Recording device

Abstract

This design enables more appropriate and convenient maintenance of the recording device, while maintaining a relatively simple configuration. [Solution] The recording device according to the present invention comprises a recording unit that records on a sheet and a guide mechanism that guides the sheet transported from the recording unit, wherein the guide mechanism includes a first guide portion that guides a first surface of the sheet and a second guide portion that is positioned opposite the first guide portion and guides a second surface of the sheet, and the first guide portion includes two shaft portions that are in different positions relative to each other as pivot axes and is configured to be rotatable so as to open a transport path for the sheet formed between the first guide portion and the second guide portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention mainly relates to the structure of a recording device.

Background Art

[0002] In a recording device such as an inkjet printer, there may be a case where it is necessary to access the inside of the device for maintenance. A typical example is when a jam (paper jam) occurs inside the device because a recording medium such as paper is not properly conveyed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes a device structure in which a cover can be opened in a paper discharge part formed on the upper part of the device main body to perform jam removal work. Here, the conveyance mechanism for conveying the recording medium is generally relatively complex, and it may be difficult to remove the jammed recording medium because it is sandwiched by some mechanism inside the device main body, or the recording medium may be damaged and partially remain inside the device main body. In this regard, there is room for improvement in the structure of Patent Document 1.

[0005] The present invention has been made based on the recognition of the above problems by the inventor, and for illustrative purposes, it aims to realize a structure that can perform maintenance inside the recording device more appropriately and simply with a relatively simple configuration.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] One aspect of the present invention relates to a recording device, and the recording device is as follows: A recording device comprising a recording unit for recording on a sheet, and a guide mechanism for guiding the sheet transported from the recording unit, The guide mechanism includes a first guide portion that guides the first surface of the sheet, and a second guide portion that is positioned opposite the first guide portion and guides the second surface of the sheet. The first guide portion includes two shaft portions positioned at different locations as pivot axes and is configured to be rotatable so as to open a sheet transport path formed between the first guide portion and the second guide portion. It is characterized by the following: [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, maintenance of the recording device can be performed appropriately and easily. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] A perspective view showing an example of a recording device according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] A schematic cross-sectional diagram showing an example of the internal structure of a recording device. [Figure 3] A partial perspective view showing an example of the internal structure of a recording device. [Figure 4] A schematic cross-sectional diagram showing an example of the procedure for opening the internal structure of a recording device. [Figure 5] A schematic cross-sectional diagram showing an example of the procedure for opening the internal structure of a recording device. [Figure 6] A schematic cross-sectional diagram showing an example of the procedure for opening the internal structure of a recording device. [Figure 7] A flowchart illustrating an example of a control method for issuing jam notifications. [Figure 8] A schematic cross-sectional diagram showing an example of the internal structure in an open state. [Figure 9] A schematic cross-sectional diagram showing another example of an open internal structure. [Figure 10] A schematic cross-sectional diagram showing another example of an open internal structure. [Figure 11] A schematic cross-sectional diagram showing another example of an open internal structure. [Figure 12] Cross-sectional schematic diagram showing another example of the procedure for opening the internal structure of the recording device. [Figure 13] Schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the discharge guide mechanism. [Figure 14] Perspective view showing an example of the rotation mode of the discharge guide mechanism. [Figure 15] Side schematic view showing the rotation mode of the discharge guide mechanism from another perspective. [Figure 16] Schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the brake / lock mechanism of the discharge guide mechanism. [Figure 17] Side schematic view showing the rotation mode of the discharge guide mechanism. [Figure 18] Schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the brake / lock mechanism.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Although a plurality of features are described in the embodiments, not all of these plurality of features are essential to the invention, and the plurality of features may be arbitrarily combined. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, the same or similar configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0010] ≪Regarding the overall configuration of the recording device 1≫ FIG. 1(a) is an overall perspective view of the recording device 1 according to the embodiment. Although the details of its operation will be described later, in this embodiment, the recording device 1 is an inkjet printer and includes a device main body 100, a cassette 2, a discharge tray 17, and a discharge tray 120. The device main body 100 is defined by a housing 101, and the cassette 2, the discharge tray 17, and the discharge tray 120 are attached to the device main body 100.

[0011] Here, the same applies to other figures described later. For ease of understanding the structure, X, Y, and Z directions that intersect (substantially orthogonal) to each other are shown in the figures. In the present embodiment, the X direction corresponds to the left-right direction or the width direction, the Y direction corresponds to the front-back direction or the depth direction, and the Z direction corresponds to the up-down direction or the height direction. Note that the -X side is taken as the left side, the +X side as the right side, the -Y side as the front side, the +Y side as the back side, the -Z side as the lower side, and the +Z side as the upper side. However, when the distinction between one side or the other side is unnecessary in the following description, it is simply indicated as the X, Y, or Z direction. Also, both the X and Y directions may be expressed as the horizontal direction, and the Z direction may be expressed as the vertical direction.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1(b), a slot 111 for slidably accommodating the cassette 2 in the Y direction is provided on the front surface 101a of the apparatus main body 100, and the cassette 2 is insertable and removable with respect to the slot 111. One or more sheets SH (see FIG. 2) are loaded and accommodated in the cassette 2. The sheet SH may be a sheet-like recording medium such as a paper material, and typically, a cut sheet having a size conforming to a predetermined standard (for example, A4 size, etc.) is used as the sheet SH. The cassette 2 may be expressed as a sheet cassette, a storage cassette, or the like.

[0013] The discharge trays 17 and 120 are provided on the upper surface 101b of the apparatus main body 100, and the sheets SH that have been recorded and discharged outside the apparatus main body 100 are placed on the discharge trays 17 and 120. Although details will be described later, the discharge trays 17 and 120 are provided so as to be able to open and close and seal the inside of the apparatus main body 100, respectively. In their closed states, the discharge tray 17 is located on the -Y side with respect to the discharge tray 120 (see FIG. 1(a)).

