Recording device

Abstract

This suppresses the increase in size of the device due to the arrangement of circuit boards. [Solution] The recording device comprises a media support section that supports a medium in an inclined position before feeding, a feeding roller that feeds the medium from the media support section, a recording section that records on the medium fed by the feeding roller, a frame located between the media support section and the recording section, the first frame surface of which faces the feeding roller, and the second frame surface opposite to the first frame surface that faces the recording section, and a substrate on which electronic components are mounted, the substrate having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side. The substrate is provided such that the first side faces the first frame surface of the frame, and the second side intersects with the first frame surface, and is further away from the frame than the first side.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] In a recording apparatus typified by an inkjet printer, as shown in Patent Document 1, there is one in which a circuit board is provided vertically on the back side of the main frame portion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When it becomes necessary to increase the size of the circuit board in the recording apparatus described in Patent Document 1, it is conceivable to extend the circuit board in the width direction of the apparatus or in the height direction. However, since components such as a carriage motor are provided on the back side of the main frame portion, there are limitations to extending the circuit board in the width direction of the apparatus. Also, if the circuit board is extended in the height direction, the circuit board protrudes upward from the upper end of the main frame portion, increasing the height dimension of the apparatus.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a recording apparatus comprising: a media support section that supports a medium in an inclined position before feeding; a feeding roller that feeds the medium from the media support section; a recording section that records on the medium fed by the feeding roller; a frame located between the media support section and the recording section, wherein a first frame surface faces the feeding roller and a second frame surface opposite to the first frame surface faces the recording section; and a substrate on which electronic components are mounted, the substrate having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, wherein the substrate is arranged such that the first side faces the first frame surface of the frame and the second side intersects the first frame surface, and is further away from the frame than the first side. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[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 7A] A plan view of the recording unit with the casing removed. [Figure 7B] A diagram showing the positional relationships of some of the components of Figure 7A. [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 8C] A diagram showing the positional relationships of some of the components of Figure 8A. [Figure 9]Perspective view of the frame, transport roller pair, discharge roller pair, and suction pump. [Figure 10] Perspective views of the frame, main board, shield plate, and holder components. [Figure 11] Perspective views of the frame, main board, shield plate, and holder components. [Figure 12] Exploded perspective view of the frame, main board, shield plate, and holder components. [Figure 13] Perspective view of the frame with holder components attached, the main circuit board, and the shield plate. [Figure 14] A perspective view of the frame with the holder components and shield plate attached, and the main circuit board. [Figure 15] Enlarged perspective view of the part that secures the shield plate to the substrate. [Figure 16] A perspective view of the main circuit board and holder components from below. [Figure 17] Perspective view of the holder component. [Figure 18] A diagram showing the area where the main circuit board is supported by the base. [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 media support section that supports a medium in an inclined position before feeding; a feeding roller that feeds the medium from the media support section; a recording section that records on the medium fed by the feeding roller; a frame located between the media support section and the recording section, wherein a first frame surface faces the feeding roller and a second frame surface opposite to the first frame surface faces the recording section; and a substrate on which electronic components are mounted, the substrate having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, wherein the substrate is arranged such that the first side faces the first frame surface of the frame and the second side intersects the first frame surface, and is further away from the frame than the first side.

[0008] In a configuration where the medium support unit supports the medium before feeding in an inclined posture and the frame is provided between the medium support unit and the recording unit, a space that expands upward is formed between the first frame surface of the frame and the medium support unit. Hereinafter, this space is referred to as the frame back side space. According to this aspect, since the first side of the substrate faces the first frame surface of the frame and the second side is provided so as to be farther from the frame than the first side in a direction intersecting the first frame surface, the substrate is arranged by effectively using the frame back side space. Thereby, an increase in the size of the apparatus associated with arranging the substrate can be suppressed.

[0009] For example, even if the substrate is enlarged in a direction in which the distance between the first side and the second side increases, it is difficult to cause an increase in the height direction dimension of the apparatus. Also, when the sides of the substrate that intersect the first side and the second side are defined as the third side and the fourth side, even if the substrate is enlarged in a direction in which the distance between the third side and the fourth side increases, similarly, it is difficult to cause an increase in the height direction dimension of the apparatus. Also, since the first side of the substrate faces the first frame surface of the frame and the second side is arranged so as to be farther from the frame than the first side in a direction intersecting the first frame surface, even if the substrate is enlarged in a direction in which the distance between the third side and the fourth side increases, it is difficult for the substrate to interfere with other component parts provided on the first frame surface. As described above, according to this aspect, even if the substrate is enlarged, a configuration that is unlikely to cause an increase in the height direction dimension of the apparatus can be achieved.

