Media transport device, recording device

Abstract

To improve the work efficiency when replacing conveyor belts. [Solution] The media transport device is a unit equipped with a transport belt that adsorbs and transports a medium, and comprises a belt unit rotatably supported on both sides in the width direction which is intersecting with the media transport direction, a first support part located on one side of the belt unit in the width direction which rotatably supports the belt unit, a second support part located on the other side of the belt unit in the width direction which rotatably supports the belt unit, and a motor which is a power source for the rotation of the belt unit relative to the first and second support parts, wherein the output shaft of the motor, or the rotating shaft in the power transmission mechanism that transmits power from the motor to the belt unit, is configured to be detachably connected to a hand crank.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a medium conveyance device for conveying a medium and a recording device including the medium conveyance device.

Background Art

[0002] In a recording device typified by a printer, a configuration may be adopted in which a medium such as a recording paper is conveyed using a conveyance belt. In the recording device described in Patent Document 1, a belt conveyance unit, which is a unit including a conveyance belt, is provided so as to be switchable between a first state when recording is performed and a second state separated from a recording head by rotating. The belt conveyance unit is provided rotatably with respect to a frame and is rotated by a link mechanism operated by a motor.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The conveyance belt has a shorter lifespan compared to other members and needs to be replaced frequently. When removing and replacing the conveyance belt from the belt conveyance unit of Patent Document 1, there are cases where it is desired to manually rotate the belt conveyance unit so that the posture of the belt conveyance unit becomes an easy-to-work posture, but conventionally, no special consideration has been given to such a request. Also, in order to replace the conveyance belt, it is necessary to weaken the tension applied to the conveyance belt, but conventionally, no special consideration has been given to such a request either. From the above, an improvement in workability when replacing the conveyance belt has been desired.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a media conveying device comprising: a unit equipped with a conveying belt for adsorbing and conveying a medium, the belt unit being rotatably supported on both sides in the width direction which is intersecting with the media conveying direction; a first support portion located on one side of the belt unit in the width direction which rotatably supports the belt unit; a second support portion located on the other side of the belt unit in the width direction which rotatably supports the belt unit; and a motor which is a power source for the rotation of the belt unit relative to the first and second support portions, wherein the output shaft of the motor, or the rotating shaft in a power transmission mechanism that transmits power from the motor to the belt unit, is configured to be detachably connected to a hand crank.

[0006] Furthermore, the media conveying device of the present invention comprises a unit equipped with a conveying belt for adsorbing and conveying a medium, a belt unit rotatably supported on both sides in the width direction which is a direction intersecting the media conveying direction, a first support portion located on one side of the belt unit in the width direction which rotatably supports the belt unit, and a second support portion located on the other side of the belt unit in the width direction which rotatably supports the belt unit, wherein the belt unit comprises a first roller around which the conveying belt is wrapped, and the roller around which the conveying belt is wrapped The belt unit comprises a second roller that is displaceable in a direction that moves forward and backward relative to the first roller, and a pressing member that presses the second roller in a direction that increases the distance between the axes of the second roller and the first roller, wherein the posture of the belt unit includes a first posture and a second posture which is different from the first posture and is the posture used when replacing the conveyor belt, and a guide member is detachably attached to at least one of the first support portion and the second support portion to guide the second roller so as the belt unit rotates from the first posture to the second posture the distance between the axes decreases.

[0007] Furthermore, the media conveying device of the present invention comprises a unit equipped with a conveying belt for adsorbing and conveying a medium, a belt unit rotatably supported on both sides in the width direction which is a direction intersecting the media conveying direction, a first support portion located on one side of the belt unit in the width direction which rotatably supports the belt unit, a second support portion located on the other side of the belt unit in the width direction which rotatably supports the belt unit, a first link mechanism provided on the side of the first support portion in the width direction relative to the belt unit, a second link mechanism provided on the side of the second support portion in the width direction relative to the belt unit, and a transmission shaft that transmits power to the first link mechanism and the second link mechanism, wherein the rotation of the transmission shaft is between the first link mechanism and the The system has a configuration in which rotation is converted to the rotation of the belt unit via a two-link mechanism, and the belt unit comprises a first roller over which the conveyor belt is hoisted, a second roller over which the conveyor belt is hoisted and is displaceable in a direction that moves forward and backward relative to the first roller, and a pressing member that presses the second roller in a direction that increases the distance between the axes of the second roller and the first roller, and the posture of the belt unit includes a first posture and a second posture which is different from the first posture and is the posture when the conveyor belt is replaced, the transmission shaft is movable in a direction intersecting the axial direction, and when the transmission shaft is in the second position, the distance between the axes when the belt unit rotates from the first posture to the second posture is shorter than when it is in the first position. Furthermore, the recording device of the present invention is characterized by comprising a recording unit that records on a medium and one of the above-mentioned medium transport devices. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] A diagram showing the overall media transport path in a printer. [Figure 2] A perspective view of the transport unit, showing the belt unit in the second orientation. [Figure 3] A perspective view of the conveying unit, showing the belt unit in its first orientation. [Figure 4] (A) is a side view of the conveying unit with the belt unit in the second position, and (B) is a side view of the conveying unit with the belt unit in the first position. [Figure 5] Perspective view of the second support section. [Figure 6] Front view of a portion of the transport unit. [Figure 7] Front view of the inner surface of the second support section to which the guide member is attached. [Figure 8] A front view of a configuration for displacing a transmission shaft, where (A) shows the state of the transmission shaft before displacement, and (B) shows the state of the transmission shaft after displacement. [Figure 9] Figures (A) and (B) show the holding means for maintaining the distance between the axes of the first roller and the second roller. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The present invention will be described in general terms below. A media transport device according to the first embodiment comprises a unit equipped with a transport belt for adsorbing and transporting a medium, the belt unit being rotatably supported on both sides in the width direction which is intersecting with the medium transport direction, a first support portion located on one side of the belt unit in the width direction which rotatably supports the belt unit, a second support portion located on the other side of the belt unit in the width direction which rotatably supports the belt unit, and a motor which is a power source for the rotation of the belt unit relative to the first and second support portions, wherein the output shaft of the motor, or the rotating shaft in a power transmission mechanism that transmits power from the motor to the belt unit, is configured to be detachably connected to a hand crank.

