Recording device

Abstract

This design enables a reduction in pressing force with a small motor rotation and an increase in pressing force with a small motor load. [Solution] The recording device includes a pressing member that presses a second roller toward the first roller, and an adjustment mechanism that adjusts the pressing force applied by the pressing member. The adjustment mechanism includes first and second rotating cams provided on the rotating shaft, and an adjustment member that engages with the first and second rotating cams and the pressing member, and adjusts the pressing force by being displaced by the rotation of the first and second rotating cams. The first rotating cam has a first cam surface that reduces the pressing force when the motor rotates in the first rotation direction, and the second rotating cam has a cam surface with a gentler slope than the first cam surface, and has a second cam surface that increases the pressing force when the motor rotates in the second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction. When the rotation direction of the motor switches from the first rotation direction to the second rotation direction, the first rotating cam starts rotating later than the second rotating cam.

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , ,

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

Background Art

[0002] In the image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1, in view of the problem that when paper jams occur while the recording paper is sandwiched between the fixing roller and the pressure roller, the recording paper may be torn when the user removes it by hand, it is configured to be able to switch between a high-pressure mode in which the pressing force of the pressure roller becomes a high load and a low-pressure mode in which the pressing force is a low load smaller than the high load. The switching between the high-pressure mode and the low-pressure mode is performed by the rotation of a rotary cam. The drive motor that rotationally drives the fixing roller also serves as a motor for driving the rotary cam.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When, as in the image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1, a motor that drives other parts also serves as a motor that drives a rotary cam, there may be restrictions when driving the rotary cam. Although the details of specific examples of this restriction will be described later, there may be cases where the motor rotation amount cannot be sufficiently ensured when reducing the pressing force due to the restriction. In this case, it is necessary to form the cam surface of the rotary cam with a steep gradient. However, when configured in this way, when rotating the rotary cam in the direction of increasing the pressing force, an excessive load is applied to the motor. As a result, various problems occur, such as it becoming impossible to switch the load in the direction of increasing the pressing force, or it becoming necessary to adopt a high-specification motor, leading to an increase in the size and cost of the apparatus. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a recording device comprising: a transport path for transporting a medium; a recording unit for recording on the medium in the transport path; a transport roller pair provided in the transport path, comprising a first roller and a second roller that is pressed toward the first roller; a pressing member that presses the second roller toward the first roller; an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the pressing force by the pressing member; and a motor that is the power source for the adjustment mechanism, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises: a rotating shaft that rotates by the power of the motor; a first rotating cam provided on the rotating shaft; a second rotating cam provided on the rotating shaft; and an engagement between the first rotating cam and the second rotating cam. The motor also includes an adjustment member which engages with the pressing member and adjusts the pressing force by being displaced by the rotation of the first rotating cam and the second rotating cam, wherein the first rotating cam has a first cam surface which decreases the pressing force when the motor rotates in a first rotation direction, and the second rotating cam has a cam surface which has a gentler slope than the first cam surface and increases the pressing force when the motor rotates in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction, and the first rotating cam starts rotating later than the second rotating cam when the rotation direction of the motor switches from the first rotation direction to the second rotation direction. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0006] [Figure 1] A diagram showing the media transport path in a printer. [Figure 2] A side view of the adjustment mechanism for adjusting the pressing force and the line head. [Figure 3] A diagram illustrating the movement of the line head when it moves between the recording position and the wiping position. [Figure 4] A diagram showing the positional relationship between the edge detection unit and the media when performing edge detection. [Figure 5] Perspective views of the first and second rotating cams. [Figure 6]Perspective view of the second rotating cam. [Figure 7] Perspective view of the first rotating cam. [Figure 8] A plan view of the second rotating cam as seen from the direction of the rotation axis. [Figure 9] A plan view of the first rotating cam as seen from the direction of the rotation axis. [Figure 10] A front view of the first rotating cam, the second rotating cam, and the cam engagement part, viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation. [Figure 11A] Side view of the adjustment mechanism. [Figure 11B] Side view of the adjustment mechanism. [Figure 11C] Side view of the adjustment mechanism. [Figure 11D] Side view of the adjustment mechanism. [Figure 11E] Side view of the adjustment mechanism. [Figure 11F] Side view of the adjustment mechanism. [Figure 11G] Side view of the adjustment mechanism. [Figure 11H] Side view of the adjustment mechanism. [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 transport path for transporting a medium, a recording unit for recording on the medium in the transport path, a transport roller pair provided in the transport path, comprising a first roller and a second roller that is pressed toward the first roller, a pressing member that presses the second roller toward the first roller, an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the pressing force by the pressing member, and a motor that is the power source for the adjustment mechanism, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a rotating shaft that rotates by the power of the motor, a first rotating cam provided on the rotating shaft, a second rotating cam provided on the rotating shaft, and a mechanism that engages with the first rotating cam and the second rotating cam. The motor comprises an adjustment member which is a member that engages with the pressing member and adjusts the pressing force by being displaced by the rotation of the first rotating cam and the second rotating cam, wherein the first rotating cam has a first cam surface that reduces the pressing force when the motor rotates in a first rotation direction, and the second rotating cam has a cam surface with a gentler slope than the first cam surface and has a second cam surface that increases the pressing force when the motor rotates in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction, and the first rotating cam starts rotating later than the second rotating cam when the rotation direction of the motor switches from the first rotation direction to the second rotation direction.

[0008] According to this embodiment, the first rotating cam is provided with a first cam surface that reduces the pressing force when the motor rotates in a first rotational direction. Therefore, when the motor rotates in the first rotational direction, the pressing force decreases, and the medium located between the first roller and the second roller can be easily removed. The second rotating cam has a cam surface with a gentler slope than the first cam surface, and includes a second cam surface that increases the pressing force when the motor rotates in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction. Therefore, when the motor rotates in the first rotation direction and then switches to the second rotation direction, the pressing force increases, and the medium can be reliably nipped between the first roller and the second roller.

[0009] Here, when the rotation direction of the motor switches from the first rotation direction to the second rotation direction, since the first rotation cam starts rotating later than the second rotation cam, when increasing the pressing force, the second cam surface functions. And since the second cam surface has a gentler gradient than the first cam surface, the load applied to the motor when increasing the pressing force can be suppressed. As described above, in the case of decreasing the pressing force and increasing the pressing force, with a configuration in which the functioning cam surfaces are different, the first cam surface can be formed to have a steeper gradient than the second cam surface, and the rotation amount of the motor for decreasing the pressing force can be suppressed. Thereby, in a configuration where the motor is used as a motor for driving not only the adjustment mechanism but also other parts, even when the rotation amount of the motor is restricted due to the driving of other parts, it is possible to cope with this.

[0010] A second aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, wherein the second rotation cam rotates in synchronization with the rotation axis, the first rotation cam is provided so as to be relatively rotatable with respect to the rotation axis, a groove extending along the circumferential direction is provided in one of the first rotation cam and the second rotation cam, a pin that enters the groove is provided in the other of the first rotation cam and the second rotation cam, and when the rotation direction of the motor switches from the first rotation direction to the second rotation direction, the first rotation cam starts rotating later than the second rotation cam by the pin moving from one inner wall of the groove to the other inner wall.

[0011] According to this aspect, a configuration in which the first rotation cam starts rotating later than the second rotation cam can be easily obtained by the groove and the pin.

