Media feeding device, recording device

Abstract

This method suppresses a decrease in media feeding throughput while also suppressing malfunctions caused by contact between the feeding unit and the support unit. [Solution] The lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the support section 53 switches between a first state that allows the support section 53 to rise, and a second state that restricts the support section from rising from a restricted position Hb between the highest position H1 and the lowest position H0 to a position higher than the restricted position Hb, each time a medium is fed. As the number of medium sheets stacked on the support section 53 decreases, the position of the support section 53 in the second state moves from a position lower than the restricted position Hb towards the restricted position Hb, while the state in which the medium supported by the support section 53 is in contact with the feeding roller 50 is maintained. When the number of stacked sheets is at least one, in the second state the support section 53 is at the restricted position Hb, and the medium supported by the support section 53 is separated from the feeding roller 50.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a medium feeding device for feeding a medium and a recording device provided with the same.

Background Art

[0002] The sheet conveying device described in Patent Document 1 includes a sheet tray that supports a sheet to be fed, a tray driving mechanism that moves the sheet tray in the vertical direction according to the number of sheets stacked on the sheet tray, and a sensor provided between a feed roller and a separation unit that detects the presence or absence of a sheet supported by the sheet tray. After the control unit of this sheet conveying device detects that the sheet supported by the sheet tray has disappeared by the sheet sensor, it controls the tray driving mechanism to execute an operation of moving the sheet tray downward. Thereby, abnormal noise when the feed roller slides against the sheet tray and wear of the feed roller are suppressed.

[0003] Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a paper feeding device having a small release mode in addition to a non-release mode and a large release mode in order to suppress noise generated when printing paper collides forcefully with a paper feed roller when a hopper is displaced from a standby position to a paper feeding position. The non-release mode is a mode in which the uppermost recording material is pressed against the paper feed roller by the biasing force of the biasing means. The large release mode is a mode in which the hopper is rotated and held so as to be in a state of being most separated from the paper feed roller. The small release mode is a mode in which the hopper is rotated and held so that the uppermost recording material is slightly separated from the paper feed roller.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0005] In the sheet conveying device described in Patent Document 1, the actuator constituting the sheet sensor is located near the feed roller and downstream of the feed roller. Therefore, even if the sheet sensor detects that the sheet on the sheet tray has run out of sheets and the sheet tray is moved downward, there is a period during which the feed roller is in contact with the sheet tray. As a result, an abnormal noise occurs when the feed roller slides against the sheet tray, and wear occurs on the feed roller. Furthermore, in order to avoid such problems, a configuration in which the hopper is lowered and then raised, even slightly, each time the material to be recorded is fed, as described in Patent Document 2, would lead to a decrease in paper feeding throughput. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above problems, the media feeding device of the present invention comprises a feeding unit for feeding media, a support unit for supporting media, a support unit that can move up and down between a highest position which is the closest position to the feeding unit and a lowest position which is the furthest position from the feeding unit, and a lifting unit for raising and lowering the support unit, wherein the lifting unit switches between a first state which allows the support unit to rise and a second state which restricts the support unit from rising from a restricted position between the highest position and the lowest position to a position higher than the restricted position each time media is fed, and in the support unit When the number of stacked media is the maximum number, in the second state, the support portion is at a lower position than the restricting position, and the media supported by the support portion is in contact with the feeding portion. As the number of stacked media decreases, the position of the support portion in the second state moves from a position lower than the restricting position towards the restricting position, and the state in which the media supported by the support portion is in contact with the feeding portion is maintained. When the number of stacked media is at least one, in the second state, the support portion is at the restricting position, and the media supported by the support portion is separated from the feeding portion. Furthermore, the recording device of the present invention is characterized by comprising the above-mentioned medium feeding device and a recording unit that performs recording on the medium fed by the above-mentioned medium feeding device. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] A diagram showing the media transport path in a printer. [Figure 2] A block diagram showing the printer's control system. [Figure 3] A perspective view of a media supply device, showing the lifting mechanism in the third state. [Figure 4] A perspective view of a media supply device with the mounting section omitted, showing the case where the lifting section is in the third state. [Figure 5] A perspective view of a media supply device with the mounting section omitted, showing the case where the lifting section is in the first state. [Figure 6] A perspective view of a media supply device with the mounting section omitted, showing the case where the lifting section is in the second state. [Figure 7A]A diagram showing the position of the support section supporting the maximum number of media, in the case where the lifting section is in the first or second state. [Figure 7B] This diagram shows the case where the lifting mechanism is in the first or second state, and the support mechanism is in the restricted position. [Figure 7C] A diagram showing the position of a support part supporting a single medium, where the lifting part is in the second state and the support part is in the restricted position. [Figure 7D] A diagram showing the position of a support part supporting a single medium, where the lifting part is in the first state and the support part is above the restricted position. [Figure 8] Flowchart for supply and delivery control. [Figure 9] A perspective view of a media supply device equipped with a shock-absorbing section. [Figure 10] A diagram showing a configuration that switches between multiple friction pads. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] The present invention will be described in general terms below. The media feeding device according to the first embodiment comprises a feeding unit for feeding media, a support unit for supporting media, the support unit being able to move up and down between a highest position which is the closest position to the feeding unit and a lowest position which is the furthest position from the feeding unit, and a lifting unit for raising and lowering the support unit, the lifting unit switching each time media is fed between a first state which allows the support unit to rise and a second state which restricts the support unit from rising from a restricted position between the highest position and the lowest position to a position higher than the restricted position, and the media in the support unit When the number of stacked sheets is the maximum number, in the second state, the support portion is at a lower position than the restricting position, and the medium supported by the support portion is in contact with the feeding portion. As the number of stacked sheets decreases, the position of the support portion in the second state moves from a position lower than the restricting position towards the restricting position, and the state in which the medium supported by the support portion is in contact with the feeding portion is maintained. When the number of stacked sheets is at least one, in the second state, the support portion is at the restricting position, and the medium supported by the support portion is separated from the feeding portion.

