Recording device

Abstract

Because different product specifications require the use of endless belts with different circumferences, each product needs its own dedicated endless belt, which complicates management and increases costs. [Solution] The recording device comprises a recording head for recording on a medium, a carriage equipped with the recording head and moving in a first direction which is along the first axis and a second direction which is along the first axis but opposite to the first direction, and an endless belt for pulling the carriage in the first direction and the second direction, wherein the carriage has a belt fixing part for fixing the endless belt and a belt housing part for accommodating a curved portion of the endless belt.

Description

Technical Field

[0006]

[0001] The present invention relates to a recording apparatus that records on a medium.

Background Art

[0002] Some recording apparatuses typified by inkjet printers have a carriage provided with a recording head that is pulled by an endless belt. The endless belt is looped around a driving pulley and a driven pulley. The carriage is provided with a gripping portion for gripping the endless belt.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Since it is necessary to use an endless belt with a different circumference when the specifications of the product are different, it is necessary to use a dedicated endless belt for each product, which complicates management and increases costs.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The recording apparatus of the present invention for solving the above problems includes a recording head that records on a medium, a carriage that includes the recording head and moves in a first direction that is a direction along a first axis and a second direction that is a direction along the first axis and opposite to the first direction, and an endless belt that pulls the carriage in the first direction and the second direction. The carriage has a belt fixing portion for fixing the endless belt and a belt accommodating portion for bending and accommodating a part of the endless belt. [[ID=A]]

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006] [Figure 1] External perspective view of the printer. [Figure 2] External perspective view of a printer with the document feeder unit open. [Figure 3] External perspective view of a printer with the scanner unit open. [Figure 4] An external perspective view of the printer with the control panel tilted upwards. [Figure 5] External perspective view of the printer with the media tray pulled out and the media support opened. [Figure 6] A perspective view of the recording unit with the casing removed. [Figure 7] A plan view of the recording unit with the casing removed. [Figure 8A] A diagram showing the media transport path in the recording unit. [Figure 8B] A diagram showing the positional relationships of some of the components of Figure 8A. [Figure 9] A diagram showing the routing of the ink tubes. [Figure 10] A perspective view of the rear of the carriage. [Figure 11] Front view of the belt fixing section and belt storage section. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] The present invention will be described in general terms below. A recording device according to the first embodiment comprises a recording head for recording on a medium, a carriage equipped with the recording head and moving in a first direction which is along a first axis and in a second direction which is along the first axis but opposite to the first direction, and an endless belt for pulling the carriage in the first direction and the second direction, wherein the carriage has a belt fixing portion for fixing the endless belt and a belt housing portion for accommodating a curved portion of the endless belt.

[0008] According to this embodiment, by housing a portion of the endless belt in the belt housing, the circumference of the endless belt can be shortened compared to when a portion of the endless belt is not housed in the belt housing. As a result, the endless belt can be common to multiple products with different specifications, making management easier and suppressing cost increases. Furthermore, the term "circumference of the endless belt" as used above refers to the circumference of the endless belt in the assembled state of the device, and the same applies hereafter unless otherwise specified. According to this embodiment, when using an endless belt having a circumference longer than the circumference of the assembled device, the excess length of the endless belt can be accommodated in the belt storage section. In other words, even if there is excess length in the endless belt, the excess length of the endless belt can be absorbed by the belt storage section. For this reason, it is easy to use the same endless belt for multiple products with different specifications.

[0009] The second embodiment is an embodiment dependent on the first embodiment, characterized in that the endless belt has a plurality of teeth arranged along the length of the belt, the belt fixing portion has a meshing portion that meshes with the teeth, and the belt housing portion does not have a meshing portion that meshes with the teeth.

[0010] If the interlocking portion is provided in the belt housing portion, there is a risk that a sagging portion will be formed between the belt fixing portion and the belt housing portion, which may cause the circumference of the endless belt to differ from the intended length. However, according to this embodiment, since the belt housing portion is not provided with the interlocking portion, it is possible to prevent the circumference of the endless belt from being different from what was intended.

[0011] The third aspect is an aspect dependent on the second aspect, wherein the belt fixing portion and the belt accommodating portion are arranged side by side along the first axis, and the endless belt has a first portion extending from the belt fixing portion in the first direction, a second portion extending from the belt fixing portion in the second direction, a third portion extending from the belt accommodating portion in the first direction, and a fourth portion extending from the belt accommodating portion in the second direction, and the first portion, the second portion, the third portion, and the fourth portion are linearly arranged along the first axis.

