Recording device

Abstract

To eliminate the possibility of damaging a head surface due to strong hitting of a recording head by a foreign object when the recording head moves toward a conveyor belt or a platen with the foreign object entered between the recording head and the conveyor belt or the platen.SOLUTION: A recording device comprises: a recording unit movable with respect to a conveyance path; a counter part disposed to face the recording unit across the conveyance path; moving means for moving the recording unit; and a control unit for controlling a drive source of the moving means and stopping the drive source when a driving force of the drive source exceeds a limit value. A driving region of the recording unit has a first driving region and a second driving region positioned in a first moving direction with respect to the first driving region. The limit value in the first driving region is smaller than that in the second driving region.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] The recording device described in Patent Document 1 includes a head unit that is movable between a recording position where recording is performed on a medium and a retracted position where the head unit is retracted from the medium transport path. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-076882 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a configuration in which the head unit moves beyond the print adjustment range as in Patent Document 1, when the recording head separates from the conveyor belt or platen, foreign matter may get in between the recording head and the conveyor belt or platen. Possible foreign matter could be, for example, a tool or writing implement that gets in from outside the device during jam clearance work, or wires or tubes installed inside the device. If the recording head moves toward the conveyor belt or platen with foreign matter remaining between the recording head and the conveyor belt or platen, the foreign matter may press hard against the recording head, potentially damaging the head surface of the recording head. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above problem, the recording device of the present invention comprises a transport path for transporting a medium, a recording unit that is movable relative to the transport path in a direction intersecting the recording surface of the medium, an opposing unit that is arranged opposite the recording unit across the transport path, a moving means for moving the recording unit, a drive source for the moving means, and a control unit that controls the drive source and stops the drive source when the drive force of the drive source exceeds a limit value, wherein the movement direction of the recording unit when the recording unit moves from a position farthest from the opposing unit toward the opposing unit is defined as a first movement direction, and the drive area of the recording unit has a first drive area and a second drive area located in the first movement direction relative to the first drive area, and the limit value in the first drive area is smaller than the limit value in the second drive area. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the entire media transport path of the printer. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a control system related to the movement of the line head. [Figure 5] 5A and 5B are diagrams showing the operation transition of the line head and the shutter. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a head unit, a guide frame, and a base frame. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a guide frame and a head unit. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a head unit and a rotating body. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a speed reduction mechanism that transmits power from a head moving motor to a rotating body. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a head unit and a linear encoder. [Figure 11] FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. [Figure 13]FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. [Figure 19] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a head unit and a cap unit. [Figure 20] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a head unit and a cap unit. [Figure 21] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a head unit and a cap unit. [Figure 22] A chart showing the rotary ENC position, rotary ENC speed, linear ENC position, linear ENC speed, and motor duty when lowering the line head. [Figure 23] A chart showing the rotary ENC position, rotary ENC speed, linear ENC position, linear ENC speed, and motor duty when raising the line head. [Figure 24] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing performed by a control unit. [Figure 25] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing when setting the origin position while lifting the line head. [Figure 26] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing when setting the origin position while lowering the line head. [Figure 27] 10 is a table showing the relationship between the head movement speed, motor rotation speed, motor drive load, and torque limit value in each of the lever drive region, cam drive region, and rack and pinion drive region. [Figure 28] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing when the power is not turned on after being normally turned off. [Figure 29] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the entire media transport path of the printer when the line head is in a jam clearance position. [Figure 30]10 is a flowchart showing a control flow when a jam occurs. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present invention will be briefly described below. A recording device according to a first aspect comprises a transport path for transporting a medium, a recording unit movable relative to the transport path in a direction intersecting the recording surface of the medium, an opposing unit arranged opposite the recording unit across the transport path, a moving means for moving the recording unit, a drive source for the moving means, and a control unit for controlling the drive source, the control unit stopping the drive source when the drive force of the drive source exceeds a limit value, wherein the movement direction of the recording unit when the recording unit moves from a position farthest from the opposing unit toward the opposing unit is defined as a first movement direction, and the drive region of the recording unit has a first drive region and a second drive region located in the first movement direction relative to the first drive region, and the limit value in the first drive region is smaller than the limit value in the second drive region.

[0008] According to this aspect, since the limit value in the first driving region is smaller than the limit value in the second driving region, damage to the recording unit can be reduced when the recording unit moves in the first movement direction with foreign matter remaining between the recording unit and the opposing portion. Furthermore, in the second driving region, the recording unit can be reliably moved.

[0009] The second aspect is a dependent aspect of the first aspect, and is characterized in that the device comprises a housing for the device, and an opening / closing body provided on the housing, the opening / closing body being positioned above the recording unit and exposing the recording unit when opened.

[0010] According to this aspect, opening the opening / closing body makes it easy to clear jams. Furthermore, although there is a risk of foreign matter getting between the recording unit and the facing unit when the opening / closing body is opened, the configuration of the first aspect described above can suppress damage to the recording unit.

[0011] A third aspect is a dependent aspect of the second aspect, characterized in that when the control unit detects a jam of the medium in the transport path, it moves the recording unit in a second movement direction opposite to the first movement direction, thereby widening the gap between the recording unit and the opposing unit.

[0012] According to this aspect, when the control unit detects a medium jam in the transport path, the control unit widens the gap between the recording unit and the opposing unit, which makes it easier to clear the jam. It should be noted that this aspect is not limited to the second aspect, but may be subordinate to the first aspect.

[0013] The fourth aspect is a dependent aspect of the second aspect, and is characterized in that it includes an opening / closing detection unit that detects the opening / closing state of the opening / closing body, and when the control unit detects that the opening / closing body is closed based on detection information from the opening / closing detection unit while the recording unit is in the first drive area, it moves the recording unit in the first movement direction.

[0014] According to this aspect, when the control unit detects that the opening / closing body is closed based on the detection information of the opening / closing detection unit, it moves the recording unit in the first movement direction, thereby allowing the recording unit to be quickly moved to the second drive area. It should be noted that this aspect is not limited to the second aspect, but may be subordinate to the first aspect.

[0015] A fifth aspect is an aspect dependent on the second aspect, characterized in that the opening and closing member also serves as a discharge tray for receiving a medium that has been recorded on and discharged. According to this aspect, the opening / closing body also serves as a discharge tray that receives the medium that has been recorded on and discharged, and therefore, the use of a component for both purposes can prevent an increase in the cost of the device. It should be noted that this aspect is not limited to the second aspect, but may be subordinate to the third or fourth aspect.

[0016] A sixth aspect is an aspect dependent on any of the first to fifth aspects, characterized in that the recording unit has a plurality of nozzles for ejecting liquid along a width direction intersecting the medium transport direction, and is composed of a liquid ejection head that ejects liquid from the nozzles without moving in the width direction, and has a cap part that covers the liquid ejection surface of the liquid ejection head at a position opposite the liquid ejection head, the cap part is displaceable in a direction toward and away from the liquid ejection head, and has a first pressing member that presses the cap part toward the liquid ejection head, and when the recording unit moves in the first movement direction, in the second drive region, it presses down the cap part against the pressing force of the first pressing member.

[0017] According to this aspect, when the recording unit moves in the first movement direction, in the second drive region, the recording unit presses down on the cap unit against the pressing force of the first pressing member, so a large load is applied to the drive source in the second drive region. However, because the limit value in the second drive region is larger than the limit value in the first drive region, the cap unit can be reliably pressed down.

[0018] A seventh aspect is an aspect dependent on the sixth aspect, characterized in that a portion of the opposing portion is displaceable in a direction toward and away from the liquid ejection head, and is provided with a second pressing member that presses the cap portion toward the liquid ejection head, and when the recording unit moves in the first movement direction, it presses down a portion of the opposing portion in the second drive region against the pressing force of the second pressing member.

[0019] According to this aspect, when the recording unit moves in the first movement direction, in the second drive region, the recording unit presses down a portion of the opposing portion against the pressing force of the second pressing member, so that a large load is applied to the drive source in the second drive region. However, because the limit value in the second drive region is larger than the limit value in the first drive region, the recording unit can reliably press down a portion of the opposing portion.

[0020] The eighth aspect is a dependent aspect of the first aspect, characterized in that a driven roller that rotates in contact with the medium is provided in the transport path, the driven roller is supported by a support member, and the support member narrows the opening when accessing between the recording unit and the opposing unit.

[0021] According to this aspect, the support member narrows the opening when accessing the space between the recording unit and the opposing portion, and thus the support member can prevent foreign matter from entering between the recording unit and the opposing portion. Furthermore, the support member narrows the opening when accessing the space between the recording unit and the opposing unit, but by widening the gap between the recording unit and the opposing unit, it becomes easier to remove media that is trapped between the recording unit and the opposing unit, so the media can be easily removed through the opening. It should be noted that this aspect is not limited to the first aspect, but may be subordinate to any of the second to seventh aspects.

[0022] 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 figure, the X-axis direction is the width direction of the device, which is the width direction of the medium on which recording is performed. As seen from 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 back of the device to the front, and the -Y direction is the direction from the front of the device to the back. Of the sides that make up the periphery of the printer 1 in this embodiment, the side in the +Y direction is the front of the device, and the side in the -Y direction is the back of the device. The Z-axis direction is the vertical direction, which is the height direction of the device. 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."

[0023] <Printer media transport path> The media transport path of the printer 1 will be described below with reference to Figure 1. As shown in Figure 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. An example of the media is recording paper. The media storage cassette 2 is installed so that it can be attached and detached from the front side of the device.

[0024] A pick roller 3 driven by a motor (not shown) is provided above the medium storage cassette 2. The pick roller 3 can move forward and backward relative to the media stored in the medium storage cassette 2, and rotates in contact with the media stored in the medium storage cassette 2 to feed the media from 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 nipped between the feed roller 5 and the separation roller 6, where it is separated, and then sent further downstream.

[0025] 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 then 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.

[0026] A first transport roller pair 15 is provided downstream of the reversing roller 8. The first transport roller pair 15 includes a drive roller 16 driven by a motor (not shown) and a driven roller 17 that can rotate following the drive roller 16. The medium is transported by the first transport roller pair 15 to a position facing the line head 40. In addition to the medium feed path from the medium storage cassette 2, the printer 1 also has a medium feed 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).

[0027] A medium detection unit 22 is provided upstream of the first transport roller pair 15. The control unit 100 (see FIG. 4), which will be described later, can determine the position of the leading edge of the medium relative to the line head 40 based on the detection information from the medium detection unit 22, and can position the medium at the recording start position, for example.

[0028] The line head 40 is an example of a recording unit that records on a medium. The line head 40 is also an example of a liquid ejection head that records by ejecting ink, which is an example of a liquid, onto a medium. 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 record over the entire width of the medium without moving in the width direction of the medium.

[0029] The symbol 42a denotes the 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, i.e., the Y-axis direction, at the position facing the line head 40. The head surface 42a is also parallel to the XY plane. The two-dot chain line indicated by the symbol Ta is the medium transport path between the line head 40 and the facing portion 45. The medium transport path Ta is parallel to the XY plane. The printer 1 is provided with 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).

[0030] A facing portion 45 is provided at a position facing the head surface 42a of the line head 40. The facing portion may also be called a platen. The facing portion 45 according to this embodiment includes an upstream support portion 46 (see FIG. 5) and 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 upstream support portion 46 and the shutter 47. Hereinafter, the gap between the facing portion 45 and the head surface 42a may be referred to as a platen gap.

[0031] The line head 40 is provided so as to be movable in a direction of moving toward and away from the facing portion 45, that is, in a direction of adjusting the platen gap. In this embodiment, the direction of adjusting the platen gap is parallel to the Z-axis direction. Hereinafter, movement of the line head 40 or other components in the +Z axis direction may be referred to as “rising,” and movement in the −Z direction may be referred to as “descending.” The −Z direction is an example of a first movement direction of the line head 40, and the +Z direction is an example of a second movement direction of the line head 40. The line head 40 moves along the Z-axis direction by receiving power from a head movement motor 101, which is an example of a drive source, as shown in Fig. 4. The movement operation of the line head 40 will now be outlined with reference to Fig. 4. The power of the head movement motor 101 is converted into movement of the line head 40 in the Z-axis direction by a movement means 110. The movement means 110 will be described again later.