[0012] The third aspect is an aspect that depends on the second aspect. The adjustment member includes a first cam engagement portion that engages with the first rotating cam and a second cam engagement portion that engages with the second rotating cam. On the outer peripheral surface of the first rotating cam, in addition to the first cam surface, a first circumferential surface with a constant outer diameter is formed. On the outer peripheral surface of the second rotating cam, in addition to the second cam surface, a second circumferential surface with a constant outer diameter is formed. The outer diameter of the second circumferential surface is smaller than the outer diameter of the first circumferential surface.

[0013] According to this aspect, since the outer diameter of the second circumferential surface is smaller than the outer diameter of the first circumferential surface, the relative rotation between the first rotating cam and the second rotating cam can be reliably realized by the frictional force between the first rotating cam and the first cam engagement portion. This will be described in detail later.

[0014] The fourth aspect is an aspect that depends on the third aspect. The first cam engagement portion and the second cam engagement portion are integrally formed, and the first rotating cam and the second rotating cam are provided adjacent to each other in the axial direction of the rotating shaft.

[0015] According to this aspect, since the first cam engagement portion and the second cam engagement portion are integrally formed, and the first rotating cam and the second rotating cam are provided adjacent to each other in the axial direction of the rotating shaft, the adjustment mechanism for one of the second rollers can be configured compactly.

[0016] The fifth aspect is an aspect that depends on the first aspect. The adjustment member is provided so as to be swingable. The second roller is supported by a swingable roller support member. The pressing member is composed of a tension coil spring with one end hung on the adjustment member and the other end hung on the roller support member. When the adjustment member swings and the one end of the tension coil spring is displaced, the pressing force changes.

[0017] According to this embodiment, in a configuration in which the pressing force changes as the adjusting member swings and one end of the tension coil spring is displaced, the effects and advantages of the first embodiment described above can be obtained. 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.

[0018] The sixth aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, characterized in that when the motor rotates in the second rotational direction, the first cam surface overlaps with the second rotating cam when viewed from the axial direction of the rotation shaft, and when the rotational direction of the motor switches from the second rotational direction to the first rotational direction, the first rotating cam starts rotating later than the second rotating cam, thereby eliminating the overlap between the first cam surface and the second rotating cam.

[0019] When the motor rotates in the second rotational direction, if the first cam surface overlaps with the second rotating cam when viewed from the axial direction of the rotation shaft, and this overlap is not resolved even when the motor rotates in the first rotational direction, the first cam surface will cease to function when reducing the pressing force. As a result, it becomes impossible to suppress the amount of rotation of the motor in order to reduce the pressing force. However, according to this embodiment, when the rotation direction of the motor switches from the second rotation direction to the first rotation direction, the first rotating cam starts rotating later than the second rotating cam, thereby eliminating the overlap between the first cam surface and the second rotating cam. As a result, the first cam surface functions reliably when reducing the pressing force, and the amount of rotation of the motor required to reduce the pressing force can be suppressed. Furthermore, this embodiment is not limited to the first embodiment described above, but may be dependent on any of the second to fifth embodiments described above.

[0020] The seventh embodiment is an embodiment dependent on any of the first to sixth embodiments, comprising an opposing part facing the recording unit, wherein the recording unit is provided to be movable in a direction toward and toward the opposing part, the motor also serves as a power source for the movement of the recording unit, and when the motor rotates in the first rotational direction, the recording unit moves away from the opposing part, and when the motor rotates in the second rotational direction, the recording unit moves toward the opposing part. According to this embodiment, since the motor also serves as the power source for moving the recording unit, the configuration can be simplified and costs can be reduced.

[0021] The eighth aspect is an aspect dependent on the seventh aspect, wherein the recording unit comprises a recording head for recording on a medium, a wiper that wipes the head surface of the recording head by moving along the transport path along the width direction of the medium being transported, and an edge detection unit provided in the wiping unit including the wiper, which is capable of detecting the width direction edge of the medium by moving along the width direction, wherein the positions of the recording head in the direction of movement include a recording position for recording on the medium, a wiping position which is a position further away from the opposing part than the recording position and in which the wiper wipes the head surface, a wiping retraction position which is a position further away from the opposing part than the wiping position and in which the edge detection unit detects the width direction edge of the medium, and a jam processing position which is a position further away from the opposing part than the wiping retraction position and in which the recording head moves when a jam occurs in the transport path, and the adjustment mechanism is characterized in that the first cam surface functions in the process of moving from the wiping retraction position to the jam processing position and the pressing force decreases.

[0022] In a configuration where the edge detection unit is provided on the wiping unit, the orientation of the medium must be stable when the wiping unit moves in the width direction and the edge detection unit detects the edge of the medium. That is, when the edge detection unit detects the edge of the medium, the medium must be reliably nipped by the first roller and the second roller. For this reason, when the recording head is in the wiping retraction position, the pressing force must be maintained at a strong state, and the pressing force must be reduced in a limited area between the wiping retraction position and the jam processing position. That is, the pressing force must be reduced with a small amount of rotation of the motor. According to this embodiment, the adjustment mechanism is configured such that the first cam surface functions during the process of moving from the wiping retraction position to the jam processing position, thereby reducing the pressing force. This allows the pressing force to be reduced with a small amount of rotation of the motor.

[0023] The present invention will be described in detail below. The following describes an inkjet printer 1, which is an example of a recording device that records data onto a medium. Hereafter, the inkjet printer 1 will simply be referred to as printer 1. In each figure, the XYZ coordinate system is a Cartesian coordinate system, where the direction of the arrow is the + direction and the opposite direction is the - direction. The X-axis direction is the width direction of the device, which is the width direction of the recording medium. From the perspective of the operator of printer 1, the +X direction is to the left and the -X direction is to the right. Hereafter, the X-axis direction may be referred to as the medium width direction or simply the width direction. The Y-axis direction is the depth direction of the device and is aligned with the media transport direction during recording. The +Y direction is from the back of the device toward the front, and the -Y direction is from the front of the device toward the back. In this embodiment, of the sides that make up the perimeter of the printer 1, the side in the +Y direction is the front of the device, and the side in the -Y direction is the back of the device. The Z-axis direction is aligned with the vertical direction and corresponds to the height of the device. The +Z direction is vertically upward, and the -Z direction is vertically downward. In the following, the direction in which the medium is sent will be referred to as "downstream," and the opposite direction as "upstream."

[0024] The media transport path of printer 1 will be described below with reference to Figure 1. In printer 1, the media is transported along the media transport path 4 shown by the dashed line. More specifically, printer 1 has a media storage cassette 2 at the bottom of the device. The symbol P indicates the media stored in the media storage cassette 2. An example of media is recording paper. The media storage cassette 2 is removable from the front of the device.

[0025] A pick roller 3, driven by a motor (not shown), is provided on the top of the media storage cassette 2. The pick roller 3 is movable back and forth relative to the media stored in the media storage cassette 2, and rotates in contact with the media stored in the media storage cassette 2 to feed the media out of the media storage cassette 2 in the +Y direction. Downstream from the media-containing cassette 2, there is a feed roller 5 driven by a motor (not shown) and a separation roller 6 to which rotational torque is applied by a torque limiter (not shown). The media sent out from the media-containing cassette 2 is separated by being nipped by the feed roller 5 and the separation roller 6, and then sent further downstream.