[0010] According to this embodiment, since the output shaft of the motor, or the rotating shaft of the power transmission mechanism that transmits power from the motor to the belt unit, is configured to have a detachable hand crank, the belt unit can be rotated manually with good workability even when power cannot be supplied to the motor or the motor cannot be controlled, thereby improving workability when replacing the conveyor belt.

[0011] A second embodiment is characterized in that, in the first embodiment, an encoder scale is provided on the output shaft of the motor, and a cover is provided to cover the encoder scale, wherein the cover has an opening that exposes the end of the output shaft of the motor, and the hand crank is detachably attached to the output shaft of the motor exposed through the opening.

[0012] According to this embodiment, the encoder scale provided on the output shaft of the motor is covered by the cover, so the encoder scale can be protected by the cover. Furthermore, the cover has an opening that exposes the end of the output shaft of the motor, and the hand crank can be attached to and detached from the motor's output shaft exposed through the opening, so there is no need to remove the cover when attaching the hand crank, improving work efficiency.

[0013] A third embodiment is characterized in that, in the first embodiment, the belt unit comprises a first roller over which the conveyor belt is wrapped, a second roller over which the conveyor belt is wrapped and which is displaceable in a direction toward and toward the first roller, and a pressing member that presses the second roller in a direction that increases the distance between the axes of the second roller and the first roller, wherein the posture of the belt unit includes a first posture and a second posture which is different from the first posture and is the posture used when changing the conveyor belt, and a guide member is detachably attached to at least one of the first support portion and the second support portion to guide the second roller such that the distance between the axes decreases when the belt unit rotates from the first posture to the second posture.

[0014] According to this embodiment, since the guide member that guides the second roller so as the belt unit rotates from the first position to the second position shortens the distance between the axes, the tension of the conveyor belt is reduced in the second position, which is the position when the conveyor belt is replaced. This makes it easy to reduce the tension of the conveyor belt when replacing it, improving the workability when replacing the conveyor belt. In this specification, "the tension of the conveyor belt is reduced" includes the meaning of the tension becoming zero. Furthermore, this embodiment is not limited to the first embodiment described above, but may also be applied to the second embodiment described above.

[0015] In the fourth aspect, the media conveyance device according to the first aspect includes a first link mechanism provided on the first support portion side in the width direction with respect to the belt unit, a second link mechanism provided on the second support portion side in the width direction with respect to the belt unit, and a transmission shaft that transmits power to the first link mechanism and the second link mechanism and is driven by the motor. The rotation of the transmission shaft is converted into the rotation of the belt unit via the first link mechanism and the second link mechanism. The belt unit includes a first roller around which the conveyor belt is wound, a second roller around which the conveyor belt is wound and is displaceable in a direction advancing and retreating with respect to the first roller, and a pressing member that presses the second roller in a direction in which the axial distance between the second roller and the first roller increases. The posture of the belt unit includes a first posture and a second posture that is different from the first posture and is the posture when replacing the conveyor belt. The transmission shaft is movable in a direction intersecting the axial direction. When the transmission shaft is in the second position, the axial distance when the belt unit rotates from the first posture to the second posture is shorter than when it is in the first position.

[0016] According to this aspect, the transmission shaft is movable in a direction intersecting the axial direction. When the transmission shaft is in the second position, the axial distance when the belt unit rotates from the first posture to the second posture is shorter than when it is in the first position, so that the tension of the conveyor belt weakens in the second posture, which is the posture when replacing the conveyor belt. Thereby, the tension of the conveyor belt can be easily weakened when replacing the conveyor belt, and the workability when replacing the conveyor belt is improved. Note that this aspect is not limited to the above first aspect, and may also be applied to the above second aspect.

[0017] The fifth aspect is characterized in that, in the third aspect, holding means for holding the axial distance when the belt unit takes the second posture is provided. According to this aspect, since the holding means for holding the axial distance when the belt unit takes the second posture is provided, it is possible to suppress an unintentional increase in the tension of the conveyor belt when replacing the conveyor belt, and good workability when replacing the conveyor belt can be maintained. Note that this aspect is not limited to the above-described third aspect, and may be applied to the above-described fourth aspect, or the sixth or seventh aspect described later.

