Carriage mechanism

Abstract

To facilitate decoupling in a carriage mechanism which couples carriages by magnetic force.SOLUTION: A carriage mechanism includes: a first carriage (21A); a second carriage (21B); a first attracting body (61) provided at the first carriage (21A); and a second attracting body (62) provided at the second carriage (21B). The first attracting body (61) and the second attracting body (62) attract to each other to couple the first carriage (21A) and the second carriage (21B) to each other. The carriage mechanism has a decoupling assisting mechanism (70) which separates the first attracting body (61) and the second attracting body (62) from each other in a first direction by a predetermined distance from a state that the first attracting body (61) and the second attracting body (62) attract to each other to assist decoupling between the first carriage (21) and the second carriage (21B).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a carriage mechanism.

[0002] Conventionally, inkjet printers have been known that include an ink head that ejects ink onto a medium to print an image and a cutting unit that cuts a predetermined area (e.g., an area where an image has been printed) from the medium. In such printers, the ink head and cutting unit are mounted on a carriage that is movable in a scanning direction along a guide rail, and the ink head and cutting unit are operated while the carriage is moved, thereby printing an image and cutting the medium. For example, Patent Document 1 (JP-A-2005-102626) discloses a technology relating to a carriage mechanism and a connection / disconnection mechanism for a printer that includes a print head (carriage) and a cutting head (carriage) that are movable in the left-right direction, and the heads (carriages) are detachably connected to each other by magnetic attraction. When disconnecting the heads, a spring applies a force in opposite directions between the two heads, thereby reducing the force required to disconnect the heads. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-177005 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in printers with carriage mechanisms like those described in Patent Document 1, variations in the strength of the attraction force can occur due to factors such as the magnetic force of the magnets connecting the carriages and the relative angle between the magnet and the magnet to which it is attracted. Furthermore, if the attraction force is greater than the design value, the force required to separate the carriages can also be large. Therefore, in order to separate the carriages, it may be necessary to strengthen the motor, power supply, and mechanism. These factors can make separating the carriages difficult.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to facilitate disconnection of a carriage mechanism that is connected by magnetic force. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The main invention for achieving the above-mentioned object is a carriage mechanism comprising: a first carriage capable of reciprocating along a first direction; a second carriage coaxial with the first carriage and capable of reciprocating along the first direction; a first adsorbent made of a magnet or magnetic material provided on the first carriage; and a second adsorbent made of a magnet or magnetic material provided on the second carriage so as to face the first adsorbent in the first direction, wherein the first carriage and the second carriage are connected by attracting the first adsorbent and the second adsorbent to each other, and wherein the carriage mechanism is characterized by having a separation assist mechanism that assists in separating the first adsorbent and the second adsorbent by a predetermined distance in the first direction from a state in which the first adsorbent and the second adsorbent are adsorbed.

[0007] Other features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of this specification. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, in a carriage mechanism that is coupled by magnetic force, the coupling can be easily separated. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the basic configuration of the printing device 1. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printing device 1. [Figure 3] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the configuration and operation of the carriage unit 20. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the carriage unit 20 during a printing operation. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the configuration of a separation portion 71 and a bearing portion 72. [Figure 6] 10 is a diagram illustrating the carriage unit 20 at a stage after the printing operation has finished and before the cutting operation begins. FIG. [Figure 7] 10 is a diagram illustrating the fluctuation of the distance between the center of the rotation shaft 71a of the cam 71c and the center of the rotation shaft 72a of the bearing portion 72. FIG. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the carriage unit 20 during the cutting operation. [Figure 9] 9A and 9B are diagrams illustrating the operation of the carriage unit 20 in the second embodiment. [Figure 10] 10 is a diagram illustrating the positional relationship between a cam 73c and a bearing portion 72. FIG. [Figure 11] 11A and 11B are perspective views illustrating the configuration and operation of the detachment assist mechanism 70 in the third embodiment. [Figure 12] 12A and 12B are diagrams illustrating the operation of the carriage unit 20 in the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] ===First Embodiment=== <Basic configuration of printing device 1> As an example of a printing device according to a first embodiment, a printing device 1 that prints images by an inkjet method will be described. Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the basic configuration of the printing device 1. Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the printing device 1.

[0011] In the following description, each direction is defined as shown in Figure 1. That is, the movement direction of the carriage 21 of the printing device 1 is referred to as the "scanning direction (corresponding to the first direction)." Furthermore, the movement direction of the medium M, which is the printing medium on which an image or the like is printed by the printing device 1, is referred to as the "conveyance direction (corresponding to the second direction)," the supply source side of the medium M is referred to as the "upstream (upstream side)," and the discharge side of the medium M is referred to as the "downstream (downstream side)."

[0012] The printing device 1 is a device that can print (form) an image on a medium M (printing paper, printing film, etc.) and cut a predetermined area of the medium M. For example, the printing device 1 is a serial printer with a cutter.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, the printing device 1 of the first embodiment has a casing 2, guide rails 3, a platen 4, and a base 5. The casing 2 constitutes the exterior of the printing device 1. Inside the casing 2, a controller 10, a carriage unit 20, a transport unit 30, a printing unit 40, a cutting unit 50, a connecting mechanism 60, and a separation assist mechanism 70 are provided. The guide rails 3 are support members that movably support the carriage 21 (described below) and are disposed to extend in the scanning direction. The platen 4 is disposed below the guide rails 3 and supports the medium M from below as it is transported in the transport direction. The base 5 is a platform for supporting the printing device 1 (casing 2) away from an installation surface such as a floor. Because the printing device 1 is mounted on the base 5 and is separated from the installation surface, the medium M ejected from the printing device 1 hangs downward, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0014] The controller 10 is a control unit that controls the printing device 1. Based on commands from a computer (not shown in FIG. 1), the controller 10 controls the driving units of the printing device 1 (for example, the carriage motor 22 and the transport motor 32 shown in FIG. 2). The controller 10 also controls the cutting operation by the cutting unit 50.

