Inkjet printer

Abstract

To provide a printer which can detect a height of a recording medium in a more reliable manner.SOLUTION: A printer 10 includes a detection bar 31, a table moving mechanism 36, and a detection mechanism 40. When a recording medium 5 transported by the table moving mechanism 36 comes into contact with the detection bar 31 and is transported further, the recording medium 5 is transported while pushing off the detection bar 31 in an upward direction. The detection mechanism 40 detects contact between the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31. Since the detection bar 31 moves upward, even if the recording medium 5 is transported from the front side or the rear side of the detection bar 31, the detection mechanism 40 can detect contact between the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 reliably.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to inkjet printers. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, inkjet printers that print images on recording media of various thicknesses have been known. In such inkjet printers, the vertical distance between the ink head that ejects ink and the recording medium must be a predetermined distance. Inkjet printers are known that are configured so that a mounting table on which the recording medium is placed can be moved in the vertical direction so that the distance between the ink head and the recording medium can be set to a predetermined distance even if the recording medium has a different thickness. The distance between the ink head and the recording medium is determined by the height of the thickest position of the recording medium (hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, referred to as the height of the recording medium). Therefore, before printing begins, the height of the recording medium must be set to a predetermined height.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an inkjet printer that includes a mounting table, a movement mechanism that moves the mounting table up and down and back and forth, and a detection device that detects whether the height of the recording medium is at a predetermined height. The detection device includes a detection member that can rotate back and forth, and a sensor that detects that the detection member has rotated. The detection member has an inclined plate that extends forward and downward.

[0004] If the height of the recording medium is higher than the lower end of the detection member (i.e., the lower end of the inclined plate), when the platform on which the recording medium is placed is moved from rear to front, the recording medium comes into contact with the inclined plate of the detection member. At this time, the detection member is pushed by the recording medium and rotates forward. On the other hand, if the height of the recording medium is equal to or lower than the lower end of the detection member, when the platform is moved from rear to front, the recording medium does not come into contact with the inclined plate of the detection member. Therefore, the detection member does not rotate. Therefore, by detecting the rotation of the detection member with a sensor, it is possible to detect contact between the recording medium and the detection member. Depending on whether or not there is contact between the recording medium and the detection member, it is possible to detect whether or not the height of the recording medium is higher than a predetermined height (i.e., the height of the lower end of the detection member).

[0005] In an inkjet printer such as the one described above, the height of the recording medium is set, for example, as follows. First, the stage on which the recording medium is placed is moved forward. When the recording medium comes into contact with the detection member, the movement of the stage is stopped, and the stage is moved downward until the recording medium is no longer in contact with the detection member. The stage is then moved forward again. When the recording medium comes into contact with the detection member, the movement of the stage is stopped again, and the stage is moved downward until the recording medium is no longer in contact with the detection member. The above operation is repeated until the entire recording medium is positioned forward of the detection member. This sets the height of the recording medium to a predetermined height, and sets the distance between the ink head and the recording medium to a predetermined distance. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-001004 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In the inkjet printer described in Patent Document 1, the detection member can rotate forward and backward. Therefore, it is possible to set the height of the recording medium to a predetermined height not only when the recording medium is moved forward as described above, but also when the recording medium is moved backward. However, in the detection member described in Patent Document 1, the part that the recording medium comes into contact with is an inclined plate that extends forward and downward. When the recording medium moves forward, the inclined plate is pushed by the recording medium, so that the detection member rotates well. However, when the recording medium moves backward, the recording medium may not be able to push the inclined plate well. Also, when the recording medium pushes the inclined plate backward, the inclined plate may get caught by the recording medium, and the detection member may not be able to rotate well. Therefore, when the recording medium is moved backward, it may not be possible to set the height of the recording medium well compared to when the recording medium is moved forward.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of these points, and its object is to provide a printer that can more reliably detect the height of a recording medium whether the recording medium is moved forward or backward. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The inkjet printer according to the present invention includes a platform on which a recording medium is placed, a platform moving mechanism for moving the platform in the up-down and front-rear directions, a detection member disposed above the platform and extending in the left-right direction, support parts disposed on either side of the platform in the left-right direction and supporting the detection member, and detection parts disposed on either side of the platform in the left-right direction and detecting the detection member. The detection member has a contact part that comes into contact with the recording medium placed on the platform and moves upward when the platform moves forward and backward, and a detected part that is provided on both ends of the detection member and moves upward together with the contact part that comes into contact with the recording medium, the support parts each have a hole extending in the up-down direction that loosely fits and supports the detected part, and the detection part has two detection sensors that detect whether the detected part is within a predetermined range in the up-down direction or not.

[0010] According to the inkjet printer of the present invention, the recording medium moves as a result of the placement table moving mechanism moving the placement table. When the recording medium moves forward and backward, the recording medium comes into contact with the contact portion, and the contact portion moves upward. At this time, the detected portion supported by loosely fitting into the hole of the support portion moves upward together with the contact portion. The detection sensor detects whether the detected member is within a predetermined range in the up-down direction. Since the contact portion comes into contact with the recording medium when the placement table moves forward and backward, it is possible to detect whether the recording medium is at a predetermined height regardless of whether the recording medium is transported from the front or rear of the detection member. Cut. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a printer that can more reliably detect the height of a recording medium whether the recording medium is moved forward or backward. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a printer according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] 1 is a front view of a printer with a front cover open according to an embodiment; [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a printer around a table according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a printer with a front cover and a case removed according to an embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a front view showing a schematic diagram of a detection mechanism and its surrounding structure according to an embodiment; [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a detection bar and detection mechanism according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] 6 is a cross-sectional view of the printer taken along the lines AA and BB in FIG. 5. [Figure 8]1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a printer according to an embodiment; [Figure 9] 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure for detecting the height of a recording medium according to an embodiment. [Figure 10] 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. 5. [Figure 11] 13 is a front view showing a schematic diagram of the detection mechanism and its surrounding structure when the recording medium is placed at a position shifted from the center of the table in the main scanning direction. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a detection bar according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a printer according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiment described here is, of course, not intended to limit the present invention in any particular way. Also, the same reference numerals are used for members and parts that perform the same functions, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a printer 10 according to this embodiment. The printer 10 prints on a recording medium 5 (see FIG. 2). The printer 10 is an inkjet printer. In the following description, when the printer 10 is viewed from the front, the side away from the printer 10 is the front, and the side approaching the printer 10 is the rear. The terms left, right, top, and bottom refer to the left, right, top, and bottom of the printer 10 when viewed from the front. Also, the symbols F, Rr, L, R, U, and D in the drawings refer to the front, back, left, right, top, and bottom, respectively. Also, the symbol Y in the drawings indicates the main scanning direction. Here, the main scanning direction Y is the left-right direction. The symbol X indicates the sub-scanning direction. Here, the sub-scanning direction X is the front-rear direction, and is perpendicular to the main scanning direction Y in a plan view. The symbol Z indicates the up-down direction. The up-down direction Z is perpendicular to the main scanning direction Y in a front view. The above directions are merely defined for the convenience of explanation, and do not limit the installation mode of the printer 10 or the present invention in any way.

