Recording device

Abstract

This technology provides a way to position the heating element while avoiding the need to enlarge the device, such as by increasing the installation space or the height of the device. [Solution] A recording device comprising: a cassette for housing a recording medium; a recording unit having a discharge port surface provided with a discharge port for discharging liquid, which discharges liquid from the discharge port onto the recording medium to record an image on the recording medium supplied from the cassette in a recording area; an output tray above the recording unit from which the recording medium recorded by the recording unit is discharged; a first transport path for transporting the recording medium from the recording area to the output tray; a drying unit arranged in the first transport path for drying the recording medium recorded by the recording unit; and an image reading unit above the output tray for reading an image of a document, wherein the drying unit is arranged vertically between the cassette and the image reading unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an inkjet type image recording apparatus and an image forming apparatus provided with a heating unit for promoting drying by heating a recording medium onto which ink has been ejected.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there has been an inkjet type image recording apparatus equipped with a full-line type inkjet head that ejects ink. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an image recording apparatus in which a full-line type inkjet head is configured to be movable between a recording position, a standby position, and a maintenance position. In this image recording apparatus, a discharge tray is arranged vertically above the movement locus of the head so as not to interfere with the movement locus of the head, and a conveyance path is formed for vertically conveying the recording medium from the recording unit to the discharge unit. Further above the conveyance path and the discharge unit, a scanner unit is installed, which includes an ADF (Automatic Document Feeder) for reading an automatically fed document and an FBS (Flat Bed Scanner) for reading (scanning) a document placed on the document table by the user. Also, Patent Document 2 discloses an inkjet recording apparatus provided with a drying unit for drying a recording medium that has become semi-dry due to ink adhesion downstream in the conveyance direction from the recording unit. By drying the recording medium in the drying unit, changes in the physical properties of the recording medium, deformations such as curling and cockling can be suppressed, the alignment at the time of discharge can be improved, or post-processing can be easily performed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When adding a heating element to the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, depending on the layout, the horizontal transport path may need to be lengthened, resulting in a larger product size, particularly an increased installation space for the device. Furthermore, if the heating element is positioned vertically above the head's movement trajectory to avoid interference, the scanner unit located even higher above it must be raised, leading to usability issues when loading and unloading paper from the document surface. On the other hand, Patent Document 2 does not describe the arrangement of the heating element, and does not disclose any specific configuration or arrangement of the heating element to reduce the installation size or maintain a low document surface.

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a technology that allows for the placement of the heating section while avoiding the need to enlarge the device, such as by increasing the installation space or the height of the device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above problems, the recording device of the present invention is A cassette for housing the recording medium, A recording unit having a discharge port surface provided with a discharge port for discharging liquid, and discharging liquid from the discharge port onto a recording medium to record an image on the recording medium supplied from the cassette in the recording area, Above the recording unit is an output tray from which the recording medium recorded by the recording unit is ejected, A first transport path for transporting the recording medium from the recording area to the output tray, A drying unit is arranged in the first transport path and dries the recording medium recorded by the recording unit, Above the aforementioned output tray, there is an image reading unit that reads the image of the document, A recording device comprising, The drying unit is characterized by being positioned vertically between the cassette and the image reading unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, the heating section can be positioned without increasing the size of the device, such as by expanding the installation space or increasing the height of the device. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is an internal configuration diagram (standby state) of the inkjet recording device of Example 1. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view of the heating unit. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram showing the control configuration in a recording device. [Figure 4] This is an internal configuration diagram (recording state) of the inkjet recording device of Example 1. [Figure 5] This is an internal configuration diagram (maintenance state) of the inkjet recording device of Example 1. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the maintenance unit. [Figure 7] This is an internal configuration diagram of the inkjet recording device of Example 1 (with the outer door open). [Figure 8] This is an example diagram of the internal configuration of an inkjet recording device used as a comparative example. [Figure 9] This diagram shows the positional relationship between the recording unit and the heating unit in Example 1. [Figure 10] This is an internal configuration diagram (recording state) of the inkjet recording device of Example 2. [Figure 11] This is an internal configuration diagram (recording state) of the inkjet recording device of Example 3. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The embodiments for carrying out this invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings, based on examples. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the components described in these embodiments should be appropriately modified depending on the configuration of the device to which the invention is applied and various conditions. In other words, the scope of this invention is not intended to be limited to the following embodiments.

[0010] <Example 1> FIG. 1 is an internal configuration diagram of an inkjet recording apparatus 1 (hereinafter referred to as the recording apparatus 1) according to Example 1 of the present invention. Hereinafter, in the figures, the x direction is the horizontal direction, the y direction (the direction perpendicular to the paper surface) is the direction in which ejection ports are arranged in a recording unit 8 described later, and the z direction is the vertical direction, respectively.

[0011] The recording apparatus 1 is a multifunction machine (image forming apparatus) including a print unit 2 as an image recording unit (image recording apparatus) and a scanner unit 3 as an image reading unit (image reading apparatus). The recording apparatus 1 can execute various processes related to a recording operation and a reading operation individually or in conjunction with the print unit 2 and the scanner unit 3. The scanner unit 3 includes an ADF (auto document feeder) and an FBS (flat bed scanner), and can read a document automatically fed by the ADF and a document placed on the document table of the FBS by a user (scan). FIG. 1 shows a standby state in which the recording apparatus 1 is not performing either a recording operation or a reading operation.

