Recording apparatus

Abstract

To provide a recording apparatus which can be opened by a simple operation and accurately positions a platen at a predetermined position.SOLUTION: The printer unit 11 includes a first guide member 54. The first guide member 54 includes a first conveyance path forming member 42 and a pressure receiving member 55. The first conveyance path forming member 42 has a first guide surface 52 that defines the first conveyance path 65. The pressure receiving member 55 receives pressure from another member. The first guide member 54 is movable between a third position and a fourth position away from the third position. When the first guide member 54 is located at the third position, the first transporting path forming member 42 guides the recording sheet transported through the first transporting path 65 by the first guide surface 52. In the third position, the first conveyance path forming member 42 and the pressure receiving member 55 are respectively positioned, and the transmission of the pressing force from other members from the pressure receiving member 55 to the first conveyance path forming member 42 is blocked.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 14

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a recording device that records an image on a sheet. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a recording device that includes a recording head and a platen. The recording device records an image on a sheet in a recording area between the recording head and the platen. A platen support member is located below the platen. The platen and the platen support member are separate members that open and close independently. By opening the platen and the platen support member, it becomes possible to clear a sheet that has become jammed in the recording area. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-107865 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The reversing path for reversing the sheet is located between the platen support member and a jam clearing cover provided on the side of the recording device. The platen support member is equipped with a transport roller that transports the sheet along the reversing path. The platen positioning and the transport roller positioning are performed in conjunction with the closing of the platen support member. Because the platen support member rotates around a vertical axis when closed, it requires a large working space and is not suitable for small devices. To clear a jam, the user must press a button on the side of the device to open the jam clearing cover and then manually open the platen support member, making the operation cumbersome.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to enable a recording apparatus to be opened with a simple operation and to accurately position a platen at a predetermined position. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) A recording device according to the present disclosure includes a first guide member having a first transport path component having a first guide surface that defines a first transport path, and a pressure-receiving member that receives pressure from another member, and the first guide member is movable between a third position where the first guide surface guides a sheet transported on the first transport path, and a fourth position away from the third position, and when the first guide member is in the third position, the first transport path component and the pressure-receiving member are each positioned.

[0007] With the above configuration, the recording device can be opened with a simple operation, and the platen can be positioned at a predetermined position with high precision.

[0008] (2) The first transport path component may be provided such that the first guide surface is displaceable downward relative to the pressure receiving member.

[0009] (3) The recording head may further include a first regulating portion that abuts against the first transport path component member when the first guide member is in a third position and regulates movement of the first transport path component member toward the recording head, and a second regulating portion that abuts against the first transport path component member and regulates movement of the first transport path component member away from the recording head, wherein the first transport path component member may include a first member having a first abutment portion that abuts against the first guide surface and the first regulating portion, a second member that is displaceably attached to the first member and has a second abutment portion that abuts against the second regulating portion, and a third member that urges the first member and the second member in directions away from each other.

[0010] (4) A corrugating member may be provided to impart a corrugated shape that corrugates along the main scanning direction to the sheet supported on the first guide surface.

[0011] (5) A frame for positioning the pressure-receiving member may be provided.

[0012] (6) The pressure receiving member may have a second guide surface that defines a second transport path located below the first transport path.

[0013] (7) A second guide member may be provided, and the pressure receiving member may have a pinch roller. The second guide member may have a third guide surface facing the second guide surface and defining the second conveying path, and a drive roller that is pressed against the pinch roller and conveys the sheet in the second conveying path.

[0014] (8) The first transport path component may include a platen. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, the recording device can be opened with a simple operation, and the platen can be positioned at a predetermined position with high accuracy. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the appearance of a multifunction peripheral 10. As shown in FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the printer unit 11 with the feed tray 20 attached. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the appearance of the platen 201. As shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the clearance 209 between the first transport path component 42 and the pressure receiving member 55. As shown in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the inside of the printer unit 11. As shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the appearance of the pressure-receiving member 55. As shown in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a top view showing the inside of the printer unit 11. As shown in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a top view showing the inside of the printer unit 11 with the first transport path component 42 removed. [Figure 9] 9(A) is an external perspective view of the side frame 53, and FIG. 9(B) is an inner side view of the side frame 53. As shown in FIG. [Figure 10]10(A) is an external perspective view of the left slider 103, FIG. 10(B) is an inner side view of the left slider 103, and FIG. 10(C) is an outer side view of the left slider 103. FIG. [Figure 11] 11A is an external perspective view of the feed tray 20, and FIG. 11B is an inner side view of the left wall of the feed tray 20. As shown in FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the printer unit 11 with the feed tray 20 removed. [Figure 13] Figure 13(A) is an inner side view of the side frame 53 and slider 103 with the feed tray 20 attached, Figure 13(B) is an inner side view of the side frame 53 and slider 103 with the feed tray 20 removed, and Figure 13(C) is an outer side view of the side frame 53 and slider 103 with the feed tray 20 removed. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the positioning state of the first transport path component 42 and the pressure receiving member 55. As shown in FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the printer unit 11 with the first transport path 65 open. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the appearance of the second guide member 74. As shown in FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the first transport path component 42 and the pressure receiving member 55 after the positioning has been released. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the printer unit 11 with the second transport path 71 open. [Figure 19] 19A is a schematic diagram showing plain paper 227, corrugated member 208, and platen 201, and FIG. 19B is a schematic diagram showing cardboard 228, corrugated member 208, and platen 201. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] A recording device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail below. Note that the following embodiment is merely an example of the present disclosure, and it goes without saying that the embodiment of the present disclosure can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. In the following description, the direction of an arrow refers to the direction from the start point to the end point, and the direction of movement on the line connecting the start point and end point of the arrow. In other words, the direction is one component of the direction. Furthermore, the up-down direction is defined based on a state in which a multifunction peripheral 10 according to an embodiment of a recording device according to the present disclosure is installed on a horizontal surface ready for use. This is the orientation shown in FIG. 1 and may be referred to as the "usage orientation." The front-to-rear direction is defined with the side of the multifunction peripheral 10 where the opening 13 is located as the near side. The left-to-right direction is defined when viewing the multifunction peripheral 10 from the front. In this embodiment, in the usage orientation, the up-to-down direction corresponds to the vertical direction, and the front-to-rear and left-to-right directions correspond to the horizontal direction, and are perpendicular to each other. The front side is also referred to as the front side, and the rear side is also referred to as the rear side.