[0015] The recording medium 5 used in this embodiment may be, for example, a flat sheet such as recording paper or transfer paper, or may be a three-dimensional object such as various cases such as mobile phone cases, small electronic devices, small parts such as key holders, photo frames, and pens, daily necessities, and accessories. The material forming the recording medium 5 may be paper such as plain paper and inkjet printing paper, as well as resins such as polyvinyl chloride, acrylic resin, polycarbonate, polystyrene, and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) copolymer, metals such as aluminum and stainless steel, carbon, pottery, ceramic, glass, rubber, leather, wood, and the like. In the printer 10 of this embodiment, a three-dimensional object having an uneven shape is preferably used as the recording medium 5.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 includes a box-shaped housing 12. The housing 12 has an internal space 12S. The housing 12 includes a base member 13, a case 15, a front cover 23, and an operation panel 25. As shown in FIG. 2, the base member 13 includes a bottom wall 13A, a left side wall 13L, a right side wall 13R, and a support wall 13T. The bottom wall 13A extends in the main scanning direction Y and the sub-scanning direction X. The left side wall 13L extends in the up-down direction Z. The right side wall 13R extends in the up-down direction Z. The right side wall 13R is disposed to the right of the left side wall 13L. The left side wall 13L and the right side wall 13R are provided on the bottom wall 13A. The support wall 13T extends in the main scanning direction Y. The support wall 13T is supported by the bottom wall 13A. The case 15 is attached to the base member 13. An opening 28 is formed in the front of the case 15. The front cover 23 is provided so as to be able to open and close the opening 28 of the case 15. Here, the front cover 23 is supported by the case 15 so as to be rotatable about its rear end. By rotating the front cover 23 upward, the internal space 12S of the housing 12 communicates with the external space. The internal space 12S is a space in which printing is performed on the recording medium 5 by the ink head 60 described later, and the height of the table 35 is determined by the detection mechanism 40 described later. In this way, the internal space 12S is surrounded and formed by the case 15 and the front cover 23, so that dust and dirt from the external space are unlikely to enter the internal space 12S during printing, and light irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation devices 51 and 52 described later is unlikely to leak into the external space.

[0017] 1, a window 23A is provided in the front and upper parts of the front cover 23. The window 23A is formed, for example, from a transparent acrylic plate. The window 23A is treated so that light from the external space (for example, ultraviolet light) does not reach the internal space 12S. The user can view the inside of the housing 12 from the window 23A.

[0018] The operation panel 25 is provided on the case 15. The operation panel 25 is provided on the right side of the top surface of the case 15. The operation panel 25 is a panel on which the user performs operations related to printing an image and setting (changing) the irradiation intensity of light irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation devices 51, 52 (see FIG. 2). The operation panel 25 is provided with a display screen 25A on which information related to printing, such as the type of printing (e.g., whether or not there is a glossy finish), resolution, printing status, and the like, and input buttons 25B for setting information related to printing and the recording medium 5, and the like.

[0019] Next, the internal configuration of the printer 10 will be described. As shown in Fig. 2, the printer 10 includes a guide rail 18, a carriage 20, an ink head 60, ultraviolet irradiation devices 51 and 52, a table 35, a table movement mechanism 36, a detection bar 31, a detection mechanism 40, and a control device 100. The guide rail 18 is disposed in the case 15. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the guide rail 18 is fixed to a support wall 13T of the base member 13 and extends in the main scanning direction Y. The table movement mechanism 36 includes a first table movement mechanism 37 and a second table movement mechanism 38.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, the carriage 20 is equipped with an ink head 60 and ultraviolet irradiation devices 51 and 52. The carriage 20 is slidably mounted on the guide rail 18. The printer 10 is equipped with a carriage movement mechanism 21. The carriage movement mechanism 21 is controlled by the control device 100. The carriage 20 reciprocates along the guide rail 18 in the main scanning direction Y by the carriage movement mechanism 21. The carriage movement mechanism 21 is controlled by the control device 100. The carriage movement mechanism 21 is equipped with a left pulley 21L, a right pulley 21R, a belt 21A wound around the left pulley 21L and the right pulley 21R, and a carriage motor 21B connected to the left pulley 21L. The belt 21A extends in the main scanning direction Y. The belt 21A is fixed to the upper part of the rear surface of the carriage 20. Here, the carriage motor 21B is driven to rotate the left pulley 21L, causing the belt 21A to run between the left pulley 21L and the right pulley 21R. This causes the carriage 20 to move in the main scanning direction Y. However, the carriage motor 21B may be connected to the right pulley 21R. As the carriage 20 moves in the main scanning direction Y, the ink head 60 and the ultraviolet ray irradiation devices 51 and 52 mounted on the carriage 20 also move in the main scanning direction Y.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, the carriage 20 is equipped with a plurality of ink heads 60. The ink heads 60 have nozzles (not shown) that eject photocurable ink (i.e., ink having photocurability, for example, ultraviolet curable ink) onto the recording medium 5 placed on the table 35. The ink heads 60 eject ink droplets from the nozzles toward the recording medium 5 to form ink dots on the recording medium 5. By arranging a large number of these dots, an image or the like is formed on the recording medium 5. Each of the ink heads 60 is connected to an ink cartridge 34 housed in the case 15 by a flexible ink tube (not shown). Each of the ink cartridges 34 stores photocurable ink. Here, three ink heads 60 are mounted on the carriage 20. However, the number of ink heads 60 is not limited to three.