[0026] Downstream from the feeding roller 5 and the separating roller 6, there is a reversing roller 8 driven by a motor (not shown). A first nip roller 9 and a second nip roller 10 are provided around the reversing roller 8. The medium is nipped by the reversing roller 8 and the first nip roller 9, and then nipped again by the reversing roller 8 and the second nip roller 10 before being transported. The transport direction of the medium is reversed by the reversing roller 8 from the +Y direction to the -Y direction and then transported downstream.

[0027] Downstream of the reversing roller 8, there is a first conveyor roller pair 15 comprising a drive roller 16 driven by a motor (not shown) and a driven roller 17 that can rotate while being driven. The drive roller 16 is an example of a first roller, and the driven roller 17 is an example of a second roller. The medium is conveyed by the first conveyor roller pair 15 to a position facing the line head 30. The driven roller 17 is supported by the roller support member 24. The driven roller 17 is pressed toward the drive roller 16 by a pressing member, which will be described later.

[0028] Furthermore, the printer 1 has a media supply path from the media storage cassette 2, as well as a media supply path from the media support unit 12. The media support unit 12 supports the media in an inclined position, and the supported media is transported to the first transport roller pair 15 by a supply roller 13 driven by a motor (not shown). Reference numeral 14 denotes a separation roller to which rotational torque is applied by a torque limiter (not shown).

[0029] The line head 30 constitutes a recording unit that records data onto a medium. The line head 30 is also an example of a recording head that records data by ejecting ink, which is an example of a liquid, onto the medium. The line head 30 is a liquid ejection head in which multiple nozzles 31 that eject ink are arranged to cover the entire width of the medium. The line head 30 is elongated in the width direction of the medium and is configured as a liquid ejection head that can record data across the entire width of the medium without movement in the width direction of the medium.

[0030] Reference numeral 30a denotes the head surface, which is the surface facing the medium. The head surface 30a can also be called the liquid discharge surface or nozzle surface. The head surface 30a is parallel to the medium transport direction, i.e., the Y-axis direction, at the position facing the line head 30. The head surface 30a is also parallel to the XY plane. Printer 1 is equipped with an ink storage unit (not shown), and ink ejected from line head 30 is supplied to line head 30 from the ink storage unit via an ink tube (not shown).

[0031] A facing portion 23 is provided at a position opposite the head surface 30a of the line head 30. The name of the facing portion may also be replaced with "platen". In this embodiment, the facing portion 23 is equipped with an openable and closable shutter (not shown), and when the shutter is closed, the facing portion 23 supports the medium. Hereafter, the gap between the facing portion 23 and the head surface 30a may be referred to as the platen gap. A cap portion 26 is provided on the lower side of the shutter, and when the shutter is opened, the cap portion 26 and the head surface 30a can face each other. As will be described in more detail later, the line head 30 is provided so that it can move up and down, and when the shutter is open, the line head 30 descends so that the cap portion 26 can cover the head surface 30a.

[0032] Downstream of the line head 30 is a second transport roller pair 19 comprising a drive roller 20 driven by a motor (not shown) and a driven roller 21 that can rotate while being driven. The recorded medium is sent downstream by the second transport roller pair 19. The driven roller 21 is pressed toward the drive roller 20 by a pressing member (not shown). However, since the driven roller 21 is in contact with the recording surface of the recording medium, it is pressed toward the drive roller 20 with a lower pressing force than the driven roller 17 described above. That is, the force with which the second transport roller pair 19 nip the medium is weaker than the force with which the first transport roller pair 15 nip the medium.

[0033] A third pair of transport rollers 27 is provided downstream of the second pair of transport rollers 19, and a discharge roller pair 28 is provided further downstream of the third pair of transport rollers 27. The space between the third pair of transport rollers 27 and the discharge roller pair 28 is configured as a face-down discharge path, and the recorded medium is discharged to the discharge tray 29 by the discharge roller pair 28 with the most recent recorded surface facing downwards. Furthermore, the force with which the medium is nipped by the third conveyor roller pair 27 and the force with which the medium is nipped by the discharge roller pair 28 are weaker than the force with which the medium is nipped by the first conveyor roller pair 15.

[0034] The output tray 29 is rotatably mounted on the housing 25 that constitutes the outer casing of the printer 1, around a pivot axis 29a. The axis centerline of the pivot axis 29a is parallel to the X-axis. The user can access the inside of the printer 1 by opening the output tray 29 as indicated by reference numeral 29-1. For example, if a jam occurs in the media transport path 4, the jammed media can be removed by opening the output tray 29.

[0035] Next, as described above, the line head 30 is provided so as to be movable in the direction of advancing and retracting relative to the opposing part 23, that is, in the direction of adjusting the platen gap. In this embodiment, the direction of adjusting the platen gap is parallel to the Z-axis direction. Hereafter, movement of the line head 30 in the +Z direction may be referred to as "upward movement," and movement in the -Z direction may be referred to as "downward movement."

[0036] In Figure 2, reference numeral 61 denotes a head movement motor, which is the drive source for raising and lowering the line head 30, and reference numeral 60 denotes a control unit that controls the motor 61. The control unit 60 is responsible for the control of the entire printer 1. The control unit 60 has a CPU (not shown), non-volatile memory, etc., and programs and parameters for controlling the printer 1 are stored in the non-volatile memory and executed as needed.

[0037] The line head 30 is held in a position to be displaceable in the Z-axis direction by a guide member (not shown). A rack portion 62 is formed on the line head 30 along the Z-axis direction, and a pinion 63 meshes with the rack portion 62 to form a rack and pinion mechanism. The pinion 63 is mounted on the rotating shaft 47, and the rotation of the motor 61 causes the rotating shaft 47 to rotate, which in turn causes the pinion 63 to rotate, thereby raising and lowering the line head 30. Furthermore, the rack and pinion mechanism, which consists of the rack section 62 and the pinion 63, is provided near both ends of the line head 30 in the media width direction.

[0038] When the line head 30 rises, it comes into contact with an upward restricting section (not shown), and further upward movement is restricted. The control unit 60 can determine that the line head 30 is at its upper limit position by detecting the increase in the motor drive current value when the line head 30 comes into contact with the upward restricting section. Furthermore, the motor 61 is equipped with an encoder sensor (not shown), allowing the control unit 60 to detect the amount of rotation of the motor 61. This enables the control unit 60 to detect the amount of movement of the line head 30 from its upper limit position, that is, to determine the current position of the line head 30.

[0039] The control unit 60 adjusts the platen gap by raising and lowering the line head 30 according to the thickness of the medium, based on the type of medium included in the received print data. For example, if the position of the line head 30 when recording on plain paper is defined as the first recording position, then when recording on special paper that is thicker than plain paper, the line head 30 is positioned at a second recording position, which is higher than the first recording position. In addition to the recording positions described above, the movement range of the line head 30 also includes other positions.

[0040] In Figure 2, the symbols Ps1, Ps2, Ps3, Ps4, and Ps5 indicate the positions of the line head 30 relative to the head surface 30a. When the line head 30 moves to position Ps5, which is the highest position in the movement range, the platen gap becomes widest. This allows for the removal of jammed media in the event of a jam. Hereafter, this position Ps5 will be referred to as the jam handling position Ps5. Position Ps2 is the recording position when recording on the medium. Strictly speaking, as mentioned above, there are multiple recording positions Ps2, such as the first recording position and the second recording position, depending on the thickness of the medium, but for convenience, Figure 2 shows it as a single position.