[0018] The medium conveying device according to the sixth aspect is a unit including a conveyor belt that adsorbs and conveys a medium, and a belt unit that is rotatably supported on both sides in the width direction, which is a direction intersecting the medium conveying direction, and a support portion disposed on one side of the belt unit in the width direction, which is a first support portion that rotatably supports the belt unit, and a support portion disposed on the other side of the belt unit in the width direction, which is a second support portion that rotatably supports the belt unit. The belt unit includes a first roller around which the conveyor belt is wound, a second roller around which the conveyor belt is wound and is displaceable in a direction advancing and retreating with respect to the first roller, and a pressing member that presses the second roller in a direction in which the axial distance between the second roller and the first roller becomes longer. The posture of the belt unit includes a first posture and a second posture that is different from the first posture and is a posture when replacing the conveyor belt. A guide member that guides the second roller so that the axial distance becomes shorter when the belt unit rotates from the first posture toward the second posture is detachable with respect to at least one of the first support portion and the second support portion.

[0019] According to this aspect, since the guide member that guides the second roller so that the axial distance becomes shorter when the belt unit rotates from the first posture toward the second posture is detachable, the tension of the conveyor belt weakens in the second posture, which is the posture when replacing the conveyor belt. Thereby, the tension of the conveyor belt can be easily weakened when replacing the conveyor belt, and the workability when replacing the conveyor belt is improved.

[0020] A seventh embodiment comprises a unit having a conveyor belt for adsorbing and conveying a medium, the belt unit being rotatably supported on both sides in the width direction which is intersecting with the medium conveying direction, a first support portion located on one side of the belt unit in the width direction and rotatably supporting the belt unit, a second support portion located on the other side of the belt unit in the width direction and rotatably supporting the belt unit, a first link mechanism provided on the side of the first support portion in the width direction relative to the belt unit, a second link mechanism provided on the side of the second support portion in the width direction relative to the belt unit, and a transmission shaft that transmits power to the first link mechanism and the second link mechanism, wherein the rotation of the transmission shaft transmits power to the first link mechanism and the second link mechanism. The transmission mechanism is configured to convert power into rotation of the belt unit, and the belt unit comprises a first roller over which the conveyor belt is hoisted, a second roller over which the conveyor belt is hoisted and is displaceable in a direction that moves forward and backward relative to the first roller, and a pressing member that presses the second roller in a direction that increases the distance between the axes of the second roller and the first roller, the posture of the belt unit includes a first posture and a second posture which is different from the first posture and is the posture used when replacing the conveyor belt, the transmission shaft is movable in a direction intersecting the axial direction, and when the transmission shaft is in the second position, the distance between the axes when the belt unit rotates from the first posture to the second posture is shorter than when it is in the first position.

[0021] According to this embodiment, the transmission shaft is movable in a direction intersecting the axial direction, and when the transmission shaft is in the second position, the distance between the shafts when the belt unit rotates from the first position to the second position is shorter than when it is in the first position, so the tension of the conveyor belt is reduced in the second position, which is the position when the conveyor belt is replaced. As a result, the tension of the conveyor belt can be easily reduced when replacing the conveyor belt, improving the workability when replacing the conveyor belt.

[0022] The recording device according to the eighth embodiment is characterized by comprising a recording unit for recording on a medium and a medium transport device according to any of the first to seventh embodiments. According to this embodiment, the recording device can obtain any of the effects of the first to seventh embodiments described above.

[0023] The present invention will be described in detail below. In the following description, an inkjet printer 1, which performs recording by ejecting ink (an example of a liquid) onto recording paper (an example of a medium), will be described as an example of a recording device. Hereafter, the inkjet printer 1 will be abbreviated as printer 1. Furthermore, the inkjet printer 1 can also be considered as a media transport device 50 from the perspective of transporting the media. From the perspective of the media transport device 50, it may or may not be equipped with the line head 12 described later.

[0024] The XYZ coordinate system shown in each figure is a Cartesian coordinate system, where the Y-axis direction is the width direction intersecting the medium transport direction, and also the depth direction of the device. In this embodiment, of the sides that make up the perimeter of the device body 2, the side in the +Y direction is the back, and the side in the -Y direction is the front. The X-axis direction corresponds to the width of the device, with the +X direction being the left and the -X direction being the right when viewed from the operator of printer 1. The -X direction is also the paper feeding direction from each paper cassette, which will be described later. The Z-axis direction is the vertical direction, i.e., the height direction of the device, with the +Z direction being upward and the -Z direction being downward. In the following, the direction in which the paper is fed will be referred to as "downstream," and the opposite direction as "upstream." In Figure 1, the paper transport path is shown by a dashed line. In printer 1, the paper is transported through the paper transport path shown by the dashed line.

