Liquid dispensing device

Abstract

If paper dust gets into the underside of the shutter, which is in a shielding position, and adheres to the cap, the airtightness between the cap and the head surface will decrease, leading to poor maintenance. [Solution] The liquid dispensing device comprises a liquid dispensing head, a cap portion that can face the liquid dispensing surface of the liquid dispensing head, a shutter that can be displaced between a shielded position that covers the cap portion and an open position that exposes the cap portion, and a support portion located upstream and downstream of the shutter in the media transport direction at a position facing the liquid dispensing head, the support portion supporting the medium together with the shutter in the shielded position. An opening is formed between the shutter in the shielded position and the support portion, and a wall portion is provided between the opening and the cap portion in the media transport direction, rising from the base end to the tip of the cap portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid ejection device that ejects a liquid onto a medium.

Background Art

[0002] The recording device described in Patent Document 1 includes a liquid ejection head, a cap portion that covers the head surface of the liquid ejection head, and a shutter that is displaceable between a shielding position and an open position above the cap portion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the recording device described in Patent Document 1, paper dust may enter under the shutter in the shielding position. If this paper dust adheres to the cap portion, the adhesion between the cap portion and the head surface may decrease, leading to maintenance problems and ultimately reducing the recording quality.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a liquid dispensing device comprising: a liquid dispensing head that records by dispensing liquid onto a medium; a cap portion that can face the liquid dispensing surface of the liquid dispensing head; a shutter that is displaceable between a shielded position that covers the cap portion and an open position that exposes the cap portion, the shutter supporting a medium passing through a position facing the liquid dispensing head when in the shielded position; and a support portion located upstream and downstream of the shutter in the medium transport direction at the position facing the liquid dispensing head, the support portion supporting the medium together with the shutter in the shielded position, wherein an opening is formed between the shutter in the shielded position and the support portion, and a wall portion rising in a first direction, which is the direction from the base end to the tip of the cap portion, is provided between the opening and the cap portion in the medium transport direction. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0006] [Figure 1] A diagram showing the entire media transport path in a printer. [Figure 2] A diagram showing the drive mechanism for raising and lowering the line head. [Figure 3] A diagram illustrating the operation of the windshield wipers. [Figure 4] A diagram showing the positional relationship between the edge detection unit and the media when performing edge detection. [Figure 5] A perspective view of the line head from below. [Figure 6] Plan view of the head surface. [Figure 7A] A diagram showing a displacement mechanism for displacing a movable roller, with the line head in the recording position. [Figure 7B] A diagram showing a displacement mechanism for displacing a movable roller, with the line head positioned between the recording position and the wiping position. [Figure 7C] A diagram showing a displacement mechanism for displacing a movable roller, with the line head in the wiping position. [Figure 8] Perspective view of the cap unit. [Figure 9] Perspective view of the opposing section. [Figure 10] Disassembled perspective view of the crank mechanism. [Figure 11A] A side view of a shutter, showing the shutter in the shielding position. [Figure 11B] This is a side view of a shutter, showing it in the process of moving from the shielded position to the open position. [Figure 11C] This is a side view of the shutter, showing the shutter in the open position with the line head separated from the cap. [Figure 11D] This is a side view of the shutter, showing the shutter in the open position with the line head extended to the cap. [Figure 11E] This is a side view of a shutter, showing it in the process of moving from the open position to the closed position. [Figure 12] A partially enlarged perspective view of the opposing section. [Figure 13] Cross-sectional view of the opposing part and the cap part. [Figure 14] Perspective view of the cap. [Figure 15] A cross-sectional view of the opposing portion and the cap portion, showing another embodiment of the wall portion. [Figure 16] A cross-sectional view of the opposing portion and the cap portion, showing another embodiment of the wall portion. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] The present invention will be described in general terms below. The liquid ejection device according to the first aspect includes a liquid ejection head that records by ejecting liquid onto a medium, a cap portion that can face the liquid ejection surface of the liquid ejection head, and a shutter that is displaceable between a shielding position that covers the cap portion and an open position that exposes the cap portion. The shutter supports a medium passing through a position facing the liquid ejection head when in the shielding position, and a support portion that is located at least on either the upstream or downstream side of the shutter in the medium conveyance direction at a position facing the liquid ejection head. The support portion supports the medium together with the shutter located in the shielding position. An opening is formed between the shutter located in the shielding position and the support portion, and a wall portion that rises in a first direction, which is a direction from the proximal end side to the distal end of the cap portion, is provided between the opening and the cap portion in the medium conveyance direction.

[0008] According to this aspect, since a wall portion that rises in a first direction, which is a direction from the proximal end side to the distal end of the cap portion, is provided between the opening and the cap portion in the medium conveyance direction, even if paper dust enters from the opening, the adhesion of paper dust to the cap portion can be suppressed by the wall portion.

[0009] The second aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, wherein the opening is formed between the upstream end of the shutter in the medium conveyance direction and the support portion located upstream of the shutter in the medium conveyance direction. In the configuration where the opening is formed between the upstream end of the shutter in the medium conveyance direction and the support portion, when the medium is conveyed downstream in the medium conveyance direction, paper dust is likely to enter from the opening, and paper dust is likely to adhere to the cap portion. However, due to the operation and effect of the first aspect above, the adhesion of paper dust to the cap portion can be suppressed.

[0010] A third aspect is an aspect that depends on the second aspect, and is a member provided integrally with the liquid ejection head, and includes at least one contact member that can contact a medium conveyed to a position facing the liquid ejection surface, and a holding portion that holds the contact member. The holding portion is located upstream in the medium conveyance direction with respect to the liquid ejection surface. The liquid ejection head is displaceable between a recording position where recording is performed on the medium and a cap position where the liquid ejection surface is covered by the cap portion. A recess is formed in the support portion to avoid the holding portion when the liquid ejection head is in the cap position, and the recess forms a part of the opening.

[0011] According to this aspect, contact of the medium with the liquid ejection surface can be suppressed by the contact member. Here, a recess is formed in the support portion to avoid the holding portion when the liquid ejection head is in the retracted position. Since the recess forms a part of the opening, paper dust is likely to enter from the opening. However, according to the action and effect of the first aspect, adhesion of paper dust to the cap portion can be suppressed.

[0012] A fourth aspect is an aspect that depends on the third aspect, and is characterized by including a rib provided at the bottom of the recess to regulate the movement of paper dust to the cap portion. According to this aspect, since a rib for regulating the movement of paper dust to the cap portion is provided at the bottom of the recess, it is possible to suppress the paper dust that has entered the recess from going toward the cap portion.

[0013] A fifth aspect is an aspect that depends on the second aspect, and includes an edge detection unit for detecting an edge of the medium by moving in the medium width direction, which is a direction intersecting the medium conveyance direction. The edge detection unit is an optical sensor, and a reflection suppression unit for suppressing reflection of detection light emitted from the edge detection unit is provided at a position facing the edge detection unit. The reflection suppression unit is formed by a gap provided between the shutter in the shielding position and the support portion, and the gap forms a part of the opening.

[0014] In a configuration where the reflection suppression portion is formed by a gap provided between the shutter in the shielding position and the support portion, and forms part of the opening, paper dust can easily enter through the opening and adhere to the cap portion. However, the effects of the first embodiment described above can suppress the adhesion of paper dust to the cap portion. Furthermore, this embodiment is not limited to the second embodiment described above, but may also be dependent on the third or fourth embodiment described above.