[0009] According to this embodiment, when the number of media stacked in the support section is at its maximum, in the second state, the support section is at a lower position than the regulating position, and the media supported by the support section is in contact with the feeding section. As the number of stacked media decreases, the position of the support section in the second state moves from a position lower than the regulating position towards the regulating position, and the state in which the media supported by the support section is in contact with the feeding section is maintained. As a result, the raising and lowering movement of the support section is not involved, and a decrease in the throughput of media feeding can be suppressed. Furthermore, when the number of stacked sheets is at least one, in the second state, the support portion is in the restricting position, and the medium supported by the support portion is separated from the feeding portion, thereby suppressing problems caused by contact between the feeding portion and the support portion. As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to suppress a decrease in media feeding throughput while suppressing problems caused by contact between the feeding unit and the support unit.

[0010] The second aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, wherein the support portion is positioned at the restriction position in the second state when the stacking number is 1 / 2 or less of the maximum number.

[0011] According to this aspect, since the support portion is positioned at the restriction position in the second state when the stacking number is 1 / 2 or less of the maximum number, during the feeding of more than 1 / 2 of the media of the maximum number, the state where the media supported by the support portion abuts against the feeding portion is maintained. Thereby, a decrease in the throughput of media feeding can be effectively suppressed.

[0012] The third aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, wherein the support portion is positioned at the restriction position in the second state when the stacking number is 5 or less. According to this aspect, since the support portion is positioned at the restriction position in the second state when the stacking number is 5 or less, during the feeding of a large number of media, the state where the media supported by the support portion abuts against the feeding portion is maintained. Thereby, a decrease in the throughput of media feeding can be effectively suppressed. Note that this aspect is not limited to the first aspect above, and may also be dependent on the second aspect above.

[0013] The fourth aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, further comprising a placement portion that supports the media together with the support portion, wherein the support portion moves relative to the placement portion during lifting and lowering, and when the support portion is at the lowest position, the support portion and the placement portion form the same plane. According to this aspect, the media can be more appropriately supported by the placement portion. Note that this aspect is not limited to the first aspect above, and may also be dependent on the second or third aspect above.

[0014] The fifth aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, wherein the lifting and lowering portion includes a cam that is rotationally driven, the support portion has a cam contact portion that contacts the cam, and the support portion is lifted and lowered by the rotation of the cam. According to this embodiment, the cam allows the support portion to be raised and lowered with a simple configuration. Furthermore, this embodiment is not limited to the first embodiment described above, but may be dependent on any of the second to fourth embodiments described above.

[0015] The sixth aspect is an aspect dependent on the fifth aspect, wherein the lifting part has a pressing part that presses the support part toward the highest position, and the cam takes a first phase in the first state in which it is separated from the cam contact part, and a second phase in the second state in which it pushes down the cam contact part. According to this embodiment, the support portion can be raised and lowered with a simple configuration using the pressing portion and the cam.

[0016] A seventh aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, characterized in that the lifting section includes an impact-reducing section that mitigates the impact when the medium supported by the support section comes into contact with the feeding section as the support section rises.

[0017] According to this embodiment, the lifting section is equipped with an impact-reducing section that mitigates the impact when the medium supported by the support section comes into contact with the feeding section as the support section rises, thereby suppressing the collision noise when the medium supported by the support section comes into contact with the feeding section. Furthermore, this embodiment is not limited to the first embodiment described above, but may be dependent on any of the second to sixth embodiments described above.

[0018] The eighth aspect is an aspect dependent on the seventh aspect, wherein the shock-absorbing part is composed of a tension spring that presses the support part toward the lowest position, and the tension spring increases in pressure when the support part rises.

[0019] According to this embodiment, the shock-absorbing part is composed of a tension spring that presses the support part toward the lowest position, making it easy to construct the shock-absorbing part. Furthermore, since the pressing force of the tension spring increases when the support part rises, the shock when the medium supported by the support part comes into contact with the feeding part can be effectively mitigated.

[0020] The ninth aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, characterized in that the support portion has a friction portion at a position opposite to the feeding portion. In a configuration where the support portion has a friction portion at a position facing the feeding portion, problems are likely to occur due to contact between the feeding portion and the support portion. However, with the first embodiment described above, it is possible to suppress problems caused by contact between the feeding portion and the support portion while suppressing a decrease in the throughput of media feeding.

[0021] A tenth aspect is an aspect dependent on the first aspect, wherein the support portion has a friction portion at a position opposite to the feeding portion, and the friction portion has a first friction portion having a friction coefficient with respect to a medium of a first friction coefficient, and a second friction portion having a friction coefficient with respect to a medium of a second friction coefficient which is greater than the first friction coefficient, and the first friction portion and the second friction portion are switchable.

[0022] According to this embodiment, since the first friction part and the second friction part are switchable, more appropriate feeding can be achieved by switching between the first friction part and the second friction part depending on the type of medium. 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.

[0023] An eleventh aspect is an aspect dependent on the tenth aspect, comprising a control unit that controls the switching between the first friction part and the second friction part, wherein the control unit selects the first friction part when supplying the first medium, and selects the second friction part when supplying the second medium having a greater coefficient of friction between the media than the first medium. According to this embodiment, since the friction part is automatically switched according to the type of medium, the effects and advantages of the ninth embodiment described above can be reliably obtained.

[0024] The recording device according to the twelfth embodiment is characterized by comprising a media supply device according to any of the first to eleventh embodiments, and a recording unit that performs recording on a medium supplied by the media supply device. According to this embodiment, the recording device can obtain any of the effects of the first to eleventh embodiments described above.

[0025] The 13th aspect is an aspect dependent on the 12th aspect, characterized in that the medium being supplied by the supply unit is facing the recording unit. In a configuration where the medium being fed by the feeding unit faces the recording unit, the transport load applied to the medium by the feeding unit tends to lead to a deterioration in recording accuracy. In particular, when the medium on the support unit is depleted and the feeding unit and the support unit come into direct contact, the feeding unit receives frictional resistance from the support unit, causing a decrease in rotational speed and applying a transport load to the medium, leading to a deterioration in recording accuracy. However, due to the effects of the first embodiment described above, direct contact between the feeding unit and the support unit is suppressed, and the deterioration of recording accuracy can be suppressed.

[0026] The present invention will be described in detail below. In the following description, an inkjet printer 1, which records data by ejecting ink (an example of a liquid) onto a medium such as recording paper, will be described as an example of a recording device. Hereafter, the inkjet printer 1 will be abbreviated as printer 1.