[0025] The printer 1 has a main body 2 equipped with a line head 12 (described later), and below it, there are multiple paper cassettes arranged vertically, specifically the first paper cassette 3, the second paper cassette 4, the third paper cassette 5, and the fourth paper cassette 6. The symbol P indicates the recording paper contained in each paper cassette. Each paper cassette is equipped with a pick roller that feeds the contained recording paper in the -X direction. Reference numerals 21, 22, 23, and 24 indicate the pick rollers provided in each paper cassette. Furthermore, each paper cassette is provided with a pair of feed rollers that further feed the recording paper dispensed by the pick roller downstream. Reference numerals 25, 26, 27, and 28 indicate the feed roller pairs provided for each paper cassette. In the following, unless otherwise specified, a "roller pair" refers to a drive roller driven by a motor (not shown) and a driven roller that rotates in contact with the drive roller.

[0026] The symbol T1 indicates the transport path of the recording paper that is fed from each paper cassette and reaches the transport roller pair 34. Recording paper fed from the first paper cassette 3 receives feeding force from transport roller pairs 29 and 33 and is sent to transport roller pair 34. Recording paper fed from the second paper cassette 4 receives feeding force from transport roller pairs 30, 29 and 33 and is sent to transport roller pair 34. Recording paper fed from the third paper cassette 5 receives feeding force from transport roller pairs 31, 30, 29 and 33 and is sent to transport roller pair 34. Recording paper fed from the fourth paper cassette 6 receives feeding force from transport roller pairs 32, 31, 30, 29 and 33 and is sent to transport roller pair 34.

[0027] The recording paper, which receives feeding force from the transport roller pair 34, is sent between the line head 12, which is an example of a recording unit and liquid discharge head, and the transport belt 53, that is, to the recording position facing the line head 12. The line head 12 performs recording by ejecting ink, an example of a liquid, onto the surface of the recording paper. The line head 12 is an ink ejection head configured such that the nozzles that eject the ink cover the entire area in the paper width direction, and is configured as an ink ejection head that can record across the entire paper width without moving in the paper width direction. However, the ink ejection head is not limited to this, and may also be a type that is mounted on a carriage and ejects ink while moving in the paper width direction.

[0028] The conveyor belt 53 is an endless belt that is wrapped around the first roller 54 and the second roller 55, and rotates when the first roller 54 is driven by the drive unit 92 (see Figures 2 and 3). The recording paper is transported to a position facing the line head 12 while being attracted to the belt surface of the conveyor belt 53. In this embodiment, an electrostatic attraction method is used for attracting the recording paper to the conveyor belt 53. The means for charging the conveyor belt 53 will be described later.

[0029] The recording paper, on which the first side has been recorded by the line head 12, is fed by the transport roller pair 35 located downstream of the transport belt 53 towards either the transport roller pair 36 or the transport roller pair 40. A path switching flap (not shown) is provided downstream of the transport roller pair 35, and this path switching flap directs the recording paper, which is receiving feeding force from the transport roller pair 35, to either the transport roller pair 36 or the transport roller pair 40.

[0030] If recording is not performed on either the first side or the opposite second side of the recording paper, i.e., if double-sided recording is not performed, the recording paper is fed from the transport roller pair 35 towards the transport roller pair 36 and discharged through the discharge path T4 towards the discharge tray 8. The discharge path T4 is provided with the transport roller pair 38 and the transport roller pair 39.

[0031] When recording is to be performed on both the first and second sides of the recording sheet, i.e., when double-sided recording is performed, the recording sheet is fed from transport roller pair 35 towards transport roller pair 40 and enters the switchback path T2. Then, the rotation direction of transport roller pair 40 is switched, and the recording sheet enters the reversal path T3 and is fed to transport roller pair 34 by transport roller pairs 41, 42, and 43.

[0032] Reference numerals 10A and 10B indicate ink storage sections, which serve as liquid storage sections for holding ink before it is dispensed. The ink dispensed from the line head 12 is supplied to the line head 12 from the ink storage sections 10A and 10B via tubes (not shown in the figure). Reference numeral 9 denotes a cap unit having a cap portion 9a that caps the line head 12. The cap unit 9 is provided so as to be displaceable between a cap position (not shown) in which the cap portion 9a caps the line head 12 and a separated position (shown in Figure 1) in which the cap portion 9a is separated from the line head 12. As will be described in more detail later, when the cap unit 9 moves to the cap position, the conveyor belt 53 moves away from the position facing the line head 12 as shown by the dashed line and reference numeral 53-1.

[0033] Reference numeral 11 denotes a waste liquid storage section that stores waste ink discharged from the line head 12 toward the cap section 9a for maintenance purposes. The waste ink discharged from the line head 12 toward the cap section 9a for maintenance purposes is sent from the cap section 9a to the waste liquid storage section 11 via a tube (not shown).

[0034] Next, the conveying unit 51, including the conveying belt 53, will be described with reference to Figure 2 and subsequent figures. The transport unit 51 includes a belt unit 52 equipped with a transport belt 53 that picks up and transports the recording paper. The belt unit 52 is a unit that is rotatably supported on both sides in the Y-axis direction, i.e., the width direction. The conveying unit 51 includes a first support portion 86 positioned in the +Y direction, which is one side of the belt unit 52 in the Y-axis direction, and which rotatably supports the belt unit 52, and a second support portion 87 positioned in the -Y direction, which is the other side of the belt unit 52 in the Y-axis direction, and which rotatably supports the belt unit 52. The belt unit 52 is rotatably mounted so that the rotation axis 54a of the first roller 54 is supported by the first support portion 86 and the second support portion 87.

