Recording device

Abstract

To solve a problem in a conventional recording device that need to locate a pair of transport rollers away from a line type head to secure a space for movement of a shutter results in increase in the size of the recording device.SOLUTION: A recording device includes: a facing part in which an opening is formed at a position facing a liquid discharge head; a shutter which may move to a shield position where the shutter shields the opening or an open position where the shutter opens the opening and which supports a medium passing through a position facing the liquid discharge head when the shutter is in the shield position. The shutter includes a plurality of moving parts along a moving direction and two adjacent moving parts are rotatably connected. Further, in the shutter, at least one of the moving parts takes an inclined attitude relative to a liquid discharge surface when the shutter is in the open position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a recording device for recording on a medium. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an inkjet printer that includes a line head having nozzle rows that eject droplets of multiple colors, a platen that supports the recording paper from the back side, and a cap that caps the line head. In this inkjet printer, an opening is formed in the platen in the width direction of the line head, and a shutter is provided to open and close this opening. During recording, the shutter closes the opening in the platen, and during cleaning or capping, the shutter moves to open the opening, so that the line type head and the cap face each other. A pair of transport rollers is provided upstream and downstream in the transport direction with respect to the platen. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-056047 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the inkjet printer described in Patent Document 1, it becomes necessary to move the transport roller pair away from the line head in order to ensure space for the shutter to move, which results in an increase in the size of the device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above problem, the recording device of the present invention comprises a liquid ejection head which records by ejecting liquid onto a medium, an opposing part which is arranged opposite the liquid ejection head, the opposing part having an opening formed at a position opposite the liquid ejection head, a cap part which can be exposed through the opening, the cap part covering the liquid ejection surface of the liquid ejection head, and a shutter which can be moved between a blocking position which blocks the opening and an opening position which opens the opening, the shutter supporting the medium passing through a position opposite the liquid ejection head when in the blocking position, the shutter having a plurality of moving parts along the moving direction, two adjacent moving parts being rotatably connected to each other, and further characterized in that when the shutter is in the open position, at least one of the moving parts takes an inclined posture with respect to the liquid ejection surface. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the entire media transport path of the printer. [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a driving mechanism that drives a line head. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the opposing portion when the shutter is in the blocking position. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a side view of the shutter when the shutter is in the blocking position. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a side view of the shutter, showing the shutter moving from the closed position to the open position. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a side view of the shutter when the shutter is in an open position and the line head is separated from the cap portion. [Figure 11]FIG. 13 is a side view of the shutter when the shutter is in an open position and the line head is advanced into the cap portion. [Figure 12] FIG. 4 is a side view of the shutter as it moves from the open position to the closed position. [Figure 13] 11A and 11B are side views of the shutter, illustrating the change in state when the shutter moves from a closed position to an open position. [Figure 14] 11A and 11B are side views of the shutter, illustrating the change in state when the shutter moves from a closed position to an open position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0007] The present invention will now be briefly described. The recording device of the first aspect comprises a liquid ejection head which records by ejecting liquid onto a medium, an opposing part which is arranged opposite the liquid ejection head, the opposing part having an opening formed at a position opposite the liquid ejection head, a cap part which can be exposed through the opening, the cap part covering the liquid ejection surface of the liquid ejection head, and a shutter which can be moved between a blocking position which blocks the opening and an opening position which opens the opening, the shutter supporting the medium passing through a position opposite the liquid ejection head when in the blocking position, the shutter having a plurality of moving parts along the moving direction, two adjacent moving parts being rotatably connected to each other, and further characterized in that when the shutter is in the open position, at least one of the moving parts takes an inclined posture with respect to the liquid ejection surface.

[0008] According to this aspect, when the shutter is in the open position, the space occupied by the shutter in the direction parallel to the liquid ejection surface, i.e., in the medium transport direction at the position facing the liquid ejection surface, can be reduced, thereby preventing the device from becoming larger in size in the medium transport direction.

[0009] The second aspect is a dependent aspect of the first aspect, and is characterized in that the multiple moving parts include a first moving part and a second moving part located downstream of the first moving part in the medium transport direction, and when in the open position, the first moving part takes an inclined posture with respect to the liquid ejection surface and the second moving part is parallel to the liquid ejection surface.

[0010] According to this aspect, when the shutter is in the open position, the first moving part is inclined with respect to the liquid ejection surface, and the second moving part is parallel to the liquid ejection surface, which makes it possible to reduce the space occupied by the shutter in the normal direction to the liquid ejection surface, compared to a configuration in which both the first moving part and the second moving part are inclined with respect to the liquid ejection surface.

[0011] A third aspect is an aspect dependent on the second aspect, and is characterized in that the shutter includes a guide member that guides the shutter in the moving direction, and the moving portion includes guided portions guided by guide grooves formed in the guide member on both sides in the width direction, which is a direction intersecting the medium transport direction, and the guide groove includes a first groove portion extending parallel to the liquid ejection surface, a second groove portion located downstream in the medium transport direction from the first groove portion and extending in a direction inclined with respect to the liquid ejection surface, and a third groove portion located downstream in the medium transport direction from the second groove portion and extending parallel to the liquid ejection surface, the first moving portion includes a plurality of guided portions along the moving direction, and when the shutter is in the open position, the guided portion of the second moving portion is located in the third groove portion, and the plurality of guided portions of the first moving portion are located separately in a plurality of different groove portions among the first groove portion, the second groove portion, and the third groove portion.

[0012] According to this aspect, it is possible to easily realize a configuration in which the first moving portion takes an inclined posture with respect to the liquid ejection surface when the shutter is in the open position.

[0013] A fourth aspect is a dependent aspect of the third aspect, characterized in that the open position of the shutter is located downstream in the medium transport direction from the shielding position, and a pair of transport rollers that transport the medium downstream is provided downstream in the medium transport direction from the position facing the liquid ejection head, and when the shutter is in the open position, it overlaps with the pair of transport rollers in the normal direction to the liquid ejection surface.