[0015] The carriage unit 20 is a unit for reciprocating the carriage 21 in the scanning direction. The configuration and operation of the carriage unit 20 will be described later.

[0016] The transport unit 30 is a unit for transporting a long medium M (for example, roll paper) on the platen 4. The transport unit 30 has a transport roller 31 and a transport motor 32. The transport roller 31 is a rotating roller for transporting the medium M on the platen 4. By rotating the transport roller 31 with the medium M sandwiched between the transport roller 31 and a pinch roller, the medium M can be transported in the transport direction (and reverse transport direction). The transport motor 32 is a drive unit for rotating the transport roller 31. The transport motor 32 can rotate the transport roller 31 in the forward direction and the reverse direction, thereby moving the medium M in the transport direction and reverse transport direction on the platen 4. The controller 10 controls the transport of the medium M by controlling the drive of the transport motor 32. The transport unit 30 also has a transport detection unit 33 for detecting the transport amount of the medium M. The transport detection unit 33 may directly detect the transport amount of the medium M, or may indirectly detect the transport amount of the medium M by detecting the rotation amount of the transport roller 31 or the drive amount (rotation amount) of the transport motor 32. The transport detection unit 33 feeds back the detection result to the controller 10.

[0017] The printing unit 40 is a unit for printing an image on the medium M. The printing unit 40 has an ink head 41 and a head driver 42. The ink head 41 is an inkjet printing head equipped with multiple nozzles for ejecting ink to form an image. The head driver 42 is a driver that controls whether or not ink is ejected from each nozzle of the ink head 41. The ink head 41 is mounted on the carriage 21 and moves back and forth in the scanning direction together with the carriage 21. For example, if the ink head 41 is a bubble jet type, the head driver 42 is a heater driver that controls the on / off of a heater, or if the ink head 41 is a piezoelectric type, it is a driver that drives a piezoelectric element. The controller 10 controls the ejection of ink from the ink head 41 by controlling the head driver 42.

[0018] The cutting unit 50 is a unit for cutting the medium M. The cutting unit 50 has a cutter 51 and a cutter solenoid 52. The cutter 51 is a tool equipped with a cutting edge for cutting the medium M. The cutter solenoid 52 is a drive unit that drives the cutter 51 in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the medium. The controller 10 controls the cutter solenoid 52 to control whether the cutting edge of the cutter 51 comes into contact with the medium M, and to control the contact pressure between the cutting edge of the cutter 51 and the medium M.

[0019] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the configuration and operation of the carriage unit 20, and schematically show the carriage unit 20 as viewed from above in the vertical direction. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the carriage unit 20 includes a carriage 21, a carriage motor 22, a drive roller 25, a driven roller 26, and a drive belt 27. The carriage 21 is a member that moves back and forth in the scanning direction while being supported by guide rails 3 (see FIG. 1) arranged along the scanning direction. In the printing device 1, the carriage 21 includes an ink head carriage 21A that carries an ink head 41 (printing unit 40), and a cutter carriage 21B that carries a cutter 51 (cutting unit 50). The ink head carriage 21A and the cutter carriage 21B are both supported by the guide rails 3, allowing them to move coaxially along the scanning direction. Hereinafter, the ink head carriage 21A will also be referred to as the "first carriage 21A," and the cutter carriage 21B will also be referred to as the "second carriage 21B."

[0020] 3A and 3B, a predetermined range in the scanning direction is referred to as the "printing area," and an area at the end of the scanning direction adjacent to the printing area is referred to as the "standby area." The printing area is an area where an image is formed by ejecting ink from the printing unit 40 (ink head 41). The printing area is also an area where a predetermined area of the medium M is cut by the cutting unit 50 (cutter 51). The standby area is an area where the first carriage 21A carrying the ink head 41 waits when the ink head 41 does not need to move (operate) (for example, when the cutting unit 50 is performing a cutting operation). The standby area is an area where the second carriage 21B carrying the cutter 51 waits when the cutter 51 does not need to move (operate) (for example, when both the printing unit 40 and the cutting unit 50 are not moving).

[0021] The carriage motor 22 is a drive unit for moving the carriage 21 in the scanning direction. The controller 10 controls the movement of the carriage 21 by controlling the drive of the carriage motor 22. The carriage unit 20 also has a position detection unit 23 for detecting the position of the carriage 21 in the scanning direction (see FIG. 2). The position detection unit 23 may directly detect the position of the carriage 21 in the scanning direction, or may indirectly detect the position of the carriage 21 by detecting the drive amount (amount of rotation) of the carriage motor 22. The position detection unit 23 feeds back the detection result to the controller 10.

[0022] The drive roller 25 is provided at an end position on one side in the scanning direction (the right side in FIG. 3A) and rotates around a rotation axis along the vertical direction based on the driving force generated by the carriage motor 22. The driven roller 26 is provided at an end position on the other side in the scanning direction (the left side in FIG. 3A) and rotates around a rotation axis along the vertical direction. A drive belt 27 is wound around the drive roller 25 and the driven roller 26, and when the drive roller 25 is driven to rotate, the driven roller 26 is rotated via the drive belt 27.