[0027] The XYZ coordinate system shown in each figure is a Cartesian coordinate system, where the direction of the arrow is the + direction and the opposite direction is the - direction. The Y axis direction is the media width direction intersecting the media transport direction, and also the device depth direction. 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 is the width direction of the device, and from the perspective of the operator of printer 1, the +X direction is to the left and the -X direction is to the right. The Z-axis direction is the vertical direction, i.e., the device height direction, with the +Z direction being upward and the -Z direction being downward. In the following, the direction in which the media is sent will be referred to as "downstream," and the opposite direction as "upstream." In Figure 1, the media transport path is shown by a dashed line. In printer 1, the media is transported through the media transport path shown by the dashed line.

[0028] The printer 1 has an operation panel 95 on top of the main unit 2, which is equipped with a line head 12 (described later). The operation panel 95 is a touch panel that accepts various setting operations and displays various information. For example, the type of recording medium can be set via the operation panel 95. The types of medium include plain paper, cardboard, etc.

[0029] A media cassette 3 is provided at the bottom of the main body 2 of the device. The symbol P0 indicates the media contained in the media cassette 3. A pick roller 21 is provided for media cassette 3 to feed the contained media in the -X direction. A feed roller pair 25 is also provided for media cassette 3 to further feed the media fed by the pick roller 21 downstream. Further media cassettes (not shown) are provided below media cassette 3. Each of these media cassettes (not shown) is provided with a pick roller (not shown) and a feed roller pair (not shown). In the following, unless otherwise specified, a "roller pair" refers to a pair consisting of a drive roller driven by a power source such as a motor, and a driven roller that rotates in contact with the drive roller.

[0030] The symbol T0 indicates the transport path of the medium, which is fed out of the medium cassette 3 and reaches the transport roller pair 34. The medium fed out of the medium cassette 3 receives a feeding force from the transport roller pairs 29 and 33 and is sent to the transport roller pair 34.

[0031] A media supply device 5 is provided on the right side of the main body 2 of the device. Reference numeral T1 indicates the transport path of the media that is fed out from the media supply device 5 and reaches the transport roller pair 34. The media feeding device 5 comprises a feeding roller 50, a separation roller 51, a support section 53, and a mounting section 54. The feeding roller 50 is an example of a feeding section that feeds the media and is driven by a feeding motor 87 (see Figure 2). The support section 53 and the mounting section 54 support the media. The support section 53 can move up and down between its highest position, which is closest to the feeding roller 50, and its lowest position, which is furthest from the feeding roller 50. The position of the support section 53 will be described in detail later.

[0032] The mounting section 54 supports the medium together with the support section 53. Reference numeral P1 denotes the medium supported by the support section 53 and the mounting section 54. The support section 53 moves relative to the mounting section 54 when it is raised or lowered. The mounting section 54 is rotatably mounted around a pivot axis 54b, and reference numeral 54-1 indicates the mounting section 54 in a closed state after rotating vertically.

[0033] The medium sent to the transport roller pair 34 is then transported by the transport roller pair 34 to the recording position between the line head 12, which is an example of a recording unit, and the transport belt 46, 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 medium from nozzles 13 provided on the nozzle surface 12a. In this embodiment, the direction of ink ejection from the nozzles 13 is the -Z direction. The line head 12 is an ink ejection head in which multiple nozzles 13 that eject ink are arranged to cover the entire area in the width direction of the medium, and is configured as an ink ejection head that can record across the entire width of the medium without moving in the width direction of the medium. 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 width direction of the medium. Furthermore, the recording method is not limited to inkjet; it may also be dot impact, laser, or LED electrophotographic.

[0034] The line head 12 according to this embodiment ejects ink of multiple colors, for example. Specifically, in this embodiment, the multiple nozzles 13 consist of multiple nozzles 13 that eject yellow ink, multiple nozzles 13 that eject magenta ink, multiple nozzles 13 that eject cyan ink, and multiple nozzles 13 that eject black ink.

[0035] Next, the conveyor belt 46 is an endless belt wrapped around a first roller 47, which is a drive roller, and a second roller 48, which is a driven roller, and the first roller 47 rotates when driven by a motor (not shown). The medium is transported at a position opposite the line head 12 while being attracted to the belt surface of the conveyor belt 46. The attraction of the medium to the conveyor belt 46 can be done using an electrostatic attraction method. However, the attraction of the medium to the conveyor belt 46 may also be done using an air suction method.

[0036] The medium on which the first surface has been recorded by the line head 12 is sent by the conveyor roller pair 35 located downstream of the conveyor belt 46 towards either the conveyor roller pair 36 or the conveyor roller pair 40. A path switching flap (not shown) is provided downstream of the conveyor roller pair 35, and this path switching flap directs the medium receiving feeding force from the conveyor roller pair 35 to either the conveyor roller pair 36 or the conveyor roller pair 40.

[0037] If recording is not performed on both the first side and the opposite second side of the medium, i.e., if double-sided recording is not performed, the medium is sent from the transport roller pair 35 to 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.

[0038] When recording is to be performed on both the first side and the opposite second side of the medium, i.e., when double-sided recording is performed, the medium is sent from the transport roller pair 35 to the transport roller pair 40 and enters the switchback path T2. Then, the rotation direction of the transport roller pair 40 is switched, and the medium enters the reversal path T3 and is sent to the transport roller pair 34 by the transport roller pairs 41, 42, and 43.

[0039] Reference numeral 10 denotes an ink storage section, which serves as a liquid storage section for holding ink before it is ejected. The ink ejected from the line head 12 is supplied from the ink storage section 10 to the line head 12 via a tube (not shown in the figure). The ink storage section 10 contains, for example, black, yellow, magenta, and cyan inks.

