Medium conveyance device and printer

Abstract

To allow a support member of a conveyance roller to be easily replaced according to a simple configuration.SOLUTION: A medium conveyance device 100 comprises: a conveyance roller 21 for conveying a medium 1; a support member 231 for supporting the conveyance roller 21 at a conveyance roller support position; and a base member 232 for supporting the support member 231 at the conveyance roller support position. The support member 231 is movable from the conveyance roller support position to a first moving position along an axial direction of the conveyance roller 21, and by moving along an orthogonal direction crossing the axial direction at the first moving position, a wider distance can be secured to the conveyance roller 21 than to the conveyance roller support position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a medium conveyance device and a printing device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, various medium conveyance devices capable of conveying a medium in a printing device or the like have been used. Among these, there is a medium conveyance device that conveys a medium with conveyance rollers. In such a medium conveyance device, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, there is one provided with a support member that supports the conveyance rollers.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a conventional medium conveyance device provided with a support member that supports conveyance rollers, such as the medium conveyance device disclosed in Patent Document 1, there are cases where the configuration of the support member is complicated or it takes time to replace the support member. For example, in the medium conveyance device disclosed in Patent Document 1, an intermediate member is provided between the support member and a base member that positions the support member, and when replacing the support member, the intermediate member must be removed once and then the support member must be removed.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The media conveyance device of the present invention for solving the above problems includes a conveyance roller for conveying a media, a support member for supporting the conveyance roller at a conveyance roller support position, and a base member for supporting the support member at the conveyance roller support position. The support member is movable from the conveyance roller support position to a first movement position along the axial direction of the conveyance roller, and is configured to be able to increase the distance from the conveyance roller support position to the conveyance roller by moving along an intersection direction intersecting the axial direction at the first movement position.

[0006] Further, the printing device of the present invention for solving the above problems includes a conveyance roller for conveying a media, a support member for supporting the conveyance roller at a conveyance roller support position, a base member for supporting the support member at the conveyance roller support position, and a printing unit for printing on the media. The support member is movable from the conveyance roller support position to a first movement position along the axial direction of the conveyance roller, and is configured to be able to increase the distance from the conveyance roller support position to the conveyance roller by moving along an intersection direction intersecting the axial direction at the first movement position.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

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Figure 8

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] First, the present invention will be schematically described. The medium conveyance apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention for solving the above problems includes a conveyance roller for conveying a medium, a support member that supports the conveyance roller at a conveyance roller support position, and a base member that supports the support member at the conveyance roller support position. The support member is movable from the conveyance roller support position to a first moving position along the axial direction of the conveyance roller, and is configured to be able to increase the distance from the conveyance roller support position to the conveyance roller by moving along an intersection direction that intersects the axial direction at the first moving position.

[0009] According to this aspect, the support member is movable from the conveyance roller support position to the first moving position along the axial direction of the conveyance roller, and is configured to be able to increase the distance from the conveyance roller support position to the conveyance roller by moving along an intersection direction that intersects the axial direction at the first moving position. By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to configure the support member to be replaceable without providing a detachable intermediate member or the like between the support member and the base member. Therefore, the support member of the conveyance roller can be easily replaced with a simple configuration.

[0010] The media conveyance device according to the second aspect of the present invention is an aspect subordinate to the first aspect, wherein the support member is movable to a second movement position along the intersecting direction after moving to the first movement position, and is configured to be movable along the conveyance direction of the media by moving to the second movement position.

[0011] According to this aspect, after the support member moves to the first movement position, it is movable to the second movement position along the intersecting direction, and is configured to be movable along the conveyance direction of the media by moving to the second movement position. With such a configuration, the support member can be easily replaced with a simple configuration.

[0012] The media conveyance device according to the third aspect of the present invention is an aspect subordinate to the first or second aspect, wherein the base member has a fixing portion for fixing the support member at the conveyance roller support position.

[0013] According to this aspect, the base member has a fixing portion for fixing the support member at the conveyance roller support position. Therefore, the support member can be suitably fixed at the conveyance roller support position.

[0014] The media conveyance device according to the fourth aspect of the present invention is an aspect subordinate to the first or second aspect, wherein the support member has a plurality of rotating members that rotate following the rotation of the conveyance roller, and the rotating members are arranged on the upstream side and the downstream side with respect to the conveyance direction of the media across the axis of the conveyance roller.