[0032] The control unit 100, which controls the head movement motor 101, raises and lowers the line head 40 according to the thickness of the medium based on the medium type included in the received print data, and adjusts the platen gap. For example, if the position of the line head 40 when recording on plain paper is set to the 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 higher than the first recording position. If the medium would come into contact with the line head 40 even when the second recording position is selected, the line head 40 is positioned at a third recording position higher than the second recording position.

[0033] In FIG. 4, symbols Am1, Am2, and Am3 indicate the movement area of the line head 40 based on the head surface 42a, and indicate the movement area divided from the perspective of the state of the moving means 110, which will be described later. The movement area of the line head 40 has a first area Am1 and a second area Am2 that is farther from the medium transport path Ta than the first area Am1. The first area Am1 includes the first, second, and third recording positions described above. Of course, the first area Am1 may also include other recording positions. In this embodiment, the movement area of the line head 40 also includes a third area Am3 that is below the first area Am1.

[0034] When the line head 40 moves to position Hp2, which is the uppermost position in the second region Am2, the platen gap, i.e., the distance between the facing portion 45 and the head surface 42a, becomes the widest. This allows the jammed medium to be removed if a jam occurs. Hereinafter, position Hp2 will be referred to as the jam clearance position of the line head 40. Position Hp1 is the recording position when recording on the medium. Position Hp1 varies depending on the type of medium, as described above. That is, recording position Hp1 includes the first recording position, second recording position, and third recording position described above. The position Hp0 is the lowest position of the third region Am3, where a cap portion 61 (described later) covers the head surface 42a.

[0035] 4, the first drive region Hm1 and the second drive region Hm2 are drive regions when the line head 40 descends, and are drive regions partitioned based on a torque limit value described later. The second drive region Hm2 is located in the -Z direction, i.e., the first movement direction, relative to the first drive region Hm1. In this embodiment, the first driving region Hm1 includes the above-mentioned second region Am2 and the first region Am1, and the second driving region Hm2 includes the above-mentioned third region Am3. The details of each driving region will be explained later.

[0036] 1, a second transport roller pair 19 is provided downstream of the line head 40. The second transport roller pair 19 includes a drive roller 20 driven by a motor (not shown) and a driven roller 21 that can rotate following the drive roller 20. The medium on which recording has been performed is sent downstream by the second transport roller pair 19. A driven roller 18 that is in contact with the medium and rotates in response to the medium is provided upstream of the second transport roller pair 19. The driven rollers 18 and 21 are supported by a support member 24. A third pair of transport rollers 27 is provided downstream of the second pair of transport rollers 19, and a discharge roller pair 28 is provided further downstream of the third pair of transport rollers 27. A face-down discharge path is configured between the third pair of transport rollers 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 side facing down.

[0037] The discharge tray 29 is rotatable about a rotation axis 29a relative to the housing 25 that forms the outer shell of the printer 1. The center line of the rotation axis 29a is parallel to the X-axis. The user can access the inside of the printer 1 by opening the discharge tray 29 as indicated by the reference symbol 29-1. For example, if a medium becomes clogged, i.e., jams, in the medium transport path Ta, the user can remove the clogged medium by opening the discharge tray 29. In other words, the discharge tray 29 is an opening / closing body provided in the housing 25, is located above the line head 40, and is an example of an opening / closing body that exposes the line head 40 when opened. An open / close sensor 128, which is an example of an open / close detector, is provided at a position adjacent to the closed discharge tray 29 in the housing 25. The control unit 100 (see FIG. 4) can detect the open / close state of the discharge tray 29 based on the detection information of the open / close sensor 128.

[0038] <Line head configuration> Next, the line head 40, which is an example of a liquid ejection head, will be further described with reference to FIG. 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 is provided inside for supplying ink supplied from an ink storage section (not shown) to a head chip 43.

[0039] The plate member 42 is a metal plate and forms a head surface 42a. A plurality of openings 42d are formed in the plate member 42, and a head tip 43 is provided in each opening 42d. A plurality of nozzles 44 (see FIG. 1) are provided in the head tip 43 along the width direction of the medium. The plate member 42 and the head tip 43 are provided so as to be flush with each other.

[0040] The head chips 43 are arranged alternately 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 which cover the head chips 43, are arranged alternately at upstream and downstream positions along the medium width direction.

[0041] The line head 40 is provided on the unit frame 31 and constitutes the head unit 30 together with the unit frame 31. The head unit 30 is a structure that includes the line head 40. Therefore, in other words, the members that constitute the head unit 30 are members provided on the line head 40. The line head 40 or head unit 30 is an example of a recording unit that records on a medium. The power of a head movement motor 101 (see FIG. 4) is transmitted to the unit frame 31, which moves the head unit 30, i.e., the line head 40, in the Z-axis direction.

[0042] <Cap unit configuration> Next, the cap unit 60 will be described with reference to FIG. The cap unit 60 includes a cap portion 61 that covers the head chip 43. Because the head chip 43 is provided on the head surface 42a, the cap portion 61 can also be referred to as a member that covers a part of the head surface 42a. In addition, because the head chip 43 is provided with the nozzles 44, the cap portion 61 can also be referred to as a member that covers the nozzles 44. The plurality of cap parts 61 constitute a cap unit 60. The cap unit 60 is provided below the facing part 45.

[0043] The cap unit 60 comprises 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 main body portion 61b made of a resin material or the like, and an elastic portion 61a that comes into contact with the head surface 42a and is made of an elastic material such as rubber. The cap main body portion 61b is held by the base portion 62 so as to be displaceable in the Z-axis direction, and a limit to its movement in the +Z direction is determined by a restricting portion (not shown) formed on the base portion 62. The cap main body portion 61b is pressed in the +Z direction by a cap spring 63, which is an example of a first pressing member. In this embodiment, two cap springs 63 are provided for one cap main body portion 61b.

[0044] A waste liquid tube (not shown) is connected to each cap body 61b. This waste liquid tube is connected to a pump (not shown). When the pump is activated with the cap portion 61 covering the head surface 42a, negative pressure is generated inside 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. The arrangement of the cap portions 61 corresponds to the arrangement of the head chips 43 in the line head 40 . The cap portion 61 is exposed by moving a shutter 47, which will be described later, from a closed position to an open position.

[0046] <Configuration of opposing parts> Next, the opposing portion 45 will be further described with reference to FIG. 5, the facing portion 45 facing the line head 40 includes an upstream support portion 46 and a shutter 47 located downstream of the upstream support portion 46. The shutter 47 is movable along the medium transport direction. The shutter 47 is movable by the power of a motor (not shown) between a closed position shown in state ST1 in FIG. 5 and open positions shown in states ST2 and ST3 in FIG. 5. When the shutter 47 moves to the open position, an opening 45a is formed in the facing portion 45, and the cap portion 61 is exposed inside the opening 45a. 5, the line head 40 descends, as shown in state ST3, allowing the cap portion 61 to cover the head chip 43. At this time, the cap portion 61 is pressed down slightly in the -Z direction against the pressing force of the cap spring 63, and thereby the cap portion 61 comes into close contact with the head surface 42a. Note that this descent of the line head 40 when the cap portion 61 is brought into close contact with the head surface 42a is sometimes referred to as a "capping operation."

[0047] When the device is powered off or in a recording standby state when the device is powered on, the control unit 100 places the shutter 47 in the open position and the cap unit 61 in a state where the head chip 43 is covered. Furthermore, during a flushing operation to prevent clogging of the nozzles 44, the control unit 100 ejects ink toward the cap unit 61 with the shutter 47 in the open position, which will be described later.

[0048] When receiving and recording data, the control unit 100 raises the line head 40 to separate the head surface 42a from the cap unit 61 and moves the shutter 47 (described later) to the shielding position. This prevents the transported medium from entering the opening 45a of the facing unit 45 and the posture of the medium from being disturbed. In addition, it prevents foreign matter such as paper dust from entering the cap unit 61 during transport of the medium, which could impair the performance of the cap unit 61.

[0049] In this embodiment, the shutter 47 is moved between the closed position and the open position by a link mechanism 35 (see FIG. 6) that is operated by the reverse rotation of the drive roller 20 that constitutes the second transport roller pair 19.

[0050] 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 second pressing member. However, the movement of the upstream support portion 46 in the +Z direction is restricted at a predetermined position by abutting against a restricting portion (not shown). When performing the capping operation, the line head 40 presses the upstream support portion 46 downward in the −Z direction against the pressing force of the coil spring 54 .

[0051] <Configuration of moving means for moving the line head> Hereinafter, a description will be given of the moving means 110 that converts the power of the head moving motor 101 (see FIG. 4) into the movement of the line head 40 in the Z-axis direction. First, the position of the line head 40 in the Z-axis direction can be determined by the control unit 100 based on the detection information transmitted from the rotary encoder 103 (see FIG. 4) and the detection information transmitted from the linear encoder 107 (see FIG. 4). Note that hereinafter, the term "encoder" will be abbreviated to "ENC."

[0052] 9, the rotary ENC 103 comprises a rotary scale 104 attached to the motor output shaft of the head movement motor 101, and a second detection unit 105 that detects the rotation of the rotary scale 104. The rotary ENC 103 detects the light-transmitting scale of the rotary scale 104 and outputs a detection pulse signal including a number of pulses proportional to the amount of rotation of the motor output shaft. The linear ENC 107 also includes a linear scale 108 provided on a guide frame 33 (described later) and a first detection unit 109 that detects movement of the linear scale 108. The linear ENC 107 detects the light-transmitting scale of the linear scale 108 and outputs a detection pulse signal including a number of pulses proportional to the amount of movement of the head unit 30.

[0053] As described above, the head unit 30 including the line head 40 has the unit frame 31 as a base, and the line head 40 is provided on the unit frame 31 . 8, rack members 32 are provided at the end of the unit frame 31 in the +X direction and the end in the -X direction. The rack member 32 provided at the end in the +X direction of the unit frame 31 is denoted by the reference symbol 32A, and the rack member 32 provided at the end in the -X direction is denoted by the reference symbol 32B. Hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between the rack members 32A and 32B, they will be collectively referred to as rack members 32.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 7, a guide frame 33 is provided in the +Y direction relative to the unit frame 31. First guide portions 33a are formed on the guide frame 33 at the end in the +X direction and the end in the -X direction. The first guide portion 33a is a portion that forms a surface parallel to the YZ plane. Furthermore, a second guide portion 33b is formed on the end in the -Y direction of the first guide portion 33a. The second guide portion 33b is a portion that forms a surface parallel to the XZ plane. The guide frame 33 is supported by base frames 33A and 33B that are spaced apart in the X-axis direction as shown in FIG. 6.

[0055] 8, the rack member 32 is provided with guided portions 32c and 32d. The first guide portion 33a of the guide frame 33 can be sandwiched between the guided portions 32c and 32d in the X-axis direction. The rack member 32 is also provided with guided portions 32e and 32f. The second guide portion 33b of the guide frame 33 can be sandwiched between the guided portions 32e and 32f in the Y-axis direction. With this configuration, the unit frame 31, i.e., the head unit 30, is guided in the Z-axis direction by the guide frame 33. The shape of rack member 32B is symmetrical to the shape of rack member 32A with respect to the Y axis at the midpoint between rack members 32A and 32B in the X axis direction.

[0056] Next, as shown in Fig. 7, a shaft 77 parallel to the X-axis direction is rotatably supported by guide frame 33. Rotating bodies 74 are provided near the +X-direction end and the -X-direction end of shaft 77. Rotating body 74 provided near the +X-direction end of shaft 77 is denoted by reference numeral 74A, and rotating body 74 provided at the -X-direction end is denoted by reference numeral 74B. Hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between rotating bodies 74A and 74B, they will be collectively referred to as rotating body 74. The shape of rotor 74B is obtained by symmetrically arranging the shape of rotor 74A with respect to the Y axis at the midpoint between rotors 74A and 74B in the X axis direction. The rotor 74 rotates integrally with the shaft 77. In the following, the rotation directions of the shaft 77, the rotor 74, and the pinion 72, cam 66, and push-down portion 75 (described later) may be expressed using the symbols C1 and C2 shown in the drawings.