[0010] The second aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, and is characterized in that the substrate is arranged in a posture along a horizontal plane. According to this aspect, since the substrate is arranged in a posture along a horizontal plane, the frame back side space can be used more efficiently.

[0011] A third embodiment is an embodiment dependent on the first embodiment, characterized in that the substrate is positioned above the feed roller and overlaps with the feed roller in a plan view.

[0012] According to this embodiment, the substrate is positioned above the feed roller and overlaps with the feed roller in a plan view, so that the area above the feed roller in the rear side space of the frame can be widely utilized, and the degree of freedom in the dimensional design of the substrate is further improved.

[0013] A fourth aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, characterized in that the substrate has a connector connection portion on its upward-facing surface. The substrate is provided such that the first edge faces the first frame surface of the frame, and the second edge intersects with the first frame surface, and is set further away from the frame than the first edge. As a result, one of the two substrate surfaces, which are in a front-back relationship, faces upward relative to the other substrate surface. That is, the substrate has an upward-facing surface and a downward-facing surface. According to this embodiment, since the substrate has a connector connection portion on the upward-facing surface, the insertion and removal of the connector to and from the connector connection portion becomes easier. Furthermore, this embodiment is not limited to the first embodiment described above, but may also be dependent on the second or third embodiment described above. If the fourth embodiment is dependent on the second embodiment, the substrate is provided such that the first side faces the first frame surface of the frame, and the second side forms a horizontal gap with the media support portion. As a result, one substrate surface faces upward and the other substrate surface faces downward. In other words, the substrate has an upper surface and a lower surface. According to this embodiment, since the substrate has a connector connection portion on its upper surface, the insertion and removal of the connector to and from the connector connection portion becomes even easier.

[0014] A fifth aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, characterized in that a shield plate is provided on the lower side of the substrate, the frame has a frame fixing portion that protrudes from the first frame surface toward the media support portion, the shield plate is screw-fixed to the frame fixing portion from above, and the substrate is screw-fixed to the shield plate from above while placed on the shield plate.

[0015] According to this embodiment, the shield plate is screw-fixed to the frame fixing portion from above, resulting in screw fixing from above, which facilitates the fixing work of the shield plate. Similarly, the substrate is screw-fixed to the shield plate from above while it is placed on the shield plate, resulting in screw fixing from above, which facilitates the fixing work of the substrate. Furthermore, this embodiment is not limited to the first embodiment described above, but may be dependent on any of the second to fourth embodiments described above.

[0016] The sixth aspect is an aspect dependent on the fifth aspect, wherein a passage detection unit for detecting the passage of a medium is provided downstream of the feeding roller in the medium transport path, the passage detection unit has a lever that swings in contact with the medium, and a lever detection unit for detecting changes in the position of the lever, the lever is swingably supported by a holder member fixed to the first frame surface of the frame, the lever detection unit is provided on the lower surface of the substrate, and the holder member supports the shield plate. According to this embodiment, since the holder member supports the shield plate, the shield plate, i.e., the substrate, is more firmly supported.

[0017] The seventh aspect is an aspect dependent on the sixth aspect, characterized in that the shield plate is screw-fixed to the holder member from above. According to this embodiment, the shield plate is fixed to the holder member from above with screws, and since the fixing is done with screws from above, the fixing work of the shield plate is made easier.

[0018] The eighth aspect is an aspect dependent on the sixth or seventh aspect, comprising a media detection unit for detecting the presence or absence of a medium on the media support unit, wherein the media detection unit comprises a swinging unit that swings in contact with a medium placed on the media support unit, and a swing detection unit for detecting changes in the posture of the swinging unit, wherein the swinging unit is swingably supported by the holder member, and the swing detection unit is provided on the lower surface of the substrate.

[0019] Since the substrate is provided so as to extend from the first frame surface of the frame toward the media support portion, it is easy to provide the configuration related to the media support portion. In this embodiment, the oscillation detection unit is provided on the lower surface of the substrate, taking advantage of these properties. This eliminates the need for a dedicated substrate for the oscillation detection unit, thereby suppressing cost increases for the device and preventing the device from becoming larger.

[0020] The ninth aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, characterized in that the distance between the first side and the second side of the substrate is longer than the vertical length of the first frame surface. According to this embodiment, the dimensions of the substrate can be ensured because the distance between the first side and the second side of the substrate is longer than the vertical length of the first frame surface. Furthermore, this embodiment is not limited to the first embodiment described above, but may be dependent on any of the second to eighth embodiments described above.