[0040] The above describes the overall configuration of printer 1. Below, the control unit 80, which controls printer 1, will be explained with reference to Figure 2. The control unit 80 performs various controls, including recording control in the printer 1. Note that Figure 2 only illustrates the components necessary for explanation in this specification, and other components are omitted from the illustration. The control unit 80 is electrically connected to the following as control targets: the feed motor 87, the transport motor 88, the cam drive motor 89, and the operation panel 95. The feed motor 87 is the power source for the feed roller 50. The feed motor 87 may also drive the pick roller 21 and other feed roller pairs mentioned above. The conveying motor 88 is the power source for each of the conveying roller pairs mentioned above. The cam drive motor 89 is the power source for the cam 64 (see Figures 3-6), which will be described later. Each of the above motors is a DC motor, for example. Each of the above motors is equipped with a rotary encoder (not shown in the figure), and the control unit 80 can detect the rotation direction, amount of rotation, and rotation speed of each motor using this rotary encoder. In other words, the control unit 80 can detect the drive direction, amount of drive, and drive speed of each driven object.

[0041] The control unit 80 includes a CPU 81 that performs execution processing of computer programs, in other words, software, a volatile memory 82, and a non-volatile memory 83. The CPU 81 performs various calculations necessary for executing the program 84 stored in the non-volatile memory 83. The volatile memory 82 is used as a temporary data storage area. The non-volatile memory 83 stores the program 84 and the control parameters 85 necessary for executing the program 84. The program 84 includes programs for performing various controls described later, and the control parameters 85 include parameters for executing the program 84. The various controls described later are realized by the control unit 80 executing the program 84. In addition, the non-volatile memory 83 stores print setting information received via the control panel 95.

[0042] Next, the media supply device 5 will be explained in more detail with reference to Figure 3 and subsequent figures. In Figure 3, the media feeding device 5 is based on a base frame 57. The base frame 57 supports the feeding rollers 50. The base frame 57 also rotatably supports the mounting section 54. Furthermore, as will be described in more detail later, the base frame 57 guides the support section 53 in the vertical direction. The base frame 57 also includes a side frame portion 57a1 that forms the side surface in the -Y direction and a side frame portion 57a2 that forms the side surface in the +Y direction.

[0043] A guide frame 58 is provided in the -Z direction relative to the base frame 57. The guide frame 58 holds the separation roller 51 (see Figure 1). The guide frame 58 has a tip contact surface 58a, which is the surface that the tip of the medium supported by the support portion 53 and the mounting portion 54 contacts. The tip contact surface 58a extends along the vertical direction of the support portion 53.

[0044] The mounting section 54 is provided with edge guides 55A and 55B that restrict the edge position of the medium supported by the support section 53 and the mounting section 54 in the Y-axis direction, i.e., the width direction. Edge guide 55A restricts the edge position of the medium in the -Y direction, and edge guide 55B restricts the edge position of the medium in the +Y direction. Edge guides 55A and 55B are displaceable along the Y-axis direction and are displaced to move closer to or further apart from each other by a rack and pinion mechanism (not shown).

[0045] Edge guides 55A and 55B are provided with a stacking restriction section 55c that limits the maximum number of media supported by the support section 53 and the mounting section 54. In Figure 3, the stacking restriction section 55c provided on edge guide 55B is shown, while the stacking restriction section 55c provided on edge guide 55A is in a hidden position. The symbol Gp represents the stacking height restricted by the stacking restriction section 55c, i.e., the maximum stacking height. The maximum number of sheets can also be expressed as the maximum stacking height. Note that the thickness of media varies depending on the type; for example, the maximum number of sheets of plain paper will be greater than the maximum number of sheets of cardboard, which is thicker than plain paper. The maximum stacking height is constant regardless of the type of media.

[0046] The support section 53 is provided with a friction pad 71, which is an example of a friction section, at a position facing the feed roller 50. The friction pad 71 is made of a high-friction material such as elastomer. Here, a high-friction material means a material whose coefficient of friction with the medium is higher than the coefficient of friction between the mediums. The coefficient of friction between the mediums varies depending on the type of medium, but the coefficient of friction between the friction pad 71 and the medium is higher than the coefficient of friction between the mediums, regardless of the type of medium. The presence of such friction pads 71 ​​makes it possible to suppress the lowermost medium from being carried downstream by the uppermost medium, especially when two media are placed on the support portion 53.

[0047] Next, the lifting mechanism 59 that raises and lowers the support mechanism 53 will be described with reference to Figure 4 and subsequent figures. The side frame sections 57a1 and 57a2 are provided with lifting mechanisms 59 for raising and lowering the support section 53. The lifting mechanism provided on the side frame section 57a1 is indicated by reference numeral 59A, and the lifting mechanism provided on the side frame section 57a2 is indicated by reference numeral 59B. The lifting section 59 comprises a shaft 63, a cam 64, a contact member 60, a guided member 61, a tension spring 67, and a cam drive motor 89 (see Figure 2).

[0048] First, contact members 60 are provided at both ends of the support portion 53 in the Y-axis direction. Therefore, the contact members 60 move up and down together with the support portion 53. The contact members 60 provided at the -Y-direction end and the contact members 60 provided at the +Y-direction end are provided so that the cam contact portions 60a, which will be described later, face each other. Guide grooves 57b are formed in the side frame portions 57a1 and 57a2 along the vertical direction of the support portion 53. In this embodiment, the vertical direction of the support portion 53 has a main component in the Z-axis direction, with a small component in the X-axis direction, meaning it is slightly inclined with respect to the Z-axis direction. Of course, this is just one example, and the vertical direction of the support portion 53 may not include components in the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction, and may be parallel to the Z-axis direction.

[0049] A guided member 61 is provided on the abutment member 60 located at the -Y end of the support portion 53, such that it sandwiches the side frame portion 57a1 between the abutment member 60 and the side frame portion 57a1. The guided member 61 is guided in the vertical direction of the support portion 53 by the guide groove 57b of the side frame portion 57a1. A guided member 61 is also provided on the abutment member 60 located at the +Y end of the support portion 53, such that it sandwiches the side frame portion 57a2 between the abutment member 60 and the side frame portion 57a2, but it is hidden in Figures 4 to 6. This guided member 61 is also guided in the vertical direction of the support portion 53 by the guide groove 57b of the side frame portion 57a2. As a result, the support portion 53 is guided in the vertical direction by the base frame 57.

[0050] A tension spring 67 is placed between the guided member 61 and the base frame 57. The support portion 53 is pressed toward the highest position by the spring force of the tension spring 67. The support portion 53 is pressed in the +Z direction by the spring force of the tension spring 67. Note that the direction in which the spring force of the tension spring 67 is applied is not limited to a direction parallel to the Z axis, but is sufficient as long as it includes a component in the +Z direction. The tension spring 67 is an example of a pressing portion that presses the support portion 53 toward the highest position.

