recording medium, or to treat the ink. It is a liquid in terms of physical properties. The ink treatment mentioned above refers to, for example, solidification or insolubilization of the coloring material in the ink applied to the recording medium. ·"nozzle" Unless otherwise specified, the term "nozzle" refers to an ejection port. Inside the nozzle, there is a communicating liquid path and an element that generates energy used to eject ink. ·"scanning" In order to record on the recording medium, the recording head scans over the recording medium to perform recording. Here, the term "scanning" refers to head movement during acceleration and deceleration for recording or related to recording.

[0013] FIG. 1 is an oblique view for explaining the configuration of a recording device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and shows the configuration around the recording unit attached (housed) in the lower housing 2 of the recording device 1 with the exterior cover removed.

[0014] The recording device 1 according to the embodiment is an example in which the present invention is applied to a so-called inkjet printer that discharges ink (recording agent) as a liquid for image recording onto a recording material to record an image (liquid discharge method). The recording device according to the embodiment is not limited to a liquid discharge type image recording device (image forming device), and may be applied to, for example, an electrophotographic recording device (laser printer). In this case, the recording agent is a toner.

[0015] The arrows X, Y, and Z in Fig. 1 indicate the width, depth, and height directions of the recording device 1, which intersect with each other (here, they are perpendicular to each other). The arrows X, Y, and Z in other figures are the same. Each of these directions is determined based on the installation surface of the recording device 1. For example, when the recording device 1 is installed on a horizontal surface, which is a normally assumed installation state, the Z direction, which is the height direction, coincides with the vertical direction, and the X and Y directions coincide with the horizontal direction.

[0016] <Overall composition> As shown in FIG. 1, various mechanical parts of the recording device 1 are mounted in a lower housing 2 of the device main body. A paper feed section 3 for stacking sheet materials is provided at the bottom (negative side in the Z direction) of the lower housing 2. The topmost sheet of the sheet materials on the paper feed section 3 is separated and fed to a conveying section 4 by a feeding means and a conveying path (not shown). The fed sheet material is conveyed in the -Y direction (from the back side of the device to the front side) through an image recording section (image forming section) 5 by the conveying section 4 and a paper discharge section 6. In the above configuration example, the paper feed section 3 is described as being located on the front side of the main body, but it can also be provided on the rear side of the main body, or on the rear side in addition to the front side.

[0017] <Ink storage section> The image recording unit 5 receives ink from an ink storage unit 70 that contains ink required for recording, and ejects ink onto a sheet material based on recording information to record an image. In addition, in order to maintain recording quality, a recovery operation is performed for nozzles (not shown) provided in the image recording unit 5. At that time, waste ink that is not used for recording is generated, and some image recording units are provided with a replaceable waste ink storage unit 80 for storing the waste ink. The damper unit 103 will be described in detail later.

[0018] <Cassette window> FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the paper feed cassette 31 removed from the main body of the recording apparatus 1. As shown in FIG.

[0019] The paper feed cassette 31 is a cassette of the paper feed section 3, and P represents paper (sheets), which are separated and transported one by one in the direction of the arrow A as described above. The paper side regulation member 32 is a regulation guide that regulates the left and right sides of the paper. The paper rear end regulation member 33 regulates the rear end of the paper so that the leading edge of the paper is appropriately positioned in the separation section (not shown) when the paper is set. In FIG. 2, it is arranged at a position that regulates A4 size recording paper, but it is possible to correspond by changing the position of the regulation members 32 and 33 according to the size of the recording paper. The cassette front part 34 is located at the front of the device of the paper feed cassette 31 and has a finger hook part 34a. The window part 35 is a window part provided in the cassette front part 34 and made of a transparent material. A user can visually determine the remaining amount of recording paper in the paper feed cassette 31 by looking into the inside of the paper feed cassette 31 through this window member 35. It is possible to provide an opening in the wall of the cassette without providing the window 35, but there is a concern that dust may enter and the separation performance may deteriorate. Therefore, in this embodiment, the window 35 and the cassette front surface 34 are configured to be on the same surface. This results in a configuration with almost no steps between the window 35 and the cassette front surface 34, eliminating the risk of dust accumulating on the steps and ensuring that visibility through the window 35 is not impaired.