[0014] According to this aspect, when the shutter is in the open position, the shutter overlaps with the pair of transport rollers in the normal direction to the liquid ejection surface, so that the distance between the pair of transport rollers and the liquid ejection head in the medium transport direction can be shortened. As a result, the medium can be prevented from floating up from the shutter during recording, and good recording quality can be obtained. In addition, the device dimensions in the medium transport direction can be reduced.

[0015] A fifth aspect is an aspect that is dependent on the first aspect, and includes a transport roller pair that is located downstream in the medium transport direction from a position facing the liquid ejection head, and transports the medium downstream; a rotating shaft of one of the rollers that constitutes the transport roller pair, which is driven by a motor; and a mechanism that transmits the rotation of the rotating shaft to the shutter to move the shutter, the crank mechanism being provided on both sides of the shutter in the width direction that is a direction that intersects the medium transport direction, wherein the crank mechanism includes a one-way clutch, and a first rotation direction is a rotation direction of the rotating shaft when the transport roller pair transports the medium downstream in the medium transport direction, and a second rotation direction is a rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction, and the one-way clutch does not transmit the rotation of the rotating shaft to the shutter when the rotating shaft rotates in the first rotation direction, and transmits the rotation of the rotating shaft to the shutter when the rotating shaft rotates in the second rotation direction.

[0016] According to this aspect, since the shutter can be moved by utilizing the reverse rotation of the transport roller pair, a dedicated power source for moving the shutter is not required, which reduces the cost of the device and prevents the device from becoming large. Incidentally, this aspect is not limited to the above-mentioned first aspect, and may be subordinate to any of the above-mentioned second to fourth aspects.

[0017] A sixth aspect is an aspect dependent on the third aspect, and includes a transport roller pair located downstream in the medium transport direction from a position facing the liquid ejection head, the transport roller pair transporting the medium downstream, a rotation shaft of one of the rollers constituting the transport roller pair driven by a motor, and a crank mechanism provided on both sides of the shutter in the width direction as a mechanism for transmitting rotation of the rotation shaft to the shutter to move the shutter, the crank mechanism being rotatably connected to one of a plurality of guided portions provided on a side of the shutter in the width direction. The medium conveying device comprises: one arm; a second arm that is rotatably connected to the first arm and is rotatable about the rotating shaft; and a one-way clutch interposed between the rotating shaft and the second arm, wherein the rotation direction of the rotating shaft when the pair of transport rollers transport the medium downstream in the media transport direction is defined as a first rotation direction, and a rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction is defined as a second rotation direction, and when the rotating shaft rotates in the first rotation direction, the one-way clutch does not transmit the rotation of the rotating shaft to the second arm, and when the rotating shaft rotates in the second rotation direction, transmits the rotation of the rotating shaft to the second arm.

[0018] According to this aspect, since the shutter can be moved by utilizing the reverse rotation of the transport roller pair, a dedicated power source for moving the shutter is not required, which reduces the cost of the device and prevents the device from becoming large.

[0019] A seventh aspect is an aspect dependent on the fifth or sixth aspect, characterized in that the shutter further includes a pressing portion capable of pressing the shutter in a direction intersecting with the movement direction. According to this aspect, since the shutter is provided with a pressing portion capable of pressing the shutter in a direction intersecting the movement direction, unintentional movement of the shutter due to vibration, impact, and the like can be suppressed.

[0020] The eighth aspect is a dependent aspect of the fifth or sixth aspect, and is characterized in that the shutter has a plurality of pressing portions spaced apart in the width direction, which press the shutter in a direction intersecting the movement direction.

[0021] In a configuration in which the crank mechanisms are provided on both sides of the shutter in the width direction, there is a risk that a phase shift will occur between one crank mechanism and the other crank mechanism due to vibration or impact during transportation. If such a phase shift occurs, there is a risk that the rotating shaft will not be able to rotate, that is, the shutter will not be able to move. Hereinafter, such a phenomenon will be referred to as a deadlock of the shutter. According to this aspect, since a plurality of pressing portions that press the shutter in a direction intersecting the movement direction are provided at intervals in the width direction, it is possible to suppress a phase shift between one crank mechanism and the other crank mechanism, thereby making it possible to suppress the occurrence of a deadlock of the shutter.

[0022] A ninth aspect is an aspect dependent on the sixth aspect, and is characterized in that it comprises a motor that is a power source for the rotating shaft, and a control unit that controls the motor, and the control unit is capable of executing a control mode in which the motor repeatedly performs a predetermined amount of forward and reverse rotation.

[0023] When a control mode is executed in which the motor repeatedly rotates in a predetermined direction, the phase shift can be eliminated. According to this aspect, since the control unit can execute the control mode, the phase shift can be eliminated, and the deadlock of the shutter can be eliminated.

[0024] The present invention will be specifically described below. In the following, an inkjet printer 1 will be described as an example of a recording device that records on a medium. Hereinafter, the inkjet printer 1 will be simply referred to as the printer 1. In the XYZ coordinate system shown in each drawing, the X-axis direction is the device width direction, which is the width direction of the medium on which recording is performed. As seen by the operator of the printer 1, the +X direction is the left side, and the -X direction is the right side. Below, the X-axis direction may be referred to as the medium width direction, or simply the width direction. The Y axis direction is the depth direction of the device, and is the direction along the medium transport direction during recording. The +Y direction is the direction from the rear of the device to the front, and the -Y direction is the direction from the front of the device to the rear. In this embodiment, of the sides that make up the periphery of the printer 1, the side in the +Y direction is the front of the device, and the side in the -Y direction is the rear of the device. The Z-axis direction is the vertical direction, which is the device height direction. The +Z direction is the vertically upward direction, and the -Z direction is the vertically downward direction. In the following description, the direction in which the medium is transported may be referred to as "downstream" and the opposite direction may be referred to as "upstream."