[0051] Next, a shaft 63 extending in the Y-axis direction is provided on the lower side of the support portion 53. The shaft 63 is rotatably supported by a bearing portion (not shown). The shaft 63 is driven in rotational directions C1 and C2 by the power of a cam drive motor 89 (see Figure 2). The shaft 63 is provided so as to pass through the contact member 60. A groove 60b is formed in the contact member 60 along the vertical direction of the support portion 53. The shaft 63 enters the groove 60b and moves relative to it within the groove 60b as the support portion 53 and the contact member 60 move up and down.

[0052] A cam 64 is provided on the shaft 63. The cam 64 is positioned opposite the contact member 60. A cam contact portion 60a is provided at the lower end of the contact member 60, and the cam 64 can engage with the cam contact portion 60a.

[0053] As described above, the support portion 53 is subjected to the spring force of the tension spring 67 and constantly tries to rise. However, when the cam 64 rotates due to the rotation of the shaft 63, the cam 64 comes into contact with the cam contact portion 60a and pushes down the support portion 53 against the spring force of the tension spring 67. Figure 4 shows the state in which the cam 64 has pushed down the cam contact portion 60a and the support portion 53 has descended to its lowest position. In this state, the cam 64 and the cam contact portion 60a are engaged.

[0054] Figure 5 shows the state in which the shaft 63 has rotated in the rotational direction C1 from the state in Figure 4, the cam 64 has moved away from the cam contact portion 60a, and the support portion 53 has risen to its highest position. The upper limit, i.e., the highest position, of the support portion 53 is defined by an upper limit restricting portion (not shown) provided on the base frame 57. Furthermore, the transition from the state in Figure 5 to the state in Figure 4 is achieved by the rotation of shaft 63 in the rotational direction C2. That is, shaft 63 and cam 64 reciprocate between the phase shown in Figure 4 and the phase shown in Figure 5.

[0055] Furthermore, a detection plate 90a is provided on the shaft 63. The detection plate 90a, together with the detection unit 90b, constitutes a reference position sensor 90. As shown in Figure 4, the control unit 80 (see Figure 2) can detect that the support unit 53 is in its lowest position when the detection plate 90a is in a position detected by the detection unit 90b. The control unit 80 can grasp the phase of the cam 64, and therefore the position of the support unit 53, and appropriately control the raising and lowering of the support unit 53, based on the detection signal from the reference position sensor 90 and the detection signal from a rotary encoder (not shown) that detects the rotation of the cam drive motor 89 (see Figure 2).

[0056] Next, Figure 6 shows the state in which the support portion 53 is in the restricted position. The restricted position is between the highest and lowest positions, and is the position in which the cam contact portion 60a contacts the cam 64, thereby restricting the support portion 53 from rising any further. The control unit 80 controls the cam drive motor 89, and the phase of the cam 64 can be set to the phase shown in Figure 6.

[0057] Figure 5 shows an example of a first state in which the lifting section 59, i.e., the cam 64, allows the support section 53 to rise. Figure 6 shows an example of a second state in which the lifting section 59, i.e., the cam 64, restricts the rise of the support section 53 from a restricted position between the highest and lowest positions. Figure 4 shows an example of a third state in which the lifting section 59, i.e., the cam 64, positions the support section 53 at its lowest position. These first, second, and third states of the lifting section 59 are not determined by the position of the support section 53, but by the phase of the cam 64. Specifically, in the first state, the cam 64 takes a first phase in which it moves away from the cam contact section 60a, in the second state it takes a second phase in which it pushes down the cam contact section 60a, and in the third state it takes a third phase in which it pushes the cam contact section 60a to its lowest position. In the feed-supply standby state, the lifting unit 59, i.e., the cam 64, takes the third state shown in Figure 4. When the supply of the medium is started, the lifting unit 59, i.e., the cam 64, switches between the first state shown in Figure 5 and the second state shown in Figure 6 each time the medium is supplied. Furthermore, the first state, second state, and third state may be treated as representing the state of the lifting unit 59, or as representing the state of the cam 64.

[0058] The feeding control performed by the control unit 80 will be described below with reference to Figure 8. In the feed standby state, the lifting unit 59, i.e., the cam 64, is in the third state. In this state, when the control unit 80 receives recording data to determine the start timing for feeding the medium (Yes in step S101), it switches the lifting unit 59 to the first state (step S102). As a result, the uppermost medium P1 among the medium P1 supported by the support unit 53 comes into contact with the feed roller 50. Next, the control unit 80 rotates the feed roller 50 (step S103). This causes the uppermost medium P1 among the medium P1 supported by the support unit 53 to be fed out. Steps S102 and S103 may be performed simultaneously, or step S102 may be performed after step S103.

[0059] Next, when the control unit 80 determines that it is time to switch the state of the lifting unit 59 (Yes in step S104), it switches the lifting unit 59 from the first state to the second state (step S105). The state switching timing in step S104 will be explained later. Next, when the control unit 80 determines that it is time to stop the feed roller 50 (Yes in step S106), it stops driving the feed roller 50 (step S107). The stopping timing in step S106 will be explained later.

[0060] Next, if the control unit 80 is supplying the subsequent medium (Yes in step S108), it repeatedly executes steps S101 onwards. When supplying the subsequent medium, the timing of the start of supply in step S101 is, for example, the timing at which a predetermined gap is formed between the trailing end of the preceding medium and the leading end of the subsequent medium. If the control unit 80 does not supply a subsequent medium (No in step S108), it switches the lifting unit 59 from the second state to the third state (step S109). As described above, the lifting unit 59 switches between the first state and the second state each time it feeds the medium (steps S102, S105).

[0061] The control unit 80 rotates the feed roller 50 with the transport roller pair 34 stopped, bringing the leading edge of the medium into contact with the transport roller pair 34. This corrects the skew of the medium's leading edge. Subsequently, the transport roller pair 34 and the feed roller 50 are rotated synchronously until the trailing edge of the medium passes between the feed roller 50 and the separation roller 51. At this time, the control unit 80 controls the transport roller pair 34 and the feed roller 50 so that a state in which a flex is formed in the medium between the transport roller pair 34 and the feed roller 50 is maintained. However, in the case of highly rigid materials such as cardboard, a flex may not be formed between the transport roller pair 34 and the feed roller 50.