[0012] When the endless belt pulls the carriage, the first portion, the second portion, the third portion, and the fourth portion are the portions that apply a force to rotate the carriage in a side view of the endless belt to the carriage. Therefore, when the above-mentioned portions are not linearly arranged along the first axis, the magnitude of the moment applied to the carriage when the carriage is pulled in the first direction and when it is pulled in the second direction is different, which may have an adverse effect on the recording quality. However, according to this aspect, since the first portion, the second portion, the third portion, and the fourth portion are linearly arranged along the first axis, the above-mentioned adverse effect can be suppressed.

[0013] The fourth aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, wherein the carriage has a second belt accommodating portion that curves and accommodates a part of the endless belt separately from the first belt accommodating portion, with the belt accommodating portion being the first belt accommodating portion.

[0014] According to this aspect, since there is a second belt accommodating portion that accommodates a part of the endless belt in a curved manner separately from the first belt accommodating portion, the degree of freedom in adjusting the circumference of the endless belt is further improved. Specifically, when the endless belt is not accommodated in either the first belt accommodating portion or the second belt accommodating portion, when the endless belt is accommodated in either one of the first belt accommodating portion and the second belt accommodating portion, and when the endless belt is accommodated in both the first belt accommodating portion and the second belt accommodating portion, the circumference of the endless belt can be made different. Note that this aspect is not limited to the above first aspect and may be subordinate to the above second or third aspect.

[0015] The fifth aspect is an aspect subordinate to the fourth aspect, characterized in that the belt fixing portion, the first belt accommodating portion, and the second belt accommodating portion form a curved portion inside the endless belt or form a curved portion outside the endless belt.

[0016] When the belt fixing portion, the first belt accommodating portion, and the second belt accommodating portion form a curved portion on the endless belt, three curved portions will be formed on the endless belt in the carriage. For example, if the curved portion in the first belt accommodating portion is on the outside of the endless belt and the curved portion in the second belt accommodating portion is on the inside of the endless belt, space will be required on the outside and inside of the endless belt in the carriage, and there is a risk that the carriage will become larger. However, according to this aspect, since the belt fixing portion, the first belt accommodating portion, and the second belt accommodating portion form a curved portion inside the endless belt or form a curved portion outside the endless belt, the enlargement of the carriage can be suppressed.

[0017] The sixth aspect is an aspect subordinate to the fifth aspect, characterized in that the first belt accommodating portion and the second belt accommodating portion are arranged with the belt fixing portion interposed therebetween in the direction along the first axis.

[0018] According to this embodiment, since the first belt housing and the second belt housing are arranged in a direction along the first axis, sandwiching the belt fixing portion, the magnitude of the moment applied to the carriage does not vary much when the carriage is pulled in the first direction and when it is pulled in the second direction, and good recording quality can be obtained.

[0019] The seventh aspect is an aspect dependent on the sixth aspect, characterized in that, in a side view of the endless belt, the first belt housing and the second belt housing are provided so as to be symmetric with respect to the first straight line, with respect to the first straight line, which is a straight line passing through the center position of the belt fixing portion in the direction along the first axis and perpendicular to the first axis.

[0020] According to this embodiment, since the first belt housing and the second belt housing are provided so as to be symmetrical with respect to the first straight line, the magnitude of the moment applied to the carriage can be made uniform whether the carriage is pulled in the first direction or in the second direction, and good recording quality can be obtained.

[0021] The present invention will be described in detail below. In the following description, an inkjet printer 1, which records data by ejecting ink (an example of a liquid) onto a medium such as recording paper, will be described as an example of a recording device. Hereafter, the inkjet printer 1 will be abbreviated as printer 1.

[0022] The XYZ coordinate system shown in each figure is a Cartesian coordinate system, where the Y-axis direction is the direction of transport of the medium during recording, and also the depth direction of the device. In each of the X, Y, and Z axes, the direction indicated by the arrow is considered the + direction, and the opposite direction is considered the - direction. In this embodiment, of the sides that make up the perimeter of the printer 1, the side in the +Y direction is the front, and the side in the -Y direction is the back. The X-axis direction corresponds to the width of the device, with the +X direction being the left and the -X direction being the right when viewed from the operator of printer 1. The X-axis direction also corresponds to the width of the media. In the following, the X-axis direction may be simply referred to as the width direction. The X-axis is an example of the first axis, the +X direction is an example of the first direction, and the -X direction is an example of the second direction. The Z-axis direction is the vertical direction, i.e., the device height direction, with the +Z direction being upward and the -Z direction being downward.