[0020] <Reading unit configuration> Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing the appearance of the recording device 1 according to the embodiment, in which the reading unit 10 is closed relative to the lower housing 2. Fig. 4 is a front view of the recording device 1. <Panel section> The recording device 1 is equipped with a panel operation unit 90 for operating the recording device 1, and Fig. 3 shows a state in which the operation panel 90 is accommodated in the lower housing 2. In the state shown in Fig. 3, the end of the operation panel 90 on the device front side (negative Y side) is located forward of the reading unit 10, and the upper surface of the operation panel 90 is disposed to form the upper surface of the device.

[0021] <Ink reservoir cover> The recording device 1 is equipped with an ink reservoir cover 71 for covering the ink reservoir 70 (FIG. 1). FIG. 3 shows a state in which the ink reservoir cover 71 is closed relative to the lower housing 2. In the state shown in FIG. 3, the end of the ink reservoir cover 71 on the device front side (negative Y side) is located in front of the reading unit 10 and adjacent to the panel operation unit 90, and the top surface of the ink reservoir cover 71 is disposed to form the top surface of the device.

[0022] <Waste ink storage cover> The recording device 1 is equipped with a waste ink storage section cover 81 for covering the waste ink storage section 80 (FIG. 1). FIG. 3 shows a state in which the waste ink storage section cover 81 is attached to the lower housing 2. In the state shown in FIG. 3, the end of the waste ink storage section cover 81 on the device front side (negative Y side) is located in front of the reading section 10 and adjacent to the panel operation section 90, and the top surface of the ink storage section cover 81 is disposed to form the top surface of the device.

[0023] The above-mentioned panel operation unit 90, ink reservoir cover 71, and waste ink reservoir cover 81 are arranged so that their respective upper surfaces are at substantially the same height, as shown in Fig. 4. In the above example, the ink reservoir cover 71, waste ink reservoir cover 81, and panel operation unit 90 are arranged side by side, but, for example, only these two may be arranged on the front side of the device.

[0024] <Opening and closing configuration of the reading unit / jam removal> Fig. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the recording device 1 according to the embodiment in a state where the reading unit 10 is open to the printer unit 104 including the image recording unit 5. Fig. 6 is a top view of Fig. 5 with the reading unit 10 removed. In Figs. 5 and 6, parts common to the above-mentioned drawings are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

[0025] The reading unit 10 is configured to be engaged with the printer unit 104 via a rotation shaft (not shown) and can be placed in a closed state or an open state by rotating about the rotation shaft relative to the printer unit 104.

[0026] When removing paper jammed around the image recording unit 5 or in the transport path, the user can open the reading unit 10 in the +R direction to access the inside of the printer unit 104 through an opening 101e (FIG. 6). In addition, a damper unit 103 is provided in the opening / closing mechanism of the reading unit 10, enabling stable opening and closing of the reading unit 10. The configuration of the damper unit 103 will be described in detail later. The present invention can also be applied to a recording device having a reading unit with a document transport unit, and a recording device having a document transport unit and a rotating exterior cover that does not have a reading function. Reference numeral 101 denotes a frame member that forms a bearing unit for the printer unit 104.

[0027] <Flexible operation panel / cover configuration> FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the positions of the panel operation unit 90, the ink reservoir cover 71, and the waste ink reservoir cover 81 of the recording apparatus 1 according to the embodiment are changed by a user operation.

[0028] The panel operation unit 90 is rotatably connected to the printer unit 104 via a tilt mechanism so that the angle of the panel operation surface can be changed in multiple stages. The panel operation unit 90 shown in Fig. 7 shows a state in which it is opened (rotated) to the minus R side (Fig. 5) with respect to the printer unit 104. In this way, by rotating the panel operation unit 90, the user can change the position of the panel operation surface to one that is easy to view and operate it.

[0029] The reading unit 10 has a recessed shape 13 for securing a space for a user to place a finger when rotating the panel operation unit 90. The recessed shape 13 may be used as a gripping shape when rotating the reading unit 10. The configuration of the panel operation unit 90 will be described in detail later.

[0030] The ink reservoir cover 71 is provided with an axis that rotates relative to the printer unit 104, and is connected in a generally fitted state to a frame member 101 (FIG. 6) that forms a bearing portion of the printer unit 104. The user can refill the ink reservoir 70 with ink by rotating the ink reservoir cover 71 toward the rear of the device (positive R side). The configuration of the ink reservoir cover 71 will be described in detail later.