[0014] The discharge tray 17 includes a plate-shaped member 17a and a shaft portion 17b, as shown in Figure 1(b). The plate-shaped member 17a is pivotally supported by the shaft portion 17b at its +Y end. With this configuration, the discharge tray 17 is rotatable about the X direction as the pivot axis, thereby allowing the opening 70 at the top of the housing 101 to be in an open state (see Figure 1(b)) or a closed state (see Figure 1(a)). In the closed state of the opening 70 (see Figure 1(a)), the plate-shaped member 17a forms a substantially horizontal surface on the -Y side and an inclined surface on the +Y side, and this inclined surface is tilted such that the +Y side is lower and the -Y side is higher.

[0015] The discharge tray 120 includes a plate-shaped member 120a and a shaft portion 120b, as shown in Figure 1(c). The shaft portion 120b is provided at both ends (both sides) of the plate-shaped member 120a in the X direction. A guide rail 121 extends from the wall portion of the housing 101 opposite to the shaft portion 120b, along the inclined surface of the closed plate-shaped member 17a, and the shaft portion 120b is slidably engaged with the guide rail 121. With this configuration, the discharge tray 120 can slide up to above the inclined surface of the closed discharge tray 17, thereby allowing the opening 130 at the top of the housing 101 to be in an open state (see Figure 1(c)) or a closed state (see Figure 1(a)).

[0016] Although the openings 70 and 130 may be integrally formed in the upper part of the housing 101, for the sake of clarity, the portion opened by the rotation of the discharge tray 17 is designated as opening 70, and the portion opened by the sliding of the discharge tray 120 is designated as opening 130.

[0017] With the above configuration, the user can relatively easily expose the inside of the device body 100 by rotating the discharge tray 17 or sliding the discharge tray 120. As a result, the user can see inside the device body 100 through the opening 70 or 130 and access the inside of the device body 100.

[0018] In other words, the discharge trays 17 and 120 function as a mounting area on which recorded sheets SH discharged outside the device body 100 are placed, and also function as a cover that seals the inside of the device body 100 in an openable and closable manner. Therefore, both the discharge trays 17 and 120 may be referred to as discharge tray covers. Alternatively, for distinction, the discharge tray 17 may be referred to as a rotating cover, and the discharge tray 120 may be referred to as a sliding cover.

[0019] <<About the internal structure of recording device 1>> Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the recording device 1. The recording device 1 further comprises a recording unit 10, a drive unit 14, a platen 15, a plurality of transport units 3 to 9, a plurality of sensors 32 to 34, and a flapper 180 within the device body 100.

[0020] The recording unit 10 includes a carriage 11 and a recording head 12. The carriage 11 is configured to mount the recording head 12 and to be reciprocally movable in the X direction, thereby enabling the recording head 12 to scan in the X direction. Multiple nozzles are arranged on the surface of the recording head 12 facing the platen 15, and each nozzle is capable of ejecting ink supplied from an ink tank 19 via an ink tube (not shown).

[0021] The drive unit 14 drives the recording unit 10. For example, the drive unit 14 includes a travel track for moving the carriage 11 back and forth, a pulley for moving the carriage on the travel track, and an electric motor for driving the pulley. With this configuration, the drive unit 14 moves the carriage 11 back and forth to scan the recording head 12 while the sheet SH is passing between the recording head 12 and the platen 15, and drives the recording head 12 during the scan to eject ink from each nozzle. This records the sheet SH.

[0022] In this context, "recording" refers to the formation of an image by ejecting ink onto the sheet SH. The concept of an image includes letters, numbers, symbols, figures, photographs, etc., regardless of whether they are legible or not. The ink is typically a liquid containing dyes or pigments, but it may also be a colorless, transparent reaction liquid, and these can all be collectively referred to as a liquid. In this respect, the recording device 1 may be referred to as a liquid ejection device, and the recording head 12 may be referred to as a liquid ejection head.

[0023] In this embodiment, recording on the sheet SH is achieved by alternating between an operation that transports the sheet SH a predetermined distance and then suppresses the transport (intermittent transport) and an operation that the recording head 12 scans and records while the transport is suppressed (recording scan). Such a recording head 12 is also referred to as a serial head. In another embodiment, the recording head 12 may be a line head capable of recording the entire width of the sheet SH at once.

[0024] Each of the transport units 3 to 9 is positioned at a corresponding location along the transport path of the sheet SH, as shown by the dashed arrows, and the sheet SH is transported by the drive roller rotating while gripping the sheet SH together with the driven roller or driven spur. In this embodiment, the transport path mainly extends from the cassette 2 toward the -Y side, curves upward and extends toward the +Y side to pass through the recording unit 10, and then curves further upward and extends toward the -Y side to connect to the sheet SH discharge port. The driven roller is positioned on the side of the sheet SH before recording that is to be recorded, and the driven spur is positioned on the side of the recorded sheet SH that has been recorded. Each of the driven roller and driven spur is positioned so as to be rotatable and biased against the drive roller by biasing means (not shown) so as to contact the corresponding drive roller. The driven spur may be another disc-shaped rotating body (driven rotating body).

[0025] The transport unit 3 includes a drive roller and a driven roller that are in contact with each other, and transports the sheets SH picked up from the cassette 2 (see arrow A01). Similarly, the transport unit 4 also includes a drive roller and a driven roller that are in contact with each other, and further transports the sheets SH transported by the transport unit 3 (see arrow A02). The transport unit 4 can also receive and transport sheets SH from an external paper feed unit additionally mounted below the main body 100 of the device (see arrow A03).

[0026] The transport units 5 and 6 are capable of intermittent transport as well as constant-speed transport. Transport unit 5 is positioned upstream of the recording unit 10 in the transport direction and includes a drive roller and a driven roller that are in contact with each other, and intermittently transports the sheet SH toward the recording unit 10. Transport unit 6 is positioned downstream of the recording unit 10 in the transport direction and includes a drive roller and a driven spur that are in contact with each other, and intermittently transports the sheet SH that has been recorded by the recording unit 10 further downstream (see arrow A04).