[0041] Position Ps1 is the lowest position. This is the position where the cap portion 26 covers the head surface 30a, and below, position Ps1 will be referred to as cap position Ps1. Position Ps3 is the position when the head surface 30a is wiped by the wiper 71, which will be described later. Hereafter, this position Ps3 will be referred to as the wiping position Ps3. After the head surface 30a is wiped by the wiper 71, the line head 30 temporarily rises from the wiping position Ps3 to position Ps4, and then descends to the recording position Ps2 or the cap position Ps1. Hereafter, position Ps4 will be referred to as the wiping retraction position Ps4.

[0042] Next, I will explain about the wiper 71. Printer 1 includes a wiper carriage 70 containing a wiper 71, as shown in Figure 3. The wiper carriage 70 is movable along the X-axis direction by a motor (not shown). In this embodiment, the wiper carriage 70 has its home position at the position shown in state ST1 in Figure 3, i.e., the end position in the +X direction. When the device is powered off or in recording standby mode, the wiper carriage 70 is positioned in the home position.

[0043] The wiper carriage 70 is equipped with a wiper 71. The wiper 71 is made of an elastic material such as rubber, and as shown in state ST2 in Figure 3, the wiper carriage 70 moves in the -X direction while elastically contacting the head surface 30a, thereby wiping the head surface 30a. The ink removed by wiping is stored inside the wiper carriage 70.

[0044] A fitting hole 70a is provided at the -X end of the wiper carriage 70. A check valve (not shown) is provided in the fitting hole 70a, and the system is configured to prevent ink stored in the wiper carriage 70 from leaking out. An ink recovery unit 72 is provided at the -X end of the wiper carriage 70 in its movement range. The ink recovery unit 72 has a suction unit 72a, which can be fitted into a fitting hole 70a of the wiper carriage 70. When the wiper carriage 70 moves to the -X end, the suction unit 72a fits into the fitting hole 70a. When the suction unit 72a fits into the fitting hole 70a, the check valve opens. In this state, a pump (not shown) is driven, and the ink stored in the wiper carriage 70 is sucked out and collected in the ink recovery unit 72.

[0045] Furthermore, when the head surface 30a is wiped by the wiper 71, the line head 30 is in the wiping position Ps3 described above. After the wiper carriage 70 has moved to the end in the -X direction, when it returns to the end in the +X direction, i.e., the home position, the line head 30 rises to the wiping retraction position Ps4 described above.

[0046] Next, we will describe the edge detection unit 73 provided on the wiper carriage 70. An edge detection unit 73 for detecting the edge of the media is provided at the bottom of the wiper carriage 70. The edge detection unit 73 is an optical sensor and includes a light-emitting unit (not shown) that emits detection light toward the opposing unit 23 and a light-receiving unit (not shown) that receives the reflected component of the detection light. The intensity of the reflected component is stronger when the detection light is irradiated onto the medium than when the detection light is irradiated onto the opposing unit 23. Therefore, the control unit 60 can detect the edge of the medium and, consequently, the width of the medium based on the detection information from the edge detection unit 73.

[0047] As described above, the wiper carriage 70 is movable in the media width direction, and the edge detection unit 73 is provided on the wiper carriage 70. Therefore, by moving the wiper carriage 70 in the media width direction while the media is positioned in a location where the edge detection unit 73 can detect the media, edge detection by the edge detection unit 73 becomes possible. Here, edge detection refers to detecting either or both of the edges of the media in the +X direction and / or the -X direction.

[0048] In Figure 4, the symbol Pe1 represents the edge of the medium P in the +X direction, and the symbol Pe2 represents the edge of the medium P in the -X direction. Line SL1 is the detection line by the edge detection unit 73. As shown in the figure, by positioning the medium P in a position where it can be detected by the edge detection unit 73, and then moving the wiper carriage 70 in the direction of the arrow (-X direction) as an example, the positions of edges Pe1 and Pe2 can be detected. As a result, the widthwise size of the medium P can be detected. Furthermore, by transporting the media with the edge detection unit 73 positioned in a location where it can detect the media in the media width direction, for example, at the center position in the media width direction, it is also possible to detect the -Y direction edge, i.e., the front edge, and the +Y direction edge, i.e., the rear edge of the media.

[0049] When edge detection of the medium is performed using the edge detection unit 73, the line head 30 may move to the wiping retraction position Ps4 (see Figure 2) after the medium has been transported to a position where it can face the edge detection unit 73, or it may move to the wiping retraction position Ps4 before the medium has been transported to a position where it can face the edge detection unit 73. However, when using the edge detection unit 73 to detect the edges of the medium, it is preferable that the medium is securely nipped by at least the first transport roller pair 15 so that the orientation of the medium does not become unstable.

[0050] Next, the adjustment mechanism 40 for adjusting the pressing force when the driven roller 17 is pressed toward the drive roller 16 will be described. Unless otherwise specified, the term "pressing force" hereafter refers to the pressing force when the driven roller 17 is pressed toward the drive roller 16. In this embodiment, the pressing force can be switched between the maximum pressing force and the minimum pressing force. Note that the minimum pressing force includes the case where the pressing force is zero. In Figure 2, the roller support member 24 is pivotably mounted on the main frame 38 via a pivot shaft 24a. The pivoting of the roller support member 24 causes the driven roller 17 to move forward and backward relative to the drive roller 16.

[0051] The roller support member 24 is provided with a spring attachment portion 24b. An adjustment member 41 is provided above the roller support member 24. The adjustment member 41 is provided with a spring attachment portion 41c. A tension coil spring 45, which is an example of a pressing member, is stretched between the spring attachment portion 24b of the roller support member 24 and the spring attachment portion 41c of the adjustment member 41. Reference numeral 45a indicates one end of the tension coil spring 45, and this end 45a is attached to the spring attachment portion 41c. Reference numeral 45b indicates the other end of the tension coil spring 45, and this other end 45b is attached to the spring attachment portion 24b. The spring force of the tension coil spring 45 becomes the force that causes the roller support member 24 to swing in the rotational direction C2, and thus becomes the pressing force. Note that rotation direction C2 is an example of a second rotation direction, and rotation direction C1 is an example of a first rotation direction.

[0052] The adjustment mechanism 40 adjusts the pressing force by displacing one end 45a of the tension coil spring 45. That is, the adjustment member 41 swings, switching between the maximum pressing force and the minimum pressing force. In this embodiment, the adjustment mechanism 40 comprises a rotating shaft 47, a first rotating cam 51, a second rotating cam 52, and an adjustment member 41. The rotating shaft 47 is a shaft that rotates with power from the motor 61 and, as described above, is also a drive source for raising and lowering the line head 30. The rotating shaft 47 is supported by a bearing portion (not shown) provided on the main frame 38. The first rotating cam 51 and the second rotating cam 52 are mounted on the rotating shaft 47. However, as will be described in more detail later, the first rotating cam 51 is not fixedly mounted to the rotating shaft 47, but is rotatable relative to the rotating shaft 47. The second rotating cam 52 is fixedly mounted to the rotating shaft 47 and rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating shaft 47.

[0053] The adjustment member 41 is pivotably mounted relative to the main frame 38 via a pivot shaft 41a. The adjustment member 41 has a first arm portion 41b extending in the +Z direction from the pivot shaft 41a and a second arm portion 41d extending in the -Y direction from the pivot shaft 41a, and the spring attachment portion 41c described above is provided on the first arm portion 41b. The second arm portion 41d is provided with a cam engagement portion 42, which is a part that engages with the first rotating cam 51 and the second rotating cam 52. Since the adjustment member 41 is subjected to a force that causes it to swing in the rotational direction C1 by the tension coil spring 45, the cam engagement portion 42 is pressed toward the first rotating cam 51 and the second rotating cam 52.