[0022] The ultraviolet irradiation devices 51 and 52 irradiate light (typically ultraviolet light). The ultraviolet irradiation devices 51 and 52 irradiate light (here, ultraviolet light) toward the photocurable ink (here, ultraviolet curable ink) ejected onto the recording medium 5 to cure the photocurable ink. The irradiation intensity is controlled by the control device 100. The photocurable ink is cured by being irradiated with light from the ultraviolet irradiation devices 51 and 52, and an image is formed on the recording medium 5. As shown in FIG. 2, the ultraviolet irradiation devices 51 and 52 are disposed above a table 35, which will be described later. The ultraviolet irradiation device 51 is disposed to the left of the ink head 60. The ultraviolet irradiation device 52 is disposed to the right of the ink head 60.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, the printer 10 is a so-called flatbed type printer. As shown in FIG. 2, the printer 10 includes a table 35 arranged below the carriage 20, and a table movement mechanism 36. The table 35 and the table movement mechanism 36 are provided in the internal space 12S. The table movement mechanism 36 is controlled by the control device 100. The table 35 is an example of a mounting table in the present invention. The table movement mechanism 36 is an example of a mounting table movement mechanism in the present invention. The recording medium 5 is placed on the table 35. The table 35 is arranged below the ink head 60. The table 35 is arranged to the right of the left side wall 13L and to the left of the right side wall 13R. The table movement mechanism 36 includes a first table movement mechanism 37 and a second table movement mechanism 38. The table 35 is configured to be movable in the up-down direction Z by the first table movement mechanism 37. The table 35 is configured to be movable in the sub-scanning direction X by the second table movement mechanism 38.

[0024] The first table moving mechanism 37 includes a height adjustment member 37a and a first motor 39A (see FIG. 8). The height adjustment member 37a is provided on the lower surface of the table 35. The height adjustment member 37a is connected to the first motor 39A. The first motor 39A is electrically connected to the control device 100 and is controlled by the control device 100. When the first motor 39A is driven, the height of the height adjustment member 37a changes, and the height of the table 35 is adjusted. That is, the first table moving mechanism 37 moves the table 35 in the up-down direction Z.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 4, the second table moving mechanism 38 includes slide rails 38a and 38b, a conveying member 38c, and a second motor 39B (see FIG. 8). The slide rails 38a and 38b extend in the sub-scanning direction X. The conveying member 38c is provided so as to be slidable relative to the slide rails 38a and 38b. Above the conveying member 38c, the table 35 is supported via a height adjustment member 37a (see FIG. 2). The second motor 39B is electrically connected to the control device 100 and is controlled by the control device 100. When the second motor 39B is driven, the conveying member 38c moves along the slide rails 38a and 38b. This causes the table 35 to move in the sub-scanning direction X. That is, the second table moving mechanism 38 moves the recording medium 5 placed on the table 35 in the sub-scanning direction X.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 5, the detection bar 31 is a cylindrical member extending in the main scanning direction Y. The detection bar 31 is an example of a detection member. As shown in FIG. 10, the detection bar 31 has a front contact surface 31a extending forward and upward and a rear contact surface 31b extending rearward and upward. In this embodiment, the detection bar 31 has a curved surface that convex downward by having the front contact surface 31a and the rear contact surface 31b. As shown in FIG. 5, the length of the front contact surface 31a in the main scanning direction Y is longer than the length of the table 35 in the main scanning direction Y. Although not shown, the length of the rear contact surface 31b in the main scanning direction Y is the same as the length of the front contact surface 31a in the main scanning direction Y. The detection bar 31 is disposed above the recording medium 5. The detection bar 31 has a first shaft portion 31c and a second shaft portion 31d provided at both ends of the front contact surface 31a. As shown in FIG. 7(a) and FIG. 7(b), the upper part of the first shaft part 31c is a first detection target part 31ca, which is a part where detection is performed by a first detection sensor 41, which will be described later. Similarly, the second shaft part 31d has a second detection target part 31da, which is a part where detection is performed by a second detection sensor 42, which will be described later. FIG. 7(a) and FIG. 7(b) are diagrams showing a cross section AA and a cross section BB in FIG. 5. The detection bar 31 is disposed so that the recording medium 5 comes into contact with the front contact surface 31a when the table 35 is moved from the front to the rear of the detection bar 31 by the second table moving mechanism 38 when the height of the upper end of the recording medium 5 is higher than the height of the lower end of the detection bar 31. The detection bar 31 is disposed so that the recording medium 5 comes into contact with the rear contact surface 31b when the table 35 is moved from the rear to the front of the detection bar 31 by the second table moving mechanism 38 when the height of the upper end of the recording medium 5 is higher than the height of the lower end of the detection bar 31. The shape of the detection bar 31 is not limited to the above-mentioned shape. The detection bar 31 may be formed, for example, so that its cross section is elliptical or polygonal, such as triangular or rectangular.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 2, the detection mechanism 40 is disposed on the upper surface of the right side wall 13R and the upper surface of the left side wall 13L, and is a mechanism for detecting the movement of the detection bar 31 in the up-down direction Z. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the detection mechanism 40 supporting the detection bar 31. As shown in FIG. 6, the detection mechanism 40 includes a first detection sensor 41, a second detection sensor 42, a support member 43, a first height adjustment mechanism 44, a second height adjustment mechanism 45, and a fixing member 46. The first height adjustment mechanism 44 includes a first height position fixing member 44a, a first height position determining bolt 44b, and a first height position adjusting bolt 44c. The second height adjustment mechanism 45 includes a second height position fixing member 45a, a second height position determining bolt 45b (see FIG. 5), and a second height position adjusting bolt 45c.

