Conveying device

Abstract

To easily remove a jammed paper sheet even in a limited space such as under a head of a head unit.SOLUTION: The printer includes a print conveying unit (2) configured to convey a sheet below an inkjet head (31), a sheet removing auxiliary member (41) provided on at least one of an upstream side and a downstream side of the print conveying unit (2) so as to be displaceable between a vertical position and a tilted position tilted toward the print conveying unit (2), and a lifting drive unit (5) configured to lift the print conveying unit (2) between a printing position where the inkjet head (31) is printing and a lowered position below the printing position where the sheet removing auxiliary member (41) is displaceable to the tilted position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a conveying device that allows jammed paper to be easily removed even in a limited space. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, in a printing device that prints by ejecting ink from an inkjet head onto paper transported from a paper feeder, the paper may jam as it is transported. In such cases, it is necessary to stop the device and remove the jammed paper.

[0003] Patent document 1 discloses a mechanism for removing paper jammed in a first paper transport section or a second paper transport section that transports paper, which includes a paper winding member and a paper removal mechanism, and the paper removal mechanism removes the paper wound around the paper winding member by rotating the paper winding member. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-222864 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, jammed paper is removed by winding it around a paper winding member by rotating it, making it difficult to install a paper winding member in limited spaces such as under the head of the printing unit.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a conveying device that can easily remove jammed paper even in a limited space such as under the head of a printing unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the transport device according to the present invention is characterized by: a conveyance unit that includes a print conveyance unit that conveys paper below the inkjet head, and that conveys paper along a conveyance path that passes through the print conveyance unit; a paper removal assisting member provided at least on either the upstream side or the downstream side of the print transport unit, the paper removal assisting member being displaceable between a vertical position and an inclined position inclined toward the print transport unit; an elevation drive unit that raises and lowers the print transport unit between a printing position where the inkjet head is printing and a lowered position below the printing position where the paper removal assist member can be displaced to a tilted position; The printer is equipped with a control unit that stops the transport of paper and controls the printing transport unit to descend from the printing position to the lowered position when a paper jam occurs in the transport path during printing by the inkjet head. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the features of the transport device of the present invention, jammed paper can be easily removed even in a limited space such as under the head of a head unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conveying device according to an embodiment of the present invention applied to an inkjet printing device. [Figure 2] 1A and 1B are explanatory diagrams illustrating the operation of an inkjet printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) shows a state in which a jam has occurred, (b) shows a state in which the transport unit is lowered, (c) shows a state in which the paper removal assisting member has been displaced to a tilted position, and (d) shows a state in which the paper removal assisting member has been returned to a vertical position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The same or equivalent parts and components are designated by the same or equivalent reference numerals throughout the drawings. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic and may differ from the actual product. Furthermore, the drawings may include parts with different dimensional relationships and ratios.

[0011] Furthermore, the embodiments shown below are merely examples of devices that embody the technical concept of the present invention, and the technical concept of the present invention does not limit the arrangement of each component to that shown below. Various modifications can be made to the technical concept of the present invention within the scope of the claims.

[0012] (Configuration of inkjet printing device 1) 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a conveying device according to an embodiment of the present invention when applied to, for example, an inkjet printing device. In FIG. 1, left and right are defined as left and right directions, up and down are defined as up and down directions, the front of the page is defined as the F (front) direction, and the back of the page is defined as the R (rear) direction.

[0013] The inkjet printing device 1 shown in Fig. 1 includes a print transport unit 2, a head unit 3, a pair of paper removal assist mechanisms 4, an elevation drive unit 5, and a control unit 6. Note that Fig. 1 shows only the configuration necessary to explain the present invention.

[0014] The print transport unit 2 includes a transport belt 21 disposed opposite the head unit 3, a plurality of transport rollers 22 that rotate the transport belt 21, and a suction fan 23.

[0015] The conveying belt 21 is stretched over multiple conveying rollers 22, and during printing, it moves endlessly by being driven by the conveying rollers 22, and conveys the recording medium (paper) supplied from a supply unit (not shown) located on the left side, while adhering it to its surface by suction from the suction fan 23.