[0054] As the first rotating cam 51 and the second rotating cam 52 rotate, the position of the cam engagement portion 42 changes, causing the adjustment member 41 to swing. When the adjustment member 41 swings, one end 45a of the tension coil spring 45 is displaced, and the pressing force changes. As described above, the adjustment member 41 is a member that engages with the first rotating cam 51 and the second rotating cam 52 and also engages with the tension coil spring 45, and adjusts the pressing force by being displaced by the rotation of the first rotating cam 51 and the second rotating cam 52.

[0055] Next, the first rotating cam 51 and the second rotating cam 52 will be described. As shown in Figure 5, the first rotating cam 51 and the second rotating cam 52 are provided adjacent to each other in the X-axis direction, i.e., in the axial direction of the rotation axis 47. The axial positions of the first rotating cam 51 and the second rotating cam 52 are restricted by a restricting member (not shown), such as an E-ring, so as not to move in the axial direction. In this embodiment, the second rotating cam 52 is positioned in the -X direction relative to the first rotating cam 51.

[0056] As shown in Figure 6, the second rotating cam 52 has a shaft hole 52c through which the rotating shaft 47 is inserted. A radially extending slit 52e is formed in the shaft hole 52c, and a protrusion (not shown) formed on the rotating shaft 47 fits into the slit 52e, causing the second rotating cam 52 to rotate integrally with the rotating shaft 47. The disc surface of the second rotating cam 52 is formed such that a pin 52d protrudes in the +X direction. The outer circumferential surface of the second rotating cam 52 is formed with a second cam surface 52a and a second circumferential surface 52b. The outer circumferential surface of the second rotating cam 52 is formed as a smooth surface around its entire circumference.

[0057] Figure 8 shows the region of the second cam surface 52a and the region of the second circumferential surface 52b, where region S2a is the region of the second cam surface 52a and region S2b is the region of the second circumferential surface 52b. The second cam surface 52a is formed such that its diameter gradually increases at the position where it contacts the cam engagement portion 42 (see Figure 2) as the second rotating cam 52 rotates in the rotational direction C2. The second circumferential surface 52b is the part of the second rotating cam 52 with the largest diameter and is a surface with a uniform diameter throughout. Furthermore, region S2c is the region with the smallest diameter in the second rotating cam 52.

[0058] The first rotating cam 51 has a shaft hole 51c through which the rotating shaft 47 is inserted, as shown in Figure 7. The inner diameter of the shaft hole 51c is larger than the outer diameter of the rotating shaft 47, so that the shaft hole 51c is less likely to receive torque directly from the rotating shaft 47 when the rotating shaft 47 rotates. A groove 51d is formed on the disc surface of the first rotating cam 51 so as to extend in the circumferential direction. Reference numeral 51e indicates one inner wall of the groove 51d, and reference numeral 51f indicates the other inner wall of the groove 51d. When the first rotating cam 51 and the second rotating cam 52 are adjacent, the pin 52d of the second rotating cam 52 can fit into the groove 51d. The pin 52d can move between the one inner wall 51e and the other inner wall 51f inside the groove 51d when the first rotating cam 51 and the second rotating cam 52 rotate relative to each other.

[0059] The outer circumferential surface of the first rotating cam 51 has a first cam surface 51a and a first circumferential surface 51b formed thereon. The outer circumferential surface of the first rotating cam 51 is formed as a smooth surface over its entire circumference. Figure 9 shows the region of the first cam surface 51a and the region of the first circumferential surface 51b, where region S1a is the region of the first cam surface 51a and region S1b is the region of the first circumferential surface 51b. The first cam surface 51a is formed such that its diameter decreases sharply at the position where it contacts the cam engagement portion 42 (see Figure 2) when the first rotating cam 51 rotates in the rotation direction C1. As a result, the first cam surface 51a has a steeper slope than the second cam surface 52a. In other words, the second cam surface 52a has a gentler slope than the first cam surface 51a. To put it another way, the increase in diameter per given rotation angle is less for the second cam surface 52a than for the first cam surface 51a. The first circumferential surface 51b is the part of the first rotating cam 51 with the largest diameter, and is a surface with a uniform diameter throughout. Furthermore, region S1c is the region with the smallest diameter in the first rotating cam 51.

[0060] Here, the outer diameter of the first circumferential surface 51b is smaller than the outer diameter of the second circumferential surface 52b. In Figure 10, reference numeral 42A indicates the portion of the cam engagement portion 42 that engages with the first rotating cam 51, and will be referred to as the first cam engagement portion 42A below. Reference numeral 42B indicates the portion of the cam engagement portion 42 that engages with the second rotating cam 52, and will be referred to as the second cam engagement portion 42B below. In this embodiment, the first cam engagement portion 42A and the second cam engagement portion 42B are integrally formed. Furthermore, the first cam engagement portion 42A and the second cam engagement portion 42B are formed flush with each other, and one is formed so that it does not protrude toward the opposing cam from the other. As shown in the figure, the outer diameter of the first circumferential surface 51b is larger than the outer diameter of the second circumferential surface 52b. Therefore, when the first circumferential surface 51b is in contact with the first cam engagement portion 42A, the second circumferential surface 52b does not come into contact with the second cam engagement portion 42B.

[0061] The operation of the adjustment mechanism 40 configured as described above will be explained with reference to Figures 11A to 11H. In Figures 11A to 11H, the second rotating cam 52 and pin 52d are shown with dashed lines to indicate the position of pin 52d in groove 51d. Figure 11A shows the state of the adjustment mechanism 40 when the line head 30 is in the cap position Ps1 (see Figure 2), which is the state of maximum pressing force. In the process of reaching this state, the rotating shaft 47 rotates in the rotational direction C2. At that time, the pin 52d pushes the other inner wall 51f of the groove 51d in the rotational direction C2, thereby the first rotating cam 51 receives torque from the second rotating cam 52, and the first rotating cam 51 and the second rotating cam 52 rotate together in the rotational direction C2.

[0062] When raising the line head 30 from this state, the rotating shaft 47 is rotated in the rotational direction C1. As a result, the second rotating cam 52 also rotates in the rotational direction C1, but the first rotating cam 51 does not receive torque from the second rotating cam 52 until the pin 52d contacts the inner wall 51e on one side of the groove 51d. In addition, the first rotating cam 51 is in contact with the first cam engaging portion 42A, and a strong frictional force is generated between them, so the first rotating cam 51 does not rotate. Figure 11B shows the state when the line head 30 has been raised to the recording position Ps2 (see Figure 2). In this state, the pin 52d is not in contact with the inner wall 51e on one side of the groove 51d. Therefore, the first rotating cam 51 and the second rotating cam 52 rotate relative to each other. Due to the relative rotation of the first rotating cam 51 and the second rotating cam 52, as shown in Figures 11B to 11E, the second cam surface 52a of the second rotating cam 52 does not protrude radially from the first cam surface 51a and the first circumferential surface 51b of the first rotating cam 51 when viewed from the axial direction of the rotation axis 47. In other words, a state is formed in which the first cam surface 51a can function. Therefore, the relative rotation of the first rotating cam 51 and the second rotating cam 52 is important.