[0015] The sixth aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, characterized in that the wall portion is provided so as to surround the cap portion. According to this embodiment, since the wall portion is provided so as to surround the cap portion, the adhesion of paper dust to the cap portion can be further suppressed. Furthermore, liquid can be stored inside the wall portion. This prevents the spilled liquid from spreading and contaminating a wide area inside the device if it overflows from the cap portion. Furthermore, as the rigidity around the cap portion is improved, the cap portion can make uniform contact with the liquid discharge surface, and the basic functions of the cap portion can be obtained well. 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.

[0016] The seventh aspect is an aspect dependent on the sixth aspect, comprising a base portion that supports the cap portion, the base portion having a discharge port for discharging liquid that has overflowed from the wall portion.

[0017] According to this embodiment, the device is provided with a base portion that supports the cap portion, and the base portion has an outlet for discharging liquid that overflows from the wall portion. Therefore, when liquid overflows from the wall portion, it is possible to prevent the overflowed liquid from spreading and contaminating a wide area inside the device.

[0018] The eighth aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, characterized in that the cap portion is provided so as to be able to move back and forth relative to the liquid discharge surface and is pressed toward the liquid discharge surface. According to this embodiment, the cap portion is provided so as to be able to move back and forth relative to the liquid discharge surface and is pressed toward the liquid discharge surface, so that the cap portion can be in good contact with the liquid discharge surface. Furthermore, this embodiment is not limited to the first embodiment described above, but may be dependent on any of the second to seventh embodiments described above.

[0019] The ninth aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, wherein the wall portion is displaceable in the first direction and in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and is pressed in the first direction. In a state where the cap portion is separated from the liquid discharge surface, the end of the wall portion in the first direction is positioned in the first direction relative to the end of the cap portion in the first direction.

[0020] According to this embodiment, when the cap portion is separated from the liquid discharge surface, the end of the wall portion in the first direction is located in the first direction relative to the end of the cap portion in the first direction, so that the adhesion of paper dust to the cap portion is effectively suppressed by the wall portion. Furthermore, the wall portion is displaceable in the first direction and the second direction opposite to the first direction, and is pressed in the first direction, so that when the cap portion comes into contact with the liquid discharge surface, the wall portion can retract in the second direction. This prevents the wall portion from obstructing the sealing of the liquid discharge surface by the cap portion. Furthermore, this embodiment is not limited to the first embodiment described above, but may be dependent on any of the second to eighth embodiments described above.

[0021] A tenth embodiment is an embodiment dependent on the first embodiment, characterized in that the wall portion has suction holes and paper dust can be sucked through the suction holes. According to this embodiment, the wall portion has a suction hole at the end in the first direction, and paper dust can be sucked up through the suction hole, thereby more effectively suppressing the adhesion of paper dust to the cap portion. Furthermore, this embodiment is not limited to the first embodiment described above, but may be dependent on any of the second to ninth embodiments described above.

[0022] The present invention will be described in detail below. The following describes an inkjet printer 1 as 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.

[0023] The Y-axis direction is the depth direction of the device and is aligned with the media transport direction at the position opposite the line head 40, which will be described later. The +Y direction is the direction from the back to the front of the device, and the -Y direction is the direction from the front to the back of the device. The -Y direction is also the media transport direction during recording at the position opposite the line head 40. Hereafter, when referring to the media transport direction, it means the -Y direction unless otherwise specified. In this embodiment, of the sides that make up the perimeter of the printer 1, the side in the +Y direction becomes the front of the device, and the side in the -Y direction becomes 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. As shown in Figure 1, printer 1 is equipped with a media storage cassette 2 at the bottom of the device. The symbol P indicates the media stored in the media storage cassette 2. One example of media is recording paper. The media storage cassette 2 is detachably mounted 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 medium is conveyed by the first conveyor roller pair 15 to a position facing the line head 40. 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).

[0028] The line head 40 is an example of a liquid ejection head that ejects ink, an example of a liquid, onto a medium for recording. The line head 40 is a liquid ejection head in which multiple nozzles 44 that eject ink are arranged to cover the entire width of the medium. The line head 40 is elongated in the width of the medium and is configured as a liquid ejection head that can record across the entire width of the medium without movement in the width of the medium. Reference numeral 42a denotes the head surface, which is the surface facing the medium. The head surface 42a can also be called the liquid discharge surface or nozzle surface. The head surface 42a is formed by a plate member 42 (see Figures 5 and 6), which will be described later. The head surface 42a is parallel to the medium transport direction.

[0029] Printer 1 is equipped with an ink storage unit (not shown), and ink ejected from line head 40 is supplied to line head 40 from the ink storage unit via an ink tube (not shown).

[0030] A facing portion 45 is provided at a position opposite the head surface 42a of the line head 40. In this embodiment, the facing portion 45 is provided with a shutter 147 (see Figure 9), which will be described later. The facing portion 45 defines the gap between the medium and the head surface 42a by supporting the medium. Hereafter, the gap between the facing portion 45 and the head surface 42a may be referred to as the platen gap.

[0031] Downstream of the line head 40 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. 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.

[0032] Next, we will explain the raising and lowering operation of the line head 40. The line head 40 is provided so as to be movable in the direction of advancing and retracting relative to the opposing part 45, 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 40 in the +Z-axis direction may be referred to as "upward," and movement in the -Z direction may be referred to as "downward."

[0033] Figure 2 shows the platen gap adjustment mechanism. Reference numeral 81 denotes the head movement motor, which is the drive source for raising and lowering the line head 40. Reference numeral 80 denotes the control unit that controls the head movement motor 81. The control unit 80 is the control unit that oversees the control of the entire printer 1. A motor gear 82 is mounted on the motor shaft of the head moving motor 81, and the motor gear 82 transmits driving force to the pinion gear 85 via gears 83 and 84. Gears 84 and the pinion gear 85 are fixed to the shaft 86.

[0034] The line head 40 is held in a position to be displaceable in the Z-axis direction by a guide member (not shown). A rack portion 41d is formed on the line head 40 along the Z-axis direction, and a pinion gear 85 meshes with the rack portion 41d to form a rack and pinion mechanism. The rotation of the head moving motor 81 causes the pinion gear 85 to rotate, which in turn causes the line head 40 to move up and down. Furthermore, the rack and pinion mechanism, which consists of the rack section 41d and the pinion gear 85, is provided near both ends of the line head 40 in the media width direction.

[0035] When the line head 40 rises, it comes into contact with an upward restricting section (not shown), and further upward movement is restricted. The control unit 80 can determine that the line head 40 is at its upper limit position by detecting the increase in the motor drive current value when the line head 40 comes into contact with the upward restricting section. Furthermore, the head movement motor 81 is equipped with an encoder sensor (not shown), allowing the control unit 80 to detect the amount of rotation of the head movement motor 81. This allows the control unit 80 to detect the amount of movement of the line head 40 from its upper limit position, that is, to determine the current position of the line head 40.

[0036] The control unit 80 adjusts the platen gap by raising and lowering the line head 40 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 40 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 40 is positioned at a second recording position, which is higher than the first recording position.

[0037] Furthermore, the movement range of the line head 40 includes, as described above, multiple recording positions, as well as a cap position, which is the position when the head is capped by the cap portion 71 described later, a wiping position, which is the position when the head surface 42a is wiped by the wiper 36 described later, a wiper separation position higher than the wiping position, and a retracted position higher than the wiper separation position. In this embodiment, the above-described positions of the line head 40 are, in order in the +Z direction, the cap position, the first recording position, the second recording position, the wiping position, the wiper separation position, and the retracted position. When the line head 40 moves to the retracted position, 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. The wiping position and wiper spacing will be explained later.