[0023] In the carriage unit 20, the cutter carriage 21B (second carriage 21B) is fixed to the drive belt 27. Therefore, the second carriage 21B moves in the scanning direction as the drive belt 27 runs in the scanning direction. For example, in FIG. 3A, when the drive roller 25 rotates clockwise, the drive belt 27 rotates (runs) clockwise, and the rotation of the drive belt 27 moves the second carriage 21B to the left in the scanning direction.

[0024] On the other hand, the ink head carriage 21A (first carriage 21A) is not fixed to the drive belt 27. Therefore, even if the drive belt 27 rotates, the first carriage 21A does not move in the scanning direction. However, the first carriage 21A is detachably connected to the second carriage 21B by a connecting mechanism 60. When the first carriage 21A is connected to the second carriage 21B, the first carriage 21A can move in the scanning direction together with the second carriage 21B. In other words, the first carriage 21A is carried in the scanning direction by the second carriage 21B.

[0025] The connecting mechanism 60 has a first attraction body 61 provided on the ink head carriage 21A (first carriage 21A) and a second attraction body 62 provided on the cutter carriage 21B (second carriage 21B). The first attraction body 61 is made of a permanent magnet or a magnetic material, and is provided at the left end of the first carriage 21A in the scanning direction in FIGS. 3A and 3B. The second attraction body 62 is made of a permanent magnet or a magnetic material, and is provided at the right end of the second carriage 21B in the scanning direction in FIGS. 3A and 3B. In other words, the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62 are provided at positions facing each other in the scanning direction.

[0026] 3A, when the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62 come into contact, the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B are connected by the attraction force acting between the attraction bodies 61, 62. This allows the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B to move integrally in the scanning direction along the guide rail 3. When performing a printing operation with the printing device 1, an image can be formed (printed) on the medium M by ejecting ink (ink dots) from the ink head 41 mounted on the first carriage 21A onto the medium M while moving the first carriage 21A (and the second carriage 21B) in the scanning direction in the printing area.

[0027] 3B, by disconnecting the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62, it is possible to move only the second carriage 21B (cutter carriage 21B) in the scanning direction. When performing a cutting operation in the printing device 1, a predetermined area of the medium M can be cut by operating the cutter 51 mounted on the second carriage 21B while moving the second carriage 21B alone in the scanning direction in the printing area.

[0028] <About the disconnection operation> As described above, in the printing device 1, the operation of the carriage unit 20 is made different when a printing operation is performed using the ink head carriage 21A (first carriage 21A) and when a cutting operation is performed using the cutter carriage 21B (second carriage 21B). That is, during a printing operation, the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B are moved in the scanning direction while connected to each other, and during a cutting operation, the connection is separated and only the second carriage 21B is moved in the scanning direction.

[0029] The first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B can be disconnected as follows. First, the controller 10 moves the connected first carriage 21A and second carriage 21B to the end of the waiting area in the scanning direction. A carriage movement restricting unit (not shown) that can restrict movement of the first carriage 21A in the scanning direction is provided in the waiting area, and the carriage movement restricting unit temporarily fixes the first carriage 21A in the waiting area so that it does not move in the scanning direction.

[0030] Next, the controller 10 drives the carriage motor 22 while the first carriage 21A is fixed, and moves the second carriage 21B to the opposite side of the standby area in the scanning direction (i.e., toward the printing area), as shown in FIG. 3B. At this time, if the force moving the second carriage 21B in the scanning direction is greater than the force connecting the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B, the connection between them is released. In other words, if the force moving the second carriage 21B is greater than the adhesive force between the first adhesive body 61 and the second adhesive body 62 of the connecting mechanism 60, then while the first carriage 21A is waiting in the standby area, only the second carriage 21B, which has been released from the connection with the first carriage 21A, can be moved in the scanning direction.

[0031] Therefore, in order to separate the connection between the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B, it is necessary to operate the second carriage 21B with a force (thrust) greater than the adhesive force between the first adhesive body 61 and the second adhesive body 62. For example, the output of the carriage motor 22 needs to be set so as to be able to output a force greater than at least the adhesive force between the first adhesive body 61 and the second adhesive body 62.

[0032] However, because the printing device 1 is mass-produced in a manufacturing factory, variations in the magnitude of the magnetic force of the permanent magnets or magnetic materials constituting the first and second attachment bodies 61 and 62 may occur. Furthermore, variations in the adhesive force between the first and second attachment bodies 61 and 62 may occur due to misalignment of the installation angle and position of the carriages 21A and 21B. If such variations are significant, the adhesive force between the first and second attachment bodies 61 and 62 may exceed the set output of the carriage motor 22, potentially making it impossible to separate the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B. Furthermore, if such variations were to be taken into consideration when designing the printing device 1, it would be necessary to increase the output of the carriage motor 22 and the strength of the carriage mechanism 20, which could lead to increased costs.

[0033] Therefore, the printing device 1 of this embodiment is provided with a disconnection assist mechanism 70 to facilitate disconnecting the first carriage 21A from the second carriage 21B. Below, a specific operation of disconnecting the first carriage 21A from the second carriage 21B using the disconnection assist mechanism 70 in the printing device 1 will be described.