[0021] The tenth aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, characterized in that an image reading unit for reading an image of a document is provided at the top of the frame. In a configuration in which an image reading unit for reading an image of a document is provided at the top of the frame, the height dimension of the device tends to increase. However, according to this embodiment, the height dimension of the device can be suppressed due to the effects of the first embodiment described above. Furthermore, this embodiment is not limited to the first embodiment described above, but may be dependent on any of the second to ninth embodiments described above.

[0022] 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.

[0023] 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; from the perspective of the printer 1 operator, the +X direction is to the left and the -X direction is to the right. The X-axis direction also corresponds to the width of the media. In the following, the X-axis direction may simply be referred to as the width 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.

[0024] 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.

[0025] 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.

[0026] 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 in 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.

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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).

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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, thereby preventing the upper end of the medium from sagging backward.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] The transport roller pair 26 comprises a transport drive roller 27 driven by a transport motor 42 (see Figure 9) 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, as shown in Figure 9. In this embodiment, the transport driven rollers 28 are provided in multiple locations along the width direction at appropriate intervals from the transport drive roller 27, as shown in Figure 9. In this embodiment, one roller support member 29 supports two transport-driven rollers 28.

[0036] 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.

[0037] Returning to Figure 8B, the recording unit 35 comprises a carriage 36 and a recording head 37. The carriage 36 is supported and guided in the width direction by the main frame 40. 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.

[0038] 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. Also, in this embodiment, the recording unit 35 is configured such that the recording head 37 moves in the width direction while ejecting ink, i.e., it is a serial type, but it is not limited to this, and may also be configured such that the ink ejection nozzles are arranged to cover the entire width direction and recording is possible without movement in the width direction, i.e., it is a line head. Furthermore, the recording method is not limited to inkjet; it may also be dot impact, laser, or LED electrophotographic.

[0039] Next, a support member 38 is provided at a position that can face the recording head 37 to support the medium. The support member 38 defines the distance between the medium and the recording head 37. The recording head 37 then ejects ink onto the medium supported by the support member 38 and performs recording on the recording surface of the medium. The recorded medium 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 medium receiving tray 12.

[0040] The discharge roller pair 32 comprises a discharge drive roller 33 driven by a transport motor 42 (see Figure 9) 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, as shown in Figure 9. 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.

[0041] Furthermore, a maintenance unit 90 is provided at the -X end of the carriage 36 in the reciprocating motion region, as shown in Figure 6. The maintenance unit 90 is equipped with a cap 91 (see Figure 7A) 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.

[0042] 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.

[0043] The suction pump 45 is driven by the transport motor 42 shown in Figure 9. When the transport motor 42 is transporting the medium downstream, the forward rotation direction is assumed to be the forward rotation direction. The suction pump 45 operates only when the transport motor 42 rotates in the reverse direction. The power of the transport motor 42 is transmitted to the +X end of the transport drive roller 27 by a first power transmission unit 43, which is composed of multiple gears. A second power transmission unit 44, which is composed of multiple gears, is provided at the -X end of the transport drive roller 27, and the power of the transport motor 42 is transmitted to the suction pump 45 via the second power transmission unit 44. Inside the suction pump 45, there is a one-way clutch (not shown) that transmits the power of the transport motor 42 to the suction pump 45 only when the transport motor 42 rotates in the reverse direction.

[0044] Next, the media detection unit 77 and the passage detection unit 70 will be described. In Figure 8B, the printer 1 is equipped with a media detection unit 77 for detecting the presence or absence of media on the media support unit 14. The media detection unit 77 includes a swinging part 78 that swings in contact with the media placed on the media support part 14, and a swing detection unit 79 that detects changes in the posture of the swinging part 78. The swinging part 78 is supported so as to be swingable with respect to a holder member 60, which will be described later, via a swing shaft 78b.

[0045] The upper part of the oscillating section 78 is configured as the detected section 78a, and when there is no media on the media support section 14, the detected section 78a enters the oscillating detection section 79 as shown in Figure 8B (see also Figure 16). When media is set on the media support section 14 from this state, the lower end of the oscillating section 78 moves downstream, causing the oscillating section 78 to oscillate and the detected section 78a to disengage from the oscillating detection section 79. The control unit (not shown) of the printer 1 can detect the presence or absence of media on the media support section 14 based on the signal change of the oscillating detection section 79. Furthermore, a roller 81 is provided at the lower end of the oscillating part 78, thereby reducing frictional resistance when the medium comes into contact with the oscillating part 78. The oscillating part 78 is also pressed by the spring 80 shown in Figure 17 in the direction of the posture shown in Figure 8B, that is, the posture that obstructs the transport path 20. The oscillation detection unit 79 is located below the main circuit board 50, which will be described later.