[0062] The position of the support portion 53 will be explained in detail below with reference to Figures 7A to 7D. In Figures 7A to 7D, the symbols H0, H1, Ha, Hb, and Hc represent the positions of the support portion 53 in the vertical direction, with respect to the upper surface 53a of the support portion 53, respectively. The position indicated by the symbol H0 is the lowest position of the support portion 53, and the position indicated by the symbol H1 is the highest position of the support portion 53. The highest position H1 is the position where the upper surface 53a of the support portion 53 contacts the feed roller 50. However, the highest position H1 may be lower than the position where the upper surface 53a of the support portion 53 contacts the feed roller 50. Furthermore, the lowest position H0 is the position where the upper surface 53a of the support portion 53 is flush with the upper surface 54a of the mounting portion 54. Of course, the lowest position H0 is not limited to the position where the upper surface 53a is flush with the upper surface 54a; the upper surface 53a may be above or below the upper surface 54a. The support section 53 moves up and down between the lowest position H0 and the highest position H1.

[0063] The position indicated by the symbol Hc is an intermediate position between the highest position H1 and the lowest position H0. The position indicated by the symbol Hb is the regulated position described above. The position indicated by the symbol Ha is the current position of the support part 53 in each figure.

[0064] Figure 7A shows the state in which the maximum number of media P1 are placed on the support section 53 and the mounting section 54. In this state, the uppermost media P1 comes into contact with the feed roller 50 due to the pressing force of the tension spring 67, and the uppermost media P1 is sent downstream by the rotation of the feed roller 50. Furthermore, the lifting mechanism 59, i.e., the cam 64, has switched from the third state (see Figure 4) to the first state (see Figure 5).

[0065] The control unit 80 (see Figure 2) switches the lifting unit 59, i.e., the cam 64, to the second state at a predetermined timing after the leading edge of the fed medium P1 has been nipped by the feeding roller 50 and the separation roller 51. This timing is the state switching timing shown in step S104 of Figure 8. The timing for this state switching may be when the feeding roller 50 has rotated a predetermined amount after it has started rotating, when a predetermined time has elapsed after the feeding roller 50 has started rotating, or when a media detection sensor (not shown) located downstream of the nip position between the feeding roller 50 and the separation roller 51 detects the leading edge of the media. This media detection sensor may be located near the downstream position of the nip position between the feeding roller 50 and the separation roller 51, or near the upstream position of the transport roller pair 34 (see Figure 1). However, it is preferable that the timing for switching the lifting section 59, i.e., the cam 64, to the second state is earlier than the timing at which the rear end of the fed medium P1 comes out from between the feed roller 50 and the support section 53.

[0066] The control unit 80 then stops the rotation of the feed roller 50 at the moment when the rear end of the uppermost medium P1 passes the feed roller 50, based on the size information contained in the acquired recording data. Note that the leading edge of the fed medium P1 reaches the transport roller pair 34 (see Figure 1) at an earlier timing than when the rear end of the fed medium P1 passes the feed roller 50.

[0067] Here, when the maximum number of media P1 are loaded onto the support section 53, the current position Ha of the support section 53 is below the regulated position Hb. For this reason, even when the cam 64 pushes down the cam contact section 60a and enters the second state, the support section 53 does not descend and maintains its current position Ha. In other words, even when the lifting section 59, i.e., the cam 64, switches from the first state to the second state, the state shown in Figure 7A is maintained.

[0068] As the number of stacked sheets decreases, the current position Ha of the support portion 53 in the second state of the lifting section 59 moves from a position lower than the restricted position Hb towards the restricted position Hb. However, during this process, the state in which the medium P1 supported by the support portion 53 is in contact with the feed roller 50 is maintained. In other words, even if the lifting section 59, i.e., the cam 64, switches between the first and second states, the support portion 53 does not move up or down.

[0069] Figure 7B shows the state in which the current position Ha of the support section 53 reaches the restricted position Hb as the number of stacked sheets decreases. Once the current position Ha of the support section 53 reaches the restricted position Hb, the current position Ha of the support section 53 in the second state of the lifting section 59, i.e., the cam 64, will not rise higher than the restricted position Hb. Furthermore, as the number of stacked sheets decreases further from this state, a gap is formed between the uppermost medium P1 and the feed roller 50 in the second state of the lifting section 59, i.e., the cam 64. Therefore, when the lifting section 59, i.e., the cam 64, switches between the first and second states, the support section 53 will perform a lifting operation.

[0070] Figure 7C shows an example where only one sheet remains in the stack, and the lifting unit 59, i.e., the cam 64, is in the second state. When the lifting unit 59, i.e., the cam 64, switches to the first state in order to feed the last medium P1, the current position Ha of the support unit 53 becomes higher than the regulated position Hb, as shown in the change from Figure 7C to Figure 7D. In other words, when the lifting unit 59, i.e., the cam 64, switches between the first and second states, the support unit 53 begins to move up and down. Here, when the last rear end of the medium P1 passes between the feed roller 50 and the support part 53, as shown in Figure 7C, the current position Ha of the support part 53 is at the restricted position Hb, so the feed roller 50 and the support part 53, or more specifically the feed roller 50 and the friction pad 71, do not come into contact.

[0071] When feeding the last medium P1, if the support portion 53 is allowed to rise at the moment the rear end of medium P1 passes between the feeding roller 50 and the friction pad 71, the feeding roller 50 may experience rotational resistance due to contact with the friction pad 71 after the rear end of medium P1 has passed between the feeding roller 50 and the friction pad 71, potentially causing a decrease in rotational speed. At this time, if recording is being performed while medium P1 is being transported by the downstream transport roller pair 34 (see Figure 1), medium P1 will experience transport load from the feeding roller 50, potentially resulting in a decrease in the transport accuracy of medium P1 and a decrease in recording quality. To avoid such problems, raising and lowering the support unit 53 each time a medium is fed would reduce the feeding throughput.