[0012] In the print unit 2, a first cassette 5A and a second cassette 5B for accommodating a recording medium (cut sheet) S are detachably installed at the bottom in the vertical direction of the housing 4. A relatively small recording medium up to A4 size is accommodated in the first cassette 5A, and a relatively large recording medium up to A3 size is accommodated in the second cassette 5B in a flat stack. The first cassette 5A is provided with a first feeding unit 6A for separating and feeding the accommodated recording media S one by one. Similarly, a second feeding unit 6B is provided near the second cassette 5B. When a recording operation is performed, the recording medium S is selectively fed from either one of the cassettes.

[0013] The recording unit 8 of this embodiment includes a full-line type color inkjet recording head and a carriage component on which it is mounted, and is a unit configured to be relatively movable with respect to the main body together with the recording head. In the recording head, a plurality of ejection ports for ejecting ink according to recording data are arranged along the y direction in FIG. 1 by an amount corresponding to the width of the recording medium S. When the recording unit 8 is in the standby position, the ejection port surface 8a of the recording unit 8 faces vertically downward as shown in FIG. 1 and is capped by the cap unit 10. When performing the recording operation, the orientation of the recording unit 8 is changed by the print controller 202 described later so that the ejection port surface 8a faces the platen 9.

[0014] The platen 9 is constituted by a flat plate extending in the y direction and supports the recording medium S on which the recording operation is performed by the recording unit 8 from the back. Hereinafter, the area of the conveyance path where the platen 9 faces the recording unit 8 is defined as the recording area P (recording section in the first conveyance path). The movement of the recording unit 8 from the standby position to the recording position will be described in detail later.

[0015] Also, the recording unit 8 in this embodiment includes all components that relatively move with respect to the print unit 2 together with the ejection port surface 8a from the standby position to the recording position.

[0016] The transport roller 7, discharge roller 12, pinch roller 7a, spur 7b, and flapper 11 are transport mechanisms for guiding the recording medium S in a predetermined direction. The transport roller 7 is a drive roller located on the upstream and downstream sides of the recording area P and driven by a transport motor (not shown). The pinch roller 7a is a driven roller that nips and rotates the recording medium S together with the transport roller 7. The discharge roller 12 is located vertically above the housing 4 in the printing section 2, is located downstream of the transport roller 7, and is a drive roller driven by a transport motor (not shown), forming the discharge section (paper discharge section) in the first transport path 20. The spur 7b is located opposite the transport roller 7 or discharge roller 12 on the downstream side of the recording area P, is driven by the transport roller 7 or discharge roller 12, and together with the transport roller 7 and discharge roller 12, grips and transports the recording medium S. The flapper 11 is a component that guides the recording medium S to the second transport path 21 (described later) after recording on the first side during double-sided recording, and is driven by an actuator (not shown). The discharge tray 13 is located at the top vertically of the housing 4 in the printing unit 2 and is a tray for stacking and holding the recording medium S that has been discharged by the discharge roller 12 after the recording operation is completed.

[0017] The transport paths for transporting the recording medium S from the cassette to the output tray 13 by the transport mechanism described above are classified into a first transport path 18, a second transport path 19, a first transport path 20, and a second transport path 21. The first transport path 18 is a transport path from the first transport unit 6A to the upstream of the recording area P. The second transport path 19 is a transport path from the second transport unit 6B to the upstream of the recording area P. The first transport path 20 is a transport path formed from the downstream of the recording area P toward the output tray 13, which is located vertically above the recording area P.

[0018] The heating unit 22 is arranged in a first section 24 that conveys the recording medium S vertically above in the first conveyance path 20, and forms a heating section in the first conveyance path 20. The heating unit 22 promotes drying by applying heat to the recording medium S for which the recording operation has been completed, in order to suppress deformation of the recording medium S due to the moisture of the ink adhering to the recording medium S during the recording operation. Thereby, clogging of the recording medium S in the conveyance path is prevented, and the alignment in the discharge tray 13 is improved. Further, the heating unit 22 is arranged within the height occupied by the movement locus from the recording position of the recording unit 8, which will be described later, to the maintenance position. By doing so, in the first conveyance path 20, the conveyance path length L1 from the recording area P to the heating unit 22 is configured to be L1 < L2 with respect to the conveyance path length L2 from the heating unit 22 to the discharge roller 12. Since the recording apparatus 1 in the present embodiment is configured assuming mainly using the conveyance path for heating and drying the recording medium S, the throughput of recording can be improved by setting L1 < L2. Details of the heating unit 22 will be described later.

[0019] The second conveyance path 21 in the present embodiment is a conveyance path formed so as to branch at a branch portion where a flapper 11 is arranged between the heating section and the discharge section in the first conveyance path 20, and to merge into the first conveyance path 20 at a merging section on the upstream side of the recording area P. The second conveyance path 21 includes a second section 25 that is parallel to the first section 24 having the heating unit 22 within the first conveyance path 20. In the present embodiment, the second conveyance path 21 is used as a reverse conveyance path for reversing the recording medium S after the first - side recording and returning it to the recording section in order to record the second side during double - sided recording.

[0020] The ink tank unit 14 stores the four colors of ink supplied to the recording unit 8 respectively. The ink supply unit 15 is provided in the middle of the flow path connecting the ink tank unit 14 and the recording unit 8, and supplies ink from the ink tank unit 14 to the recording unit 8.