[0031] The waste ink reservoir cover 81 is configured to be detachable by sliding it in the device depth direction (Y direction) relative to the printer unit 104. The waste ink reservoir cover 81 shown in FIG. 7 is shown in a state removed from the printer unit 104. By removing the waste ink reservoir cover 81, the user can replace the waste ink reservoir. The configuration of the waste ink reservoir cover 81 will be described in detail later.

[0032] In the embodiment, as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 7, the panel operation unit 90, the ink storage unit cover 71, and the waste ink storage unit cover 81 are arranged side by side in front of the reading unit 10. This can improve the visibility and operability of the panel operation unit 90 and the ink storage unit 70 located below the ink storage unit cover 71, and the waste ink storage unit 80 located below the waste ink storage unit cover 81. Also, a large space can be allocated to the panel operation unit 90, the ink storage unit 70, and the waste ink storage unit 80. This makes it possible to provide a tilt function to the panel operation unit 90, increase the capacity of the ink storage unit 70, and expand the functions that each unit has.

[0033] Furthermore, by configuring the ink reservoir cover 71 and the waste ink reservoir cover 81 with transparent or semi-transparent parts, the user can visually check the contents even when the covers are closed.

[0034] <Panel configuration explanation> Next, a panel operation unit 90 provided for operating the recording apparatus 1 will be described.

[0035] The panel operation unit 90 can be rotated between a closed position in which it is stored in the device as shown in Fig. 3, and an open position 1 in which it is opened (rotated) to the minus R side with respect to the printer unit 104 as shown in Fig. 7. In the embodiment, a tilt mechanism 91 (Fig. 8) is used that has three holding positions with a second open position between the closed position and the first open position, but the number of holding positions and whether or not it is a free stop are not important. By making the panel operation unit 90 rotatable in this way, the user can improve the visibility and operability of the panel operation surface.

[0036] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a tilt mechanism for changing the angle of the panel operation surface of the recording device 1 according to the embodiment in multiple stages.

[0037] The panel operation surface is connected to the printer unit 104 via a tilt mechanism 91. As shown in Fig. 8, the tilt mechanism 91 has a cam portion 92 and a slider portion 93, and the cam portion 92 is provided with cam surfaces 92a, 92b, and 92c corresponding to the closed position, the first open position, and the second open position. The slider portion 93 is biased toward the cam portion 92 by a biasing means (not shown), and is configured so that a frictional force is generated at the contact surface between the two.

[0038] The panel operation unit 90 is arranged so that at least a part of it overlaps with the paper passing area in the device width direction (X direction). By positioning the panel operation unit 90 in the center of the main body of the recording device 1 in this way, it is possible to provide a grip shape 94 (FIG. 7) that the user places his / her finger on when rotating the panel operation unit 90 and a grip shape 13 (FIG. 7) of the reading unit in the same space, ensuring a wide operation range.

[0039] The panel operation unit 90 is configured so as not to overlap the paper discharge unit 6 from which the paper is discharged in the device height direction (Z direction) even when it is in a position where it can be rotated by the tilt mechanism 91. This makes it possible to improve the visibility of the panel operation surface and the deliverables without impeding the paper discharge function.

[0040] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a rotation mechanism of the panel operation unit 90 and the ink reservoir cover 71 in the recording apparatus 1. As shown in FIG.

[0041] FIG. 9A is a top view showing the closed position where the panel operation surface of the panel operation unit 90 faces the top surface of the device.

[0042] In this closed position, there is a problem that dust easily accumulates on the panel operation surface. Therefore, in this embodiment, the resistive touch screen, mechanical keys, and panel cover are all aligned in height toward the top surface, and are covered with sheet keys to create a full flat configuration. This makes it possible to improve the ease of cleaning by the user without impairing the functionality of the panel operation unit 90. Note that the touch screen is not limited to the resistive touch screen, and may be an electrostatic touch screen or the like.

[0043] FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE in FIG. 9A, illustrating a state in which the panel operation unit 90 rotates.

[0044] 9(b), the panel operation unit 90 rotates around a rotation axis 90a, and the outermost part of the rotation passes through a rotation locus 90b. This configuration allows the panel operation unit 90 to rotate even when the reading unit 10 is closed, and good visibility of the panel can be obtained even during operation of the recording device 1.

[0045] FIG. 9C is a cross-sectional view taken along line FF in FIG. 9A, illustrating a state in which ink reservoir cover 71 rotates.

