Image recording device

Abstract

The recording medium is cut by accurately detecting the location of the area on the recording medium where the image is recorded. [Solution] The recording paper S on which an image has been recorded in the recording unit 2 is transported along the cutting transport path 55 to the cutting unit 6, where the recording paper S is cut according to the area on the recording paper S where an image has been recorded. When transporting the recording paper S on which an image has been recorded in the recording unit 2 to the cutting unit 6, the recording paper S is transported to the switchback path 55B located below the manual feed tray 4, which is located behind the recording unit 6 and the cutting unit 6. In the switchback path 55B, a switchback is performed to swap the front and rear ends of the transport of the recording paper S, and the recording paper S is transported from the switchback path 55B to the cutting unit 6. As a result, the recording paper S transported to the cutting unit 6 has the recording surface on which the image has been recorded facing upwards. The cutting unit 6 is located below the recording unit 2.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus for recording an image.

Background Art

[0002] As an example of an image recording apparatus for recording an image, Patent Document 1 describes a recording and cutting composite apparatus that records an image on a medium and cuts the medium on which the image has been recorded. In the recording and cutting composite apparatus described in Patent Document 1, a cutting unit is disposed below a recording unit. The medium on which an image has been recorded by the recording unit is conveyed by a reversing guide roller to a medium support belt of the cutting unit so that the recording surface of the medium on which the image has been recorded faces downward. The cutting unit includes a cutting unit carriage, a cutter head, and a cutter. The cutting unit carriage is movable in a horizontal direction and in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the medium. The cutter head is mounted on the carriage so as to be movable up and down and rotatable about a vertical axis. The cutter is held by the cutter head. Then, with the lower end of the cutter penetrating the medium, the cutting unit carriage is moved and the medium support belt is driven to move the medium, thereby cutting the medium.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The apparatus described in Patent Document 1 allows for the cutting of an image-recorded medium into a free shape that is not a straight line using a cutter. In such cases, if the positional relationship between the position of the recorded image and the cut shape is misaligned, the appearance will be poor. In the apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the medium is transported to the cutting section so that the recording surface on which the image is recorded faces downwards, and the medium is supported from below by a medium support belt. Therefore, it can be difficult to accurately detect the position of the area on which the image is recorded and cut the medium accordingly.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide an image recording device that can more accurately detect the position of an area on a recording medium in which an image is recorded and cut the recording medium accordingly. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The image recording apparatus of the present invention comprises a recording unit for recording an image on a recording medium, a cutting unit located above or below the recording unit for cutting the recording medium into any shape, and a cutting and transporting unit having a switchback mechanism for transporting the recording medium on which an image has been recorded by the recording unit toward the cutting unit, wherein the cutting and transporting unit uses the switchback mechanism to switch back the recording medium so that the recording surface becomes the upper surface at the cutting unit, and the switchback mechanism is positioned so that the recording medium in the switchback position overlaps with the recording unit when viewed from above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, a recording medium on which an image has been recorded in the recording unit is transported to the cutting unit so that the recording surface becomes the upper surface at the cutting unit. This makes it easier to grasp the position of the area on the recording medium where the image has been recorded when cutting the recording medium in the cutting unit, and allows the recording medium to be cut appropriately in the cutting unit. Furthermore, the switchback mechanism is positioned so that the recording medium at the switchback position overlaps with the recording unit when viewed from above. Therefore, the liquid dispensing device can be made smaller compared to the case where the recording medium at the switchback position does not overlap with the recording unit when viewed from above. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the front. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, perpendicular to the left-right direction. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of the recording unit and other components as seen from above. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram of the cut section as seen from above. [Figure 5] (a) is a diagram showing the external appearance of the cutter cartridge, (b) is a cross-sectional view of the lower end of the cutter cartridge parallel to the axial direction when the entire cutter blade is covered by the holder, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the lower end of the cutter cartridge parallel to the axial direction when a portion of the cutter blade is exposed from the holder. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram of the switching unit as seen from the front. [Figure 7] (a) is a diagram showing the cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction of the left end of the guide member located in the first position and the configuration of the surrounding area; (b) is a diagram showing the cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction of the left end of the guide member located in the second position and the configuration of the surrounding area; (c) is a diagram showing the cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction of the right end of the guide member located in the first position and the configuration of the surrounding area; and (d) is a diagram showing the cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction of the right end of the guide member located in the second position and the configuration of the surrounding area. [Figure 8] This is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a printer. [Figure 9] (a) is a flowchart showing the process flow when performing single-sided recording, (b) is a flowchart showing the process flow when performing double-sided recording, (c) is a flowchart showing the process flow when performing single-sided recording after cutting, and (d) is a flowchart showing the process flow when performing double-sided recording after cutting. [Figure 10] (a) is a diagram illustrating the feeding of recording paper from the manual feed tray, and (b) is a diagram illustrating the feeding of recording paper from the paper cassette. [Figure 11] (a) is a diagram illustrating the state in which the trailing edge of the recording paper has been transported to a point ahead of the branching point of the reverse path in the paper output path, and (b) is a diagram illustrating the transport of the recording paper in the reverse path. [Figure 12] (a) is a diagram illustrating images recorded using standard single-sided and standard double-sided recording, and (b) is a diagram illustrating images and markers recorded using cut single-sided and cut double-sided recording. [Figure 13] (a) is a diagram illustrating the transport of recording paper to the switchback path, and (b) is a diagram illustrating the transport of recording paper from the switchback path to the cutting section. [Figure 14] This diagram illustrates an example of a printer where the switchback path is located below the cut-off point. [Figure 15] (a) is a diagram illustrating the transport of recording paper to the switchback path in the printer of Figure 14, and (b) is a diagram illustrating the transport of recording paper from the switchback path to the cutting section in the printer of Figure 14. [Figure 16] This diagram illustrates an example of a printer where the cutting section and switchback path are located above the recording section. [Figure 17](a) is a diagram for explaining the conveyance of the recording paper to the switchback path in the printer of FIG. 16, and (b) is a diagram for explaining the conveyance of the recording paper from the switchback path to the cutting part in the printer of FIG. 16.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0010] <Overall Configuration of Printer> As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the printer 1 of the present embodiment includes a housing 1A, a recording unit 2, a paper discharge tray 3, a manual feed tray 4, a paper cassette 5, a cutting unit 6, and a conveyance unit 7. In the present embodiment, the printer 1 corresponds to the "image recording apparatus" of the present invention.