[0035] The first support section 86 comprises a first frame 88 and a second frame 89. The second support section 87 comprises a third frame 90, a fourth frame 91, and a drive unit 92.

[0036] The base of the transport unit 51 is composed of a frame unit 85. The frame unit 85 has a first frame 88 and a second frame 89 at its +Y direction end, and a third frame 90 at its -Y direction end. A fourth frame 91 is attached to the third frame 90, and a drive unit 92 is attached to the fourth frame 91, thereby forming a second support section 87. The drive unit 92 is a unit including a motor (not shown) that transmits power to the rotation shaft 54a of the first roller 54, causing the conveyor belt 53 to rotate. The -Y end of the rotation shaft 54a is supported by the drive unit 92. Furthermore, the end of the rotating shaft 54a in the +Y direction is supported by the second frame 89.

[0037] As shown in Figure 5, a lifting motor 76 is attached to the fourth frame 91 to rotate the transmission shaft 71. The lifting motor 76 has an output shaft 77 (see Figures 2 and 3) that protrudes in the +X direction, and a worm gear 81 is attached to an output shaft (not shown) that protrudes in the -X direction. On the other hand, a gear 82 is attached to the -Y end of the transmission shaft 71. The worm gear 81 meshes with the gear 82, and the power from the lifting motor 76 is transmitted from the worm gear 81 to the gear 82, causing the transmission shaft 71 to rotate. The function of the transmission shaft 71 will be explained in more detail later.

[0038] Next, the configuration of the belt unit 52 will be described. As shown in Figure 4, the belt unit 52 includes a first roller 54 and a second roller 55 on which the conveyor belt 53 is wrapped, a first member 57 that engages with the first roller 54, and a second member 58 that engages with the second roller 55 and is displaceable relative to the first member 57 in a direction that changes the axial distance between the first roller 54 and the second roller 55. The belt unit 52 also includes a coil spring 61, which is a pressing member that presses the second member 58 in a direction that increases the axial distance, and a third member 59 that receives the pressing force of the coil spring 61 and is displaceable in the direction of displacement of the second member 58.

[0039] The first member 57 is a component of the base of the belt unit 52 and is a component that maintains the overall shape of the conveyor belt 53 wrapped around the first roller 54 and the second roller 55. It is rotatably mounted around the rotation axis 54a of the first roller 54. The second member 58 supports the rotation axis 55a of the second roller 55 and is slidably mounted relative to the first member 57. Its sliding direction is the direction in which the second roller 55 moves forward and backward relative to the first roller 54. That is, the direction in which the second member 58 moves away from the first member 57 is the direction in which the distance between the axes of the first roller 54 and the second roller 55 increases, which is the direction in which the tension of the conveyor belt 53 increases. Conversely, the direction in which the second member 58 moves closer to the first member 57 is the direction in which the distance between the axes of the first roller 54 and the second roller 55 decreases, which is the direction in which the tension of the conveyor belt 53 decreases.

[0040] The third member 59 acts as a spring support member, and as the third member 59 moves further away from the first roller 54, the spring length of the coil spring 61 decreases, and the tension of the conveyor belt 53 increases.

[0041] Next, the belt unit 52 is equipped with a charging unit 83. The charging unit 83 is equipped with a charging roller 84. The charging roller 84 is a roller that contacts the outer surface of the conveyor belt 53 and rotates in accordance with the rotation of the conveyor belt 53. A DC voltage is applied to the charging roller 84 by a power supply (not shown), and this supplies an electric charge to the part of the charging roller 84 that is in contact with the conveyor belt 53. As a result, the outer surface of the conveyor belt 53 becomes positively charged, and the outer surface of the conveyor belt 53 becomes an adsorption surface that attracts the recording paper.

[0042] The belt unit 52, having the above configuration, is rotatably supported by the first support portion 86 and the second support portion 87 as described above. The belt unit 52 rotates by the link mechanism 70, switching between the second position shown in Figure 5(A) and the first position shown in Figure 5(B). The second position of the belt unit 52 is the position when transporting the recording paper, and also the position when replacing the transport belt 53. The first position of the belt unit 52 is the position when the cap portion 9a of the cap unit 9 caps the line head 12, as shown by the transport belt indicated by reference numeral 53-1 in Figure 1.

[0043] As shown in Figure 2, the link mechanism 70 consists of a first link mechanism 70A provided in the +Y direction in the width direction, i.e., the Y-axis direction, and a second link mechanism 70B provided in the -Y direction. The basic configuration of the first link mechanism 70A and the second link mechanism 70B are the same, and they are each equipped with a first link rod 72 and a second link rod 74, as shown in Figure 4.

[0044] The first link rod 72 is connected to the transmission shaft 71 and rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the transmission shaft 71. The first link rod 72 and the second link rod 74 are rotatably connected to each other via a first connecting shaft 73, and the second link rod 74 is connected to the first member 57 via a second connecting shaft 75.

[0045] The transmission shaft 71 extends along the Y-axis direction and is rotatably supported by the frame unit 85, and rotates under the power of the lifting motor 76 (see Figure 5) described above. When the transmission shaft 71 rotates, the link mechanism 70 operates, and the belt unit 52 rotates. That is, the rotation of the transmission shaft 71 switches the belt unit 52 between a first position and a second position. As described above, the printer 1 has a configuration in which the rotation of the transmission shaft 71 is converted into the rotation of the belt unit 52 via the first link mechanism 70A and the second link mechanism 70B.