[0025] The media transport path of the printer 1 will be described below with reference to Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the printer 1 has a media storage cassette 2 at the bottom of the device. The symbol P indicates the media stored in the media storage cassette 2. One example of the media is recording paper. The media storage cassette 2 is provided so as to be detachable from the front side of the device.

[0026] A pick roller 3 driven by a motor (not shown) is provided above the medium storage cassette 2. The pick roller 3 can advance and retreat relative to the medium stored in the medium storage cassette 2, and rotates in contact with the medium stored in the medium storage cassette 2 to send the medium out of the medium storage cassette 2 in the +Y direction. A feed roller 5 driven by a motor (not shown) and a separation roller 6 to which a rotational torque is applied by a torque limiter (not shown) are provided downstream of the medium storage cassette 2. The medium sent out from the medium storage cassette 2 is separated by being nipped between the feed roller 5 and the separation roller 6, and is sent further downstream.

[0027] A reversing roller 8 driven by a motor (not shown) is provided downstream of the feed roller 5 and the separation roller 6. A first nip roller 9 and a second nip roller 10 are provided around the reversing roller 8, and the medium is nipped between the reversing roller 8 and the first nip roller 9, and is further nipped between the reversing roller 8 and the second nip roller 10 and transported. The transport direction of the medium is reversed from the +Y direction to the -Y direction by the reversing roller 8, and the medium is transported downstream.

[0028] A first transport roller pair 15 including a drive roller 16 driven by a motor (not shown) and a driven roller 17 that can rotate by the drive roller 16 is provided downstream of the reversing roller 8. The medium is transported by the first transport roller pair 15 to a position facing the line head 40. In addition to the medium feeding path from the medium storage cassette 2, the printer 1 is also equipped with a medium feeding path from a medium support unit 12. The medium support unit 12 supports the medium in an inclined position, and the supported medium is transported to a first transport roller pair 15 by a feed roller 13 driven by a motor (not shown). Reference numeral 14 denotes a separation roller to which a rotational torque is applied by a torque limiter (not shown).

[0029] A medium detection unit 22 is provided upstream of the first transport roller pair 15. A control unit 80 (see FIG. 5), which will be described later, can determine the position of the leading edge of the medium relative to the line head 40 based on detection information from the medium detection unit 22, and can position the medium at, for example, a recording start position.

[0030] The line head 40 is an example of a liquid ejection head that ejects ink, which is an example of liquid, onto a medium to perform recording. The line head 40 is a liquid ejection head in which a plurality of nozzles 44 that eject ink are arranged to cover the entire area in the width direction of the medium. The line head 40 is long in the width direction of the medium, and is configured as a liquid ejection head that can perform recording over the entire width of the medium without moving in the width direction of the medium. The reference symbol 42a denotes a head surface that faces the medium. The head surface 42a can also be called a liquid ejection surface or a nozzle surface. The head surface 42a is formed by a plate member 42 (see FIG. 2), which will be described later. The head surface 42a is parallel to the medium transport direction at a position facing the line head 40, that is, the Y-axis direction.

[0031] The printer 1 includes an ink storage unit (not shown), and the ink ejected from the line head 40 is supplied from the ink storage unit to the line head 40 via an ink tube (not shown).

[0032] A facing portion 45 is provided at a position facing the head surface 42a of the line head 40. The facing portion 45 according to the present embodiment includes a shutter 47 (see FIG. 5), which will be described later, and defines a gap between the medium and the head surface 42a by supporting the medium with the shutter 47. Hereinafter, the gap between the facing portion 45 and the head surface 42a may be referred to as a platen gap.

[0033] The line head 40 is provided so as to be movable toward and away from the opposing portion 45, i.e., in the direction of adjusting the platen gap. In this embodiment, the adjustment direction of the platen gap is parallel to the Z-axis direction. Hereinafter, movement of the line head 40 in the +Z-axis direction may be referred to as "rising," and movement in the -Z direction may be referred to as "descending."

[0034] 4 shows the platen gap adjustment mechanism, in which reference numeral 81 denotes a head movement motor that is a drive source for raising and lowering the line head 40, and reference numeral 80 denotes a control unit that controls the head movement motor 81. The control unit 80 is a control unit that is responsible for controlling the entire printer 1. A motor gear 82 is provided on the motor shaft of the head moving motor 81, and the motor gear 82 transmits driving force to a pinion gear 85 via gears 83 and 84. The gear 84 and the pinion gear 85 are fixed to a shaft 86.

[0035] The line head 40 is held by a guide member (not shown) so as to be displaceable in the Z-axis direction. A rack portion 41d is formed in the line head 40 along the Z-axis direction, and a pinion gear 85 meshes with the rack portion 41d to form a rack and pinion mechanism. Rotation of the head moving motor 81 rotates the pinion gear 85, thereby moving the line head 40 up and down. The rack and pinion mechanism, which is constituted by the rack portion 41d and the pinion gear 85, is provided near both ends of the line head 40 in the medium width direction.

[0036] When the line head 40 rises, it comes into contact with a rise regulating portion (not shown), and any further rise is regulated. The control portion 80 detects an increase in the motor drive current value when the line head 40 comes into contact with the rise regulating portion, and thereby can grasp that the line head 40 is at the upper limit position. In addition, the head moving motor 81 is provided with an encoder sensor (not shown), and the control unit 80 can detect the amount of rotation of the head moving motor 81. This allows the control unit 80 to detect the amount of movement of the line head 40 from the upper limit position, i.e., to grasp the current position of the line head 40.