[0018] [Overall configuration of the multifunction device 10] 1 and 2, a multifunction device 10, which is an example of a recording device according to the present disclosure, has a printing function and other functions and is generally rectangular in shape. The multifunction device 10 has a printer unit 11 at the bottom that records an image on a sheet using an inkjet recording method. Hereinafter, the sheet will be referred to as recording paper 12.

[0019] [Printer section 11] The printer unit 11 includes a housing 14. The housing 14 has an opening 13 on the front side. The feed tray 20 can be attached to and removed from the printer unit 11 by moving the feed tray 20 in the front-to-rear direction relative to the opening 13. The feed tray 20 stores recording paper 12 used for image recording. As shown in FIGS. 2, 7, and 8, the housing 14 houses the feed unit 16, the recording unit 24, a first guide member 54, a second guide member 74, a slider 103, a first transport path 65, a second transport path 71, and a frame. Hereinafter, the frame will be referred to as a side frame 53. In FIG. 2, the dashed arrow indicates the transport path and transport direction of the recording paper 12.

[0020] [Feeding section 16] The feed unit 16 has a feed roller 25, a feed arm 26, a drive transmission mechanism 27, and a support shaft 28. The feed arm 26 is a long member having the support shaft 28 at one end in the longitudinal direction and the feed roller 25 at the other end. The feed arm 26 is rotatable around the support shaft 28 relative to the second guide member 74. The feed arm 26 has a drive transmission mechanism 27. The drive transmission mechanism 27 transmits the rotational drive force of the drive roller of the second guide member 74 to the feed roller 25. Hereinafter, the drive roller will be referred to as the re-conveyance roller 22. When the feed arm 26 rotates under its own weight and hangs down from the second guide member 74, the feed roller 25 comes into contact with the uppermost recording paper 12. When the drive transmission mechanism 27 transmits the rotational drive force of the re-transport roller 22 to the feed roller 25, the feed roller 25 feeds the recording paper 12 one sheet at a time.

[0021] [First conveying path 65] The first transport path 65 has an outer guide member 18, an inner guide member 19, a recording unit 24, a first guide member 54, and a flap 49. The outer guide member 18 and the inner guide member 19 form a curved portion 33. The curved portion 33 extends upward at the rear of the printer unit 11 and then makes a U-turn forward. The curved portion 33 guides the recording paper 12 fed by the feed roller 25 to the transport roller 60. The underside of the recording unit 24, in other words the nozzle surface of the recording head 38, defines the first transport path 65 from above. The first guide surface 52 of the first guide member 54 defines the first transport path 65 from below. The flap 49 can swing around the rotation axis of the discharge roller 62. The end of the flap 49 on the rotation axis side is referred to as the base end, and the other end is referred to as the tip end. The first conveying path 65 is arranged along the conveying direction of the recording paper 12, with a feed roller 25, a conveying roller 60, a conveying pinch roller 61, a discharge roller 62, a discharge spur roller 63, a reversing roller 67, and a reversing spur roller 68, which rotate in the conveying direction of the recording paper 12 when recording an image.

[0022] The conveying roller 60 rotates around a first rotating shaft 31. The first rotating shaft 31 is supported by a conveying roller bearing 210. As shown in FIGS. 9(A) and 9(B), the side frame 53 has a first notch 222, a second notch 223, and a third notch 224. The outer portions of the conveying roller bearing 210 at the rear left and right are fitted into the first notch 222. The inner portion of the conveying roller bearing 210 protrudes inside the side frame 53. The conveying pinch roller 61 presses against the conveying roller 60 to form a conveying nip and is rotated by the conveying roller 60. The discharge roller 62 rotates around a discharge roller shaft 70. The discharge roller shaft 70 is supported by a discharge roller bearing 211. The discharge roller bearing 211 is fitted into the second notch 223. The discharge spur roller 63 presses against the discharge roller 62 to form a transport nip, and is rotated by the discharge roller 62. The reversing roller 67 rotates around a reversing roller shaft 69. A reversing roller bearing 212 is fitted onto the reversing roller shaft 69. The reversing spur roller 68 presses against the reversing roller 67 to form a transport nip, and is rotated by the reversing roller 67. The recording paper 12 is caught in this transport nip and transported. The flap 49 swings so that its leading edge is lowered, guiding the recording paper 12 from the discharge roller 62 to the reversing roller 67. When an image is recorded only on the front side of the recording paper 12, the reversing roller 67 transports the recording paper 12 to the discharge tray 21.

[0023] [Second conveying path 71] The second transport path 71 includes a flap 49, a third guide member 105, a first guide member 54, and a second guide member 74. The flap 49 and the second guide surface 50 of the first guide member 54 define the second transport path 71 from above. The third guide member 105 and the third guide surface 76 of the second guide member 74 define the second transport path 71 from below. A reversing roller 67, a reversing spur roller 68, a re-conveying roller 22, and a pinch roller 23 are arranged in the second transport path 71 along the transport direction of the recording paper 12. When an image is to be recorded on the back side of the recording paper 12 in addition to the front side, the reversing roller 67 first transports the recording paper 12 until the trailing edge of the recording paper 12 passes the flap 49. Next, the flap 49 swings to lift the leading edge, and then the reversing roller 67 reverses the transport direction to transport the recording paper 12. The flap 49 and the third guide member 105 guide the recording paper 12 to the re-conveying rollers 22. A first conveying path 65 leading from the discharge rollers 62 to the reversing rollers 67 and a second conveying path 71 leading from the reversing rollers 67 to the re-conveying rollers 22 branch off at a branching position 101.

