Ink jet recording apparatus

Abstract

To provide an ink jet recording apparatus with higher operability.SOLUTION: An ink jet recording apparatus includes a conveyance path configured to convey a recording medium, a unit configured to act on the recording medium, capable of being opened and closed to the conveyance path, a driving input unit to which driving force for opening and closing the unit is input, and transmission means configured to transmit the driving force to the unit from the driving input unit, where the transmission means includes locking means configured to prevent the unit in an opened state from being closed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in order to increase productivity in inkjet recording devices, a method has been known in which, after applying ink to a recording medium, the recording medium is heated and dried in a drying section having a heating means and an air blowing means (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-037143 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the drying unit described in Patent Document 1, a heater is provided on the platen that forms the transport unit, and the recording medium can be heated and dried. Furthermore, a blower is provided on an openable cover that covers the platen and transport unit, thereby increasing the efficiency of drying.

[0005] In recent years, inkjet printing has been adopted for commercial and industrial use. For these large-scale printing devices, the size and weight of the cover increases. Therefore, there was a demand for an easy-to-operate, safe opening and closing mechanism that does not require manual opening.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an inkjet recording apparatus that is easy to operate. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The above object is achieved by the present invention, which is described below. That is, an inkjet recording apparatus according to the present invention comprises a transport path for transporting a recording medium, a unit that can be opened and closed relative to the transport path and acts on the recording medium, a drive input section to which a drive force for opening and closing the unit is input, and a transmission means that transmits the drive force from the drive input section to the unit, wherein the transmission means has a locking means that prohibits the unit from being closed from an open state. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an inkjet recording apparatus with excellent operability. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a housing of a sheet conveying unit of a recording unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a lifting mechanism for a recording head according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a drying unit in the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of an airflow space of a drying unit in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an air flow duct of the cooling unit in the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a first recording means. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the relative positional relationship between a first recording means and a second recording means. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of a control unit. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a drying and cooling section in the first embodiment. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are plan and perspective views of the access cover when it is opened; [Figure 12]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an opening and closing mechanism of the access cover. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a partial enlarged view showing the operation of a third driving unit. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is an example of a block diagram of a control unit. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an auxiliary elastic means for opening and closing the access cover. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of an example of a handle member. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of another example of a handle member. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is another example of a block diagram of the control unit. [Figure 19] 2 is a configuration example of a fixing unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 20] 10A and 10B are diagrams relating to an opening and closing mechanism and an opening and closing angle of an access cover in a second embodiment. [Figure 21] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the relative positional relationship between a first recording unit and a second recording unit in a third embodiment. [Figure 22] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the moment of the access cover and the elastic member in the third embodiment. FIG. [Figure 23] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the opening angle of the access cover and the operating force. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the components described in the following embodiments are merely examples, and the configuration and various conditions of the device to which the present invention is applied can be modified or changed as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. For example, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative positions of the components described in the following embodiments can be modified as appropriate depending on the configuration and various conditions of the device to which the present invention is applied, and unless otherwise specified, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0011] (First embodiment) First, the top of the device in Figure 1 is defined as the top, right to left as the longitudinal direction, and the sheet width direction from the front to the back of the page perpendicular to the recording medium transport direction. Also, the direction of recording medium transport from the unwinding roll unit 2 to the winding roll unit 14 is defined as forward transport, and transport in the opposite direction is defined as reverse transport. The recording device 1 of this embodiment is a high-speed line printer that uses a continuous sheet wound in a roll as the recording medium. The recording medium does not have to be a continuous sheet, and cut paper may also be used.

[0012] <Inkjet recording device> FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of a recording device 1. The recording device 1 includes the following units: an unwinding roll unit 2, a first dancer unit 3, a first main transport unit 4, a meandering correction unit 5, a transport detection unit 6, a recording unit 7, a transport tension detection unit 9, a recorded image position detection unit 10, a scanner unit 11, a second main transport unit 12, a second dancer unit 13, a take-up roll unit 14, a maintenance unit 15, a drying unit 40, and a cooling unit 50. A continuous sheet S, which is a recording medium, is transported along the sheet transport path indicated by the solid line in the figure and processed in each unit. Hereinafter, the entirety of each unit will be referred to as the overall unit, the access cover (described later) as the upper unit, and the remaining parts, including the transport path, etc., as the lower unit.

[0013] The recording apparatus of this embodiment has a first image forming means and a second image forming means along the sheet transport path (sheet S). The first image forming means records an image fixed on the sheet S after it has passed through the first recording section 7a, the first drying section 40a, and the first cooling section 50a. The second image forming means records an image fixed on the sheet S after it has passed through the second recording section 7b, the second drying section 40b, and the second cooling section 50b and passed through the first image forming means. In this way, the recording apparatus can record images continuously on the sheet S by passing the sheet S through the first image forming means and the second image forming means described above. The recording apparatus can also alternatively select an image forming means depending on the recording conditions. In this case, the image is recorded on the sheet S only using the selected image forming means.

[0014] The unwinding roll unit 2 is a unit for holding and supplying a continuous sheet wound in a roll. The unwinding roll unit 2 is configured to store an unwinding roll and pull out and supply the sheet S. The number of rolls that can be stored is not limited to one, and the unit may store two or three or more rolls and selectively pull out and supply the sheet S.

[0015] The first dancer section 3 is a unit for applying a constant sheet tension between the unwinding roll section 2 and the first main conveying section 4. The first dancer section 3 applies sheet tension by a tension applying means (not shown).

[0016] The first main conveying section 4 is a unit that feeds the sheet S to each unit provided along the sheet conveying path (sheet S) and applies sheet tension between it and the second main conveying section 12. The first main conveying section 4 rotates by driving a motor (not shown), and conveys the sheet S while applying tension to it (tension conveying).

[0017] The meandering correction unit 5 is a unit for correcting meandering in the sheet width direction when the sheet S is conveyed under tension. In this embodiment, the meandering correction unit 5 is provided with a first meandering correction unit 5a and a second meandering correction unit 5b upstream of each image forming unit in the sheet conveyance path. The meandering correction unit 5 is configured to include a meandering correction roller and a meandering detection sensor (not shown) that detects meandering of the sheet S. The meandering correction roller can change its inclination relative to the sheet S using a motor (not shown), and corrects meandering of the sheet S based on measurements from the meandering detection sensor. The meandering correction function is improved by wrapping the sheet S around the meandering correction roller.

[0018] The transport detection unit 6 is a unit for detecting the transport speed of the sheet S and marks previously printed on the sheet S in order to control the image formation timing of the recording unit 7. In this embodiment, the transport detection unit 6 includes a first transport detection unit 6a and a second transport detection unit 6b, which are provided upstream of each image forming means in the sheet transport path. The first transport detection unit 6a and the second transport detection unit 6b are used to control the image formation timing of the first recording unit 7a and the second recording unit 7b, respectively.

[0019] The recording unit 7 is a sheet processing unit that applies a liquid composition (ink) onto the conveyed sheet S from above using a recording head 22 to form an image. The conveyance path in the recording unit 7 is formed by guide rollers 23 arranged in an arc shape that convex upward, and a certain tension is applied to the sheet S, ensuring clearance with the recording head 22. The recording heads 22 are arranged in a plurality of rows along the conveyance direction. In this embodiment, the first recording unit 7a has a total of two line-type recording heads corresponding to W (white) ink and the reaction liquid. The second recording unit 7b has a total of eight line-type recording heads corresponding to the four colors of Bk (black), Y (yellow), M (magenta), and C (cyan), as well as the reaction liquid and three spot colors.