[0037] The control unit 80 adjusts the platen gap by raising and lowering the line head 40 according to the thickness of the medium based on the medium type included in the received print data. For example, if the position of the line head 40 when recording on plain paper is set to a first recording position, when recording on special paper that is thicker than plain paper, the line head 40 is positioned at a second recording position that is higher than the first recording position.

[0038] 1, a second transport roller pair 19 including a drive roller 20 driven by a motor (not shown) and a driven roller 21 that can rotate by the drive roller 20 is provided downstream of the line head 40. The medium on which recording has been performed is sent downstream by the second transport roller pair 19. A third transport roller pair 27 is provided downstream of the second transport roller pair 19, and a discharge roller pair 28 is provided further downstream of the third transport roller pair 27. A face-down discharge path is configured between the third transport roller pair 27 and the discharge roller pair 28, and the medium on which recording has been performed is discharged by the discharge roller pair 28 to a discharge tray 29 with the most recently recorded surface facing down.

[0039] Next, the line head 40 and the cap unit 60 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, the line head 40 includes a plate member 42 on a base 41. The base 41 is a structure in which a flow path for supplying ink to a head chip 43 from an ink storage unit (not shown) is provided therein.

[0040] The plate member 42 is a metal plate and forms a head surface 42a. A plurality of openings 42d are formed in plate member 42, and a head chip 43 is provided in each opening 42d. A plurality of nozzles 44 (see FIG. 1) are provided in head chip 43 along the medium width direction. Plate member 42 and head chip 43 are provided so as to be flush with each other.

[0041] The head chips 43 are alternately arranged at upstream and downstream positions along the X-axis direction, i.e., the medium width direction. In this embodiment, three head chips 43 are provided at upstream positions along the medium width direction, and four head chips 43 are provided at downstream positions along the medium width direction. As a result, cap portions 61, which will be described later and cover the head chips 43, are alternately arranged at upstream and downstream positions along the medium width direction.

[0042] Next, cap portion 61 that covers head chip 43 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Head chip 43 is provided on head surface 42a, so cap portion 61 can also be called a member that covers a part of head surface 42a. In addition, head chip 43 is provided with nozzles 44, so cap portion 61 can also be called a member that covers nozzles 44. The multiple cap parts 61 constitute a cap unit 60. The cap unit 60 is provided below the facing part 45 (see FIGS. 8 to 12).

[0043] The cap unit 60 is composed of a base portion 62 and a plurality of cap portions 61 . The cap portion 61 has an elongated shape in the X-axis direction, and includes a cap body portion 61b made of a resin material or the like, and an elastic portion 61a that contacts the head surface 42a and is made of an elastic material such as rubber. The cap body portion 61b is held by the base portion 62 so as to be displaceable in the Z-axis direction, and a movement limit in the +Z direction is determined by a regulating portion (not shown) formed on the base portion 62. The cap body portion 61b is pressed in the +Z direction by a cap spring 63, which is an example of a pressing member. In this embodiment, two cap springs 63 are provided for one cap body portion 61b.

[0044] A waste liquid tube (not shown) is connected to each cap body portion 61b. The waste liquid tube is connected to a pump (not shown). When the pump is operated with the cap portion 61 covering the head surface 42a, negative pressure is generated in the cap portion 61, which causes ink to be sucked from the nozzles 44 of the line head 40.

[0045] The cap portions 61 are alternately arranged at upstream and downstream positions along the X-axis direction, i.e., the medium width direction. In this embodiment, three cap portions 61 are provided at the upstream position, i.e., in the +Y direction, and four cap portions 61 are provided at the downstream position, i.e., in the -Y direction. Such an arrangement of the cap parts 61 corresponds to the arrangement of the head chips 43 in the line head 40 .

[0046] The cap portion 61 is exposed by moving a shutter 47, which will be described later, from a closed position to an open position. That is, the facing portion 45 facing the line head 40 includes the shutter 47, and by moving the shutter 47 from the closed position to the open position, an opening 45a (see FIGS. 10 and 11) is formed in the facing portion 45, and the cap portion 61 is exposed through the opening 45a. The cap portion 61 is disposed inside the opening 45a. With the shutter 47 in the open position, the line head 40 descends, allowing the cap portion 61 to cover the head chip 43 (see FIG. 11). At that time, the cap portion 61 is pressed down slightly in the -Z direction against the pressing force of the cap spring 63, so that the elastic portion 61a comes into close contact with the head surface 42a.

[0047] When the device is powered off or in a recording standby state when the device is powered on, the control unit 80 places the head chip 43 in a state in which the cap unit 61 covers the head chip 43 with the shutter 47, which will be described later, in the open position. Furthermore, during a flushing operation to prevent clogging of the nozzles 44, the control unit 80 ejects ink toward the cap unit 61 with the shutter 47, which will be described later, in the open position. Furthermore, when the control unit 80 receives and records recording data, it raises the line head 40 to separate the head surface 42a from the cap unit 61 and moves the shutter 47, which will be described later, to a shielding position. This prevents the medium being transported from entering the opening 45a (see FIGS. 10 and 11) of the facing unit 45 and from disturbing the position of the medium. In addition, it prevents foreign matter such as paper dust from entering the cap unit 61 during the transport of the medium, which would impair the performance of the cap unit 61.

[0048] Next, the shutter 47 provided in the facing portion 45 will be described. 5, the facing portion 45 includes a guide member 30A and a guide member 30B that is spaced apart from the guide member 30A in the +X direction. The facing portion 45 includes the guide member 30A, an upstream support portion 46, a shutter 47, and a downstream support portion 50. The upstream support portion 46, the shutter 47, and the downstream support portion 50 are portions of the facing portion 45 that support the medium. The shutter 47 is movable along the Y-axis direction, which is the medium transport direction, as will be described in detail later. The upstream support portion 46 does not move along the Y-axis direction, but is provided to be movable along the Z-axis direction.