[0023] As shown in Figure 1, the printer 1 is configured as a multifunction device comprising a recording unit 2 and a scanner unit 3 located above the recording unit 2. The scanner unit 3, which acts as an image reading unit for reading images from a document, comprises a reading unit 4 and an automatic document transport unit 5 located above the reading unit 4. The automatic document transport unit 5 is rotatably mounted relative to the reading unit 4, and when opened, the document tray 6 constituting the reading unit 4 is exposed as shown in Figure 2. A reading sensor (not shown) is provided on the underside of the document tray 6. The automatic document transport unit 5 transports the document to the reading position determined by the reading sensor.

[0024] The scanner unit 3 is rotatably connected to the recording unit 2 via a pivot shaft 3a (see Figure 8A), and by rotating, it can assume a closed state as shown in Figure 1 and an open state as shown in Figure 3. In Figure 3, reference numeral 13 denotes a support arm, which holds the scanner unit 3 in the open state. When the scanner unit 3 is opened, the inside of the recording unit 2 is exposed.

[0025] In Figure 1, an operation panel 10 is provided on the front side of the recording unit 2. The operation panel 10 is tiltable and can be positioned with the panel surface aligned vertically, as shown in Figure 1, or with the panel surface facing upwards, as shown in Figure 4. An outlet 11 is formed on the front side of the recording unit 2. A media receiving tray 12 is provided at the outlet 11. The media receiving tray 12 is configured to be switchable between a stored state as shown in Figure 1 and a pulled-out state as shown in Figure 5 relative to the recording unit 2.

[0026] Furthermore, an ink storage section 7 is provided on the front side of the recording unit 2. The ink storage section 7 can accommodate multiple colors of ink, such as yellow, magenta, cyan, and black ink. An ink level viewing window 7a is provided on the front side of the ink storage section 7 for visually checking the remaining ink level. A cover 8 is provided on the upper part of the ink storage section 7. The cover 8 is integrally provided with the scanner section 3, and when the scanner section 3 is opened, the upper part of the ink storage section 7 is exposed as shown in Figure 3. In Figure 3, reference numeral 9 denotes the cap lever. The cap lever 9 is openable and closable, and by opening the cap lever 9, an ink filler port (not shown) can be exposed. Ink can then be refilled through this ink filler port.

[0027] On the rear side of the recording unit 2, as shown in Figures 5, 6, and 8A, there is a media support section 14 that supports the media in an inclined position before feeding. The media support section 14 comprises a support section 15 and a swinging support section 16. The swinging support section 16 is capable of swinging around a swing axis 16a (see Figure 8A) and swings by receiving power from a motor (not shown), thereby bringing the supported media into contact with the feed roller 23.

[0028] As shown in Figure 6, the rocking support section 16 is provided with edge guides 17A and 17B that guide the edges of the medium in the width direction. The edge guides 17A and 17B are arranged to be close to or far apart from each other along the width direction of the medium by a rack and pinion mechanism (not shown).

[0029] The support section 15 can be in an unfolded state as shown in Figures 5, 6, and 8A, and in a retracted state (not shown). In the unfolded state shown in Figures 5, 6, and 8A, the support section 15 is in an inclined position. In the retracted state (not shown), the support section 15 is in a vertical position and is stored on the rear side of the base frame 39. As shown in Figure 8A, a guide section 39b extending vertically is formed on the rear side of the base frame 39 which constitutes the base of the recording unit 2. A pivot shaft 15b is formed in the support section 15, and the pivot shaft 15b is provided to be movable vertically within the guide section 39b.

[0030] When the support section 15 is in its retracted state, the pivot shaft 15b is located at the lower end of the guide section 39b. When the user pulls up the support section 15 from this state and tilts it, the pivot shaft 15b enters into the holding section 39c provided on the upper part of the guide section 39b. The rear side of the support section 15 then contacts the contact section 39d of the base frame 39, and the tilted position is maintained.