[0038] Next, I will explain wiper 36. As shown in Figure 3, the printer 1 is equipped with a wiper carriage 35 that moves in the X-axis direction by a motor (not shown). In this embodiment, the wiper carriage 35 has its home position at the position shown in state ST1 in Figure 3, i.e., the end position in the +X direction. The wiper carriage 35 is formed in a box shape with an open top and is equipped with a wiper 36. The wiper 36 is made of an elastic material such as rubber and moves in the media width direction while elastically contacting the head surface 42a, thereby wiping the head tip 43 (see Figures 5 and 6), which will be described later, of the head surface 42a. The ink removed by wiping is stored inside the wiper carriage 35.

[0039] A fitting hole 35a is provided at the -X end of the wiper carriage 35. A check valve (not shown) is provided in the fitting hole 35a, and the system is configured to prevent ink stored in the wiper carriage 35 from leaking out. An ink recovery unit 37 is provided at the -X end of the wiper carriage 35 in its movement range. The ink recovery unit 37 has a suction unit 37a, which can be fitted into a fitting hole 35a of the wiper carriage 35. When the wiper carriage 35 moves to the -X end, the suction unit 37a fits into the fitting hole 35a. When the suction unit 37a fits into the fitting hole 35a, the check valve opens. In this state, a pump (not shown) provided in the ink recovery unit 37 is driven, and the ink stored in the wiper carriage 35 is sucked out.

[0040] State ST1 in Figure 3 shows the state where the line head 40 is in the recording position. When wiping the head surface 42a with the wiper 36 from this state, the line head 40 is raised to the wiping position as shown in the change from state ST1 to state ST2 in Figure 3. This creates a gap between the wiper carriage 35 and the opposing part 45 so that the wiper carriage 35 can fit in, and the wiper 36 can come into contact with the head surface 42a. In this state, by moving the wiper carriage 35 as indicated by the arrow Wm, the wiper 36 wipes the head surface 42a. Furthermore, when the wiper 36 moves to the end in the -X direction, that is, when the wiper 36 wipes the head surface 42a, the wiper carriage 35 moves in the +X direction to return to its home position at the +X direction end. Prior to this movement, the line head 40 is raised slightly to a wiper separation position where the wiper 36 does not come into contact with the head surface 42a.

[0041] Next, we will describe the edge detection unit 38 provided on the wiper carriage 35. An edge detection unit 38 for detecting the edge of the media is provided at the bottom of the wiper carriage 35. The edge detection unit 38 is an optical sensor and includes a light-emitting unit (not shown) that emits detection light in the -Z direction 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 there is a medium than when there is no medium. Therefore, the control unit 80 can detect the edge of the medium and, consequently, the width of the medium based on the detection information from the edge detection unit 38.

[0042] As described above, the wiper carriage 35 is movable in the media width direction, and the edge detection unit 38 is provided on the wiper carriage 35. Therefore, by moving the wiper carriage 35 in the media width direction while the media is positioned in a position where the edge detection unit 38 can detect it, edge detection by the edge detection unit 38 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.

[0043] 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 38. As shown in the figure, by positioning the medium P in a position where it can be detected by the edge detection unit 38, and then moving the wiper carriage 35 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 38 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 media's -Y direction edge, i.e., the front edge, and the +Y direction edge, i.e., the rear edge.

[0044] Next, the line head 40 and contact members will be described with reference to Figure 5 and subsequent figures. As shown in Figure 5, the line head 40 is equipped with a plate member 42 on a base 41. The base 41 is a structure in which a flow path is provided for supplying ink from an ink storage section (not shown) to the head chip 43. The plate member 42 is a metal plate and forms the head surface 42a. Multiple head tips 43 are provided on the plate member 42. Multiple nozzles 44 (see Figure 1) are provided on the head tips 43 along the width direction of the media. The plate member 42 and the head tips 43 are arranged to be flush with each other.

[0045] In this embodiment, the line head 40 is provided with two plate members 42 along the media width direction. On one plate member 42, the head chips 43 are alternately arranged at upstream and downstream positions along the X-axis direction, i.e., the media width direction. On one plate member 42, two head chips 43 are provided at the upstream position along the media width direction, and two head chips 43 are provided at the downstream position along the media width direction. As a result, the line head 40 is provided with four head chips 43 at the upstream position along the media width direction, and four head chips 43 at the downstream position along the media width direction.

[0046] Next, the line head 40 has an upstream relief section 42b and a downstream relief section 42c on its head surface 42a. The upstream relief section 42b and the downstream relief section 42c are formed as spaces having a predetermined height in the +Z direction from the head surface 42a. In this embodiment, two upstream relief sections 42b are provided upstream of a single plate member 42 in the media transport direction. In a single plate member 42, one upstream relief section 42b is provided between two adjacent head chips 43 in the media width direction. In a single plate member 42, the other upstream relief section 42b is provided in the +X direction relative to the head chip 43 located in the +X direction.

[0047] Similarly, in this embodiment, two downstream relief sections 42c are provided downstream of a single plate member 42 in the media transport direction. In a single plate member 42, one downstream relief section 42c is provided between two adjacent head chips 43 in the media width direction. In another single plate member 42, the other downstream relief section 42c is provided in the -X direction relative to the head chip 43 located in the -X direction.

[0048] Next, we will describe the contact member that is provided integrally with the line head 40. The medium passing between the line head 40 and the opposing portion 45 may be contaminated, particularly at the ends in the medium width direction, as the leading and trailing ends may curl and lift up, coming into contact with the head surface 42a. For this reason, it is preferable to provide the line head 40 with a contact member that contacts the medium to suppress contact of the medium with the head surface 42a.

[0049] In this embodiment, the contact members include an upstream fixed roller 47, a downstream fixed roller 48, an upstream movable roller 53, and a downstream movable roller 60. All of these rollers are toothed rollers with teeth on their outer circumference, which prevents ink from adhering to the rollers and then re-adhering to the medium. In the following, when the term "movable roller" is used simply, it refers to the upstream movable roller 53 and the downstream movable roller 60.

[0050] The upstream fixed roller 47 and the downstream fixed roller 48 protrude from the head surface 42a in the -Z direction, i.e., toward the opposing part 45, regardless of the position of the line head 40, as shown in Figures 7A to 7C. This prevents the media from coming into contact with the head surface 42a.

[0051] As shown in Figure 5, the line head 40 is equipped with an upstream frame 50 on the side facing the +Y direction, i.e., the media transport direction, and a downstream frame 51 on the side facing the -Y direction, i.e., the media transport direction. The upstream fixed roller 47 is rotatably supported by the roller holding portion 50a of the upstream frame 50. The roller holding portion 50a is an example of a holding portion that holds a contact member. Multiple upstream fixed rollers 47 are provided on the upstream frame 50 along the media width direction. The upstream fixed rollers 47 are located upstream of the plate member 42 in the +Y direction, i.e., in the media transport direction, as shown in Figure 6. For convenience of illustration, the upstream frame 50 and downstream frame 51 are omitted from Figure 6.