[0021] The maintenance unit 16 includes a cap unit 10 and a wiping unit 17, and operates these at predetermined timings to perform maintenance operations on the recording unit 8. The maintenance operations will be explained in detail later.

[0022] The scanner unit 3 has a document surface 23 for reading the medium to be scanned C. The scanner unit 3 can be opened and closed by a hinge (not shown) so that the document surface 23 is exposed, allowing the user to place the medium to be scanned C on the document surface 23. The height of this document surface 23 is limited to an appropriate height range from the viewpoint of ease of operation, such as making it easy for the user to insert and remove the medium to be scanned C.

[0023] Figure 2 shows a detailed cross-sectional view of the heating unit 22 of this embodiment. The heating unit 22 includes a heating element 51 and a pressure roller 56, which extend in the y-direction to cover the width of the maximum size recording medium S. The heating element 51 includes a support member 53 that supports a heating element 54. The heating element 54 is, for example, a ceramic heater and extends in the y-direction. The temperature of the heating element 54 is detected by a temperature sensor 55, such as a thermistor, and the driving of the heating element 54 is controlled based on the detection result. The support member 53 further supports a film 52. The film 52 is configured in a cylindrical shape and extends in the Y-direction. The film 52 is supported by the support member 53 so as to be rotatable around the support member 53 and is interposed between the pressure roller 56 and the heating element 54. The film 52 is, for example, a single-layer film or a composite-layer film with a film thickness of 10 μm or more and 100 μm or less. In the case of a single-layer film, the material is, for example, PTFE, PFA, or FEP. In the case of composite layer films, for example, they are films with a layered structure in which layers of polyimide, polyamide-imide, PEEK, PES, PPS, etc. are covered or coated with PTFE, PFA, FEP, etc.

[0024] The heating element 51 is not limited to the configuration described above. For example, it may have a structure in which a heating element such as a halogen heater is provided inside a hollow metal core shaft, and the core shaft is covered with an elastic material such as silicone rubber.

[0025] The pressure roller 56 is constructed by covering the circumferential surface of the core metal 56a with an elastic material 56b such as silicone rubber. The pressure roller 56 is pressed against the heating element 51 with a predetermined pressing force via the film 52, and the pressure roller 56 and the heating element 51 create a gap between the roller 56 and the film 52. A nip section is formed. The pressure roller 56 is rotated using a motor as the driving source, and the film 52 is carried along with the roller 56. With this configuration, the recording medium S is transported in the nip section and heated by contact with the film 52, which is a heating element heated by the heating element 51, thereby promoting the drying of the recording medium S.

[0026] The heating unit 22, which serves as the heating and drying section, is not limited to the contact heating method shown in this embodiment. For example, it may also use a method that promotes drying without contact with the recording medium S, such as blowing hot air onto the recording medium S (hot air method) or providing an infrared heater near the recording medium S (non-contact heating method).

[0027] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of the recording device 1. The control configuration mainly consists of a print engine unit 200 that controls the printing unit 2, a scanner engine unit 300 that controls the scanner unit 3, and a controller unit 100 that controls the entire recording device 1. The print controller 202 controls the various mechanisms of the print engine unit 200 according to the instructions of the main controller 101 of the controller unit 100. The various mechanisms of the scanner engine unit 300 are controlled by the main controller 101 of the controller unit 100. The details of the control configuration will be described below.

[0028] In the controller unit 100, the main controller 101, which is composed of a CPU, controls the entire recording device 1 using the RAM 106 as the work area, according to the program and various parameters stored in the ROM 107. For example, when a print job is input from the host device 400 via the host I / F 102 or wireless I / F 103, the image processing unit 108 performs predetermined image processing on the received image data according to the instructions of the main controller 101. Then, the main controller 101 transmits the processed image data to the print engine unit 200 via the print engine I / F 105.

[0029] The recording device 1 may acquire image data from the host device 400 via wireless or wired communication, or it may acquire image data from an external storage device (such as a USB memory stick) connected to the recording device 1. The communication method used for wireless or wired communication is not limited. For example, Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) (registered trademark) and Bluetooth (registered trademark) can be used as communication methods for wireless communication. For example, USB (Universal Serial Bus) can be used as a communication method for wired communication. Also, when a read command is input from the host device 400, the main controller 101 transmits this command to the scanner unit 3 via the scanner engine I / F 109.

[0030] The control panel 104 is a mechanism for the user to perform input and output to the recording device 1. Through the control panel 104, the user can instruct operations such as copying and scanning, set the print mode, and recognize information from the recording device 1.

[0031] In the print engine unit 200, the print controller 202, which is composed of a CPU, controls the various mechanisms of the printing unit 2, using the RAM 204 as the work area, according to the program and various parameters stored in the ROM 203. When various commands and image data are received via the controller I / F 201, the print controller 202 temporarily stores them in the RAM 204. In order for the recording unit 8 to use them for recording operations, the print controller 202 instructs the image processing controller 205 to convert the stored image data into recording data.

[0032] When recording data is generated, the print controller 202 instructs the recording unit 8 to perform a recording operation based on the recording data via the head interface 206. At this time, the print controller 202 drives the feed units 6A and 6B, the transport roller 7, the discharge roller 12, and the flapper 11 shown in Figure 1 via the transport control unit 207 to transport the recording medium S. In accordance with the instructions of the print controller 202, the recording unit 8 performs a recording operation in conjunction with the transport operation of the recording medium S, and the printing process is carried out.