[0063] As the rotation shaft 47 rotates further in the rotation direction C1 from the state shown in Figure 11B, the pin 52d comes into contact with one side inner wall 51e of the groove 51d, pushing the inner wall 51e in the rotation direction C1. As a result, the first rotating cam 51 receives torque from the second rotating cam 52, and the first rotating cam 51 and the second rotating cam 52 rotate together in the rotation direction C1. Figure 11C shows the state where the line head 30 has risen to the wiping position Ps3 (see Figure 2). As shown in the figure, the pin 52d is in contact with one side inner wall 51e of the groove 51d.

[0064] Figure 11D shows the state in which the rotating shaft 47 has further rotated in the rotational direction C1 and the line head 30 has risen to the wiping retraction position Ps4 (see Figure 2). Throughout this process, the adjustment member 41 maintains its position by the first circumferential surface 51b contacting the first cam engagement portion 42A. That is, the pressing force is maintained at the maximum pressing force. This state, i.e., the position of the adjustment member 41 shown in Figures 11A to 11D, is defined as the first position of the adjustment member 41.

[0065] As the rotating shaft 47 rotates further in the rotational direction C1 from this state, the portion of the first rotating cam 51 that contacts the first cam engaging portion 42A transitions from the first circumferential surface 51b to the first cam surface 51a. As a result, the adjustment member 41 swings in the rotational direction C1, as shown in the change from Figure 11D to Figure 11E, the pressing force decreases, and becomes the minimum pressing force. Figure 11E shows the state in which the rotating shaft 47 rotates further in the rotational direction C1 and the line head 30 has risen to the jam processing position Ps5 (see Figure 2). This state, that is, the posture of the adjustment member 41 shown in Figure 11E, is defined as the second posture of the adjustment member 41. In this way, the adjustment member 41 changes its posture between the first posture and the second posture. When the adjustment member 41 is in the first posture, the pressing force is the maximum pressing force. When the adjustment member 41 is in the second posture, the pressing force is the minimum pressing force.

[0066] Because the first cam surface 51a has a steep slope, the adjustment member 41 switches from the first position to the second position with a small amount of rotation of the rotating shaft 47, that is, the pressing force switches from the maximum pressing force to the minimum pressing force. In this state, since the pressing force is reduced, even if the medium is nipped on the first conveyor roller pair 15 (see Figure 2), the medium can be pulled out with little force, and the tearing of the medium can be suppressed.

[0067] Next, we will explain the change in the state of the adjustment mechanism 40 when lowering the line head 30 from this state. When lowering the line head 30 from the state shown in Figure 11E, the rotating shaft 47 is rotated in the rotational direction C2. As a result, the second rotating cam 52 also rotates in the rotational direction C2, but the first rotating cam 51 does not receive torque from the second rotating cam 52 until the pin 52d contacts the other inner wall 51f of the groove 51d. In addition, since the first cam engaging portion 42A is in contact with the first cam surface 51a which is formed at a steep gradient, the first rotating cam 51 does not rotate.

[0068] As the second rotating cam 52 rotates in the rotational direction C2, the second cam engaging portion 42B is pushed down by the second cam surface 52a. Figure 11F shows the state where the pushing down has progressed. In the state shown in Figure 11F, the pin 52d is not in contact with the other inner wall 51f of the groove 51d. As the second cam engaging portion 42B is pushed down by the second cam surface 52a, the adjustment member 41 swings in the rotational direction C2, and the pressing force increases.

[0069] As the rotation shaft 47 rotates further from the state shown in Figure 11F, the pin 52d comes into contact with the other inner wall 51f of the groove 51d, as shown in Figure 11G. From this point onward, as the rotation shaft 47 rotates in the rotation direction C2, the pin 52d pushes the other inner wall 51f in the rotation direction C2, causing the first rotating cam 51 to receive torque from the second rotating cam 52, and the first rotating cam 51 and the second rotating cam 52 to rotate together in the rotation direction C2. In this way, when the rotation direction of the motor 61 switches from rotation direction C1 to rotation direction C2, the first rotating cam 51 starts rotating later than the second rotating cam 52.

[0070] As shown in the change from Figure 11F to Figure 11G, as the second cam surface 52a pushes down the second cam engagement portion 42B, the adjustment member 41 approaches the first position. Then, as the rotating shaft 47 rotates further from this state, the first circumferential surface 51b of the first rotating cam 51 engages with the first cam engagement portion 42A of the cam engagement portion 42. Then, as shown in Figure 11H, the adjustment member 41 is completely switched to the first position, the pressing force becomes the maximum pressing force, and the medium is in a state where it can be reliably nipped by the first transport roller pair 15. In this manner, when the adjustment member 41 switches from the second position to the first position, that is, when the load on the motor 61 increases, the second cam surface 52a, which has a gentler slope than the first cam surface 51a, becomes functional, thereby suppressing the load on the motor 61.

[0071] As described above, the adjustment mechanism 40 includes a rotating shaft 47 that rotates by the power of the motor 61, a first rotating cam 51 provided on the rotating shaft 47, a second rotating cam 52 provided on the rotating shaft 47, and an adjustment member 41 that engages with the first rotating cam 51 and the second rotating cam 52 and also engages with the tension coil spring 45, and adjusts the pressing force by being displaced by the rotation of the first rotating cam 51 and the second rotating cam 52. The first rotating cam 51 has a first cam surface 51a that reduces the pressing force when the motor 61 rotates in rotation direction C1. The second rotating cam 52 has a cam surface with a gentler slope than the first cam surface 51a and has a second cam surface 52a that increases the pressing force when the motor 61 rotates in rotation direction C2. When the rotation direction of the motor 61 switches from rotation direction C1 to rotation direction C2, the first rotating cam 51 starts rotating later than the second rotating cam 52.

[0072] When the rotation direction of the motor 61 switches from rotation direction C1 to rotation direction C2 in this manner, the first rotating cam 51 starts rotating later than the second rotating cam 52. Therefore, when increasing the pressing force, the second cam surface 52a comes into play. Furthermore, since the second cam surface 52a has a gentler slope than the first cam surface 51a, the load on the motor 61 when increasing the pressing force can be suppressed. As described above, by having a configuration in which the functional cam surface differs depending on whether the pressing force is being reduced or increased, the first cam surface 51a can be formed to have a steeper slope than the second cam surface 52a, thereby suppressing the amount of rotation of the motor 61 required to reduce the pressing force. This makes it possible to accommodate situations where the amount of rotation of the motor is limited due to the drive of other parts, even when the motor 61 is used not only to drive the adjustment mechanism 40 but also to drive other parts.

[0073] An example of this constraint is described below. In this embodiment, before recording to the medium, the line head 30 may be raised from the recording position Ps2 (see Figure 2) to the wiping retraction position Ps4 (see Figure 2), and the widthwise size of the medium may be detected as described with reference to Figure 4. At this time, as mentioned above, if the medium is not reliably nipped by the first transport roller pair 15, the posture of the medium may become unstable, and the widthwise size of the medium may not be properly detected. Therefore, when the line head 30 is in the wiping retraction position Ps4 (see Figure 2), the pressing force must be maintained at its maximum value.

[0074] Furthermore, since the amount of movement of the line head 30 from the wiping retraction position Ps4 (see Figure 2) to the jam processing position Ps5 (see Figure 2) is small, it is necessary to reduce the pressing force with a small rotation amount of the motor 61. Increasing the amount of movement of the line head 30 from the wiping retraction position Ps4 (see Figure 2) to the jam processing position Ps5 (see Figure 2) would lead to an increase in the size of the device, which is undesirable. Even when there are limitations on the rotational amount of the motor 61, the adjustment mechanism 40 according to this embodiment can accommodate these limitations.