[0046] In the transport unit 51 having the above configuration, the transport belt 53 has a shorter lifespan than other components and is more likely to need replacement. When replacing the transport belt 53, the transport unit 51 is removed from the printer 1, and at this time, the belt unit 52 is in the first position shown in Figures 3 and 4(B). This is because the cap unit 9 is in the cap position when the printer 1 is in print standby mode or powered off.

[0047] To remove the conveyor belt 53, the second frame 89, which constitutes the first support unit 86, is removed, and the conveyor belt 53 is pulled out in the +Y direction. However, when the belt unit 52 is in the first position shown in Figures 3 and 4(B), the first frame 88 gets in the way, making it impossible to pull out the conveyor belt 53 in the +Y direction. Therefore, in order to replace the conveyor belt 53, it is necessary to remove the conveyor unit 51 from the printer 1 and then switch the belt unit 52 from the first position to the second position.

[0048] However, when the transport unit 51 is removed from the printer 1, the cable 93 (see Figure 5), which supplies power to and controls the lifting motor 76 (see Figure 5), must also be disconnected, making it impossible to operate the lifting motor 76 electrically. Therefore, when the transport unit 51 is removed from the printer 1, the lifting motor 76 must be rotated manually by the operator.

[0049] For this reason, the transport unit 51 according to this embodiment is configured such that a hand crank 94 can be attached to the output shaft 77 that protrudes from the lifting motor 76 in the +X direction, as shown in Figure 6. More specifically, an encoder scale 78 is attached to the output shaft 77 that protrudes from the lifting motor 76 in the +X direction. The encoder scale 78, together with a detection unit (not shown), constitutes a rotary encoder and contributes to the detection of the amount and direction of rotation of the lifting motor 76. The encoder scale 78 is covered and protected by a cover 80.

[0050] The cover 80 has an opening 80a from which the output shaft 77 protrudes (see also Figures 2 and 3). The output shaft 77 is formed in a D-cut shape and fits into a fitting portion (not shown) formed on the hand crank 94, preventing it from spinning freely when the hand crank 94 is turned.

[0051] By attaching the hand crank handle 94 and rotating it, the output shaft 77 of the lifting motor 76 can be rotated, which in turn allows the belt unit 52 to be switched from the first position to the second position, and also from the second position back to the first position.

[0052] As described above, in printer 1, the hand crank handle 94 is detachably attached to the output shaft 77 of the lifting motor 76. Therefore, even when power supply to the lifting motor 76 and control of the lifting motor 76 are unavailable, the belt unit 52 can be rotated manually with good workability, improving the workability when replacing the conveyor belt 53. In this embodiment, the hand crank handle 94 is configured to be detachable from the output shaft 77 of the lifting motor 76. However, it is not limited to this configuration, and may be configured to be detachable from any rotating shaft in the power transmission mechanism that transmits power from the lifting motor 76 to the belt unit 52.

[0053] The printer 1 also includes a cover 80 that covers the encoder scale 78, and the cover 80 has an opening 80a that exposes the end of the output shaft 77 of the lifting motor 76, and the hand crank 94 can be attached to and detached from the output shaft 77 of the lifting motor 76 that is exposed through the opening 80a. This eliminates the need to remove the cover 80 when attaching the hand crank 94, improving work efficiency.

[0054] In this embodiment, the belt unit 52 is configured to be rotated manually. However, it is also preferable to ensure that the lifting motor 76 can be driven even when the transport unit 51 is removed, for example, by ensuring the length of the cable 93 or the length of the connecting cable on the device body side that connects to the cable 93. In this case, it is also preferable to configure the system so that a mode for switching the orientation of the belt unit 52 can be executed via the operation panel (not shown) of the printer 1.

[0055] Next, referring to Figure 7, a means for reducing the tension of the conveyor belt 53 when switching the belt unit 52 from the first position to the second position will be described. In Figure 7, reference numeral 96 indicates a guide member. The guide member 96 is detachable from the first support portion 86 and the second support portion 87, and Figure 7 shows the guide member 96 detachable from the inner surface (+Y direction surface) of the second support portion 87. Note that the guide member 96 only needs to be detachable from at least one of the first support portion 86 and the second support portion 87, but it is preferable that it be detachable from both the first support portion 86 and the second support portion 87. In Figure 7, reference numeral 110 denotes a screw that fixes the guide member 96 to the fourth frame 91 (see Figure 3).

[0056] The guide member 96 has an arc-shaped groove 96a, and is formed so that the rotation axis 55a of the second roller 55 can fit into the groove 96a. In Figure 7, the curves indicated by symbols T1 and T2 represent the trajectory of the rotation axis 55a when the belt unit 52 rotates from the first position to the second position. Curve T1 is the trajectory when the guide member 96 is not used, and curve T2 is the trajectory when the guide member 96 is used. Symbol 55a-1 indicates the rotation axis 55a when the belt unit 52 is in the first position, and symbols 55a-2 and 55a-3 indicate the rotation axis 55a when the belt unit 52 is in the second position. Symbol 55a-2 indicates the rotation axis 55a when the guide member 96 is not used, and symbol 55a-3 indicates the rotation axis 55a when the guide member 96 is used.