[0020] A reactive liquid is a liquid containing a component that increases the viscosity of the ink. "Increased ink viscosity" refers to the phenomenon in which the coloring materials and resins that make up the ink come into contact with the ink-viscosifying components, resulting in a chemical reaction or physical adsorption, resulting in an increase in ink viscosity. Ink viscosity increase does not necessarily refer to an increase in the viscosity of the ink as a whole, but also includes localized increases in viscosity due to partial aggregation of the ink's components, such as coloring materials and resins. The component (reactive agent) that increases ink viscosity can be any of a variety of materials, including polyvalent metal ions, cationic components such as cationic resins, and organic acids. Materials that cause a change in the ink's pH and aggregate coloring materials in the ink can also be used. Applying a reactive liquid before applying the ink to the sheet S allows the ink to immediately settle on the sheet S. This prevents adjacent inks from mixing, resulting in bleeding. The number of colors and the number of recording heads 22 are not limited. Inkjet printing can employ a method using heating elements, piezoelectric elements, electrostatic elements, or MEMS elements. Ink is supplied to the recording head 22 from ink tanks (not shown) via ink tubes.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, the sheet conveying unit housing 71 of the recording unit 7 is provided with multiple recording head positioning members 711 for positioning the recording heads 22. These members are provided at the front and rear of the sheet S in the sheet width direction, one at the front and two at the rear, for each recording head 22. As shown in FIG. 3, the recording head 22 is supported by a recording head holding unit 26 that holds the recording head 22 and raises and lowers it vertically, with the recording head support shaft 27 supported from below. The recording head holding unit 26 is raised and lowered vertically along lift rails 29 provided within a recording head lift frame 28 by an internal drive mechanism (not shown). In addition, although ink is applied to the sheet S using an inkjet head in this embodiment, the method of applying ink to the sheet in the recording unit 7 is not limited to this. For example, although the reaction liquid is applied by the recording head 22 in this embodiment, it may be applied by a roller, a die coating device (die coater), a blade coating device (blade coater), or the like.

[0022] As shown in Fig. 1, the conveying tension detection unit 9 is a unit for detecting tension when tension conveyance is performed between the first main conveying unit 4 and the second main conveying unit 12. The recorded image position detection unit 10 is a unit for detecting misalignment of the image formed on the sheet S by the recording unit 7 during printing and correcting the printing.

[0023] The winding guide roller R1 is a roller that wraps the surface of the sheet S downstream of the second recording unit 7b opposite to the ink application surface at a constant winding angle. In this embodiment, two winding guide rollers R1 are arranged between the second recording unit 7b and the second drying unit 40b, the sheet S is folded back approximately parallel to the top and bottom of the device, and the second drying unit 40b is arranged below the recording unit 7b.

[0024] The drying section 40 (first drying section 40a, second drying section 40b) is a unit that reduces the liquid components contained in the liquid applied to the sheet S by the recording section 7, thereby improving the fixation of the ink to the sheet S. The drying section 40 blows air heated by a heater onto the recorded sheet S, drying the applied ink at a predetermined drying temperature. Inside the drying section 40, air is blown onto the passing sheet S from at least the ink-applied side, thereby drying the ink-applied surface of the sheet S. Note that the drying method may be a method of blowing air, a method of irradiating the surface of the sheet S with electromagnetic waves (ultraviolet rays, infrared rays, etc.), a conductive heat transfer method by contact with a heating element, or a combination of these.

[0025] The cooling section 50 (first cooling section 50a, second cooling section 50b) cools the sheet S that has been fixed in the drying section 40, solidifying the softened ink and suppressing the amount of temperature change of the sheet S in downstream means of the recording device. Inside the cooling section 50, air at a temperature lower than that of the sheet S is blown onto at least the ink-applied side of the sheet S as it passes through, thereby cooling the ink-applied side of the sheet S. Note that the cooling method is not limited to the method of blowing air, and may also be a conductive heat transfer method using contact with a heat dissipation member, or a combination of these. Furthermore, air can be blown onto both sides of the sheet S to increase the efficiency of cooling the sheet S.

[0026] The second main transport unit 12 is a unit that transports the sheet S together with the first main transport unit 4 while applying tension to the sheet S, and adjusts the tension of the sheet S. The second main transport unit 12 is driven to rotate by a motor (not shown), and a tension control unit (not shown) controls the speed of the second main transport unit 12 according to the tension value detected by the transport tension detection unit 9. Note that, as an additional configuration for adjusting the tension of the sheet S, a configuration may be added in which the tension of the sheet S is adjusted by a clutch (not shown) that can control the torque connected to the drive shaft. In this case, there are two tension control methods: a torque control method that controls the torque value transmitted from the clutch, and a speed control method that controls the roller speed of the second main transport unit 12. The tension control methods can be switched depending on the purpose, or both can be used simultaneously.

[0027] The second dancer section 13 is a unit for applying a constant sheet tension between the second main conveying section 12 and the winding roll section 14. The second dancer section 13 applies sheet tension by a tension applying means (not shown).

[0028] The winding roll unit 14 is a unit for winding the recorded sheet S onto a core. The number of recoverable rolls is not limited to one; it may have two or three or more cores, and may be configured to selectively switch between them to recover the sheet S. The winding roll unit 14 is independently controlled to rotate forward and reverse by a drive motor (not shown). The sheet S is transported in the forward or reverse direction by controlling the drive motors (not shown) of the unwinding roll unit 2 and the winding roll unit 14 to rotate forward or reverse. In the case of transport in the reverse direction, tension transport is also performed between the first main transport unit 4 and the second main transport unit 12, as in the case of transport in the forward direction. Note that, depending on the content of post-recording processing, instead of winding onto a core, the continuous sheet may be cut using a cutter and the cut sheets S may be stacked.

[0029] The control unit 31 is a unit that controls each part of the entire recording device. The control unit 31 has a CPU, a storage device, a controller equipped with various control units, an external interface, and an operation unit 32 through which the user performs input and output. The operation of the recording device 1 is controlled based on commands from the controller or a host device 33 such as a host computer connected to the controller via an external interface.

[0030] The maintenance unit 15 is a unit equipped with a mechanism for restoring the ejection performance of the recording head 22. Examples of such mechanisms include a cap mechanism for protecting the ink ejection surface of the recording head 22, a wiper mechanism for wiping the ink ejection surface, and a suction mechanism for negatively suctioning ink from the recording head 22 via the ink ejection surface. The maintenance unit 15 also includes a drive mechanism and rails (not shown) and is capable of horizontally reciprocating along the rails. When performing maintenance on the recording head, it moves directly below the recording head, and when maintenance is not being performed, it moves to a position retracted from directly below the recording head. In this embodiment, a first maintenance unit 15a and a second maintenance unit 15b are provided for the first recording unit 7a and the second recording unit 7b, respectively.