[0052] As shown in Figure 5, the downstream fixed roller 48 is rotatably supported by the roller holding portion 51a of the downstream frame 51. Multiple downstream fixed rollers 48 are provided on the downstream frame 51 along the media width direction. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, the downstream fixed roller 48 is located downstream of the plate member 42 in the -Y direction, i.e., in the media transport direction.

[0053] Next, the upstream movable roller 53 and the downstream movable roller 60 are displaceable to a first position and a second position, which are relative positions with respect to the head surface 42a. Figure 7A shows the first position of the movable roller. The first position is a position where the movable roller can interfere with the wiper 36 and can contact the medium. In other words, the first position of the movable roller is a position inside the movement trajectory of the wiper 36 wiping the head surface 42a and can contact the medium. In this embodiment, the first position of the movable roller is a position that protrudes from the head surface 42a in the -Z direction. The second position of the movable roller is one in which it does not interfere with the wiper 36. Specifically, the second position of the movable roller is one in which it is retracted in the +Z direction from the head surface 42a. Figure 7C shows the second position of the movable roller.

[0054] By positioning the movable roller in the first position, contact of the media with the head surface 42a can be suppressed. Furthermore, by positioning the movable roller in the second position, it is possible to prevent the movable roller from interfering with the wiping of the head surface 42a by the wiper 36. Consequently, there is no need to arrange multiple wipers 36 to avoid the movable roller, which can suppress an increase in the cost of the device. In addition, when replacing the wiper 36, the labor time and parts cost will not increase significantly.

[0055] Next, the displacement mechanism for displacing the movable roller between the first and second positions will be explained, mainly with reference to Figures 7A to 7C. For illustrative purposes, Figures 7A to 7C primarily show the configurations of the upstream displacement mechanism 52 and the downstream displacement mechanism 59 with solid lines, while other configurations are shown with dashed lines. In this embodiment, the displacement mechanism for displacing the movable rollers to a first position and a second position is provided, which includes an upstream displacement mechanism 52 for displacing the upstream movable roller 53 and a downstream displacement mechanism 59 for displacing the downstream movable roller 60. The basic configuration of the upstream displacement mechanism 52 and the downstream displacement mechanism 59 is the same, and as shown in Figures 7A to 7C, the upstream displacement mechanism 52 and the downstream displacement mechanism 59 have a symmetrical structure when viewed from the medium width direction.

[0056] The upstream displacement mechanism 52 comprises an upstream support member 54 and an upstream cam member 56. The upstream support member 54 is a member that rotatably supports the upstream movable roller 53 and can change its orientation between a first rotational orientation (Figure 7A) in which the upstream movable roller 53 is in a first position and a second rotational orientation (Figure 7C) in which the upstream movable roller 53 is in a second position by rotating around a pivot axis 54a. In this embodiment, the axial centerline of the pivot axis 54a is parallel to the X-axis direction. The pivot axis 54a is supported by a rotational support portion 50b (see Figure 5) of the upstream frame 50.

[0057] Furthermore, the upstream support member 54 is pressed by the coil spring 55, which acts as a pressing member, in the counterclockwise direction shown in Figures 7A to 7C, that is, in the direction that the upstream movable roller 53 moves toward the first position. Furthermore, the upstream support member 54 has a cam follower portion 54b that can engage with the upstream cam member 56.

[0058] The upstream cam member 56 is a member provided independently of the line head 40 and is engageable with the upstream support member 54. The upstream cam member 56 is provided on a frame (not shown). The upstream support member 54 is movable relative to the upstream cam member 56 in the Z-axis direction as the line head 40 moves up and down. The upstream cam member 56 has a horizontal cam surface 56b aligned with the XY plane and a vertical cam surface 56c aligned with the XZ plane.

[0059] The downstream displacement mechanism 59 comprises a downstream support member 61 and a downstream cam member 63. The downstream support member 61 is a member that rotatably supports the downstream movable roller 60 and can change its orientation between a first rotational orientation (Figure 7A) in which the downstream movable roller 60 is in a first position and a second rotational orientation (Figure 7C) in which the downstream movable roller 60 is in a second position by rotating around a pivot axis 61a. In this embodiment, the axial centerline of the pivot axis 61a is parallel to the X-axis direction. The pivot axis 61a is supported by a downstream frame 51 (see Figure 5).

[0060] Furthermore, the downstream support member 61 is pressed by the coil spring 62, which acts as a pressing member, in the clockwise direction shown in Figures 7A to 7C, that is, in the direction that the downstream movable roller 60 moves toward the first position. Furthermore, the downstream support member 61 has a cam follower portion 61b that can engage with the downstream cam member 63.

[0061] The downstream cam member 63 is a member provided independently of the line head 40 and is engageable with the downstream support member 61. The downstream cam member 63 is provided on a frame (not shown). The downstream support member 61 is movable relative to the downstream cam member 63 in the Z-axis direction as the line head 40 moves up and down. The downstream cam member 63 has a horizontal cam surface 63b aligned with the XY plane and a vertical cam surface 63c aligned with the XZ plane.

[0062] Figure 7A shows the state in which the line head 40 is in the recording position, the movable rollers, i.e., the upstream movable roller 53 and the downstream movable roller 60, are in the first position, and the upstream support member 54 and the downstream support member 61 are in the first rotation position. When the head surface 42a is wiped by the wiper 36 (see Figure 3) from this state, the line head 40 rises toward the wiping position. As the line head 40 rises, the horizontal cam surface 56b guides the upstream support member 54 toward the second rotation position, and the horizontal cam surface 63b guides the downstream support member 61 toward the second rotation position, as shown in the change from Figure 7A to Figure 7B.

[0063] As the line head 40 rises further, the cam follower portion 54b of the upstream support member 54 moves from the horizontal cam surface 56b to the vertical cam surface 56c, as shown in Figure 7C, and the line head 40 rises while the second rotational position of the upstream support member 54 is maintained. Similarly, the cam follower portion 61b of the downstream support member 61 moves from the horizontal cam surface 63b to the vertical cam surface 63c, and the line head 40 rises while the second rotational position of the downstream support member 61 is maintained. When the line head 40 moves to the wiping position shown in Figure 7C, the upstream movable roller 53 and the downstream movable roller 60 retract from the head surface 42a, making it possible to wipe the head surface 42a with the wiper 36.

[0064] Furthermore, when the line head 40 descends toward the recording position from the state shown in Figure 7C, the opposite state change occurs, with the upstream cam member 56 guiding the upstream support member 54 from the second rotation position to the first rotation position, and the downstream cam member 63 guiding the downstream support member 61 from the second rotation position to the first rotation position. As a result, the upstream movable roller 53 and the downstream movable roller 60 are displaced from the second position to the first position.

[0065] As described above, with this simple configuration consisting of the upstream support member 54 and the upstream cam member 56, and the downstream support member 61 and the downstream cam member 63, the movable roller can be displaced in conjunction with the displacement movement of the line head 40. Furthermore, as described above, the displacement mechanisms that displace the movable rollers, namely the upstream displacement mechanism 52 and the downstream displacement mechanism 59, convert the displacement motion of the line head 40 into the displacement motion of the movable rollers. When the line head 40 is displaced from the recording position to the retracted position, the movable rollers are displaced from the first position to the second position, and when the line head 40 is displaced from the retracted position to the recording position, the movable rollers are displaced from the second position to the first position. This eliminates the need for a power source to displace the movable rollers, thereby suppressing an increase in the cost of the device.