[0028] The first detection sensor 41 is a sensor that detects the movement of the detection bar 31 in the up-down direction Z by detecting the presence or absence of the first shaft portion 31c. The first detection sensor 41 is disposed on the right side of the table 35 (see FIG. 2). The first detection sensor 41 is fixed to a first height position fixing member 44a of a first height adjustment mechanism 44 described later. In this embodiment, the first detection sensor 41 is a transmissive photosensor. As shown in FIG. 7(a), the first detection sensor 41 includes a light-emitting unit 41a having a light-emitting element that emits detection light DL, and a light-receiving unit 41b having a light-receiving element that detects the detection light DL emitted from the light-emitting unit 41a and provided behind the light-emitting unit 41a. The light-emitting unit 41a and the light-receiving unit 41b are provided so as to face each other. A gap is provided between the light-emitting unit 41a and the light-receiving unit 41b so that the first shaft portion 31c of the detection bar 31 can be interposed. As shown in FIG. 7(a), the light emitter 41a irradiates the detection light DL toward the light receiver 41b. As shown in FIG. 7(a), when the first detectable portion 31ca is located lower than the detection light DL, the detection light DL is directed toward the light receiver 41b without being blocked by the first shaft portion 31c. The light receiver 41b transmits a signal according to the amount of light received to the control device 100. On the other hand, when the detection bar 31 moves upward, as shown in FIG. 7(b), a part or the whole of the detection light DL is blocked by the first detectable portion 31ca. Therefore, compared to FIG. 7(a), the amount of light received by the light receiver 41b is reduced in FIG. 7(b). At this time, the light receiver 41b transmits a signal different from that in FIG. 7(a) to the control device 100. In this embodiment, when the detection light DL is not blocked as shown in FIG. 7(a), the light receiving unit 41b is configured to turn the signal ON, and when the detection light DL is partially or entirely blocked as shown in FIG. 7(b) and the amount of light received is reduced compared to that in FIG. 7(a), the light receiving unit 41b is configured to turn the signal OFF. However, the first detection sensor 41 is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration. For example, the light receiving unit 41b may be configured to turn the signal OFF in FIG. 7(a) and turn the signal ON in FIG. 7(b). The first detection sensor 41 may be any sensor that does not impede the movement and rotation of the detection bar 31 in the vertical direction Z. For example, the first detection sensor 41 may be a distance sensor that uses laser light to measure the distance from a reference position to the first shaft portion 31c.6, the second detection sensor 42 also includes a light emitting unit 42a and a light receiving unit 42b, similar to the first detection sensor 41. The second detection sensor 42 is disposed on the left side of the table 35 (see FIG. 2). The configuration of the second detection sensor 42 is the same as that of the first detection sensor 41, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0029] The support member 43 is a member that holds the detection bar 31 at a predetermined height. As shown in FIG. 7(a), the support member 43 has a hole 43a. The support member 43 is an example of a support portion in the present invention. The hole 43a is an elongated hole extending in the vertical direction Z. The first shaft portion 31c and the second shaft portion 31d of the detection bar 31 are inserted into the hole 43a. The length of the hole 43a in the vertical direction Z and the width in the sub-scanning direction X are formed to be larger than the outer diameters of the first shaft portion 31c and the second shaft portion 31d. Therefore, the first shaft portion 31c and the second shaft portion 31d are each in contact with the lower portion of the hole 43a. This holds the detection bar 31, and the position of the detection bar 31 in the vertical direction Z is determined. In addition, the first shaft portion 31c and the second shaft portion 31d can move in the vertical direction. The width of the hole 43a in the sub-scanning direction X is formed larger than the outer diameter of the first shaft portion 31c and the second shaft portion 31d. Therefore, the detection bar 31 can rotate backward when a force is applied from the front to the rear in the tangential direction. The support member 43 has a hole 43b. The hole 43b is a hole through which the first height position determining bolt 44b or the second height position determining bolt 45b is inserted, and is an elongated hole extending in the vertical direction. The support member 43 is moved in the vertical direction Z, and the first height position determining bolt 44b or the second height position determining bolt 45b is inserted and fastened, thereby adjusting the position of the support member 43 in the vertical direction Z.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 6, the first height adjustment mechanism 44 is provided at the right end of the support member 43. The first height adjustment mechanism 44 adjusts the relative height of the first detectable portion 31ca with respect to the first detection sensor 41. In this embodiment, the first height adjustment mechanism 44 is a mechanism that adjusts the height of the first detection sensor 41. The second height adjustment mechanism 45 is provided at the left end of the support member 43. The second height adjustment mechanism 45 adjusts the relative height of the second detectable portion 31da with respect to the second detection sensor 42. In this embodiment, the second height adjustment mechanism 45 is a mechanism that adjusts the height of the second detectable portion 31da with respect to the second detection sensor 42.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 7(a) and FIG. 7(b), the first height position fixing member 44a is a member that fixes the support member 43 and determines the height of the support member 43. Although not shown, the first height position fixing member 44a has a screw hole through which the first height position determining bolt 44b is inserted. The height of the support member 43 is adjusted by inserting the first height position determining bolt 44b into the first height position fixing member 44a and the hole 43b of the support member 43 and fastening them. The first height position fixing member 44a has a hole 44aa. The first shaft portion 31c is inserted into the hole 44aa. The lower end of the hole 44aa is configured to be lower than the lower end of the hole 43a, and the hole 44aa is configured not to affect the position of the first shaft portion 31c in the up-down direction Z. The second height position fixing member 45a has a configuration similar to that of the first height position fixing member 44a. As shown in FIG. 7(a), the second height position fixing member 45a has a hole 45aa, and the second shaft portion 31d is supported by the hole 45aa.

[0032] The first height position determining bolt 44b is a bolt for fixing the first height position fixing member 44a and the support member 43. As shown in FIG. 5, the first height position determining bolt 44b is inserted into the support member 43 and the first height position fixing member 44a in the primary scanning direction Y. When the first height position determining bolt 44b is loosened, the first height position fixing member 44a becomes movable in the vertical direction. After the first height position fixing member 44a is moved up or down to a desired position, that is, after the first detection sensor 41 is moved up or down to a desired position, the first height position determining bolt 44b is fastened to determine the vertical direction of the first detection sensor 41. The second height position determining bolt 45b, like the first height position determining bolt 44b, fixes the second height position fixing member 45a and the support member 43 and determines the vertical height of the second detection sensor 42.