[0057] 9, a first bevel gear 78 is provided between the rotating body 74A and the rotating body 74B. The first bevel gear 78 rotates integrally with the shaft 77. The first bevel gear 78 constitutes a speed reduction mechanism 76 (see FIG. 9) that transmits power from the head movement motor 101 to the shaft 77. The speed reduction mechanism 76 will be described below with reference to FIG. The reduction mechanism 76 includes a first bevel gear 78, a second bevel gear 79, a spur gear 80, a spur gear 81, a spur gear 82, a worm wheel 83, and a cylindrical worm 84.

[0058] A second bevel gear 79 meshes with the first bevel gear 78. The second bevel gear 79 and the spur gear 80 are integrally formed and rotatably supported by the mounting frame 34 (see FIG. 6). The mounting frame 34 is fixed to the guide frame 33 with screws. A head movement motor 101 is also fixed to the mounting frame 34 with screws.

[0059] Spur gear 80 meshes with spur gear 81. Spur gear 81 is rotatably mounted on mounting frame 34 (see FIG. 6). Spur gear 82 meshes with spur gear 81. Spur gear 82 and worm wheel 83 are configured as a single unit and are rotatably mounted on mounting frame 34 (see FIG. 6). A cylindrical worm 84 meshes with worm wheel 83, and worm wheel 83 and cylindrical worm 84 form a worm gear mechanism. Cylindrical worm 84 is mounted on the output shaft (not shown) of head movement motor 101, so that when head movement motor 101 rotates, the rotation is transmitted to shaft 77 via reduction mechanism 76, causing shaft 77 to rotate. In this embodiment, the reduction ratio of the reduction mechanism 76, specifically the reduction ratio of the power transmission from the head movement motor 101 to the shaft 77, is 111. The reduction ratio is preferably greater than 1, more preferably greater than 10, and even more preferably greater than 100 as in this embodiment.

[0060] Next, the rotating body 74 is provided with a pinion 72 that constitutes a rack and pinion mechanism as shown in Figure 11. The rotating body 74 is also provided with a cam 66. The rotating body 74 is also provided with a lever-shaped push-down portion 75. As shown in Figures 8, 10, and 13 to 18, the rack member 32 is formed with a rack 71 that constitutes a rack and pinion mechanism. The rack 71 meshes with a pinion 72. Therefore, when the pinion 72 rotates, the head unit 30, i.e., the line head 40, moves in the Z-axis direction. Specifically, when the pinion 72 rotates in a rotation direction C1, the line head 40 descends, and when the rack 71 rotates in a rotation direction C2, the line head 40 ascends. The rack 71 and the pinion 72 constitute a second moving section 70 that moves the line head 40 in the second region Am2. Since the second moving unit 70 raises and lowers the line head 40 by a rack and pinion mechanism, the operation of raising and lowering the line head 40 by the second moving unit 70 may be hereinafter referred to as "rack and pinion driving."

[0061] As shown in FIGS. 8, 10, and 13 to 18, the rack member 32 is provided with a contact portion 32a that can contact the cam 66. The contact portion 32a is provided to protrude in the +Y direction, and the cam 66 is disposed below the contact portion 32a. The head unit 30, i.e., the line head 40, is supported by the cam 66 via the contact portion 32a in the first region Am1, thereby defining its position in the Z axis direction. In other words, the head unit 30, i.e., the line head 40, can rest on the cam 66 using its own weight. The head unit 30, i.e., the line head 40, may rest on the cam 66 by its own weight alone, or may rest on the cam 66 by receiving a pressing force from a spring or the like in a direction that includes a vertically downward component. When the head unit 30, i.e., the line head 40, rests on the cam 66 by receiving a pressing force from a spring or the like in a direction that includes a vertically downward component, the head unit 30, i.e., the line head 40, is prevented from lifting up, and the platen gap is stabilized.

[0062] The outer peripheral surface of the cam 66 is formed so that the distance from the axial center of the shaft 77, i.e., the radius, varies along the circumferential direction (see FIG. 12). Therefore, when the cam 66 rotates with the abutment portion 32a resting on the cam 66, the head unit 30, i.e., the line head 40, moves in the Z-axis direction. Specifically, when the cam 66 rotates in the rotation direction C1, the line head 40 descends, and when the cam 66 rotates in the rotation direction C2, the line head 40 ascends. The cam 66 and the contact portion 32a constitute a first moving portion 65 that moves the line head 40 in the first region Am1. Since the first moving section 65 moves the line head 40 up and down by the cam 66, the operation of moving the line head 40 up and down by the first moving section 65 may be hereinafter referred to as "cam driving." The first moving section 65 and the second moving section 70 described above constitute a moving means 110 (see FIG. 4).

[0063] 10 and 13 to 18, the rack member 32 is provided with a pressed portion 32b that can come into contact with the push-down portion 75. The pressed portion 32b is provided so as to protrude in the +Y direction, and is configured so that the push-down portion 75 can come into contact with the pressed portion 32b from above. When the rotating body 74 rotates in the rotation direction C1, the pressing portion 75 presses the pressed portion 32b from above, thereby pressing the head unit 30, i.e., the line head 40, in the -Z direction, i.e., downward. The pressing portion 75 and the pressed portion 32b constitute a third moving portion 73 that lowers the line head 40 in the third region Am3. When the line head 40 rises in the third region Am3, the line head 40 rises due to the pressing force of the coil spring 54 (see FIG. 5), which is an example of the pressing member described above. Therefore, the coil spring 54 (see FIG. 5) also constitutes the third moving portion 73. Since the third moving unit 73 raises and lowers the line head 40 using the lever-shaped depression unit 75, the operation of raising and lowering the line head 40 using the third moving unit 73 may hereinafter be referred to as "lever driving." In this embodiment, the third moving section 73 constitutes a moving means 110 (see FIG. 4).

[0064] FIG. 12 shows the area in which the cam 66 and pinion 72 are formed. The pinion 72 has a first phase region Ak1 where some of the teeth are missing, and a second phase region Ak2 where teeth are formed. Note that, hereinafter, when simply referring to the "pinion 72," for convenience, this refers to the portion of the second phase region Ak2 where the teeth are formed. The cam 66 also has a non-support phase region Aj1 that does not support the contact portion 32a, and a support phase region Aj2 that can support the contact portion 32a. In the support phase region Aj2, the radius Ra of the outer peripheral surface that supports the contact portion 32a changes along the circumferential direction. Note that, hereinafter, when simply referring to the "cam 66," for convenience, it will refer to the support phase region Aj2.

[0065] The operations of the first moving section 65, the second moving section 70, and the third moving section 73 will be further described below. 13 shows a state in which the line head 40 is at the first recording position in the first region Am1. In this state, the first moving section 65 is functioning. That is, the head unit 30 is resting on the cam 66 by using its own weight. In this state, the rack 71 is not engaged with the pinion 72, and the pressing section 75 is separated from the pressed section 32b. In the first area Am1, that is, the area where recording is performed on the medium, the line head 40 needs to be positioned with high precision, so cam driving by the first moving part 65 is adopted. 13, when the shaft 77 is rotated in the rotation direction C2, the cam 66 also rotates in the rotation direction C2. In this embodiment, the outer peripheral surface of the cam 66 is formed so that the radius changes by 0.01 mm when the cam 66 rotates by 1°. In other words, when the cam 66 rotates by 1°, the line head 40 rises or falls by 0.01 mm.

[0066] FIG. 14 shows a state in which the shaft 77 has rotated in the rotation direction C2 from the state in FIG. 13, and the line head 40 has moved to the second recording position in the first area Am1. 15 shows a state in which the shaft 77 has further rotated in the rotation direction C2 from the state in FIG. 14, and the line head 40 has moved to the third recording position in the first area Am1. In this way, in the first region Am1, the first moving section 65, which moves the line head 40 by a small amount per unit rotation angle of the shaft 77, functions, so that the line head 40 can be accurately positioned at each recording position. When the line head 40 is lowered from the state of FIG. 15 to be positioned at the second recording position or the first recording position, or when it is positioned at the cap position Hp0, the shaft 77 is rotated in the rotation direction C1.

[0067] 16 and 17 show the same state after shaft 77 has further rotated in rotation direction C2 from the state shown in Fig. 15. In the state shown in Fig. 16 and 17, contact portion 32a is placed on the portion of cam 66 where radius Ra is greatest. When shaft 77 rotates further in rotation direction C2 from this state, contact portion 32a comes off cam 66. This state is also the state in which the rack 71 begins to engage with the pinion 72 as shown in FIG. In this way, when the line head 40 moves from the first region Am1 to the second region Am2, the line head 40 moves from a state in which it is moved by the first moving part 65 to a state in which it is moved by the second moving part 70.

[0068] When the drive system shifts from cam drive by the first moving unit 65 to rack and pinion drive by the second moving unit 70, the cam 66 temporarily comes into contact with the contact portion 32a, i.e., the line head 40, and the pinion 72 meshes with the rack 71, as shown in Figures 16 and 17. As a result, even if the contact portion 32a comes off the cam 66, the line head 40 will not descend.

[0069] 16 and 17, the shaft 77 has further rotated in the rotation direction C2, and the head unit 30 has been raised to its highest position in the +Z direction by the second moving part 70, i.e., the rack and pinion mechanism. In this state, the line head 40 is at its farthest distance from the opposing part 45, which is the jam clearance position Hp2 in the event of a paper jam. In this embodiment, the rack and pinion mechanism consisting of the rack 71 and pinion 72 is configured so that the line head 40 moves up or down by approximately 0.26 mm when the pinion 72 rotates by 1°. Therefore, the movement amount of the line head 40 per unit rotation angle of the shaft 77 is significantly greater for the second moving part 70 than for the first moving part 65. In this embodiment, when the line head 40 is at the jam processing position Hp2, the platen gap is 30 mm to 40 mm.

[0070] In the above process, that is, in the process of raising the line head 40 from the first recording position to the jam clearing position, the shaft 77 is rotated in the rotation direction C2, and there is no need to switch the rotation direction. The lowest position in the movement range of the line head 40 is the cap position Hp0, and the highest position is the jam clearance position Hp2. Similarly, in the process of raising the line head 40 from the cap position Hp0 to the jam clearance position Hp2, the shaft 77 is rotated in the rotation direction C2, and there is no need to switch the rotation direction.

[0071] When the line head 40 descends from the jam processing position Hp2, the process is reversed. That is, when the line head 40 transitions from the second region Am2 to the first region Am1, the drive system switches from rack and pinion drive by the second moving unit 70 to cam drive by the first moving unit 65. Specifically, when the line head 40 transitions from the second region Am2 to the first region Am1, the pinion 72 separates from the rack 71, and the contact portion 32a rests on the cam 66. In the process of lowering the line head 40 from the jam clearing position Hp2 to the first recording position, the shaft 77 is rotated in the rotation direction C1, and there is no need to switch the rotation direction. Similarly, in the process of lowering the line head 40 from the jam clearing position Hp2 to the cap position Hp0, the shaft 77 is rotated in the rotation direction C1, and there is no need to switch the rotation direction.

[0072] Furthermore, when the drive shifts from rack and pinion drive by the second moving unit 70 to cam drive by the first moving unit 65, a state is temporarily created in which the cam 66 contacts the contact portion 32a, i.e., the line head 40, and the pinion 72 meshes with the rack 71, as shown in Figures 16 and 17. As a result, even if the pinion 72 comes off the rack 71, the line head 40 will not descend.

[0073] Next, the case where the line head 40 is lowered from the first region Am1, that is, the case where the capping operation is performed, will be described. Note that when the capping operation is performed, if the shutter 47 (see FIG. 5) provided on the facing portion 45 is in the blocking position, the shutter 47 is moved from the blocking position to the open position as described above prior to the capping operation.

[0074] 19 shows a state in which the line head 40 is in the first region Am1, more specifically, a state in which it is in the first recording position. A protrusion 40a that protrudes toward the opposing portion 45 is provided in the head unit 30 at a position opposing the upstream support portion 46. In this state, a gap Gp is formed between the protrusion 40a and the upstream support portion 46. Although not shown, the protrusion 40a is provided at a position outside the medium transport region in the X-axis direction. The protrusions 40a are also provided on both sides of the medium transport region in the X-axis direction. The protrusions 40a are provided on the unit frame 31, as an example.