[0066] In this embodiment, the movable roller is displaced between a first position and a second position by moving in a direction intersecting the head surface 42a. This makes it possible to suppress an increase in the size of the line head 40 in the media transport direction compared to a configuration in which the movable roller moves along the media transport direction.

[0067] Now, let's return to Figure 6 and explain the relationship between the media size and the position of each roller. In Figure 6, range P1 represents the range through which the smallest size media expected to be used passes, for example, the short side dimension of a half-letter size media (approximately 140 mm). Range P2 corresponds to the short side dimension of an A5 size media (148 mm). Range P3 corresponds to the short side dimension of a B5 size media (182 mm). Range P4 corresponds to the short side dimension of an A4 size media (approximately 210 mm). For media corresponding to ranges P1, P2, and P3, contact with the head surface 42a is suppressed at the +X direction end by the upstream fixed roller 47 and the downstream movable roller 60, and contact with the head surface 42a is suppressed at the -X direction end by the upstream movable roller 53 and the downstream fixed roller 48. For media corresponding to or larger than range P4, contact between the +X end and the head surface 42a is suppressed by the upstream movable roller 53 and the downstream fixed roller 48, and contact between the -X end and the head surface 42a is suppressed by the upstream fixed roller 47 and the downstream movable roller 60.

[0068] Both the upstream movable roller 53 and the downstream movable roller 60 are positioned close to the center position Yc of the head surface 42a in the media transport direction. This is because the upstream movable roller 53 is positioned within the upstream relief section 42b, and the downstream movable roller 60 is positioned within the downstream relief section 42c. As a result, in this embodiment, both the upstream movable roller 53 and the downstream movable roller 60 are positioned between the upstream head tip 43 and the downstream head tip 43 in the media transport direction. Therefore, this effectively prevents the edges of the media in the media width direction from coming into contact with the head surface 42a.

[0069] In this embodiment, a downstream fixed roller 48 is positioned downstream of the upstream movable roller 53, and an upstream fixed roller 47 is positioned upstream of the downstream movable roller 60. Furthermore, a downstream fixed roller 48 is positioned downstream of the three upstream fixed rollers 47 located in the central region in the media width direction. With the above configuration, as the media corresponding to ranges P1, P2, and P3 are transported, contact with the head surface 42a is first suppressed by the upstream fixed roller 47, then contact with the head surface 42a is suppressed by the upstream movable roller 53 located in the -X direction and the downstream movable roller 60 located in the +X direction, and then contact with the head surface 42a is suppressed by the downstream fixed roller 48. As the medium corresponding to range P4 is transported, its contact with the head surface 42a is first suppressed by the upstream fixed roller 47, then by the two upstream movable rollers 53 and the two downstream movable rollers 60, and finally by the downstream fixed roller 48. With the above configuration, contact of the medium with the head surface 42a is effectively suppressed.

[0070] Furthermore, multiple movable rollers are provided when viewed from the media width direction, and these multiple movable rollers include an upstream movable roller 53 and a downstream movable roller 60 located downstream of the upstream movable roller 53 in the media transport direction. This effectively suppresses contact of the media with the head surface 42a.

[0071] The line head 40 also has a head surface 42a equipped with multiple head tips 43, each having a nozzle 44. The multiple head tips 43 are arranged alternately along the width direction at upstream and downstream positions in the media transport direction. The head surface 42a is provided with an upstream relief section 42b on the upstream side in the media transport direction to avoid the head tips 43. It is also provided with a downstream relief section 42c on the downstream side in the media transport direction to avoid the head tips 43. When the movable roller is in the first position, it enters the upstream relief section 42b and the downstream relief section 42c. This allows the movable roller to be brought closer to the center of the head surface 42a in the media transport direction. As a result, contact of the media with the head surface 42a can be effectively suppressed. Furthermore, the relief section may be provided with only one of either the upstream relief section 42b or the downstream relief section 42c. In other words, the upstream movable roller 53 and the downstream movable roller 60 may be provided with only one of them.

[0072] Next, we will explain the cap portion 71. As described above, the head chips 43 (see Figures 5 and 6) are alternately arranged in upstream and downstream positions along the X-axis direction, i.e., the media width direction. In this embodiment, four head chips 43 are provided in the upstream position along the media width direction, and four head chips 43 are provided in the downstream position along the media width direction. As a result, as shown in Figure 8, the cap portions 71 covering the head chips 43 are alternately arranged in upstream and downstream positions along the media width direction.

[0073] Since the head tip 43 is provided on the head surface 42a, the cap portion 71 can also be described as a component that covers a part of the head surface 42a. Furthermore, since the head tip 43 is provided with a nozzle 44, the cap portion 71 can also be described as a component that covers the nozzle 44. Multiple cap portions 71 constitute a cap unit 70. The cap unit 70 is provided below the shutter 147, which will be described later and constitutes the opposing portion 45.

[0074] The cap unit 70 is comprised of a retaining member 72 with a plurality of cap portions 71. The cap portion 71 has an elongated shape in the X-axis direction and comprises a cap body portion 71b (see Figure 13) formed of a resin material or the like, and an elastic portion 71a (see Figure 13) that contacts the head surface 42a and is formed of an elastic material such as rubber. The cap body portion 71b is held by a retaining member 72. In this embodiment, the retaining member 72 is made of a resin material. In this embodiment, two retaining members 72 are provided along the width direction. In this embodiment, one retaining member 72 holds two of the four cap portions 71 provided along the width direction at the upstream position, and two of the four cap portions 71 provided along the width direction at the downstream position. In Figure 8, reference numerals 72A and 72B indicate different retaining members 72. The cap portion 71 held by retaining member 72A is denoted by reference numeral 71A, and the cap portion 71 held by retaining member 72B is denoted by reference numeral 71B.

[0075] The retaining member 72 is provided on the first support frame 73 as shown in Figure 13. The first support frame 73 is housed in the second support frame 75. The first support frame 73, the retaining member 72, and the cap portion 71 are provided together so as to be displaceable along the Z-axis direction. A spring 74, which is an example of a pressing member, is provided between the first support frame 73 and the second support frame 75, and the spring 74 presses the first support frame 73, i.e., the cap portion 71, in the +Z direction. In other words, the cap portion 71 is provided so as to be able to move back and forth relative to the head surface 42a, and is pressed toward the head surface 42a. This allows the cap portion 71 to adhere well to the head surface 42a.

[0076] Next, the first support frame 73 has a restricted portion 73a formed therein, as shown in Figure 8. The second support frame 75 is provided with a restricting member 77. The restricting member 77 has an opening, and the restricted portion 73a fits into this opening, thereby defining the limit of movement of the first support frame 73, i.e., the cap portion 71, in the +Z direction. As described above, the cap unit 70 comprises a cap portion 71, a retaining member 72, a first support frame 73, a second support frame 75, and a spring 74. The cap unit 70 configured in this way is provided on a tray-shaped base portion 76, as shown in Figure 13.

[0077] A waste liquid tube (not shown) is connected to the cap portion 71. This waste liquid tube is connected to a pump (not shown). When the pump operates with the cap portion 71 covering the head surface 42a, negative pressure is generated inside the cap portion 71, which causes ink to be drawn out from the nozzle 44 of the line head 40.