[0049] The upstream support portion 46 is provided with a plurality of ribs 46a extending in the Y-axis direction, which is the medium transport direction, at intervals along the X-axis direction, which is the medium width direction. The shutter 47 comprises a first moving section 48 and a second moving section 49. The first moving section 48 is provided with a plurality of ribs 48e extending in the Y-axis direction at intervals along the X-axis direction. The second moving section 49 is provided with a plurality of ribs 49e extending in the Y-axis direction at intervals along the X-axis direction. The ribs 46a, 48e, and 49e are continuous along the Y-axis direction. The transported medium is supported by the ribs 46a, 48e, and 49e.

[0050] A first moving section 48 and a second moving section 49 constituting the shutter 47 are rotatably connected to each other. Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the shutter 47 in the +X direction. Note that the configuration of the shutter 47 in the -X direction is not shown, but is the same as the configuration shown in Fig. 6. Specifically, the configuration of the shutter 47 in the -X direction is linearly symmetrical to the configuration of the shutter 47 in the +X direction at the center position of the shutter 47 in the X-axis direction, with the Y axis as the axis of symmetry. Guided portions 48a and 48b are provided so as to protrude outward in the medium width direction on the first moving portion 48. The guided portion 48b is located in the -Y direction with respect to the guided portion 48a. The second moving portion 49 is provided with a guided portion 49b protruding outward in the medium width direction.

[0051] An engagement hole 49a is formed in the second moving part 49, and the guided part 48b of the first moving part 48 fits into the engagement hole 49a, so that the first moving part 48 and the second moving part 49 are rotatably connected to each other. Note that the rotation here refers to rotation on the YZ plane.

[0052] Returning to FIG. 5, guide members 30A and 30B are formed with guide grooves 30a that guide guided portions 48a and 48b of first moving portion 48 and guided portion 48b of second moving portion 49 along the Y-axis direction. 8 to 12, the guide groove 30a has a first groove portion 30b extending parallel to the Y-axis direction. The guide groove 30a is located downstream of the first groove portion 30b in the medium transport direction and has a second groove portion 30c extending in a direction inclined with respect to the Y-axis direction. The guide groove 30a is located downstream of the second groove portion 30c in the medium transport direction and has a third groove portion 30d extending parallel to the Y-axis direction.

[0053] Next, the crank mechanism 35 for moving the shutter 47 will be described. The shutter 47 moves by receiving power from a rotation shaft 20a of a drive roller 20 that constitutes the second transport roller pair 19. The rotation shaft 20a receives power from a drive roller 16 that constitutes the first transport roller pair 15 and rotates. 5, reference numeral 89 denotes a roller drive motor that is a power source of the drive roller 16. The roller drive motor 89 is controlled by the control unit 80. A driving pulley 31 is provided at the shaft end of the driving roller 16 in the -X direction, and a driven pulley 32 is provided at the shaft end of the rotating shaft 20a in the -X direction. An endless belt 33 is wound around the driving pulley 31 and the driven pulley 32. This causes the rotating shaft 20a to rotate by obtaining power from a roller drive motor 89. The rotation direction of the rotating shaft 20a when the second transport roller pair 19 transports the medium downstream in the medium transport direction is defined as a first rotation direction C1 (see FIGS. 8 to 12). The rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction C1 is defined as a second rotation direction C2 (see FIGS. 8 to 12).

[0054] The crank mechanism 35 transmits the rotation of the rotary shaft 20a to the shutter 47 to move the shutter 47. The crank mechanisms 35 are provided on both sides of the shutter 47 in the X-axis direction. In Fig. 5, the crank mechanism 35 provided in the -X direction with respect to the shutter 47 is indicated by reference symbol 35A, and the crank mechanism 35 provided in the +X direction with respect to the shutter 47 is indicated by reference symbol 35B.

[0055] 6, the crank mechanism 35 has a first arm 36 rotatably connected to a guided portion 48a, which is one of a plurality of guided portions provided on a side portion of the shutter 47. The crank mechanism 35 also has a second arm 37, which is an arm rotatably connected to the first arm 36 and is rotatable about the rotating shaft 20a. The crank mechanism 35 also has a one-way clutch 38 interposed between the rotating shaft 20a and the second arm 37. The first arm 36 has an engagement hole 36a. The second arm 37 has a boss 37a. The boss 37a fits into the engagement hole 36a, so that the first arm 36 and the second arm 37 are rotatably connected to each other. Note that the rotation here refers to rotation on the YZ plane.

[0056] When the rotating shaft 20a rotates in the first rotation direction C1, the one-way clutch 38 does not transmit the rotation of the rotating shaft 20a to the second arm 37. When the rotating shaft 20a rotates in the second rotation direction C2, the one-way clutch 38 transmits the rotation of the rotating shaft 20a to the second arm 37. When the rotating shaft 20a rotates in the second rotation direction C2, the second arm 37 rotates integrally with the rotating shaft 20a. When the second arm 37 rotates, the first arm 36 moves along the Y-axis direction, and the first moving part 48, i.e., the shutter 47, which engages with the first arm 36, moves along the Y-axis direction. When the rotating shaft 20a rotates in the first rotation direction C1, the rotation of the rotating shaft 20a is not transmitted to the second arm 37, so the shutter 47 can be maintained in a stopped state, particularly in a closed state, when transporting the medium downstream.