[0034] First, the carriage unit 20 when the printing device 1 performs a printing operation will be described in detail. Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating the carriage unit 20 during a printing operation. Fig. 4 schematically shows the carriage unit 20 (first carriage 21A and second carriage 21B) as viewed from the downstream side in the transport direction (i.e., the front side of the printing device 1). In this embodiment, the detachment assist mechanism 70 is provided on the upstream side (the guide rail 3 side) in the transport direction of the carriages 21A and 21B, and in order to visualize the operation of the detachment assist mechanism 70, part of the exterior of the carriages 21A and 21B is shown in a see-through state using two-dot chain lines.

[0035] As described above, when performing a printing operation using the printing device 1, the controller 10 moves the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B back and forth within the printing area in the scanning direction, with the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B connected by the connecting mechanism 60, as shown in Figures 3A and 4. At this time, the first adhesive body 61 provided on the first carriage 21A and the second adhesive body 62 provided on the second carriage 21A are attracted to each other, so that the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B are in close contact with each other in the scanning direction.

[0036] The printing device 1 is provided with a separation assist mechanism 70 that assists in separating the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B from each other. The separation assist mechanism 70 includes a separation unit 71, a bearing unit 72, and a rotation restriction unit 75. The separation unit 71 is provided on the first carriage 21A so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis (71a) in a second direction (a direction along the transport direction, which is a direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 4) that is orthogonal to the scanning direction (first direction). Similarly, the bearing unit 72 is provided on the second carriage 21B so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis (72a) in a second direction (a direction along the transport direction) that is orthogonal to the scanning direction (first direction). However, the separation unit 71 may be provided on the second carriage 21B side, and the bearing unit 72 may be provided on the first carriage 21A side.

[0037] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the separation portion 71 and the bearing portion 72. The separation portion 71 includes a cam 71c, an operating lever 71l, and a rotating shaft 71a. The cam 71c is a substantially disk-shaped member made of metal or resin, and is rotatable around the rotating shaft 71a, which is eccentric from the center. The operating lever 71l is a rod-shaped member extending radially outward from a predetermined position on the outer circumferential surface of the cam 71c. The bearing portion 72 is a disk-shaped member made of metal or resin, and is rotatable around the rotating shaft 72a, which is located at the center. The separation portion 71 and the bearing portion 72 are arranged so that their outer circumferential surfaces are in contact with each other and can rotate relative to each other. In FIGS. 5 and 4, the outer circumferential surfaces of the cam 71c and the bearing portion 72 are in contact with each other at a first contact point tp1, which is a predetermined position on the outer circumferential surface of the cam 71c. That is, when the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62 are attracted to each other, the cam 71c and the bearing portion 72 are in contact with each other at a first contact point tp1. At this time, the distance (radius) from the center of the rotation shaft 71a of the cam 71c to the first contact point tp1 is defined as a first distance r71c1. Note that the first distance r71c1 is preferably the shortest distance among the distances in the radial direction of the cam 71c (the distances from the rotation shaft 71a to the outer peripheral surface). Note that when the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62 are attracted to each other, the cam 71c and the bearing portion 72 may be configured not to contact each other but to be slightly spaced apart.

[0038] The rotation restricting portion 75 is a rod-shaped member that is provided inside the casing 2 at a predetermined position in the scanning direction (the standby area in FIG. 4) and extends in the transport direction. The rotation restricting portion 75 is provided so as to overlap with the operation lever 71l of the separation portion 71 in the transport direction, but not with the first carriage 21A or the second carriage 21B. In other words, the rotation restricting portion 75 does not impede the reciprocating movement of the first carriage 21A or the second carriage 21B in the scanning direction, but is provided at a position where it comes into contact with the operation lever 71l as the first carriage 21A moves (see FIG. 6). The position where the rotation restricting portion 75 is provided is not limited to the standby area, and it may be provided at any position in the scanning direction.

[0039] Next, we will explain the operation of disconnecting the ink head carriage 21A (first carriage 21A) from the cutter carriage 21B (second carriage 21B) when transitioning from the printing operation to the cutting operation in the printing device 1. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the carriage unit 20 at a stage after the printing operation is completed and before transitioning to the cutting operation. Figure 6 shows the state when the first carriage 21A and second carriage 21B have been moved from the state in Figure 4 to the standby area side in the scanning direction.

[0040] As the first carriage 21A (and the second carriage 21B) moves toward the waiting area in the scanning direction, the operating lever 71l of the spacing unit 71 comes into contact with the rotation restricting unit 75 at a predetermined position in the scanning direction. When the first carriage 21A continues to move to the waiting area in the scanning direction with the operating lever 71l and the rotation restricting unit 75 in contact, the cam 71c of the spacing unit 71 rotates clockwise around the rotation shaft 71a, as shown in FIG. 6. This changes the contact position between the outer circumferential surface of the cam 71c and the outer circumferential surface of the bearing unit 72 from the state in FIG. 4, and the distance between the center of the rotation shaft 71a of the cam 71c and the center of the rotation shaft 72a of the bearing unit 72 becomes longer than in the state in FIG. 4. After the first carriage 21A reaches the waiting area, its movement in the scanning direction is restricted by a carriage movement restricting unit (not shown).

[0041] Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating the variation in the distance between the center of rotation shaft 71a of cam 71c and the center of rotation shaft 72a of bearing portion 72. In Fig. 7, the relationship between separation portion 71 and bearing portion 72 in the states shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is indicated by a two-dot chain line, and the relationship between separation portion 71 and bearing portion 72 in the state shown in Fig. 6 is indicated by a solid line.