[0078] The cap portion 71 is exposed by moving the shutter 147, which will be described later, from the shielded position to the open position. That is, the shutter 147 is provided at a position opposite the line head 40. The cap portion 71 is exposed by moving the shutter 147 from the shielded position to the open position. The cap portion 71 is located in the housing portion 45a (see Figures 11C and 11D) formed in the opposing portion 45. With the shutter 147 in the open position, the line head 40 descends, allowing the cap portion 71 to cover the head tip 43 (see Figure 11D). At this time, the cap portion 71 is pushed down slightly in the -Z direction against the pressing force of the spring 74, causing the elastic portion 71a to come into close contact with the head surface 42a.

[0079] When the device is powered off or in a recording standby state when powered on, the control unit 80 keeps the shutter 147 (described later) in the open position and covers the head chip 43 with the cap portion 71. Also, when performing a flushing operation to prevent clogging of the nozzle 44, the control unit 80 ejects ink toward the cap portion 71 with the shutter 147 (described later) in the open position. Furthermore, when the control unit 80 receives and records recording data, it raises the line head 40 to separate the head surface 42a from the cap portion 71 and moves the shutter 147 (described later) to a shielding position. This prevents the transported medium from entering the storage portion 45a (see Figure 11C) of the opposing portion 45 and prevents the orientation of the medium from being disturbed. In addition, it prevents foreign matter such as paper dust from entering the cap portion 71 during transport of the medium and impairing the performance of the cap portion 71.

[0080] Next, we will describe the shutter 147 provided in the opposing section 45. As shown in Figure 9, the opposing section 45 comprises an upstream support section 146 and a downstream support section 150. The upstream support section 146 is a support section located upstream of the shutter 147 in the media transport direction, and is an example of a support section that supports the media together with the shutter 147 located in the shielding position. The downstream support section 150 is a support section located downstream of the shutter 147 in the media transport direction, and is an example of a support section that supports the media together with the shutter 147 located in the shielding position. A shutter 147 is provided between the upstream support section 146 and the downstream support section 150 in the media transport direction. The upstream support section 146, the shutter 147, and the downstream support section 150 are parts that support the media. The shutter 147 is movable along the media transport direction, as will be described in more detail later. The upstream support section 146 and the downstream support section 150 are fixed in place.

[0081] The shutter 147 comprises a first moving part 148 and a second moving part 149. The first moving part 148 and the second moving part 149 are rotatably connected to each other. Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the shutter 147 in the +X direction. The configuration of the shutter 147 in the -X direction is not shown, but it is the same as the configuration shown in Figure 10. Specifically, the configuration of the shutter 147 in the -X direction is the same as the configuration of the shutter 147 in the +X direction, but with the Y axis as the axis of symmetry at the center position of the shutter 147 in the X direction. The first moving part 148 is provided with guided parts 148a and 148b that protrude outward in the media width direction. The guided part 148b is located in the -Y direction relative to the guided part 148a. The second movable part 149 is provided with a guided part 149b that protrudes outward in the media width direction.

[0082] The second movable part 149 has an engagement hole 149a, and the guided part 148b of the first movable part 148 fits into the engagement hole 149a, thereby connecting the first movable part 148 and the second movable part 149 so that they can rotate relative to each other. Note that the rotation here refers to rotation in the YZ plane.

[0083] Next, the opposing portion 45 is equipped with guide members (not shown) in the -X direction and the +X direction relative to the shutter 147. These guide members have guide grooves 130a (see Figures 11A to 11E) that guide the guided portions 148a and 148b of the first moving portion 148 and the guided portion 148b of the second moving portion 149 along the Y axis. As shown in Figures 11A to 11E, the guide groove 130a has a first groove portion 130b that extends parallel to the Y-axis direction. The guide groove 130a also has a second groove portion 130c located downstream of the first groove portion 130b in the media transport direction and extending in a direction inclined with respect to the Y-axis direction. The guide groove 130a also has a third groove portion 130d located downstream of the second groove portion 130c in the media transport direction and extending parallel to the Y-axis direction.

[0084] Next, we will describe the crank mechanism 135 that moves the shutter 147. In Figures 10 and 11A to 11E, the shutter 147 moves by obtaining power from the rotation axis 20a of the drive roller 20 that constitutes the second transport roller pair 19. The rotation axis 20a rotates by obtaining power from the drive roller 16 that constitutes the first transport roller pair 15 via a power transmission mechanism (not shown). Furthermore, the rotation direction of the rotating shaft 20a when the second conveying roller pair 19 conveys the medium downstream in the medium conveying direction is defined as the first rotation direction C1. The rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction C1 is defined as the second rotation direction C2.

[0085] The crank mechanism 135 transmits the rotation of the rotating shaft 20a to the shutter 147, thereby moving the shutter 147. The crank mechanism 135 is provided on both sides of the shutter 147 in the X-axis direction. The crank mechanism 135 has a first arm 136 that is rotatably connected to a guided part 148a, which is one of a plurality of guided parts provided on the side of the shutter 147. The crank mechanism 135 also has a second arm 137 that is rotatably connected to the first arm 136 and is rotatable relative to the rotation axis 20a. The crank mechanism 135 also has a one-way clutch 138 interposed between the rotation axis 20a and the second arm 137. The first arm 136 has an engagement hole 36a. The second arm 137 has a boss 137a. The boss 137a fits into the engagement hole 36a, thereby connecting the first arm 136 and the second arm 137 so that they can rotate relative to each other. Note that the rotation here refers to rotation in the YZ plane.

[0086] The one-way clutch 138 does not transmit the rotation of the rotating shaft 20a to the second arm 137 when the rotating shaft 20a rotates in the first rotation direction C1. However, when the rotating shaft 20a rotates in the second rotation direction C2, the one-way clutch 138 transmits the rotation of the rotating shaft 20a to the second arm 137. When the rotation axis 20a rotates in the second rotation direction C2, the second arm 137 rotates together with the rotation axis 20a. As the second arm 137 rotates, the first arm 136 moves along the Y-axis direction, and the first movable part 148, i.e., the shutter 147, which engages with the first arm 136, moves along the Y-axis direction. Furthermore, when the rotating shaft 20a rotates in the first rotation direction C1, the rotation of the rotating shaft 20a is not transmitted to the second arm 137, so the shutter 147 can remain stationary, especially in a shielded state, when transporting the medium downstream.

[0087] Figure 11A shows the shutter 147 in the shielded position. In this state, the guided portions 148a, 148b, and 149b are located in the first groove 130b. When the rotation axis 20a rotates in the second rotation direction C2 from this state, the shutter 147 moves to the open position shown in Figure 11C, passing through the state shown in Figure 11B. In this embodiment, the open position of the shutter 147 is the position where the rotation axis 20a has rotated 180° in the second rotation direction C2 from the shielded position shown in Figure 11A. During the movement of the shutter 147 from the shielded position to the open position, the guided parts 148b and 149b enter the third groove 130d via the second groove 130c. The guided part 148a moves in the -Y direction within the first groove 130b.

[0088] As the shutter 147 moves from the shielded position to the open position, the cap portion 71 is exposed. In this state, the line head 40 descends and, upon reaching the cap position, the cap portion 71 contacts the head surface 42a of the line head 40, as shown in Figure 11D, and covers the head tip 43. To move the shutter 147 from the open position to the closed position from the state shown in Figure 11D, the line head 40 is raised, and then the rotation axis 20a is rotated in the second rotation direction C2. As a result, the shutter 147 moves to the closed position shown in Figure 11A, passing through the state shown in Figure 11E.