[0027] Each of the transport units 7 to 9 includes a drive roller and a driven spur that are in contact with each other, and the transport units 7 to 9 are arranged along a discharge path (or discharge transport path) for discharging the recorded sheet SH transported from transport unit 6 to the device body 100. That is, the discharge path refers to the path through which the sheet SH can pass from transport unit 6 to transport unit 9, among the transport paths of the sheet SH illustrated by arrow A01, etc. This discharge path is formed in a curved shape that passes from the lower rear part to the upper rear part of the device body 100 and further through the rear part (see arrow A05), and the recorded side of the sheet SH is inverted and discharged onto the discharge trays 17 and 120 facing downwards. This type of discharge can be described as face-down discharge. In this embodiment, in the curved discharge path described above, transport unit 7 is located at the lowest position, transport unit 8 is located at the very rear, and transport unit 9 is located at the highest position, and these can be distinguished from each other.

[0028] In the transport units 6 to 9 located downstream of the recording unit 10, the driven spurs are positioned on the side of the sheet SH that has already been recorded, and the drive rollers are positioned on the opposite side. The drive rollers of the transport units 6 to 9 are shown as rollers 6a to 9a, respectively, and the driven spurs of the transport units 6 to 9 are shown as spurs 6b to 9b, respectively (see Figures 3, 4(a), etc.).

[0029] Furthermore, the transport units 3 to 9 described above may be referred to by other names depending on their purpose, use, and location, in order to distinguish them from one another. For example, transport units 3 and 4 may be referred to as paper feeding units, and transport units 7 to 9 may be referred to as paper discharge units.

[0030] Sensors 32-34 are configured to detect the presence or absence of sheet SH, and can, for example, detect the passage of the front end (downstream end) and rear end (upstream end) of sheet SH. Typically, known optical sensors are used for each of sensors 32-34. Sensor 32 is located upstream of the recording unit 10, in this example upstream of the transport unit 5. Sensor 33 is located downstream of the recording unit 10, in this example downstream of the transport unit 6 and near the transport unit 7. Sensor 34 is located downstream of the curved discharge path, in this example near the transport unit 9. This makes it possible to pinpoint the location of sheet SH to be transported.

[0031] As will be described in detail later, between transport units 6 and 7, a guide section 601 that guides the recorded side of sheet SH and a guide section 600 that guides the opposite side are arranged facing each other. Similarly, between transport units 7 and 8, a guide section 701 and a guide section 700 are arranged facing each other, and between transport units 8 and 9, a guide section 801 and a guide section 800 are arranged facing each other. In other words, the guide mechanism including these guide sections 600, 601, 700, 701, 800, and 801 forms the curved discharge path described above and may be collectively referred to as the discharge guide mechanism.

[0032] The above describes the case where only one side of sheet SH is recorded, but the recording device 1 is configured to also record on the side of sheet SH opposite to the side that has already been recorded (so-called double-sided printing is possible). Sheet SH, which has been recorded on only one side, is first transported to the middle of the curved discharge path, and then returned to transport unit 4 by transport units 5-9, passing through recording unit 10, at which point it is flipped over (see arrow A06). Then, sheet SH is transported back to recording unit 10, and in this way, recording is also performed on the other side of sheet SH.

[0033] From this perspective, the side of sheet SH on which the last record was made is the front surface and the opposite side is the back surface, and the guide portion 601 may be referred to as the front guide portion and the guide portion 600 as the back guide portion, thus distinguishing them from each other. Alternatively, the guide portion 601 may be referred to as the one-sided guide portion (or the other-sided guide portion), and the guide portion 600 may be referred to as the other-sided guide portion (or the one-sided guide portion), thus distinguishing them from each other. Furthermore, based on the internal structure that forms the curved discharge path, the guide portion 601 may be referred to as the inner circumference guide portion and the guide portion 600 may be referred to as the outer circumference guide portion, thus distinguishing them from each other. The same can be said for the guide portions 700 and 701, and the same can be said for the guide portions 800 and 801. Furthermore, if recording is performed on one side and then reversed, and no further recording is performed on the other side, the side facing the recording unit 10 may be designated as the front surface and the opposite side as the back surface.

[0034] For the purposes of the following explanation, guide sections 601, 701, and 801 will be referred to as front guide sections, and guide sections 600, 700, and 800 will be referred to as back guide sections.

[0035] As will be described in more detail later, the surface guide section 601 is rotatably installed within the main body 100 of the device. In addition, the surface guide sections 701 and 801 are unitized as the downstream surface guide section 811 and are rotatably installed within the main body 100 of the device.

[0036] The flapper 180 is rotatably installed at the rear of the upper part of the device body 100, with its shaft portion 180b (see Figure 3) as the pivot axis, and is biased by a biasing means (not shown) so that its tip portion 180a faces the discharge trays 17 and 120. When the sheet SH is discharged outside the device body 100, the discharge tray 120 is preferably positioned such that the wall portion 120c at the +Y side end is -Y side of the -Y side end 9c of the roller 9a, as shown in the enlarged schematic diagram of Figure 2. As a result, the recorded sheet SH discharged outside the device body 100 is properly placed on the discharge trays 17 and 120, and if two or more sheets SH are discharged, they are stacked on the discharge trays 17 and 120.

[0037] Furthermore, the flapper 180 is equipped with a sensor (not shown), and if the tip portion 180a rises above a standard, a predetermined notification is issued indicating that the load of sheets SH on the discharge trays 17 and 120 has exceeded the standard, and the recording operation may be interrupted.

[0038] With the above configuration, sheets SH transported by transport units 3 and 4 are recorded by intermittent transport by transport units 5 to 6 and recording scanning by the recording head 12. Once recorded, sheets SH are discharged outside the main unit 100 by transport units 6 to 9 and placed on discharge trays 17 and 120.

[0039] Figure 3 is a partial perspective view showing the detailed structure of the peripheral area of ​​the discharge path shown in Figure 2. Some of the aforementioned elements are directly or indirectly fixed to the internal side wall 500 of the housing 101, while other parts are rotatable relative to the internal side wall 500. For example, in this embodiment, the surface guide portion 601 is rotatable with the shaft portion 601a as the pivot axis.