[0075] To perform the capping operation from this state, the shaft 77 is rotated in the rotation direction C1, which reduces the radius Ra of the cam 66 at the position where the contact portion 32a contacts the outer circumferential surface of the cam 66, causing the line head 40 to descend. When the line head 40 descends, the protrusion 40a comes into contact with the upstream support part 46 as shown in Fig. 20, and the descent of the line head 40 stops. In this state, the head unit 30 is placed on the upstream support part 46, i.e., the opposing part 45, by using its own weight. The pressing force of the coil spring 54 that presses the upstream support part 46 upward is set to a magnitude that prevents the upstream support part 46 from being displaced downward when the head unit 30 is placed on the upstream support part 46 by using its own weight.

[0076] Note that the line head 40 resting on the facing portion 45 by using its own weight does not only mean a form in which the line head 40 rests on the facing portion 45 by its own weight alone, but also a form in which the line head 40 rests on the facing portion 45 by receiving a pressing force from a spring or the like in a direction that includes a vertically downward component in addition to its own weight. When the head unit 30, i.e., the line head 40 rests on the facing portion 45 by receiving a pressing force from a spring or the like in a direction that includes a vertically downward component, the head unit 30, i.e., the line head 40 is prevented from floating up, and the platen gap is stabilized. At the time when the protruding portion 40a comes into contact with the upstream support portion 46, the pressing portion 75 does not come into contact with the pressed portion 32b, so there is a period during which the line head 40 remains stopped even when the shaft 77, i.e., the rotating body 74, rotates in the rotation direction C1. This period is an idling period for the head moving motor 101, which will be described in detail later.

[0077] 20 in the rotation direction C1, the pressing portion 75 comes into contact with the pressed portion 32b and presses the pressed portion 32b downward. That is, the lever drive by the third moving portion 73 starts, and the head unit 30, i.e., the line head 40, descends. At this time, the head unit 30 presses the upstream support portion 46 downward against the pressing force of the coil spring 54. 21 shows a state in which the line head 40 is at the cap position Hp0. In the process of the line head 40 moving to the cap position Hp0, the head surface 42a of the line head 40 comes into contact with the cap portion 61, and further, the head surface 42a presses down the cap portion 61 by a predetermined amount against the pressing force of the cap spring 63. As a result, the cap portion 61 comes into close contact with the head surface 42a.

[0078] 21, the shaft 77 is rotated in the rotation direction C2, which displaces the push-down portion 75 upward, so that the line head 40 is raised by the spring force of the coil spring 54 while its position in the Z-axis direction is restricted by the push-down portion 75, returning to the state shown in FIG. When the shaft 77 is further rotated in the rotation direction C2 from the state shown in FIG.

[0079] 21, reference symbol k1 denotes a clearance formed between the cam 66 and the contact portion 32a. Without this clearance k1, a state in which the cam 66 supports the line head 40 and a state in which the pressing portion 75 presses down the pressed portion 32b, i.e., the line head 40, would occur simultaneously, and the rotating body 74 would be locked and unable to rotate. However, by providing the clearance k1, the state in which the line head 40 is supported by the cam 66 and the state in which the depressing portion 75 depresses the line head 40 are not simultaneously created, and locking of the rotating body 74 can be avoided.

[0080] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the line head 40 includes the rack member 32 in which the pressed portion 32b, the contact portion 32a, and the rack 71 are integrally formed. This makes it easier to determine the relative positional relationship between the pressed portion 32b, the contact portion 32a, and the rack 71. As a result, it is possible to reliably achieve a configuration in which the state in which the line head 40 is supported by the cam 66 and the state in which the depressing portion 75 depresses the line head 40 are not simultaneously realized.

[0081] Even if the cam 66 separates from the contact portion 32a to form a clearance k1, the line head 40 does not descend because it is supported by the upstream support portion 46. However, instead of the configuration in which the upstream support portion 46 supports the line head 40 when the cam 66 separates from the contact portion 32a to form a clearance k1, the cap portion 61 may be configured to support the line head 40.

[0082] As described above, the printer 1 comprises a medium transport path Ta for transporting the medium, a line head 40 that is movable relative to the medium transport path Ta in a direction intersecting the recording surface of the medium, and a moving means 110 for moving the line head 40. The movement area of the line head 40 includes a first area Am1 and a second area Am2 that is farther from the medium transport path Ta than the first area Am1. The moving means 110 includes a first moving section 65 that moves the line head 40 in the first region Am1, and a second moving section 70 that moves the line head 40 in the second region Am2. When the line head 40 transitions from the first region Am1 to the second region Am2, it transitions from being moved by the first moving unit 65 to being moved by the second moving unit 70. When the line head 40 transitions from the second region Am2 to the first region Am1, it transitions from being moved by the second moving unit 70 to being moved by the first moving unit 65. The first moving unit 65 and the second moving unit 70 are driven by a common drive source, the head moving motor 101. This makes it possible to suppress increases in the cost of the device and to make the device more compact, compared to a configuration in which the first moving unit 65 and the second moving unit 70 are driven by separate drive sources.

[0083] Furthermore, when the line head 40 transitions from the first region Am1 to the third region Am3, it transitions from being moved by the first moving unit 65 to being moved by the third moving unit 73. Furthermore, when the line head 40 transitions from the third region Am3 to the first region Am1, it transitions from being moved by the third moving unit 73 to being moved by the first moving unit 65. That is, in this embodiment, in addition to the first moving unit 65 and the second moving unit 70, the third moving unit 73 is also driven by one head moving motor 101. As a result, it is possible to prevent an increase in the cost of the device and to reduce the size of the device.

[0084] In this embodiment, the first moving unit 65 is provided with a cam 66, which is a cam that rotates by the power of the head moving motor 101 and moves the line head 40 by rotating while supporting the line head 40. This allows fine adjustment of the position of the line head 40 at a position close to the medium transport path Ta. As a result, the line head 40 can be positioned at an appropriate position according to the thickness of the medium. In this embodiment, the second moving unit 70 includes a rack 71 provided on the line head 40 and a pinion 72 that meshes with the rack 71 and rotates using the power of the head moving motor 101 to move the line head 40. This allows the line head 40 to be moved by a large amount in accordance with the second area Am2, which is convenient for maintenance work and the like. However, the first moving unit 65 is not limited to cam drive, and may employ other configurations such as rack and pinion drive, etc. Furthermore, the second moving unit 70 is not limited to rack and pinion drive, and may employ other configurations such as cam drive, etc.

[0085] In this embodiment, the cam 66 and pinion 72 are integrally configured to form the rotating body 74. This allows power to be easily transmitted from the head movement motor 101 to the first movement unit 65 and the second movement unit 70. Furthermore, since there is no need to transmit power separately from the head movement motor 101 to the first movement unit 65 and the second movement unit 70, the number of parts can be reduced. As a result, increases in the cost of the device can be suppressed and the device can be made more compact. However, the cam 66 and the pinion 72 may be configured as separate bodies.

[0086] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the rotating body 74 is provided with a push-down portion 75. This allows power to be easily transmitted from the head movement motor 101 to the first movement unit 65, the second movement unit 70, and the third movement unit 73. Also, since there is no need to transmit power individually from the head movement motor 101 to the first movement unit 65, the second movement unit 70, and the third movement unit 73, the number of parts can be reduced. As a result, it is possible to prevent an increase in the cost of the device and to make the device more compact. However, the push-down portion 75 may be configured separately from the rotating body 74.

[0087] In this embodiment, the pinion 72 has a first phase region Ak1 in which some of the teeth are missing, and when the first phase region Ak1 faces the rack 71, the cam 66 supports the line head 40. This provides the following advantageous effects. That is, when the first moving unit 65 moves the line head 40, if the second moving unit 70 attempts to move the line head 40, there is a risk that the position adjustment of the line head 40 by the first moving unit 65 will be disrupted. According to this aspect, the pinion 72 has a first phase region Ak1 in which some of the teeth are missing, and when the first phase region Ak1 faces the rack 71, the cam 66 supports the line head 40. This makes it possible to prevent the second moving unit 70 from causing adverse effects when the first moving unit 65 attempts to move the line head 40.

[0088] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the movement of the line head 40 is shifted from that caused by the cam 66 to that caused by the pinion 72, and when the movement of the line head 40 is shifted from that caused by the pinion 72 to that caused by the cam 66, a state in which the cam 66 contacts the line head 40 and the pinion 72 meshes with the rack 71 is temporarily created. This prevents the line head 40 from being unsupported by either the cam 66 or the pinion 72. As a result, it is possible to avoid the occurrence of a problem in which the line head 40 falls and a malfunction occurs in the line head 40 due to an impact. Note that the states in which the cam 66 contacts the line head 40 and the pinion 72 meshes with the rack 71 are different from the states of the first recording position, the second recording position, and the third recording position described above. Furthermore, if the cam 66 and the pinion 72 are configured separately, there is a risk that, due to component tolerances, assembly errors, etc., it may be temporarily impossible to form a state in which the cam 66 contacts the line head 40 and the pinion 72 meshes with the rack 71. However, in this embodiment, the cam 66 and the pinion 72 are configured as a single unit, and therefore the occurrence of such problems can be suppressed.

[0089] In this embodiment, the line head 40 includes a rack member 32 in which the rack 71 and a contact portion 32a that contacts the cam 66 are integrally formed. This makes it easier to determine the positional relationship between the contact portion 32a and the rack 71. If the contact portion 32a and the rack 71 were configured separately, there is a risk that, due to component tolerances, assembly errors, etc., it may be temporarily impossible to form a state in which the cam 66 contacts the line head 40 and the pinion 72 meshes with the rack 71. However, since the contact portion 32a and the rack 71 are configured integrally and the positional relationship between the contact portion 32a and the rack 71 is easily determined, the occurrence of the above-mentioned problem can be suppressed.

[0090] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the printer 1 includes a guide frame 33 that guides the line head 40 in the X-axis direction, i.e., the movement direction of the line head 40, and a shaft 77 that is the rotation axis of the rotating body 74, and the shaft 77 is rotatably supported by the guide frame 33. This makes it easier to determine the positional relationship between the rotating body 74 and the rack member 32, properly determines the positional relationship between the rack 71 and the pinion 72, and properly determines the positional relationship between the abutment portion 32a and the cam 66. Therefore, the line head 40 can be moved appropriately by the first moving unit 65 and the second moving unit 70.

[0091] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the head unit 30 includes a plurality of nozzles 44 arranged along the medium width direction, which eject ink, which is an example of a liquid, and a line head 40, which is a liquid ejection head that ejects ink from the nozzles 44 without moving in the medium width direction. A cap portion 61 is provided at a position opposite the line head 40, which covers a head surface 42a, which is a liquid ejection surface of the line head 40. The cap portion 61 is displaceable in the direction of moving toward and away from the line head 40, and the cap portion 61 is pressed toward the line head 40 by a cap spring 63, which is an example of a pressing member. The line head 40 can further move from the first region Am1 toward the cap position Hp0 where the head surface 42a is covered by the cap portion 61. The rotating body 74 is provided with a push-down portion 75 that pushes down the line head 40 toward the cap portion 61 as the rotating body 74 rotates after the contact between the contact portion 32a that contacts the cam 66 in the line head 40 and the cam 66 is released. This provides the following advantageous effects.

[0092] To ensure that the head surface 42a of the line head 40 is covered by the cap part 61, it is necessary to press the head surface 42a against the cap part 61 against the pressing force of the cap spring 63. The first moving part 65 moves the line head 40 in the first region Am1, and also moves the line head 40 by the rotation of the cam 66, so the head surface 42a cannot be pressed against the cap part 61. However, the rotating body 74 is provided with a push-down portion 75 that pushes down the line head 40 toward the cap portion 61 as the rotating body 74 rotates after the contact between the contact portion 32a that abuts against the cam 66 in the line head 40 and the cam 66 is released. This allows the head surface 42a to be reliably pressed against the cap portion 61, and the head surface 42a to be reliably covered by the cap portion 61. Furthermore, since the pressing portion 75 is provided on the rotor 74, there is no need for a separate power source to reliably press the head surface 42a against the cap portion 61. As a result, it is possible to prevent an increase in the cost of the device and to make the device more compact.