[0015] According to this aspect, the support member has a plurality of rotating members that rotate following the rotation of the conveyance roller, and the rotating members are arranged on the upstream side and the downstream side with respect to the conveyance direction of the media across the axis of the conveyance roller. With such a configuration, the rotating members can suitably support the conveyance roller so as to be rotatable.

[0016] The medium conveyance device according to the fifth aspect of the present invention is an aspect subordinate to the fourth aspect, characterized in that the rotating member is composed of a bearing and a rotating shaft rod.

[0017] According to this aspect, the rotating member is composed of a bearing and a rotating shaft rod. With such a configuration, the rotating member can particularly suitably support the conveyance roller rotatably.

[0018] The medium conveyance device according to the sixth aspect of the present invention is an aspect subordinate to the first or second aspect, characterized in that the base member has a guide portion when the support member moves between the conveyance roller support position and the first movement position.

[0019] According to this aspect, the base member has a guide portion when the support member moves between the conveyance roller support position and the first movement position. With such a configuration, it is possible to suppress problems when the support member moves between the conveyance roller support position and the first movement position.

[0020] The printing device according to the seventh aspect of the present invention includes a conveyance roller for conveying a medium, a support member that supports the conveyance roller at a conveyance roller support position, a base member that supports the support member at the conveyance roller support position, and a printing unit that prints on the medium. The support member is movable from the conveyance roller support position to a first movement position along the axial direction of the conveyance roller, and is configured to be able to increase the distance from the conveyance roller support position by moving along an intersection direction that intersects the axial direction at the first movement position.

[0021] According to this aspect, the support member is movable from the conveyance roller support position to the first movement position along the axial direction of the conveyance roller, and is configured to increase the distance from the conveyance roller along the intersection direction intersecting the axial direction at the first movement position. With such a configuration, the support member can be configured to be replaceable without providing a detachable intermediate member or the like between the support member and the base member. Therefore, the support member of the conveyance roller can be easily replaced with a simple configuration.

[0022] Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described. In each figure, the direction along the X-axis is the device width direction, which is the direction intersecting the conveyance direction of the medium, that is, the width direction. The -X direction is the right direction when the front surface of the device faces the user, and the +X direction is the left direction. The direction along the Y-axis is the device depth direction, and the +Y direction is the direction from the back surface to the front surface of the device. The -Y direction is the direction from the front surface to the back surface of the device. The direction along the Z-axis is the vertical direction, the +Z direction is vertically upward, and the -Z direction is vertically downward.

[0023] [Example 1] First, the printing apparatus 100 of Example 1 will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the printing apparatus 100 of Example 1. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the inside of the printing apparatus 100 as viewed from the side. The printing apparatus 100 is an inkjet printer that performs printing by discharging ink droplets onto roll paper 1 as a "medium" supplied in a roll state. The printing apparatus 100 is a printing apparatus including a printing unit 10 and also a medium conveyance apparatus including a conveyance unit 20, and includes a supply unit 30, a control unit 50, and the like.

[0024] The printing unit 10 includes a print head 11, a carriage 12, a guide shaft 13, a platen 14, and a carriage motor (not shown). The print head 11 has a plurality of nozzles that discharge printing ink as ink droplets. The print head 11 is mounted on the carriage 12 and moves in the scanning direction along with the carriage 12 that reciprocates in the scanning direction corresponding to the X-axis direction. The guide shaft 13 extends in the scanning direction and supports the carriage 12 in a slidable state. The carriage motor serves as a drive source for reciprocating the carriage 12 along the guide shaft 13.

[0025] The platen 14 is a flat plate having air intake holes for adsorbing the roll paper 1 on a support surface for supporting the roll paper 1. It faces the print head 11 and is arranged at a predetermined distance from a nozzle plate (not shown) where the nozzles are arranged. Further, the platen 14 extends from the printing area, where ink droplets are discharged from the print head 11 and the roll paper 1 is printed, to the discharge port 15 where the printed roll paper 1 is discharged.

[0026] Under the control of the control unit 50, the printing apparatus 100 repeats an operation of discharging ink droplets from the print head 11 while moving the carriage 12 mounting the print head 11 along the guide shaft 13, and an operation of moving the roll paper 1 in the conveyance direction A intersecting the scanning direction in the printing area, thereby forming a desired image on the roll paper 1.

