Gear structure and medium processing device

Abstract

To provide a gear structure capable of matching phases of gears with a simple structure.SOLUTION: One gear (37) is provided with two gears which engage with each other to transmit power, a part (70b) of a plurality of teeth (70) is partially lacking in the tooth width direction, and the other gear (38) has an engaging section (77) for engaging with the toothless portion (72) in the interdental section (76b) corresponding to the partially lacking tooth among the interdental sections (76).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a gear structure and a media processing device. [Background technology]

[0002] In a gear structure that transmits power through multiple gears, it is sometimes necessary to assemble the multiple gears while correctly aligning their phases. As a configuration for aligning the phases of multiple gears, a method in which pins are inserted into holes formed in each gear is known (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-147811 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, there is a problem in that the configuration becomes complicated when gear phases are aligned by providing a means for aligning phases such as holes or pins.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a gear structure that allows gear phase alignment with a simple configuration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A gear structure according to one aspect of the present invention includes two gears that mesh with each other to transmit power, one of the gears having a plurality of teeth that are partially missing in the tooth width direction, and the other gear having an engaging portion that engages with the missing tooth in an inter-tooth portion of the plurality of inter-tooth portions that corresponds to the partially missing tooth. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the above aspect, it is possible to obtain a gear structure that allows gear phase alignment with a simple configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a media processing device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a processing unit drive mechanism and a carriage. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a connecting plate and a final gear provided in the processing unit drive mechanism. [Figure 4] 10 is a perspective view showing a second transmission unit provided in the processing unit drive mechanism. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a processing unit drive mechanism and a carriage. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the media processing device with the carriage in the processing position. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the media processing device with the carriage in the retracted position. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the machining unit drive mechanism when the carriage is in the machining position. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the phase of the second transmission part and the final gear when the carriage is in the processing position. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the phase of the second transmission part and the final gear when the carriage is in the processing position. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the processing unit drive mechanism when the carriage is in the retracted position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the gear structure of the present disclosure is applied to a media processing device 10. The X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions shown in each drawing are perpendicular to one another. When the media processing device 10 is placed on a horizontal placement surface, the X-axis and Y-axis directions are horizontal, and the Z-axis direction is the up-down direction (the height direction of the media processing device 10). Furthermore, the +Z direction side is the upper side, and the -Z direction side is the lower side.

[0010] The medium processing device 10 presses a processing part against a sheet surface S1, which is the upper surface of a sheet-like medium S (medium), and performs a predetermined processing on the medium S. The medium processing device 10 can process the medium S along any trajectory by combining a first operation of moving the processing part in the X-axis direction (first direction) along the sheet surface S1 of the medium S, a second operation of changing the height position of the processing part from the sheet surface S1 of the medium S (the distance in the Z-axis direction from the sheet surface S1), and a third operation of moving the medium S relative to the processing part in the Y-axis direction (second direction) that intersects with the X-axis direction. The medium S is stacked on a backing sheet T and supplied to the medium processing device 10.

[0011] The main body 11 of the media processing device 10 has a pair of side plates 11a and 11b spaced apart in the X-axis direction, and an internal plate 11c extending in the X-axis direction and connecting the pair of side plates 11a and 11b. A tray 12, which serves as a base for placing the media S to be processed, is provided on the -Y-axis side of the main body 11. Transport rollers 13 and 14, which extend in the X-axis direction, are supported between the pair of side plates 11a and 11b. The transport rollers 13 and 14 are aligned in the Z-axis direction and can each rotate around an axis extending in the X-axis direction. The transport roller 13 is supported by a pair of roller support plates 15 on both sides, which can rotate relative to the side plates 11a and 11b. Each roller support plate 15 is biased by a roller biasing spring 16 in a direction that moves the transport roller 13 toward the transport roller 14, allowing the medium S to be sandwiched between the large-diameter clamping portion 13a of the transport roller 13 and the clamping portion 14a of the transport roller 14. The transport roller 14 rotates using power generated by a roller drive motor 17 attached to the side of the side plate 11a. When the transport roller 14 is rotated with the medium S sandwiched between the clamping portions 13a and 14a, the medium S is transported in the Y-axis direction. The transport direction of the medium S in the Y-axis direction can be changed by controlling the roller drive motor 17 to change the rotation direction of the transport roller 14. At least the transport rollers 13, 14, and roller drive motor 17 constitute a medium transport mechanism 18 that transports the medium S in the Y-axis direction. The medium transport mechanism 18 constitutes a relative movement mechanism that moves the medium S in the Y-axis direction relative to the processing unit.

[0012] 2 supports the processing unit that processes the workpiece medium S, and can perform a first operation of moving the processing unit in the X-axis direction along the workpiece medium S, and a second operation of changing the height position of the processing unit from the sheet surface S1 of the workpiece medium S (the distance in the Z-axis direction from the sheet surface S1). In addition to the components shown in FIG. 2, the processing unit drive mechanism 20 also includes a drive belt 43, pulleys 44, 45, and a belt drive motor 46, which will be described later.