[0011] <F In addition, hereinafter, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upward direction, downward direction, forward direction, backward direction, left direction, and right direction will be defined for explanation. The upward direction and the downward direction are opposite to each other. The left direction and the right direction are opposite to each other. The forward direction and the backward direction are opposite to each other. The upward and downward directions are orthogonal to the forward and backward directions. The upward and downward directions are orthogonal to the left and right directions. The forward and backward directions are orthogonal to the left and right directions.

[0012] [[ID=2l]] The housing 1A is configured in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. In the housing 1A, a front surface 1A1 that is an end surface in the forward direction and a rear surface 1A2 that is an end surface in the backward direction face each other in the front-rear direction. The recording unit 2, the paper discharge tray 3, the manual feed tray 4, the paper cassette 5, the cutting unit 6, etc. are provided in the housing 1A.

[0013] The recording unit 2 is a part for recording an image on the recording paper S. In the present embodiment, the recording paper S corresponds to the "recording medium" of the present invention.

[0014] As shown in Figure 2, the recording unit 2 is located at the top of the housing 1A. The recording unit 2 is also located between the front 1A1 and the rear 1A2 in the front-to-back direction. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the recording unit 2 includes a head carriage 11, a sub-tank 12, a head 13, a platen 14, and transport rollers 15 and 16.

[0015] The head carriage 11, which mounts the sub-tank 12 and the head 13, is supported by two guide rails 19A and 19B extending in the left-right direction, allowing it to move to the left and right. The head carriage 11 is connected to the head carriage motor 106 shown in Figure 8 via a belt or the like (not shown), and moves to the left and right along the guide rails 19A and 19B as the head carriage motor 106 is driven.