[0075] The following describes the effects and benefits of the adjustment mechanism 40 according to this embodiment. The second rotating cam 52 rotates in sync with the rotating shaft 47, and the first rotating cam 51 is rotatable relative to the rotating shaft 47. The first rotating cam 51 is provided with a groove 51d extending along the circumferential direction, and the other end of the second rotating cam 52 is provided with a pin 52d that fits into the groove 51d. When the rotation direction of the motor 61 switches from rotation direction C1 to rotation direction C2, the pin 52d moves from one inner wall 51e to the other inner wall 51f of the groove 51d, causing the first rotating cam 51 to start rotating later than the second rotating cam 52. With this configuration, the groove 51d and pin 52d make it easy to obtain a configuration in which the first rotating cam 51 starts rotating later than the second rotating cam 52. Furthermore, the relationship between the groove and the pin may be reversed. That is, the groove 51d may be formed on the second rotating cam 52, and the pin 52d may be provided on the first rotating cam 51.

[0076] Furthermore, the pin 52d does not necessarily have to be provided on the second rotating cam 52. For example, a pin equivalent to the pin 52d can be provided on the rotating shaft 47. In this case, the pin is formed to protrude radially from the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 47. Also in this case, the groove 51d formed on the first rotating cam 51 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the shaft hole 51c, rather than on the disc surface. With this configuration, when the rotation direction of the motor 61 switches from rotation direction C1 to rotation direction C2, the first rotating cam 51 can start rotating later than the second rotating cam 52. Furthermore, in this configuration, it is not necessary to provide the first rotating cam 51 and the second rotating cam 52 adjacent to each other; they may be placed at positions separated in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 47.

[0077] Furthermore, the cam engagement portion 42 of the adjustment member 41 includes a first cam engagement portion 42A that engages with the first rotating cam 51 and a second cam engagement portion 42B that engages with the second rotating cam 52. On the outer circumferential surface of the first rotating cam 51, in addition to the first cam surface 51a, a first circumferential surface 51b with a constant outer diameter is formed. On the outer circumferential surface of the second rotating cam 52, in addition to the second cam surface 52a, a second circumferential surface 52b with a constant outer diameter is formed. The outer diameter of the second circumferential surface 52b is smaller than the outer diameter of the first circumferential surface 51b. As a result, the frictional force between the first rotating cam 51 and the first cam engagement portion 42A makes it possible to achieve relative rotation between the first rotating cam 51 and the second rotating cam 52, as described above.

[0078] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first cam engagement portion 42A and the second cam engagement portion 42B are integrally formed, and the first rotating cam 51 and the second rotating cam 52 are provided adjacent to each other in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 47. With such a configuration, the adjustment mechanism 40 for one driven roller 17 can be made compact. However, as described above, the first rotating cam 51 and the second rotating cam 52 may be spaced apart in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 47, in which case the first cam engaging portion 42A and the second cam engaging portion 42B may be formed separately.

[0079] In this embodiment, the adjustment member 41 is pivotably mounted, and the driven roller 17 is supported by a pivotably mounted roller support member 24. One end 45a of the tension coil spring 45 is attached to the adjustment member 41, and the other end 45b is attached to the roller support member 24. When the adjustment member 41 pivots, the one end 45a of the tension coil spring 45 is displaced, and the pressing force changes. Furthermore, the tension coil spring 45 is just one example of a pressing member that presses the driven roller 17 toward the drive roller 16. The pressing member is not limited to the tension coil spring 45; other members such as a compression coil spring or a torsion spring may also be used. However, by using a tension coil spring 45 as the pressing member, the tension coil spring 45 can be easily attached after the adjustment member 41 and the roller support member 24 have been attached, resulting in improved assembly workability.

[0080] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as the motor 61 rotates in the second rotation direction C2, the first cam surface 51a overlaps with the second rotating cam 52 when viewed from the axial direction of the rotating shaft 47, as shown in Figure 11A. When the rotation direction of the motor 61 switches from the second rotation direction C2 to the first rotation direction C1, the first rotating cam 51 starts rotating later than the second rotating cam 52, as shown in Figures 11A and 11B, thereby eliminating the overlap between the first cam surface 51a and the second rotating cam 52.

[0081] In other words, when the motor 61 rotates in the second rotation direction C2, the first cam surface 51a overlaps with the second rotating cam 52 when viewed from the axial direction of the rotating shaft 47. If this overlap is not resolved when the motor 61 rotates in the first rotation direction C1, the first cam surface 51a will cease to function when reducing the pressing force. As a result, it becomes impossible to suppress the amount of rotation of the motor 61 necessary to reduce the pressing force. However, in this embodiment, when the rotation direction of the motor 61 switches from the second rotation direction C2 to the first rotation direction C1, the first rotating cam 51 starts rotating later than the second rotating cam 52, thereby eliminating the overlap between the first cam surface 51a and the second rotating cam 52. As a result, the first cam surface 51a functions reliably when reducing the pressing force, and the amount of rotation of the motor 61 required to reduce the pressing force can be suppressed.

[0082] The printer 1 also includes an opposing section 23 that faces the line head 30. The line head 30 is provided so as to be movable in the direction of advancing and retracting relative to the opposing section 23, and the motor 61 also serves as the power source for moving the line head 30. When the motor 61 rotates in rotational direction C1, the line head 30 moves away from the opposing section 23, and when the motor 61 rotates in rotational direction C2, the line head 30 moves toward the opposing section 23. In this way, the motor 61 also serves as the power source for moving the line head 30, which simplifies the configuration and reduces costs.

[0083] The printer 1 also includes a wiper 71 that wipes the head surface 30a of the line head 30 by moving along the width direction of the media, and an edge detection unit 73 provided on the wiper carriage 70 including the wiper 71, which can detect the edges of the media in the width direction by moving along the width direction. Furthermore, the adjustment mechanism 40 functions as the line head 30 moves from the wiping retraction position Ps4 to the jam processing position Ps5, causing the first cam surface 51a to function and reducing the pressing force.

[0084] In a configuration where the edge detection unit 73 is provided on the wiper carriage 70, the orientation of the medium needs to be stable as described above when the wiper carriage 70 moves in the width direction and the edge detection unit 73 detects the edge of the medium. That is, when the edge detection unit 73 detects the edge of the medium, the medium needs to be reliably nipped by the drive roller 16 and the driven roller 17. For this reason, when the line head 30 is in the wiping retraction position Ps4, the pressing force needs to be maintained at the maximum pressing force, and the pressing force needs to be reduced in a limited area between the wiping retraction position Ps4 and the jam processing position Ps5. That is, the pressing force needs to be reduced with a small amount of rotation of the motor 61. According to this embodiment, the adjustment mechanism 40 is configured such that the first cam surface 51a functions during the process in which the line head 30 moves from the wiping retraction position Ps4 to the jam processing position Ps5, thereby reducing the pressing force. As a result, the pressing force can be reduced with a small amount of rotation of the motor 61.

[0085] Furthermore, although the printer 1 according to this embodiment is configured to record without the recording head moving in the width direction, it may also be configured in which the recording head moves in the width direction while ejecting ink, i.e., a serial type. Also, the recording method is not limited to inkjet, but may be dot impact, laser, or LED electrophotographic. In the above embodiment, the motor 61 serves as both the drive source for the adjustment mechanism 40 and the drive source for the movement of the line head 30, but it may also serve as both the drive source for the adjustment mechanism 40 and the drive source for other parts. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the adjustment mechanism 40 is configured such that the first cam surface 51a functions during the process of moving from the wiping retraction position Ps4 to the jam processing position Ps5, thereby reducing the pressing force. However, the wiping retraction position Ps4 may be any other position.