[0027] Examples of the ink include a four-color ink set obtained by adding black to a three-color ink set of cyan, magenta, and yellow as an ink set composed of a thick ink composition. Further, for example, there is an eight-color ink set obtained by adding ink sets such as light cyan, light magenta, light yellow, and light black composed of a light ink composition in which the concentration of each colorant is made lighter.

[0028] As an inkjet method for discharging ink droplets, a piezo method is preferably used as a suitable example. The piezo method is a method in which pressure corresponding to a print information signal is applied to the ink stored in the pressure chamber by a piezo element, and ink droplets are discharged from a nozzle communicating with the pressure chamber to perform printing. Note that the method for discharging ink droplets is not limited to this, and other printing methods in which ink is discharged in droplet form to form a dot group on the print medium may also be used.

[0029] The supply unit 30 includes a roll paper storage unit 31 that rotatably holds the roll paper 1 in a roll shape, and supplies the stored roll paper 1 to the printing unit 10 according to the drive of the conveyance unit 20. The conveyance unit 20 is composed of a conveyance roller 21, a pressing roller 22, a roller support unit 23, a guide roller 24, a discharge roller 25, etc., and constitutes a conveyance path for sequentially conveying the roll paper 1 from the supply unit 30 to the printing unit 10 and the discharge port 15.

[0030] The conveyance roller 21 has a shaft length longer than the width of the roll paper 1 and is a drive roller extending in the X-axis direction. The conveyance roller 21 sandwiches the roll paper 1 between itself and the pressing roller 22, and brings the outer circumference that rotates and drives into contact with the roll paper 1 to transmit a force in the conveyance direction and convey the roll paper 1. The conveyance roller 21 is provided upstream of the printing unit 10 in the conveyance direction of the roll paper 1 together with a drive motor (not shown) that rotationally drives the conveyance roller 21, the pressing roller 22, and the roller support unit 23.

[0031] The pressing roller 22 is a driven roller having a shaft length longer than the width of the roll paper 1 and extending in the X-axis direction. The pressing roller 22 is disposed above the conveying roller 21, sandwiches the roll paper 1 between the upper side of the roll paper 1 and the conveying roller 21, and rotates passively as the conveying roller 21 rotates while pressing the conveying roller 21. The roller support portion 23 is configured to abut against and support the conveying roller 21 pressed by the pressing roller 22 from below the conveying roller 21. The roller support portion 23 is provided, for example, one in the central region in the X-axis direction of the conveying roller 21 extending in the X-axis direction, or a plurality of them at a predetermined interval when the length of the conveying roller 21 is long. The configuration of the roller support portion 23 will be described later.

[0032] The guide roller 24 is a driven roller that constitutes a conveyance path for guiding the roll paper 1 from the supply unit 30 to the conveyance roller 21. The discharge roller 25 is a driven roller that constitutes a conveyance path for guiding the roll paper 1 from the printing area to the discharge port 15. Note that the discharge roller 25 may be a driving roller for applying a predetermined tension to the roll paper 1 in the printing area and transmitting a force to send it to the discharge port 15.

[0033] The control unit 50 includes a CPU 51 as an arithmetic unit and a storage medium 52 such as a RAM and a ROM, and performs centralized control of the entire printing apparatus 100. Specifically, the control unit 50 controls the printing unit 10, the conveyance unit 20, the supply unit 30, etc. based on image data and printing specifications received from an external electronic device such as a personal computer or an external storage medium, and forms a desired printed image on the roll paper 1 to create a printed matter. In this embodiment, as the printing head 11, a serial head type mounted on the carriage 12 and discharging ink while reciprocating in the width direction (X-axis direction) of the roll paper 1 is exemplified, but the printing head may be a line head type extending and fixedly arranged in the width direction (X-axis direction) of the roll paper 1.

[0034] Next, the details of the roller support portion 23 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7. As described above, the printing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment is a medium conveyance apparatus including a conveyance roller 21 for conveying a roll paper 1 as a medium, and is further a printing apparatus including a print head 11 as a printing portion for printing on the roll paper 1.