[0031] As shown in Figure 6, a curved support portion 15a is formed on the upper part of the support portion 15. The medium supported by the support portion 15 is curved downward along the width direction by the curved support portion 15a, which prevents the upper end of the medium from sagging backward.

[0032] The transport path 20 for the medium in the recording unit 2 will be described below with reference to Figure 8B. Note that Figure 8B is an outline drawing of the configuration shown in Figure 8A, with appropriate parts extracted. In the following, the direction in which the media is sent will be referred to as "downstream," and the opposite direction as "upstream." In Figure 8B, the media transport path 20 is shown as a dashed line. In printer 1, the media is transported through the transport path 20.

[0033] The media support section 14 described above is located at the very upstream end of the transport path 20. The media supported by the media support section 14 is nipped and separated by a feeding roller 23 driven by a motor (not shown) and a separation roller 24 with rotational resistance, and then sent toward the transport roller pair 26.

[0034] The transport roller pair 26 comprises a transport drive roller 27 driven by a transport motor (not shown) and a transport driven roller 28 that nip the medium between itself and the transport drive roller 27. The transport driven roller 28 is rotatably supported by a roller support member 29. In this embodiment, the transport drive roller 27 is a shaft extending in the width direction. In this embodiment, multiple transport driven rollers 28 are provided relative to the transport drive roller 27 at appropriate intervals along the width direction. In this embodiment, one roller support member 29 supports two transport-driven rollers 28.

[0035] The roller support member 29 is pivotably mounted to the main frame 40 via a pivot shaft (not shown), and by pivoting, the transport driven roller 28 moves forward and backward relative to the transport drive roller 27. The roller support member 29 is pressed by a pressing member (not shown), such as a torsion spring or tension spring, in the direction that the transport driven roller 28 advances relative to the transport drive roller 27.

[0036] The recording unit 35 comprises a carriage 36 and a recording head 37. The carriage 36 is supported by the main frame 40 and guided in the width direction. The carriage 36 reciprocates in the width direction with power from the carriage motor 49 (see Figure 6). A recording head 37 is provided at the bottom of the carriage 36. The recording head 37 is equipped with multiple ink ejection nozzles (not shown) capable of ejecting ink in the -Z direction. The ink storage unit 7 and the carriage 36 are connected by an ink tube 47, and ink is supplied from the ink storage unit 7 by the ink tube 47.

[0037] As shown in Figure 9, the ink tube 47 extends from the ink reservoir 7 in the +X direction, curves upward, folds back in the -X direction, and enters the carriage 36. Reference numeral 41 denotes the frame that supports the ink tube 47. As the carriage 36 moves along the X axis, the curved portion 47c of the ink tube 47 moves in the X-axis direction. Reference numeral 42 denotes a sheet material positioned along the outside of the curve of the ink tube 47. The sheet material 42 is flexible. The sheet material 42 can be formed from a resin material, and polyethylene terephthalate can be used as an example.

[0038] Hereinafter, the portion of the ink tube 47 extending in the +X direction from the ink storage section 7 to the curved section 47c will be referred to as the lower tube section 47a. The portion of the ink tube 47 extending in the -X direction from the curved section 47c to the carriage 36 will be referred to as the upper tube section 47b. The upper tube section 47b is located above the lower tube section 47a. As the carriage 36 moves, the lengths of the lower tube section 47a and the upper tube section 47b in the X-axis direction change. For example, when the carriage 36 is positioned furthest in the -X direction, the X-axis length of the lower tube section 47a is shortest, and the X-axis length of the upper tube section 47b is longest. Also, for example, when the carriage 36 is positioned furthest in the +X direction, the X-axis length of the lower tube section 47a is longest, and the X-axis length of the upper tube section 47b is shortest.

[0039] Here, the upper tube portion 47b tends to sag downwards, and especially in high-temperature environments, when the carriage 36 moves from its most -X position to the +X direction, the sagging upper tube portion 47b may come into contact with and become tightly attached to the lower tube portion 47a. If such tight contact occurs, the proper deformation of the ink tube 47 accompanying the movement of the carriage 36 may be hindered, and the carriage 36 may become unable to move. To suppress such problems, a sheet material 43 is provided on the upper surface of the lower tube portion 47a. The sheet material 43 can be made of a resin material, and polyethylene terephthalate can be used as an example. The coefficient of friction between the sheet material 43 and the ink tube 47 is lower than the coefficient of friction between the upper tube portion 47b and the lower tube portion 47a. The presence of such a sheet material 43 suppresses close contact between the upper tube portion 47b and the lower tube portion 47a, thereby preventing obstruction of the carriage 36's movement.