[0057] 8 shows a state in which the shutter 47 is in the closed position. In this state, the guided portions 48a, 48b, 49b are located in the first groove portion 30b. The upstream support portion 46 is provided so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction, and is pressed in the +Z direction by a coil spring 54, which is an example of a pressing member. When the rotating shaft 20a rotates in the second rotation direction C2 from this state, the shutter 47 moves to the open position shown in Fig. 10 via the state shown in Fig. 9. In this embodiment, the open position of the shutter 47 is a position where the rotating shaft 20a has rotated 180° in the second rotation direction C2 from the blocking position shown in Fig. 8. In the process of moving the shutter 47 from the closed position to the open position, the guided portions 48b, 49b pass through the second groove portion 30c and enter the third groove portion 30d. The guided portion 48a moves in the -Y direction within the first groove portion 30b.

[0058] When the shutter 47 moves from the blocking position to the open position, an opening 45a is formed in the facing portion 45 as shown in Fig. 10. When the line head 40 is lowered in this state as shown in Fig. 11, the cap portion 61 comes into contact with the head surface 42a of the line head 40 and covers the head chip 43. At that time, the line head 40 presses the upstream support portion 46 down in the -Z direction against the pressing force of the coil spring 54. When the shutter 47 is moved from the open position to the closed position in the state shown in Fig. 11, the line head 40 is raised and then the rotating shaft 20a is rotated in the second rotation direction C2. This causes the shutter 47 to move to the closed position shown in Fig. 8 via the state shown in Fig. 12.

[0059] 6 and 7, the facing portion 45 includes a leaf spring 53, which is an example of a pressing portion capable of pressing the shutter 47 in a direction intersecting the movement direction. The leaf spring 53 has a protrusion 53a, which is capable of engaging with a recess 48c formed in the first moving portion 48 when the shutter 47 is in the shielding position. When the protrusion 53a is fitted into the recess 48c, the protrusion 53a may press the recess 48c in the -Z direction, i.e., in a direction intersecting the movement direction of the shutter 47. Alternatively, when the protrusion 53a is fitted into the recess 48c, the protrusion 53a may not press the recess 48c, but may press a portion of the recess 48c in the +Y direction when the shutter 47 moves in the -Y direction. In this way, the leaf spring 53 can press the shutter 47 in a direction intersecting the movement direction, and therefore it is possible to prevent the shutter 47 from unintentionally moving from the blocking position due to vibration, impact, or the like.

[0060] The pressing portion capable of pressing the shutter 47 in a direction intersecting the movement direction may press the shutter 47 in a direction along the X-axis direction. Furthermore, as a restricting means for restricting the movement of the shutter 47 in the blocking position, a member for pressing the first arm 36 and the second arm 37 in a direction including the X-axis component may be used.

[0061] In this embodiment, the leaf spring 53, i.e., the pressing portion that presses the shutter 47 in a direction intersecting the movement direction, is provided at intervals in the width direction. Specifically, the leaf spring 53 is provided at an end in the +X direction and an end in the -X direction with respect to the first moving portion 48 in the width direction. This provides the following advantageous effects.

[0062] In a configuration in which the crank mechanisms 35 are provided on both sides of the shutter 47 in the width direction, there is a risk that a phase shift will occur between one crank mechanism 35A and the other crank mechanism 35B due to vibrations and shocks during transportation. If such a phase shift occurs, there is a risk that the rotating shaft 20a will not be able to rotate, that is, the shutter 47 will not be able to move. In other words, there is a risk that the shutter 47 will deadlock. However, by providing a plurality of pressing parts, which press the shutter 47 in a direction intersecting the movement direction, spaced apart in the width direction, it is possible to suppress the phase shift between the crank mechanism 35A on one side and the crank mechanism 35B on the other side, thereby making it possible to suppress the occurrence of deadlock of the shutter 47.

[0063] The rotation angle of the rotation shaft 20a per unit movement of the shutter 47 is smallest when the first arm 36 is parallel to the movement direction of the shutter 47, as shown in Fig. 11. In other words, this state is one in which the difference between the positions of the -X direction ends of the shutter 47 is likely to become large, and if the printer 1 is transported in this state, the above-mentioned deadlock is likely to occur due to vibrations and shocks. Therefore, it is preferable to shift the phase of the first arm 36 when the shutter 47 is in the open position to a certain extent from the state shown in Fig. 11, and it is also preferable to shift it by about 20°, for example.

[0064] The control unit 80 that controls the roller drive motor 89, which is the power source of the rotating shaft 20a, may be configured to execute a control mode in which the roller drive motor 89 repeatedly rotates forward and backward by a predetermined amount. This is expected to eliminate the phase shift.

[0065] As described above, the shutter 47 has a plurality of moving parts along the movement direction, and two adjacent moving parts are rotatably connected to each other. Furthermore, when the shutter 47 is in the open position, at least one moving part is inclined with respect to the head surface 42a. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, the first moving part 48 is inclined with respect to the head surface 42a. This reduces the space occupied by the shutter 47 in the direction parallel to the head surface 42a, i.e., in the medium transport direction at a position facing the head surface 42a. As a result, the size of the device in the medium transport direction can be prevented from increasing. In this embodiment, the multiple moving parts are configured by the first moving part 48 and the second moving part 49, but are not limited to this, and may be configured by three or more moving parts.

[0066] In this embodiment, when the shutter 47 is in the open position, the first moving part 48 is inclined relative to the head surface 42a, and the second moving part 49 is parallel to the head surface 42a. This makes it possible to reduce the space occupied by the shutter 47 in the Z-axis direction, i.e., the normal direction to the head surface 42a, compared to a configuration in which both the first moving part 48 and the second moving part 49 are inclined relative to the head surface 42a. However, instead of the first moving portion 48, or in addition to the first moving portion 48, the second moving portion 49 may take an inclined posture with respect to the head surface 42a.