[0031] <Configuration of Drying Section 40> The airflow generating configuration of the drying section 40 will be described in more detail. Fig. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the drying section 40 when viewed in the sheet width direction (Y direction). Fig. 4(a) shows the first drying section 40a, and Fig. 4(b) shows the second drying section 40b. Here, in Fig. 4, the sheet conveying direction is defined as SD, the sheet width direction is defined as Y, the direction from the right side to the left side of the device is defined as the ++X direction, and the direction from the bottom of the device to the top is defined as the +Z direction.

[0032] The drying section 40 has a housing 401. The housing 401 is provided with a sheet support section 410 having a sheet support roller 411 disposed in a position that contacts the conveyed sheet S, and an airflow space 430a. The sheet support section 410 limits displacement of the sheet S in the Z direction by the sheet support roller 411. In the first drying section 40a, an airflow space 430 is provided facing the sheet support section 410 and spaced apart in the +Z direction from the conveyed sheet S. In the second drying section 40b, an airflow space 430 is provided facing the sheet support section 410 and spaced apart in the -Z direction from the conveyed sheet S. Here, the airflow space in the present invention refers to one or more airflow ducts housed in a single space.

[0033] In this embodiment, five airflow ducts 431a to 431e are installed in the airflow space 430. In the drying section 40 of this embodiment, a plurality of housings 401 are arranged in the SD direction according to the required productivity (conveying speed of the sheet S). There is no limit to the number of airflow spaces 430, airflow ducts 431, and housings 401. The internal configuration of the first drying section 40a will be described in detail later.

[0034] (Configuration of airflow space 430) The configuration of airflow space 430 will be described using Figure 5. The definitions of directions in Figure 5 refer to Figure 4. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of airflow space 430 when viewed in the +Z direction from seat S. Airflow space 430 is made up of second housing 405 and multiple airflow ducts 431a-e housed inside it. Second housing 405 is provided with a connection path (not shown) that sends air to airflow duct 431, as well as a circulation exhaust port 434, a ventilation port 435, and an exhaust port 436.

[0035] An air circulation heating unit 408 equipped with a blower 432 and a heater 433 is provided outside the airflow space 430. The blower 432 takes in air from the airflow space 430 in the direction F21 through a circulation exhaust port 434. The taken-in air is blown out from the blower 432 in the direction F22 and passes through the heater 433 to be heated. The temperature of the heated air is detected by an air temperature detection unit (not shown). Based on the temperature detected by the air temperature detection unit, the heating of the heater 433 is controlled according to a predetermined target temperature.

[0036] In this embodiment, the temperature of the air that has passed through heater 433 is controlled within a range of 50 to 100°C. The heated air flows in the direction F22 and is blown onto sheet S from air flow duct 431. Air flow duct 431 has a plurality of small-diameter (for example, 1.5 to 5 mm) circular holes formed at regular intervals, and is configured so that air is blown out uniformly from the circular holes onto sheet S. Note that the shape of the holes in air flow duct 431 is not limited to circular holes, and may be linear slit holes, elliptical holes, or a combination thereof.

[0037] When the liquid component of the ink on the sheet S evaporates, the pressure inside the airflow space 430 increases. If the pressure inside the airflow space 430 increases excessively, the desired amount of evaporation cannot be obtained, resulting in insufficient drying. Therefore, the device 1 is ventilated by taking in outside air from an intake fan 437 provided in the second housing 405 and expelling the air containing accumulated steam with an exhaust fan 438.

[0038] The intake fan 437 takes in external air from an opening (not shown) of the device 1 in the direction F23 and draws the air into the airflow space 430 through the ventilation port 435. The exhaust fan 438 exhausts air from the airflow space 430 in the direction F24 through the exhaust port 436. The exhausted air is discharged outside the drying unit 40. Note that, although ventilation is performed by the intake fan 437 and the exhaust fan 438 in this embodiment, other configurations may also be used. For example, a configuration in which ventilation is performed by only one of the fans may also be used. Furthermore, the ventilation port 435 and the exhaust port 436 may be provided on the air circulation heating unit 408 side.

[0039] The airflow space 430 can be applied with any drying method that blows airflow onto the sheet S. For example, the airflow duct 431 and the air circulation heating unit 408 are not limited to those in this embodiment, and may be realized by any number of installed air blowers, heating units, etc. In addition, they can also be used in conjunction with or combined with a drying method that uses a radiant heater. Furthermore, in this embodiment, hot air is circulated by the heater 433, but a configuration in which room temperature air is circulated without the heater 433 may also be used.

[0040] (Control of drying unit 40) The control procedure for the drying unit 40, performed by the control unit 31, will now be described. When recording data is sent from the host device 33 to the control unit 31, the device 1 begins preparations for recording. The control unit 31 determines drive table values ​​for the drying unit 40 based on the recording conditions. The drive table conditions are determined based on the recording medium, recording density, and user-specified values. The airflow temperature of each airflow duct and the drive duty of the air source are specified according to the drive table conditions. DUTY refers to the drive pulse duty cycle of the air source, and a drive signal is issued between 0% (stop) and 100% (full speed rotation). Note that in this embodiment, the air volume of each airflow duct is adjusted based on the drive duty of the air source, but this is not the only method. For example, a nozzle pressure detection unit (not shown) may be provided in each airflow duct, and the pressure value in the nozzle may be set as a target value, and the air source may be feedback-controlled based on the detected pressure value.

[0041] <Configuration of Cooling Unit 50> The configuration of the cooling section 50 will be described in more detail. Similar to the drying section 40, the cooling section 50 of this embodiment is provided with a plurality of airflow ducts to form an air-cooling section. FIG. 6 is an example of such an air-cooling section, and is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the cooling section 50 as viewed in the sheet width direction (Y direction). The definitions of the directions in FIG. 6 refer to FIG. 4. Fans 501 and 502 are provided in an air passage formed in the cooling airflow duct 503. Air is taken in from outside the device 1 and blown onto the sheet S on the conveying path via a nozzle section 504 as shown at 510 in FIG. 6.

[0042] (Control of cooling unit 50) The control procedure for the cooling unit 50, performed by the control unit 31, will now be described. When recording data is sent from the host device 33 to the control unit 31, the device 1 begins preparations for recording. The control unit 31 determines drive table values ​​for the cooling unit 50 based on the recording conditions. The drive table conditions are determined based on the recording medium, recording density, and user-specified values. The drive duty of the fans 501 and 502 of each cooling airflow duct 503 is specified according to the drive table conditions. DUTY refers to the fan drive pulse duty cycle, and a drive signal is issued between 0% (stop) and 100% (full speed rotation). Note that in this embodiment, the air volume of each cooling airflow duct is adjusted based on the fan drive duty, but this is not the only possible method. For example, a nozzle pressure detection unit (not shown) may be provided in each cooling airflow duct, and the pressure value in the nozzle may be set as a target value, and the air source may be feedback-controlled based on the detected pressure value.

[0043] <Configuration of the first recording means> The configuration of the first recording means will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 7. The first recording means is composed of a first recording unit 7a and a first transport path 8a arranged in parallel downstream of the first recording unit 7a in the transport direction. The first transport path 8a is a transport path for the sheet S from the time when the first recording unit 7a finishes applying ink to the sheet S until it reaches the contact roller R2. The first transport path 8a includes a first drying unit 40a and a first cooling unit 50a. In FIG. 7, the sheet transport direction in the first transport path 8a is defined as SD8a, and the definitions of the other directions refer to FIG. 4.