[0013] The processing unit drive mechanism 20 includes a guide member 21, which is a cylindrical shaft member extending in the X-axis direction, a transmission member 22, which is an elongated member extending in the X-axis direction, and a pair of connection plates 23 and 24, which are connecting members connecting both ends of the guide member 21 and the transmission member 22. The +X-direction ends of the guide member 21 and the transmission member 22 are fixed to the connection plate 23, and the −X-direction ends of the guide member 21 and the transmission member 22 are fixed to the connection plate 24. A support shaft 25 provided on the connection plate 23 protrudes in the +X direction and is rotatably supported via a bearing 27 provided on the side plate 11a of the main body 11. A support shaft 26 provided on the connection plate 24 protrudes in the −X direction and is rotatably supported via a bearing 28 provided on the side plate 11b of the main body 11. The axial centers of support shaft 25 and support shaft 26 are located on the same axial center C1 extending in the X-axis direction, and a rotational movement unit including guide member 21, transmission member 22, connecting plate 23, and connecting plate 24 is supported relative to main body 11 so as to be rotatable around axial center C1.

[0014] An elevation drive motor 30, which is a drive means for changing the height position of the processing unit relative to the sheet surface S1 of the workpiece S, is attached to the side of the side plate 11b. A pinion 30a is provided on the output shaft of the elevation drive motor 30, and rotation of the pinion 30a is transmitted to the connection plate 24 via a speed reduction mechanism, causing the rotation operation unit to rotate around the axis center C1. The speed reduction mechanism includes a first transmission unit 31, a second transmission unit 32, and a final gear 38. The main body 11 is equipped with a support bracket 39 that is disposed on the -X direction side of the side plate 11b and fixed to the side plate 11b, and the elevation drive motor 30, first transmission unit 31, and second transmission unit 32 are supported via the support bracket 39.

[0015] The first transmission part 31 is a double gear having a large diameter gear 33 and a small diameter gear 34 on the same axis. The large diameter gear 33 and the small diameter gear 34 are supported so as to be rotatable relative to each other around a support shaft 31a that is provided on a support bracket 39 and extends in the X-axis direction. The large diameter gear 33 has teeth (gear surface) on its outer circumferential surface that mesh with the pinion 30a. The small diameter gear 34 has a smaller diameter than the large diameter gear 33, and has teeth (gear surface) on its outer circumferential surface. A transmission part 34a of the small diameter gear 34 is housed inside the large diameter gear 33. One end and the other end of a torsion spring 35 are engaged with a spring hook part 33a provided inside the large diameter gear 33 and a spring hook part 34b provided on the transmission part 34a of the small diameter gear 34. When the large gear 33 rotates, the deflection of the torsion spring 35 increases, and when the torsion spring 35 reaches a predetermined deflection, the rotation is transmitted from the large gear 33 to the small gear 34 via the torsion spring 35. In other words, when the rotation is transmitted from the large gear 33 to the small gear 34, the spring force of the torsion spring 35 is charged.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 4, the second transmission unit 32 is a double gear having a large-diameter gear 36 and a small-diameter gear 37 on the same axis. The large-diameter gear 36 and the small-diameter gear 37 are supported so as to rotate together around a support shaft 32a provided on a support bracket 39 and extending in the X-axis direction. The large-diameter gear 36 has teeth (gear surfaces) on its outer periphery that mesh with the small-diameter gear 34 of the first transmission unit 31. The small-diameter gear 37 has a smaller diameter than the large-diameter gear 36, and teeth (gear surfaces) are formed on its outer periphery. The large-diameter gear 36 and the small-diameter gear 37 are each sector gears with teeth only on a portion of the circumference centered on the axis of the support shaft 32a, which is the rotation center. By configuring the second transmission unit 32 using such partial gears, the area of ​​each gear 36, 37 can be reduced, thereby enabling the media processing device 10 to be made more compact. In particular, the second transmission part 32 is located near the ends (corners) of the main body 11 on the +Y and +Z direction sides when viewed from the side along the X-axis direction as shown in Figures 6 and 7, and by configuring the large diameter gear 36 and the small diameter gear 37 as partial gears, the second transmission part 32 is prevented from protruding in the Y-axis or Z-axis directions relative to the main body 11, thereby making it possible to reduce the size of the media processing device 10.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 3 , a final gear 38 is integrally formed with the connecting plate 24. More specifically, the final gear 38 is formed at one end of the connecting plate 24. The final gear 38 is a sector gear having teeth only on a portion of a circumference centered on the axial center C1, which is the rotation center of the connecting plate 24. By configuring the final gear 38 with such partial gears, the area of ​​the final gear 38 can be reduced, thereby enabling the media processing device 10 to be made more compact. The final gear 38 of the connecting plate 24 meshes with the small-diameter gear 37 of the second transmission unit 32. The small-diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 are two gears that constitute the gear structure of the present disclosure, and they mesh with each other to transmit power from the small-diameter gear 37 on the driving side to the final gear 38 on the driven side. The gear structure including the small-diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 will be described in detail below. When the lift drive motor 30 is driven to rotate the pinion 30a, power is transmitted by a reduction gear mechanism including the first transmission unit 31, the second transmission unit 32, and the final gear 38, causing a rotational motion unit composed of the guide member 21, the transmission member 22, the connecting plate 23, and the connecting plate 24 to rotate about the axial center C1. By controlling the lift drive motor 30 to switch the rotational direction of the pinion 30a, the rotational direction of the rotational motion unit can be switched between a first rotational direction R1 and a second rotational direction R2 (see FIGS. 5 to 7). When the rotational motion unit is rotated in the first rotational direction R1, the processing unit supported by the rotational motion unit is pressed against the medium S to be processed. The pressing load of the processing unit against the medium S to be processed is set according to the force of the torsion spring 35 provided in the first transmission unit 31.