[0042] In FIG. 7, cam 71c, indicated by a solid line, contacts the outer peripheral surface of bearing portion 72 at a second contact point tp2, which is a different position on the outer peripheral surface from first contact point tp1. If the distance (radius) from the center of rotation shaft 71a of cam 71c to second contact point tp2 is defined as second distance r71c2, second distance r71c2 is longer than first distance r71c1. This is because rotation shaft 71a of cam 71c is eccentric from the center position of cam 71c. Therefore, in the state of FIG. 6 (the portion indicated by a solid line in FIG. 7), the distance between the center of rotation shaft 71a and the center of rotation shaft 72a is longer than in the state of FIG. 4 (the portion indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 7). That is, the distance between the two is longer by G = (second distance r71c2 - first distance r71c1). More specifically, the center of the rotation shaft 72a moves by a distance G toward the printing area in the scanning direction (left side in FIG. 6) relative to the center of the rotation shaft 71a.

[0043] As a result, as shown in FIG. 6, a gap is generated between the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62 in the scanning direction, and the second carriage 21B is spaced a distance G from the first carriage 21A. That is, the cam 71c presses the second carriage 21B (bearing portion 72) in the scanning direction, and the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62 are spaced apart from each other. When the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62 are spaced apart from each other, the attraction force acting between the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62 is weaker than when they are in close contact (for example, as in FIG. 4). This is because the attraction force (magnetic force) acting between the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62 depends on the distance between the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62.

[0044] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the carriage unit 20 during the cutting operation. When transitioning to the cutting operation, the cutter carriage 21B (second carriage 21B) and the ink head carriage 21A (first carriage 21A) are disconnected. The controller 10 moves the second carriage 21B toward the printing area in the scanning direction while the first carriage 21A is fixed in the waiting area by the carriage movement restricting unit. In the state of FIG. 6, the second carriage 21B (second attraction body 62) is separated from the first carriage 21A (first attraction body 61) by a distance G. In other words, the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62 are separated from each other, and the attraction force acting between them is weakened. Therefore, the connection between the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B, which is connected based on the attraction force between the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62, can be easily separated, and the second carriage 21B (cutter 51) can be moved in the scanning direction with a small propulsion force. This allows the transition to the cutting operation.

[0045] When the cutting operation is completed and it is necessary to perform the printing operation again, the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B are reconnected. Specifically, the controller 10 moves the second carriage 21B toward the standby area in the scanning direction, resulting in the state shown in FIG. 6. In this state, the controller 10 releases the carriage movement restricting unit (not shown) that had restricted the movement of the first carriage 21A. After the first carriage 21A becomes movable, the controller 10 moves the second carriage 21B toward the printing area in the scanning direction. Then, due to the attraction force between the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62, the first carriage 21A is pulled by the second carriage 21B and also moves toward the printing area in the scanning direction.

[0046] As the first carriage 21A moves toward the printing area in the scanning direction, the operating lever 71l of the separation unit 71 disengages from the rotation restriction unit 75, causing the cam 71c to rotate counterclockwise. This eliminates the gap (G) between the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B, causing the first and second attraction bodies 61 and 62 to come into close contact and be firmly connected by their attraction force. This allows the first and second carriages 21A and 21B to move together in the scanning direction while connected. The cam 71c rotates counterclockwise because, when an attraction force acts between the first and second attraction bodies 61 and 62, the cam 71c stabilizes at a position where the distance between the center of the rotation shaft 71a of the cam 71c and the center of the rotation shaft 72a of the bearing unit 72 becomes short. That is, when no external force is acting on the cam 71c via the operating lever 71l, the cam 71c is stable at the position where it contacts the bearing portion 72 at the first contact point tp1 (see FIG. 7).

[0047] In this way, in the printing device 1, the separation assist mechanism 70 can increase the relative distance between the carriages 21A and 21B in the scanning direction (separate the first and second attraction bodies 61 and 62) from a state in which the first and second attraction bodies 61 and 62 are coupled together by the attraction force (magnetic force) acting between the first and second attraction bodies 61 and 62. Specifically, when the first carriage 21A is positioned at a predetermined position in the scanning direction (e.g., a standby area), the separation assist mechanism 70 separates the second carriage 21B (second attraction body 62) from the first carriage 21A (first attraction body 61) and moves it to a position separated by a predetermined distance G in the scanning direction. By separating the first and second attraction bodies 61 and 62 by the predetermined distance G, the attraction force can be weakened compared to when the first and second attraction bodies 61 and 62 are in close contact with each other. Therefore, the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B can be separated from each other with a small force.

[0048] The separation assist mechanism 70 also includes a cam 71c (cam mechanism) that rotates around a rotation shaft 71a to press the second carriage 21B in the opposite direction of the scanning direction relative to the first carriage 21A. By using the rotation of the cam mechanism to press, the gap between the first carriage 21A (first attraction body 61) and the second carriage 21B (second attraction body 62) in the scanning direction can be accurately widened (separated) by a predetermined distance G. This makes it possible to more easily perform the separation operation of the coupled carriages 21A and 21B.

[0049] The release assist mechanism 70 is also provided with an operating lever 71l for rotating the cam 71c, and the operating lever 71l rotates the cam 71c. By using the operating lever 71l, the cam 71c can be rotated reliably without complex control. Furthermore, the simple configuration is excellent in terms of maintainability and manufacturing costs.