[0044] In the first recording means, the first recording unit 7a applies reaction liquid and W (white) ink onto the sheet S in this order. The sheet S to which the ink has been applied is heated and dried by the first drying unit 40a in the first transport path 8a, thereby fixing the ink. Here, a contact roller R2 is provided in the SD8a direction of the first transport path 8a to form a sheet transport path. The contact roller R2 contacts the ink-applied surface of the sheet S with its roller surface. In order to maintain the ink surface layer applied to the sheet S in good condition, it is preferable to solidify the ink before it reaches the contact roller R2. In this embodiment, a first cooling unit 50a is provided downstream of the first drying unit 40a in the first transport path 8a, and the ink is solidified before it reaches the contact roller R2.

[0045] <Configuration of the second recording means> The configuration of the second recording means will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 8. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the relative positional relationship between the first recording means and the second recording means. The second recording means is composed of a second recording unit 7b and a second transport path 8b provided downstream of the second recording unit 7b in the transport direction. The second transport path 8b is the transport path for the sheet S from the time when the second recording unit 7b completes application of ink onto the sheet S to the contact roller R3. The second transport path 8b includes a winding guide roller R1, a second drying unit 40b, and a second cooling unit 50b. In FIG. 8, the sheet transport direction within the second drying unit 40b is defined as SD8b, and the definitions of the other directions refer to FIG. 4.

[0046] In the second recording device, the second recording unit 7b applies a reaction liquid and a color ink based on the image to be recorded onto the sheet S in this order. The color inks may be any combination of known inks, including cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks, as well as light-colored inks such as light cyan and special-color inks such as orange. The ink-applied sheet S is then folded back toward the bottom of the device by the winding guide roller R1 and then heated and dried by the second drying unit 40b in the second transport path 8b, thereby fixing the ink. A contact roller R3 is provided in the SD8b direction of the second transport path 8b to form a sheet transport path. The contact roller R3 contacts the ink-applied surface of the sheet S with its roller surface. In the second recording device, too, to maintain the ink surface of the sheet S in good condition, it is preferable to solidify the ink before it reaches the contact roller R3. In this embodiment, a second cooling unit 50b is provided downstream of the second drying unit 40b in the second transport path 8b, solidifying the ink before it reaches the contact roller R3.

[0047] <Control of inkjet recording device> The control unit that performs data flow processing for the printing apparatus of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 9. The control unit 31 has a host I / F unit 324. Print data input from the host device 33 is rendered by the RIP processing unit 303 via the host I / F unit 324 and becomes multi-value bitmap data. Here, the input print data is configured, for example, in PDL (Page Description Language). The multi-value bitmap data is subjected to ink color conversion and quantization processing by the print data generation unit 304 to become halftone data of the ink colors. This halftone data is assigned to each nozzle by color by the nozzle data generation unit 305, and becomes nozzle data (binary data) for the number of nozzles per line. The nozzle data undergoes non-discharge complement processing (a process of reassigning ejection data assigned to non-discharge nozzles) by the non-discharge nozzle complement processing unit 307 according to the non-discharge nozzle information stored in the non-discharge nozzle information storage unit 306. The nozzle data that has undergone non-discharge complement processing is subjected to head tilt correction (correction that moves the data in the transport direction in accordance with the amount of tilt) by a head tilt correction unit 309 in accordance with the head tilt information stored in a head tilt information storage unit 308. The nozzle data that has undergone head tilt correction in this manner is stored in an image memory 323.

[0048] The CPU 320 transfers the nozzle data stored in the image memory 323 to the nozzle data thinning unit 310. The transferred nozzle data after tilt correction is thinned out by the nozzle data thinning unit 310 and transferred to the recording heads 22 of the first recording unit 7a and the second recording unit 7b by the ejection data transfer unit 311. The CPU 320 also controls the above-mentioned components. This control is executed based on a control program stored in ROM 322. The control program stored in ROM 322 includes an OS for performing time-sharing control in units of a large number of load modules using a system clock. RAM 321 is used as the working area of ​​the CPU 320. The components, including the CPU 320, are connected to a system bus 325.

[0049] The control unit 31 has a drying control unit 326, a cooling control unit 327, and a conveyance control unit 328. The drying control unit 326 controls the temperatures of the first drying unit 40a and the second drying unit 40b and the driving of the fans. The cooling control unit 327 controls the cooling operation of the first cooling unit 50a and the second cooling unit 50b. The conveyance control unit 328 controls the conveyance unit from the unwinding roll unit 2 to the winding roll unit 14 to convey the sheet S at a predetermined conveyance speed. Specifically, the conveyance unit includes the unwinding roll unit 2, the first dancer unit 3, the first main conveyance unit 4, the meandering correction unit 5, the conveyance detection unit 6, the conveyance tension detection unit 9, the second main conveyance unit 12, the second dancer unit 13, and the winding roll unit 14. When print data is input from the host device 33, the drying control unit 326, the cooling control unit 327, and the conveyance control unit 328 apply drive tables to each unit based on the print data. The drive table stores predetermined values ​​based on recording conditions such as the type of image data and recording medium, or values ​​entered by the user via the operation unit 32. By performing control based on the recording conditions, it is possible to achieve optimal recording processing according to the image data, recording medium, desired productivity, etc.

[0050] <Configuration of Drying and Cooling Section 1000> The drying and cooling section 1000, which is the area surrounded by the dashed line in Fig. 1, will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Fig. 10(a) is a perspective view of the drying and cooling section 1000 in a state where the exterior section is provided, and Fig. 10(b) is a perspective view of the drying and cooling section 1000 in a state where the access door 1001 arranged on the front side (-Y direction) of the apparatus 1 is removed. Furthermore, Fig. 10(c) is a perspective view of the drying and cooling section 1000 when the first drying section 40a is open in a direction away from the group of sheet support rollers 411.

[0051] 10(a), the access doors 1001 rotate about hinges 1002 located on the upstream and downstream sides (left and right ends of the product) in the conveying direction relative to the frame 1004, and the access doors 1001L and 1001R rotate left and right from the center to open (not shown). By opening the access doors in this way like double doors, maintenance such as cleaning and part replacement of the second cooling section 50b in the drying and cooling section 1000 can be easily performed.

[0052] When the access door 1001 is opened, a handle member 1003 corresponding to the drive input unit is provided on the front side of the recording apparatus 1. In Fig. 10(b), the handle member 1003 is provided with a grip portion 1003a. The first drying unit 40a is placed on the top of a frame 1004 made up of a plurality of pillar- and beam-shaped sheet metal parts.

[0053] Next, the opening and closing of the first drying section 40a will be described with reference to FIG. 10(c). The user turns the handle member 1003 clockwise around its axis of rotation. Then, via a drive unit (described later), the access cover 440 is opened from the front side toward the rear side of the recording device 1 by hinges 1005L and 1005R, which are rotatably supported on the frame at the rear of the recording device 1. In other words, the access cover 440 is opened by moving one side of the cover around the other side. At the opening, the airflow duct 431 shown in FIG. 4 is located on the access cover 440, and on the opposite side of the frame 1004, there are six support rollers 411 and a tray unit 441 that supports them and encloses and shields the airflow space 430 shown in FIG. 4. The tray unit 441, which corresponds to a cover member, is positioned facing the surface of the access cover 440 facing the transport path when the access cover 440 is closed.