[0016] As will be described later, the print transport unit 2 is configured to be movable in the vertical direction by a vertical motor (not shown) etc. This print transport unit 2 and the components that transport paper along the transport path on the upstream and downstream sides of the print transport unit 2 are collectively referred to as the transport unit.

[0017] The head unit 3 has line-type inkjet heads 31K, 31C, 31M, and 31Y, and prints images based on a print job by ejecting ink onto paper transported from left to right by the transport belt 21. The inkjet heads 31K, 31C, 31M, and 31Y are provided in a head holder 32 and are arranged at predetermined intervals in the left-right direction above the print transport unit 2. Inkjet head 31K ejects black ink, 31C ejects cyan ink, 31M ejects magenta ink, and 31Y ejects yellow ink from nozzles formed on the ink ejection surface. In the following description, the alphabetical subscripts will be omitted and the heads will be referred to as inkjet heads 31.

[0018] The pair of paper removal assist mechanisms 4 are provided on the upstream (left) and downstream (right) sides of the print transport unit 2, and each has a paper removal assist member 41 and a holding handle member 42 that rotatably holds the paper removal assist member 41 so that the user can grasp and turn it. The paper removal assist member 41 has a flat plate shape, and the tip is straight or has a C-chamfer or R-chamfer.

[0019] The paper removal assist member 41 is configured so that it can be displaced between a vertical position and a tilted position tilted toward the print transport unit 2 by the user grasping and turning the holding handle member 42. When in the vertical position, the height of the tip of the paper removal assist member 41 is set below the transport path along which the paper is transported so as not to interfere with the transport path. As will be described later, when paper is being transported by the print transport unit 2 or when the print transport unit 2 is moving up and down, the paper removal assist member 41 is displaced to the vertical position by the user grasping and turning the holding handle member 42, and is displaced to the tilted position when folding paper that has jammed due to a jam.

[0020] The lifting drive unit 5 has a wire, a pulley, a motor, etc., and supports the print transport unit 2 by suspending it with the wire. The lifting drive unit 5 uses the motor to rotate the pulley and wind and unwind the wire, thereby raising and lowering the print transport unit 2 between a printing position where the inkjet head 31 is printing, and a lowered position below the printing position where the paper removal assist member 41 can be displaced to a tilted position.

[0021] The control unit 6 performs central control of the inkjet printing device 1. If a paper jam occurs in the transport path while printing is being performed by the inkjet head 31, the control unit 6 stops transport of the paper and controls the print transport unit 2 to descend from the printing position to the lowered position.

[0022] Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram that schematically illustrates the operation of an inkjet printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2(a) shows a state in which a jam has occurred, Figure 2(b) shows a state in which the print transport unit 2 has descended, Figure 2(c) shows a state in which the paper removal assisting member 41 has been displaced to a tilted position, and Figure 2(d) shows a state in which the paper removal assisting member 41 has been returned to a vertical position.

[0023] 2(a), when the control unit 6 determines that a paper jam has occurred in the transport path during printing by the inkjet head 31 based on the detection results of a paper sensor (not shown) and the driving state of the device, the control unit 6 stops the transport of the paper by the print transport unit 2. At this time, the paper removal assist member 41 is held in a vertical position. The suction fan 23 is operating.

[0024] 2(b), the control unit 6 lowers the print transport unit 2 from the printing position to the lowered position using the lift drive unit 5. At this time, the paper removal assist member 41 is held in a vertical position so as not to interfere with the print transport unit 2.

[0025] 2(c), when the print transport unit 2 reaches the lowered position by the lift drive unit 5, the user grasps and turns the holding handle member 42 to displace the paper removal assist member 41 from the vertical position to the tilted position. This causes the paper to be folded on the print transport unit 2.

[0026] In the example shown in Figures 2(a) to (d), only the upstream paper removal auxiliary member 41 is used, but it goes without saying that if the paper protrudes downstream, the downstream paper removal auxiliary member 41 can be displaced from a vertical position to an inclined position to fold the paper protruding downstream.