[0040] In this embodiment, the printer 1 has an ink storage unit 7 that is separate from the carriage 36, but the ink storage unit 7 may also be provided on the carriage 36. Furthermore, the recording method is not limited to inkjet; dot impact, thermal, and other methods are also acceptable.

[0041] Next, returning to Figure 8B, a support member 38 is provided at a position that can face the recording head 37 to support the media. The support member 38 defines the distance between the media and the recording head 37. The recording head 37 then ejects ink onto the media supported by the support member 38 and performs recording on the recording surface of the media. The recorded media is nipped by a pair of discharge rollers 32 located downstream of the recording head 37 in the transport path 20 and discharged toward the media receiving tray 12.

[0042] The discharge roller pair 32 comprises a discharge drive roller 33 driven by a transport motor (not shown) and a discharge driven roller 34 that nip the medium between itself and the discharge drive roller 33. In this embodiment, multiple discharge roller pairs 32 are provided at appropriate intervals along the width direction. In this embodiment, the discharge driven roller 34 is a toothed roller having teeth on its outer circumference. The discharge driven roller 34 is movable back and forth relative to the discharge drive roller 33, and by using a rod spring as the axis of rotation, it nips the medium between itself and the discharge drive roller 33.

[0043] Furthermore, a maintenance unit 90 is provided at the -X end of the carriage 36 in the reciprocating region, as shown in Figure 6. The maintenance unit 90 is equipped with a cap 91 (see Figure 7) capable of sealing the ink ejection surface of the recording head 37. A suction pump 45 is provided adjacent to the maintenance unit 90, and the suction pump 45 and the cap 91 are connected by a tube 92. As a result, when the suction pump 45 is operated, negative pressure is supplied into the cap 91, and waste ink is sucked out from the cap 91.

[0044] The waste ink sucked up by the suction pump 45 is sent to the waste liquid storage section 46 via the tube 93 and collected. The waste liquid storage section 46 is located at the top of the front side of the device.

[0045] The suction pump 45 is driven by a transport motor (not shown). When the transport motor rotates in the forward direction when transporting the medium downstream, the suction pump 45 operates only when the transport motor rotates in the reverse direction.

[0046] Next, the main frame 40 will be described. The main frame 40 is the frame that constitutes the base of the recording unit 2. Referring to Figure 8B, the main frame 40 is formed by bending a metal plate so that it has a vertical frame portion 40a, an upper bent portion 40d, and a lower bent portion 40e. The +Y end of the upper bent portion 40d is further bent in the -Z direction. The +Y end of the lower bent portion 40e is further bent in the +Z direction.

[0047] The vertical frame portion 40a is a part that forms a surface parallel to the XZ plane and has a first frame surface 40b which is the back side surface and a second frame surface 40c which is the front side surface and is opposite to the first frame surface 40b. The upper folded portion 40d and the lower folded portion 40e are parts that form planes parallel to the XY plane.

[0048] The main frame 40 is located between the media support section 14 and the recording section 35, with the first frame surface 40b facing the feed roller 23 and the second frame surface 40c facing the recording section 35. The main circuit board 50 is provided on the rear side of the main frame 40. A carriage motor 49 (see Figure 6) is provided on the side of the first frame surface 40b of the vertical frame section 40a. An endless belt 48 (see Figure 6) for pulling the carriage 36 is also provided on the side of the second frame surface 40c of the vertical frame section 40a. The lower bent portion 40e is pivotably supported by the roller support member 29. The lower bent portion 40e also supports the carriage 36 and guides it in the width direction.

[0049] A drive pulley 52 is provided at the -X end of the second frame surface 40c of the vertical frame section 40a. A driven pulley 53 is also provided at the +X end of the second frame surface 40c of the vertical frame section 40a. The endless belt 48 is wrapped around the drive pulley 52 and the driven pulley 53. The drive pulley 52 is mounted on the rotating shaft of the carriage motor 49.