[0024] The re-conveyance roller 22 is provided on the second guide member 74, and the pinch roller 23 is provided on the first guide member 54. The pinch roller 23 presses against the re-conveyance roller 22 to form a conveyance nip and is rotated by the re-conveyance roller 22. The re-conveyance roller 22 conveys the recording paper 12 by gripping it in the conveyance nip. The second conveyance path 71 merges with the first conveyance path 65 at a junction position 102. Therefore, the recording paper 12 conveyed to the junction position 102 via the second conveyance path 71 enters the first conveyance path 65 at the junction position 102 and is guided by the conveyance rollers 60. Thereafter, an image is recorded on the back side of the recording paper 12 in the same process as when the image was recorded on the front side, and the recording paper 12 is then discharged via the discharge rollers 62 and the reversing rollers 67 to the discharge tray 21.

[0025] [Records 24] The recording unit 24 is disposed above the first transport path 65, downstream of the transport roller 60 and upstream of the discharge roller 62 in the transport direction of the recording paper 12. The recording unit 24 faces the first guide member 54 from above, across the first transport path 65. The recording unit 24 includes a carriage 40 and a recording head 38. The carriage 40 is supported by two guide rails (not shown) spaced apart in the front-rear direction so as to be movable back and forth in the left-right direction. The recording head 38 is mounted on the carriage 40. The underside of the recording head 38 is a nozzle surface on which multiple nozzles are formed. The multiple nozzles form multiple nozzle rows, and multiple nozzles are arranged in each nozzle row. The nozzle surface faces the first transport path 65 and, therefore, faces the recording surface of the recording paper 12. The recording head 38 receives ink from ink cartridges (not shown) and ejects black, magenta, cyan, and yellow ink from the nozzle surface. When the carriage 40 moves in the left-right direction, the recording head 38 ejects ink droplets from the nozzles 39, thereby recording a color image on the recording paper 12 supported by the first guide member 54.

[0026] [First guide member 54] The first guide member 54 is assembled from a first transport path component member 42 and a second transport path component member. Hereinafter, the second transport path component member will be referred to as a pressure receiving member 55. The first transport path component member 42 has a first guide surface 52 that defines the first transport path 65. The first guide member 54 is movable between a third position shown in FIG. 4 where the first guide surface 52 guides the recording paper 12 transported through the first transport path 65, and a fourth position shown in FIG. 15 where the first guide member 54 is positioned downward and away from the third position. When the first guide member 54 is in the third position, the first transport path component member 42 and the pressure receiving member 55 are each positioned.

[0027] [First conveying path component 42] 14, the first transport path forming member 42 has a first member, a second member, and a third member. Hereinafter, the first member will be referred to as a platen 201. The second member will be referred to as a platen movable member 202. The third member will be referred to as a platen elastic member 203.

[0028] [Platen 201] As shown in Fig. 3, the platen 201 is a flat, generally rectangular member that is elongated in the left-right direction when viewed from above. The platen 201 has a first guide surface 52, a pair of platen rear protrusions 204, and a pair of platen side protrusions 206. The first guide surface 52 defines a head gap, which is the distance between the recording paper 12 and the nozzle surface, which is the lower surface of the recording head 38. This allows the recording head 38 to cause ink ejected from the nozzle surface to land at desired positions on the recording paper 12.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 3 , the first guide surface 52 is provided with a plurality of first platen ribs 207 and a plurality of second platen ribs 214 extending in the conveyance direction of the recording paper 12. The height of the first platen ribs 207 from the first guide surface 52 is greater than that of the second platen ribs 214. The length of the first platen ribs 207 in the conveyance direction of the recording paper 12 is greater than that of the second platen ribs 214. In a top view, three first platen ribs 207 are disposed between two corrugated members 208, and two are disposed on each outer side of the corrugated members 208 in the left-right direction. Two second platen ribs 214 are disposed directly below the corrugated members 208. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 , the corrugated members 208 press the recording paper 12 against the second platen ribs 214 between two first platen ribs 207 adjacent in the main scanning direction. If the recording paper 12 is plain paper 227, the corrugated member 208 imparts a corrugated shape that undulates along the main scanning direction, as shown in Fig. 19(A) , and therefore the plain paper 227 can be prevented from curling or otherwise lifting up from the first guide surface 52.

[0030] The pair of platen rear protrusions 204 protrude rearward from both left and right end portions of the rear long side of the generally rectangular platen when viewed from above. The upper surface of the platen rear protrusions 204 forms a platen concave surface 205. The platen concave surface 205 is slidably fitted into the inner portion of the conveyance roller bearing 210. This allows the platen 201 to rotate about the first rotation shaft 31 of the conveyance roller 60, and allows the first guide member 54 to move between the third position and the fourth position. When the first guide member 54 is in the third position and the first conveyance path component 42 is positioned, the conveyance roller bearing 210 acts as a first restricting portion, abutting against the platen concave surface 205 of the first conveyance path component 42 and restricting movement of the first conveyance path component 42 toward the recording head 38. Therefore, the platen concave surface 205 corresponds to a first abutting portion that abuts against the first restricting portion.

[0031] The platen lateral protrusion 206 protrudes laterally from the side surface of the platen 201 toward the slider 103. When the first guide member 54 is in the third position, the platen lateral protrusion 206 is located higher than the upper end (a cam surface described later) of the slider 103. On the other hand, when the first guide member 54 is in the fourth position, as shown in a dashed circle 213 in FIG. 10(B), the platen lateral protrusion 206 abuts from behind against a vertical surface of the cam surface of the slider 103 that extends in the up-down direction. This allows the platen 201 to restrict rearward movement of the slider 103 in the front-to-rear direction when the feed tray 20 is attached.