[0046] By locating the rotation center 71a of the ink reservoir cover 71 at the position shown in the figure, it is possible to replenish ink with the ink reservoir cover 71 standing almost upright and the reading unit 10 closed, without opening the reading unit 10 as shown in Figure 7. This improves operability when replacing the ink tank.

[0047] The ink reservoir cover 71 has a click mechanism (not shown) and is configured so that the user feels a click when the ink reservoir cover 71 is at an angle of approximately 90° and 0°. This is designed to allow the user to reliably open and close the ink reservoir cover 71.

[0048] <Waste ink storage cover explanation> 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the waste ink reservoir cover 81 of the recording device 1 according to the embodiment. Fig. 10A is a perspective view of the waste ink reservoir cover 81 from the top side, and Fig. 10B is a perspective view of the waste ink reservoir cover 81 from the bottom side.

[0049] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the waste ink reservoir 80 and its surroundings of the printer unit 104 with the waste ink reservoir cover 81 removed.

[0050] The following description will be given with reference to FIG. 10 and FIG.

[0051] The waste ink storage section cover 81 is provided with a lock lever 82 and a lock member 83, and the lock lever 82 and the lock member 83 are slidable in the horizontal direction in synchronization with each other. The frame member 101 is provided with an engagement shape 102. When the waste ink storage section cover 81 is set in the frame member 101, the user slides the lock lever 82 so that the lock portion 831 fits into the engagement shape 102, and the waste ink storage section cover 81 is locked to the frame member 101. When the reading unit 10 is closed, the lock lever 82 is hidden by the reading unit 10, and when the reading unit 10 is open, the lock lever 82 is exposed. This ensures access to the waste ink storage section 80 while reducing the risk of the waste ink storage section 80 being inadvertently opened.

[0052] Fig. 12 is a diagram for explaining the trajectory of attaching and detaching the waste ink reservoir cover 81. Fig. 12(a) shows the state in which the waste ink reservoir cover 81 is attached, Fig. 12(b) shows the first stage of the trajectory when removing the waste ink reservoir cover 81, and Fig. 12(c) shows the second stage of the trajectory when removing the waste ink reservoir cover 81. The arrows in Fig. 12(b) and Fig. 12(c) indicate the movement direction when removing the waste ink reservoir cover 81. When it reaches the state shown in Fig. 12(c), the waste ink reservoir cover 81 is completely separated from the attachment mechanism of the printer unit 104, and the user can remove the waste ink reservoir cover 81.

[0053] In this way, the user can replace the waste ink reservoir 80 by removing the waste ink reservoir cover 81 .

[0054] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the waste ink reservoir cover 81 is attached to the recording apparatus 1 according to the embodiment.

[0055] 13(a) is a top view of the recording apparatus 1 according to the embodiment, FIG. 13(b) is a cross-sectional view illustrating the aa cross section in FIG. 13(a), and FIG. 13(c) is a cross-sectional view illustrating the bb cross section in FIG. 13(a).

[0056] When the waste ink reservoir cover 81 is set on the frame member 101 and the reading unit 10 is closed, the movement of the waste ink reservoir cover 81 is restricted by the cover restricting shape 11 (FIGS. 13(b) and 13(c)). This makes it possible to prevent the waste ink reservoir cover 81 from accidentally falling off even if the user forgets to set the lock lever 82 to the lock position.

[0057] When the waste ink reservoir cover 81 is set on the frame member, the lock lever 82 is set to the locked position, and the reading unit 10 is closed, the movement of the lock lever 82 is restricted by the lock lever engaging shape 102 (FIG. 11). This makes it possible to prevent the lock lever 82 from accidentally moving to the released position due to shocks during product transportation, etc.

[0058] Figure 14 is a diagram illustrating the ink reservoir 7 and ink reservoir cover 71 of the recording device 1 according to the embodiment, and the mechanism around them. Figure 14A(a) is a front view of the recording device according to the embodiment when ink is being injected, showing the first open position of the panel operation unit 90 and the positional relationship of the ink bottle 74 when ink is being injected. Figure 14A(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line cc of Figure 14A(a), and Figure 14B is a cross-sectional view taken along line dd of Figure 14A(b).