[0054] The airflow duct 431 and the shielding of the airflow space 430 by the tray unit 441 will be described with reference to Figure 11. Figure 11(a) is a perspective view of the first drying unit 40a viewed from the sheet conveyance direction with the access cover 440 opened at 30 degrees, and Figure 11(b) is a perspective view of the first drying unit 40a viewed from the sheet conveyance direction with the access cover 440 closed. Figure 11(c) is a perspective view of the recording apparatus 1 in the state of Figure 11(a) viewed from its front side, and Figures 11(d) and (e) are enlarged views thereof.

[0055] In FIG. 11(c), a seal member 442F is provided on the access cover 440, and a seal member 442R is provided on the tray portion 441. The seal members 442F and 442R are made of an elastic material such as EPDM. When the access cover 440 is closed, as shown in FIG. 11(b), they are compressed between the access cover 440 and the tray portion 441, ensuring a seal between them. This prevents warm air (e.g., air above 50°C) from exiting the airflow duct 431 from entering or leaving the space indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 11(b), except for the entrance and exit in the conveying direction of the sheet S. A first drive unit 1100 is provided below the recording device 1 within the dashed line, extending from the handle member 1003 toward the rear side (Y direction) of the recording device 1, which is opposite the paper width direction of the sheet S. In addition, a second drive unit 1110 extends from the front to the rear of the frame 1004 of the recording device 1, and a third drive unit 1120 is provided toward the rear of the product. By locating the first to third drive units outside the area enclosed by the dashed line in Figure 11(b), the heat from the air coming from the airflow duct causes the components to expand, minimizing fluctuations in transmission torque that would otherwise affect the drive transmission accuracy of the gear group. The third drive unit 1120 is located behind the recording device 1, not in front of it. This is because if the moving members of the third drive unit 1120, described below, were located on the front side of the device when supporting and moving / opening the access cover 440, this would reduce the convenience of user maintenance of the transport unit.

[0056] In this embodiment, the upper unit of each unit is configured to be openable and closable relative to the transport path, but this can also be expressed as being openable and closable relative to the lower unit. Furthermore, instead of a single lower unit, an upper unit may be configured to open and close multiple lower units. In other words, a single access cover may be disposed to cover multiple lower units, allowing access to the multiple lower units by opening and closing the cover.

[0057] (Configuration of the opening and closing part of the access cover 440) The first to third drive units, which are units for opening and closing the access cover 440, will now be described in detail. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the drive configuration from the handle member 1003 to the moving member 1124, which uses a driving force to act on the access cover 440 in the opening and closing direction, i.e., directly move the access cover 440. FIG. 12(a) is a perspective view of the drive configuration when the access cover 440 is closed. For simplicity, a frame that supports gears and the like is not shown in FIG. 12. FIG. 12(b) is a perspective view showing the drive configuration when the access cover 440 is opened to an angle of 30°. The moving member 1124 is disposed on one side in the paper width direction, which is perpendicular to the recording medium transport direction. The moving member 1124 is also disposed on the opposite side of the recording medium transport direction from the side where the access cover 440 is opened.

[0058] 12(a) will be used to explain the operation of moving the movable member 1124 in the substantially vertical direction of the recording device 1 in response to manual operation of the handle member 1003 by the user. When the handle member 1003 is rotated in the direction of arrow u about the center of rotation, driving force is transmitted between gears 1100a-c belonging to the first driving unit 1100. Then, driving force is transmitted via the driving shaft 1110a of the second driving unit 1110 to the third driving unit 1120 located toward the rear of the recording device 1.

[0059] Specifically, the driving force is transmitted from the second driving unit 1110 to the third driving unit 1120 as follows: The driving force input from the bevel gear 1120a is converted in its axial direction by the bevel gear 1120b and transmitted in the following order: spur gear 1120c, stepped gears 1120d and e, next stepped gears 1120f and g, and spur gears 1120h and j. A threaded portion 1120k is located on the same axis as the spur gear 1120j. The threaded portion 1120k is a right-handed external thread, and when the handle member 1003 is rotated in the direction of arrow u, the threaded portion 1120k rotates in the direction of arrow v. The member 1121 that engages with this threaded portion 1120k has a female thread formed in its center. Therefore, as the threaded portion 1120k rotates, the member 1121 moves parallel to the axial direction of the threaded portion 1120k.

[0060] The stopper pins 1120s1 and 1120s2 are arranged perpendicular to the axial direction of the threaded portion 1120k and restrict the movement range of the member 1121 associated with the movement of the threaded portion 1120k. In FIG. 12(b), the member 1121 abuts against the stopper pin 1120s2 in the +Z direction as the threaded portion 1120k rotates. The member 1121 includes a bracket 1122 fixed by positioning screws (not shown). FIG. 12(c) shows an enlarged view of the bracket 1122 of the member 1121. The bracket 1122 includes a hole 1122a. A guide shaft 1125 provided in the third drive unit passes through this hole, preventing the member 1121 from rotating in the rotational direction associated with the movement of the threaded portion 1120k. The bracket 1122 includes a shaft 1123, on which a movable member 1124 is rotatable.

[0061] 13(a) is a partial side view of the third drive unit 1120 as seen from the sheet conveyance direction. Figures 13(a), (b), and (c) show partial side views when the access cover 440 is closed, when the access cover 440 is opened 30 degrees, and when the access cover 440 is opened 40 degrees, respectively.

[0062] 13(a), a flag portion 1122b is provided on the bracket 1122 facing the front of the recording device 1, and blocks light from a photointerrupter 1126 fixed to a part of a frame (not shown) of the third drive unit 1120. By using the photointerrupter 1126 as a detection means, it is possible to detect that the access cover 440 is closed at a desired position.

[0063] As described above, the state shown in Fig. 13(a) is reached by operating the handle member 1003 shown in Fig. 12(a). At this time, the flag portion 1122b moves away from the photointerrupter 1126, causing the photointerrupter 1126 to enter a transparent state. In addition, the link shaft 444 at the tip of the arm 443R provided on the access cover 440 is received by the U-shaped portion 1124a located above the device of the movable member 1124, so that the access cover 440 opens as the movable member 1124 rises.

[0064] FIG. 13(c) is a partial side view of the access cover 440 when it is opened to 40° to replace the gas spring 1500 (described later). As described above, the member 1121 abuts against the stopper pin 1120s2 provided on the threaded portion 1120k, restricting the opening angle of the access cover 440 to a predetermined angle. If the stopper pin 1120s2 is removed and the access cover 440 is further opened, the movable member 1124 can move to the end 1120ka of the threaded portion 1120k. This configuration allows the opening angle to be expanded to a larger angle (second angle range) than the opening angle (first angle range) required for normal cleaning during device maintenance, without requiring the user to perform excessive manipulation.