[0027] In addition, the user displaces the paper removal auxiliary member 41 from the vertical position to the tilted position by grasping and turning the holding handle member 42, but a drive unit such as a motor may be connected to the holding handle member 42, and the control unit 6 may control the paper removal auxiliary member 41 to be displaced from the vertical position to the tilted position.

[0028] When the paper is folded on the print transport unit 2, as shown in Figure 2(d), the user grasps and turns the holding handle member 42 to displace the paper removal assist member 41 from the tilted position to the vertical position. Then, the control unit 6 stops the suction fan 23, allowing the user to remove the folded paper from the F (front) side. Furthermore, because the paper removal assist member 41 is displaced to the vertical position, it does not interfere with the print transport unit 2, and the lifting drive unit 5 can raise the print transport unit 2 from the lowered position to the printing position.

[0029] It is also possible to provide a biasing means such as a spring on the surface (outside) of paper removal auxiliary member 41 opposite the paper side, so that even when paper removal auxiliary member 41 is in the tilted position, when the user releases his or her hand from holding handle member 42, the biasing force of the biasing means will automatically displace paper removal auxiliary member 41 to the vertical position. This prevents contact between paper removal auxiliary member 41 and print transport unit 2 when lifting drive unit 5 accidentally raises print transport unit 2 from the lowered position to the printing position while paper removal auxiliary member 41 is in the tilted position.

[0030] To prevent the leading or trailing edge of the paper from slipping while paper removal assist member 41 is being displaced from the vertical position to the tilted position, the surface of paper removal assist member 41 facing the paper may be made uneven or surface treated to increase grip (friction). Specifically, grooves may be provided at regular intervals in the paper transport direction, or the surface may be coated with silicone.

[0031] (Addendum) The present application discloses the following inventions.

[0032] (Appendix 1) a conveyance unit that includes a print conveyance unit that conveys paper below the inkjet head, and that conveys paper along a conveyance path that passes through the print conveyance unit; a paper removal assisting member that is disposed at least either upstream or downstream of the print transport unit and is displaceable between a vertical position and an inclined position inclined toward the print transport unit, and that has a tip that is lower than the transport path when in the vertical position; an elevation drive unit that raises and lowers the print transport unit between a printing position where the inkjet head is printing and a lowered position below the printing position where the paper removal assist member can be displaced to a tilted position; a control unit that controls the printing and transport unit to stop transport of the paper and lower the printing and transport unit from the printing position to the lowered position when a paper jam occurs in the transport path during printing by the inkjet head; A conveying device comprising:

[0033] As a result, the paper jammed due to the occurrence of a jam can be folded by tilting the paper removal auxiliary member, so that the paper jammed due to the occurrence of a jam can be easily removed even in a limited space such as under the head of a head unit. [Explanation of symbols]

[0034] 1. Inkjet printing device 2 Printing transport section 3 Head Unit 4 Paper removal assist mechanism 5. Lifting drive unit 6 Control Unit 21 Conveyor belt 22 Conveyor roller 23 Suction fan 31 Inkjet head 32 Head holder 41 Paper removal auxiliary part 42 Retaining member

Claims

[Claim 1] a conveyance unit that includes a print conveyance unit that conveys paper below the inkjet head, and that conveys paper along a conveyance path that passes through the print conveyance unit; a paper removal assisting member that is disposed at least either upstream or downstream of the print transport unit and is displaceable between a vertical position and an inclined position inclined toward the print transport unit, and that has a tip that is lower than the transport path when in the vertical position; an elevation drive unit that raises and lowers the print transport unit between a printing position where the inkjet head is printing and a lowered position below the printing position where the paper removal assist member can be displaced to a tilted position; a control unit that controls the printing transport unit to stop transport of the paper and lower the printing transport unit from the printing position to the lowered position when a paper jam occurs in the transport path during printing by the inkjet head; A conveying device comprising:

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