[0059] The ink storage section 70 is equipped with ink tanks 72 of four colors: black, cyan, magenta, and yellow. Each ink tank can be accessed by opening the ink storage section cover 71, and each ink tank 72 is equipped with an ink tank cap 73 to prevent ink leakage. These ink tank caps 73 are made of materials corresponding to each ink color, and transparent or semi-transparent parts are used for the ink storage section cover 71 to improve visibility for the user.

[0060] The ink tank cap 73 has a cap lever 73a, which rotates around a rotation center 73b and is disposed on the same side (Y direction) as the rotation center 71a (FIG. 9(c)) of the ink storage section cover 71. Ribs 71b are disposed on the inside of the ink storage section cover 71 at positions facing the ink tank caps 73 of each color. When the ink storage section cover 71 is closed, these ribs 71b engage with the cap lever 73a and push down the ink tank cap lever 73a to close the cap. As a result, even if a user who has finished refilling ink forgets to tighten the ink tank cap 73 and tries to tighten the ink storage section cover 71, the ink storage section cover 71 can be closed by closing the ink storage section cover 71 and pushing down the cap lever 73a.

[0061] The needle portion 72c (FIG. 14A(b), FIG. 14B) is a needle-shaped needle portion that engages with the ink bottle 74 provided in the ink tank 72. The needle portion 72c engages with the mouth portion of the ink bottle 74, so that the ink in the ink bottle 74 fills the ink tank 72. As shown in the figure, the clearance between the rotation range of the panel operation unit 90 and the ink injection port (needle position) at the center of the device is made larger than the radius of the ink bottle. Similarly, in FIG. 14B, the tank shape and the needle are formed in a manner that avoids the side cover 2r and the ink cap frame 76, which are cover members of the printer unit 104. Although there are restrictions on the space available for the ink tank due to the miniaturization of the device size and the enlargement of the panel unit, the size of the ink bottle 74 and the needle position are balanced so as not to impair usability. This ensures the visibility and operability of the panel operation unit 90 even when injecting ink of each color, and also prevents interference between the frame member and the ink bottle 74.

[0062] 14A(b) and the rotation center 73b of the cap lever 73a and the rotation center 71a of the ink storage section cover 71 (FIG. 9(c)) are both located at the rear side of the ink storage section cover 71, and both rotate to the +R side when opened. This allows the tall parts of the ink storage section cover 71 and the ink tank cap 73 to be gathered to one side and separated from the needle 72c (ink bottle center) when the covers are opened for ink filling, so that they do not interfere with the ink bottle 74 in the depth direction (Y direction).

[0063] 7 is a sheet material 75 attached to the frame member 101, and information indicating the ink color and the like is written on the sheet in a position corresponding to each color of ink tank cap 73. The sheet material 75 is provided on the vertical wall of the frame member 101, and is configured so that the user can see it from the front when the ink storage section cover 71 is opened. In the embodiment, the sheet material 75 is configured to be attached to the frame member 101, but it may be printed directly on the wall, or may be processed with a laser marker or the like.

[0064] <Ink storage window> Figure 15 is a diagram explaining the window portion 120a of the ink storage section 70 of the recording device 1 according to the embodiment, where Figure 15(a) shows the window portion 120a of the ink storage section 70 when the recording device 1 is viewed from the front, and Figure 15(b) is a diagram explaining the inside of the window portion.

[0065] The ink tank 72 is divided into each color, and at least the ink status display units 72a and 72b located on the front are made of a transparent material that allows the inside of the tank to be seen so that the ink storage status of each color can be visually confirmed. The display unit 72a shows the display unit for the tank that stores black ink, and the display unit 72b shows the display unit for the color inks (in this embodiment, the three colors are cyan, magenta, and yellow).

[0066] The front member 120 is a front member that forms the front surface of the recording device 1, and the window portion 120a is provided at a position that covers the ink storage portion 70 and faces the ink status display portions 72a and 72b, and is also made of a transparent material. A user can visually check the ink status display portions 72a and 72b inside through this window portion 120a and grasp the remaining amount of each ink. It is also possible to provide an opening on the wall surface of the front member 120 without providing the window portion 120a, but there is a risk of dust entering or mist coming out from the opening, and it is necessary to take measures against these when providing an opening. In the embodiment, the window portion 120a and the front member 120 are formed on the same surface. As a result, the window portion 120a and the front member 120 are configured with almost no step, and there is no need to worry about dust accumulating on the step or mist blowing out.