[0086] Specifically, as an example, the configuration can be applied to a setup in which the cap portion 26 is positioned between the line head 30 and the opposing portion 23 when the line head 30 rises from the recording position Ps2. In this case, the cap portion 26 moves, for example, in the X-axis direction. The position of the line head 30 when performing a flushing process to eject ink onto the cap portion 26 is defined as the flushing position, and the adjustment mechanism 40 may be configured such that the first cam surface 51a functions during the process in which the line head 30 moves from the flushing position to the jamming position Ps5, thereby reducing the pressing force. Since the flushing process may be performed during the recording operation, in this case it is necessary to ensure that the medium is nipped by the first transport roller pair 15. In such a configuration, a configuration in which the first cam surface 51a functions during the process in which the line head 30 moves from the flushing position to the jamming position Ps5, thereby reducing the pressing force, is preferred.

[0087] Furthermore, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and modifications described above, and 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]

[0088] 1... Inkjet printer, 2... Media storage cassette, 3... Pick roller, 5... Feeding roller, 6... Separation roller, 8... Reversing roller, 9... First nip roller, 10... Second nip roller, 12... Media support section, 13... Feeding roller, 14... Separation roller, 15... First transport roller pair, 16... Drive roller, 17... Driven roller, 18... Driven roller, 19... Second transport roller pair, 20... Drive roller, 21... Driven roller, 23... Opposing section, 24... Roller support member, 24a... Oscillating shaft, 24b... Spring attachment section, 25... Housing, 26... Cap section, 27... Third transport roller pair, 28... Discharge roller pair, 29... Discharge tray, 30... Line head, 30a... Head surface, 31... Nozzle, 35... Rack section, 36... Pinion, 38... Main Frame, 40...Adjustment mechanism, 41...Adjustment member, 41a...Oscillating shaft, 41b...First arm, 41c...Spring attachment part, 41d...Second arm, 42...Cam engagement part, 42a...First cam engagement part, 42b...Second cam engagement part, 45...Tension coil spring, 46a...One end, 46b...Other end, 47...Rotation shaft, 51...First rotation cam, 51a...First cam surface, 51b...First circumferential surface, 51c...Shaft hole, 51 d...groove, 51e...one inner wall, 51f...other inner wall, 52...second rotating cam, 52a...second cam surface, 52b...second circumferential surface, 52c...shaft hole, 52d...pin, 52e...slit, 60...control unit, 61...motor, 62...rack unit, 63...pinion, 70...wiper carriage, 70a...fitting hole, 71...wiper, 72...ink recovery unit, 72a...suction unit, 73...edge detection unit

Claims

1. A transport route for transporting the medium, A recording unit that records on a medium along the aforementioned transport path, A pair of rollers provided in the transport path, comprising a first roller and a second roller that is pressed toward the first roller, A pressing member that presses the second roller toward the first roller, An adjustment mechanism for adjusting the pressing force applied by the pressing member, The motor is the power source for the adjustment mechanism, Equipped with, The adjustment mechanism is, A rotating shaft that rotates by the power of the aforementioned motor, A first rotating cam is provided on the aforementioned rotating shaft, A second rotating cam is provided on the aforementioned rotating shaft, An adjustment member that engages with the first rotating cam and the second rotating cam and also engages with the pressing member, and which adjusts the pressing force by being displaced by the rotation of the first rotating cam and the second rotating cam, Equipped with, The first rotating cam is provided with a first cam surface that reduces the pressing force when the motor rotates in a first rotational direction, The second rotating cam has a cam surface with a gentler slope than the first cam surface, and includes a second cam surface that increases the pressing force when the motor rotates in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction. When the rotation direction of the motor switches from the first rotation direction to the second rotation direction, the first rotating cam starts rotating later than the second rotating cam. A recording device characterized by the following features.

2. In the recording device according to claim 1, The second rotating cam rotates in synchronization with the rotation axis, The first rotating cam is provided so as to be rotatable relative to the rotation axis, One of the first rotating cam and the second rotating cam is provided with a groove extending in the circumferential direction. The other of the first and second rotating cams is provided with a pin that fits into the groove. When the rotation direction of the motor switches from the first rotation direction to the second rotation direction, the pin moves from one inner wall of the groove to the other inner wall, causing the first rotating cam to start rotating later than the second rotating cam. A recording device characterized by the following features.

3. In the recording device according to claim 2, The aforementioned adjustment member is A first cam engaging portion that engages with the first rotating cam, A second cam engaging portion that engages with the second rotating cam, Equipped with, In addition to the first cam surface, a first circumferential surface with a constant outer diameter is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the first rotating cam. In addition to the second cam surface, a second circumferential surface with a constant outer diameter is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the second rotating cam. The outer diameter of the second circumferential surface is smaller than the outer diameter of the first circumferential surface. A recording device characterized by the following features.

4. In the recording device according to claim 3, The first cam engagement portion and the second cam engagement portion are formed integrally, The first rotating cam and the second rotating cam are provided adjacent to each other in the axial direction of the rotation shaft. A recording device characterized by the following features.

5. In the recording device according to claim 1, The adjustment member is provided so as to be swingable, The second roller is supported by a swingable roller support member, The pressing member is composed of a tension coil spring, with one end attached to the adjustment member and the other end attached to the roller support member. The adjusting member swings, causing one end of the tension coil spring to be displaced, thereby changing the pressing force. A recording device characterized by the following features.

6. In the recording device according to claim 1, As the motor rotates in the second rotational direction, the first cam surface, when viewed from the axial direction of the rotation shaft, overlaps with the second rotating cam. When the rotation direction of the motor switches from the second rotation direction to the first rotation direction, the first rotating cam starts rotating later than the second rotating cam, thereby eliminating the overlap between the first cam surface and the second rotating cam. A recording device characterized by the following features.

7. In a recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The recording unit is equipped with a facing unit, The recording unit is provided so as to be movable in a direction that moves forward and backward relative to the opposing unit. The motor also serves as the power source for moving the recording unit. When the motor rotates in the first rotational direction, the recording unit separates from the opposing unit. When the motor rotates in the second rotational direction, the recording unit advances toward the opposing unit. A recording device characterized by the following features.

8. In the recording device according to claim 7, The recording unit includes a recording head for recording onto a medium, A wiper that wipes the head surface of the recording head by moving along the transport path in the width direction of the transported medium, An edge detection unit is provided in the wiping unit including the wiper, and is capable of detecting the edges of the medium in the width direction by moving along the width direction, Equipped with, The position in the direction of movement of the recording head is: The recording location where the data is recorded on the medium, A wiping position which is a position away from the recording position and away from the opposing portion, and in which the wiper wipes the head surface, A wiping retraction position is a position that is further away from the opposing portion than the wiping position, and is the position where the edge detection unit detects the edge of the medium in the width direction, A position that is further away from the opposing part than the wiping retraction position, and is a jam handling position to which the recording head moves when a jam occurs in the transport path, It includes, The adjustment mechanism is such that the first cam surface functions during the process of moving from the wiping retraction position to the jamming position, thereby reducing the pressing force. A recording device characterized by the following features.

Images