[0032] [Platen movable member 202] The platen movable member 202 is attached so as to be displaceable relative to the platen 201. When the first guide member 54 is in the third position and the first transport path component 42 is positioned, the platen movable member 202 abuts against the slider 103. The slider 103 abuts against the platen movable member 202 of the first transport path component 42 and corresponds to a second restricting portion that restricts movement of the first transport path component 42 in a direction away from the recording head 38. The lower end of the platen movable member 202 corresponds to a second abutting portion 263 that abuts against the second restricting portion.

[0033] [Platen elastic member 203] The platen elastic member 203 biases the upstream end of the platen 201 in the transport direction of the recording paper 12 and the platen movable member 202 in directions away from each other. In this embodiment, a coil spring is used as the platen elastic member 203, with one end in the coil axis direction abutting against the lower surface of the platen 201 and the other end abutting against the upper surface of the platen movable member 202. An elastic member other than a coil spring may be used as the platen elastic member 203. When the platen 201 is pressed against the recording paper 12, the platen elastic member 203 is elastically compressed in accordance with the pressing force, and the platen 201 is displaced in the vertical direction.

[0034] For example, if the recording paper 12 is cardboard 228, the cardboard 228 is stiff and does not bend easily. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 19(B), when pressed by the corrugated member 208, the cardboard 228 abuts against the first platen rib 207 but does not abut against the second platen rib 214, maintaining a flat shape. In response to this, the platen elastic member 203 elastically compresses, displacing the platen 201 downward, thereby maintaining a constant head gap. As shown in FIG. 4, a clearance 209 is provided between the first transport path component 42 and the pressure-receiving member 55 in a vertical direction while they are positioned. Therefore, even if the platen 201 displaces vertically, it does not interfere with the pressure-receiving member 55. The pressure-receiving member 55 does not impede the displacement of the platen 201.

[0035] When the platen 201 is positioned, the bottom of the platen concave surface 205 comes into contact with the conveyance roller bearing lower surface 256 as a first contact portion 262. The lower end of the platen movable member 202 comes into contact with the first cam surface 251 of the slider 103 as a second contact portion 263. The lower portion of the front end of the platen 201 comes into contact with the fifth cam surface 255 of the slider 103 as a fourth contact portion 265. The upper portion of the front end of the platen 201 comes into contact with the discharge roller bearing lower surface 258 as a fifth contact portion 266.

[0036] [Pressure receiving member 55] As shown in FIG. 6 , the pressure receiving member 55 has a second guide surface 50 and a pinch roller 23. The second guide surface 50 defines a second transport path 71 located below the first transport path 65. Therefore, when the first transport path component 42 is removed, the second guide surface 50 is exposed as shown in FIG. 8 . The first transport path component 42 has a recess (not shown), and the pressure receiving member 55 has a protrusion (not shown). The protrusion of the pressure receiving member 55 is loosely fitted into the recess of the first transport path component 42. This loose fit allows the first guide surface 52 of the first transport path component 42 to be displaced downward relative to the pressure receiving member 55. The magnitude of this displacement is constrained within a certain range by the loose fit, so the pressure receiving member 55, the first transport path component 42, and the first guide member 54 rotate integrally.

[0037] The pinch roller 23 is pressed against the re-conveyance roller 22 of the second guide member 74. Therefore, the pressure receiving member 55 receives pressure from the second guide member 74, which is another member. The pressure receiving member 55 is positioned when the cam surface of the slider 103 abuts against the lower surface of the pressure receiving member 55 and the upper surface of the pressure receiving member 55 abuts against the side frame 53 from below. The pressing force applied to the pressure receiving member 55 by the second guide member 74 is received by the side frame 53. In addition, a clearance 209 is provided between the pressure receiving member 55 and the first transport path component member 42. Therefore, the pressing force on the pressure receiving member 55 is not transmitted to the first transport path component member 42, so the positioning of the first transport path component member 42 can be maintained with high precision.

[0038] During positioning, the rear lower surface of the pressure receiving member 55 abuts against the third cam surface 253 of the slider 103 as a seventh abutment portion 268, and the front lower surface abuts against the fourth cam surface 254 of the slider 103 as an eighth abutment portion 269. The rear upper surface of the pressure receiving member 55 abuts against the first frame positioning portion 260 of the side frame 53 as a ninth abutment portion 270. The front upper surface of the pressure receiving member 55 abuts against the second frame positioning portion 261 of the side frame 53 as a tenth abutment portion 271.

[0039] [Side frame 53] As shown in FIGS. 9(A) and 9(B), the side frame 53 is a sheet metal member that is elongated in the front-rear direction and has a frame vertical portion 220 and a frame horizontal portion 221. The frame vertical portion 220 is disposed along the left and right side surfaces of the housing 14, respectively. FIGS. 9(A) and 9(B) show the left side frame 53. A right side frame 53 that is symmetrical to the left side frame 53 shown in FIGS. 9(A) and 9(B) in a plane perpendicular to the left-right direction is disposed at the right end of the housing 14. The frame horizontal portion 221 extends inward in the left-right direction from the lower end of the frame vertical portion 220. The side frames 53 are disposed on the left and right outer sides of the slider 103 when viewed from above.

[0040] The frame vertical portion 220 has a first cutout portion 222, a second cutout portion 223, a third cutout portion 224, a first frame positioning portion 260, and a second frame positioning portion 261, and pivotally supports the lever member 218 so that it can swing. The conveying roller bearing 210 is inserted into the first cutout portion 222. The discharging roller bearing 211 is inserted into the second cutout portion 223. The reversing roller bearing 212 is inserted into the third cutout portion 224. The first frame positioning portion 260 and the second frame positioning portion 261 are portions where a portion of the frame vertical portion 220 is bent 90 degrees inward in the left-right direction. The first frame positioning portion 260 is located at a position where it abuts against the ninth abutment portion 270 of the pressure receiving member 55 during positioning. The second frame positioning portion 261 is provided at a position where it abuts against the tenth abutment portion 271 of the pressure receiving member 55.