[0067] Here, the cassette front surface 34 and the front member 120 described above form the same surface in the Y direction. That is, the cassette window 35 and the ink storage window 120a are also at the same height. This eliminates any obstacles when the user looks through the window. The recording paper upper limit indicator 35a is an indicator provided on the cassette window 35 that indicates the upper limit of the amount of recording paper that can be loaded. This upper limit of the loadable amount indicates the position of the top surface (loading surface) of the loaded paper when recording media is loaded up to the maximum amount of recording media that can be loaded in the paper feed cassette 31.

[0068] The indicators 72a1 and 72a2 are provided on the black ink status display section 72a and indicate the lower and upper ink limits, respectively. The indicators 72b1 and 72b2 are provided on the color ink status display section 72b and indicate the lower and upper ink limits, respectively. The heights of the indicators 72a1 and 72a2 are set to be approximately the same as the lower limit of the stacking surface of the recording paper in the paper feed cassette. The lower limit of the stacking surface indicates the position of the stacking surface when the amount of recording media stacked is the minimum amount of recording media that can be stacked in the paper feed cassette 31.

[0069] Xa and Xb indicate the widths of the ink status display sections 72a and 72b, respectively, and Ya and Yb indicate the height difference between the indicators 72a1 and 72a2 and the height difference between the indicators 72b1 and 72b2, respectively. As is clear from the figure, the ink status display sections 72a and 72b are configured to have different heights. This is to intentionally change the area of ​​the ink display sections. Generally, black ink is consumed faster than color ink. For this reason, if the same amount of black ink and color ink are stored, the black ink will decrease faster, and the decrease in the ink display section will also be steep. Therefore, measures such as increasing the amount of black ink stored are taken, and the area of ​​the black ink display section is changed so that the decrease in the black ink display section is not steep, thereby reducing the difference with the amount of ink decrease in the color ink display section and preventing the user from feeling uneasy.

[0070] In FIG. 15(b), the height of the indicator 72a2 of the black ink status display section 72a is lower than the indicator 72b2 of the color ink status display section 72b. This makes the liquid level of the black ink status display section 72a fall more slowly than that of the color ink status display section 72b. Conventionally, the height of the indicator indicating the upper limit position of the black ink status display section is aligned with the height of the indicator indicating the upper limit position of the color ink status display section, but the display width of the black ink status display section is wider. This indicates that the amount of black ink is greater than the amount of color ink by making the black ink status display section larger. In reality, black ink is consumed more, and the larger the black ink status display section is, the impression that the black ink is decreasing faster may be given, which may make the user feel uneasy. Therefore, by making the decrease in the liquid level of the black ink status display section more gradual, there is a concern that the decrease in the liquid level of the color ink status display section may seem faster, but since the color ink decreases in the same way as in previous products and there are multiple colors, the user feels that only the decrease in the liquid level of the black ink status display section has become more gradual. The actual ink storage volume is, for example, 91 ml for black ink and 53 ml for color ink, so that the black ink and color ink decrease at the same rate, and the timing for refilling the ink is roughly the same.

[0071] Although not shown in Fig. 15, the black ink status display section 72a and the color ink status display section 72b may display identification information indicating the type of ink. Also, the indicators may include not only lines and triangular marks as shown in Fig. 15, but also points that serve as a scale indicating the remaining amount.

[0072] Furthermore, the notch shape 120b visually separates the ink status display sections 72a and 72b, which have different areas, thereby clearly indicating that the ink consumption rates are different, and relieving the user's anxiety.

[0073] FIG. 20 shows an example of another embodiment of the partition shape provided in the window portion 120a.

[0074] Fig. 20(a) shows an example in which a downwardly projecting shape 120b1 is provided in the window portion 120a, while Fig. 20(b) shows an example in which a groove 120b2 is provided at the boundary between the black ink status indicator portion 72a and the color ink status indicator portion 72b. Also, Fig. 20(c) shows an example in which a projecting rib 120b3 is provided at the boundary between the black ink status indicator portion 72a and the color ink status indicator portion 72b, which is the opposite of Fig. 20(b).

[0075] <Damper unit> Next, we will explain the damper unit 103 that is provided as a part of the opening and closing mechanism for the printer unit of the reading unit 10. The damper unit 103 is provided to prevent the reading unit 10 in the open state from closing at high speed due to its own weight or the like.