[0033] The first height position adjustment bolt 44c and the second height position adjustment bolt 45c are bolts that adjust the vertical heights of the first height position fixing member 44a and the second height position fixing member 45a. The lower ends of the first height position adjustment bolt 44c and the second height position adjustment bolt 45c are connected to the first height position fixing member 44a and the second height position fixing member 45a, respectively. Therefore, the vertical positions of the first height position fixing member 44a and the second height position fixing member 45a change by screwing in or loosening the first height position adjustment bolt 44c and the second height position adjustment bolt 45c. That is, the vertical positions of the first detection sensor 41 and the second detection sensor 42 can be adjusted by screwing in or loosening the first height position adjustment bolt 44c and the second height position adjustment bolt 45c. After adjusting the vertical positions of the first detection sensor 41 and the second detection sensor 42, the first height position determining bolt 44b and the second height position determining bolt 45b are fixed as described above.

[0034] The fixing member 46 is a member that fixes the support member 43, the first height adjustment mechanism 44, and the second height adjustment mechanism 45. The fixing member 46 is disposed in front of the support wall 13T (see also FIG. 3). The fixing member 46 is connected to the support member 43, the first height adjustment mechanism 44, and the second height adjustment mechanism 45. The fixing member 46 has a fixing portion 46a fixed to the support wall 13T. The support member 43, the first height adjustment mechanism 44, and the second height adjustment mechanism 45 are fixed by fastening a fixing bolt 46b to the fixing portion 46a.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 8, the control device 100 is communicatively connected to the operation panel 25, the carriage motor 21B of the carriage movement mechanism 21, the first motor 39A of the first table movement mechanism 37, the second motor 39B of the second table movement mechanism 38, the ultraviolet ray irradiation devices 51 and 52, the first detection sensor 41, the second detection sensor 42, and the ink head 60. The control device 100 controls the operations of these devices. The control device 100 is typically a computer. The control device 100 includes, for example, an interface (I / F) that receives print data and the like from an external device such as a host computer, a central processing unit (CPU) that executes instructions of a control program, a ROM that stores a program executed by the CPU, a RAM that is used as a working area for expanding the program, and a storage device such as a memory that stores the above-mentioned program and various data.

[0036] The control device 100 includes a movement control unit 101, a signal receiving unit 102, a determination unit 103, a descent control unit 104, an ascent control unit 105, a storage unit 106, and a print instruction unit 107. The functions of each unit of the control device 100 are realized by a program. This program is downloaded, for example, through the Internet. Note that this program may be read from a recording medium, such as a CD or a DVD. Also, the functions of each unit of the control device 100 may be realized by a processor and / or a circuit, etc.

[0037] The movement control unit 101 controls the second motor 39B of the second table moving mechanism 38 to move the table 35 in either one of the sub-scanning directions X. The operation in which the movement control unit 101 controls the second motor 39B to move the table 35 is referred to as a table moving operation. The table moving operation is an example of a mounting base moving operation.

[0038] The signal receiving unit 102 is configured to receive signals from the first detection sensor 41 and the second detection sensor 42. The determination unit 103 determines whether or not the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 are in contact with each other based on the signal received by the signal receiving unit 102. In this embodiment, the determination unit 103 determines that the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 are in contact with each other if at least one of the signals from the first detection sensor 41 and the second detection sensor 42 is OFF. The operation of the determination unit 103 to determine whether or not the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 are in contact with each other is referred to as a determination operation.

[0039] The lowering control unit 104 is configured to control the first motor 39A of the first table moving mechanism 37 to move the table 35 downward. When the recording medium 5 comes into contact with the detection bar 31 when detecting the height of the recording medium 5, the lowering control unit 104 lowers the table 35 by a predetermined distance (hereinafter referred to as the "first distance"). The operation of lowering the table 35 by the first distance is referred to as a lowering operation. The first distance is a distance at which the contact between the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 can be released.

[0040] The lift control unit 105 is configured to control the first motor 39A of the first table moving mechanism 37 to move the table 35 upward. When detecting the height of the recording medium 5, if there is no contact between the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31, the lift control unit 105 lifts the table 35 by a predetermined distance (hereinafter referred to as the "second distance").

[0041] The storage unit 106 stores the height of the table 35 when ink is ejected from the ink head 60 onto the recording medium 5 to form an image (i.e., when printing). The storage unit 106 stores the height of the table 35 moved by the lowering control unit 104 and / or the rising control unit 105 so that the distance in the vertical direction Z between the recording medium 5 placed on the table 35 and the detection bar 31 is the minimum distance. Although details will be described later, in this embodiment, the lowering control unit 104 repeatedly lowers the table 35 by a first distance when the table 35 and the detection bar 31 come into contact with each other, thereby determining the distance in the vertical direction Z between the upper surface of the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31. The above-mentioned "minimum distance" is the distance at which the upper surface of the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 do not come into contact with each other, and is the same as the first distance or less than the first distance.

[0042] The print instruction unit 107 controls the second table moving mechanism 38 and the ink head 60 to execute printing on the recording medium 5. The second table moving mechanism 38 moves the table 35 forward by a predetermined distance, and ink is ejected from the ink head 60 onto the recording medium 5. By repeating these steps, printing is performed on the recording medium 5.

[0043] The above describes the configuration of the printer 10. Next, a procedure will be described in which the printer 10 detects the height of the recording medium 5 and determines the height of the table 35 before printing. Figure 9 is a flow chart showing this procedure.