[0041] Frame horizontal portion 221 has a fourth notch 225. Fourth notch 225 is a through hole that accommodates the rotation of lever member 218. Lever member 218 hangs down from a pivot position within fourth notch 225. Slider 103 is placed on frame horizontal portion 221. Frame horizontal portion 221 is fixed to housing 14.

[0042] [Slider 103] The slider 103 is a member that is long in the front-rear direction and narrow in the left-right direction. It is a linear cam that moves linearly in the front-rear direction within the housing 14 when the feed tray 20 is attached or detached. The slider 103 has a cam portion 215, a feed tray pressing portion 216, and a lever abutment portion 217. The slider 103 is disposed on both the left and right sides of the platen 201 in a top view. FIG. 10 shows the left slider 103. The slider 103 is linearly movable between a first position shown in FIG. 14 and a second position shown in FIG. 15. A lever member 218 is pivotally supported by the side frame 53 but is not connected to the slider 103. The lever member 218 abuts against the lever abutment portion 217 as the slider 103 moves. FIG. 10 shows the positional relationship of the lever member 218 with the slider 103.

[0043] [Cam part 215] A portion of the upper end of the slider 103 forms a cam portion 215, and its height changes in the front-to-rear direction. The cam portion 215 has a first cam surface 251, a second cam surface 252, a third cam surface 253, a fourth cam surface 254, and a fifth cam surface 255. The first cam surface 251, the third cam surface 253, the fourth cam surface 254, and the fifth cam surface 255 are horizontal surfaces. When the slider 103 is in the first position, the first cam surface 251 abuts against the 32nd abutment portion 263 of the platen movable member 202. The third cam surface 253 abuts against the 7th abutment portion 268 of the pressure-receiving member 55. The 4th cam surface 254 abuts against the 8th abutment portion 269 of the pressure-receiving member 55. The fifth cam surface 255 abuts against the fourth abutment portion 265 of the platen 201. In this way, at the first position, the slider 103 abuts against the first transport path component member 42 and the pressure receiving member 55 to position them, respectively. As a result, the first guide member 54 moves to the third position.

[0044] The second cam surface 252 is a vertical surface. The second cam surface 252 abuts against the platen side protrusion 206 when the slider 103 is in the second position. The first cam surface 251, the third cam surface 253, the fourth cam surface 254, and the fifth cam surface 255 are released from the pressure contact. In this way, when the slider 103 is in the second position, it is separated from the first transport path forming member 42 and the pressure receiving member 55, and the positioning is released. This allows the first guide member 54 to move downward toward the third position.

[0045] [Feed tray pressing portion 216] The feed tray pressing portion 216 is provided at the front end portion of the slider 103. The feed tray pressing portion 216 is disposed at a height that allows the slider pressing portion 235 of the feed tray 20 to abut against it when the feed tray 20 is attached. When the slider pressing portion 235 of the feed tray 20 presses the feed tray pressing portion 216 of the slider 103, the slider 103 moves linearly from the second position to the first position. In this way, the slider 103 moves linearly from the second position to the first position in conjunction with the attachment of the feed tray 20.

[0046] [Lever contact part 217] The lever abutment portion 217 protrudes downward from the underside of the main body of the slider 103, behind the feed tray pressing portion 216 and in front of the lever member 218. The underside of the main body of the slider 103 is the surface that slides against the upper surface of the frame horizontal portion 221 of the side frame 53 when the slider 103 moves linearly in the front-to-rear direction. When the lever pressing portion 236 of the feed tray 20 abuts against the lever member 218 and swings it, the lever member 218 abuts against the lever abutment portion 217 and presses the slider 103 forward, moving it linearly to the second position. In this way, the slider 103 moves linearly from the first position to the second position in conjunction with the removal of the feed tray 20.

[0047] [Feed Tray 20] As shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, the feed tray 20 has a tray bottom plate 230, tray side plates 231, and a tray front plate 232. A paper width guide 233 is attached to the tray bottom plate 230 so as to be slidable in the left-right direction. The paper width guide 233 is a guide member for aligning the recording paper 12 in the left-right center of the feed tray 20. Tray side plates 231 are erected on both left-right end portions of the tray bottom plate 230, and a tray front plate 232 is erected on the front end portion. A handle 234 is provided on the tray front plate 232 for removing the feed tray 20. As shown in FIG. 4, the feed tray 20 is attached below the positioned first guide member 54.

[0048] The tray side plate 231 has a slider pressing portion 235 and a lever pressing portion 236. The slider pressing portion 235 is a substantially vertical surface, and the tray side plate 231 is higher in front of the slider pressing portion 235 and lower behind the slider pressing portion 235. The slider pressing portion 235 presses the feed tray pressing portion 216 of the slider 103 when the feed tray 20 is attached. The feed tray pressing portion 216 is positioned so that the slider 103 is in the first position when the attachment of the feed tray 20 is complete. The portion of the feed tray 20 behind the slider pressing portion 235 is lower than the lower end of the feed tray pressing portion 216 of the slider 103 so as not to come into contact with the slider pressing portion 235 when the feed tray 20 is attached.

[0049] The lever pressing portion 236 is a substantially vertical surface, and the rear side of the lever pressing portion 236 is a tray side plate high portion 237 where the tray side plate 231 is high, and the front side of the lever pressing portion 236 is a tray side plate low portion 238 where the tray side plate 231 is low. When the feed tray 20 is installed, the lever member 218 climbs over the tray side plate high portion 237 and reaches the tray side plate low portion 238, where it hangs down. When the feed tray 20 is removed, the lever pressing portion 236 presses the lever member 218 from the rear side to the front side, causing it to swing forward. This swing causes the lever member 218 to come into contact with the lever abutment portion 217 of the slider 103 and press it forward. This pressure causes the slider 103 to move linearly from the first position to the second position. When the lower end of the lever member 218 rises to the height of the tray side plate high portion 237, the lever member 218 assumes a swinging position in which it swings forward. When the lever member 218 climbs over the tray side plate 231 in the swinging position, the feed tray 20 is removed and the lever member 218 returns to the hanging position. In addition to being pressed by the feed tray 20, the lever member 218 can also be swung manually when the feed tray 20 is removed.