[0057] As shown by the curve T2, the groove 96a, i.e., the guide member 96, guides the second roller 55 such that the distance between the axes of the first roller 54 and the second roller 55 is shortened when the belt unit 52 rotates from the first position to the second position. As a result, in the second position, which is the position used when replacing the conveyor belt 53, the tension of the conveyor belt 53 is reduced. In other words, the tension of the conveyor belt 53 can be easily reduced when replacing the conveyor belt 53, improving the work efficiency when replacing the conveyor belt 53.

[0058] Next, referring to Figure 8, other means of reducing the tension of the conveyor belt 53 when switching the belt unit 52 from the first position to the second position will be described. In Figure 8, the transmission shaft 71 is supported by a support plate 97. The support plate 97 is provided on the first support section 86 and the second support section 87, and Figure 8 shows the support plate 97 provided on the first support section 86. The support plate 97 is fixed to, for example, the first frame 88 (see Figure 3) and the fourth frame 91 (see Figure 3) by screws 111.

[0059] The first frame 88 (see Figure 3) and the fourth frame 91 (see Figure 3) each have elongated holes 86a, which allow the fixing position of the support plate 97 by the screws 111 to be moved in the Z-axis direction. This allows the transmission shaft 71 to move in the axial direction, i.e., the Z-axis direction, which intersects the Y-axis direction. When the transmission shaft 71 is in the second position shown in Figure 8(B), it is positioned in the -Z direction more than when it is in the first position shown in Figure 8(A). When the transmission shaft 71 is in the first position shown in Figure 8(A), the rotation axis 55a of the second roller 55 follows a trajectory similar to the curve T1 shown in Figure 7 when the belt unit 52 switches from the first position to the second position. When the transmission shaft 71 is in the second position shown in Figure 8(B), the rotation axis 55a of the second roller 55 follows a trajectory similar to the curve T2 shown in Figure 7 when the belt unit 52 switches from the first position to the second position. In other words, when the transmission shaft 71 is in the second position shown in Figure 8(B), the distance between the axes of the first roller 54 and the second roller 55 decreases as the belt unit 52 rotates from the first position to the second position, and the tension of the conveyor belt 53 weakens. This makes it easy to weaken the tension of the conveyor belt 53 when replacing it, improving the workability when replacing the conveyor belt 53.

[0060] Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in Figure 7 or Figure 8, it is also preferable to provide a holding means 98 that maintains the axial distance between the first roller 54 and the second roller 55 when the belt unit 52 assumes a second posture, as shown in Figure 9. In this embodiment, the holding means 98 comprises a hook 99a and a locking portion 99b. The hook 99a is provided on the second member 58, and the locking portion 99b is provided on the first member 57. The hook 99a is elastically deformable and, as shown in the change from Figure 9(A) to Figure 9(B), it catches on the locking portion 99b as the axial distance between the first roller 54 and the second roller 55 decreases, thereby maintaining the axial distance. To release the hook 99a from the locking portion 99b, the release member 100 can be moved in the direction of arrow b, as shown in Figure 9(B), to disengage the hook 99a from the locking portion 99b. This type of holding means 98 prevents the tension of the conveyor belt 53 from unintentionally increasing when the conveyor belt 53 is replaced, thus maintaining good workability when replacing the conveyor belt 53. Note that the holding means 98 is not limited to the configuration shown in Figure 9; any configuration that can maintain the inter-axis distance is acceptable.

[0061] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments 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 modifications are also included within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0062] 1...Inkjet printer, 2...Main unit, 3...First paper cassette, 4...Second paper cassette, 5...Third paper cassette, 6...Fourth paper cassette, 8...Output tray, 9...Cap unit, 9a...Cap section, 10A, 10B...Ink storage section, 11...Waste liquid storage section, 12...Line head, 19...Feeding roller pair, 21, 22, 23, 24...Pick roller, 25, 26, 27, 28...Feeding roller pair, 29~42...Conveyor roller pair 50...Media transport device, 51...Transport unit, 52...Belt unit, 53...Transport belt, 54...First roller, 54a...Rotating shaft, 55...Second roller, 55a...Rotating shaft, 57...First member, 58...Second member, 59...Third member, 70...Link mechanism, 70A...First link mechanism, 70B...Second link mechanism, 71...Transmission shaft, 72...First link rod, 73...First connecting shaft, 74...Second link rod, 75...Second connecting shaft, 76...Lifting motor, 77...Output shaft, 78...Encoder scale, 80...Cover -, 80a...Opening, 81...Worm gear, 82...Gear, 83...Charging unit, 84...Charging roller, 85...Frame unit, 86...First support part, 86a...Slotted hole, 87...Second support part, 88...First frame, 89...Second frame, 90...Third frame, 91...Fourth frame, 92...Drive unit, 93...Cable, 94...Hand crank handle, 96...Guide member, 96a...Groove, 97...Support plate, 98...Holding means, 99a...Hook, 99b...Locking part, 100...Release member, 110, 111...Screw

Claims

1. A unit equipped with a conveyor belt for adsorbing and transporting a medium, the belt unit being rotatably supported on both sides in the width direction which is intersecting the medium transport direction, A support portion located on one side of the belt unit in the width direction, the first support portion which rotatably supports the belt unit, A support portion located on the other side of the belt unit in the width direction, and a second support portion that rotatably supports the belt unit, The belt unit comprises a motor which is the power source for the rotation of the belt unit relative to the first support portion and the second support portion, The output shaft of the motor, or the rotating shaft in the power transmission mechanism that transmits power from the motor to the belt unit, is configured to have a hand crank that can be attached and detached. A media transport device characterized by the following features.