[0016] Here, the printer 1 is equipped with a cartridge mounting section 21. The cartridge mounting section 21 is located at the front of the upper part of the housing 1A and is positioned to the right of the output tray 3. The cartridge mounting section 21 comprises four cartridge mounting sections 21 arranged side by side in the left-right direction. The cartridge mounting section 21 has an opening at the front, through which ink cartridges 22 can be inserted and removed. In other words, the printer 1 can be equipped with ink cartridges 22 through the openings in the front panel 1A1 of the housing 1A and the openings in the cartridge mounting section 21. The four cartridge mounting sections 21 are equipped with removable ink cartridges 22 containing black, yellow, cyan, and magenta ink, in order from left to right. Although a detailed explanation is omitted here, the openings in the front panel 1A1 of the housing 1A and the openings in the cartridge mounting section 21 may be covered by covers that cover at least one of the openings.

[0017] The four ink cartridges 22, each mounted in one of the four cartridge mounting sections 21, are connected to the sub-tank 12 via a tube 23. The ink in the ink cartridges 22 is supplied to the sub-tank 12 via the tube 23.

[0018] The print head 13 is connected to the bottom surface of the sub-tank 12. The print head 13 has a nozzle surface 13A with multiple nozzles 10 on its lower side, and ejects ink supplied from the sub-tank 12 through the nozzles 10. More specifically, the multiple nozzles 10 are arranged in the front-to-back direction to form a nozzle row 9. In addition, four rows of nozzle rows 9 are arranged in the left-to-right direction on the nozzle surface 13A. From the multiple nozzles 10, black, yellow, cyan, and magenta inks are ejected in order, starting from those forming the nozzle row 9 located to the right.

[0019] The platen 14 is located below the head 13. The platen 14 supports the recording paper S from below.

[0020] The transport rollers 15 and 16 are rollers whose axis is oriented in the left-right direction. Transport roller 15 is positioned behind the head 13 and platen 14. Transport roller 16 is positioned in front of the head 13 and platen 14. The transport rollers 15 and 16 are connected to the roller drive device 107 shown in Figure 8. By driving the transport rollers 15 and 16 with the roller drive device 107, the recording paper S is transported forward.

[0021] The output tray 3 is the part where the recording paper S on which an image has been recorded by the recording unit 2 is ejected when the recording paper S on which an image has been recorded by the recording unit 2 is not cut by the cutting unit 6. The output tray 3 is located at the top of the housing 1A and is positioned in front of the recording unit 2 and the transport rollers 16.

[0022] This is a tray on which recording paper S supplied to the recording unit 2 is placed. The manual feed tray 4 is a so-called MPF or multipurpose tray, and can hold one sheet or multiple sheets of recording paper S stacked vertically. The manual feed tray 4 is located at the top of the housing 1A and behind the recording unit 2 and the transport rollers 15. The manual feed tray 4 is also located above the paper cassette 5 and behind the paper cassette 5. The manual feed tray 4 is connected to the housing 1A at its front, and the surface on which the recording paper S is placed extends downwards towards the front. In other words, the surface of the manual feed tray 4 is inclined so that the front is downwards with respect to the horizontal plane. The recording paper S placed on the manual feed tray 4 is supplied into the housing 1A from the front of the manual feed tray. In this embodiment, the manual feed tray 4 corresponds to the "paper feed tray" of the present invention.

[0023] The paper cassette 5 is a tray on which recording paper S supplied to the recording unit 2 is placed. The paper cassette 5 is located at the top of the housing 1A and is detachably mounted in the cassette mounting section 1B, which is located below the recording unit 2, the transport rollers 15 and 16, and the manual feed tray 4. Specifically, the paper cassette 5 can be inserted into and removed from the cassette mounting section 1B from the front. The paper cassette 5 can hold one sheet of recording paper S, or multiple sheets stacked vertically.