[0050] The driven pulley 53 is supported by a holder 54. The holder 54 is provided on the vertical frame portion 40a so as to be displaceable in the X-axis direction and is pressed in the +X direction by a compression coil spring 55, which is an example of a pressing member. This applies tension to the endless belt 48 along the X-axis direction.

[0051] As shown in Figures 10 and 11, a belt fixing section 60 and a belt storage section 65 are provided on the -Y side, i.e., the back side, of the carriage 36. The belt fixing section 60 is the part that fixes the endless belt 48. The belt storage section 65 is the part that accommodates a curved portion of the endless belt 48. The belt fixing section 60 and the belt storage section 65 will be described in detail below with reference to Figure 11. For convenience of illustration, the endless belt 48 is hatched in Figure 11. Also, Figure 11 is a front view of the side S3 of the endless belt 48.

[0052] The endless belt 48 has an inner circumferential surface S1, an outer circumferential surface S2, and a side surface S3. The inner circumferential surface S1 is the surface that engages with the outer circumferential surface of the drive pulley 52 (see Figure 6) and the outer circumferential surface of the driven pulley 53 (see Figure 6). Teeth 48a are formed at predetermined intervals along the entire length of the inner circumferential surface S1, but in Figure 11 only the teeth 48a that engage with the belt fixing portion 60 are shown, and the other teeth 48a are omitted from the illustration.

[0053] In this embodiment, one belt fixing portion 60 is provided. The belt fixing portion 60 is provided so as to receive a portion of the endless belt 48 in a curved state with an inner portion 60a and an outer portion 60c. The inner portion 60a is provided with multiple engagement portions 60b that can engage with the teeth 48a of the endless belt 48. When a portion of the endless belt 48 fits into such a belt fixing portion 60, that portion of the endless belt 48 is fixed to the carriage 36. Then, with a portion of the endless belt 48 fixed to the carriage 36, the carriage 36 is pulled in the +X direction or the -X direction by the endless belt 48.

[0054] Next, in this embodiment, two belt storage sections 65 are provided. One of the two belt storage sections 65 is designated as the first belt storage section 65A, and the other as the second belt storage section 65B. When there is no need to distinguish between the first belt storage section 65A and the second belt storage section 65B, they are simply referred to as the belt storage section 65. The belt housing portion 65 is provided so as to house the endless belt 48 in a curved state by wrapping a portion of the endless belt 48 around its inner portion 65a. In this embodiment, the inner portion 65a does not have a meshing portion that can mesh with the teeth 48a of the endless belt 48.

[0055] Furthermore, the covering portion 67 is formed to extend in the X-axis direction in the +Z direction relative to the belt housing portion 65. In this embodiment, the covering portion 67 and the inner portion 60a of the belt fixing portion 60 are integrally formed. A shortcut passage 69 is formed between the covering portion 67 and the inner portion 65a through which the endless belt 48 can pass. Therefore, by utilizing this shortcut passage 69, the endless belt 48 can be routed in a straight line without being housed in the belt storage portion 65. Furthermore, reference numeral 68 denotes a restricting part that prevents the endless belt 48 from coming off in the -Y direction.

[0056] As described above, the carriage 36 has a belt fixing section 60 for fixing the endless belt 48 and a belt storage section 65 for accommodating a curved portion of the endless belt 48. Therefore, by accommodating a portion of the endless belt 48 in the belt storage section 65, the circumference of the endless belt 48 can be shortened compared to when a portion of the endless belt 48 is not accommodating the belt storage section 65. In other words, even if there is excess length in the endless belt 48, the excess length of the endless belt 48 can be absorbed by the belt storage section 65. This makes it possible to use the same endless belt 48 for multiple products with different specifications, making management easier and suppressing cost increases.

[0057] In this embodiment, the endless belt 48 has a plurality of teeth 48a arranged along its length, the belt fixing portion 60 has a meshing portion 60b that engages with the teeth 48a, and the belt housing portion 65 does not have a meshing portion that engages with the teeth 48a. If the belt housing portion 65 is provided with a meshing portion that engages with the teeth portion 48a, there is a risk that a sagging portion will be formed in the endless belt 48 between the belt fixing portion 60 and the belt housing portion 65, which may cause the circumference of the endless belt 48 to differ from the intended length. However, according to this embodiment, since the belt housing portion 65 does not have an interlocking portion, it is possible to prevent the circumference of the endless belt 48 from being different from what was intended. However, the belt housing portion 65 may be provided with a meshing portion that engages with the teeth portion 48a.