[0050] In the first embodiment (and the second embodiment described later), the cam 71c (cam mechanism) rotates around the rotation axis 71a along the transport direction (second direction) perpendicular to the scanning direction (first direction). With this configuration, the second carriage 21B and the first carriage 21A, which are connected to each other, can be easily pressed in the scanning direction by the rotation of the cam 71c, thereby separating them. Therefore, the thrust that reciprocates the carriage unit 20 (second carriage 21A) in the scanning direction can be used to efficiently separate the carriages.

[0051] In the first embodiment, the pressing force of the cam 71c is controlled by the rotation restricting unit 75. That is, the rotation of the cam 71c is restricted by the rotation restricting unit 75 so that the cam 71c presses the second carriage 21B in the opposite direction of the scanning direction relative to the first carriage 21A at a predetermined position (standby area) in the scanning direction (see FIG. 6). On the other hand, the cam 71c does not press the first carriage 21A or the second carriage 21B at a position (printing area) other than the standby area in the scanning direction (see FIG. 4). Note that the cam 71c may press the second carriage 21B in the scanning direction relative to the first carriage 21A at a position other than the standby area in the scanning direction. In this case, the pressing force of the cam 71c is preferably smaller than the adhesive force between the first adhesive body 61 and the second adhesive body 62. In other words, when the pressing force of cam 71c at the waiting area position is defined as the first pressing force, and the pressing force of cam 71c at a position other than the waiting area is defined as the second pressing force, it is preferable that the second pressing force is smaller than the first pressing force.

[0052] That is, in the standby area in the scanning direction, the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62 are spaced apart, making it easier to disconnect the second carriage 21B from the first carriage 21A. On the other hand, in positions other than the standby area (printing area), the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62 are in close contact with each other, preventing the second carriage 21B from being accidentally disconnected from the first carriage 21A. In this way, by controlling the rotation of the cam mechanism with the rotation restriction unit 75, malfunctions and operational errors are less likely to occur, and the connection and disconnection operation can be performed more accurately.

[0053] When the second carriage 21B and the first carriage 21A move from the standby area toward the printing area in the scanning direction, the cam 71c (cam mechanism) rotates based on the attraction force between the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62. For example, in the state shown in FIG. 6, the attraction force between the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62 acts to bring the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B closer to each other in the scanning direction. As a result, the cam 71c rotates so that the distance between the center of the rotation shaft 71a and the center of the rotation shaft 72a of the bearing portion 72 becomes shorter, and the cam 71c no longer presses against the second carriage 21B (or the first carriage 21A). As a result, when the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B are positioned in the printing area, they are firmly connected to each other, enabling stable printing operations.

[0054] Furthermore, the separation assist mechanism 70 does not include any element that applies force in the scanning direction other than the cam 71c (cam mechanism). For example, it does not include any elastic member such as a spring that generates force in the direction that separates the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B, or any other power source. Therefore, control of the separation operation is simple, and deterioration of the elastic member and fluctuation in the biasing force are unlikely to occur, making it possible to accurately weaken the attraction force acting between the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62. This makes it easier to perform the separation operation more accurately.

[0055] === Second Embodiment === In the second embodiment, a printing device 1 will be described in which the configuration of the detachment assist mechanism 70 is different from that of the first embodiment. In the printing device 1 of the second embodiment, the configuration other than the detachment assist mechanism 70 is the same as that of the first embodiment, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0056] 9A and 9B are diagrams illustrating the operation of the carriage unit 20 in the second embodiment. Fig. 9A shows the carriage unit 20 during printing operation and corresponds to Fig. 4 in the first embodiment. Fig. 9B shows the carriage unit 20 during coupling / decoupling operation and corresponds to Fig. 6 in the first embodiment.

[0057] In the second embodiment, the separation assist mechanism 70 includes a spacing unit 73 and a bearing unit 72. The function and configuration of the bearing unit 72 are similar to those of the bearing unit 72 in the first embodiment. The spacing unit 73 includes a cam 73c, an operating lever 73l, and a rotating shaft 73a. The cam 73c is a substantially disk-shaped member made of metal or resin, and is rotatable about the rotating shaft 73a along a second direction (conveying direction) perpendicular to the scanning direction (first direction). The operating lever 73l is a rod-shaped member extending radially outward from a predetermined position on the outer circumferential surface of the cam 73c.

[0058] In the printing operation of the second embodiment, the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B are coupled together and move back and forth in the scanning direction as a unit, as in the first embodiment. At this time, the outer peripheral surfaces of the cam 73c and the bearing portion 72 are in contact with each other at a first contact point tp3 (see FIG. 10), which is a predetermined position on the outer peripheral surface of the cam 73c. In this state, the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62 are in close contact without separating, and the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B are firmly coupled. Note that the cam 73c and the bearing portion 72 may be configured to be slightly separated from each other without contacting each other when the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62 are attached to each other.

[0059] When the printing operation is completed and the cutting operation begins, the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B are disconnected. In FIG. 9B, the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B move from the printing area side to the standby area side in the scanning direction, and the first carriage 21A is fixed in the standby area by a carriage movement restrictor (not shown). In this state, when the operating lever 73l is rotated clockwise, the cam 73c rotates and presses the bearing portion 72 toward the printing area side in the scanning direction (the opposite side of the first carriage 21A). The operating lever 73l may be manually operated by the user, or a separate actuator or the like may be provided and its rotation may be controlled by the controller 10.