[0067] The facing portion 45 also includes guide members 30A and 30B that guide the shutter 47 in the moving direction. The first moving portion 48 includes guided portions 48a and 48b on both sides in the width direction that are guided by guide grooves 30a formed in the guide members 30A and 30B. The second moving portion 49 also includes guided portions 49b on both sides in the width direction that are guided by guide grooves 30a formed in the guide members 30A and 30B. The guide groove 30a includes the above-mentioned first groove portion 30b, second groove portion 30c, and third groove portion 30d. When the shutter 47 is in the open position, the guided portion 49b of the second moving portion 49 is located in the third groove portion 30d, and the guided portions 48a, 48b of the first moving portion 48 are located in different groove portions among the first groove portion 30b, the second groove portion 30c, and the third groove portion 30d. In this embodiment, the guided portion 48a is located in the first groove portion 30b, and the guided portion 48b is located in the third groove portion 30d. This makes it easy to realize a configuration in which the first moving portion 48 takes an inclined posture with respect to the head surface 42a when the shutter 47 is in the open position.

[0068] In this embodiment, the open position of the shutter 47 is located downstream in the medium transport direction from the blocking position. When the shutter 47 is in the open position, it overlaps with the drive roller 20 that constitutes the second transport roller pair 19 in the Z-axis direction, i.e., in the normal direction to the head surface 42a, as shown in Fig. 10. Specifically, when the shutter 47 is in the open position, it is located below the drive roller 20. This configuration can shorten the distance between the second transport roller pair 19 and the line head 40 in the medium transport direction. Also, the path length between the first transport roller pair 15 and the second transport roller pair 19 can be reduced. As a result, lifting of the medium from the shutter 47 during recording can be reduced, and good recording quality can be obtained. In addition, the device dimensions in the medium transport direction can be reduced.

[0069] In this embodiment, the crank mechanism 35 includes a one-way clutch 38. When the rotating shaft 20a rotates in the first rotation direction C1, the one-way clutch 38 does not transmit the rotation of the rotating shaft 20a to the shutter 47, and when the rotating shaft 20a rotates in the second rotation direction C2, the one-way clutch 38 transmits the rotation of the rotating shaft 20a to the shutter 47. With this configuration, the shutter 47 can be moved by utilizing the reverse rotation of the second conveyor roller pair 19, so that a dedicated power source for moving the shutter 47 is not required. As a result, the cost of the device can be reduced and the size of the device can be suppressed. In this embodiment, the crank mechanism 35 includes a first arm 36, a second arm 37, and a one-way clutch 38. However, the mechanism for converting the rotation of the rotating shaft 20a into the movement of the shutter 47 is not limited to this configuration, and may have any configuration.

[0070] It is also possible to provide a position detection means for detecting the position of the shutter 47. For example, a contact sensor or a non-contact sensor for detecting the shutter 47 when the shutter 47 is located at the blocking position may be provided. Such a position detection means may be provided for the open position in addition to the blocking position of the shutter 47, or may be provided at the open position instead of the blocking position. In addition to the above position detection means, rotation detection means for detecting the rotation of the roller drive motor 89, such as a rotary encoder, may be provided and the current position of the shutter 47 may be grasped in combination with the above position detection means.

[0071] In order to grasp the current position of the shutter 47 as described above, it is necessary to accurately grasp the amount of rotation of the first arm 36. The amount of rotation of the first arm 36 can be grasped by the rotary encoder described above. However, due to backlash in the mechanism that transmits the drive from the roller drive motor 89 to the first arm 36, there is a risk that the amount of rotation of the first arm 36 may deviate from the target value when the motor rotation direction is switched. Therefore, for example, when switching the shutter 47 from the closed position to the open position from the stopped state of the rotating shaft 20a, first, the rotating shaft 20a is rotated in the first rotation direction C1 to maximize the backlash. Next, the rotating shaft 20a is rotated a predetermined amount in the second rotation direction C2 taking the backlash into account. This allows the amount of rotation of the first arm 36 to be the target value, and the shutter 47 to be accurately positioned at the open position.

[0072] Other effects of this embodiment will be described below. In FIG. 13, state ST1 indicates a state in which the shutter 47 is in the closed position, and state ST2 indicates a state in which the shutter 47 is in the open position. Also, in FIG. 13, the symbol ds indicates a foreign object such as paper dust on the first moving part 48. As shown by the change from state ST1 to state ST2, when the shutter 47 moves from the closed position to the open position, the first moving part 48 takes an inclined posture, and the foreign object ds slides down on the first moving part 48. As a result, the foreign object ds falls downward from the gap between the first moving part 48 and the second moving part 49. This makes it possible to remove the foreign object ds. The foreign object ds may be a piece of paper or ink generated by a jam clearance operation.

[0073] As another embodiment, a cleaning member 70 may be provided on the downstream support part 50 as shown in Fig. 14. When the shutter 47 moves between the closed position and the open position, it passes under the downstream support part 50. The cleaning member 70 is provided at a position on the downstream support part 50 where it can face the shutter 47. With this configuration, as shown by the change from state ST1 to state ST2 in Fig. 14, the cleaning member 70 can wipe off ink adhering to the first moving part 48.