2. A media transport device according to claim 1, wherein an encoder scale is provided on the output shaft of the motor, The encoder scale is covered by a cover, The cover has an opening that exposes the end of the motor's output shaft. The aforementioned hand crank is detachably attached to the output shaft of the motor, which is exposed through the opening. A media transport device characterized by the following features.

3. In the media conveying device according to claim 1, the belt unit includes a first roller around which the conveying belt is wrapped, A second roller on which the conveyor belt is wrapped is displaceable in a direction that moves forward and backward relative to the first roller, The device comprises a pressing member that presses the second roller in a direction that increases the distance between the axes of the second roller and the first roller, The posture of the belt unit includes a first posture and a second posture which is different from the first posture and is the posture used when replacing the conveyor belt. A guide member is detachably attached to at least one of the first support portion and the second support portion, such that the distance between the axes is shortened when the belt unit rotates from the first position to the second position, guiding the second roller. A media transport device characterized by the following features.

4. A media transport device according to claim 1, wherein a first link mechanism is provided on the first support portion side in the width direction relative to the belt unit, A second link mechanism provided on the second support portion side in the width direction relative to the belt unit, The device comprises a first link mechanism and a transmission shaft that transmits power to the second link mechanism and is driven by the motor, The configuration is such that the rotation of the transmission shaft is converted into the rotation of the belt unit via the first link mechanism and the second link mechanism, The belt unit includes a first roller around which the conveyor belt is wrapped, A second roller on which the conveyor belt is wrapped is displaceable in a direction that moves forward and backward relative to the first roller, The device comprises a pressing member that presses the second roller in a direction that increases the distance between the axes of the second roller and the first roller, The posture of the belt unit includes a first posture and a second posture which is different from the first posture and is the posture used when replacing the conveyor belt. The transmission shaft is movable in a direction intersecting the axial direction, When the transmission shaft is in the second position, the distance between the shafts becomes shorter than when the belt unit rotates from the first position to the second position compared to when it is in the first position. A media transport device characterized by the following features.

5. The media transport device according to claim 3, further comprising a holding means for maintaining the interaxial distance when the belt unit assumes a second posture, A media transport device characterized by the following features.

6. A unit equipped with a conveyor belt for adsorbing and transporting a medium, the belt unit being rotatably supported on both sides in the width direction which is intersecting the medium transport direction, A support portion located on one side of the belt unit in the width direction, the first support portion which rotatably supports the belt unit, The belt unit comprises a second support portion located on the other side of the belt unit in the width direction, which rotatably supports the belt unit, The belt unit includes a first roller around which the conveyor belt is wrapped, A second roller on which the conveyor belt is wrapped is displaceable in a direction that moves forward and backward relative to the first roller, The device comprises a pressing member that presses the second roller in a direction that increases the distance between the axes of the second roller and the first roller, The posture of the belt unit includes a first posture and a second posture which is different from the first posture and is the posture used when replacing the conveyor belt. A guide member is detachably attached to at least one of the first support portion and the second support portion, such that the distance between the axes is shortened when the belt unit rotates from the first position to the second position, guiding the second roller. A media transport device characterized by the following features.

7. A unit equipped with a conveyor belt for adsorbing and transporting a medium, the belt unit being rotatably supported on both sides in the width direction which is intersecting the medium transport direction, A support portion located on one side of the belt unit in the width direction, the first support portion which rotatably supports the belt unit, A support portion located on the other side of the belt unit in the width direction, and a second support portion that rotatably supports the belt unit, A first link mechanism provided on the first support portion side in the width direction relative to the belt unit, A second link mechanism provided on the second support portion side in the width direction relative to the belt unit, The device comprises the first link mechanism and the second link mechanism, The configuration is such that the rotation of the transmission shaft is converted into the rotation of the belt unit via the first link mechanism and the second link mechanism, The belt unit includes a first roller around which the conveyor belt is wrapped, A second roller on which the conveyor belt is wrapped is displaceable in a direction that moves forward and backward relative to the first roller, The device comprises a pressing member that presses the second roller in a direction that increases the distance between the axes of the second roller and the first roller, The posture of the belt unit includes a first posture and a second posture which is different from the first posture and is the posture used when replacing the conveyor belt. The transmission shaft is movable in a direction intersecting the axial direction, When the transmission shaft is in the second position, the distance between the shafts becomes shorter than when the belt unit rotates from the first position to the second position compared to when it is in the first position. A media transport device characterized by the following features.

8. A recording unit that records onto a medium, A media transport device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, A recording device equipped with this device.

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