[0018] A carriage 40, which is a support unit that supports the processing unit, is supported via a guide member 21 and a transmission member 22 that extend in the X-axis direction. As shown in FIG. 5, the carriage 40 has a guided hole 40a that penetrates in the X-axis direction, and the guide member 21 is inserted into the guided hole 40a. The carriage 40 is supported movably in the X-axis direction via the guide member 21. A force that rotates around an axis center C1 is transmitted from the transmission member 22 to the carriage 40, and the carriage 40 rotates around the axis center C1 together with the guide member 21 and the transmission member 22. The movement of the carriage 40 in the X-axis direction along the guide member 21 is defined as a first operation, and the rotation of the carriage 40 around the axis center C1 is defined as a second operation. The second operation is configured as an operation that changes the height position of the processing unit (a knife 56, described later) from the sheet surface S1 together with the guide member 21 and the carriage 40 in accordance with the rotation of the support shafts 25 and 26 around the axis center C1. A position detection sensor 60 is provided on the underside of the carriage 40. The position detection sensor 60 is a non-contact sensor that optically detects alignment marks (register marks) provided on the mount T or the medium S to be processed.

[0019] The transmission member 22 is a member with a U-shaped cross section, having an upper plate portion 22a, a front plate portion 22b, and a rear plate portion 22c, each of which is a flat wall portion. The front plate portion 22b extends downward from the edge of the upper plate portion 22a on the -Y direction side, and the rear plate portion 22c extends downward from the edge of the upper plate portion 22a on the +Y direction side. The carriage 40 supports a rotatable bearing 41 via a support shaft 41a extending approximately perpendicular to the X-axis direction. The carriage 40 also has a protrusion 42 that fits inside the transmission member 22. The bearing 41 and the protrusion 42 are each in contact with the front plate portion 22b of the transmission member 22 so as to be relatively movable in the X-axis direction. When the transmission member 22 performs a second operation, which is a rotation about the axial center C1, force is transmitted from the front plate portion 22b to the bearing 41 and the protrusion 42, and the carriage 40 rotates about the axial center C1 together with the transmission member 22. More specifically, when the bearing 41 is pressed by the front plate portion 22b of the transmission member 22, the carriage 40 rotates in the first rotation direction R1, and when the protrusion 42 is pressed by the front plate portion 22b of the transmission member 22, the carriage 40 rotates in the second rotation direction R2.

[0020] A drive belt 43 is connected to the belt connection part 40b of the carriage 40. The drive belt 43 is an endless belt that is stretched between a pulley 44 supported on the side plate 11a and a pulley 45 supported on the side plate 11b, and forms a loop in which the drive belt 43 rotates between the pulleys 44 and 45. The pulley 44 is rotated by power generated by a belt drive motor 46 attached to the side of the side plate 11a. When the pulley 44 is rotated by the drive of the belt drive motor 46, the drive belt 43 moves in the X-axis direction and transmits force to the belt connection part 40b, moving the carriage 40 in the X-axis direction. The movement direction of the carriage 40 in the X-axis direction can be changed by controlling the belt drive motor 46 to change the rotation direction of the pulley 44.

[0021] As described above, in the processing unit drive mechanism 20, the carriage 40 can be caused to rotate about the axis center C1 (second operation) by driving the lift drive motor 30. Furthermore, the carriage 40 can be caused to move in the X-axis direction (first operation) by driving the belt drive motor 46. A holder detachable part 40c that detachably holds the processing unit holder 50 is provided on the -Y direction side of the carriage 40. The holder detachable part 40c and the processing unit holder 50 are each cylindrical, and the processing unit holder 50 is inserted into the holder detachable part 40c. An annular protrusion 50a that protrudes further in the -Z direction than the holder detachable part 40c is formed on the end of the processing unit holder 50 on the -Z direction side.

[0022] Various processing units for processing the medium to be processed S can be attached to the processing unit holder 50. In this embodiment, a knife 56, which is a cutting tool for cutting the medium to be processed S, is attached as the processing unit. The knife 56 is attached to the processing unit holder 50 via a knife holder 51. The knife holder 51 has a cylindrical shape that can be inserted into the processing unit holder 50. The knife holder 51 is fixed to the processing unit holder 50 by threading a male screw formed on the outer peripheral surface near the bottom end of the knife holder 51 into a female screw formed on the inside of the processing unit holder 50.

[0023] An accommodation hole extending in the axial direction of the knife holder 51 is formed inside the knife holder 51, and an annular knife bearing 52 is attached near the end of the accommodation hole on the -Z direction side. A cap 53 is attached to the end of the knife holder 51 on the +Z direction side, and a magnet 54 is supported between the knife holder 51 and the cap 53. A knife unit 55 is inserted into the accommodation hole of the knife holder 51. The knife unit 55 has a rod-shaped shaft 55a, and a knife 56, which is a cutting tool, is fixed to the end of the shaft 55a on the -Z direction side. The shaft 55a of the knife unit 55 is supported via the knife bearing 52 inside the knife holder 51 so as to be rotatable about the blade axis D1. The end of the shaft 55a of the knife unit 55 on the +Z direction side is located near the magnet 54. At least the shaft portion 55a of the knife unit 55 is made of a magnetic material and is attracted in the +Z direction by the magnetic force of the magnet 54, so that the knife unit 55 remains inserted in the accommodation hole of the knife holder 51.