[0040] The internal side wall 500 is provided with a positioning portion 500a and a fixing portion 500b, and a locking mechanism 610 for locking the surface guide portion 601 is attached. The locking mechanism 610 includes a lever unit 611 and a biasing unit 612. The lever unit 611 includes a hook portion 611a, a pivot shaft 611b, and a fixing portion 611c, and is rotatable between the hook portion 611a and the fixing portion 611c by the pivot shaft 611b. The biasing unit 612 is installed between the fixing portions 500b and 611c and biases the lever unit 611 so that the hook portion 611a locks into the locking portion 601c. As a result, the surface guide portion 601 is locked at the positioning portion 500a by the lever unit 611 which is biased by the biasing unit 612. Such a configuration is provided on both sides of the housing 101 in the X direction.

[0041] ≪About Maintenance≫ As described above, the user can rotate the discharge tray 17 or slide the discharge tray 120 to open up the inside of the device body 100 and access the inside of the device body 100. Therefore, if a jam occurs during the transport of the sheet SH, the user can rotate the discharge tray 17 or slide the discharge tray 120 to access the inside of the device body 100 and remove the jammed sheet SH (hereinafter referred to as the jammed sheet). In this embodiment, we will describe the case in which a jam occurs while a recorded sheet SH is passing through the curved discharge path.

[0042] Figure 4(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the recording device 1, mainly including the transport path from the recording unit 10 onwards. For example, if a jam notification (see Figure 7) occurs, as described later, the user can slide the discharge tray 120 along the guide rail 121 up to the inclined surface of the discharge tray 17, as shown in Figure 4(b), to open it. At this time, as shown in Figure 4(c), the flapper 180 may be rotated to face upward and locked by a mechanism not shown.

[0043] Next, as shown in Figure 5(a), the user can rotate the downstream surface guide portion 811 (surface guide portions 701 and 801) by gripping the gripping portion 701b provided on the surface guide portion 701. Here, if the flapper 180 is not rotated as shown in Figure 4(c), the flapper 180 will also rotate along with the rotation of the downstream surface guide portion 811. As shown in Figure 5(b), the downstream surface guide portion 811 is rotated to the end of its rotatable region and can be locked in this position. Details of the rotation mode of the downstream surface guide portion 811 will be described later.

[0044] Finally, as shown in Figure 6, after releasing the locking mechanism 610 from the surface guide portion 601, the user can grasp the gripping portion 601b and rotate the surface guide portion 601 using the shaft portion 601a (see Figure 2) as the pivot axis. After rotation, the surface guide portion 601 may be held in a position close to the drive unit 14, for example, by a magnet. In this way, the back surface guide portions 600, 700 and 800 are exposed, opening the discharge path for the sheet SH, thereby allowing the user to remove the jam sheet SH from the discharge path. Thus, according to this embodiment, maintenance inside the device body 100 can be performed appropriately and easily.

[0045] Furthermore, sensors (not shown) are provided on the surface guide sections 601, 701, and 801, and if any of these are rotated and the discharge path for sheet SH is opened, the recording operation may be suppressed or interrupted. After maintenance of the device body 100 is completed, the user can return the device to a state where the recording operation can be resumed by operating each mechanism in the reverse order of the procedure described above.

[0046] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a control method for providing jam notification. This flowchart can typically be executed by the CPU (Central Processing Unit) built into the recording device 1, which reads the program, loads it into memory, and then executes it. In summary, it identifies the sheet discharge pattern based on the detection results of sensors 32-34, and if a jam is detected, it sends a predetermined notification to the user.

[0047] In step S1010 (hereinafter simply referred to as "S1010"; the same applies to other steps described later), it is determined whether or not the recording of one sheet by the recording unit 10 has been completed. If the recording has been completed, the process proceeds to S1020; otherwise, it returns to S1010.

[0048] In S1020, the discharge process of the recorded sheet SH is initiated, meaning that the sheet SH is transported downstream by the transport units 7-9.

[0049] In S1030, it is determined whether or not sensor 33 is turned ON. Sensor 33 is set to turn ON when it detects sheet SH, and OFF otherwise (the same applies to the other sensors 32 and 34). If sensor 33 is ON, the process proceeds to S1100; otherwise, it proceeds to S1040.

[0050] In S1040, it is determined whether the amount of sheet SH transported from sensor 32 has reached the standard amount. Since recording for sheet SH has been completed properly, sensor 32 is already ON. Therefore, the above determination can be made based on the measurement result of the amount of sheet SH transported since sensor 32 was turned ON. If the amount of sheet SH transported has reached the standard amount, proceed to S1050; otherwise, return to S1030.

[0051] At S1050, a notification indicating that a jam has occurred (jam notification) is issued, and this flowchart ends.

[0052] In S1100, measurement of the amount of sheet SH transported from sensor 33 (after sensor 33 is turned ON) begins. This measurement may be performed in parallel with the measurement of the amount of sheet SH transported from sensor 32.

[0053] In S1110, it is determined whether or not sensor 34 is turned ON. If sensor 34 is ON, the process proceeds to S1210; otherwise, it proceeds to S1120.

[0054] In S1120, it is determined whether the amount of sheet SH transported from sensor 33 has reached a standard amount.

[0055] At S1130, another notification (jam notification) indicating that a jam has occurred is issued, and this flowchart ends.

[0056] In S1210, it is determined whether or not sensor 34 is turned OFF. If sensor 34 is OFF, the process proceeds to S1220; otherwise, it returns to S1210.

[0057] In S1220, a notification is issued indicating that the discharge of the sheet SH is complete.

[0058] In this way, if a jam occurs, a jam notification is issued, and the user can access the device body 100 and remove the jam sheet SH accordingly. Here, the jam notification in S1050 notifies of a jam that occurred before the sensor 33 was turned ON, and the jam notification in S1130 notifies of a jam that occurred after the sensor 33 was turned ON. Therefore, the content of these notifications may be different from each other so that the user can recognize the location of the jam. The jam notification may be made, for example, by a display unit provided on the top surface 101b, but it may also be made by a warning sound or voice.