[0093] <Line head position detection> Next, a description will be given of position detection in the movement direction of the line head 40. Hereinafter, when simply referring to the movement direction, it means the movement direction of the line head 40 (Z-axis direction). First, the control unit 100 will be further described with reference to Fig. 4. The control unit 100 controls the entire printer 1, but components not related to the movement of the line head 40 are not shown in Fig. 4. The control unit 100 performs various controls, including recording control of the printer 1. The control unit 100 has one or more processors that operate according to a computer program, in other words, software. The processor includes a CPU and memory such as RAM and ROM, and the memory stores program code or instructions configured to cause the CPU to execute processes. The control unit 100 is not limited to those that perform software processing. For example, the control unit 100 may have a dedicated hardware circuit, such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), that performs hardware processing for at least a portion of the processing that it executes.

[0094] A head movement motor 101 is electrically connected as an output system to the control unit 100. In this embodiment, the head movement motor 101 is a DC motor, and is PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) controlled by the control unit 100. The control unit 100 is also electrically connected to an input system including an operation unit 115, a rotary ENC 103, and a linear ENC 107. The operation unit 115 is a part that accepts inputs for turning the printer 1 on and off, various settings, and recording execution, and can be configured, for example, as a touch panel that realizes a user interface under the control of the control unit 100.

[0095] The control unit 100 includes a calculation unit 120, a motor control unit 121, a motor driver 122, a volatile memory 123, and a non-volatile memory 124, which is an example of a storage means. The calculation unit 120 performs various calculations necessary to operate the printer 1. For example, the calculation unit 120 performs calculations such as various setting values necessary to execute a program 125 stored in the non-volatile memory 124. The volatile memory 123 is used as a temporary data storage area.

[0096] Motor control unit 121 controls head movement motor 101 via motor driver 122 by outputting a current command value, for example a duty signal required for PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control, to motor driver 122. Motor driver 122 includes a D / A converter, and controls the current supplied to head movement motor 101 by performing PWM control based on the duty signal. In this embodiment, the motor control unit 121 performs PID control of the head movement motor 101. The motor control unit 121 calculates a target rotation speed by multiplying a gain Kp by the position deviation between a target rotation position of the head movement motor 101 and an actual rotation position obtained from the output signal of the rotary ENC 103. The motor control unit 121 then calculates a proportional component, an integral component, and a derivative component using a proportional element, an integral element, and a derivative element based on the speed deviation between this target rotation speed and the actual rotation speed obtained from the output of the rotary ENC 103, and sends a duty signal to the motor driver 122 based on the sum of these calculation results. The motor control unit 121 may control the head moving motor 101 based on the output signal of a linear ENC instead of the output signal of the rotary ENC 103 .

[0097] The calculation unit 120 detects edges of the output pulses of the rotary ENC 103, counts the number of edges, and calculates the rotational position of the head movement motor 101 based on this count value. The calculation unit 120 distinguishes between forward and reverse rotation of the head movement motor 101 by comparing two pulse signals output from the rotary ENC 103. The calculation unit 120 then performs counting processing so that when one edge is detected, the calculation unit 120 increments or decrements the rotational position of the head movement motor 101 depending on whether it is forward or reverse rotation. The "Rotary ENC Position" shown in Figures 22 and 23 has a vertical axis which represents the rotational position of the head movement motor 101 obtained by the above-mentioned counting process, with the upward direction representing the increment direction, i.e., the upward direction of the line head 40, and the downward direction representing the decrement direction, i.e., the downward direction of the line head 40.

[0098] The rotary ENC 103 outputs two pulse signals, pulse ENC-A and pulse ENC-B. Whether the head movement motor 101 is rotating forward or reverse, the pulse ENC-A and pulse ENC-B are 90 degrees out of phase with each other. When the head movement motor 101 is rotating forward, the pulse ENC-A leads the pulse ENC-B by 90 degrees. On the other hand, when the head movement motor 101 is rotating reversely, the pulse ENC-A lags the pulse ENC-B by 90 degrees. The duration of one cycle of each pulse is equal to the time it takes for the head movement motor 101 to rotate the distance between the slits in the rotary scale 104. This allows the calculation unit 120 to detect the rotation speed of the head movement motor 101. The "rotary ENC speed" shown in Figures 22 and 23 corresponds to this rotation speed.

[0099] The calculation unit 120 can calculate the movement amount of the line head 40 based on the rotation amount of the head movement motor 101 and the reduction ratio of the above-mentioned reduction mechanism 76. Furthermore, if the calculation unit 120 detects the time for one cycle of each pulse, it can calculate the movement speed of the line head 40 based on the reduction ratio of the above-mentioned reduction mechanism 76. However, if no signal change is detected from the linear ENC 107, that is, if the linear ENC position described below does not change, the line head 40 does not move even if the position of the rotary ENC 103 changes.

[0100] The calculation unit 120 can also detect edges of the output pulses of the linear ENC 107, count the number of edges, and calculate the position of the line head 40 in the movement direction based on this count value. The calculation unit 120 distinguishes between rising and falling of the line head 40 by comparing two pulse signals output from the linear ENC 107. Then, the calculation unit 120 performs counting processing so that when one edge is detected, the position of the line head 40 is incremented or decremented depending on whether it is rising or falling. 22 and 23, the vertical axis of the "linear ENC position" is the position obtained by the above-mentioned counting process, and corresponds to the position in the movement direction of the line head 40. The upward direction of the linear ENC position is the increment direction, i.e., the upward direction of the line head 40, and the downward direction is the decrement direction, i.e., the downward direction of the line head 40.

[0101] The linear ENC 107 outputs two pulse signals, a pulse ENC-A and a pulse ENC-B. Whether the line head 40 is rising or falling, the pulse ENC-A and the pulse ENC-B are out of phase with each other by 90 degrees. When the line head 40 is rising, the pulse ENC-A leads the pulse ENC-B in phase by 90 degrees. On the other hand, when the line head 40 is falling, the pulse ENC-A lags the pulse ENC-B in phase by 90 degrees. The time for one cycle of each pulse is equal to the time it takes for the line head 40 to move the distance between the slits in the linear scale 108. If the calculation unit 120 counts the number of pulse signals, it can detect the amount of movement of the line head 40. Furthermore, if the calculation unit 120 detects the time for one cycle of each pulse, it can calculate the movement speed of the line head 40. The "linear ENC speed" shown in Figures 22 and 23 corresponds to the movement speed.

[0102] The method for detecting the origin of the line head 40 will be outlined below. As an example, when the line head 40 descends from the recording position Hp1 shown in Fig. 19, the rotary ENC 103 and the linear ENC 107 both produce signal changes until the protrusion 40a provided on the line head 40 abuts against the upstream support part 46. This is reflected in the rotary ENC position and the linear ENC position during the cam drive period shown in Fig. 22. When the protrusion 40a on the line head 40 abuts against the upstream support portion 46, the descent of the line head 40 temporarily stops, and the signal change of the linear ENC 107 disappears. This is reflected in the linear ENC position during the motor idling period shown in Fig. 22. However, because the head movement motor 101 continues to rotate, the signal change of the rotary ENC 103 continues to occur, as shown in the rotary ENC position during the motor idling period shown in Fig. 22.

[0103] The control unit 100 can use this property to set the origin position of the line head 40. That is, when the line head 40 is lowered toward the facing unit 45, the control unit 100 sets the origin position of the line head 40 based on the position of the line head 40 when the signal change of the linear ENC 107 disappears while the signal change of the rotary ENC 103 is present. In FIG. 22, position Pm0 is the rotary ENC position when the signal change of the linear ENC 107 disappears, i.e., the origin position of the rotary ENC 103, and position Pn0 is the linear ENC position when the signal change of the linear ENC 107 disappears, i.e., the origin position of the linear ENC 107.

[0104] The position of the line head 40 in the movement direction may be determined based on the origin position of the rotary ENC 103, or may be determined based on the origin position of the linear ENC 107. In either case, the distance from the origin position to the boundary of each area can be stored as a known value in the nonvolatile memory 124. As a result, the control unit 100 can determine the current position of the line head 40. In this embodiment, the encoder resolution for the unit movement amount of the line head 40 is higher for the rotary ENC 103 than for the linear ENC 107 due to the reduction mechanism 76. Therefore, in order to ensure the accuracy of the stopping position of the line head 40, it is preferable that the basic speed control of the head movement motor 101 be performed based on the output signal of the rotary ENC 103.

[0105] It should be noted that the origin position of the line head 40 can also be set when raising the line head 40. For example, when the line head 40 rises from the cap position Hp0, the rotary ENC 103 and the linear ENC 107 both produce signal changes until the upstream support part 46 rises to the upper limit position. This is reflected in the rotary ENC position and linear ENC position during the lever drive period shown in FIG. 23. When the upstream support portion 46 rises to the upper limit position and the push-down portion 75 moves upward away from the pressed portion 32b, the rise of the line head 40 temporarily stops, and the signal of the linear ENC 107 stops changing. This is reflected in the linear ENC position during the motor idling period shown in FIG. 23. However, because the head movement motor 101 continues to rotate, the signal of the rotary ENC 103 continues to change, as shown in the rotary ENC position during the motor idling period shown in FIG. 23. Then, when the cam 66 abuts against the abutment portion 32a and lifts the line head 40, the protrusion 40a moves away from the upstream support portion 46, and the line head 40 rises. This is reflected in the linear ENC position during the transition from the motor idling period to the cam driving period shown in FIG. 23.

[0106] The control unit 100 can use this property to set the origin position of the line head 40. That is, the control unit 100 sets the origin position of the line head 40 based on the position of the line head 40 when a signal change occurs in the linear ENC 107 while a signal change exists in the rotary ENC 103. In FIG. 23, position Pm0 is the rotary ENC position when the signal change of the linear ENC 107 disappears, i.e., the origin position of the rotary ENC 103, and position Pn0 is the linear ENC position when the signal change of the linear ENC 107 disappears, i.e., the origin position of the linear ENC 107.

[0107] The processing executed by the control unit 100 will be further described below with reference to FIG. The control unit 100 sets the origin position of the line head 40 at a predetermined timing (step S101). This origin position setting can be performed when the printer 1 is turned on, or when a predetermined time has passed since the origin position was last set. Next, the control unit 100 sets the rotary ENC position as shown in step S102. Note that the position in step S102 is the rotary ENC position, but it may also be the linear ENC position.

[0108] As a result, the rotary ENC position of the lever drive area is set to "position < origin - dx1." The distance dx1 is the distance from the origin position to the lever drive area. The rotary ENC position in the cam drive area is set to "origin ≦ position < origin + dx2." The distance dx2 is the distance from the origin position to the rack and pinion drive area. Also, the rotary ENC position of the rack and pinion drive region is set to "origin + dx2 ≦ position." The values dx1 and dx2 are stored in the non-volatile memory 124 as part of the control parameters 126 (see FIG. 4). The lengths of the lever drive region and the rack and pinion drive region are also stored in the non-volatile memory 124 as part of the control parameters 126 (see FIG. 4).

[0109] Next, when the control unit 100 moves the line head 40 (Yes in step S103), it determines whether the printing mode is the normal mode (step S104). The user can select the printing mode between the normal mode and the speed priority mode via the operation unit 115. In the normal mode, the control unit 100 temporarily stops the line head 40 before the area boundary and selects control parameters for each area (step S105).In the speed priority mode, the control unit 100 continuously drives the line head 40 without stopping it at the area boundary and selects control parameters for each area (step S106).

[0110] The control parameters for each area are stored in non-volatile memory 124 as part of control parameters 126 (see FIG. 4). The control parameters for each area include a torque limit value for head movement motor 101. The torque limit value is an example of a limit value for the driving force of head movement motor 101. The torque limit value is, for example, a limit value for the duty signal sent to motor driver 122, which limits the driving current value of head movement motor 101. The torque limit value for each region is stored as part of the control parameters 126 (see FIG. 4) in the non-volatile memory 124. By setting the torque limit value, excessive loads on the drive mechanism, line head 40, opposing unit 45, etc. are suppressed when an abnormality occurs.

[0111] FIG. 27 shows the head movement speed, motor rotation speed, motor drive load, and torque limit value for each region when the line head 40 is raised and lowered. When the line head 40 descends, the head movement speed is slowest in the first region Am1, i.e., cam drive, fastest in the second region Am2, i.e., rack and pinion drive, and intermediate in the third region Am3, i.e., lever drive. Also, when the line head 40 descends, the motor rotation speed is speed 2 in each region. However, it may be set to a speed slower than speed 2, for example, in the second region Am2 or the third region Am3, to reduce the impact when the line head 40 hits an obstacle.