[0024] When the knife unit 55 is attached to the knife holder 51, the knife 56 protrudes from the knife holder 51 in the -Z direction. As shown enlarged in FIG. 5, the knife holder 51 is fixed within the processing unit holder 50 so that the tip of the knife 56 protrudes slightly in the -Z direction beyond the tip of the annular protrusion 50a of the processing unit holder 50. For example, the protrusion amount of the knife 56 is set so that the knife 56 penetrates the workpiece S in the Z-axis direction but does not penetrate the backing sheet T. The knife 56 has a ridge-shaped cutting edge surface 56a that is inclined relative to the blade axis D1, and the blade axis D1 passes through the middle position of the cutting edge surface 56a. Therefore, the tip 56b of the knife 56, which is located furthest in the -Z direction, is offset from the blade axis D1 in a direction perpendicular to the blade axis D1.

[0025] The medium processing device 10 has a control unit 61 (see FIG. 1). The control unit 61 has a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a storage unit, and controls the operation of each unit of the medium processing device 10 by reading and executing programs stored in the storage unit by the processor. The control unit 61 controls the operation of at least the roller drive motor 17, the lift drive motor 30, and the belt drive motor 46. A detection signal from the position detection sensor 60 is input to the control unit 61.

[0026] The medium processing device 10 is equipped with a position detection unit 62 that detects the rotational positions of the transmission member 22 and carriage 40 around the axial center C1 (see FIG. 1). For example, the position detection unit 62 has an optical sensor such as a photointerrupter, and detects the moment when a part of the transmission member 22 or carriage 40 passes between the light-emitting and light-receiving parts of the photointerrupter and blocks the light. The detection signal of the position detection unit 62 is input to the control unit 61.

[0027] The position detection unit 62 detects the retracted positions (FIGS. 7 and 11) of the transmission member 22 and carriage 40. The retracted position is a height position where the knife 56 supported via the carriage 40, processing unit holder 50, and knife holder 51 retracts upward from the sheet surface S1 of the medium to be processed S supported by the media processing device 10 without cutting into the medium S. At the retracted position, the transmission member 22 and carriage 40 are rotated in the second rotation direction R2, and the processing unit holder 50 and knife holder 51 tilt in a direction (+Z direction side) that increases the distance from the medium to be processed S in the Z-axis direction.

[0028] The control unit 61 detects the processing position (FIGS. 6 and 8) of the transmission member 22 and carriage 40 based on the drive amount of the lift drive motor 30 when rotating the transmission member 22 and carriage 40 in the first rotation direction R1, using the retracted position detected by the position detection unit 62 as a reference. For example, if the lift drive motor 30 is a pulse motor, the control unit 61 counts the number of drive pulses of the lift drive motor 30 that rotates the transmission member 22 and carriage 40 in the first rotation direction R1 from the retracted position to detect the amount of rotation of the transmission member 22 and carriage 40 in the first rotation direction R1 and their arrival at the processing position. The processing position is the height position at which the processing unit (i.e., the knife 56) supported by the carriage 40, processing unit holder 50, and knife holder 51 presses against the workpiece S to process (cut into) it. At the processing position, the blade axis D1 of the knife unit 55 is parallel to the Z-axis direction.

[0029] In this way, in the second operation performed by the processing unit drive mechanism 20, the guide member 21, the transmission member 22, the connecting plate 23, and the connecting plate 24 are rotated in the first rotation direction R1 about the axial center C1, so that the carriage 40 moves toward the processing position. The guide member 21, the transmission member 22, the connecting plate 23, and the connecting plate 24 are rotated in the second rotation direction R2 about the axial center C1, so that the carriage 40 moves toward the retracted position.

[0030] The operation of the media processing device 10 configured as described above will now be described. When loading the medium S into the media processing device 10, the control unit 61 controls the lift drive motor 30 to position the transmission member 22 and the carriage 40 at the retracted position. Next, when the medium S is placed on the tray 12 and inserted between the transport rollers 13 and 14, an entry detection sensor (not shown) detects the entry of the medium S, and the control unit 61 drives the roller drive motor 17 to start rotating the transport roller 14. The medium S is then sandwiched between the clamping portions 13a and 14a of the transport rollers 13 and 14. The control unit 61 drives the roller drive motor 17 to feed the medium S in the Y-axis direction and drives the belt drive motor 46 to adjust the position of the carriage 40 in the X-axis direction, causing the position detection sensor 60 to detect the alignment mark on the medium S. In this state, the media processing device 10 is ready to cut the medium S.

[0031] Cutting data for cutting the workpiece medium S is input to the control unit 61, and cutting is performed based on the cutting data. In the area to be cut, the control unit 61 drives the lift drive motor 30 to rotate the transmission member 22 and carriage 40 in the first rotation direction R1, moving them from the retracted position to the cutting position. This causes the knife 56 to descend and approach the workpiece medium S, and the knife 56 pressed against the sheet surface S1 cuts into the workpiece medium S. The control unit 61 drives the belt drive motor 46 to move the carriage 40 in the X-axis direction and drives the roller drive motor 17 to move the workpiece medium S in the Y-axis direction, thereby moving the workpiece medium S and the knife 56 relatively in the horizontal direction along a trajectory that follows the cutting line. In this manner, cutting of the workpiece medium S is performed.

[0032] The knife unit 55 is supported rotatably about the blade axis D1 relative to the knife holder 51. Therefore, when the knife 56 cuts into the medium S, the angle of the blade surface 56a is adjusted around the blade axis D1 so that the cutting load and frictional force acting between the knife 56 and the medium S always follow the direction of the cutting, and the tip 56b (see FIG. 5) is positioned on the rear side of the cutting direction, allowing for smooth cutting.