[0060] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the positional relationship between the cam 73c and the bearing 72. In FIG. 10, the cam 73c and the bearing 72 in the state of FIG. 9A are indicated by two-dot chain lines, and the cam 73c and the bearing 72 in the state of FIG. 9B are indicated by solid lines. In the state of FIG. 9A, the distance in the scanning direction between the center of the rotation shaft 73a of the cam 73c and the first contact point tp3 is designated W73c1. When the cam 73c is rotated from this state using the operating lever 73l to the state of FIG. 9B, the outer peripheral surfaces of the cam 73c and the bearing 72 come into contact with each other at the second contact point tp4 on the outer peripheral surface of the cam 73c. At this time, the distance W73c2 in the scanning direction between the center of the rotation shaft 73a of the cam 73c and the second contact point tp4 is longer than the distance W73c1. That is, the rotation of cam 73c presses bearing portion 72 by the difference G (=W73c2-W73c1) between distance W73c2 and distance W73c1. More specifically, the center of rotation shaft 72a moves by the distance G toward the printing area in the scanning direction (left side in FIG. 9) relative to the center of rotation shaft 73a of cam 73c. As a result, second attraction body 62 (second carriage 21B) moves away from first attraction body 61 (first carriage 21A) in the scanning direction (see FIG. 9B).

[0061] Near the second contact point tp4, the outer peripheral surface of the cam 73c is provided with a recess 73d recessed radially inward. The recess 73d is recessed in an arc shape, and the outer peripheral surface of the bearing part 72 fits into the recess 73d, thereby suppressing rotation of the cam 73c. In other words, the positional relationship between the cam 73c and the bearing part 72 is fixed, and the center-to-center distance W73c2 between them is maintained.

[0062] As the first adsorption body 61 and the second adsorption body 62 move away from each other, the adhesive force between them weakens, and similar to the operation described in Figure 8, the connection between the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B can be easily separated by moving the second carriage 21B in the scanning direction.

[0063] To reconnect the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B, move the second carriage 21B toward the standby area in the scanning direction, and rotate the operating lever 73l counterclockwise in the state shown in Figure 9B. Then, the second carriage 21B is attracted to the first carriage 21A by the attraction force acting between the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62, and the two are connected by magnetic force.

[0064] In the second embodiment as well, the first carriage 21A (first attraction body 61) and the second carriage 21B (second attraction body 62) that are connected together can be separated in the scanning direction by the separation assist mechanism 70. This weakens the attraction force between the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62, making it possible to separate the connection between the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B with a small force.

[0065] ===Third Embodiment=== In the third embodiment, a printing device 1 will be described in which the configuration of the detachment assist mechanism 70 is different from that of the first and second embodiments. In the printing device 1 of the third embodiment, the configuration other than the detachment assist mechanism 70 is the same as that of the first embodiment, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0066] 11A and 11B are perspective views illustrating the configuration and operation of the separation assist mechanism 70 in the third embodiment. 11A and 11B show the side of the second carriage 21B facing the first carriage 21A in the scanning direction. 12A and 12B are diagrams illustrating the operation of the carriage unit 20 in the third embodiment. 12A shows the carriage unit 20 during printing operation, and corresponds to FIG. 4 in the first embodiment. 12B shows the carriage unit 20 during connection / disconnection operation, and corresponds to FIG. 6 in the first embodiment.

[0067] The separation assist mechanism 70 of the third embodiment includes a spacing portion 74. Note that the third embodiment does not include a portion corresponding to the bearing portion 72 of the first and second embodiments. The spacing portion 74 includes an operating lever 74l, a rotation shaft 74a, and a spacer portion 74p. The operating lever 74l is a plate-shaped member that can rotate around the rotation shaft 74a along the scanning direction (first direction). In FIGS. 11A and 11B, the operating lever 74l is attached to the second carriage 21B and is rotatably provided at the upper end of the side surface facing the first carriage 21A in the scanning direction (first direction). The operating lever 74l is provided with a spacer portion 74p that protrudes toward the side facing the first carriage 21A in the scanning direction (first direction). The spacer portion 74p is, for example, a metallic hemispherical member, and when interposed between the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B in the scanning direction (see FIG. 12B), forms a predetermined gap between them. Note that the first carriage 21A is provided with a metallic plate (metal plate 76 in FIG. 12B) on the surface facing the spacer portion 74p in the scanning direction.

[0068] In the printing operation of the third embodiment, the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B move back and forth in the scanning direction while connected to each other, as in the first and second embodiments. In FIG. 12A (FIG. 11A), the operation lever 74l is raised upward, and the spacer portion 74p is not interposed between the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B. In this state, the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62 are in close contact without being separated, and the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B are firmly connected to each other.

[0069] When the printing operation is completed and the cutting operation begins, the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B are disconnected. In FIG. 12B, the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B move from the printing area side to the standby area side in the scanning direction, and the first carriage 21A is fixed to the standby area by a carriage movement restrictor (not shown). In this state, when the operating lever 74l is rotated around the rotation axis 74a along the scanning direction as shown in FIG. 11B, the spacer portion 74p is screwed between the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B, pressing the second carriage 21B in the scanning direction. Then, as shown in FIG. 12B, the second carriage 21B moves to the opposite side of the first carriage 21A in the scanning direction. As a result, the second attraction body 62 (second carriage 21B) is separated from the first attraction body 61 (first carriage 21A) by a distance G in the scanning direction.

[0070] In this way, in the third embodiment, the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B can be separated in the scanning direction by rotating the operation lever 74l in the first direction. In other words, the separation assist mechanism 70 of the third embodiment functions as a cam mechanism that converts rotational motion into reciprocating motion.