[0046] Next, as shown in Figure 8B, the printer 1 is equipped with a passage detection unit 70 downstream of the feed roller 23 for detecting the passage of the medium. The passage detection unit 70 includes a lever 71 that swings in contact with the medium, and a lever detection unit 72 that detects changes in the posture of the lever 71. The lever 71 is supported so as to be swingable on a holder member 60, which will be described later, via a swing shaft 71b.

[0047] The upper part of the lever 71 is configured as the detection unit 71a, and when no media is being transported, the detection unit 71a is inside the lever detection unit 72 as shown in Figure 8B (see also Figure 16). When media passes from this state, the lower end of the lever 71 moves downstream, the lever 71 swings, and the detection unit 71a disengages from the lever detection unit 72. The control unit (not shown) of the printer 1 can detect the passage of media based on the signal change of the lever detection unit 72. Furthermore, a roller 74 is provided at the lower end of the lever 71, thereby reducing frictional resistance when the medium comes into contact with the lever 71. The lever 71 is also pressed by the spring 73 shown in Figure 17 in the direction of the posture shown in Figure 8B, that is, the posture that obstructs the transport path 20. The lever detection unit 72 is located on the underside of the main circuit board 50, which will be described later.

[0048] 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 Figures 8B and 9, 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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. A carriage motor 49 (see Figure 6) is provided on the first frame surface 40b of the vertical frame section 40a. An endless belt 48 (see Figure 6) for pulling the carriage 36 is provided on 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.

[0051] Next, the main board 50, which is located on the rear side of the main frame 40, will be described. The main board 50 constitutes the control unit that manages the overall control of the printer 1, and various electronic components and connectors are mounted on it. The main board 50 also has driver circuits for driving the transport motor 42 (see Figure 9) and the carriage motor 49 (see Figure 6). The main board 50 also has a communication unit for communicating with external terminals.

[0052] The main circuit board 50 is located on the rear side of the main frame 40 and below the cover member 41 (see Figure 9). Figures 10 and 11 show the main circuit board 50 exposed after the cover member 41 has been removed. Figure 12 is an exploded perspective view of the components involved in mounting the main board 50. The mounting of the main board 50 to the main frame 40 will be described below.

[0053] As shown in Figure 12, the vertical frame portion 40a has locking holes 40f1 and 40f2 and a screw insertion hole 40g, and the holder member 60 is provided on the first frame surface 40b using these. As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the holder member 60 has a bearing portion 60a that supports the shaft end of the feed roller shaft 23a, which is the shaft of the feed roller 23. In addition, the holder member 60 is provided with a swing portion 78 and a lever 71 as described above. As shown in Figure 12, the holder member 60 has locking portions 60c1 and 60c2 and a screw hole 60b. The locking portion 60c1 can fit into the locking hole 40f1 of the vertical frame portion 40a, and the locking portion 60c2 can fit into the locking hole 40f2 of the vertical frame portion 40a. As a result, the holder member 60 is supported by the vertical frame portion 40a. Then, the screw B1 passes through the screw insertion hole 40g of the vertical frame portion 40a and fits into the screw hole 60b, thereby fixing the holder member 60 to the vertical frame portion 40a.

[0054] When attaching the main circuit board 50 to the main frame 40, the holder member 60 is first attached to the main frame 40 as shown. Figure 13 shows the holder member 60 attached to the main frame 40. Next, the vertical frame portion 40a is formed with two frame fixing portions 40h that protrude to the rear side, and screw holes 40j are formed in these frame fixing portions 40h. In addition, screw holes 60d are formed in the holder member 60. The shield plate 55 is then fixed to the frame fixing part 40h and the holder member 60. The shield plate 55 is made of a metal plate and provides a shielding function to the main substrate 50.

[0055] Here, the holder member 60 has bosses 60e1 and 60e2 formed therein to define its position relative to the shield plate 55. The shield plate 55 has a fitting hole 55e into which boss 60e1 fits, and a fitting hole (not shown) into which boss 60e2 fits. Therefore, if the shield plate 55 is fixed to the frame fixing part 40h first, the positional relationship between boss 60e1 and fitting hole 55e, and the positional relationship between boss 60e2 and fitting hole (not shown) will be misaligned, and there is a risk that the boss and fitting hole will not be able to fit together. Also, if the boss and fitting hole are forced to fit together, there is a risk that the shield plate 55 will deform.