[0059] Regarding the surface guide section 601: When removing the jam sheet SH, the user puts a hand into the opened apparatus main body 100, pulls out the jam sheet SH from the inside of the apparatus main body 100 while gripping the jam sheet SH, and thereby takes out the jam sheet SH from the discharge path. Here, on the downstream side of the recording unit 10, the conveyance path is relatively narrow. Therefore, for example, in the vicinity of the conveyance unit 6, it is conceivable that the jam sheet SH is damaged during removal, or that the jam sheet SH remains partially inside the apparatus main body 100. Thus, a configuration that can more easily achieve the removal of the jam sheet SH is required.

[0060] FIGS. 8(a) to 8(b) are schematic cross-sectional views showing mainly the conveyance units 6 and 7 and their peripheral portions in the internal structure of the recording apparatus 1. FIG. 8(a) shows the state before rotation of the surface guide portion 601, and FIG. 8(b) shows the state after rotation of the surface guide portion 601.

[0061] In the present embodiment, the surface guide portion 601 is provided with a driven roller 603 and a driven pawl 605. The driven roller 603 is rotatable about a shaft portion 602 as a rotation axis, and the driven pawl 605 is rotatable about a shaft portion 604 as a rotation axis. A plurality of the driven rollers 603 and the driven pawls 605 are provided along the X direction, respectively.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 8(a), in the surface guide portion 601 before rotation, the shaft portion 602 is located at a distance from the shaft portion 601a to the -Y side and the +Z side, and the driven roller 603 is located at a distance H1 from the conveyance path of the sheet SH. On the other hand, the shaft portion 604 is located at least at a distance from the shaft portion 601a to the +Y side, and the driven pawl 605 is located so as to contact the conveyance path of the sheet SH. When the surface guide portion 601 is rotated, as shown in FIG. 8(b), while the driven pawl 605 is separated from the conveyance path of the sheet SH, the driven roller 603 approaches the conveyance path of the sheet SH up to a distance H2 (where H2 < H1).

[0063] Furthermore, the above distances H1 and H2 are expressed as the distance from the driven roller 603 to the driven roller 603, which is the tangent line (the ideal transport path or nip line of the sheet SH) that simultaneously passes through the driven rollers 6a and 7a and the corresponding driven spurs 6b and 7b, respectively.

[0064] With this configuration, before the surface guide section 601 rotates, the driven roller 603 is in a non-use state, and the driven spur 605 can guide the transport of the sheet SH. On the other hand, after the surface guide section 601 rotates, the driven spur 605 becomes non-use, and the driven roller 603 can guide the removal of the jam sheet SH.

[0065] Here, the driven spur 605 is used to guide the transport of the recorded sheet SH during the recording operation, while the driven roller 603 is used to guide the removal of the jammed sheet SH. For this reason, the driven roller 603 is preferably made of resin with low rolling friction and / or sliding friction so that the user can easily pull out the jammed sheet SH, and a spur is not used.

[0066] Figures 9(a) and 9(b) show schematic cross-sectional diagrams illustrating other examples of the rotation mode of the surface guide portion 601, similar to Figures 8(a) and 8(b). In this example, the surface guide portion 601 is attached to the internal side wall 500 via a connecting member 620 that is rotatable on a shaft portion 620a. That is, at one end, the connecting member 620 is connected to the surface guide portion 601 so as to be rotatable on a shaft portion 601a as the pivot axis, and at the other end, it is connected to the internal side wall 500 so as to be rotatable on a shaft portion 620a as the pivot axis. Therefore, after the rotation of the surface guide portion 601, the entire surface guide portion 601 is separated from the conveying path of the sheet SH by a relatively large distance, thereby making it relatively easy to remove the jam sheet SH.

[0067] Figures 10(a) and 10(b) show schematic cross-sectional diagrams illustrating further examples, similar to Figures 8(a) and 8(b). In this example, grooves 501 and 502 are provided in the internal side wall 500, and the surface guide portion 601 is configured to slide along the grooves 501 and 502, thereby separating it from the conveying path of the sheet SH. Groove 501 extends from the +Y side end of the surface guide portion 601 to the -Y and +Z sides, and fitting portions 501a and 501b are provided at both ends thereof. Groove 502 extends substantially from the -Y side end of the surface guide portion 601 to the +Z side, and fitting portions 502a and 502b are provided at both ends thereof. A shaft portion 601d1 is provided at the +Y side end of the surface guide portion 601, and a shaft portion 601d2 is provided at the -Y side end.

[0068] In Figure 10(a), the shaft portions 601d1 and 601d2 are fitted into the fitting portions 501a and 502a, respectively, and the surface guide portion 601 is in a horizontal position. In Figure 10(b), the shaft portions 601d1 and 601d2 are fitted into the fitting portions 501b and 502b, respectively, and the surface guide portion 601 is in a vertical position. In this way, it is also possible to configure the surface guide portion 601 so that it moves away from the conveying path of the sheet SH by sliding, and even with such a configuration, the jam sheet SH can be removed relatively easily.

[0069] The surface guide portion 601 is smaller in size than the aforementioned downstream surface guide portion 811, which is formed by unitizing the surface guide portions 701 and 801. Therefore, the surface guide portion 601 may be separated from the transport path by rotation or sliding, or it may be separated from the transport path by other means of movement.

[0070] <<Modified example of surface guide section 601>> In this embodiment, of the surface guide sections 601, 701, and 801, the surface guide sections 701 and 801 are unitized as a downstream surface guide section 811, and the surface guide 601 is independently able to move away from the conveying path of the sheet SH, but this is not limited to this. For example, the surface guide sections 701 and 801 may not be unitized, while the surface guide sections 601 and 701 may be unitized.

[0071] Figures 11(a) and 11(b) are schematic cross-sectional views of a configuration in which the surface guide portions 601 and 701 are unitized. In this example, gripping portions 701b' can be provided instead of gripping portions 601b and 701b.