[0058] In this embodiment, the belt fixing portion 60 and the belt storage portion 65 are arranged side by side along the X-axis. In Figure 11, the endless belt 48 has a first portion B1 extending in the +X direction from the belt fixing portion 60, a second portion B2 extending in the -X direction from the belt fixing portion 60, a third portion B3 extending in the +X direction from the belt housing portion 65, and a fourth portion B4 extending in the -X direction from the belt housing portion 65. The first portion B1, second portion B2, third portion B3, and fourth portion B4 are aligned in a straight line along the X axis. In other words, the positions of the first portion B1, second portion B2, third portion B3, and fourth portion B4 coincide in the Z axis direction.

[0059] The first part B1, the second part B2, the third part B3, and the fourth part B4 are the parts that apply a force to the carriage 36 that attempts to rotate the carriage 36 when the endless belt 48 pulls the carriage 36, as shown in Figure 11. Therefore, if the above parts are not aligned in a straight line along the X axis, the magnitude of the moment applied to the carriage 36 will differ depending on whether the carriage 36 is pulled in the +X direction or the -X direction, which may adversely affect the recording quality. However, according to this embodiment, since the first part B1, the second part B2, the third part B3, and the fourth part B4 are arranged in a straight line along the X-axis, the above-mentioned adverse effects can be suppressed.

[0060] In this embodiment, the carriage 36 has a first belt storage section 65A and a second belt storage section 65B as the belt storage section 65. This further improves the degree of freedom in adjusting the circumference of the endless belt 48. For example, the circumference of the endless belt 48 can be made different depending on whether the endless belt 48 is not housed in either the first belt housing 65A or the second belt housing 65B, whether the endless belt 48 is housed in either the first belt housing 65A or the second belt housing 65B, or whether the endless belt 48 is housed in both the first belt housing 65A and the second belt housing 65B.

[0061] Furthermore, only one belt storage section 65 may be provided, or three or more may be provided. Also, if multiple belt storage sections 65 are provided, the belt storage lengths may be different. The belt storage length can be adjusted, for example, by changing the curvature of the curve. By configuring it in this way, the variations in setting the circumference of the endless belt 48 are further increased. For example, in this embodiment, the belt storage length of the first belt storage section 65A may be shorter than the belt storage length of the second belt storage section 65B. Also, if three belt storage sections 65 are provided, the belt storage lengths of all belt storage sections 65 may be different, or the belt storage length of one belt storage section 65 may be different from the belt storage lengths of the other two belt storage sections 65.

[0062] In this embodiment, the belt fixing portion 60 and the first belt housing portion 65A and the second belt housing portion 65B form curved portions on the outside of the endless belt 48. In other words, when the belt fixing portion 60 and the first belt housing portion 65A and the second belt housing portion 65B form curved portions on the endless belt 48, three curved portions will be formed on the endless belt 48 in the carriage 36. If, for example, the curved portion in the first belt housing portion 65A is on the outside of the endless belt 48 and the curved portion in the second belt housing portion 65B is on the inside of the endless belt 48, then space will be required on the outside and inside of the endless belt 48 in the carriage 36, which may cause the carriage 36 to become larger. However, according to this embodiment, since the belt fixing portion 60 and the first belt housing portion 65A and the second belt housing portion 65B form curved portions on the outside of the endless belt 48, it is possible to suppress an increase in the size of the carriage 36. Furthermore, instead of the belt fixing portion 60 and the first belt housing portion 65A and the second belt housing portion 65B forming curved portions on the outside of the endless belt 48, they may be configured to form curved portions on the inside of the endless belt 48.

[0063] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first belt housing section 65A and the second belt housing section 65B are arranged in the X-axis direction, sandwiching the belt fixing section 60. This makes it less likely for the magnitude of the moment applied to the carriage 36 to vary when the carriage 36 is pulled in the +X direction and when it is pulled in the -X direction, thereby enabling good recording quality.

[0064] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 11, a straight line L1 is defined as a straight line passing through the center position of the belt fixing portion 60 in the X-axis direction in a side view of the endless belt 48, and perpendicular to the X-axis. The first belt housing portion 65A and the second belt housing portion 65B are provided so as to be symmetrical with respect to the first straight line L1. This makes it possible to make the magnitude of the moment applied to the carriage 36 uniform whether the carriage 36 is pulled in the +X direction or the -X direction, thereby obtaining good recording quality.