[0050] [Second guide member 74] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 16 , the second guide member 74 includes a third guide surface 76, a re-conveyance roller 22, and an engagement portion 84. The third guide surface 76 faces the second guide surface 50 of the pressure receiving member 55 and defines the second transport path 71. The re-conveyance roller 22 is a drive roller that presses against the pinch roller 23 of the pressure receiving member 55 to transport the recording paper 12 through the second transport path 71. The second guide member 74 is rotatably supported by a second rotation shaft 43. The second rotation shaft 43 is located below the first rotation shaft 31 of the first guide member 54 and is parallel to the first rotation shaft 31. By rotating about the second rotation shaft 43, the second guide member 74 can move between a fifth position where the third guide surface 76 guides the recording paper 12 transported through the second transport path 71 and a sixth position where the first transport path 65 or the second transport path 71 is opened. The fifth position is the position shown in Figure 4. The sixth position is the position shown in Figures 15 and 18. The second guide member 74 is located below the first guide member 54, and supports the released first guide member 54 above the feed tray 20.

[0051] The engagement portion 84 is provided on the front end portion of the second guide member 74. When the second guide member 74 is located at the fifth position, the engagement portion 84 protrudes in both left and right directions from the front end portion of the second guide member 74 and engages with the housing 14. The engagement portion 84 is reciprocable in the left and right direction between a release position where it is disengaged from the housing 14 and an engagement position where it is engaged with the housing 14. The engagement between the engagement portion 84 and the housing 14 holds the second guide member 74 at the fifth position. The engagement portion 84 is biased toward the engagement position by a biasing member (not shown). This biasing force maintains the engagement state between the engagement portion 84 and the housing 14. The engagement portion 84 can be manually moved from the engagement position to the release position against the biasing force of the biasing member to release the engagement with the housing 14.

[0052] At the sixth position, the front end of the second guide member 74 rotates to within the movement range of the feed tray 20. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 15 , even if an attempt is made to attach the feed tray 20 when the second guide member 74 is at the sixth position, the rear end of the feed tray 20 abuts against the tip of the second guide member 74, preventing the feed tray 20 from moving rearward from the abutment position. As shown in FIG. 13(A) , at the sixth position, the second guide member 74 restricts the attachment of the feed tray 20 before the feed tray 20 abuts against the slider 103. The second guide member 74 can be manually moved from the sixth position to the fifth position, and the engaging portion 84 can be engaged with the housing 14 at the fifth position.

[0053] The second guide member 74 rotatably supports the feed arm 26. The feed arm 26 has a drive transmission mechanism 27. The drive transmission mechanism 27 transmits the rotational driving force of a conveyance motor (not shown) that rotates the conveyance roller 60 to the feed roller 25.

[0054] [jam] In the printer unit 11, a jam, i.e., a paper jam, may occur when the recording paper 12 is transported within the device. A jam can be detected as follows. For example, by disposing transport sensors, if the time elapsed between when the upstream transport sensor in the transport direction of the recording paper 12 detects the recording paper 12 and when the downstream transport sensor detects the recording paper 12 is within a predetermined time, it is determined that a jam has not occurred, and if the time elapsed exceeds the predetermined time, it is determined that a jam has occurred between these transport sensors. Jams may also be detected with other configurations and methods. When the printer unit 11 detects a jam, it notifies the user of the occurrence of a jam by sounding an alarm, turning on a lamp, or displaying a message on an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display).

[0055] [Jam Clearance] When a jam occurs, the printer unit 11 performs jam clearance as follows: When a jam occurs, as shown in Figure 4, the slider 103 is in the first position, the first guide member 54 is in the third position, and the second guide member 74 is in the fifth position.

[0056] (1) Remove the feed tray 20. When the slider 103 moves linearly from the first position to the second position in conjunction with the removal of the feed tray 20, the positioning of the first guide member 54 is released. The second guide member 74 is maintained at the fifth position due to the engagement between the engagement portion 84 and the housing 14. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 12 , the first guide member 54 is supported by the second guide member 74 with the pinch roller 23 and the re-conveyance roller 22 remaining in contact with each other.

[0057] (2) The second guide member 74 is moved from the fifth position to the sixth position. When a worker clearing a jam inserts his or her hand through opening 13 on the front surface of housing 14 and manually operates engagement portion 84 of second guide member 74 to disengage engagement portion 84 from housing 14, second guide member 74 rotates around second rotation shaft 43 due to its own weight and moves from the fifth position to the sixth position. If a jam occurs in first conveyance path 65, as shown in FIG. 15 , first guide member 54 rotates around first rotation shaft 31 due to its own weight and moves from the third position to the fourth position, thereby opening first conveyance path 65. This allows the worker to access and remove recording paper 12 jammed in first conveyance path 65.

[0058] When a jam occurs in the second transport path 71, as shown in FIG. 18, the first guide member 54 may be supported by the recording paper 12 (not shown) jammed in the second transport path 71 and may be unable to move to the fourth position. In this case, the second guide member 74 also moves to the sixth position, thereby opening the second transport path 71. This allows the operator to access and remove the recording paper 12 jammed in the first transport path 65. As shown in FIG. 15, even if a jam occurs in the second transport path 71, when the first guide member 54 is not supported by the recording paper 12 jammed in the second transport path 71 and moves to the fourth position, the jam can be cleared in the same way as when a jam occurs in the first transport path 65 described above.