[0044] In step S101, the movement control unit 101 controls the second motor 39B of the second table moving mechanism 38 to move the table 35 to the frontmost position. In step S102, the lowering control unit 104 and the raising control unit 105 control the first table moving mechanism 37 to move the table 35 to a predetermined height. In this embodiment, the user moves the height of the table 35 so that the detection bar 31 and the recording medium 5 at least partially overlap in the vertical direction. However, whether the detection bar 31 and the recording medium 5 at least partially overlap in the vertical direction is determined by, for example, the user's naked eye, and whether the detection bar 31 and the recording medium 5 actually at least partially overlap in the vertical direction is unknown at the time of step S102. In addition, the user places the recording medium 5 on the table 35 at any timing until the completion of step S102. The order of steps S101 and S102 may be reversed.

[0045] In step S103, the movement control unit 101 controls the second motor 39B of the second table moving mechanism 38 to perform a table moving operation to move the table 35 backward. FIG. 10(a) is a cross-sectional view of the CC section in FIG. 5 at step S103. The recording medium 5 is disposed in front of the detection bar 31, and the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 are not in contact with each other. At this time, as shown in FIG. 7(a), the first detectable portion 31ca and the second detectable portion 31da are disposed below the detection light DL, and therefore the light receiving portion 41b and the light receiving portion 42b are not prevented from receiving the detection light DL. Therefore, the signals output by the light receiving portion 41b and the light receiving portion 42b are ON.

[0046] In step S104, the determination unit 103 performs a determination operation to determine whether the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 have come into contact with each other. FIGS. 10(b) and (c) are cross-sectional views of the CC section in FIG. 5 when the recording medium 5 comes into contact with the detection bar 31 from the front. As shown in FIG. 10(b), when the recording medium 5 comes into contact with the front contact surface 31a of the detection bar 31, the detection bar 31 receives a rearward force and an upward force from the recording medium 5. The detection bar 31 rotates backward by receiving the rearward force. Furthermore, the detection bar 31 moves upward by receiving the upward force. That is, the recording medium 5 moves backward while rotating and pushing the detection bar 31 upward. As shown in FIG. 7(b), when the position of the first shaft portion 31c of the detection bar 31 rises and the first detected portion 31ca blocks the detection light DL, the signal of the light receiving portion 41b is turned OFF. When the determination unit 103 detects that the signal of the light receiving unit 41b has turned OFF, the determination unit 103 determines that the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 are in contact. The same applies when the position of the second shaft portion 31d is raised. When the position of the second shaft portion 31d is raised, the second detectable portion 31da blocks the detection light DL, and the signal of the light receiving unit 42b is turned OFF. The same applies when the positions of the first shaft portion 31c and the second shaft portion 31d are raised. When the positions of the first shaft portion 31c and the second shaft portion 31d are raised, the first detectable portion 31ca and the second detectable portion 31da block the detection light DL, and the signals of the light receiving unit 41b and the light receiving unit 42b are turned OFF. When the determination unit 103 determines that the recording medium 5 is in contact with the detection light DL, the process proceeds to step S105. If the determination unit 103 determines that the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 are not in contact with each other, the process proceeds to step S107.

[0047] In step S105 shown in FIG. 9, the movement of the table 35 is stopped as shown in FIG. 10(c). After the movement of the table 35 is stopped, the lowering control unit 104 performs a lowering operation to lower the table 35 by the first distance. By performing the lowering operation, the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 are no longer in contact with each other. In step S106, the movement control unit 101 performs the table moving operation again. The movement direction of the table 35 by the table moving operation is the same as the movement direction of the table 35 before the table 35 was stopped in step S105.

[0048] In step S107 shown in FIG. 9, the table 35 is moved backward. As in step S105, since there is no contact between the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31, the table 35 is moved to the rearmost position without stopping. At this time, the detection mechanism 40 cannot detect the height of the recording medium 5. Therefore, it is necessary to detect the height of the recording medium 5 again. In step S108, the lift control unit 105 lifts the table 35 by the second distance. In step S109, the movement control unit 101 moves the table 35 from the rear to the front. Then, the process returns to step S104.

[0049] In step S110, the determination unit 103 determines whether or not the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 have come into contact. If it is determined that the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 have come into contact, the process returns to step S105. If it is determined that the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 have not come into contact, the process proceeds to step S111. As described above, the lowering operation of step S105, the table moving operation of step S106, and the determination operation of step S110 are repeated until the determination unit 103 determines that the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 have not come into contact in step S110. When the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 are no longer in contact in step S110, the detection of the height of the recording medium is completed, and the interval between the ink head 60 and the recording medium 5 can be set to a predetermined interval. In step S105, the descent control unit 104 lowers the table 35 by a first distance, so that when the contact between the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 is lost in step S110, the distance between the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 in the vertical direction Z is the same as or less than the first distance.

[0050] In step S111, the movement control unit 101 moves backward the table 35. Since it is determined in step S110 that the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 are not in contact with each other, in step S111 the table 35 is moved to the rearmost position.

[0051] In step S112, memory unit 106 stores the height of table 35 at this time as the height of table 35 during printing. Thus, the height of table 35 during printing is determined. In step S113, print instruction unit 107 issues an instruction to print on recording medium 5, and printer 10 prints on recording medium 5. At this time, table 35 is moved from the rearmost position to the front.

[0052] As described above, according to the printer 10 of this embodiment, the movement control unit 101 moves the table 35, so that the recording medium 5 moves. When the recording medium 5 moves from the front to the rear, the front contact surface 31a of the detection bar 31 comes into contact with the recording medium 5 and is pushed backward. When the recording medium 5 moves from the rear to the front, the rear contact surface 31b of the detection bar 31 comes into contact with the recording medium 5 and is pushed forward. The first shaft portion 31c and the second shaft portion 31d of the detection bar 31 are inserted into the hole 43a provided in the support member 43 and can move upward. Therefore, when the recording medium 5 comes into contact with the detection bar 31, a part of the detection bar 31 moves upward. When the detection light DL is blocked by the first detected portion 31ca, the signal of the light receiving portion 41b is turned OFF. At this time, the first detection sensor 41 detects that the recording medium 5 has come into contact with the detection bar 31. Alternatively, when the second detectable portion 31da blocks the detection light DL, the light receiving portion 42b turns off the detection light DL signal. At this time, the second detection sensor 42 detects that the recording medium 5 has come into contact with the detection bar 31. Alternatively, when the first detectable portion 31ca blocks the detection light DL and the second detectable portion 31da blocks the detection light DL, the light receiving portions 41b and 42b turn off their signals. In this case, the first detection sensor 41 and the second detection sensor 42 detect that the recording medium 5 has come into contact with the detection bar 31. As a result, the printer 10 can detect the height of the recording medium 5 regardless of whether the recording medium 5 is conveyed from the front or rear of the detection bar 31.