[0074] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments and modifications described above, but various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention described in the claims, and it goes without saying that these modifications are also included in the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1...inkjet printer, 2...media storage cassette, 3...pick roller, 5...feed roller, 6...separation roller, 8...reversal roller, 9...first nip roller, 10...second nip roller, 12...media support section, 13...feed roller, 14...separation roller, 15...first conveyor roller pair, 16...drive roller, 17...driven roller, 19...second conveyor roller pair, 20...drive roller, 20a...rotation shaft, 21... driven roller, 22... medium detection unit, 27... third transport roller pair, 28... discharge roller pair, 29... discharge tray, 30A, 30B... guide member, 30a... guide groove, 30b... first groove portion, 30c... second groove portion, 30d... third groove portion, 31... driving pulley, 32... driven pulley, 33... endless belt, 35, 35A, 35B... crank mechanism, 36... first arm, 36a... engagement hole, 37... second arm, 37a... boss, 38...one-way clutch, 40...line head, 41...base, 41d...rack portion, 42...plate member, 42a...head surface, 42d...opening, 43...head tip, 44...nozzle, 45...facing portion, 45a...opening, 46...upstream support portion, 46a...rib, 47...shutter, 48...first moving portion, 48a, 48b...guided portion, 48c...recess, 48e...rib, 49...second moving portion, 49a...engagement hole, 49b... Guided portion, 49e...rib, 50...downstream support portion, 53...leaf spring, 53a...projection portion, 54...coil spring, 60...cap unit, 61...cap portion, 61a...elastic portion, 61b...cap main body portion, 62...base portion, 63...cap spring, 70...cleaning member, 80...control portion, 81...head moving motor, 82...motor gear, 83...gear, 84...gear, 85...pinion gear, 86...shaft, 89...roller drive motor

Claims

1. a liquid ejection head that ejects liquid onto a medium to perform recording; a facing portion disposed opposite the liquid ejection head, the facing portion having an opening formed at a position facing the liquid ejection head; a cap portion that can be exposed through the opening and covers a liquid ejection surface of the liquid ejection head; a shutter that is movable between a blocking position for blocking the opening and an opening position for opening the opening, the shutter supporting a medium passing through a position facing the liquid ejection head when the shutter is in the blocking position; Equipped with The shutter includes a plurality of moving parts along a moving direction, and two adjacent moving parts are rotatably connected to each other, and when the shutter is in the open position, at least one of the moving parts is inclined with respect to the liquid ejection surface. A recording apparatus comprising:

2. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, The plurality of moving parts include A first moving part; a second moving section located downstream of the first moving section in a medium transport direction; Equipped with when the nozzle is in the open position, the first moving portion is inclined with respect to the liquid ejection surface, and the second moving portion is parallel to the liquid ejection surface; A recording apparatus comprising:

3. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, a guide member for guiding the shutter in the moving direction, the moving portion includes guided portions on both sides in a width direction that intersects with the medium transport direction, the guide portions being guided by guide grooves formed in the guide member; The guide groove is a first groove portion extending parallel to the liquid ejection surface; a second groove portion located downstream of the first groove portion in the medium transport direction and extending in a direction inclined with respect to the liquid ejection surface; a third groove portion located downstream of the second groove portion in the medium transport direction and extending parallel to the liquid ejection surface; Equipped with The first moving portion includes a plurality of guided portions along the moving direction, When the shutter is in the open position, the guided portion of the second moving portion is located in the third groove portion, The plurality of guided portions of the first moving portion are located separately in a plurality of different groove portions among the first groove portion, the second groove portion, and the third groove portion. A recording apparatus comprising:

4. 4. The recording apparatus according to claim 3, the open position of the shutter is located downstream of the cover position in a medium transport direction, a pair of transport rollers that transports the medium downstream is provided downstream in the medium transport direction with respect to a position facing the liquid ejection head; When the shutter is in the open position, the shutter overlaps with the pair of transport rollers in a normal direction to the liquid ejection surface. A recording apparatus comprising:

5. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, a conveying roller pair that is located downstream in the medium conveying direction with respect to a position facing the liquid ejection head and conveys the medium downstream; a rotation shaft of a roller that is driven by a motor among the rollers that constitute the transport roller pair; a mechanism for transmitting the rotation of the rotary shaft to the shutter to move the shutter, the mechanism being a crank mechanism provided on both sides of the shutter in a width direction that is a direction intersecting with a medium transport direction; Equipped with The crank mechanism includes a one-way clutch. A rotation direction of the rotating shaft when the transport roller pair transports the medium downstream in the medium transport direction is defined as a first rotation direction, and a rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction is defined as a second rotation direction, and the one-way clutch is When the rotation shaft rotates in the first rotation direction, the rotation of the rotation shaft is not transmitted to the shutter, When the rotation shaft rotates in the second rotation direction, the rotation of the rotation shaft is transmitted to the shutter. A recording apparatus comprising:

6. 4. The recording apparatus according to claim 3, a conveying roller pair that is located downstream in the medium conveying direction with respect to a position facing the liquid ejection head and conveys the medium downstream; a rotation shaft of a roller that is driven by a motor among the rollers that constitute the transport roller pair; a crank mechanism that transmits the rotation of the rotary shaft to the shutter to move the shutter, the crank mechanism being provided on both sides of the shutter in the width direction; Equipped with The crank mechanism includes: a first arm rotatably connected to one of the guided portions provided on a side portion of the shutter in the width direction; a second arm rotatably connected to the first arm and rotatable about the rotation axis; a one-way clutch interposed between the rotating shaft and the second arm; Equipped with A rotation direction of the rotating shaft when the transport roller pair transports the medium downstream in the medium transport direction is defined as a first rotation direction, and a rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction is defined as a second rotation direction, and the one-way clutch is When the rotation shaft rotates in the first rotation direction, the rotation of the rotation shaft is not transmitted to the second arm, When the rotation shaft rotates in the second rotation direction, the rotation of the rotation shaft is transmitted to the second arm. A recording apparatus comprising:

7. 7. The recording apparatus according to claim 5, a pressing portion capable of pressing the shutter in a direction intersecting the moving direction, A recording apparatus comprising:

8. 7. The recording apparatus according to claim 5, a plurality of pressing portions that press the shutter in a direction intersecting the movement direction are provided at intervals in the width direction; A recording apparatus comprising:

9. 7. The recording apparatus according to claim 6, A motor that is a power source for the rotating shaft; A control unit that controls the motor; Equipped with The control unit is capable of executing a control mode in which the motor is repeatedly rotated forward and backward by a predetermined amount. A recording apparatus comprising:

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