[0033] In the area not to be cut, the control unit 61 drives the lift drive motor 30 to rotate the transmission member 22 and carriage 40 in the second rotation direction R2 to move them from the processing position to the retracted position. As a result, the knife 56 moves in the +Z direction away from the workpiece S, preventing the knife 56 from cutting into the workpiece S. Furthermore, once a series of cutting operations based on the cutting data is completed, the control unit 61 drives the lift drive motor 30 to rotate the transmission member 22 and carriage 40 in the second rotation direction R2 to hold them at the retracted position. Next, the control unit 61 rotates the transport roller 14 to move the backing sheet T and workpiece S in the -Y direction, transporting the backing sheet T a sufficient distance to remove it from between the clamping units 13a and 14a, and then stops the transport roller 14.

[0034] As described above, the processing section drive mechanism 20 of the media processing device 10 can perform a first operation of moving the carriage 40 together with the knife 56 in the X-axis direction, and a second operation of rotating the carriage 40 together with the knife 56 about an axis line (axial center C1) along the X-axis direction to change the height position of the knife 56 relative to the processed medium S. Because the second operation is performed by rotating the carriage 40 about the axial center C1 that is parallel to the movement direction of the carriage 40 in the first operation, the first and second operations can be achieved with a simple and compact structure.

[0035] In the reduction mechanism that transmits the power of the lift drive motor 30 when causing the carriage 40 to perform the second operation, the large diameter gear 36 and small diameter gear 37 of the second transmission unit 32 and the final gear 38 of the connecting plate 24 are each configured as partial gears that have teeth only in a partial range of the circumference centered on the center of rotation. Since the range of teeth that can transmit power is limited in partial gears, it is necessary to properly manage the phase in the rotational direction when assembling them. In particular, because the small diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 that mesh with each other are both partial gears, it is necessary to manage the phases of both the small diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 when assembling them. The gear structure of this embodiment enables phase alignment of the small diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 with a simple configuration, and details thereof will be described below. In a narrow sense, the teeth and inter-tooth portions that mesh with each other on the small diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 refer to a specific set of teeth and inter-tooth portions that are located on a line connecting the axial center of the support shaft 32a, which is the rotation center of the small diameter gear 37, and the axial center C1, which is the rotation center of the final gear 38. On both sides of the specific set of teeth and inter-tooth portions, some of the teeth are in a state of intruding into the inter-tooth portions.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 4 , the small-diameter gear 37 has a plurality of teeth 70 and a plurality of intertooth spaces 71 between the teeth 70. The plurality of teeth 70 includes first teeth 70a and second teeth 70b that have different lengths in the tooth width direction (X-axis direction), and the second teeth 70b are shorter in the tooth width direction than the first teeth 70a. In other words, some of the plurality of teeth 70 are formed as second teeth 70b that are partially missing in the tooth width direction. The second teeth 70b are provided in a region on the −X-direction side of the small-diameter gear 37 in the tooth width direction, and a region adjacent to the second teeth 70b on the +X-direction side is a tooth-missing region 72 where no teeth exist. In one embodiment, the length of the second teeth 70b in the tooth width direction is approximately half the length of the first teeth 70a in the tooth width direction. Two second teeth 70b, which are teeth that are partially missing in the tooth width direction, are formed on either side of a first tooth 70a, which is a tooth that is not partially missing in the tooth width direction. In this embodiment, there are six teeth 70 and five inter-tooth portions 71. The direction in which the small diameter gear 37 rotates when the carriage 40 is rotated in the first rotation direction R1 is defined as a first transmission direction R3 (FIG. 4), and the direction in which the small diameter gear 37 rotates when the carriage 40 is rotated in the second rotation direction R2 is defined as a second transmission direction R4 (FIG. 4). If the tooth 70 most leading in the first transmission direction R3 is defined as the first tooth and the tooth 70 most leading in the second transmission direction R4 is defined as the sixth tooth, the first, second, third, and fifth teeth 70 are defined as the first tooth 70a, and the fourth and sixth teeth 70 are defined as the second tooth 70b.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 3 , the final gear 38 has a plurality of teeth 75 and a plurality of intertooth portions 76 between the teeth 75. The plurality of intertooth portions 76 include a first intertooth portion 76a that penetrates in the tooth width direction and a second intertooth portion 76b that has an engagement portion 77 that can engage with the toothless region 72 of the small-diameter gear 37. The engagement portion 77 is provided at the end of the second intertooth portion 76b on the +X direction side and is configured to connect two adjacent teeth 75 and fill a portion of the second intertooth portion 76b in the tooth width direction. Because the engagement portion 77 is provided, the length of the second intertooth portion 76b in the tooth width direction that can mesh with the teeth 70 of the small-diameter gear 37 (the length of the portion of the second intertooth portion 76b excluding the engagement portion 77) is shorter than that of the first intertooth portion 76a. Two second intertooth portions 76b, which are intertooth portions having an engaging portion 77, are formed on either side of a first intertooth portion 76a, which is an intertooth portion without an engaging portion 77. In this embodiment, the number of teeth 75 is six, and the number of intertooth portions 76 is five. The direction in which the final gear 38 rotates when the carriage 40 is rotated in the first rotation direction R1 is defined as a first transmission direction R5 (FIG. 3), and the direction in which the final gear 38 rotates when the carriage 40 is rotated in the second rotation direction R2 is defined as a second transmission direction R6 (FIG. 3). If the intertooth portion 76 furthest in the first transmission direction R5 is defined as the first intertooth portion and the intertooth portion 76 furthest in the second transmission direction R6 is defined as the fifth intertooth portion, the first, second, and fourth intertooth portions 76 are defined as the first intertooth portion 76a, and the third and fifth intertooth portions 76 are defined as the second intertooth portion 76b.