[0076] 16 is a perspective view showing a state in which the reading unit 10 is opened relative to the printer unit 104 in the recording device 1 of the embodiment, and the damper unit 103 is provided near the rotation fulcrum (not shown) of the reading unit 10. The damper unit 103 is provided in this position in order to reduce the amount of movement of the components when opening and closing the reading unit 10 by installing it near the rotation fulcrum.

[0077] Fig. 17 is a diagram illustrating a mechanism for attaching the damper unit 103 to the printer unit 104 in the recording device 1 according to the embodiment. Fig. 17(a) shows a state in which the damper unit 103 is attached to the printer unit 104, and Fig. 17(b) shows a state in which the damper unit 103 is separated from the printer unit 104.

[0078] The damper unit 103 is positioned on the frame member 101 of the printer section 104 by mounting surfaces 101a and 101b and positioning bosses 101c and 101d, and is fastened by screws 105 and 106. The mounting surfaces 101a and 101b are configured to be approximately perpendicular to the direction of the load received by an arm gear 107, which will be described later. The frame member 101 around the mounting surfaces is configured to have high rigidity against the load received by the damper unit 103 from the reading section 10, due to its own shape and its positional relationship with the surrounding parts.

[0079] FIG. 18 is a diagram for explaining the attachment state and operation of the reading unit 10 and arm gear 107 in the recording device 1 according to the embodiment, with FIG. 18(a) showing the reading unit 10 in an open state and FIG. 18(b) showing the reading unit 10 in a closed state.

[0080] The reading unit 10 is rotatably supported by a bearing portion (not shown) of the printer unit 104, and is connected to an arm gear 107 of the damper unit 103 near a screw fastening portion 108. The mechanism inside the damper unit 103 is configured so that the damper inside the damper unit acts and generates a damping force only when the state of Fig. 18(a) changes to the state of Fig. 18(b).

[0081] Next, the internal structure of the damper unit 103 will be described.

[0082] FIG. 19 is a diagram for explaining the structure of the damper unit 103 according to the embodiment, where FIGS. 19(a) and (b) are external views from different viewpoints, and FIG. 19(c) shows frame parts other than the gear train in a hidden state.

[0083] An external force is input to the damper unit 103 from the arm gear 107, and torque is transmitted to the damper gear 115 via the first gear 110, the second gear 111, the third gear 112, the clutch 113, and the fourth gear 114. The damper gear 115 has an oil damper built-in, for example, and generates a predetermined damping torque when torque is input from the outside. When the gear train operates in the direction in which the reading unit 10 described above opens, the clutch 113 and the third gear 112 cooperate to disconnect the drive train to the damper gear 115, so that the operating force required by the user to open the reading unit 10 can be kept small.

[0084] In addition, these gear trains are configured to be able to withstand even a large load input to the arm gear 107. Specifically, each gear is supported at both ends, and the gear support parts 116, 117, and 118 are made of a material with sufficient strength.

[0085] Also, while some conventional products have gear support parts that are integral with the printer section 104, in this embodiment the gear support function is separated and given to the damper unit 103 parts, which increases the freedom of material selection for both. This makes it possible to use the most suitable material for each component. For example, a low-strength material can be used for the frame member 101 of the printer section, and the support parts 116, 117, and 118 of the damper unit 103 can each be made of a material with sufficient strength.

[0086] This configuration is also common to the printer unit and can be optimally applied to multiple models with significantly different configurations of the reading unit 10. For example, there may be product variations with the reading unit 10 equipped with an ADF and without it. Even in this case, multiple types of units with different damping forces can be prepared and the optimal unit can be installed depending on the weight of the reading unit 10.

[0087] (Other embodiments) The present invention can also be realized by a process in which a program for implementing one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or device read and execute the program. The present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that implements one or more of the functions.

[0088] The present specification and drawings disclose the following recording device.

[0089] [Item 1] A recording device, comprising: a storage section provided in a main body of the recording device and housing a plurality of storage sections for storing recording agent; a state display section provided on a front wall surface of the storage section that is flush with the front wall surface of the recording device, the state display section having a different shape corresponding to the storage section having a different storage amount of the recording agent; A recording device, characterized in that a height of a first status indicator corresponding to a storage section having a large amount of recording agent stored therein is lower than heights of second status indicators corresponding to other storage sections.