[0089] Thus, the shutter 147 is equipped with multiple movable parts along the direction of movement, and two adjacent movable parts are rotatably connected to each other. Furthermore, when the shutter 147 is in the open position, at least one movable part is inclined relative to the head surface 42a. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 11C, the first movable part 148 is inclined relative to the head surface 42a. This reduces the space occupied by the shutter 147 in the media transport direction parallel to the head surface 42a, i.e., in the position opposite the head surface 42a. As a result, it is possible to suppress the increase in size of the device in the media transport direction. In this embodiment, the multiple movable parts consist of a first movable part 148 and a second movable part 149, but are not limited to this, and may consist of three or more movable parts.

[0090] In this embodiment, when the shutter 147 is in the open position, the first moving part 148 is inclined relative to the head surface 42a, and the second moving part 149 is parallel to the head surface 42a. This reduces the space occupied by the shutter 147 in the Z-axis direction, i.e., the direction normal to the head surface 42a, compared to a configuration in which both the first moving part 148 and the second moving part 149 are inclined relative to the head surface 42a. However, the second moving part 149 may be inclined relative to the head surface 42a, either in place of the first moving part 148 or in addition to the first moving part 148.

[0091] Next, we will further explain the opposing portion 45 and the cap portion 71. As shown in Figures 9 and 12, the upstream support portion 146 constituting the opposing portion 45 has a media support portion 146b as a part that supports the media. Multiple media support portions 146b are provided at appropriate intervals along the media width direction. A recess 146a is formed between two media support portions 146b. The recess 146a is a recess designed to avoid the roller holding portion 50a and the rotating support portion 50b, as explained with reference to Figure 5. Specifically, in the line head 40, the roller holding portion 50a and the rotating support portion 50b are provided upstream of the head surface 42a in the media transport direction. When the line head 40 descends from the recording position to the cap position, the roller holding portion 50a and the rotating support portion 50b are in a position to interfere with the upstream support portion 146. Therefore, the upstream support portion 146 is provided with a recess 146a to avoid the roller holding portion 50a and the rotating support portion 50b. The recess 146a forms part of the opening 46 (see Figure 13) formed between the upstream end of the shutter 147 in the shielding position and the upstream support portion 146.

[0092] Furthermore, when the shutter 147 is in the shielded position, a gap G1 is formed between the upstream end of the shutter 147 and the upstream support portion 146 in the media transport direction, as shown in Figure 13. The gap G1 is formed along the detection line SL1 by the edge detection unit 38, which was described with reference to Figure 4. Since the edge detection unit 38 is an optical sensor and needs to suppress reflected light when there is no media, the gap G1 functions as a reflection suppression unit that suppresses the reflection of the detection light emitted from the edge detection unit 38. The gap G1 forms part of the opening 46 that is formed between the upstream end of the shutter 147 in the shielded position and the upstream support portion 146. In this embodiment, the opening 46 formed between the shutter 147 in the shielding position and the upstream support portion 146 is composed of a recess 146a and a gap G1, but it may be composed of only one of the recess 146a or the gap G1.

[0093] If an opening 46 is formed between the shutter 147, which is in a shielded position, and the upstream support portion 146, there is a risk that paper dust may enter through the opening 46 and adhere to the cap portion 71. In Figure 13, arrow e is an example of the direction in which paper dust is directed toward the cap portion 71. If paper dust adheres to the cap portion 71, the airtightness between the cap portion 71 and the head surface 42a will decrease, which may lead to poor maintenance and a decrease in recording quality.

[0094] In this embodiment, in order to suppress such problems, as shown in Figure 13, a wall portion 72a is provided between the opening 46 and the cap portion 71 in the media transport direction, rising in the +Z direction. The +Z direction is an example of a first direction, which is the direction from the base end to the tip of the cap portion 71. As a result, even if paper dust enters through the opening 46, the wall portion 72a can suppress the adhesion of paper dust to the cap portion 71. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the top of the wall portion 72a is configured to be lower than the top of the cap portion 71. This prevents the wall portion 72a from coming into contact with the head surface 42a when the cap portion 71 covers the head surface 42a. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the wall portion 72a is configured as part of the retaining member 72, the wall portion 72a can be easily provided. However, the wall portion 72a may be configured separately from the retaining member 72.

[0095] In this embodiment, the opening 46 is formed between the upstream end of the shutter 147 and the upstream support portion 146 in the media transport direction. In such a configuration, when the media is transported downstream in the -Y direction, paper dust can easily enter through the opening 46 and adhere to the cap portion 71. However, the wall portion 72a can suppress the adhesion of paper dust to the cap portion 71. Furthermore, the opening 46 may be formed between the downstream end of the shutter 147 and the downstream support portion 1505 in the media transport direction.

[0096] Furthermore, the shutter 147 according to this embodiment comprises a first moving part 148 and a second moving part 149, and a gap G2 is formed between the first moving part 148 and the second moving part 149 as shown in Figure 13. Therefore, there is a risk that paper dust may enter through this gap G2 and adhere to the cap part 71. However, in this embodiment, since a wall part 72a is also provided between the cap part 71 and the gap G2 in the media transport direction, the adhesion of paper dust to the cap part 71 can be suppressed.

[0097] In this embodiment, the recess 146a forms part of the opening 46. In this configuration, where the recess 146a forms part of the opening 46, paper dust can easily enter through the opening 46, but the wall portion 72a can suppress the adhesion of paper dust to the cap portion 71.

[0098] Here, as shown in Figures 12 and 13, a rib 146c is provided at the bottom of the recess 146a to restrict the movement of paper dust to the cap portion 71. Such a rib 146c can prevent paper dust that has entered the recess 146a from moving toward the cap portion 71. The rib 146c may be formed without breaks along the media width direction, or it may have breaks.

[0099] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the gap G1, which functions as a reflection suppression part, forms part of the opening 46. In such a configuration, paper dust can easily enter through the opening 46 and adhere to the cap portion 71. However, the presence of the wall portion 72a suppresses the adhesion of paper dust to the cap portion 71.

[0100] Furthermore, the opening 46 may be formed between the shutter 147 and the downstream support portion 150 (see Figure 9) in the media transport direction. In this case, by providing a wall portion 72a between the opening 46 formed between the shutter 147 and the downstream support portion 150 in the media transport direction and the cap portion 71, the adhesion of paper dust to the cap portion 71 can be suppressed. In this case, the gap G1, which functions as a reflection suppression part, may be formed between the downstream end of the shutter 147 and the downstream support part 150.

[0101] In this embodiment, the wall portion 72a is provided so as to surround the cap portion 71, as shown in Figure 8. With this configuration, the adhesion of paper dust to the cap portion 71 can be further suppressed. Furthermore, ink can be stored inside the wall portion 72a. This prevents the spilled ink from spreading and contaminating a wide area inside the device if ink overflows from the cap portion 71. Furthermore, as the rigidity around the cap portion 71 is improved, the cap portion 71 can make uniform contact with the head surface 42a, and the basic functions of the cap portion 71 can be obtained well.

[0102] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 14, the base portion 76 supporting the cap portion 71 is provided with an outlet 76a for discharging ink that has overflowed from the wall portion 72a. This prevents the overflowed ink from spreading and contaminating a wide area inside the device if ink overflows from the wall portion 72a. Furthermore, the ink discharged from the outlet 76a is guided via the guide member 79 to a waste liquid storage section (not shown).