[0033] The heating unit control unit 211 controls the heating of the heating element 54 and the driving of the pressure roller 56 of the heating unit 22 when drying the recording medium S. When drying the recording medium S, for example, the heating element 54 and the driving of the pressure roller 56 are performed in advance before the recording medium S reaches the heating unit 22. Whether or not to heat the recording medium S can be selected depending on user operation on the operation panel 104 or the type of recording medium. That is, whether or not to perform heating and drying is selected depending on, for example, whether or not there is a recording operation on the first and second surfaces, the type of recording medium S, and the amount of ink ejected to the recording medium S. Examples of recording medium S that are not suitable for heating and drying include thermal sheets such as OHP film, glossy paper with a coating layer on the surface, and envelopes with adhesive. Note that whether or not to heat and dry the recording medium S is not limited to these, and the user can also arbitrarily select it via the operation panel 104.

[0034] The head carriage control unit 208 changes the orientation and position of the recording unit 8 according to the operating status of the recording device 1, such as the maintenance status and recording status. The ink supply control unit 209 controls the ink supply unit 15 so that the pressure of the ink supplied to the recording unit 8 is within an appropriate range. The maintenance control unit 210 controls the operation of the cap unit 10 and the wiping unit 17 in the maintenance unit 16 when performing maintenance operations on the recording unit 8.

[0035] In the scanner engine unit 300, the main controller 101 controls the hardware resources of the scanner controller 302, using the RAM 106 as the work area, according to the program and various parameters stored in the ROM 107. This controls the various mechanisms of the scanner unit 3. For example, the main controller 101 controls the hardware resources in the scanner controller 302 via the controller I / F 301, so that the document placed in the ADF by the user is transported via the transport control unit 304 and read by the sensor 305. The scanner controller 302 then stores the read image data in the RAM 303. The print controller 202 converts the acquired image data as described above into recording data, so that the recording unit 8 can perform a recording operation based on the image data read by the scanner controller 302.

[0036] (Changes in the posture of recording unit 8) Figure 4 shows the recording device 1 in the recording state. Compared to the standby state shown in Figure 1, the cap unit 10 is separated from the discharge port surface 8a of the recording unit 8, and the discharge port surface 8a faces the platen 9. In this embodiment, the plane of the platen 9 is tilted at approximately 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal direction, and the discharge port surface 8a of the recording unit 8 in the recording position is also tilted at approximately 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal direction so that the distance from the platen 9 is maintained at a predetermined value.

[0037] When moving the recording unit 8 from the standby position shown in Figure 1 to the recording position shown in Figure 4, the print controller 202 uses the maintenance control unit 210 to lower the cap unit 10 to the retracted position shown in Figure 4. This separates the discharge port surface 8a of the recording unit 8 from the cap member 10a. Subsequently, the print controller 202 uses the head carriage control unit 208 to adjust the vertical height of the recording unit 8 and rotate it by 45 degrees so that the discharge port surface 8a faces the platen 9. Once the recording operation is complete, the recording unit 8 records When moving from the recording position to the standby position, the reverse of the above process is performed by the print controller 202.

[0038] The drive mechanism for changing the position (orientation) of the recording unit 8 to standby, maintenance, or recording is not limited to a specific one, and conventionally known configurations can be used as appropriate. For example, the housing 4 of the recording device 1 is provided with guide grooves that engage and guide the guided portions at both longitudinal ends of the recording unit 8, and the recording unit 8 is moved along the guide trajectory defined by the guide grooves. The driving force for moving the recording unit 8 can be provided, for example, by bringing a cam-shaped working part, rotatably provided on the main body of the device, into contact with the guided portion of the recording unit 8, and using a motor as a power source to rotate the working part. The rotation of the working part by the motor changes the amount of pressure the working part exerts on the guided portion, thereby moving the recording unit 8 along the guide grooves. Furthermore, the angular change (orientation change) of the recording unit 8 between the recording position and the standby position can be achieved by configuring the recording unit 8 to be guided while changing its angle with respect to the guidance direction of the guide grooves. Alternatively, this can be achieved by applying a rotational force to the recording unit 8 such that the guided portion rotates within the guide grooves at the end of the guidance path. For example, such rotational movement can be achieved by devising the engagement shape between the guided part and the guide groove, or by arranging a stopper that creates a starting point for rotation, so that the stopper strikes the recording unit 8 during the guidance process.

[0039] (Transport route of recording media) Next, the transport path of the recording medium S in the printing unit 2 will be described. When a record command is input, the print controller 202 first uses the maintenance control unit 210 and the head carriage control unit 208 to move the recording unit 8 to the recording position shown in Figure 4. The print controller 202 also uses the heating unit control unit 211 to heat the heating element 51 in the heating unit 22 and drive the pressure roller 56 to prepare the recording medium for heating. After that, the print controller 202 uses the transport control unit 207 to drive either the first feed unit 6A or the second feed unit 6B according to the record command to feed the recording medium S.

[0040] When the first feeding unit 6A is activated, the recording medium S stacked on top of the first cassette 5A is separated from the second and subsequent recording media by the first feeding unit 6A. Then, while being nipped by the transport roller 7 and pinch roller 7a, it is transported along the first feeding path 18 toward the recording area P. When the second feeding unit 6B is activated, the recording medium S stacked on top of the second cassette 5B is separated from the second and subsequent recording media by the second feeding unit 6B. Then, while being nipped by the transport roller 7 and pinch roller 7a, it is transported along the second feeding path 19 toward the recording area P.