[0112] Furthermore, when the line head 40 descends, the drive load of the head moving motor 101 is smallest in the first region Am1 and the second region Am2, and is larger in the third region Am3 than in the first region Am1 and the second region Am. Therefore, when the line head 40 descends, the torque limit value is smallest in the first region Am1 and the second region Am2, and is larger in the third region Am3 than in the first region Am1 and the second region Am. This is because, in the third region Am3, the push-down portion 75 pushes down the line head 40 against the spring forces of the coil spring 54 (see FIG. 20) and the cap spring 63 (see FIG. 20). This is reflected in the motor duty in the lever drive region shown in FIG. 22. When the line head 40 descends, in the third region Am3, the head moving motor 101 first receives a load from the coil spring 54, and then receives a load from both the coil spring 54 and the cap spring 63. Therefore, the motor duty increases as the line head 40 descends. Therefore, it is preferable that the torque limit value be greatest in the third region Am3. However, if there is no need to set the torque limit value in terms of the first driving region Hm1 and the second driving region Hm2 (described later), the torque limit values in the first region Am1 and the second region Am2 may be the same as the torque limit value in the third region Am3.

[0113] Next, when the line head 40 ascends, the head movement speed is slowest in the first region Am1, i.e., cam drive, fastest in the second region Am2, i.e., rack and pinion drive, and intermediate in the third region Am3, i.e., lever drive. Furthermore, when the line head 40 ascends, the motor rotation speed is speed 1 in each region. However, for example, in the second region Am2 or the third region Am3, speed 1 may be set slower than speed 1 to reduce the impact when the line head 40 hits an obstacle. Speed 1 may be equal to speed 2, faster than speed 2, or slower than speed 2.

[0114] Furthermore, when the line head 40 is raised, the drive load of the head movement motor 101 is smallest in the third region Am3 and the first region Am1, and is larger in the second region Am2 than in the first region Am1 and the second region Am. However, when the line head 40 is raised, the torque limit value is largest in the third region Am3. This is because if jamming occurs in the worm gear mechanism when the head is lowered, there is a risk that a larger motor drive load will be applied when the head is raised than when the head is lowered. Furthermore, the torque limit value is smallest in the first region Am1, and is larger in the second region Am2 than in the first region Am1.

[0115] Next, with reference to FIG. 25, a process of detecting the origin of the line head 40 by raising the line head 40 from a state in which the line head 40 is placed on the upstream support portion 46 via the protrusion 40a will be described. With the line head 40 resting on the upstream support part 46 via the protrusion 40a, the control part 100 starts driving the head movement motor 101 to raise the line head 40 (step S201). Next, when a signal change occurs in the linear ENC 107 (Yes in step S202), if the number of edges of the output pulse of the linear ENC 107 is Ce1, the control part 100 sets the origin position based on the linear ENC 107 to just before the Ce1 edge (step S203). An example of the number of edges Ce1 is 1.

[0116] Next, the control unit 100 sets the origin position based on the rotary ENC 103 to Ce1 × (Rs1 / Rs2) edges before (step S204). Here, Rs1 is the resolution of the rotary ENC 103, specifically the number of edges of the output pulse of the rotary ENC 103 for a unit movement amount of the line head 40. Rs2 is the resolution of the linear ENC 107, specifically the number of edges of the output pulse of the linear ENC 107 for a unit movement amount of the line head 40. By setting the origin position of the line head 40 in this manner, the origin position of the line head 40 can be set accurately.

[0117] Next, with reference to FIG. 26, a process of detecting the origin of the line head 40 by lowering the line head 40 from a state in which the protruding portion 40a of the line head 40 is separated from the upstream support portion 46 will be described. The control unit 100 starts driving the head movement motor 101 to lower the line head 40 (step S301). Next, if there is no signal change from the linear ENC 107 (Yes in step S302), and there is a signal change from the rotary ENC 103 (Yes in step S303), the control unit 100 sets the origin position based on the linear ENC 107 to the linear ENC position at the time when there is no signal change from the linear ENC 107 (step S304). The control unit 100 also sets the origin position based on the rotary ENC 103 to the rotary ENC position at the time when there is no signal change from the linear ENC 107 (step S305). By setting the origin position of the line head 40 in this manner, the origin position of the line head 40 can be set accurately. The origin position setting in step S101 in FIG. 24 may be performed using the process shown in FIG. 25 or the process shown in FIG.

[0118] If the signal change of the linear ENC 107 disappears (Yes in step S302), and if the signal change of the rotary ENC 103 also disappears (No in step S303) even though the head unit 30 is within the movement area of the line head 40, it is determined that the head unit 30 has come into contact with some kind of obstacle, and the head movement motor 101 is stopped (step S306), and error processing is performed. As an example of error processing, an alert indicating that an abnormality has occurred is displayed on the operation unit 115. This makes it possible to prevent excessive load from being applied to the line head 40 and the moving means 110, and to prevent damage to the line head 40 and the moving means 110.

[0119] It should be noted that there is play such as gear backlash in the moving means 110. Therefore, in particular when the origin position of the line head 40 is set while the line head 40 is being lowered and then the line head 40 is raised based on the origin position of the rotary ENC 103, it is preferable to set the target stop position of the head moving motor 101 taking the backlash into consideration.

[0120] Here, the torque limit value from the viewpoint of the first driving region Hm1 and the second driving region Hm2 described with reference to FIG. 4 will be described. As explained with reference to FIG. 1, when a jam occurs, the jammed media can be removed by opening the discharge tray 29. In other words, the jam can be cleared. Here, when a jam occurs, the control unit 100 moves the line head 40 to the jam clearance position Hp2, so when the discharge tray 29 is opened, there is a risk that foreign matter may get in between the line head 40 and the facing part 45. In this embodiment, the foreign matter is assumed to be a tool, a writing implement, or the like. If the line head 40 is lowered with a foreign object between the line head 40 and the facing portion 45, the foreign object may be caught between the line head 40 and the facing portion 45, damaging the head surface 42a of the line head 40 and potentially causing ink ejection problems. In consideration of this issue, torque limit values are set in the first drive region Hm1 and the second drive region Hm2.

[0121] Hereinafter, the process of the control unit 100 when a jam occurs will be described with reference to FIG. When a jam occurs (Yes in step S501), the control unit 100 moves the line head 40 to the jam processing position Hp2 (step S502), and then causes the operation unit 115 to display an alert that a paper jam has occurred (step S503). The control unit 100 determines that a jam has occurred in the following manner. For example, after the medium detection unit 22 (see FIG. 1) detects the leading edge of the medium, if the medium detection unit 22 (see FIG. 1) cannot detect the trailing edge of the medium within a predetermined determination time, it determines that a jam has occurred. Alternatively, after the medium detection unit 22 (see FIG. 1) detects the leading edge of the medium, if the medium detection unit 22 (see FIG. 1) cannot detect the trailing edge of the medium even after driving the first transport roller pair 15 a predetermined number of rotations, it determines that a jam has occurred. Based on the alert displayed on the operation unit 115, the user opens the discharge tray 29 and removes the jammed medium.

[0122] Next, when the control unit 100 detects that the discharge tray 29 has been opened and then closed based on the detection information from the open / close sensor 128 (Yes in step S504) and the OK button displayed on the operation unit 115 is pressed (Yes in step S505), it sets the torque limit value to a first limit value (step S506). In FIG. 22, dashed lines Tm1 and Tm2 indicate the torque limit values, and dashed line Tm1 indicates the first limit value. The torque limit value in the first driving region Hm1 is the first limit value Tm1. The first limit value Tm1 is smaller than a second limit value Tm2, which will be described later. Then, the control unit 100 starts driving the line head 40 downward (step S507).

[0123] If the drive current value of the head moving motor 101 exceeds the torque limit value (Yes in step S508), the control unit 100 performs error processing. This is because if the drive current value of the head moving motor 101 exceeds the torque limit value in the first drive region Hm1, it is considered that an abnormality has occurred, such as a foreign object getting between the line head 40 and the facing part 45. The error processing here can be, for example, a process of raising the line head 40 again toward the jam processing position Hp2, and then displaying an alert on the operation unit 115. The alert display here can be, for example, an alert display that prompts the user to check for the presence or absence of foreign matter.

[0124] Next, when the line head 40 enters the second driving region Hm2 (Yes in step S509), the control unit 100 switches the torque limit value to the second limit value Tm2 (step S510). That is, the torque limit value in the second driving region Hm2 becomes the second limit value Tm2. The first limit value Tm1 and the second limit value Tm2 are included in the control parameters 126 (see FIG. 4). If the drive current value of the head movement motor 101 exceeds the torque limit value (Yes in step S511), the control unit 100 performs error processing. Note that the error processing here can be, for example, a process of raising the line head 40 again toward the jam processing position Hp2, and then displaying an alert on the operation unit 115 to the effect that an abnormality has occurred. Then, when the line head 40 reaches the recording position without the drive current value of the head moving motor 101 exceeding the torque limit value (Yes in step S512), the process ends.

[0125] As described above, the driving region of the line head 40 has a first driving region Hm1 and a second driving region Hm2 located in the first movement direction relative to the first driving region Hm1. The first movement direction is the direction in which the line head 40 moves from the jam processing position Hp2, which is the farthest from the facing portion 45, toward the facing portion 45. Regarding the limit value of the driving force of the head moving motor 101, the first limit value Tm1 in the first driving region Hm1 is smaller than the second limit value Tm2 in the second driving region Hm2. This makes it possible to suppress damage to the line head 40 when the line head 40 moves in the first movement direction with a foreign object remaining between the line head 40 and the facing portion 45. Furthermore, in the second driving region Hm2, the line head 40 can be reliably moved.

[0126] In this embodiment, the torque limit value switches at the boundary between the motor idling region and the third region Am3, as shown in Fig. 22. However, the torque limit value may switch in the middle of the motor idling region, or in the middle of the first region Am1 or the second region Am2.

[0127] The printer 1 also includes a housing 25 and a discharge tray 29, which is a tray provided in the housing 25 and is located above the line head 40. When the discharge tray 29 is opened, the line head 40 is exposed. This makes it easy to clear jams. When the discharge tray 29 is opened, there is a risk that foreign matter may get in between the line head 40 and the facing portion 45, but the first limit value Tm1 described above can prevent damage to the line head 40.

[0128] Furthermore, when the control unit 100 detects a medium jam in the medium transport path Ta, it moves the line head 40 in a second movement direction opposite to the first movement direction, i.e., in the +Z direction, and widens the platen gap, i.e., the distance between the line head 40 and the facing unit 45 (step S502 in FIG. 30). This makes it easier to clear the jam.

[0129] Note that when the control unit 100 detects that the discharge tray 29 is closed based on the detection information from the open / close sensor 128 while the line head 40 is in the first drive region Hm1, it may move the line head 40 in the -Z direction. This allows the line head 40 to be quickly moved to the recording position. Furthermore, the control unit 100 may move the line head 40 in the +Z direction when it detects that the discharge tray 29 is open based on the detection information from the open / close sensor 128. This type of processing also makes it easier to clear jams.

[0130] In this embodiment, the opening / closing member for exposing the line head 40 is configured as the discharge tray 29 that receives the medium that has been recorded on and is discharged. In this way, the opening / closing member for exposing the line head 40 also serves as the discharge tray that receives the medium that has been recorded on and is discharged, and this dual use of components can prevent an increase in the cost of the device.

[0131] The printer 1 also has a cap part 61 that covers the head surface 42a at a position facing the line head 40. The cap part 61 is displaceable toward and away from the line head 40. The cap part 61 is pressed in the +Z direction by a cap spring 63, which is an example of a first pressing member. When the line head 40 descends, it presses down the cap part 61 against the pressing force of the cap spring 63 in the second drive region Hm2. Therefore, in the second driving region Hm2, a large load is applied to the head moving motor 101. However, since the second limit value Tm2 in the second driving region Hm2 is greater than the first limit value Tm1 in the first driving region Hm1, the cap portion 61 can be reliably pressed down.