[0072] First, as shown in Figure 11(a), the unitized surface guides 601 and 701 are shown rotated in the same manner as in Figures 8(a) and 8(b). After rotation, the surface guides 601 and 701 may be held in a position close to the drive unit 14, for example, by a magnet. On the other hand, the rotation of the surface guides 601 and 701 opens up most of the discharge path for the sheet SH. Therefore, the surface guide 801 does not need to be rotated outside the main body 100, and may be configured to swing within the main body 100, as shown in Figure 11(b).

[0073] This configuration allows for relatively easy removal of the jam sheet SH from the discharge path, and also simplifies the structure around the surface guide portion 801.

[0074] Regarding the surface guide sections 701 and 801 (downstream surface guide section 811): The aforementioned downstream surface guide portion 811, which is formed by unitizing the surface guide portions 701 and 801, is relatively large in size. Therefore, interference with other mechanisms or components may make it difficult to rotate it outside the main body 100 through the opening 130. For this reason, a configuration is required in which the rotatable area of ​​the downstream surface guide portion 811 extends in a predetermined direction and is restricted to a predetermined range.

[0075] Figure 13(a) is a schematic partial cross-sectional view including the downstream surface guide portion 811 and its surrounding area. In this embodiment, a support body 810 is provided downstream of the back surface guide portion 800 (above the back surface guide portion 800 in this example) to support the transport unit 9 and the downstream surface guide portion 811, and to be rotatable with the shaft portion 820 as the pivot axis. Although the support body 810 is separate from the back surface guide portion 800, since it forms part of the discharge path for the sheet SH alongside the back surface guide portion 800 downstream of the back surface guide portion 800, the support body 810 may also be referred to as the back surface guide portion.

[0076] Figure 13(b) is a perspective view including the downstream surface guide portion 811 and its surrounding area. In this embodiment, a circular plate material 811o is attached to the end of a shaft body that rotatably supports the roller 9a (coaxial with the roller 9a). The circular plate material 811o is rotatable around the shaft portion 9a1 of the roller 9a, but the circular plate material 811o and the roller 9a are rotatable independently of each other. Cams 811a and 811b, and gear tooth surfaces 811c are provided on the peripheral edge of the circular plate material 811o, and all of them are rotatable around the shaft portion 9a1.

[0077] As will be described in detail later, the guide side wall 831, which is provided as part of the inner side wall 500 or fixed to the inner side wall 500, is provided with cam surfaces 831a and 831b that can engage with cams 811a and 811b, respectively. The cam surfaces 831a and 831b form different curved surfaces and have apex at their boundary, and as will be described in detail later, after cam 811a slides along cam surface 831a, cam 811b is able to slide along cam surface 831b.

[0078] Figure 13(c) is a perspective view showing the guide side wall 831 from a different viewpoint, with the guide side wall 831 not shown. The cam 811a is located on the inner side of the circular plate material 811o, and the cam 811b is located on the outer side of the circular plate material 811o. The gear tooth surface 811c is circumferentially arranged to correspond to the rotatable region of the downstream surface guide portion 811, and overlaps with the cams 811a and 811b at least partially in the radial direction.

[0079] Figures 14(a) to 14(d) are perspective views illustrating the relative positional relationship between the cams 811a and 811b and the cam surfaces 831a and 831b when the downstream surface guide portion 811 is rotated.

[0080] As shown in Figure 14(a), before the downstream surface guide portion 811 rotates, the cam 811a is engaged with the cam surface 831a.

[0081] As shown in Figure 14(b), when the downstream surface guide portion 811 begins to rotate, the support 810 also rotates along with the rotation of the downstream surface guide portion 811, with the shaft portion 820 as the pivot axis, and as a result the transport unit 9 also rotates. During this time, the cam 811a slides along the cam surface 831a.

[0082] As shown in Figure 14(c), when the downstream surface guide portion 811 is further rotated together with the support body 810, the cam 811a moves above the cam surface 831a, and consequently, the cam 811b becomes slidable along the cam surface 831b. At this point, the rotation of the support body 810 ends.

[0083] As shown in Figure 14(d), the downstream surface guide portion 811 can be further rotated using the shaft portion 9a1 as the pivot axis and moved upward. During this time, the cam 811b slides along the cam surface 831b.

[0084] In summary, the support 810 is rotatably arranged with the shaft portion 820 as the pivot axis, and also supports the transport unit 9 including the shaft portion 9a1 and the downstream surface guide portion 811. With this configuration, the downstream surface guide portion 811 has two pivot axes, the shaft portion 820 and 9a1, and these two pivot axes are switched by sliding between the cam 811a and the cam surface 831a, and sliding between the cam 811b and the cam surface 831b. For the sake of simplicity, this rotation mode may also be described as two-stage rotation, where the first stage of rotation corresponds to sliding between the cam 811a and the cam surface 831a, and the second stage of rotation corresponds to sliding between the cam 811b and the cam surface 831b.

[0085] Figures 15(a), 15(b), and 15(c) are schematic side views showing the state of the downstream surface guide portion 811 before, during, and after rotation from different viewpoints. Arrow A21 in the figures indicates the trajectory of the first stage of rotation of the downstream surface guide portion 811, and arrow A22 in the figures indicates the trajectory of the second stage of rotation of the downstream surface guide portion 811.

[0086] As indicated by arrows A21 and A22, the downstream surface guide portion 811, while rotating, traces two different trajectories with distinct main rotation directions. For example, as can be seen from a comparison of arrows A21 and A22, in the second stage of rotation, the Y-direction component of the downstream surface guide portion 811 is suppressed, and it mainly moves towards the +Z side. With this configuration, the relatively large downstream surface guide portion 811 can rotate relatively easily outside the device body 100 through the opening 130 without interfering with other mechanisms. Therefore, according to this embodiment, maintenance inside the device body 100 can be performed appropriately and simply.

[0087] Furthermore, in the first stage of rotation, the support 810 and the transport unit 9 rotate along with the rotation of the downstream surface guide portion 811, and in the second stage of rotation, the shaft portion 9a1 becomes the axis of rotation. Therefore, no unnecessary stress is generated in the transport unit 9 during either rotation, and for example, the roller 9a and the spur 9b are not unnecessarily pressed against each other.