[0041] In the recording area P, ink is ejected from multiple ejection ports provided on the ejection port surface 8a of the recording unit 8 toward the recording medium S. The recording medium S in the area to which the ink is applied is supported on its back by a platen 9, and the distance between the ejection port surface 8a and the recording medium S is kept constant. After the ink is applied, the recording medium S is guided along the first transport path 20 by the transport roller 7 and spur 7b, and is transported vertically upward through the first section 24 within the first transport path 20, and enters the heating unit 22. The ink-applied recording medium S reaches a state where drying is accelerated by passing through the heating unit 22.

[0042] At this time, if the time between the application of ink to the recording medium S and its entry into the heating unit 22 is short, the ink will not fully penetrate the interior of the recording medium S, and liquid ink will remain on the surface before being nipped by the heating unit 22. In this case, the ink may be transferred and adhere to the film 52 of the heating unit 22. If the ink is re-transferred to the recording medium S, it can cause image smudging. Conversely, if the time between the application of ink to the recording medium S and its entry into the heating unit 22 is too long, the ink will penetrate the recording medium S too much, causing swelling only in the penetrated areas, resulting in a wavy deformation on the ink-applied side of the recording medium S. If the recording medium S is then nipped by the heating unit 22 while in this deformed state, it can cause wrinkles or folds. To avoid these problems, the print controller 202 determines the image instructed by the recording command in the image processing unit 205 and uses the transport control unit 207 to appropriately control the transport time from the recording area P to passing through the heating unit 22. For example, based on information such as the type of recording medium S and ink, and information about the image to be recorded on the recording medium S (amount of ink applied), a preferred predetermined range for the transport time is determined, and the transport time is controlled to stay within that range.

[0043] After passing through the heating unit 22, the recording medium S passes to the left of the flapper 11, which has its tip tilted to the right, and is discharged to the discharge tray 13 by the discharge roller 12 and spur 7b. The discharged recording medium S is held on the discharge tray 13 with the side on which the image is recorded facing downwards by the recording unit 8. In this case as well, if the time between the recording medium S passing through the heating unit 22 and being discharged to the discharge tray 13 is short, various problems may occur. For example, the ink on the recording medium S may not dry completely and transfer to the back of recording mediums that have been discharged to the discharge tray 13 and are stacked there, or the friction coefficient between recording mediums may increase, worsening the paper output alignment. Therefore, the print controller 202 determines the image instructed by the recording command in the image processing unit 205 and uses the transport control unit 207 to appropriately control the transport time from passing through the heating unit 22 to being discharged to the discharge tray 13.

[0044] The case of double-sided recording will be explained. When the recording unit 8 completes the recording operation on the first side and the rear end of the recording medium S passes the flapper 11, the print controller 202 reverses the rotation of the transport roller 7 and the discharge roller 12 to transport the recording medium S into the recording device 1. At this time, the flapper 11 is controlled by an actuator (not shown) so that its tip tilts to the left. Due to this switchback operation, which includes the switching of the flapper 11 and the reverse rotation of the transport roller 7, the recording medium S's tip (the rear end in the first side recording operation) passes to the right of the flapper 11, is guided to the second transport path 21, and is transported again to the upstream of the recording area P. As a result, the recording medium S is inverted from the first side to the second side, and the second side of the recording medium S faces the discharge port surface 8a of the recording unit 8. The subsequent transport path is the same as in the case of first-side recording described above. At this time, the flapper 11 is controlled by an actuator (not shown) so that its tip tilts to the right. Furthermore, among the multiple transport rollers 7 arranged in each transport path, the rollers configured to be able to rotate in both forward and reverse directions may be limited to only those rollers involved in the switchback operation described above.

[0045] (maintenance) Next, the maintenance operation for the recording unit 8 will be described. As explained in Figure 1, the maintenance unit 16 in this embodiment includes a cap unit 10 and a wiping unit 17, and the maintenance operation is performed by activating these at predetermined timings.

[0046] Figure 5 shows the recording device 1 in a maintenance state. When moving the recording unit 8 from the standby position shown in Figure 1 to the maintenance position shown in Figure 5, the print controller 202 moves the recording unit 8 vertically upward and the cap unit 10 vertically downward. Then, the print controller 202 moves the wiping unit 17 from the retracted position to the right in Figure 5. After that, the print controller 202 moves the recording unit 8 vertically downward to the maintenance position where maintenance operations can be performed.

[0047] On the other hand, when moving the recording unit 8 from the recording position shown in Figure 1 to the maintenance position shown in Figure 5, the print controller 202 rotates the recording unit 8 by 45 degrees and moves it vertically upward. Then, the print controller 202 moves the wiping unit 17 to the right from the retracted position. After that, the print controller 202 moves the recording unit 8 vertically downward to a maintenance position where maintenance operations by the maintenance unit 16 can be performed.