[0065] In this embodiment, the threaded portion 1120k uses a trapezoidal thread with a nominal diameter of 32 mm. A trapezoidal thread can be used to reduce friction in the threaded portion even for an access cover 440 with a heavy weight (approximately 80 to 100 kg). The threaded portion 1120k is configured such that the friction angle tanβ, calculated from the load acting on the slope of the thread and the friction coefficient, is larger than the lead angle tanθ, calculated from the effective diameter πd (nominal diameter d) of the thread and the lead L, which represents the axial distance traveled per one rotation of the thread. This provides a so-called self-locking function that can prevent the access cover 440 from closing from an open state. The self-locking function prevents the access cover 440 from moving in the closing direction even when the handle member 1003 is not being held by the user, allowing the access cover 440 to be maintained at the desired open angle. While a trapezoidal thread is used as the locking mechanism in this embodiment, other mechanisms may also be used. For example, in FIG. 12(a), the axial directions of spur gears 1120h and 1120j may be made perpendicular to each other, with 1120h being a worm gear and 1120j being a worm wheel, thereby providing a similar self-locking function.

[0066] (Control regarding detection of opening and closing of access cover 440) The open / close detection of the access cover 440 shown in FIG. 13 and other figures will be described with reference to FIG. 14. In the following description, the overall control of the recording apparatus 1 is similar to that shown in FIG. 9, so that description will be used, and the description of the same components as those in FIG. 9 will be omitted where appropriate. The open / close detection unit 40aa is configured below the drying control unit 326 and the first drying unit 40a subordinate thereto. The control unit 31 controls the start of recording via the drying control unit 326 and the CPU 320 when the photointerrupter 1126 is in a light-blocking state, i.e., when the access cover 440 is guaranteed to be closed. This control prevents, for example, the first drying unit 40a from operating while the access cover 440 is incompletely closed, causing the W ink to proceed to the second recording means before it has solidified completely.

[0067] (Resilient means for supporting the access cover) A configuration using auxiliary elastic means for moving the access cover 440 in addition to the movement configuration using the first to third drive units will be described with reference to FIG. 15. FIG. 15(a) is a perspective view of the recording apparatus 1 in the state shown in FIG. 10(c), viewed from the downstream side opposite the conveyance direction. Two gas springs are arranged in parallel downstream of the access cover 440 in the conveyance direction. FIG. 15(b) is an enlarged view showing a configuration in which a gas spring 1500 is provided on the open access cover 440 and frame 1004 downstream of the first drying unit 40a in the conveyance direction. The gas spring 1500 acts in a direction against the weight of the access cover 440, thereby reducing the force required to operate the grip portion 1003a. The gas spring 1500 is arranged so that the center of gravity of the access cover 440 is located approximately in the center of the third drive unit in the conveyance direction. This configuration prevents the access cover 440 from twisting significantly when opened.

[0068] In FIG. 15(b), two gas springs 1500 are arranged parallel to each other in the transport direction and supported in a recess 1501a of a support member 1501 attached to the lower front side of the recording apparatus 1 of the frame 1004. The gas springs 1500 are supported by the member 1501 and an arm 443L relative to the arm 443R. The arm 443L has a U-shaped portion 443La, to which the gas springs 1500 are engaged. FIG. 15(c) is a partial enlarged view when the opening angle is 40°. Changing from the state of FIG. 15(b) (a state where the opening angle is 30°) to the state of FIG. 15(c) causes the access cover 440 to open wider than the natural length of the gas springs 1500. As a result, the engagement of the gas springs 1500 with the U-shaped portion 443La is released in FIG. 15(c). This configuration allows the gas spring 1500 to be easily replaced after removing the retaining member 446 of FIG. 15(b).

[0069] <Configuration of drive input section> The relationship between the handle member 1003, which is the drive input portion, and the access door 1001 shown in FIG. 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 16 and 17. FIG. 16(a) is a partial cross-sectional view of the handle member 1003 and its vicinity, viewed from upstream in the transport direction of the device. When the access door 1001 is closed while the handle member 1003 remains operable by the user, the dashed line in FIG. 16(a) indicates interference with the grip portion 1003a. On the other hand, FIG. 16(b) shows a state in which a detachable handle member 1003 is used for the drive input shaft 1003c, and the handle member 1003 is removed to close the access door 1001R. Making the handle member detachable reduces interference between the handle member 1003 and other components, such as the grip portion 1003a shown in FIG. 16(a). FIG. 16(c) is a partial enlarged view of FIG. 16(b), showing a key shape 1003d disposed on the drive input shaft 1003c. This key shape 1003d engages with a key groove 1003b provided in a hole in the center of the handle member shown in Figure 16(d), and the shaft portion fits in, so that the force generated by the user's operation is transmitted as a driving force.

[0070] FIG. 17(a) shows a different configuration from FIG. 16(b) that can suppress interference between the handle member 1003 and another member. Specifically, it shows a configuration in which the attitude of the grip portion 1003a changes relative to the handle member 1003 when closing the access door 1001R. In other words, the handle member 1003 has a first configuration when operated by the user and a second configuration for other operations. FIG. 17(b) is a perspective view showing a state in which the grip portion 1003a is tilted at a substantially right angle to the axial direction of the handle member 1003, which corresponds to the second configuration.

[0071] As described above, by configuring the handle member 1003 to be detachable and by configuring the relative position of the handle member 1003 and the grip portion 1003a to be changeable, it is possible to improve usability and make the device more compact.

[0072] In this embodiment, the handle member 1003 is configured to be manually operated by the user. The drive source is not limited to the above configuration and may be a motor. In this case, the drive input unit is a component that transmits the drive of the motor to a transmission means (not shown). FIG. 18 is a block diagram of drive by a motor. In the following description, the overall control of the recording apparatus 1 is similar to that shown in FIG. 14 , so this will be referenced, and the description of the same components as those shown in FIG. 14 will be omitted as appropriate. The open / close motor 40ab is configured below the drying control unit 326 and the first drying unit 40a under its control. From a state in which the access cover 440 is closed, the CPU 320 drives the open / close motor 40ab for the required number of steps and time, and the open / close detection unit 40aa is used to open the access cover 440 to the desired opening angle.

[0073] In this embodiment, the configuration of the first drying section 40a is shown as being open or closed. However, the configuration of the present invention can be similarly applied to the first cooling section 50a for cooling the recording medium. Furthermore, it can also be applied to a fixing device such as that shown in FIG. 19. In other words, the overall unit may be a drying unit having a heating means for drying ink, such as the first drying section 40a. It may also be a cooling unit having a cooling means for cooling the recording medium, such as the first cooling section, or a fixing unit having a fixing means for fixing the ink. In other words, units acting on the recording medium include units for forming an image on the recording medium, such as a drying unit, a cooling unit, and a fixing unit. Of course, the main transport section and dancer section, which adjust the tension of the recording medium, are also units acting on the recording medium.