[0088] Furthermore, the shaft portion 820 is coaxial with the idler gear 821 for transmitting power (rotation) to the roller 9a, and as a result, there is no need to interrupt the transmission of power when rotating the support 810 together with the downstream surface guide portion 811, etc.

[0089] ≪About the Brake / Lock Mechanism≫ Since the downstream surface guide portion 811 is relatively heavy, it is possible that it may fall off due to its own weight if, for example, the user mishandles it during rotation. Therefore, a configuration is required that can maintain the downstream surface guide portion 811 in its current position during and after rotation.

[0090] Figure 16 is a schematic side view including the downstream surface guide portion 811 and its surrounding area. In this embodiment, a brake gear 840 that meshes with the gear tooth surface 811c is rotatably mounted on a shaft portion 820 as the pivot axis. The brake gear 840 has a convex shape portion 840a on its peripheral edge, and a brake pad 841 is provided on the brake gear 840 that is biased by a biasing unit 842 and can contact the convex shape portion 840a.

[0091] When the convex portion 840a is in contact with the brake pad 841, the brake gear 840 is held between the brake pad 841 and the inner side wall 500, and the resulting frictional force acts as a braking force against the rotation of the downstream surface guide portion 811.

[0092] Figure 17(a) shows the state of the brake gear 840 before the first stage of rotation of the downstream surface guide portion 811. Figure 17(b) shows the state of the brake gear 840 after the first stage of rotation of the downstream surface guide portion 811 and before the second stage of rotation. Figure 17(c) shows the state of the brake gear 840 during the second stage of rotation of the downstream surface guide portion 811. Figure 17(d) shows the state of the brake gear 840 after the second stage of rotation of the downstream surface guide portion 811. During the rotation of the downstream surface guide portion 811, the brake gear 840 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figures 17(a) to 17(d).

[0093] Figure 18(e) is a schematic diagram illustrating the relative position of the brake pad 841 with respect to the brake gear 840 during the rotation of the downstream surface guide portion 811. Position A in the figure corresponds to the state in Figure 17(a) and shows the relative position of the brake pad 841 before the first stage of rotation. Position B in the figure corresponds to the state in Figure 17(b) and shows the relative position of the brake pad 841 after the first stage of rotation and before the second stage of rotation. Position C in the figure corresponds to the state in Figure 17(c) and shows the relative position of the brake pad 841 during the second stage of rotation. Position D in the figure corresponds to the state in Figure 17(d) and shows the relative position of the brake pad 841 after the second stage of rotation.

[0094] Specifically, in the first stage of rotation of the downstream surface guide portion 811, the brake pad 841 moves relative to the position from position A to position B in the CCW (Counter Clock Wise) direction. Then, in the second stage of rotation, the brake pad 841 moves relative to the position from position B, passing through position A to position C in the CW (Clock Wise) direction, and further moves relative to the position D in the CW direction.

[0095] Figures 18(a) to 18(d) are exploded views illustrating the positional relationship between the brake gear 840 and the brake pad 841, corresponding to positions A to D (the states shown in Figures 17(a) to 17(d)).

[0096] Between positions B and C, including position A, the convex portion 840a does not contact the brake pad 841, so no braking force is generated against the rotation of the downstream surface guide portion 811. On the other hand, between positions C and D, the convex portion 840a contacts the brake pad 841, thereby generating the aforementioned braking force.

[0097] Furthermore, at position D, the convex portion 840a is separated from the brake pad 841, so the above braking force is not generated. However, the brake pad 841 is positioned closer to the brake gear 840 than the convex portion 840a due to the biasing of the biasing unit 842. Therefore, the brake gear 840 restricts the brake pad 841 from moving relative to position D and returning to position C (or position A or B). With this configuration, the downstream surface guide portion 811 is locked in the position after the second stage of rotation. The brake gear 840, brake pad 841, and biasing unit 842 may be described as a brake mechanism and / or a locking mechanism.

[0098] <<Variations of the discharge tray 120>> In the above-described embodiment, when opening the discharge tray 120, an example was given in which the discharge tray 120 is slid along the guide rail 121 to the upper part of the inclined surface of the discharge tray 17 and placed on the inclined surface, but the embodiment is not limited to this.

[0099] Figures 12(a) to 12(c) are schematic cross-sectional views showing another example of a structure that allows the discharge tray 120 to be opened and closed. In this example, as shown in Figure 12(a), a guide rail 121' having a groove with a substantially uniform width and a short groove length is provided so as to be able to engage with the shaft portion 120b of the discharge tray 120.

[0100] In this configuration, the discharge tray 120 is slid until it is partially (a portion on the -Y side) positioned above the inclined surface of the discharge tray 17, as indicated by arrow A11 in Figure 12(b). Then, as indicated by arrow A12 in Figure 12(c), the discharge tray 120 is rotated around the shaft portion 120b as the pivot axis, inverted, and placed on the inclined surface of the discharge tray 17 in that position. This configuration makes it possible to simplify the shape of the guide rail 121'.

[0101] ≪Other≫ In the embodiments, individual elements are named using expressions based on their primary function, but the functions described in the embodiments may also be secondary functions, and the expressions are not strictly limited to these. Furthermore, these expressions can be replaced with other similar expressions. In the same vein, the expression "unit" can be replaced with "tool," "component," "member," "structure," "assembly," etc. Alternatively, these terms may be omitted or included.

[0102] Furthermore, elements with similar names may be prefixed with "1st," "2nd," etc., but these are used solely for distinction and do not indicate priority or order.

[0103] Furthermore, the two or more elements exemplified as selectable in the embodiment are not strictly limited to those examples and may be combined arbitrarily. For example, each of the two or more exemplified elements may be additionally selected or substituted for others. For example, when arbitrarily combining two elements A and B, it may be expressed as "A and / or B" or "at least one of A and B" to indicate that it is either A only, B only, or both A and B.