[0056] Therefore, first, the boss and the fitting hole are fitted together to determine the positional relationship between the holder member 60 and the shield plate 55, and then the shield plate 55 is fixed to the holder member 60 with the screw B5. The screw B5 passes through the screw insertion hole 55h of the shield plate 55 and fits into the screw hole 60d of the holder member 60. Then, the shield plate 55 is fixed to the frame fixing part 40h with screw B2. Screw B2 passes through the screw insertion hole 55j of the shield plate 55 and fits into the screw hole 40j of the frame fixing part 40h. As a result, the shield plate 55 is properly secured.

[0057] Next, the shield plate 55 has substrate fixing portions 55a1 and 55a2 formed therein. Screw holes and bosses are formed in the substrate fixing portions 55a1 and 55a2, and Figure 15 shows the screw hole 55g and boss 55f formed in the substrate fixing portion 55a2. The main substrate 50 has a screw insertion hole 50b and a boss fitting hole 50a formed therein, and the main substrate 50 is positioned relative to the shield plate 55 by the boss 55f fitting into the boss fitting hole 50a. Screw B3 (see Figure 14) passes through the screw insertion hole 50b and fits into the screw hole 55g. Furthermore, the shield plate 55 has screw holes 55b formed therein, and the screws B4 pass through the screw insertion holes 50c of the main circuit board 50 and engage with the screw holes 55b. Furthermore, the substrate fixing portion 55a1 also has a screw hole (not shown) corresponding to the screw hole 55g described above, and a boss (not shown) corresponding to the boss 55f described above. In addition, the main substrate 50 has a screw insertion hole (not shown) corresponding to the screw insertion hole 50b described above at a position corresponding to the substrate fixing portion 55a1, and a boss fitting hole (not shown) corresponding to the boss fitting hole 50a described above. Note that this boss fitting hole (not shown) differs from the boss fitting hole 50a described above in that it is formed as an elongated hole that is slightly longer in the X-axis direction. As a result, the main board 50 is positioned and fixed to the shield plate 55.

[0058] As shown in Figure 15, a slit 55d1 is formed in the shield plate 55, and the upper end of the lever 71 protrudes upward from the lower side of the shield plate 55 through the slit 55d1. In addition, a slit 55d2 is formed in the shield plate 55, and the upper end of the oscillating part 78 protrudes upward from the lower side of the shield plate 55 through the slit 55d2. As a result, as shown in Figure 16, the detected part 78a of the oscillating part 78 can enter the oscillating detection part 79, and the detected part 71a of the lever 71 can enter the lever detection part 72.

[0059] As described above, the relative position between the main board 50 and the holder member 60 is important, and the relative position between the shield plate 55 and the holder member 60 is also important. Therefore, it is preferable to fix the shield plate 55 to the holder member 60 before fixing the shield plate 55 to the main frame 40. However, if the relative position between the holder member 60 and the main board 50 can be ensured by the precision of the parts, the shield plate 55 may be fixed to the main frame 40 before fixing the shield plate 55 to the holder member 60.

[0060] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 14, a substrate fixing portion 55c is formed on the shield plate 55, and as shown in Figure 10, the communication board 53 is fixed to this substrate fixing portion 55c by screws B6.

[0061] Furthermore, the shield plate 55 is supported by the main frame 40 at two positions along the width direction at its +Y end, and by the holder member 60 at its -X end at its -Y end, but not at its +X end at its -Y end. For this reason, as shown in Figure 18, the shield plate 55 is supported by the base frame 39 at its +X end at its -Y end. Reference numeral 39a indicates the part of the base frame 39 that supports the shield plate 55. Reference numerals 52a1 and 52a2 indicate connector connection points to which a connector provided at one end of a communication cable (not shown) is connected.

[0062] Next, we will explain the effects and benefits of printer 1 configured as described above. First, as shown in Figure 7B, the side of the main board 50 in the +Y direction is designated as the first side E1, the side in the -Y direction as the second side E2, the side in the -X direction as the third side E3, and the side in the +X direction as the fourth side E4. Note that Figure 7B is an outline drawn by appropriately extracting the configuration shown in Figure 7A. Also, in Figure 7B, the carriage 36 shown by the dashed line represents the carriage 36 that has moved the furthest in the +X direction. The first side E1 is the side of the main board 50 that is furthest in the +Y direction, the second side E2 is the side of the main board 50 that is furthest in the -Y direction, the third side E3 is the side of the main board 50 that is furthest in the -X direction, and the fourth side E4 is the side of the main board 50 that is furthest in the +X direction. In this embodiment, the first side E1 and the second side E2 are parallel and extend along the X-axis direction. The third side E3 and the fourth side E4 are also parallel and extend along the Y-axis direction. Furthermore, the first side E1 and the second side E2 do not necessarily have to be parallel. Similarly, the third side E3 and the fourth side E4 do not necessarily have to be parallel. In other words, the main board 50 does not need to be rectangular in shape.