[0048] Figure 6(a) is a perspective view showing the maintenance unit 16 in the standby position, and Figure 6(b) is a perspective view showing the maintenance unit 16 in the maintenance position. Figure 6(a) corresponds to Figure 1, and Figure 6(b) corresponds to Figure 5. When the recording unit 8 is in the standby position, the maintenance unit 16 is in the standby position shown in Figure 6(a), the cap unit 10 is moved vertically upward, and the wiping unit 17 is housed inside the maintenance unit 16. The cap unit 10 has a box-shaped cap member 10a that extends in the y direction, and by making it tightly attached to the discharge port surface 8a of the recording unit 8, evaporation of ink from the discharge port can be suppressed. The cap unit 10 also has a function to collect ink discharged by pre-discharge, etc., into the cap member 10a and to draw the collected ink into a suction pump (not shown).

[0049] On the other hand, in the maintenance position shown in Figure 6(b), the cap unit 10 is moved vertically downward, and the wiping unit 17 is pulled out from the maintenance unit 16. The wiping unit 17 comprises two wiper units: a blade wiper unit 171 and a vacuum wiper unit 172.

[0050] The blade wiper unit 171 has a blade wiper 171a positioned in the y direction for a length corresponding to the arrangement area of ​​the discharge ports, for wiping the discharge port surface 8a along the x direction. When performing a wiping operation using the blade wiper unit 171, the wiping unit 17 moves the blade wiper unit 171 in the x direction while the recording unit 8 is positioned at a height that allows it to contact the blade wiper 171a. This movement causes ink and other substances adhering to the discharge port surface 8a to be wiped away by the blade wiper 171a.

[0051] A wet wiper cleaner 16a is provided at the entrance of the maintenance unit 16 where the blade wiper 171a is stored, for removing ink adhering to the blade wiper 171a and applying wet liquid to the blade wiper 171a. Each time the blade wiper 171a is stored in the maintenance unit 16, any adhering substances are removed by the wet wiper cleaner 16a and wet liquid is applied. Then, when the discharge port surface 8a is wiped next, the wet liquid is transferred to the discharge port surface 8a, improving the slipperiness between the discharge port surface 8a and the blade wiper 171a.

[0052] On the other hand, the vacuum wiper unit 172 includes a flat plate 172a having an opening extending in the y direction, a carriage 172b that can move in the y direction within the opening, and a vacuum wiper 172c mounted on the carriage 172b. The vacuum wiper 172c is positioned to wipe the discharge port surface 8a in the y direction as the carriage 172b moves. A suction port connected to a suction pump (not shown) is formed at the tip of the vacuum wiper 172c. Therefore, when the carriage 172b is moved in the y direction while the suction pump is operated, ink and other substances adhering to the discharge port surface 8a of the recording unit 8 are wiped away by the vacuum wiper 172c and sucked into the suction port. At this time, positioning pins 172d provided at both ends of the flat plate 172a and the opening are used to align the discharge port surface 8a with respect to the vacuum wiper 172c.

[0053] Figure 7 shows the cover doors 4a and 4b opened when performing maintenance on the jamming and conveying paths. This is a perspective view showing the state recording device 1. The housing 4 is equipped with cover doors 4a and 4b as opening and closing parts on part of its exterior. Cover door 4a is configured to open and close by rotating around a rotation axis extending vertically perpendicular to the installation surface G, mainly to expose the area around the discharge part to the outside. Cover door 4b is configured to open and close by rotating around a rotation axis parallel to the installation surface G, mainly to expose the back side of the second transport path 21 to the outside. If the recording medium S becomes jammed during recording, for example, during printing in the recording area P, while transporting in the first transport path 20 after recording (regardless of whether it is upstream or downstream of the heating unit 22), or while transporting in the second transport path 21, it is necessary to remove the recording medium S. In this case, the recording operation is interrupted, and the cover doors 4a and 4b are opened to expose the transport path to the outside, opening both the first transport path 20 and the second transport path 21. The user then accesses the location where the recording medium S is jammed, removes the recording medium S, closes the cover doors 4a and 4b, and resumes the recording operation. In this case, as in this embodiment, if the first transport 20, the second transport path 21, the recording area P, the discharge roller 12, etc., are located predominantly on the right side of the printer unit 2 as shown in Figure 1, etc., then by simply opening the cover doors 4a and 4b on the right side, almost all of the transport paths can be exposed. Therefore, the removal of the recording medium S jammed in the transport path can be performed with a single opening and closing operation of the cover doors 4a and 4b, reducing the user's actions.

[0054] Furthermore, some of the ink ejected from the ejection port surface 8a of the recording unit 8 may not adhere to the recording medium S, but instead float in the recording area P as mist-like ink droplets (hereinafter referred to as mist). This mist adheres to the first transport path 20 between the recording area P and the heating unit 22 due to the airflow generated by the transport of the recording medium S. In the heating unit 22, the recording medium S is nipped across its entire width, so the mist is blocked by the recording medium S and does not float and move downstream from the heating unit 22. In other words, the heating unit 22 suppresses the movement of mist along the transport direction. If the mist adheres and accumulates, it may be re-transferred to the recording medium S, potentially causing problems such as a decrease in image quality. Therefore, periodically, or when the user feels that the image quality has deteriorated, it is necessary to open the cover door, expose the first transport path 20 between the recording area P and the heating unit 22 to the outside, and perform prescribed maintenance work. For example, this may involve removing the adhered mist with a tightly wrung cloth or a dedicated maintenance cloth. In this case, if the transport path length L1 from the recording area P to the heating unit 22 is short, as in this embodiment, the transport path length that the user needs to maintain will also be short.