[0090] [Item 2] 2. The recording device according to item 1, wherein the width of the first status display portion is wider than the width of the second status display portion.

[0091] [Item 3] 3. The recording device according to item 1 or 2, wherein the status display unit further includes identification information indicating a type of the recording agent.

[0092] [Item 4] 4. The recording device according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein a front surface of the status display unit is covered with a cover having a first window portion having transparency.

[0093] [Item 5] 5. The recording device according to any one of items 1 to 4, wherein the first status display unit and the second status display unit include indicators that indicate upper and lower limits of the stored recording agent.

[0094] [Item 6] 6. The recording device according to any one of items 1 to 5, further comprising a member that separates the first status display section and the second status display section.

[0095] [Item 7] the cover is adjacent to a cassette that stores a recording medium; The recording device described in item 4, characterized in that the cassette has a transparent window through which the remaining amount of recording medium contained therein can be checked, and when the cassette is contained in the main body of the recording device, the cover and the window are on the same plane.

[0096] [Item 8] 8. The recording device according to item 7, wherein the height of the lower limit of the stacking surface of the recording medium in the cassette and the lower limit of the indicator of the status display section are substantially the same.

[0097] [Item 9] The recording device described in item 7, characterized in that the window portion includes an upper limit indicator that indicates the upper limit of the recording medium, and the height of the upper limit indicator and the height of the indicator indicating the upper limit of the first status display portion are approximately the same.

[0098] [Item 10] 6. The recording device according to item 5, wherein the indicator is configured to include at least one of a point and a line.

[0099] [Item 11] 11. The recording apparatus according to any one of items 1 to 10, wherein the recording agent is ink.

[0100] [Item 12] Item 11. The recording device according to item 11, wherein the storage section having a large amount of recording agent is a storage section for storing black ink.

[0101] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the following claims are appended to apprise the public of the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0102] 1...image recording device, 2...lower housing, 5...recording section, 10...reading section, 12...lock lever regulation shape, 13...grip shape, 31...paper feed cassette, 70...ink storage section, 71...ink storage section cover, 72...ink tank, 72a...black ink status display section, 72b...color ink status display section, 73...ink tank cap, 73a...cap lever, 74...ink bottle, 80...waste ink storage section, 81...waste ink storage section cover, 82...lock lever, 83...lock member, 831...lock section, 90...panel operation section, 101...frame member, 101a, 101b...mounting surface, 101e...opening, 102...engagement shape, 103...damper unit, 104...printer section, 120...front member, 120a...window section, 120b...notch shape

Claims

1. A cassette containing a recording medium and having a window for viewing the recording medium, A recording unit that records onto a recording medium supplied from the cassette, A first display unit that allows the amount of recording material in the first storage unit, in which the recording material to be supplied to the recording unit is stored, A recording device comprising: a second display unit that allows the amount of recording material in a second storage unit, in which the recording material to be supplied to the recording unit is stored, A recording device characterized in that the width of the second display section is wider than the width of the first display section, and in the width direction of the recording device, the second display section is located between the window section and the first display section.

2. The recording device according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper end of the window portion is located between the upper end and the lower end of the first display portion.

3. The recording device according to claim 2, further comprising a needle portion for filling the second storage portion with recording material, wherein the center of the second display portion and the center of the needle portion are different in the width direction of the recording device.

4. A rotatable, user-operated control unit, The device further comprises a cover that covers the first storage section, The recording device according to claim 1, characterized in that the operating section and the cover are adjacent to each other in the width direction of the recording device.

5. The first display unit includes a plurality of indicators, The recording device according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper end of the window portion is located between the upper first indicator and the lower second indicator of the plurality of indicators.

6. The recording device according to claim 4, characterized in that the operating unit is provided above the cassette.

7. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the recording material stored in the second storage section is black ink.

8. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the recording material stored in the first storage section is color ink.

9. The recording device according to claim 8, characterized in that a plurality of the first display unit and the first storage unit are provided.

10. The recording device according to claim 1, characterized in that the window portion is made of a transparent material.

11. The recording device according to claim 1, characterized in that the window portion is located on the side of the first storage portion in the width direction of the cassette.

12. A cover provided above the first storage section, which is rotatable between a position that covers the first storage section and a position that leaves it open, The system further includes a reading unit that can rotate to a position that covers the recording unit and a position that opens it, The recording device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover can be opened when the reading unit covers the recording unit.

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