[0072] However, in the media feeding device 5 according to this embodiment, as described above, when the number of media sheets stacked in the support section 53 is at the maximum number, in the second state of the lifting section 59, the support section 53 is at a position lower than the regulated position Hb, and the media supported by the support section 53 comes into contact with the feeding roller 50. As the number of stacked sheets decreases, the position of the support portion 53 in the second state of the lifting unit 59 moves from a position lower than the regulated position Hb towards the regulated position Hb, while the state in which the media supported by the support portion 53 is in contact with the feed roller 50 is maintained. As a result, the lifting and lowering movement of the support portion 53 is not involved, and a decrease in the throughput of media feeding can be suppressed. Furthermore, when at least one sheet is loaded, in the second state of the lifting unit 59, the support unit 53 is in the restricted position Hb, and the medium supported by the support unit 53 is separated from the feed roller 50. This suppresses problems caused by contact between the feed roller 50 and the support unit 53.

[0073] As described above, the media feeding device 5 can suppress a decrease in media feeding throughput while suppressing problems caused by contact between the feeding roller 50 and the support part 53. Examples of problems caused by contact between the feed roller 50 and the support part 53 include, as mentioned above, a decrease in recording quality due to contact between the feed roller 50 and the friction pad 71, as well as the generation of abnormal noises due to contact between the feed roller 50 and the friction pad 71, and wear of the feed roller 50 and the friction pad 71.

[0074] In this embodiment, the support section 53 is positioned at the restricted position Hb in the second state of the lifting section 59 when the number of stacked media sheets falls below half the maximum number. This ensures that the media supported by the support section 53 remains in contact with the feed roller 50 while more than half of the maximum number of media sheets are being fed. This effectively suppresses a decrease in media feeding throughput.

[0075] In this embodiment, the support section 53 is positioned at the restricted position Hb in the second state of the lifting section 59 when the number of stacked sheets is 5 or less. More specifically, in this embodiment, the support section 53 is positioned at the restricted position Hb in the second state of the lifting section 59 when the number of stacked sheets is 3 or less in the case of plain paper. As a result, during the feeding of many media, the media supported by the support section 53 remains in contact with the feeding roller 50. This effectively suppresses a decrease in media feeding throughput. The maximum number of sheets mentioned above is 150 sheets of plain paper with a thickness of 0.11 mm, and in this case, the stacking height, i.e., the maximum stacking height, is 16.5 mm.

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the support portion 53 is in its lowest position H0, the upper surface 53a of the support portion 53 and the upper surface 54a of the mounting portion 54 become flush, that is, form the same plane. This allows for more appropriate support of the medium.

[0077] In this embodiment, the lifting section 59 is equipped with a rotationally driven cam 64, and the support section 53 has a cam contact section 60a that contacts the cam 64, and the support section 53 moves up and down as the cam 64 rotates. This allows the support section 53 to be raised and lowered with a simple configuration.

[0078] Furthermore, the lifting section 59 has a tension spring 67 as a pressing part that presses the support section 53 toward the highest position H1, and the cam 64 takes a first phase in the first state in which it moves away from the cam contact portion 60a, and a second phase in the second state in which it pushes down the cam contact portion 60a. In this way, the support section 53 can be raised and lowered with a simple configuration using the tension spring 67 and the cam 64.

[0079] Furthermore, in this embodiment, there is a period during which the medium being fed by the feed roller 50 is recorded facing the line head 12. In such a configuration, the transport load applied by the feed roller 50 to the medium is likely to lead to a deterioration in recording accuracy. In particular, when the medium on the support section 53 is depleted and the feed roller 50 and the friction pad 71 of the support section 53 come into direct contact, the feed roller 50 receives frictional resistance from the friction pad 71, reducing its rotational speed and applying a transport load to the medium, leading to a deterioration in recording accuracy. However, due to the effects of this embodiment described above, direct contact between the feed roller 50 and the friction pad 71 is suppressed, and the deterioration of recording accuracy can be suppressed.

[0080] Next, referring to Figure 9, a configuration will be described that includes an impact-reducing section to mitigate the impact when the medium supported by the support section 53 comes into contact with the feed roller 50 as the support section 53 rises. The lifting section 59A-1 shown in Figure 9 is equipped with a tension spring 68 as the shock-absorbing section. The tension spring 68 is placed between the guided member 61 and the base frame 57 and applies a pressing force to the support section 53 in the direction toward the lowest position H0. The support portion 53 is pressed in the -Z direction by the spring force of the tension spring 68. Note that the direction in which the spring force of the tension spring 68 is applied is not limited to a direction parallel to the Z-axis direction, but is sufficient as long as it includes a component in the -Z direction. This reduces the impact when the medium supported by the support portion 53 comes into contact with the feed roller 50, and suppresses the collision noise when the medium supported by the support portion 53 comes into contact with the feed roller 50. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the shock absorption section is composed of a tension spring 68, making it easy to construct. Also, since the pressing force of the tension spring 68 increases when the support section 53 rises, it can effectively absorb the impact when the medium supported by the support section 53 comes into contact with the feed roller 50. Furthermore, the shock-absorbing section is not limited to the tension spring 68, but may also be composed of an elastic material that temporarily applies a pressing force to the support section 53 when the medium comes into contact with the feed roller 50. Such an elastic material can be made of, for example, a compression coil spring or rubber. Furthermore, the shock-absorbing section may be provided not only in the lifting section 59A-1 located in the -Y direction, but also in a lifting section (not shown) located in the +Y direction.

[0081] Next, with reference to Figure 10, a configuration in which the support portion 53 is equipped with different types of friction pads will be described. In Figure 10, reference numeral 71A denotes the first friction pad. The first friction pad 71A is an example of a first friction section where the coefficient of friction with the medium is a first coefficient of friction. Reference numeral 71B denotes the second friction pad. The second friction pad 71B is an example of a second friction section where the coefficient of friction with the medium is a second coefficient of friction which is greater than the first coefficient of friction. The first friction pad 71A and the second friction pad 71B are switchable.

[0082] More specifically, the rack member 72 is provided with respect to the support portion 53 so as to be displaceable in the Y-axis direction. The first friction pad 71A and the second friction pad 71B are provided on the rack member 72 with an interval between them along the Y-axis direction. A rack 72a is formed on the rack member 72 along the Y-axis direction. A pinion 73 meshes with the rack 72a, forming a rack and pinion mechanism. The pinion 73 is driven by a motor (not shown) controlled by a control unit 80 (see Figure 2).