[0038] When the small diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 are combined, the small diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 are moved relatively (approaching) in the X-axis direction, so that the tooth 70 of the small diameter gear 37 enters the inter-tooth portion 76 of the final gear 38. For example, a rotational motion unit including the guide member 21, the transmission member 22, the connecting plate 23, and the connecting plate 24 is first attached to the main body 11 (the support shafts 25, 26 are supported by the bearings 27, 28), and the support bracket 39 supporting the first transmission part 31 and the second transmission part 32 is moved in the +X direction, so that the small diameter gear 37 approaches the final gear 38. At this time, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 , the second tooth 70b of the small diameter gear 37 and the second inter-tooth portion 76b of the final gear 38 are aligned in phase. In other words, the tooth end surface of the second tooth 70b on the +X direction side and the engagement part 77 are brought into a state where they face each other in the X-axis direction. Note that phasing the second teeth 70b and the second inter-tooth portions 76b is not limited to a positional relationship in which only one pair of second teeth 70b and the second inter-tooth portions 76b are completely meshed with each other, as long as the second teeth 70b can enter the second inter-tooth portions 76b without being blocked by the teeth 75 on the final gear 38. For example, in the state shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 , the phases are aligned so that portions of the two second teeth 70b simultaneously enter the corresponding two second inter-tooth portions 76b. After phasing in this manner, the small-diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 are moved relatively in the X-axis direction to a position where the engaging portion 77 located on the +X-direction side of the second inter-tooth portions 76b engages with the missing tooth region 72 located on the +X-direction side of the second teeth 70b. When the two toothless regions 72 and the two engagement portions 77 are engaged, the set of first teeth 70a (fifth teeth 70) and the first intertooth portion 76a (fourth intertooth portion 76) disposed therebetween mesh with each other. In this way, by matching the phases of the second teeth 70b and the second intertooth portion 76b and then assembling them, the small diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 can be meshed in an appropriate positional relationship.

[0039] In contrast, when the second tooth 70b and the second intertooth portion 76b are out of phase with each other, i.e., when the first tooth 70a is located on the X-axis extension of the second intertooth portion 76b, if the small-diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 are moved relatively (approaching) in the X-axis direction, the engaging portion 77 contacts the first tooth 70a, restricting their movement. As a result, the small-diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 cannot reach their correct mating positions in the tooth width direction. If the small-diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 are misaligned in the tooth width direction from their correct mating positions, the second transmission unit 32 and the connecting plate 24 will not fit in their designed positions in the media processing device 10, and the processing unit drive mechanism 20 will not be properly assembled. Therefore, the engaging portion 77 functions as a stopper that restricts movement in the tooth width direction, preventing the small-diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 from being mated in an inappropriate phase. Furthermore, the inability to complete assembly of the processing unit drive mechanism 20 allows the worker to recognize that the small diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 are not in the appropriate phase. If the small diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 are assembled in an inappropriate phase, there is a risk that the carriage 40 will not be able to move to the processing position and the retracted position via the small diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38, which have a limited number of teeth. Alternatively, there is a risk that the small diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 will protrude in the Y-axis direction or the Z-axis direction and interfere with surrounding structures.

[0040] As described above, the tooth portions in the gear structure including the small diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 are configured so that meshing occurs only when a specific phase is selected, and therefore, without the need for a separate phase alignment means, the phase alignment can be reliably performed with a simple configuration between the small diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38. The phase alignment means is configured so that some teeth (second teeth 70b) of the multiple teeth 70 in the small diameter gear 37, which is one gear, are missing a portion in the face width direction (tooth-missing region 72), and the final gear 38, which is the other gear, has an intertooth portion (second intertooth portion 76b) corresponding to the partially missing tooth (second tooth 70b) of the multiple intertooth portions 76, with an engaging portion (engaging portion 77) that engages with the missing portion (tooth-missing region 72). This means that there is no need to change the basic shapes of the small diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38, and the gear structure does not become larger.

[0041] When the carriage 40 is rotated between the machining position and the retracted position, the teeth 70 of the small diameter gear 37 that mesh with the intertooth portion 76 of the final gear 38 sequentially change. 8 to 10 show the phases of the small diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 when the carriage 40 is in the machining position. When the carriage 40 is in the machining position, a first tooth 70a (a tooth 70 that is not partially missing, the fifth tooth 70 from the leading side in the first transmission direction R3 of the small diameter gear 37) located between two second teeth 70b (partially missing teeth 70) among the multiple teeth 70 of the small diameter gear 37 meshes with a first intertooth portion 76a (an intertooth portion 76 that does not have an engaging portion 77, the fourth intertooth portion 76 from the leading side in the first transmission direction R5 of the final gear 38) located between two second intertooth portions 76b (intertooth portions 76 that have an engaging portion 77) among the multiple intertooth portions 76 of the final gear 38. At the processing position of the carriage 40, processing is performed with the processing part (e.g., knife 56) pressed against the medium S to be processed, so the processing part receives a reaction force in the +Z direction from the medium S to be processed. By making the state in which the first tooth 70a, which has a large length in the tooth width direction, meshes with the first interdental portion 76a correspond to the processing position of the carriage 40, it is possible to reliably transmit the force for pressing the processing part to the carriage 40 against the reaction force.