[0065] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments and modifications described above, and it goes without saying that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as described in the claims, and these are also included within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0066] 1...Printer, 2...Recording unit, 3...Scanner unit, 3a...Rotating shaft, 4...Reading unit, 5...Automatic document feeder unit, 5a...Rotating shaft, 6...Plateau, 7...Ink reservoir, 7a...Ink level indicator window, 8...Cover, 9...Cap lever, 10...Operation panel, 11...Outlet, 12...Media receiving tray, 13...Support arm, 14...Media support unit, 15...Support unit, 15a...Curved support unit, 15b...Oscillating shaft, 16...Oscillating support unit, 17A, 17B...Edge guide, 20 ...conveying path, 23...feeding roller, 23a...feeding roller shaft, 24...separation roller, 26...conveying roller pair, 27...conveying drive roller, 28...conveying driven roller, 29...roller support member, 32...discharge roller pair, 33...discharge drive roller, 34...discharge driven roller, 35...recording unit, 36...carriage, 37...recording head, 38...support member, 39...base frame, 40...main frame, 40a...vertical frame section, 40b...first frame 40c...Second frame surface, 40d...Upper bent section, 40e...Lower bent section, 41...Frame, 42, 43...Sheet material, 45...Suction pump, 46...Waste liquid container section, 47...Ink tube, 47a...Lower tube section, 47b...Upper tube section, 47c...Bent section, 48...Endless belt, 48a...Teeth section, 49...Carriage motor, 50...Main circuit board, 52...Drive pulley, 53...Driven pulley, 54...Holder, 55...Tension Spring, 60...Belt fixing part, 60a...Inner part, 60b...Engagement part, 60c...Outer part, 65...Belt housing part, 65A...First belt housing part, 65B...Second belt housing part, 65a...Inner part, 67...Cover part, 68...Regulating part, 69...Shortcut passage, 90...Maintenance unit, 91...Cap, 92, 93...Tube, B1...First part, B2...Second part, B3...Third part, B4...Fourth part, S1...Inner circumferential surface, S2...Outer circumferential surface, S3...Side

Claims

1. A recording head that records to the medium, A carriage comprising the recording head and moving in a first direction which is along the first axis and in a second direction which is along the first axis but opposite to the first direction, An endless belt for pulling the carriage in the first and second directions, Equipped with, The aforementioned carriage is A belt fixing part for fixing the endless belt, A belt housing section that accommodates a portion of the endless belt in a curved manner, Having, A recording device characterized by the following features.

2. In the recording device according to claim 1, The endless belt has a plurality of teeth arranged along the length of the belt, The belt fixing portion has an engagement portion that engages with the teeth portion, The belt housing portion does not have a meshing portion that engages with the teeth portion. A recording device characterized by the following features.

3. In the recording device according to claim 2, The belt fixing portion and the belt housing portion are arranged side by side along the first axis. The aforementioned endless belt is A first portion extending in the first direction from the belt fixing portion, A second portion extending from the belt fixing portion in the second direction, A third portion extending from the belt housing portion in the first direction, A fourth portion extending from the belt housing portion in the second direction, It has, The first part, the second part, the third part, and the fourth part are arranged in a straight line along the first axis. A recording device characterized by the following features.

4. In the recording device according to claim 1, The carriage has a first belt storage section, and a second belt storage section separate from the first belt storage section, which accommodates a curved portion of the endless belt. A recording device characterized by the following features.

5. In the recording device according to claim 4, The belt fixing portion and the first belt housing portion and the second belt housing portion form a curved portion on the inside of the endless belt, or form a curved portion on the outside of the endless belt. A recording device characterized by the following features.

6. In the recording device according to claim 5, The first belt housing and the second belt housing are arranged in a direction along the first axis, sandwiching the belt fixing portion. A recording device characterized by the following features.

7. In the recording device according to claim 6, In a side view of the endless belt, the first straight line is defined as the straight line passing through the center position of the belt fixing portion in the direction along the first axis and perpendicular to the first axis. The first belt housing and the second belt housing are arranged so as to be symmetrical with respect to the first straight line. A recording device characterized by the following features.

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