[0055] (Comparative example) Figure 8 is an internal configuration diagram of recording device 1a according to a comparative example of Example 1 of the present invention, and differs from recording device 1 according to Example 1 in the position where the heating unit 22 is located.

[0056] Since the recording unit 8 moves between the recording position, standby position, and maintenance position, other components cannot be placed in positions that interfere with its movement trajectory. Therefore, regardless of the presence or absence of the heating unit 22, there are limits to how low the first transport path 20, discharge roller 12, and discharge tray 13 can be placed due to layout constraints of the device configuration. As shown in Figure 8, we consider the case where the heating unit 22 is placed downstream of the bend (curve) in the first transport path 20, which bends horizontally from the vertically upward path toward the discharge section. In this case, since the position of the discharge roller 12 does not change, the heating unit 22 is located at approximately the same height vertically as the discharge roller 12, and the second transport path 21 must be arranged to bypass the heating unit 22 in the vertically upward direction. At this time, the height of the housing 4 of the print section 2 in the comparative example recording device 1a is higher vertically than the recording device 1 of Example 1 due to the provision of the second transport path 21, and the position of the scanner section 3 is also inevitably higher. Therefore, the height of the document surface 23 on which the document to be scanned is placed in the scanner unit 3 also increases, reducing user operability. Furthermore, compared to Example 1 (Figure 1), the position of the discharge roller 12 is moved to the left (in the -x direction in Figure 8) due to the addition of the heating unit 22. This needs to be done. As a result, the output tray 13 will also move to the left side, and a portion of the output tray 13 will protrude from the housing 4 of the printing unit 2, thus increasing the installation space required.

[0057] Furthermore, the heating unit 22 of the comparative example recording device 1a shown in Figure 8 is positioned outside the height occupied by the movement trajectory of the recording unit 8 from the recording position to the maintenance position. Therefore, in the comparative example recording device 1a, the relationship between the transport path length L1 from the recording area P to the heating unit 22 and the transport path length L2 from the drying unit 22 to the discharge roller 12 in the first transport path 20 is L1 > L2.

[0058] (Features of this embodiment) Figure 9 shows the relationship between the movement trajectory of the recording unit 8 and the position of the heating unit 22 in this embodiment. In Figure 9, the area enclosed by the dashed line is the movement trajectory that the recording unit 8 traverses when moving between the standby position / recording position / maintenance position. This movement trajectory and the first section 24 (and the heating unit 22 located within the first section 24) in the first transport path 20, and the second section 25 in the second transport path 21 are at the same height and parallel in the vertical direction. In other words, the first section 24 and the second section 25 are located within the height occupied by the movement trajectory of the recording unit 8. With this configuration, the transport path is composed of a first transport path 20 having the heating unit 22, and a second transport path 21 in which the first section 24 where the heating unit 22 is located and a part of it run parallel, and the first section 24 is oriented vertically. As a result, unlike in the comparative example, the X-direction position of the discharge roller 12 and discharge tray 13 does not need to be changed depending on the presence or absence of the heating unit 22, so the installation space does not become larger. Furthermore, in the vertical direction, unlike in the comparative example, no part of the heating unit 22 or the transport path is located higher than the discharge roller 12, so the height of the printing section 2 does not increase.

[0059] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the heating unit 22 is positioned within the height occupied by the movement trajectory of the recording unit 8 from the recording position to the maintenance position within the first section 24 of the first transport path 20. This allows the transport path length L1 from the recording area P to the heating unit 22 to be shorter than the transport path length L2 from the heating unit 22 to the discharge roller 12. This makes it possible to shorten the transport path required for the user to open the cover door and remove mist adhering to the transport path during maintenance, thus facilitating maintenance work. In addition, the shorter transport path length L1 from the recording area P to the heating unit 22 allows for shorter control times when controlling the transport time between the recording area P and the heating unit 22 based on the recorded image, thus expanding the range of control options.

[0060] In this embodiment, the heating unit 22 has a configuration in which the film 52 as a heating element and the pressure roller 56 as a pressure element are arranged in a direction substantially parallel to the installation surface G of the recording device 1 (substantially horizontal direction). The film 52 is positioned on the same side as the recording unit 8 with respect to the transport path of the recording medium S, i.e., on the left side in Figure 1, etc., in order to heat the recording surface of the recording medium S, and the pressure roller 56 is positioned on the right side in Figure 1, etc. At least a portion of the film 52 among the components of the heating unit 22 is positioned so as to overlap with the range of the movement trajectory of the recording unit 8 when viewed in the vertical direction in the illustrated configuration in Figure 1, etc. That is, with respect to the installation space required in the direction along the installation surface G (horizontal plane) of the recording device 1, there is an overlapping region between the film 52 and the recording unit 8 among the components of the heating unit 22. By the extent of this overlapping region, further space saving in the installation space of the recording device 1 can be achieved.

[0061] In particular, the above configuration of this embodiment can be described as a layout configuration in which, in a configuration in which the recording unit 8 changes its orientation by changing its angle, a portion of the area that becomes dead space in its movement trajectory is used as the installation space for the heating unit 22. By adopting such an arrangement configuration that utilizes dead space, the size of the device relative to the installation surface G and the distance from the installation surface G This effectively suppresses the size in the vertical height direction.