[0053] In addition, in the printer 10 of this embodiment, a first detection sensor 41 and a second detection sensor 42 are provided as sensors for detecting the detection bar 31. When the detection bar 31 comes into contact with the recording medium 5 and moves upward, blocking light reception, and one of the signals of the first detection sensor 41 and the second detection sensor 42 is turned OFF, it is determined that the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 have come into contact. This makes it possible to properly determine the contact between the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 even if the position in the main scanning direction Y where the recording medium 5 is placed is shifted from the center position in the left-right direction of the detection bar 31. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a case where the recording medium 5 is placed in a position closer to the first detection sensor 41 than the center position in the main scanning direction Y of the detection bar 31. At this time, the position of the first shaft portion 31c in the vertical direction Z is higher than the position of the second shaft portion 31d in the vertical direction Z. Therefore, in the case of FIG. 11, the first detection sensor 41 detects the first shaft portion 31c, but the second detection sensor 42 may not detect the second shaft portion 31d. If the detection mechanism 40 had the second detection sensor 42 and not the first detection sensor 41, the contact between the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 would not be detected in the case of FIG. 11. However, as in this embodiment, by configuring the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 to be in contact when the signal of either the first detection sensor 41 or the second detection sensor 42 is turned OFF, the contact between the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 can be detected even in the case of FIG. 11. Therefore, by providing the first detection sensor 41 and the second detection sensor 42 as in this embodiment, the contact between the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 can be detected well.

[0054] In addition, in the printer 10 of this embodiment, the first height adjustment mechanism 44 adjusts the relative height of the first detectable portion 31ca with respect to the first detection sensor. Similarly, the second height adjustment mechanism 45 adjusts the relative height of the second detectable portion 31da with respect to the second detection sensor. Here, the detection bar 31 may not be parallel to the table 35. The height of the support member 43 is not necessarily uniform in the main scanning direction Y due to the accumulation of machining accuracy and dimensional tolerances of parts. In addition, the diameter size of the hole 43a and the position in the vertical direction Z may also shift with each machining. At this time, depending on the position of the recording medium 5 in the main scanning direction Y with respect to the table 35, the vertical movement distance of the first detectable portion 31ca when the signal of the first detection sensor 41 is ON may not match the vertical movement distance of the second detectable portion 31da when the signal of the second detection sensor 42 is ON. Then, depending on the position in the main scanning direction Y of the point where the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 contact each other, there is a risk that the detection of the contact between the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 becomes unstable. In this embodiment, the first height adjustment mechanism 44 can adjust the relative height of the first detection target portion 31ca with respect to the first detection sensor. Also, the second height adjustment mechanism 45 can adjust the relative height of the second detection target portion 31da with respect to the second detection sensor. That is, the operations of the first height adjustment mechanism 44 and the second height adjustment mechanism 45 are independent of each other. This makes it possible to match the vertical movement distance of the first detection target portion 31ca when the signal of the first detection sensor 41 turns ON with the vertical movement distance of the second detection target portion 31da when the signal of the second detection sensor 42 turns ON. This makes it possible to detect the contact between the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 well, regardless of the position in the main scanning direction Y of the point where the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 contact each other.

[0055] 9, in the printer 10 of this embodiment, the lowering operation of step S105, the table movement operation of step S106, and the judgment operation of step S110 are repeated until the judgment unit 103 judges in step S110 that the recording medium 5 is not in contact with the detection bar 31. This makes it possible to detect the highest position of the recording medium 5 even if the top surface of the recording medium 5 has an uneven shape.

[0056] In the printer 10 of this embodiment, the height of the recording medium 5 is detected while the table 35 is moved backward. When the detection of the height of the recording medium 5 is completed, the print instruction unit 107 conveys the recording medium 5 forward and performs printing. Here, the user opens the front cover 23 and places the recording medium 5 on the table 35, so when placing the recording medium 5 on the table 35, it is necessary to move the table 35 forward of the detection bar 31. Therefore, when the detection of the height of the recording medium 5 is performed from the rear to the front as in the conventional method, it is necessary to move the table 35 to the rearmost position after placing the recording medium 5 on the table 35. However, in the printer 10 of this embodiment, the height of the recording medium 5 can be detected while the table 35 is moved backward. Furthermore, after the detection of the height of the recording medium 5 is performed, the table 35 can be moved forward by the print instruction unit 107 to perform printing. As a result, it is not necessary to move the table 35 before the detection of the height of the recording medium 5 or the start of printing. Therefore, the time from placing the recording medium 5 on the table 35 to completing printing can be made more efficient.

[0057] In the printer 10 of this embodiment, the detection bar 31 includes a first shaft portion 31c and a second shaft portion 31d. The support member 43 includes a hole 43a through which the first shaft portion 31c and the second shaft portion 31d are inserted. The first shaft portion 31c and the second shaft portion 31d are supported by the support member 43 by being abutted against the hole 43a. The length of the hole 43a in the vertical direction Z and the width in the sub-scanning direction X are formed larger than the outer diameters of the first shaft portion 31c and the second shaft portion 31d. Therefore, even if the recording medium 5 is transported further forward or backward from a state in which the detection bar 31 is in contact with the detection bar 31, the detection bar 31 can rotate. This prevents the detection bar 31 from getting caught on the recording medium 5 even if the detection bar 31 comes into contact with the recording medium 5. Furthermore, since the hole 43a is an elongated hole extending in the vertical direction, the detection bar 31 can slide in the vertical direction. As a result, the direction in which the recording medium 5 is conveyed toward the detection bar 31 is not limited, and contact between the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 can be detected satisfactorily regardless of the direction in which the recording medium 5 is conveyed. Furthermore, as the detection bar 31 slides up and down, it rides up onto the recording medium, which further prevents the detection bar from getting caught on the recording medium.