[0059] When the second guide member 74 is in the sixth position, as described above, attachment of the feed tray 20 is restricted, and the feed tray 20 does not come into contact with the slider 103, so the slider 103 is maintained at the second position. When the first guide member 54 moves to the fourth position, the platen side protrusion 206 comes into contact with the second cam surface 252 of the slider 103, so the slider 103 is maintained at the second position. This prevents the slider 103 from colliding with the first guide member 54 in the fourth position and damaging or deforming the platen 201, or the feed tray 20 from colliding with the slider 103 in the second position and damaging or deforming the slider 103, if the operator erroneously attaches the feed tray 20.

[0060] (3) The second guide member 74 is returned from the sixth position to the fifth position. After clearing the jam, the operator lifts the second guide member 74 from the sixth position to the fifth position to engage the engaging portion 84 with the housing 14. This holds the second guide member 74 in the fifth position. As shown in FIG. 12 , the first guide member 54 is pushed up together with the second guide member 74 and supported by the second guide member 74. As a result, the re-conveyance roller 22 of the second guide member 74 presses the pinch roller 23 of the first guide member 54, suppressing displacement of the first guide member 54. This is referred to as temporary positioning of the first guide member 54. In temporary positioning, the second guide member 74 releases the restriction on movement of the feed tray 20 and the first guide member 54 releases the restriction on linear movement of the slider 103. However, because the first guide member 54 is lifted to a position close to the third position, there is no risk of the slider 103 colliding with the first guide member 54 even when the feed tray 20 is attached.

[0061] (4) The feed tray 20 is attached. When the feed tray 20 is inserted into the opening 13 of the housing 14 and attached to the printer unit 11, the slider 103 moves linearly from the second position to the first position in conjunction with the attachment of the feed tray 20, and the first guide member 54, which has been provisionally positioned, is positioned as shown in Figure 4.

[0062] [Positioning of the first guide member 54] The first transport path forming member 42 constituting the first guide member 54 and the pressure receiving member 55 are positioned as follows. As shown in FIG. 14 , as the slider 103 moves linearly from the second position to the first position, first, the eighth cam surface 279 of the slider 103 is pressed against the thirteenth contact portion 274 of the platen 201. The eighth cam surface 279 is inclined, and as the slider 103 moves, the thirteenth contact portion 274 is lifted. Next, the seventh cam surface 278 of the slider 103 is pressed against the twelfth contact portion 273 of the pressure receiving member 55. The seventh cam surface 278 is also inclined, and the twelfth contact portion 273 is lifted. Furthermore, the sixth cam surface 277 of the slider 103 is pressed against the eleventh contact portion 272 of the pressure receiving member 55. The sixth cam surface 277 is also an inclined surface, and lifts up the eleventh contact portion 272. As a result, the first transport path component member 42 and the pressure receiving member 55 are positioned as follows.

[0063] [Positioning of the first transport path component 42] 14 , when the first conveying path component 42 is positioned, when the first cam surface 251 of the slider 103 comes into pressure contact with the second contact portion 263 of the platen movable member 202, the first contact portion 262 of the platen 201 is pressed against the conveying roller bearing lower surface 256, and the first conveying path component 42 is sandwiched between the slider 103 and the conveying roller bearing 210. When the fifth cam surface 255 of the slider 103 comes into pressure contact with the fourth contact portion 265 of the platen 201, the fifth contact portion 266 of the platen 201 is pressed against the discharge roller bearing lower surface 258, and the first conveying path component 42 is sandwiched between the slider 103 and the discharge roller bearing 211. As a result, the first conveying path component 42 is positioned and the head gap is defined.

[0064] [Positioning of pressure receiving member 55] 14 , during positioning, when the third cam surface 253 of the slider 103 presses against the seventh abutment portion 268 of the pressure receiving member 55, the ninth abutment portion 270 of the pressure receiving member 55 is pressed against the first frame positioning portion 260 of the side frame 53, so that the pressure receiving member 55 is sandwiched between the slider 103 and the side frame 53. When the fourth cam surface 254 of the slider 103 presses against the eighth abutment portion 269 of the pressure receiving member 55, the tenth abutment portion 271 of the pressure receiving member 55 is pressed against the second frame positioning portion 261 of the side frame 53, so that the pressure receiving member 55 is sandwiched between the slider 103 and the side frame 53. As a result, the pressure receiving member 55 is positioned.

[0065] [Effects of the embodiment] (1) The first transport path component 42 and pressure receiving member 55 constituting the first guide member 54, and the second guide member 74 are components constituting the first transport path 65 and the second transport path 71, and each requires highly accurate positioning during image recording. Furthermore, the first transport path component 42 needs to be positioned as a component that supports the recording paper 12 during image recording. The pressure receiving member 55 needs to be positioned as a component that constitutes the upper side of the second transport path 71. The second guide member 74 needs to be positioned as a component that constitutes the lower side of the second transport path 71. Thus, these components have different positioning requirements. However, if a configuration is adopted in which each component is positioned individually for each positioning requirement, seven steps of operation would be required each time a jam was cleared: (a) remove the feed tray 20, (b) release the positioning of the second guide component 74, (c) release the positioning of the pressure-receiving component 55, (d) retract the second guide component 74 to open the second conveying path 71, (e) retract the pressure-receiving component 55, and (f) retract the first conveying path component 42 to open the first conveying path 65, which would be cumbersome and have low usability.

[0066] On the other hand, according to this embodiment, whether a jam occurs in the first conveying path 65 or the second conveying path 71, the conveying path where the recording paper 12 is jammed can be opened and the recording paper 12 can be accessed by a two-step operation of removing the feed tray 20 from the printer unit 11 and disengaging the engaging portion 84 of the second guide member 74 from the housing 14. In this way, the operation is simple and has high usability.

[0067] (2) After the jam has been cleared, the first guide member 54 is temporarily positioned by lifting the second guide member 74 to engage the engaging portion 84 with the housing 14. The temporarily positioned first guide member 54 is close to the third position when the first guide member 54 is properly positioned, so the distance the first guide member 54 needs to move to position it is small. Therefore, the first guide member 54 can be positioned with a small action using the compact slider 103, so an increase in the size of the device can be avoided. Furthermore, because the long slider 103 is moved linearly in the longitudinal direction, only a small space is required for the slider 103 to move, so an increase in the size of the device can be avoided.