[0035] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, the roller support portion 23 of the present embodiment includes a support member 231 that supports the conveyance roller 21, and a base member 232 that supports the support member 231 at the conveyance roller support position shown in FIG. 4. The support member 231 can move from the conveyance roller support position shown in FIG. 4 in the +X direction to the first movement position shown in FIG. 5.

[0036] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, the base member 232 is provided with a hole portion 232a that is open in the +Z direction and through which the support member 231 can pass along the Z-axis direction. Since the base member 232 is provided with the hole portion 232a having such a configuration, the support member 231 can move from the first movement position shown in FIG. 5 to the second movement position shown in FIG. 6.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, the hole portion 232a is also open in the +Y direction. Therefore, by moving the support member 231 in the +Y direction from the second movement position shown in FIG. 6, an operator can remove the support member 231 from the printing apparatus 100.

[0038] Thus, in the printing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the support member 231 can move from the conveyance roller support position to the first movement position along the axial direction (X-axis direction) of the conveyance roller 21. And by moving along the intersection direction (Z-axis direction) intersecting the axial direction at the first movement position, it is configured to be able to increase the distance from the conveyance roller 21 compared to the conveyance roller support position.

[0039] The printing apparatus 100 of this embodiment is configured in such a way that the support member 231 can be replaced without providing a detachable intermediate member or the like between the support member 231 and the base member 232. Therefore, the printing apparatus 100 of this embodiment can easily replace the support member 231 of the conveyance roller 21 with a simple configuration. Further, with such a configuration, even if there are other components or the like at a position overlapping the conveyance roller support position in the conveyance direction A of the roll paper 1, the support member 231 can be removed while avoiding the other components, and the support member 231 can be easily replaced.

[0040] As described above, in the printing apparatus 100 of this embodiment, after the support member 231 moves to the first movement position as shown in FIG. 5, it can further move to the second movement position along the intersection direction at the hole portion 232a as shown in FIG. 6. By moving to the second movement position, it is configured to be movable along the conveyance direction A as shown in FIG. 7. In this way, by making the support member 231 movable from the conveyance roller support position through the first movement position to the second movement position, the support member can be easily replaced with a simple configuration. Further, a lower surface portion 232c is provided in the hole portion 232a. By providing the lower surface portion 232c in this way, it becomes possible to place and hold the support member on the lower surface portion 232c at the second movement position, and it is possible to suppress the support member 231 from detaching simultaneously when it moves to the second movement position.

[0041] However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the hole portion 232a may penetrate in the Z-axis direction, and after moving the support member 231 to the first movement position, the support member 231 may be moved in the -Z direction as it is to remove the support member 231.

[0042] Also, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the printing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, a screw 233 for fixing the support member 231 can be fitted into the base member 232. In other words, the base member 232 has a fixing portion for fixing the support member 231 at the conveyance roller support position. Therefore, the printing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment can suitably fix the support member 231 at the conveyance roller support position.

[0043] In the printing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the fixing portion is the screw 233 provided on the base member 232, but the configuration of the fixing portion is not particularly limited. For example, a rib having flexibility as a fixing portion may be provided on the base member 232, and the support member 231 may be fixed to the base member 232 by a snap fit method or the like.

[0044] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, the support member 231 of the present embodiment has a plurality (two) of rotating members 234 that rotate following the rotation of the conveyance roller 21, and the rotating members 234 are arranged on the upstream side and the downstream side with respect to the conveyance direction A across the axis of the conveyance roller 21. By having such a configuration, the printing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment can suitably support the conveyance roller 21 rotatably by the rotating members 234.

[0045] Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, the rotating member 234 is composed of a bearing 234a and a rotating shaft rod 234b. By configuring the rotating member 234 in this way, the rotating member 234 can particularly suitably support the conveyance roller 21 rotatably.

[0046] However, the configuration for supporting the conveyance roller 21 while allowing the rotation of the conveyance roller 21 is not limited to the configuration such as the rotating member 234. For example, a sliding bearing or the like that supports the conveyance roller 21 while allowing it to slide while allowing the rotation of the conveyance roller 21 may be used.