[0103] Next, another embodiment of the wall will be described with reference to Figure 15. In Figure 15, the wall portion 72a1 is provided on the retaining member 72A so as to be displaceable in the +Z direction and the -Z direction. The -Z direction is an example of a second direction. The wall portion 72a1 is also pressed in the +Z direction by a spring 90, which is an example of a pressing member. The displacement of the wall portion 72a1 in the +Z direction is restricted by a restricting part (not shown) provided on the retaining member 72A, and when the cap portion 71 is separated from the head surface 42a, the end of the wall portion 72a1 in the +Z direction, i.e., the upper end, is located in the +Z direction more than the end of the cap portion 71 in the +Z direction, i.e., the upper end. With this configuration, the adhesion of paper dust to the cap portion 71 is effectively suppressed by the wall portion 72a1. When the cap portion 71 contacts the head surface 42a, the wall portion 72a1 can retract in the -Z direction. This prevents the wall portion 72a1 from obstructing the sealing of the head surface 42a by the cap portion 71.

[0104] Next, another embodiment of the wall will be described with reference to Figure 16. In Figure 16, a suction hole 72b is formed in the wall portion 72a2. The suction hole 72b penetrates the wall portion 72a2 in the Z-axis direction. In addition, a hole 73b is formed in the first support frame 73B at a position corresponding to the suction hole 72b. As a result, the suction hole 72b communicates with the space 75a below the first support frame 73B. Negative pressure can be created in the space 75a by a pump (not shown), thereby allowing paper dust to be sucked in through the suction hole 72b. With this configuration, the adhesion of paper dust to the cap portion 71 can be suppressed more effectively.

[0105] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments and modifications described above, and it goes without saying that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as described in the claims, and these are also included within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0106] 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, 19... Second transport roller pair, 20... Drive roller, 21... Driven roller, 27... Third transport roller pair, 28... Discharge roller pair, 29... Discharge tray, 35... Wiper carriage, 35a... Fitting hole, 36... Wiper, 37... Ink recovery section, 37a... Suction section, 38... Edge detection section, 40... Line head, 41... Base, 41d... Rack section, 42... Plate member, 42a... Head surface, 42b... Upstream relief section, 42c... Downstream relief section, 43... Head tip, 44... Nozzle, 45... Opposing section, 45a... Housing section, 46... Opening, 47... Upstream fixed roller, 48... Downstream fixed roller, 50... Upstream frame, 50a... Roller holding section, 50b... Rotating support section, 51... Downstream frame, 51a... Roller holding section, 52... Upstream displacement mechanism, 53... Upstream movable roller, 54... Upstream support member, 54a... Rotating shaft, 54 b...Cam follower section, 55...Coil spring, 56...Upstream cam member, 56a...Cam section, 56b...Horizontal cam surface, 56c...Vertical cam surface, 59...Downstream displacement mechanism, 60...Downstream movable roller, 61...Downstream support member, 61a...Rotating shaft, 61b...Cam follower section, 62...Coil spring, 63...Downstream cam member, 63a...Cam section, 63b...Horizontal cam surface, 63c...Vertical cam surface, 65...Upstream support frame, 66...Downstream support frame, 70...Cap unit, 71...Cap section, 71a...Elastic section, 71b...Cap body section, 72, 72A...Holding members, 72a, 72a1, 72a2...Wall Part, 72b... Suction hole, 73, 73B... First support frame, 73a... Restricted part, 73b... Hole, 74... Spring, 75... Second support frame, 75a... Space, 76... Base part, 76a... Discharge port, 77... Restricting member, 79... Guide member, 80... Control unit, 81... Head moving motor, 82... Motor gear, 83, 84... Gear, 85... Pinion gear, 86... Shaft, 90... Spring, 146... Upstream support part, 146a... Recess, 146b... Media support part, 130a... Guide groove, 130b... First groove part, 130c... Second groove part, 130d... Third groove part, 135... Crank mechanism, 136... First arm,136a...Engagement hole, 137...Second arm, 137a...Boss, 138...One-way clutch, 146...Upstream support part, 147...Shutter, 148...First moving part, 148a, 148b...Guided part, 148c...Recess, 149...Second moving part, 149a...Engagement hole, 149b...Guided part, 150...Downstream support part, G1, G2...Gap,

Claims

1. A liquid ejection head that records by ejecting liquid onto a medium, A cap portion that can face the liquid discharge surface of the liquid discharge head, A shutter that is displaceable between a shielded position covering the cap portion and an open position exposing the cap portion, the shutter supporting a medium passing through a position opposite the liquid discharge head when in the shielded position, A support portion located upstream and downstream of the shutter in the media transport direction at a position opposite the liquid discharge head, the support portion supporting the media together with the shutter located at the shielding position, Equipped with, An opening is formed between the shutter in the shielding position and the support portion. In the media transport direction, a wall portion is provided between the opening and the cap portion, rising in a first direction, which is the direction from the base end to the tip of the cap portion. A liquid dispensing device characterized by the following features.

2. In the liquid dispensing device according to claim 1, The opening is formed between the upstream end of the shutter in the media transport direction and the support portion located upstream of the shutter in the media transport direction. A liquid dispensing device characterized by the following features.

3. In the liquid dispensing device according to claim 2, A member provided integrally with the liquid discharge head, comprising at least one contact member capable of contacting the conveyed medium at a position facing the liquid discharge surface, A holding portion for holding the contact member, Equipped with, The holding portion is located upstream of the liquid discharge surface in the medium transport direction, The aforementioned liquid dispensing head is The recording location where the data is recorded on the medium, The cap position is the position where the liquid discharge surface is covered by the cap portion, It is displaceable, The support portion is formed in a recess that avoids the holding portion when the liquid dispensing head is in the cap position. The recess forms a part of the opening. A liquid dispensing device characterized by the following features.

4. In the liquid dispensing device according to claim 3, The bottom of the recess is provided with a rib that restricts the movement of paper dust to the cap portion. A liquid dispensing device characterized by the following features.

5. In the liquid dispensing device according to claim 2, The system includes an edge detection unit for detecting the edges of the medium by moving in the medium width direction, which is a direction intersecting the medium transport direction. The edge detection unit is an optical sensor, A reflection suppression unit is provided at a position opposite to the edge detection unit to suppress the reflection of the detection light emitted from the edge detection unit. The reflection suppression portion is formed by a gap provided between the shutter in the shielding position and the support portion. The gap forms a part of the opening. A liquid dispensing device characterized by the following features.

6. In the liquid dispensing device according to claim 1, The aforementioned wall portion is provided so as to surround the aforementioned cap portion. A liquid dispensing device characterized by the following features.

7. In the liquid dispensing device according to claim 6, The cap portion is supported by a base portion, The base portion has an outlet for discharging liquid that overflows from the wall portion. A liquid dispensing device characterized by the following features.

8. In the liquid dispensing device according to claim 1, The cap portion is provided so as to be able to move back and forth relative to the liquid discharge surface, and is pressed toward the liquid discharge surface. A liquid dispensing device characterized by the following features.

9. In the liquid dispensing device according to claim 1, The wall portion is displaceable in the first direction and in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and is pressed in the first direction. When the cap portion is separated from the liquid discharge surface, the end of the wall portion in the first direction is located in the first direction relative to the end of the cap portion in the first direction. A liquid dispensing device characterized by the following features.

10. In the liquid dispensing device according to claim 1, The wall portion has a suction hole, Paper dust can be sucked up through the aforementioned suction hole. A liquid dispensing device characterized by the following features.

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