[0071] As the first adsorption body 61 and the second adsorption body 62 move away from each other, the adhesive force between them weakens, and similar to the operation described in Figure 8, the connection between the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B can be easily separated by moving the second carriage 21B in the scanning direction.

[0072] The operation lever 74l may be operated manually by the user, or a separate actuator or the like may be provided and its rotation may be controlled by the controller 10. For example, when operated manually by the user, the disconnection operation can be performed with good operability by rotating the operation lever 74l toward the front side of the printing device 1 (downstream of the second carriage 21B in the transport direction in FIG. 1). When operated by an actuator or the like, an actuator may be provided near the guide rail 3 and the operation lever 74l may be rotated toward the guide rail 3 (upstream of the second carriage 21B in the transport direction in FIG. 1), allowing the disconnection operation to be performed without affecting the operation of the carriage unit 20.

[0073] When reconnecting the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B, the second carriage 21B is moved toward the standby area in the scanning direction, and the operation lever 74l is rotated toward the guide rail 3 so that the state changes from that of Fig. 11B to that of Fig. 11A, thereby releasing the spacer portion 74p from between the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B. Then, the second carriage 21B is attracted toward the first carriage 21A by the attraction force acting between the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62, and the two are connected by magnetic force.

[0074] In the third embodiment as well, the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B that are connected can be separated in the scanning direction by the separation assist mechanism 70. This weakens the attraction force between the first attraction body 61 and the second attraction body 62, making it possible to separate the connection between the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B with a small force.

[0075] ===Other embodiments=== The above-described embodiments are presented as examples and do not limit the scope of the invention. The above configurations can be implemented in appropriate combinations, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The above-described embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the inventions described in the claims and their equivalents.

[0076] In the above embodiment, the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B are disconnected in the waiting area, but the position where the disconnection operation is performed is not limited to this, and the disconnection operation may be performed at any position in the scanning direction.

[0077] In the above embodiment, the first carriage 21A is equipped with the ink head 41, and the second carriage 21B is equipped with the cutter 51, but each carriage may be equipped with components other than the ink head 41 and the cutter 51. Also, at least one of the first carriage 21A and the second carriage 21B may be equipped with nothing. For example, a connecting carriage equipped with nothing may be provided to connect the ink head carriage and the cutter carriage. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 1 printing device, 2 casing, 3 guide rail, 4 platen, 5 stand, 10 Controller (control unit), 20 carriage unit, 21 carriages, 21A Ink head carriage (first carriage), 21B Cutter carriage (second carriage), 22 carriage motor, 23 position detection unit, 25 driving roller, 26 driven roller, 27 driving belt, 73d recessed portion, 30 conveying section, 31 conveyance roller, 32 conveyance motor, 33 conveyance detection unit, 40 Printing Department, 41 ink head, 42 head drive unit, 50 cutting section, 51 Cutter, 52 Cutter solenoid, 60 connection mechanism; 61 first adsorbent, 62 second adsorbent, 70 Disconnection assist mechanism, 71 Separation portion (first embodiment), 71a rotating shaft, 71c cam, 71l operating lever, 72 bearing part, 72a rotating shaft, 73 Separation portion (second embodiment), 73a rotating shaft, 73c cam, 73l operating lever, 74 Separation portion (third embodiment), 74a Rotating shaft, 74l Operating lever, 74p Spacer part, 75 Rotation control part, 76 sheet metal, M medium,

Claims

1. a first carriage reciprocating along a first direction; a second carriage that is coaxial with the first carriage and reciprocates along the first direction; a first attraction body made of a magnet or a magnetic material provided on the first carriage; a second attraction body made of a magnet or a magnetic material provided on the second carriage so as to face the first attraction body in the first direction; Equipped with a carriage mechanism in which the first carriage and the second carriage are connected by causing the first attraction body and the second attraction body to attract each other, a separation assist mechanism that assists in separating the first and second attraction bodies from each other by a predetermined distance in the first direction from a state in which the first and second attraction bodies are attracted to each other, thereby separating the first and second carriages from each other; A carriage mechanism characterized by:

2. 2. The carriage mechanism according to claim 1, The carriage mechanism is characterized in that the separation assist mechanism includes a cam mechanism that rotates about a predetermined rotation axis to press the first carriage or the second carriage in a first direction.

3. 3. The carriage mechanism according to claim 2, The carriage mechanism is characterized in that the separation assist mechanism includes an operating lever for rotating the cam mechanism.

4. 4. The carriage mechanism according to claim 2 or 3, The carriage mechanism is characterized in that the cam mechanism rotates about a rotation axis along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

5. 5. The carriage mechanism according to claim 4, the cam mechanism presses the first carriage or the second carriage with a first pressing force at a predetermined position in the first direction; A carriage mechanism characterized by having a rotation regulating portion that regulates the rotation of the cam mechanism so that, at a position other than the predetermined position in the first direction, the cam mechanism presses the first carriage or the second carriage with a second pressing force that is smaller than the first pressing force.

6. 6. The carriage mechanism according to claim 5, a carriage mechanism, characterized in that, when moving from the predetermined position in the first direction, the cam mechanism rotates based on an attraction force between the first attraction body and the second attraction body.

7. 4. The carriage mechanism according to claim 2 or 3, The carriage mechanism is characterized in that the cam mechanism rotates about a rotation axis along the first direction.

8. The carriage mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The carriage mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the separation assist mechanism does not include an elastic member that generates a force in a direction in which the first carriage and the second carriage move apart in the first direction.

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