[0132] Additionally, the upstream support part 46, which is a part of the facing part 45, is displaceable in a direction toward and away from the line head 40. The upstream support part 46 is pressed in the +Z direction by a coil spring 54, which is an example of a second pressing member. When the line head 40 descends, it presses down the upstream support part 46 against the pressing force of the coil spring 54 in the second drive region Hm2. Therefore, in the second driving region Hm2, a large load is applied to the head moving motor 101. However, since the second limit value Tm2 in the second driving region Hm2 is greater than the first limit value Tm1 in the first driving region Hm1, the upstream support portion 46 can be reliably pressed down.

[0133] Furthermore, the driven roller 18, which is located downstream of the line head 40 on the medium transport path Ta, is supported by a support member 24. The support member 24 narrows the opening when accessing the gap between the line head 40 and the facing portion 45. The support member 24 has a shape that is long along the X-axis direction. FIG. 29 shows a state in which the line head 40 is located at the jam processing position Hp2, and the symbol kp indicates the opening when accessing the gap between the line head 40 and the facing portion 45. In this way, the support member 24 narrows the opening kp when accessing the gap between the line head 40 and the facing portion 45, and therefore the support member 24 can prevent foreign matter from entering between the line head 40 and the facing portion 45. Furthermore, the support member 24 narrows the opening kp when accessing the gap between the line head 40 and the opposing portion 45, but by widening the gap between the line head 40 and the opposing portion 45, it becomes easier to remove media that has accumulated between the line head 40 and the opposing portion 45, so the media can be easily removed through the opening kp. The reference symbol 24a denotes a protrusion provided on the upper part of the support member 24. The protrusion 24a extends along the X-axis direction. By providing such a protrusion 24a, it is possible to effectively prevent foreign matter from entering between the line head 40 and the facing part 45.

[0134] Next, referring to FIG. 28, we will explain the processing that occurs when the printer 1 is not turned off using the normal procedure. When the printer 1 is turned off using the normal procedure, specifically when the user turns off the printer by pressing a power button (not shown), the line head 40 is moved to the capped position. Therefore, in this case, when the printer 1 is turned on, the control unit 100 can determine that the line head 40 is in the capped position. However, if the printer 1 is not turned off using the normal procedure, for example, if the power cord is unplugged while the printer is on, and the printer 1 is then turned on, the control unit 100 will not be able to determine the accurate current position of the line head 40. Therefore, in this case, exception processing is required to determine the current position of the line head 40. It is also possible to ascertain the position of the line head 40 by abutting the line head 40 against one end or the other end of the movement area and detecting an increase in the drive current value of the head movement motor 101. However, this method is not preferable because excessive surface pressure may be generated between the worm wheel 83 (see FIG. 9) and the cylindrical worm 84 (see FIG. 9) that constitute the worm gear mechanism, which may cause locking.

[0135] Whether the printer 1 was turned off in the normal way can be determined by saving a power flag indicating this in the non-volatile memory 124 (see FIG. 4) when the printer 1 was turned off in the normal way. For example, when the printer 1 was turned off in the normal way, the control unit 100 saves "1" as the power flag in the non-volatile memory 124. When the printer 1 is turned on, the control unit 100 reads the power flag, and if it is "1", it sets the origin position in the normal way (step S101 in FIG. 24). At that time, the control unit 100 resets the power flag to "0". Furthermore, when the printer 1 is turned on, the control unit 100 reads the power flag, and if it is "0", it determines that the printer 1 was not turned off using the normal procedure and performs the exception processing shown in FIG. 28.

[0136] In Figure 28, when the printer 1 is turned on, the control unit 100 determines whether the printer 1 is being turned on after a normal power-off state (step S401). If the printer 1 is being turned on after a normal power-off state (Yes in step S401), the control unit 100 performs normal origin position setting (step S405). Note that the processing in step S405 is the same as that in step S101 in Figure 24. If the power is not turned on after being normally turned off (No in step S401), the control unit 100 drives the head moving motor 101 by a predetermined amount in the direction opposite to the previous driving direction (step S402).

[0137] Here, the previous drive direction is the drive direction the control unit 100 used the previous time it drove the head movement motor 101. Every time the control unit 100 drives the head movement motor 101, it stores a direction flag indicating the rotation direction in the non-volatile memory 124 (see FIG. 4). By reading the direction flag, the control unit 100 can determine the rotation direction the head movement motor 101 was previously driven. Furthermore, it is preferable that the "predetermined amount" in step S402 be as small as possible within the range in which the linear ENC speed can be detected. For example, the "predetermined amount" is preferably 5.0 mm or less, and more preferably 3.0 mm or less, converted into the movement amount of the line head 40. The "predetermined amount" is stored in the non-volatile memory 124 as part of the control parameters 126 (see FIG. 4). By minimizing the "predetermined amount" in this way, it is possible to prevent the line head 40 from coming into contact with an obstacle when moved, which would cause the worm gear mechanism to lock as described above.

[0138] Next, the control unit 100 determines which region the line head 40 is currently in based on the linear ENC speed (step S403). As described with reference to FIG. 27, the movement speed of the line head 40, i.e., the linear ENC speed, differs between the first region Am1, the second region Am2, and the third region Am3. That is, the linear ENC speed when the head movement motor 101 is rotated at a predetermined rotation speed differs in each region and can be acquired as a known value. Therefore, the control unit 100 can determine which region the line head 40 is in based on the linear ENC speed. Of course, if the linear ENC speed when the head movement motor 101 is rotated at a predetermined rotation speed is zero, it can be determined that the line head 40 is in the motor idle region shown in FIGS. 22 and 23. The movement speed of the line head 40 in each region when the head movement motor 101 is rotated at a predetermined rotation speed is stored in the non-volatile memory 124 as part of the control parameters 126 (see FIG. 4). Of course, the movement speed has a range to account for error.

[0139] If it is possible to determine which region the line head 40 is in, it is possible to determine in which direction the line head 40 should be moved to set the origin position. Therefore, the control unit 100 sets the origin position based on which region the line head 40 is in (step S404). For example, if the line head 40 is in the second region Am2 or the first region Am1, the origin position can be set by lowering the line head 40. Also, if the line head 40 is in the third region Am3 or the motor idle region, the origin position can be set by raising the line head 40. Setting the origin position by raising the line head 40 is the process shown in FIG. 25, and setting the origin position by lowering the line head 40 is the process shown in FIG. 26.

[0140] If the linear ENC speed is zero when the head movement motor 101 is rotated at a predetermined rotation speed, it is possible that the line head 40 is in the motor idling range or that the line head 40 has come into contact with some part and is unable to move. However, in step S402, the head movement motor 101 is driven in the opposite direction from the previous driving direction. This makes it possible to at least avoid a situation in which the line head 40 is unable to move due to hitting one end or the other end of the movement range. In this way, even if the printer 1 is not turned off in the normal way, the current position of the line head 40 can be determined based on the detection information of the rotary ENC 103 and the linear ENC 107. In addition, at that time, the occurrence of the above-mentioned locking of the worm gear mechanism can be suppressed.

[0141] In the above embodiment, the control unit 100 determines which region the line head 40 is currently in based on the linear ENC speed, but instead of the linear ENC speed, the motor drive load, specifically the motor drive current value, may be used, because the motor drive load, i.e., the motor drive current value, differs in each region.

[0142] When the shutter 47 (see FIG. 5) is closed, the line head 40 is in the first area Am1 or the second area Am2. Therefore, if a sensor for detecting the position of the shutter 47 is provided, the position of the line head 40 may be determined by referring to the position of the shutter 47. Furthermore, if a sensor is provided to detect that the cap unit 60 is in the lowered position, the state of this sensor may be referenced to determine the position of the line head 40. For example, if the cap unit 60 is not in the lowered position, the line head 40 is lowered. When the lowered position of the cap unit 60 is detected, it can be determined that the line head 40 is in the cap position.

[0143] The following describes the effects of the printer 1 configured as described above. First, as described above, the movement direction of the line head 40 includes a vertical component. The position detection means for detecting the position of the line head 40 relative to the medium transport path Ta is a linear ENC 107 that includes a linear scale 108 provided along the movement direction of the line head 40 and a first detection unit 109 that is a detection unit provided on the line head 40 and detects the linear scale 108. The moving means 110, which receives power from the head movement motor 101 to move the line head 40, has a configuration that, when the line head 40 is lowered toward the facing portion 45, allows the head movement motor 101 to idle after the line head 40 uses its own weight to rest on the facing portion 45. This idle rotation of the head movement motor 101 corresponds to the rotation of the head movement motor 101 in the motor idle rotation region shown in Figures 22 and 23. In other words, the idle rotation of the head movement motor 101 refers to a state in which the rotation of the head movement motor 101 is not converted into movement of the line head 40, and in which the head movement motor 101 is not receiving a load from the line head 40.

[0144] The control unit 100 then determines the position of the line head 40 in the movement direction based on the change in the detection signal of the linear ENC 107 when the line head 40 is placed on the opposing part 45 during the downward movement of the line head 40 (linear ENC position Pn0 in Figure 22), or the change in the detection signal of the linear ENC 107 when the line head 40 is raised from the state where it is placed on the opposing part 45 (linear ENC position Pn0 in Figure 23). This makes it possible to properly grasp the position of the line head 40 relative to the facing portion 45, and therefore to properly set the platen gap. Also, the line head 40 can be properly positioned at the cap position Hp0 or the jam handling position Hp2.

[0145] In addition, because the platen gap can be set with high precision, adjustments during the device assembly process are not necessary, shortening assembly time. Even if parts are deformed from their assembled state due to shocks during transportation of the device, the desired platen gap can be easily obtained. Furthermore, even if the gears and other components of the moving means 110 wear out due to aging, this does not affect the platen gap.

[0146] Furthermore, when the line head 40 is lowered toward the opposing portion 45, the moving means 110 is configured to allow the head moving motor 101 to rotate freely after the line head 40 uses its own weight to rest on the opposing portion 45, thereby achieving the following advantageous effects. For example, in a configuration in which the position of the line head 40 in the movement direction is determined by detecting an increase in the drive current value of the head movement motor 101 when the line head 40 contacts the facing portion 45, a load is placed on the moving means 110, which may result in damage to components. It may also be difficult to appropriately set the threshold value of the drive current value. Furthermore, if the moving means 110 includes a worm gear mechanism (see FIG. 9 ) as in this embodiment, excessive surface pressure may be generated between the worm wheel 83 and the cylindrical worm 84, causing locking. However, the moving means 110 is configured to allow the head movement motor 101 to idle after the line head 40 rests on the facing portion 45 using its own weight when lowering the line head 40 toward the facing portion 45. This prevents the above-mentioned problems from occurring.

[0147] This embodiment also includes a rotary ENC 103, which is a rotation detection unit that detects the rotation of the head movement motor 101. The control unit 100 then determines the position of the line head 40 in the movement direction based on the detection signal of the linear ENC 107 and the detection signal of the rotary ENC 103. This allows the position of the line head 40 in the movement direction to be determined with high accuracy.

[0148] In this embodiment, the rotation detection means is a rotary ENC 103 that includes a rotary scale 104 provided on the motor output shaft of the head movement motor 101 and a second detection unit 105 that detects the rotary scale 104. This allows the rotation of the head movement motor 101 to be detected with high accuracy.

[0149] The moving means 110 also includes a cylindrical worm 84 driven by the head moving motor 101, and a worm wheel 83 that meshes with the cylindrical worm 84 and rotates as the cylindrical worm 84 rotates. In this configuration, if excessive surface pressure occurs between the worm wheel 83 and the cylindrical worm 84, as described above, there is a risk of locking. However, as described above, no excessive load is applied to the moving means 110 when determining the position of the line head 40 relative to the facing portion 45, and therefore the occurrence of the locking can be suppressed. In addition, the worm gear mechanism can increase the reduction ratio when transmitting power from the head moving motor 101 to the line head 40. As a result, the resolution of the rotary ENC 103 can be made greater than the resolution of the linear ENC 107, and the line head 40 can be positioned with respect to the opposing part 45 with high precision.