[0042] 11 shows the phases of the small diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 when the carriage 40 is in the retracted position. When the carriage 40 is in the retracted position, a first tooth 70a (the third tooth 70 from the leading side in the first transmission direction R3 of the small diameter gear 37) different from the first intertooth portion 76a at the processing position meshes with the first intertooth portion 76a (the second intertooth portion 76 from the leading side in the first transmission direction R5 of the final gear 38) among the multiple teeth 70 of the small diameter gear 37. At the processing position, it is necessary to reliably transmit the pressure pressing the processing portion against the medium S to the carriage 40, so the first tooth 70a, which has a larger length in the tooth width direction as described above, meshes with the first intertooth portion 76a. In contrast, in the retracted position, it is sufficient that there is a mating force between the small diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 that is sufficient to withstand the movement of the carriage 40, and it is not necessary for the first tooth 70a to mesh with the first inter-tooth portion 76a, but by meshing the first tooth 70a with the first inter-tooth portion 76a even in the retracted position, the carriage 40 can be held even more stably.

[0043] As the carriage 40 rotates between the processing position and the retracted position, the second tooth 70b (the fourth tooth from the leading edge of the small-diameter gear 37 in the first transmission direction R3) of the multiple teeth 70 of the small-diameter gear 37 meshes with the second intertooth portion 76b (the third intertooth portion 76 from the leading edge of the final gear 38 in the first transmission direction R5). While the carriage 40 is transitioning from the processing position to the retracted position, the processing portion is not in pressure contact with the workpiece S, and no reaction force from the workpiece S acts on the processing portion. This requires less torque than at the processing position. Furthermore, compared to the initial stage when the carriage 40 starts rotating from the processing position or the retracted position, the load required to continue the rotation of the carriage 40 is less after the carriage 40 starts rotating. Therefore, in the intermediate stage between the processing position and the retracted position, the second tooth 70b, which has a shorter length in the tooth width direction, meshes with the second intertooth portion 76b, allowing for smooth transmission of rotational force to the final gear 38.

[0044] Thus, the small diameter gear 37, which is one of the gears, has two second teeth 70b that are teeth that are partially missing in the tooth width direction, and sandwiches the first tooth 70a that is a tooth that is not partially missing in the tooth width direction, and the final gear 38, which is the other gear, has two second intertooth portions 76b that are intertooth portions 76 that have an engaging portion 77, and sandwiches the first intertooth portion 76a that is an intertooth portion 76 that does not have an engaging portion 77. When the knife 56, which is the processing part, is pressed against the medium S to be processed, the first tooth 70a at a position sandwiched between the two second teeth 70b and the first intertooth portion 76a at a position sandwiched between the two second intertooth portions 76b mesh together, so that the force for pressing the knife 56 against the medium S to be processed can be reliably transmitted to the carriage 40.

[0045] 9 and 10 show the phases of the small diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 when the two toothless regions 72 and the two engagement portions 77 are engaged with a substantially equal amount of engagement (phases corresponding to the machining position of the carriage 40), but during assembly, the small diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 will be properly phased as long as at least one pair of toothless regions 72 and engagement portions 77 are engaged with each other. Therefore, during phase alignment during assembly, the small diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 may be phased at a position slightly shifted in the rotational direction from the relative positional relationship shown in FIGS. Specifically, at a rotational position midway between the above-mentioned processing position and the retracted position, the small diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 may be combined in a phase in which one second tooth 70b (the fourth tooth from the leading side in the first transmission direction R3 of the small diameter gear 37) meshes with one second intertooth portion 76b (the third intertooth portion 76 from the leading side in the first transmission direction R5 of the final gear 38).

[0046] Furthermore, since the provision of at least one pair of missing tooth regions 72 and engaging portions 77 allows for phase alignment between the small diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 during assembly of the gear structure, the number of each of the missing tooth regions 72 (second teeth 70b) and engaging portions 77 (second inter-tooth portions 76b) in the gear structure may be only one, unlike the above embodiment. Alternatively, three or more missing tooth regions 72 (second teeth 70b) and engaging portions 77 (second inter-tooth portions 76b) may be provided. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, two missing tooth regions 72 (second teeth 70b) and two engaging portions 77 (second inter-tooth portions 76b) are arranged on both sides of the meshing first tooth 70a and first inter-tooth portion 76a when the processing unit is pressed against the workpiece S (see FIGS. 8 and 9), but the arrangement of the missing tooth regions 72 (second teeth 70b) and engaging portions 77 (second inter-tooth portions 76b) is not limited to this configuration. For example, when the processing portion is pressed against the medium to be processed S, a different first tooth 70a and first inter-tooth portion 76a may be arranged on one or both sides of the meshing first tooth 70a and first inter-tooth portion 76a, rather than the second tooth 70b and second inter-tooth portion 76b.

[0047] The above-described embodiment is a specific example shown to facilitate understanding of the invention, and the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the invention.