[0074] FIG. 19(a) is a perspective view of a fixing device 1900 consisting of two pairs of belts. The fixing device 1900 solidifies and fixes ink on a recording medium by nipping both sides of the recording medium with the belts. FIG. 19(b) is a schematic diagram of the fixing device. The fixing device 1900 has a belt unit 1901 at the top of the device and a belt unit 1902 at the bottom, symmetrically across the conveying section. The belts of the belt units 1901 and 1902 are made of a plastic material and are stretched by rollers 1901a-c and rollers 1902a-c, respectively. In the belt units 1901 and 1902, rollers 1901a and 1902a are drive rollers that convey the belts in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 19(b). Rollers 1901b and 1901c and rollers 1902b and 1902c are heat rollers equipped with heating means and can heat the belts to approximately 50 to 100°C. Here, a halogen heater or the like can be used as the heating means. Even in such a configuration, it is preferable that the conveyance section be open when clearing a jammed recording medium or cleaning the conveyance section, as shown in Figure 19(a). Therefore, the present invention can be similarly applied.

[0075] (Second embodiment) The second embodiment will be described below, but the description of the same configuration as the previous embodiment will be omitted. In the second embodiment, the open / closed state of the first drying unit 40a can be guaranteed not only based on the relationship between the photointerrupter 1126 and the flag unit 1122b, but also on variations in the mechanical components.

[0076] FIG. 20(a) illustrates the opening / closing mechanism and opening / closing angle of the access cover in the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 13(a), the access cover 440 is not determined to be completely closed until the flag portion 1122b shields the photointerrupter 1126. Furthermore, the closing is determined to be complete when the link shaft 444 and the U-shaped portion 1124a are separated and the moving member 1124 is driven until it no longer acts on the link shaft 444. Specifically, the handle member 1003 continues to be driven after the flag portion 1122b shields the photointerrupter 1126. As a result, the member 1121 moves due to the threaded portion 1120k until it hits the stopper pin 1120s1 below the recording device 1. When it hits the stopper pin 1120s1, the drive input unit feels resistance, and the user stops operating the handle member 1003. As the member 1121 stops, the moving member 1124 also stops moving. Furthermore, access cover 440 abuts against an abutment portion (not shown) of frame 1004, and access cover 440 completes its closing relative to frame 1004. As a result, a gap δ is created between link shaft 444 and U-shaped portion 1124a as shown in Figure 20(a), and moving member 1124 no longer acts on access cover 440. This gap δ can be set taking into consideration play in the drive unit and play in other parts.

[0077] FIG. 20(b) shows the relationship between the rotation speed of the handle member 1003 and the opening angle of the access cover 440. Note that the horizontal axis represents time. In the graph at the bottom, the rotation speed of the handle member 1003 is constant except for the rising section t1 for simplicity's sake. As shown in the graph at the bottom, the rotation speed of the handle member 1003 becomes constant after the rising section t1 from the completely closed state of the access cover 440. Then, in section t2, the member 1121 moves upward from the state shown in FIG. 20(a) to the state shown in FIG. 13(a). In section t3, the moving member 1124 acts on the link shaft 444, beginning to open the access cover 440, and then the opening angle reaches 30 degrees (the state shown in FIG. 13(b)). In other words, the movement time t3 of the access cover 440 from the closed state to the open state is shortened compared to the time t1 + t2 + t3 required to drive the handle member 1003. With this configuration, it is possible to maintain usability and compactness of the device while taking into consideration variations in the drive units and parts, and to reliably close the access cover 440 against the frame 1004. In other words, it is possible to prevent high-temperature air from leaking through gaps and to prevent gaps in the exterior of the recording device 1 from becoming larger than necessary. The time for which the handle member 1003 is driven can also be rephrased as the time for which a drive force is input to the drive input unit.

[0078] (Third embodiment) The third embodiment will be described below, but explanations of the same configuration as the previous embodiments will be omitted. In this embodiment, an ink tank, which serves as an ink storage unit, is located above the first drying unit 40a. The position of this ink tank changes when the access cover 440 is opened or closed.

[0079] 21, an ink tank unit 60 containing 12 ink tanks 66 is disposed above the first drying section 40a and the first cooling section 50a. The 12 ink tanks contain four colors of ink: W (white), Bk (black), Y (yellow), M (magenta), and C (cyan), as well as a reaction liquid and three spot colors. Note that the ink tanks are not limited to one type of ink per ink; for example, two reaction liquid tanks and two Bk (black) tanks may be used.

[0080] As shown in FIG. 21, by placing the ink tank unit 60 between the first recording unit 7a and the second recording unit 7b, the ink supply path (not shown) can be shortened. Furthermore, when the user refills ink, they can do so at a single location, approximately in the center of the entire device in the transport direction. Meanwhile, focusing on the area indicated by the dashed line Q in FIG. 21, the first drying unit 40a will be loaded with six ink tanks 66, which, including the housing and ink supply means (not shown), will increase the weight by approximately 50 to 100 kg. Furthermore, because the amount of ink in the ink tanks 66 fluctuates depending on the operation of the recording device 1, it is difficult for the user to limit the force (operation force) required to open and close the access cover 440 within a predetermined range. However, the configuration of the present invention can solve the above problem. The reasons for this are explained below.

[0081] Figure 22 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the moment of the access cover and the elastic member. Figure 22(a) shows a state in which nothing is loaded on the access cover 440 assuming the first embodiment, and Figure 22(b) shows a state in which an ink tank 66 is loaded in a full or empty state. Figure 22(c) shows a state in which the ink tank contains ink but is not full, and ink (shown in black) moves when the access cover 440 is opened. For simplicity, only one ink tank 66 is shown.

[0082] In Figure 22(a), if the distance from the center of rotation 2201 of access cover 440 to the center of gravity of access cover 440 is D2, the weight of access cover 440 is w1, the distance from center of rotation 2201 of access cover 440 to the operating part of access cover 440 is D1, the force to maintain posture (operating force) is F, there are n gas springs 1500, their elastic force is f, and the distance from the center of rotation of access cover 440 to gas spring 1500 is D4, then the operating force F1 is expressed by the following formula. F1=(w1×D2-n×f×D4) / D1

[0083] Next, in FIG. 22(b), if the weight of the ink tank 66 including the weight of the ink is w3 and the distance from the rotation center 2201 of the access cover 440 to the center of gravity of the ink tank 66 is D3, the operating force F2 in FIG. 22(b) is expressed by the following formula. F2=(w1×D2+w3×D3-n×f×D4) / D1

[0084] In addition, in FIG. 22(c), if the weight of the ink tank 66 including the weight of the ink is w3' and the distance from the rotation center 2201 of the access cover 440 to the center of gravity where the components of the ink and the ink tank 66 are combined is D3', the operating force F3 in FIG. 22(c) is expressed by the following formula. F3=(w1×D2+w3'×D3'-n×f×D4) / D1

[0085] Here, F3 tends to fluctuate more greatly than F1 depending on the amount of ink remaining in the ink tank 66.

[0086] FIG. 23 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the opening angle of the access cover 440 and the operating force F required by the user to close the access cover 440. The vertical axis represents the operating force required for closing, with the required operating force increasing downward. This operating force is shown in the negative region because it is in the opposite direction to the operating force shown in FIG. 22. When the ink tank 66 is full, if the operating force is set to approach 0 when the access cover 440 is close to being fully closed, the operating force at an opening angle of 30° for the access cover 440 is Fa, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 23. Gas springs generally have a constant maximum repulsive force (gas reaction force). Therefore, when using elastic means such as a gas spring as in the past, when the ink tank is empty of ink, the elastic force of the gas spring 1500 becomes excessive due to the weight of the ink. Therefore, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 23, an operating force Fb greater than Fa is required at the same opening angle. In other words, when using elastic means such as a gas spring, changes in the remaining amount of ink will cause fluctuations in the operating force as shown in Fig. 23. On the other hand, when using a gas spring as an auxiliary means in addition to a transmission means with a self-locking function, as in this embodiment, the effects of these fluctuations in operating force can be suppressed, and operability can be improved.