[0047] [Embodiment 2] Next, the printing apparatus 100 of Example 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 8. Note that FIG. 8 corresponds to FIG. 4 in the printing apparatus 100 of Example 1. In FIG. 8, the constituent members common to those in the above-described Example 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted. Here, the printing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment has the same configuration as the printing apparatus 100 of Example 1 except for the parts described below. For this reason, the printing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment has the same features as the printing apparatus 100 of Example 1 except for the parts described below.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 8, in the printing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the base member 232 has a guide portion 232b when the support member 231 moves between the conveyance roller support position and the first movement position. The guide portion 232b of the present embodiment has an inclined surface portion 232d, and is configured such that the support member 231 can move along the X-axis direction while sliding on the inclined surface portion 232d. By having such a configuration, the printing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment can suppress problems when the support member 231 moves between the conveyance roller support position and the first movement position.

[0049] However, the configuration of the guide portion 232b is not limited to the configuration having the inclined surface portion 232d that slopes in the X-axis direction as shown in FIG. 8. For example, a groove portion extending along the X-axis direction or the like may be provided, and the support member 231 may be configured to be movable along the X-axis direction along the groove portion.

[0050] Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the invention described in the claims, and it goes without saying that those modifications are also included in the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the support member 231 is moved in the +X direction from the conveyance roller support position, and after the support member 231 is moved to the first movement position, it is further moved to the second movement position, and the support member 231 is moved in the +Y direction from the second movement position to remove the support member 231. However, the configuration is not limited to this.

[0051] For example, the first moving position may be provided on the -X direction side of the transport roller support position, and the support member 231 may be configured to move from the transport roller support position in the -X direction to the first moving position. Further, for example, after moving the support member 231 to the first moving position, it may be further moved to the second moving position, and the support member 231 may be removed by moving the support member 231 in the -Y direction from the second moving position. Furthermore, for example, after moving the support member 231 to the first moving position, it may be further moved to the second moving position, and the support member 231 may be removed by moving it in the +X direction or the -X direction from the second moving position.

Explanation of Signs

[0052] 1…Roll paper (medium), 10…Printing unit, 11…Printing head, 12…Carriage, 13…Guide shaft, 14…Platen, 15…Discharge port, 20…Transport unit, 21…Transport roller, 22…Pressing roller, 23…Roller support part, 24…Guide roller, 25…Discharge roller, 30…, 31…Supply part, 50…Control unit, 51…CPU, 52…Storage medium, 100…Printing apparatus (medium transport apparatus), 231…Support member, 232…Base member, 232a…Hole part, 232b…Guide part, 232c…Lower surface part, 232d…Slant surface part, 233…Screw (fixing part), 234…Rotating member, 234a…Bearing, 234b…Rotating shaft bar

Claims

1. A transport roller for transporting the medium; a support member for supporting the transport roller at a transport roller support position; a base member supporting the support member at the transport roller support position; Equipped with The medium transport device is characterized in that the support member is movable from the transport roller support position to a first moving position along the axial direction of the transport roller, and is configured to be able to move at the first moving position along a transverse direction that intersects the axial direction, thereby making the distance between the transport roller wider than at the transport roller support position.

2. 2. The medium transport device according to claim 1, The medium transport device is characterized in that the support member is movable to a second movement position along the intersecting direction after moving to the first movement position, and is configured to be movable along the medium transport direction by moving to the second movement position.

3. 3. The medium transport device according to claim 1, The medium transport device according to claim 1, wherein the base member has a fixing portion for fixing the support member at the transport roller support position.

4. 3. The medium transport device according to claim 1, the support member has a plurality of rotating members that rotate in response to rotation of the transport roller, A medium transport device, characterized in that the rotating members are arranged on the upstream side and downstream side of the axis of the transport roller in a transport direction of the medium.

5. 5. The medium transport device according to claim 4, The medium transport device according to claim 1, wherein the rotating member is composed of a bearing and a rotating shaft.

6. 3. The medium transport device according to claim 1, The medium transport device according to claim 1, wherein the base member has a guide portion for guiding the support member when the support member moves between the transport roller support position and the first movement position.

7. A transport roller for transporting the medium; a support member for supporting the transport roller at a transport roller support position; a base member supporting the support member at the transport roller support position; A printing unit that prints on the medium; Equipped with A printing device characterized in that the support member is movable from the transport roller support position to a first movement position along the axial direction of the transport roller, and is configured to be able to move at the first movement position along a transverse direction that intersects the axial direction, thereby making the distance between the transport roller wider than at the transport roller support position.

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