[0048] In the gear structure of the above embodiment, the small-diameter gear 37 on the driving side, which first receives power from the lift drive motor 30, has teeth (second teeth 70b) partially missing in the tooth width direction, and the final gear 38 on the driven side, to which power is transmitted from the small-diameter gear 37, has an engaging portion (engagement portion 77) that engages with the tooth-missing portion (tooth-missing region 72). However, conversely, the second gear on the driven side may have teeth partially missing in the tooth width direction, and the first gear on the driving side may have an engaging portion that engages with the tooth-missing portion. In other words, the order of power transmission between one gear and the other gear in this disclosure is not limited, and either of the two gears may be the driving side or the driven side. Furthermore, the number of teeth and the number of intertooth portions on each gear may be different from the number of teeth and the number of intertooth portions on the small-diameter gear 37 and the final gear 38 in the above embodiment.

[0049] The processing unit drive mechanism 20 in the above embodiment causes the carriage 40 to perform a first operation of moving the carriage 40 in the X-axis direction and a second operation of changing the height position of the processing unit relative to the workpiece medium S, but the mechanism for performing the first operation and the mechanism for performing the second operation may be configured as separate mechanisms. Also, the processing unit drive mechanism 20 in the above embodiment causes the carriage 40 to rotate about an axial center C1 extending in the X-axis direction, but the second operation may also be performed by linear movement in the Z-axis direction. In other words, the processing unit drive mechanism of the present disclosure only needs to change the position of the processing unit at least in the height direction relative to the medium.

[0050] In the medium processing device 10 of the above embodiment, the processing unit drive mechanism 20 does not move the processing unit in the Y-axis direction (except for a slight positional change in the Y-axis direction associated with the rotation in the second operation), but moves the processing target medium S in the Y-axis direction using the medium conveyance mechanism 18. However, the means for relatively moving the processing target medium S and the processing unit in the Y-axis direction is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and the processing unit may be configured to move in the Y-axis direction. For example, it is possible to configure the parts corresponding to the side plates 11a and 11b to be movable in the Y-axis direction, so that the entire processing unit including the carriage 40 moves in the Y-axis direction. Therefore, the medium conveyance mechanism 18 of the above embodiment is one example of a relative movement mechanism for relatively moving the processing target medium S and the processing unit in the second direction, and other types of relative movement mechanisms may also be applied.

[0051] The type of processing performed on the workpiece medium S is not limited to cutting with a knife. In other words, the processing unit is not limited to a knife. For example, it is possible to remove the knife holder 51 from the processing unit holder 50 and instead attach a writing implement to the processing unit holder 50 to perform drawing processing on the workpiece medium S using the writing implement. It is also possible to select a processing unit other than a knife or writing implement to perform processing on the workpiece medium S other than cutting or drawing. It is also possible to remove the processing unit holder 50 from the holder attachment / detachment portion 40c of the carriage 40 and attach a processing unit such as a writing implement directly to the holder attachment / detachment portion 40c. Furthermore, the gear structure of the present disclosure can be applied to various devices and power transmission mechanisms other than the medium processing device 10. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 10: Media processing device, 11: Main body, 20: Processing unit drive mechanism, 30: Lifting drive motor, 31: First transmission unit, 32: Second transmission unit, 37: Small diameter gear (one gear, partial gear), 38: Final gear (other gear, partial gear), 40: Carriage, 55: Knife unit, 56: Knife (processing unit), 70: Tooth, 70a: First tooth, 70b: Second tooth, 71: Intertooth portion, 72: Missing tooth area, 75: Tooth, 76: Intertooth portion, 76a: First intertooth portion, 76b: Second intertooth portion, 77: Engagement unit, S: Processed medium (medium)

Claims

1. It has two gears that mesh with each other to transmit power. One of the gears has some teeth missing in the tooth width direction, the other gear has an engaging portion that engages with the missing tooth at an intertooth portion of the plurality of intertooth portions that corresponds to the missing tooth, Gear structure.

2. One of the gears has at least two second teeth that are partially missing in a tooth width direction, the second teeth sandwiching a first tooth that is a tooth that is not partially missing in the tooth width direction, The other gear has at least two second intertooth portions that are intertooth portions that have the engaging portion, and the first intertooth portion that is an intertooth portion that does not have the engaging portion is sandwiched between the second intertooth portions. The gear structure of claim 1 .

3. The one gear and the other gear are partial gears each having teeth only on a portion of a circumference centered on the rotation center. The gear structure of claim 1 .

4. a processing unit that presses against a sheet-like medium to process the medium; a processing unit drive mechanism that transmits power to the processing unit via the gear structure and changes the height position of the processing unit from the medium; 1. A gear structure for use in a media processing device comprising: When the processing portion is pressed against the medium, a first tooth, which is a tooth formed on one of the gears and has no missing teeth in the tooth width direction, and a first intertooth portion, which is a intertooth portion formed on the other gear and does not have the engaging portion, are configured to mesh with each other. The gear structure of claim 1 .

5. a gear structure including: one gear having a plurality of teeth, some of which are missing in a tooth width direction; and a second gear having an engaging portion in an intertooth portion corresponding to the missing teeth, among a plurality of intertooth portions, which engages with the missing tooth portion; a processing unit that presses against a sheet-like medium to process the medium; a processing unit drive mechanism that transmits power to the processing unit via the gear structure and changes the height position of the processing unit from the medium, Media processing equipment.

6. When the processing portion is pressed against the medium, a first tooth, which is a tooth formed on one of the gears and has no missing teeth in the tooth width direction, and a first intertooth portion, which is a intertooth portion formed on the other gear and does not have the engaging portion, are configured to mesh with each other. The media processing device of claim 5 .

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