[0063] The main board 50 is positioned such that its first side E1 faces the first frame surface 40b of the main frame 40, and its second side E2 intersects with the first frame surface 40b, while being further away from the main frame 40 than the first side E1. In Figure 8B, the symbol Wy1 represents the distance between the first side E1 and the second side E2, in other words, the Y-axis dimension of the main board 50. As is clear from Figure 8B, the second side E2 is further away from the main frame 40 than the first side E1 in the -Y direction, which intersects with the first frame surface 40b. In Figure 8B, the symbol Wy2 represents the distance formed in the Y-axis direction between the second side E2 and the media support portion 14. This distance Wy2 allows media to be stacked on the media support portion 14. The above configuration yields the following effects.

[0064] In a configuration where the media support unit 14 supports the media in an inclined position before feeding, and the main frame 40 is provided between the media support unit 14 and the recording unit 35, a space that expands upward is formed between the first frame surface 40b of the main frame 40 and the media support unit 14. Figure 8C is a diagram to show this space and is indicated by a dashed line labeled Ta. Hereinafter, this space will be referred to as the frame rear side space Ta. According to this embodiment, the main board 50 is positioned such that its first side E1 faces the first frame surface 40b of the main frame 40, and its second side E2 is further away from the main frame 40 than its first side E1. This allows the main board 50 to be positioned while effectively utilizing the space Ta on the back side of the frame. This suppresses the increase in size of the device that would otherwise be caused by the placement of the main board 50.

[0065] For example, even if the main board 50 is enlarged in a direction that increases the distance Wy1 between the first side E1 and the second side E2, it is unlikely to lead to an increase in the height dimension of the device. Similarly, even if the main board 50 is enlarged in a direction that increases the distance between the third side E3 and the fourth side E4 of the main board 50, it is unlikely to lead to an increase in the height dimension of the device.

[0066] Furthermore, since the main board 50 is positioned such that its first side E1 faces the first frame surface 40b of the frame, and its second side E2 is further away from the main frame 40 than its first side E1, even if the main board 50 is enlarged in the direction that increases the distance between the third side E3 and the fourth side E4, the main board 50 is less likely to interfere with other components provided on the first frame surface 40b. In particular, in this embodiment, tension coil springs (not shown) that press against the roller support member 29 (see Figure 8B) are arranged on the first frame surface 40b at intervals along the X-axis direction. For this reason, if the main board 50 is positioned vertically, the tension coils and the main board 50 will interfere with each other, which would restrict the placement and dimensions of the main board 50. To suppress such problems, using torsion springs or the like that, which are smaller than the tension coil springs, tends to make the load unstable. However, according to this embodiment, the main board 50 is less likely to interfere with the components provided on the first frame surface 40b, and therefore does not significantly affect the placement of the tension coil springs. As described above, this embodiment makes it possible to create a configuration that does not easily lead to an increase in the height dimension of the device, even if the main board 50 is enlarged. Furthermore, the state in which the first side E1 faces the first frame surface 40b of the main frame 40, and the second side E2 is positioned further away from the main frame 40 than the first side E1, in a direction that intersects with the first frame surface 40b, is not limited to the main substrate 50 being aligned with a horizontal plane. It is sufficient if the main substrate 50 intersects with a vertical plane.

[0067] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the main board 50 is positioned in a orientation along the horizontal plane, the space Ta on the back side of the frame can be utilized more efficiently. However, the main board 50 is not limited to this and may be provided so as to form an inclined angle with respect to the horizontal plane. Furthermore, the circuit boards arranged in the space Ta on the back side of the frame as described above are not limited to the main circuit board 50, but may be other circuit boards, such as a power supply board.