[0083] State ST1 in Figure 10 is the state in which the first friction pad 71A is facing the feed roller 50. State ST2 in Figure 10 is the state in which the second friction pad 71B is facing the feed roller 50. With this configuration, the first friction pad 71A and the second friction pad 71B can be switched depending on the type of medium, enabling more appropriate feeding. For example, the control unit 80 selects the first friction pad 71A when feeding the first medium, and selects the second friction pad 71B when feeding the second medium, which has a greater coefficient of friction between the media than the first medium. Examples of the first medium include cardboard and envelopes, and examples of the second medium include plain paper. This enables more appropriate feeding. Furthermore, the switching between the first friction pad 71A and the second friction pad 71B may be done manually, not just automatically. Furthermore, to prevent friction pads not facing the feed roller 50 from adversely affecting the final medium feeding, the upper surface of the rack member 72 may be curved upwards, for example, so that friction pads not facing the feed roller 50 retract downwards from the upper surface 53a of the support portion 53.

[0084] 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]

[0085] 1... Inkjet printer, 2... Main unit, 3... Media cassette, 5... Media feeding device 8...Discharge tray, 10...Ink storage section, 12...Line head, 12a...Nozzle surface, 13...Nozzle, 21...Pick roller, 25...Feeding roller pair, 29~43...Conveyor roller pair 46...Conveyor belt, 47...First roller, 48...Second roller, 50...Feeding roller, 51...Separation roller, 53...Support part, 53a...Top surface, 54...Placement part, 54a...Top surface, 54b...Rotating shaft, 55A, 55B...Edge guide, 55c...Loading restriction part, 57...Base frame, 57a1, 57a2...Side frame part, 57b...Guide groove, 58...Guide frame, 58a...Tip contact surface, 59...Lifting part, 60...Contact member, 60a...Cam contact part, 60b...Groove, 61...Guided member, 63...Shaft, 64 ...cam, 67...tension spring, 68...tension spring, 71...friction pad, 71A...first friction pad, 71B...second friction pad, 72...rack member, 72a...rack, 73...pinion, 80...control unit, 81...CPU, 82...volatile memory, 83...non-volatile memory, 84...program, 85...control parameters, 87...feed motor, 88...transport motor, 89...cam drive motor, 90...reference position sensor, 90a...detected plate, 90b...detection unit, 95...operation panel, P0, P1...medium

Claims

1. A feeding unit that feeds the media, A support portion for supporting a medium, the support portion being able to move up and down between a highest position which is the position closest to the feeding portion and a lowest position which is the position furthest from the feeding portion, A lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the support portion, Equipped with, The lifting unit, each time it feeds the medium, A first state in which the support portion is allowed to rise, A second state in which the upward movement of the support portion is restricted from a restricted position between the highest position and the lowest position to a position higher than the restricted position, Switching, When the number of media stacked in the support section is at its maximum, in the second state, the support section is at a lower position than the regulating position, and the media supported by the support section is in contact with the feeding section. As the number of stacked sheets decreases, the position of the support portion in the second state moves from a position lower than the restricting position toward the restricting position, and the state in which the medium supported by the support portion is in contact with the feeding portion is maintained. When the number of stacked sheets is at least one, in the second state, the support unit is in the restricting position, and the medium supported by the support unit is separated from the feeding unit. A media supply and delivery device characterized by the following features.

2. In the medium supply device according to claim 1, The support portion is positioned in the regulating position in the second state when the number of stacked sheets is 1 / 2 or less of the maximum number of sheets. A media supply and delivery device characterized by the following features.

3. In the medium supply device according to claim 1, The support portion is positioned in the regulated position in the second state when the number of stacked sheets is five or less. A media supply and delivery device characterized by the following features.

4. In the medium supply device according to claim 1, The system further comprises a mounting section that supports the medium together with the aforementioned support section, The support portion moves relative to the previously described mounting portion when moving up and down. When the support portion is in the lowest position, the support portion and the mounting portion described above form the same plane. A media supply and delivery device characterized by the following features.

5. In the medium supply device according to claim 1, The lifting mechanism is equipped with a rotationally driven cam, The support portion has a cam contact portion that contacts the cam, The support portion moves up and down as the cam rotates. A media supply and delivery device characterized by the following features.

6. In the medium supply device according to claim 5, The lifting mechanism has a pressing mechanism that presses the support mechanism toward the highest position. The aforementioned cam is In the first state, a first phase is taken in which the cam contact portion is separated, In the second state, a second phase is taken in which the cam contact portion is pushed down. A media supply and delivery device characterized by the following features.

7. In the medium supply device according to claim 1, The lifting section includes an impact mitigation section that reduces the impact when the medium supported by the support section comes into contact with the feeding section as the support section rises. A media supply and delivery device characterized by the following features.

8. In the medium supply device according to claim 7, The shock-absorbing part is composed of a tension spring that presses the support part toward the lowest position. The tension spring increases in pressure when the support portion rises. A media supply and delivery device characterized by the following features.

9. In the medium supply device according to claim 1, The support portion has a friction portion at a position opposite to the feeding portion. A media supply and delivery device characterized by the following features.

10. In the medium supply device according to claim 1, The support portion has a friction portion at a position opposite to the feeding portion, The friction part is A first friction part having a friction coefficient of first friction coefficient with respect to the medium, A second friction portion having a second friction coefficient that is greater than the first friction coefficient with respect to the medium, It has, The first friction section and the second friction section are switchable. A media supply and delivery device characterized by the following features.

11. In the medium supply device according to claim 10, The system includes a control unit that controls the switching between the first friction section and the second friction section, The control unit, When feeding the first medium, select the first friction part, When feeding a second medium having a greater coefficient of friction between the media than the first medium, the second friction section is selected. A media supply and delivery device characterized by the following features.

12. A media supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, A recording unit that records on a medium supplied by the aforementioned medium supply device, A recording device characterized by comprising the following features.

13. In the recording device according to claim 12, The medium being fed by the feeding unit is facing the recording unit. A recording device characterized by the following features.

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