[0068] (3) The first transport path component 42 and the pressure receiving member 55 are not integral with each other, but are combined with some play, and each is positioned separately. In particular, the side frame 53 receives the pressing force of the re-conveyance roller 22 applied to the pinch roller 23 of the pressure receiving member 55. Therefore, the load due to this pressing force is not applied to the first transport path component 42, particularly to the upstream side of the platen 201, in other words, the rear side in the front-to-rear direction. Similarly, the pressure from the feed arm 26 is not applied to the platen 201. Therefore, the first transport path component 42 can be positioned with high accuracy. Since creep deformation of the first transport path component 42 can be prevented, the positioning accuracy of the first transport path component 42 can be maintained at a high level.

[0069] (4) During image recording, a clearance 209 is provided between the first transport path component 42 and the pressure receiving member 55, and a configuration is adopted in which the first transport path component 42 and the pressure receiving member 55 do not interfere with each other when the upstream side of the platen 201 is displaced up or down, so that the head gap can be maintained constant. This makes it possible to keep the jam rate low and record high-quality images.

[0070] (5) Since the slider 103 is used for both the positioning of the first conveying path component 42 and the positioning of the pressure-receiving member 55, the number of parts used for positioning can be reduced, and the increase in size of the multifunction device 10, the increase in costs, and the increase in CO2 emissions can be suppressed.

[0071] (6) By moving the slider 103 linearly only once, the first transport path component 42 and the pressure receiving member 55 can be positioned, which prevents the multifunction device 10 from becoming larger and reduces the work space required for jam clearance. In addition, the number of work steps required for jam clearance is reduced, improving usability.

[0072] [Variations] (1) In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the slider 103 was a linear cam, but it goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to a linear cam, and instead of the linear cam, a rotating cam that rotates in response to the attachment and detachment of the feed tray 20 may be used, or a member other than a cam may be used. Even in this case, it is possible to achieve space savings compared to the conventional technology in which the platen support member rotates around a vertical axis.

[0073] (2) In the above example, the first guide member 54 has the protrusion of the pressure-receiving member 55 loosely fitted into the recess of the first transport path component 42. However, as long as the first guide surface 52 can be displaced downward with respect to the pressure-receiving member 55, the first transport path component 42 and the pressure-receiving member 55 may be connected by a method other than loose fitting. For example, the first transport path component 42 and the pressure-receiving member 55 may be connected via an elastic member. In this way, the first transport path 65 and the second transport path 71 can be opened with a simple operation, and the first transport path component 42 and the pressure-receiving member 55 can be positioned, respectively.

[0074] (3) In the above, the printer unit 11 having the second transport path 71 has been described as an example, but even in a printer unit 11 that does not have the second transport path 71, if pressure from the feed arm 26 is applied to the platen 201, there is a risk of image quality deteriorating or creep deformation of the platen 201. In contrast, by adopting a configuration in which the first transport path component 42 and the pressure receiving member 55 are not integrated but are combined with some play and are positioned separately, as in the present disclosure, problems caused by pressure from the feed arm 26 can be suppressed.

[0075] (4) The multifunction device 10 according to the above embodiment may have a scanner function or a facsimile function in addition to the image recording function. Furthermore, the present disclosure may be applied to a recording device that has only an image recording function, in addition to the multifunction device 10, and the same effects as when applied to the multifunction device 10 can be obtained. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 10. Multifunction printer or recording device 11 Printer section 12 Recording paper or sheet 14. Enclosure 20. Feeding tray or tray 22 Re-conveying roller or driving roller 23 Pinch roller 38 Recording head 42... First conveying path component 50 Second guide surface 52 First guide surface 53 Side frame or frame 54 First guide member 55 Pressure receiving member or second conveying path component member 65 First conveyor path 71 Second conveying path 74... Second guide member or other member 103 Slider or second restricting portion 201 Platen or first member 202 Platen movable member or second member 203 Platen elastic member or third member 204 Platen rear protrusion 205···Concave platen 206 Platen side protrusion 208 Corrugated material 209···Clearance 210 Conveyor roller bearing or first regulating portion 211 Discharge roller bearing 215 Cam section 251~255...1st cam surface to 5th cam surface 260 First frame positioning part 261 Second frame positioning part 262~271...1st contact part~10th contact part

Claims

1. a first guide member including a first transport path forming member having a first guide surface that defines the first transport path, and a pressure receiving member that receives pressure from another member; the first guide member is movable between a third position where the first guide surface guides the sheet conveyed in the first conveying path, and a fourth position away from the third position; When the first guide member is in the third position, the first transport path component member and the pressure receiving member are positioned accordingly.

2. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first transport path component is provided so that the first guide surface can be displaced downward relative to the pressure receiving member.

3. A recording head; When the first guide member is in the third position, a first restricting portion that comes into contact with the first transport path component and restricts movement of the first transport path component in a direction toward the recording head; a second restricting portion that contacts the first transport path component and restricts movement of the first transport path component in a direction away from the recording head, The first transport path component is a first member having a first contact portion that contacts the first guide surface and the first restriction portion; a second member attached to the first member so as to be displaceable relative to the first member and having a second contact portion that contacts the second restriction portion; 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a third member that biases said first member and said second member in directions away from each other.

4. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a corrugating member for imparting a corrugated shape along the main scanning direction to the sheet supported on said first guide surface.

5. 2. A recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a frame for positioning said pressure receiving member.

6. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressure receiving member has a second guide surface that defines a second transport path located below the first transport path.

7. A second guide member is provided, The pressure receiving member has a pinch roller, The second guide member is 7. The recording apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: a third guide surface that faces the second guide surface and defines the second transport path; and a drive roller that presses against the pinch roller to transport the sheet through the second transport path.

8. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first transport path component comprises a platen.

Images