[0068] In this embodiment, the main substrate 50 is positioned above the feed roller 23 and overlaps with the feed roller 23 in a plan view, as shown in Figure 7B. This allows for wider utilization of the area above the feed roller 23 in the rear space Ta of the frame, further improving the flexibility of the dimensional design of the main board 50. In Figure 7B, the symbol Xc represents the center position of the media support section 14 in the width direction, and the feed roller 23 is positioned at the center position Xc. The main substrate 50 is positioned so as to include the center position Xc and be biased in the +X direction. However, the main substrate 50 does not necessarily have to include the center position Xc, nor does it have to overlap with the feed roller 23 in a plan view. Furthermore, the main substrate 50 may be positioned so as to be biased in the -X direction. In Figure 8B, the symbol Wx2 represents the distance between the third side E3 and the fourth side E4, in other words, the X-axis dimension of the main substrate 50. Also in Figure 8B, the symbol Wx1 represents the X-axis dimension of the media support section 14.

[0069] In Figure 8B, the symbol Wz1 represents the range of the main frame 40 in the Z-axis direction, and the symbol Yc represents the center position of the main frame 40 in the Z-axis direction. The main substrate 50, including the electronic components mounted on the upward-facing surface (top surface) and the downward-facing surface (bottom surface), is contained within the range Wz1. Furthermore, the main substrate 50, including the electronic components mounted on the top and bottom surfaces, is located above the center position Yc. This allows for even greater size increases for the main substrate 50. In Figure 8B, the reference numeral Wy3 indicates the range of the feed roller 23 in the Y-axis direction. In this embodiment, the feed roller 23 is located between the first side E1 and the second side E2 of the main substrate 50 in the Y-axis direction.

[0070] In this embodiment, the main board 50 is provided with a connector connection portion 51 on its upper surface, as shown in Figure 10. The main substrate 50 is provided such that its first side E1 faces the first frame surface 40b of the main frame 40, and its second side E2 forms a horizontal gap with the media support portion 14. As a result, one substrate surface faces upward and the other substrate surface faces downward. In other words, the main substrate 50 has an upper surface and a lower surface. According to this embodiment, the main board 50 is provided with a connector connection portion 51 on its upper surface, which facilitates the insertion and removal of connectors from the connector connection portion 51.

[0071] In this embodiment, the printer 1 is equipped with a shield plate 55 on the underside of the main board 50. The main frame 40 has a frame fixing portion 40h that protrudes from the first frame surface 40b toward the media support portion 14. The shield plate 55 is screwed to the frame fixing portion 40h from above. The main board 50 is then placed on the shield plate 55 and screwed to the shield plate 55 from above. As the shield plate 55 is fixed to the frame fixing part 40h from above with screws, the fixing is done from above, making it easy to fix the shield plate 55. Similarly, the main board 50 is fixed to the shield plate 55 from above with screws while it is placed on the shield plate 55, so the fixing is done from above, making it easy to fix the main board 50.

[0072] In this embodiment, the lever 71 constituting the passage detection unit 70 is pivotably supported by a holder member 60, the lever detection unit 72 is provided on the lower surface of the main substrate 50, and the holder member 60 supports the shield plate 55. This provides stronger support to the shield plate 55, i.e., the main circuit board 50.

[0073] In this embodiment, the shield plate 55 is screw-fixed to the holder member 60 from above. That is, since it is screw-fixed from above, the fixing work of the shield plate 55 becomes easier.

[0074] In this embodiment, the oscillating part 78 constituting the media detection unit 77 is supported so as to be oscillating by the holder member 60, and the oscillating detection unit 79 is provided on the lower surface of the main substrate 50. Since the main board 50 is provided so as to extend from the first frame surface 40b of the main frame 40 toward the media support section 14, it is easy to provide the configuration related to the media support section 14. In this embodiment, the oscillation detection unit 79 is provided on the lower surface of the main circuit board 50, taking advantage of these properties. This eliminates the need for a dedicated main circuit board 50 for the oscillation detection unit 79, thereby suppressing cost increases for the device and preventing the device from becoming larger.

[0075] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the distance Wy1 between the first side E1 and the second side E2 of the main substrate 50 is longer than the vertical length of the first frame surface 40b, i.e., the length of the range Wz1 in Figure 8B, thus ensuring the dimensions of the main substrate 50. However, the distance Wy1 may be the same as the vertical length of the first frame surface 40b, or it may be shorter.

[0076] In this embodiment, the printer 1 is equipped with a scanner unit 3 for reading images of documents, located on top of the main frame 40. While a configuration with the scanner unit 3 located on top of the main frame 40 tends to increase the height of the device, the arrangement of the main circuit board 50 as described above helps to suppress the height of the device.