[0062] The above description of this embodiment assumes that the installation surface G of the recording device 1 is a horizontal plane, and defines the height relationships of each component accordingly. However, the installation surface is not limited to a horizontal plane. That is, even if the installation surface G has some angle with respect to the horizontal plane, the recording device 1 can still be used. Therefore, if the installation surface G has some angle with respect to the horizontal plane, it goes without saying that the direction approximately perpendicular to the installation surface that defines the height relationships of each component will also have an angle with respect to the vertical direction in the above description.

[0063] <Example 2> Figure 10 is an internal configuration diagram of the recording device 1b according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Components in Embodiment 2 that are common to Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted. Matters in Embodiment 2 that are not specifically described here are the same as in Embodiment 1.

[0064] In the recording device 1 of Embodiment 1, the second transport path 21 is provided as a return transport path during double-sided recording, but the configuration of the transport path is not limited to this. For example, as shown in the recording device 1b of Embodiment 2 in Figure 10, the second transport path 21 may be a path that branches off from the first transport path 20 between the recording area P and the drying unit 22 and rejoins the first transport path 20 between the drying unit 22 and the discharge roller 12. In this case, the second transport path 21 functions as a bypass that allows the recorded recording medium S to be discharged to the discharge tray 13 without passing through the drying unit 22. With this configuration, it becomes possible to record on recording media that cannot be subjected to heat, such as thermal paper or glossy paper coated with heat-sensitive coating material. Furthermore, both a return transport path during double-sided recording and a bypass that bypasses the drying unit 22 may exist. In other words, there may be multiple second transport paths 21.

[0065] <Example 3> Figure 11 is an internal configuration diagram of the recording device 1c according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. Components in Embodiment 3 that are common to Embodiments 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted. Matters in Embodiment 3 that are not specifically described here are the same as in Embodiments 1 and 2.

[0066] The recording device 1 of Example 1 had two recording medium storage sections, a first cassette 5A and a second cassette 5B, but the device configuration is not limited to this. For example, as shown in the recording device 1c of Example 3 in Figure 11, there may be only one cassette. Conversely, there may be more cassettes, such as a third cassette and a fourth cassette. Furthermore, the recording device may not include cassettes as part of its configuration. In this case, a detachable cassette unit may be added later, or the recording medium S may be fed from a manual feed tray 24 into which the user sets only the amount they need.

[0067] In the recording device 1 of Embodiment 1, the recording unit 8 is configured to assume an inclined position at the recording position, and moves to the standby position and maintenance position with rotation. However, the configuration of the recording unit 8 is not limited to this. For example, as shown in the recording device 1c of Embodiment 3 in Figure 11, the recording unit 8 may be horizontal at the recording position, and movement to the standby position and maintenance position may be simply vertical movement. That is, the movement of the recording unit 8 in terms of posture change is limited to vertical up and down movement. Furthermore, in the recording device 1 of Embodiment 1, the movement of the recording unit 8 is shown as movement to the standby position and maintenance position, but it is not limited to this. For example, the configuration may allow movement such that the distance between the platen 9 and the ejection port surface 8a of the recording unit 8 is changed depending on the thickness of the recording medium S. Moreover, a configuration in which the platen 9 and maintenance unit 16 move may be adopted, in which the recording unit 8 does not move. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0068] 1... Inkjet recording device, 2... Printing section, 7... Transport roller, 8... Recording unit, 11... Flapper, 12... Discharge roller, 13... Discharge tray, 20... First transport path, 21... Second transport path, 22... Heating unit, 24... First section, 25... Second section

Claims

1. A cassette for housing the recording medium, A recording unit having a discharge port surface provided with a discharge port for discharging liquid, and discharging liquid from the discharge port onto a recording medium to record an image on the recording medium supplied from the cassette in the recording area, Above the recording unit is an output tray from which the recording medium recorded by the recording unit is ejected, A first transport path for transporting the recording medium from the recording area to the output tray, A drying unit is arranged in the first transport path and dries the recording medium recorded by the recording unit, Above the aforementioned output tray, there is an image reading unit that reads the image of the document, A recording device comprising, The recording device is characterized in that the drying section is arranged vertically between the cassette and the image reading section.

2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the time it takes for the recording medium that has passed through the recording unit to pass through the drying unit is set based on the image information recorded in the recording unit.

3. The recording apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the drying section is provided with a selection means for selecting whether or not to heat the recording medium.

4. The system includes a cap member that moves toward the discharge port surface to cap the discharge port, The recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the recording unit moves between a first position facing the recording area and a second position in which the discharge port surface is capped by the cap member.

5. The recording apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that when the recording unit is located in the second position, the drying unit and the recording unit are in different positions in the horizontal direction.

6. The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the drying section is a contact type in which a heating element is brought into contact with the recording medium.

7. The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the drying unit uses a hot air method to blow hot air onto the recording medium.

8. The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the drying section is located below the discharge roller that discharges the recording medium recorded by the recording section.

9. The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the drying section is arranged in the portion of the first transport path that transports the recording medium vertically upward.

10. The recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by comprising a first cover that exposes at least a portion of the first transport path to the outside.

11. The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises a second transport path that branches off from the first transport path at a branching point between the recording area and an discharge roller for discharging the recording medium recorded by the recording unit, and that rejoins the first transport path between the recording area and the storage unit for the recording medium.

12. The recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the recording unit is arranged vertically between the cassette and the output tray.

13. The recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the recording unit is a full-line type recording head.

14. The recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the image reading unit reads a document being fed.

15. The recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the image reading unit reads a document placed on the document table.

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