[0087] The disclosure of this embodiment includes the following methods and configurations.

[0088] (Configuration 1) A conveying path for conveying a recording medium; a unit that can be opened and closed relative to the transport path and acts on the recording medium; a drive input portion to which a drive force for opening and closing the unit is input; a transmission means for transmitting the driving force from the drive input portion to the unit, An ink jet recording apparatus, wherein the transmission means has a locking means for prohibiting the unit from being closed from an open state.

[0089] (Configuration 2) The inkjet recording apparatus according to configuration 1, wherein one of the units is used as a fulcrum and the other is moved to open and close the inkjet recording apparatus.

[0090] (Configuration 3) The unit is an access cover that can be opened and closed relative to the transport path, the transmission means has a moving member that acts on the unit in an opening / closing direction by the driving force, 3. The inkjet recording apparatus according to configuration 1 or 2, wherein the moving member is disposed on one side in a paper width direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the recording medium.

[0091] (Configuration 4) The inkjet recording apparatus according to Configuration 3, wherein the moving member is disposed on the side opposite to the side where the unit is opened.

[0092] (Configuration 5) An inkjet recording device according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, wherein the time it takes for the unit to complete its movement from a closed state to an open state relative to the transport path is shorter than the time it takes for the driving force to be input to the drive input section.

[0093] (Configuration 6) The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of Configurations 1 to 5, wherein an ink storage section for storing ink for forming an image on the recording medium is disposed above the unit.

[0094] (Configuration 7) The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of Configurations 1 to 6, wherein the unit is a drying unit having a heating means for drying the ink applied to the recording medium.

[0095] (Configuration 8) The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 6, wherein the unit is a cooling unit having a cooling means for cooling the recording medium.

[0096] (Configuration 9) The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of Configurations 1 to 6, wherein the unit is a fixing unit having fixing means for fixing the ink applied to the recording medium.

[0097] (Configuration 10) The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 9, further comprising a cover member at a position facing the surface of the unit on the transport path side when the unit is closed.

[0098] (Configuration 11) The ink jet recording apparatus according to any one of Configurations 1 to 10, wherein the locking means includes a trapezoidal screw.

[0099] (Configuration 12) The ink jet recording apparatus according to any one of Configurations 1 to 10, wherein the locking means includes a worm gear and a worm wheel.

[0100] (Configuration 13) The inkjet recording apparatus according to configuration 3, further comprising an elastic member that acts in a direction against the weight of the unit when the unit is opened.

[0101] (Configuration 14) The inkjet recording apparatus according to Configuration 13, wherein the elastic member is disposed on the opposite side of the center of gravity of the unit from the moving member.

[0102] (Configuration 15) The drive input portion is a handle member, 15. The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 14, wherein the handle member is driven by a manual operation by a user.

[0103] (Configuration 16) The inkjet recording apparatus according to Configuration 15, wherein the handle member is detachable from the inkjet recording apparatus.

[0104] (Configuration 17) The inkjet recording apparatus according to configuration 15 or 16, wherein the handle member has a first configuration for manual operation by a user and a second configuration for other operations.

[0105] (Configuration 18) The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of configurations 1 to 14, wherein the driving force from a motor is input to the driving input section.

[0106] (Configuration 19) The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of Configurations 1 to 18, wherein the opening angle of the unit has a second angle range that is larger than the first angle range that can be operated by the user.

[0107] (Configuration 20) The inkjet recording apparatus according to Configuration 19, wherein the second angle range is an angle range that allows operation when replacing parts. [Explanation of symbols]

[0108] 1. Recording device 2 Unwinding roll section 3. First Dancer Section 4. First main transfer section 5. Meandering correction section 6. Transport detection unit 7 Recording section 9. Conveyor tension detector 10 Recorded image position detection unit 11 Scanner section 12 Second main transfer section 13 Second Dancer Section 14 Winding roll section 15 Maintenance Department 22 Recording head 23 Guide roller 26 Recording head holding section 27 Recording head support shaft 28 Recording head lifting frame 29 Recording head lift rail 31 Control Unit 32 Operation section 33 Host Device 40 Drying section 50 Cooling section 71 Sheet transport unit housing 711 Spherical recording head positioning member S seat R1 Winding guide roller 401 Case 408 Air circulation heating section 410 Seat support 411 Sheet support roller 430 Airflow Space 431 Airflow Duct 432 Blower 433 Heater 434 Circulation exhaust port 435 Ventilation vent 436 Exhaust port 437 Intake fan 438 Exhaust Fan 440 Access Cover 1003 Handle member 1100 First drive unit 1110 Second drive unit 1120 Third Drive Unit 1124 Moving parts 1500 Gas Spring 1900 Fixing device

Claims

1. a conveying path for conveying the recording medium; a unit that can be opened and closed relative to the transport path and acts on the recording medium; a drive input portion to which a drive force for opening and closing the unit is input; a transmission means for transmitting the driving force from the drive input portion to the unit, An ink jet recording apparatus, wherein the transmission means has a locking means for prohibiting the unit from being closed from an open state.

2. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ink jet recording apparatus is opened and closed by moving one of the units around the other unit.

3. the unit is an access cover that can be opened and closed relative to the transport path, the transmission means has a moving member that acts on the unit in an opening / closing direction by the driving force, 2. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the moving member is disposed on one side of a paper width direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of the recording medium.

4. 4. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the moving member is disposed on the side opposite to the side where the unit is opened.

5. 2. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the time required for the unit to complete movement from a closed state to an open state relative to the transport path is shorter than the time required for the driving force to be input to the driving input portion.

6. 2. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an ink storage section for storing ink for forming an image on the recording medium is disposed above the unit.

7. 2. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unit is a drying unit having a heating means for drying the ink applied to the recording medium.

8. 2. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unit is a cooling unit having a cooling means for cooling the recording medium.

9. 2. An ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unit is a fixing unit having fixing means for fixing the ink applied to the recording medium.

10. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a cover member at a position facing a surface of the unit on the transport path side when the unit is closed.

11. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the locking means includes a trapezoidal screw.

12. 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the locking means includes a worm gear and a worm wheel.

13. 4. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising an elastic member that acts in a direction against the weight of the unit when the unit is opened.

14. 14. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the elastic member is disposed at a position opposite to the moving member across the center of gravity of the unit.

15. the drive input portion is a handle member, 2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the handle member is driven by a manual operation by a user.

16. 16. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the handle member is detachable from the inkjet recording apparatus.

17. 16. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the handle member has a first configuration for manual operation by a user and a second configuration for other operations.

18. 2. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving force from a motor is input to the driving input section.

19. 2. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening angle of the unit has a second angle range that is larger than the first angle range that can be operated by a user.

20. 20. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the second angle range is an angle range that can be operated when replacing a part.

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