[0077] 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]

[0078] 1...Printer, 2...Recording unit, 3...Scanner unit, 3a...Rotating shaft, 4...Reading unit, 5...Automatic document transport unit, 5a...Rotating shaft, 6...Document glass, 7...Ink reservoir, 7a...Ink level viewing 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...Bent support unit, 15b...Oscillating shaft, 16...Oscillating support unit, 17A, 17B...Edge guide, 20...Transport path, 23...Feed roller, 23a...Feed roller shaft, 24...Separation roller, 26...Pair of transport rollers, 2 7...Transport drive roller, 28...Transport 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, 39a...Support part, 39b...Guide part, 39c...Holding part, 39d...Contact part, 40...Main frame, 40a...Vertical frame part, 40b...First frame surface, 40c...Second frame surface, 40d...Upper folding part, 40e...Lower folding part, 40f1, 40f2...Locking hole, 40g...Screw insertion hole, 40h...F Frame fixing part, 40j...screw hole, 41...cover member, 42...transport motor, 43...first power transmission part, 44...second power transmission part, 45...suction pump, 46...waste liquid storage part, 47...ink tube, 48...endless belt, 49...carriage motor, 50...main board, 50a...boss fitting hole, 50b...screw insertion hole, 50c...screw insertion hole, 51...connector connection part, 52a1, 52a2...connector connection part, 53...communication board, 55...shield plate, 55a1, 55a2...board fixing part, 55b...screw hole, 55c...board fixing part, 55d1, 55d2...slit, 5 5e…Matching hole, 55f…Boss, 55g…Screw hole, 55h…Screw insertion hole, 55j…Screw insertion hole, 60…Holder member, 60a…Bearing part, 60b…Screw hole, 60c1, 60c2…Locking part, 60d…Screw hole, 60e1, 60e2…Boss, 70…Pass detection part, 71…Lever, 71a…Detected part, 72…Lever detection part, 73…Spring, 74…Roller, 77…Media detection part, 78…Oscillating part, 78a…Detected part, 79…Oscillating detection part, 80…Spring, 81…Roller, 90…Maintenance unit, 91…Cap, 92, 93…Tube, Ta…Space on the back side of the frame

Claims

1. A media support unit that supports the media in an inclined position before feeding, A feeding roller that delivers the medium from the aforementioned medium support section, A recording unit that records on the medium fed by the aforementioned feeding roller, A frame located between the media support section and the recording section, wherein a first frame surface faces the feed roller, and a second frame surface opposite to the first frame surface faces the recording section, A substrate on which electronic components are mounted, having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, Equipped with, The substrate is arranged such that the first edge faces the first frame surface of the frame, and the second edge intersects the first frame surface, and is further away from the frame than the first edge. A recording device characterized by the following features.

2. In the recording device according to claim 1, The substrate is positioned in a orientation along the horizontal plane. A recording device characterized by the following features.

3. In the recording device according to claim 1, The substrate is positioned above the feed roller and overlaps with the feed roller in a plan view. A recording device characterized by the following features.

4. In the recording device according to claim 1, The aforementioned substrate has a connector connection portion on the side facing upward. A recording device characterized by the following features.

5. In the recording device according to claim 1, A shielding plate is provided on the lower side of the aforementioned substrate, The frame has a frame fixing portion that protrudes from the first frame surface toward the media support portion, The shield plate is screw-fixed to the frame fixing portion from above. The substrate is placed on the shield plate and is screw-fixed to the shield plate from above. A recording device characterized by the following features.

6. In the recording device according to claim 5, In the medium transport path, a passage detection unit is provided downstream of the feed roller for detecting the passage of the medium. The passage detection unit, A lever that oscillates in contact with the medium, A lever detection unit for detecting changes in the position of the lever, It has, The lever is pivotably supported by a holder member fixed to the first frame surface of the frame, The lever detection unit is provided on the lower surface of the substrate, The holder member supports the shield plate. A recording device characterized by the following features.

7. In the recording device according to claim 6, The shield plate is screw-fixed to the holder member from above. A recording device characterized by the following features.

8. In the recording device according to claim 6 or claim 7, The media detection unit is provided for detecting the presence or absence of media on the media support unit. The media detection unit is A swinging part that swings in contact with the medium placed on the aforementioned medium support part, A swing detection unit that detects changes in the posture of the swinging part, It has, The swinging part is supported so as to be swingable by the holder member, The oscillation detection unit is provided on the lower surface of the substrate. A recording device characterized by the following features.

9. In the recording device according to claim 1, The distance between the first and second sides of the substrate is longer than the vertical length of the first frame surface. A recording device characterized by the following features.

10. In the recording device according to claim 1, The upper part of the frame is equipped with an image reading unit for reading the image of the original document. A recording device characterized by the following features.

Images