[0150] The control unit 100 also sets the origin position of the line head 40 in the movement direction based on the position of the line head 40 at the point when there is no signal change in the linear ENC 107 during rotation of the head movement motor 101 when the line head 40 is lowered toward the opposing part 45 (linear ENC position Pn0 in Figure 22), or the position of the line head 40 at the point when there is a signal change in the linear ENC 107 during rotation of the head movement motor 101 when the line head 40 is raised from a state where it is placed on the opposing part 45 (linear ENC position Pn0 in Figure 23). In other words, the control unit 100 sets the origin position of the line head 40 in the movement direction based on the position of the line head 40 when there is a signal change in the rotary ENC 103 and no signal change in the linear ENC 107 when the line head 40 is lowered toward the opposing part 45 (linear ENC position Pn0 in Figure 22), or the position of the line head 40 when there is a signal change in the rotary ENC 103 and a signal change in the linear ENC 107 when the line head 40 is raised from a state where it is placed on the opposing part 45 (linear ENC position Pn0 in Figure 23). The control method realized by the control unit 100 also includes a step of setting the origin position of the line head 40 in the movement direction based on the position of the line head 40 when there is a signal change in the rotary ENC 103 and no signal change in the linear ENC 107 when the line head 40 is lowered toward the opposing part 45, or the position of the line head 40 when there is a signal change in the rotary ENC 103 and a signal change in the linear ENC 107 when the line head 40 is raised from a state where it is placed on the opposing part 45. This makes it possible to appropriately set the origin in the moving direction of the line head 40 by utilizing the signal change of the linear ENC 107. As a result, the positioning accuracy of the line head 40 is improved.

[0151] The line head 40 also has a protruding portion 40a that protrudes toward the facing portion 45, and when the protruding portion 40a comes into contact with the facing portion 45, the line head 40 rests on the facing portion 45 using its own weight. This makes it possible to avoid contact between the portion of the line head 40 that records on the medium, specifically the head chip 43 (see FIG. 2), and the facing portion 45. As a result, damage to the head chip 43 can be prevented, and the facing portion 45 can also be prevented from being soiled.

[0152] Furthermore, by providing a plurality of protruding portions 40a in the medium width direction and then bringing the protruding portions 40a into contact with the facing portion 45, the posture of the line head 40 relative to the facing portion 45 is also appropriately determined. Therefore, for example, the first recording position may be the position of the line head 40 when the protruding portion 40a abuts against the facing portion 45. This allows the platen gap to be set extremely appropriately, and also ensures parallelism of the line head 40 with respect to the facing portion 45, thereby obtaining appropriate recording quality. In order to grasp the posture of the line head 40 relative to the facing portion 45, a plurality of linear ENCs 107 may be provided at intervals in the X-axis direction, thereby detecting the posture of the line head 40 relative to the facing portion 45. In this case, in order to correct the posture of the line head 40 relative to the facing portion 45, the rotating body 74A provided near the +X-direction end of the shaft 77 and the rotating body 74B provided at the -X-direction end may be driven by separate motors.

[0153] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the moving means 110 has a speed reduction mechanism 76 with a speed reduction ratio greater than 1 when transmitting power from the head moving motor 101 to the recording head. The control unit 100 determines the position of the line head 40 in the movement direction based on the signal from the linear ENC 107, and controls the head moving motor 101 based on the signal from the rotary ENC 103. In other words, the control method realized by the control unit 100 includes steps of determining the position of the line head 40 in the movement direction based on the signal from the linear ENC 107, and controlling the head moving motor 101 based on the signal from the rotary ENC 103.

[0154] According to this configuration, the linear ENC 107 directly detects the movement of the line head 40, so it is possible to properly grasp the position of the line head 40. As a result, it becomes easier to properly adjust the gap between the line head 40 and the facing portion 45. Furthermore, by referring to the detection signal of the linear ENC 107 during motor control based on the detection signal of the rotary ENC 103, the position of the line head 40 can be accurately determined without being affected by backlash of the gears that make up the moving means 110.

[0155] Here, because the linear ENC 107 is configured to directly detect the movement of the line head 40, there is a risk that the stopping accuracy when stopping the head moving motor 101 may not be achieved due to the resolution of the linear ENC 107. As a result, there is a risk that the line head 40 may not be stopped accurately at the desired position. However, in this embodiment, the moving means 110 has a speed reduction mechanism 76 with a speed reduction ratio greater than 1 when transmitting power from the head moving motor 101 to the line head 40. This ensures the resolution of the rotary ENC 103. Then, by controlling the head moving motor 101 based on the signal from the rotary ENC 103, the stopping accuracy when stopping the head moving motor 101 can be improved, making it easier to stop the line head 40 accurately at the desired position.

[0156] Furthermore, the control unit 100 detects each area that constitutes the movement area based on the origin position of the line head 40 in the movement direction, and controls the head movement motor 101 with control parameters according to each area. Therefore, the line head 40 can be positioned appropriately by appropriate control according to each area.

[0157] The control parameters also include a torque limit value for the head movement motor 101. This provides the following effects. If the load on the head movement motor 101 differs in each area that constitutes the movement area of the line head 40, the required motor drive torque will differ. Therefore, if a large torque limit value is set for an area with a small load, excessive load will be placed on the mechanical parts when an abnormality occurs, which may result in damage to the mechanical parts. However, since the control parameters include the torque limit value of the head moving motor 101, damage to the mechanical parts described above can be suppressed. The control parameters may be other parameters such as the target speed of the head moving motor 101, the gain Kp of the PID control, or any two or more of these parameters.

[0158] Furthermore, the control unit 100 temporarily stops the head movement motor 101 at the boundaries of each area that constitutes the movement area (step S105 in FIG. 24). That is, at the boundaries of each area that constitutes the movement area of the line head 40, there is a risk of collision noises occurring between members as the drive mechanism switches. However, by temporarily stopping the head movement motor 101 at the boundaries of each area that constitutes the movement area, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of such collision noises. Instead of temporarily stopping the head moving motor 101, the speed of the head moving motor 101 may be reduced.

[0159] The printer 1 also includes an operation unit 115, which is an example of a receiving unit that receives a selection of either a speed priority mode or a normal mode as a control mode for moving the line head 40. When the speed priority mode is selected, the control unit 100 continuously drives the head movement motor 101 at the boundaries of each area that makes up the movement area (step S106 in FIG. 24). When the normal mode is selected, the control unit 100 temporarily stops the head movement motor 101 at the boundaries of each area that makes up the movement area (step S105 in FIG. 24).

[0160] At the boundaries of each area that constitutes the movement area of the line head 40, there is a risk of collision noises occurring between components as the drive mechanism switches. However, in normal mode, the head movement motor 101 is temporarily stopped at the boundaries of each area that constitutes the movement area of the line head 40, thereby suppressing the occurrence of the above-mentioned collision noises. Furthermore, in the speed priority mode, the head movement motor 101 is continuously driven at the boundaries of each area that constitutes the movement area of the line head 40, thereby improving the processing throughput.

[0161] Modifications of the above-described embodiment will now be described. The medium transport path Ta described above is not limited to being parallel to the XY plane, but may be at an angle to the XY plane. Therefore, the movement direction of the line head 40 is not limited to being parallel to the Z-axis direction, but may be at an angle to the Z-axis direction. Further, instead of providing the protruding portion 40 a at a position where it abuts against the upstream support portion 46 , it may be provided at a position where it abuts against the shutter 47 .

[0162] The control unit 100 may also use different encoders to control the head movement motor 101 depending on the operation. For example, when performing an origin detection operation, the control unit 100 may control the head movement motor 101 based on the output signal of the linear ENC 107. After performing the origin detection operation, the control unit 100 may control the head movement motor 101 based on the output signal of the rotary ENC 103. Also, the head movement motor 101 may be controlled based on the output signal of the linear ENC 107, and when the origin is detected due to a decrease in speed, control may be switched to using the rotary ENC 103 during drive. Switching of the target position, i.e., conversion from the linear ENC position to the rotary ENC position, may also be performed seamlessly during drive, which does not involve deceleration, stopping, or acceleration, thereby improving throughput.

[0163] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and modifications described above, and 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 within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0164] 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, 18...driven roller, 19...second conveyor roller pair, 20...drive roller, 20a...rotation shaft, 21...driven roller, 22...media detection section, 24...support member, 24a...protrusion, 25...casing, 27...third conveyor roller pair, 28...discharge Roller pair, 29...discharge tray, 30...head unit, 31...unit frame, 32, 32A, 32B...rack member, 32a...contact portion, 32b...pressed portion, 32c, 32d...guided portion, 33...guide frame, 33a...first guide portion, 33b...second guide portion, 33A, 33B...base frame, 34...mounting frame, 35...link mechanism, 40...line head, 40a...protrusion, 41...base, 41d...rack portion, 42...plate member, 42a...head surface, 42d...opening, 43...head tip, 44...nozzle, 45...opposing portion, 45a...opening, 46...upstream support portion, 47...shutter, 48...first moving portion, 49...second moving portion, 54...coil spring, 60...cap unit, 61...cap portion, 61a...elastic portion, 61b...cap main body portion, 62...base portion, 63...cap spring, 65...first moving portion, 66...cam, 70...second moving portion, 71...rack, 72...pinion, 72a...first phase region, 73...third moving portion, 74, 74A, 74B...rotating body, 75...pressing portion, 76...reduction mechanism, 77...shaft, 78...first bevel gear, 79...second bevel gear, 80, 81, 82...spur gear, 83...worm wheel, 84...cylindrical worm Form, 100...control unit, 101...head movement motor, 103...rotary encoder, 104...rotary scale, 105...second detection unit, 107...linear encoder, 108...linear scale, 109...first detection unit, 110...movement means, 115...operation unit, 120...calculation unit, 121...motor control unit, 122...motor driver, 123...volatile memory, 124...non-volatile memory, 125...program, 126...control parameters, 128...open / close sensor, Am1...first area, Am2...second area, Am3...third area, Hm1...first drive area,Hm2: second driving region, Hp0: cap position, Hp1: recording position, Hp2: jam processing position,

Claims

1. a transport path for transporting the medium; a recording unit that is movable relative to the transport path in a direction intersecting the recording surface of the medium; an opposing unit disposed opposite the recording unit across the transport path; a moving means for moving the recording unit; a drive source for the moving means; a control unit that controls the drive source and stops the drive source when the drive force of the drive source exceeds a limit value; Equipped with a moving direction of the recording unit when the recording unit moves from a position farthest from the facing portion toward the facing portion is defined as a first moving direction; The driving area of the recording unit is a first drive region; a second driving region positioned in the first movement direction relative to the first driving region; and the limit value in the first driving region is smaller than the limit value in the second driving region; A recording device characterized by:

2. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, a housing for the device; an opening / closing body provided on the housing, the opening / closing body being located above the recording unit and exposing the recording unit when opened; Equipped with A recording device characterized by:

3. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, When the control unit detects a jam of the medium in the transport path, the control unit moves the recording unit in a second movement direction opposite to the first movement direction, thereby widening the gap between the recording unit and the opposing unit. A recording device characterized by:

4. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, an open / close detection unit that detects the open / close state of the open / close body, the control unit moves the recording unit in the first movement direction when detecting that the opening / closing body is closed based on detection information from a recording / closing detection unit while the recording unit is in the first drive region. A recording device characterized by:

5. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, the opening / closing body also serves as a discharge tray for receiving a medium discharged after recording; A recording device characterized by:

6. 6. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, the recording unit is configured with a liquid ejection head that includes a plurality of nozzles that eject liquid along a width direction that intersects with a medium transport direction, and that ejects liquid from the nozzles without moving in the width direction; a cap portion for covering a liquid ejection surface of the liquid ejection head, the cap portion being located opposite the liquid ejection head; the cap portion is displaceable in a direction toward and away from the liquid ejection head, a first pressing member that presses the cap portion toward the liquid ejection head; When the recording unit moves in the first movement direction, the recording unit presses down the cap unit against the pressing force of the first pressing member in the second drive region. A recording device characterized by:

7. 7. The recording apparatus according to claim 6, a part of the facing portion is displaceable in a direction toward and away from the liquid ejection head; a second pressing member that presses the cap portion toward the liquid ejection head; When the recording unit moves in the first movement direction, the recording unit presses down a part of the facing unit against the pressing force of the second pressing member in the second drive region. A recording device characterized by:

8. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, a driven roller that is in contact with the medium and rotates in response to the medium being conveyed along the conveying path; The driven roller is supported by a support member, the support member narrows the opening when accessing between the recording unit and the facing unit; A recording device characterized by:

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