[0104] Summary of the Embodiments Some of the features illustrated in the above-described embodiment are as follows: [Item 1] A recording device (1) comprising a recording unit (10) that records on a sheet (SH), and a guide mechanism (600, 601, 700, 701, 800, 801) that guides the sheet transported from the recording unit, The guide mechanism includes a first guide portion (701, 801, 811) that guides the first surface of the sheet, and a second guide portion (700, 800) that is positioned opposite the first guide portion and guides the second surface of the sheet. The first guide portion includes two shaft portions (820, 9a1) positioned at different locations from each other as pivot axes, and is configured to be rotatable to open the sheet transport path formed between the first guide portion and the second guide portion. A recording device characterized by the following features. [Item 2] The two shaft portions include a first shaft portion (820) and a second shaft portion (9a1), The first guide section is, It is rotatable between a first position (position in Figure 14(a)) in which the first surface can be guided and a second position (position in Figure 14(d)) in which the transport path is opened. From the first position to the third position between the first and second positions (position in Figure 14(c)), the first shaft rotates around the pivot axis. From the third position to the second position, the second shaft rotates around the pivot axis. A recording device according to item 1, characterized in that it is a recording device. [Item 3] The horizontal (Y-direction) component from the third position to the second position is suppressed compared to that from the first position to the third position. A recording device according to item 2, characterized in that it is a recording device. [Item 4] During the rotation of the first guide portion from the first position to the third position, the second shaft portion rotates relative to the first shaft portion. A recording device according to item 2 or item 3, characterized in that it is a recording device according to item 2 or item 3. [Item 5] Two cams (811a, 811b) are provided that are slidable on two cam surfaces (831a, 831b) which have different curved surfaces relative to the second shaft portion. A recording device according to item 4, characterized by the features described above. [Item 6] A drive roller (9a) is arranged coaxially with the first shaft and transports the sheet, The system further comprises a gear (821) arranged coaxially with the second shaft and capable of transmitting power to the drive roller. A recording device according to any one of items 2 to 5, characterized in that... [Item 7] The guide mechanism further includes a support (810) that is rotatably mounted on the downstream side of the sheet transport direction relative to the second guide portion, with the first shaft portion as the pivot axis, and that rotatably supports the first guide portion with the second shaft portion as the pivot axis. A recording device according to any one of items 2 to 6, characterized by the following: [Item 8] The system further includes a braking mechanism (840, 841, 842) that generates a braking force against the rotation of the first guide section. A recording device according to any one of items 2 to 7, characterized by the above. [Item 9] The braking mechanism generates the braking force in response to the rotation of the first guide portion from the third position to the second position. A recording device according to item 8, characterized in that it is a recording device. [Item 10] The aforementioned brake mechanism is A brake gear (840) that can rotate with the first shaft portion as the axis of rotation, A brake pad (841) that can contact the aforementioned brake gear, including A recording device according to item 8 or item 9, characterized by the above. [Item 11] The peripheral edge of the aforementioned brake gear is provided with a convex shape (840a), The braking mechanism further includes a biasing unit (842) that biases the brake pads so that they can contact the convex portion when the brake gear rotates. A recording device according to item 10, characterized in that it is a recording device. [Item 12] The recording unit includes a recording head (12) capable of ejecting ink. A recording device according to any one of items 1 to 11, characterized by the above.

[0105] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, claims are attached to disclose the scope of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0106] 1: Recording device, 120: Output tray, 10: Recording unit, 11: Carriage, 12: Recording head, 601, 701, 801: Surface guide section, 600, 700, 800: Guide section on the back.

Claims

1. A recording device comprising a recording unit for recording on a sheet, and a guide mechanism for guiding the sheet transported from the recording unit, The guide mechanism includes a first guide portion that guides the first surface of the sheet, and a second guide portion that is positioned opposite the first guide portion and guides the second surface of the sheet. The first guide portion includes two shaft portions positioned at different locations as pivot axes and is configured to be rotatable so as to open the sheet transport path formed between the first guide portion and the second guide portion. A recording device characterized by the following features.

2. The two shaft portions include a first shaft portion and a second shaft portion, The first guide section is, It is rotatable between a first position in which the first surface can be guided and a second position in which the transport path is opened. From the first position to the third position between the first and second positions, the first shaft rotates around the pivot axis. From the third position to the second position, the second shaft rotates around the pivot axis. The recording device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a recording device.

3. The horizontal component from the third position to the second position is suppressed compared to that from the first position to the third position. The recording device according to claim 2.

4. During the rotation of the first guide portion from the first position to the third position, the second shaft portion rotates relative to the first shaft portion. The recording device according to claim 2.

5. Two cams are provided on the second shaft portion, each slidably on two cam surfaces that have different curved surfaces. The recording device according to feature 4.

6. A drive roller, which is arranged coaxially with the first shaft and transports the sheet, The system further comprises a gear arranged coaxially with the second shaft and capable of transmitting power to the drive roller. The recording device according to claim 2.

7. The guide mechanism further includes a support that is rotatably mounted on the downstream side of the sheet transport direction relative to the second guide portion, with the first shaft portion as the pivot axis, and that rotatably supports the first guide portion with the second shaft portion as the pivot axis. The recording device according to claim 2.

8. The system further comprises a braking mechanism that generates a braking force against the rotation of the first guide portion. The recording device according to claim 2.

9. The braking mechanism generates the braking force in response to the rotation of the first guide portion from the third position to the second position. The recording device according to claim 8, characterized in that it is a recording device.

10. The aforementioned brake mechanism is A brake gear that can rotate with the first shaft portion as the axis of rotation, A brake pad that can contact the aforementioned brake gear, including The recording device according to claim 9, characterized in that it is a recording device.

11. The peripheral edge of the aforementioned brake gear is provided with a convex shape, The braking mechanism further includes a biasing unit that biases the brake pads so that they can contact the convex portion when the brake gear rotates. The recording device according to claim 10, characterized in that it is a recording device.

12. The recording unit includes a recording head capable of ejecting ink. A recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized by the features described herein.

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