[0058] In the printer 10 of this embodiment, the detection bar 31 is cylindrical with a front contact surface 31a and a rear contact surface 31b. Because the detection bar 31 is cylindrical, the detection bar 31 has a curved surface that convex downward. This reduces the likelihood of the recording medium 5 getting caught on the detection bar 31 compared to when, for example, the front contact surface 31a or the rear contact surface 31b has a cornered shape.

[0059] In the printer 10 of this embodiment, the detection bar 31 is made of a resin material. This makes the detection bar 31 relatively light. The lighter the detection bar 31 is, the more likely it is that the recording medium 5 will be caught when the detection bar 31 comes into contact with the recording medium 5, which is a preferable aspect for achieving the effects of the present invention.

[0060] Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the above-described embodiment is merely an example, and the present invention can be embodied in various other forms.

[0061] In the above-described embodiment, the detection bar 31 is a cylinder having the first shaft portion 31c and the second shaft portion 31d, but is not limited thereto. The detection bar 31 may be cylindrical extending in the left-right direction. For example, there is a detection bar 31A as shown in FIG. 12. The detection bar 31A is provided with a cylindrical pipe portion 31Aa extending in the left-right direction and a shaft portion 31Ab inserted into the pipe portion 31Aa and extending in the left-right direction. The shaft portion 31Ab is supported by the detection mechanism 40 (see FIG. 5). Since the pipe portion 31Aa is cylindrical, the detection bar 31A is formed to be relatively lightweight. Therefore, when the recording medium 5 (see FIG. 5) comes into contact with the pipe portion 31Aa, the recording medium 5 and the pipe portion 31Aa are unlikely to get caught.

[0062] In the above-described embodiment, the first detection sensor 41 determines contact between the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 by the first detectable portion 31ca of the first shaft portion 31c blocking the detection light DL. The second detection sensor 42 also determines contact by the second detectable portion 31da. However, the shape that blocks the detection light DL is not limited to this. For example, the first shaft portion 31c and the second shaft portion 31d may have a disk portion that extends in the vertical direction. Contact between the recording medium 5 and the detection bar 31 may be determined depending on whether the disk portion blocks the detection light DL.

[0063] In the above-described embodiment, the first detection sensor 41 and the second detection sensor 42 use a transmission type photo sensor, which is an optical sensor, but are not limited to this. The sensor that detects the movement of the detection bar 31 in the up-down direction Z may be a contact type sensor such as a limit switch, in addition to the optical sensor.

[0064] The technology disclosed herein can be applied to various types of printers. In addition to the flat bed type printer 10 shown in the embodiment described above, the technology can also be applied to a so-called roll-to-roll type printer 10 that conveys a roll-shaped recording medium 5 in the sub-scanning direction X. The technology can also be applied to a so-called gantry type printer 10 that prints by placing the medium on a table and moving the ink head in the main scanning direction Y and the sub-scanning direction X relative to the table. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 5 Recording media 10 Printers 31 Detection bar (detection member) 35 Table (Placement stand) 36 Table movement mechanism (mounting table movement mechanism) 41 First detection sensor 42 Second detection sensor 60 Ink Head

Claims

1. a mounting table on which a recording medium is placed; a platform moving mechanism for moving the platform in a vertical direction and a front-rear direction; A detection member is disposed above the mounting table and extends in the left-right direction; support portions disposed on the left and right sides of the mounting table and supporting the detection member; and a detection unit disposed on each side of the mounting table in the left and right directions and detecting the detection member. The detection member is a contact portion that moves upward while coming into contact with the recording medium placed on the placement table when the placement table moves forward and backward; a detection target portion provided on each end of the detection member and moving upward together with the contact portion that contacts the recording medium; the support portions each have a hole extending in the vertical direction into which the detection portion is loosely fitted and supported, The detection unit includes two detection sensors that detect whether the detection target portion is within a predetermined range in the vertical direction.

2. 2. The inkjet printer according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion has a front contact surface that is disposed above the mounting table and extends forward and upward, and a rear contact surface that is disposed above the mounting table and extends rearward and upward.

3. a control device for controlling the mounting table moving mechanism, The control device includes: a movement control unit that performs a mounting table moving operation to move the mounting table either forward or backward; a determination unit that performs a determination operation to determine whether or not the recording medium is in contact with the detection member based on a detection result of the detection sensor; a lowering control unit that performs a lowering operation to lower the placement table by a predetermined distance when the determination unit determines that the recording medium and the detection member have come into contact with each other, until the recording medium on the placement table disposed behind the detection sensor moves forward of the detection sensor. or the inkjet printer according to claim 1, configured to repeat the stage moving operation, the determination operation and the lowering operation until the recording medium on the stage, which is arranged in front of the detection sensor, moves to the rear of the detection sensor.

4. 4. The inkjet printer according to claim 3, wherein the control device repeats the stage moving operation, the determination operation, and the lowering operation until the recording medium on the stage moves rearward of the detection sensor, and after the recording medium moves rearward of the detection sensor, moves the stage forward to perform printing.

5. The inkjet printer according to claim 1 , wherein the support portion rotatably supports the detection member.

6. The inkjet printer according to claim 1 , wherein the detection member is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the left-right direction.

7. The inkjet printer according to claim 1 , wherein the detection member is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the left-right direction.

8. The inkjet printer according to claim 1 , wherein the detection member is made of a resin material.

9. The detection sensor includes: A first detection sensor disposed on one side of the platform in a left-right direction; a second detection sensor disposed on the other side of the platform in the left-right direction, a first height adjustment mechanism that adjusts a relative height of a first detection portion, which is one of the detection portions and is detected by the first detection sensor, with respect to the first detection sensor; 2. The inkjet printer according to claim 1, further comprising: a second height adjustment mechanism that adjusts a relative height of a second detection portion, which is one of the detection portions and is detected by the second detection sensor, with respect to the second detection sensor.

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