[0024] <Cut section> The cutting section 6 is a part for cutting the recording paper S on which the image is recorded into any shape. Any shape other than a straight line is a predetermined shape such as a circle, square, or star. It is also possible to cut the paper into a predetermined shape along the outline of the recorded image. The cutting section 6 can also cut the recording paper S in a straight line. The cutting section 6 is located at the bottom of the housing 1A, between the front 1A1 and the rear 1A2 of the housing 1A. In other words, the cutting section 6 is located below the recording section 2, the output tray 3, the manual feed tray 4, and the paper cassette 5. As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the cutting section 6 has a cutter cartridge 31, a cutter carriage 32, a sensor 33, and a cutting section roller 34.

[0025] As shown in Figures 4 and 5(a) to (c), the cutter cartridge 31 comprises a housing 41, a cutter 42, and a holder 43. The housing 41 is cylindrical in shape.

[0026] The cutter 42 has a base 42A and a cutter blade 42B. The base 42A is cylindrical in shape. The base 42A is attached to the lower end of the housing 41 via a bearing 44. The bearing 44 has its axis oriented in the vertical direction. As a result, the cutter 42 is supported so as to be rotatable with respect to the housing 41, around the axis of the cylindrical base 42A which is parallel to the vertical direction. The cutter blade 42B is connected to the lower end of the base 42A. The cutter blade 42B is thin and plate-like in shape. The lower end of the cutter blade 42B is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction.

[0027] The holder 43 is cylindrical in shape. The holder 43 is held at the lower end of the housing 41 so as to be movable upward and downward. At least a portion of the cutter blade 42B is located inside the cylindrical holder 43. A spring 45 is also positioned between the housing 41 and the upper end of the holder 43. The holder 43 is biased downward by the spring 45.

[0028] The cutter carriage 32 is supported so as to be movable to the left and right by two guide rails 39A and 39B that extend in the left-right direction and are spaced apart in the front-rear direction. The cutter carriage 32 is connected to the cutter carriage motor 108 shown in Figure 8. As the cutter carriage motor 108 is driven, the cutter carriage 32 moves to the left and right along the guide rails 39A and 39B. In this embodiment, the left and right directions of movement of the cutter carriage 32 correspond to the "second direction" of the present invention.

[0029] Furthermore, the cutter carriage 32 is provided with a cutter mounting section 46. The cutter cartridge 31 is mounted on the cutter mounting section 46 by fixing the housing 41 to the cutter mounting section 46.

[0030] Furthermore, the cutter mounting section 46 is connected to a lifting device 47 shown in Figure 8. The lifting device 47 moves the cutter mounting section 46 upward and downward. In conjunction with the upward and downward movement of the cutter mounting section 46, the cutter cartridge 31 also moves upward and downward.

[0031] The sensor 33 is mounted on the cutter carriage 32. The sensor 33 is used to detect the position of the area on the recording paper S that has been transported to the cutting section 6, as will be described later. The detection of the position of the area on the recording paper S where an image is recorded by the sensor 33 will be explained in detail later.

[0032] The cutting roller 34 is a roller whose axis is oriented in the left-right direction and is located behind the cutter cartridge 31 and cutter carriage 32. The cutting roller 34 is connected to the roller drive device 107 shown in Figure 8. The cutting roller 34 is driven by the roller drive device 107 and transports the conveyed recording paper S in the forward and backward directions.

[0033] Furthermore, a support member 35 is positioned at the bottom of the housing 1A. The support member 35 is a roughly rectangular plate-shaped member. The support member 35 is located below the cutting section 6. When viewed from above, the support member 35 extends from a position that overlaps with the cutting section 6 to a position further back from it. The support member 35 supports the recording paper S from below when the recording paper S is cut at the cutting section 6.

[0034] When cutting the recording paper S at the cutting section 6, the cutter cartridge 31 is lowered by lowering the cutter mounting section 46 using the lifting device 47. At this time, the cutter cartridge 31 is lowered until the cutter blade 42B of the cutter 42 penetrates the recording paper S, depending on the thickness of the recording paper S to be cut. Before lowering the cutter cartridge 31, as shown in Figure 5(b), the entire cutter blade 42B is located inside the holder 43. When the cutter cartridge 31 is lowered, the lower end of the holder 43 comes into contact with the recording paper S, and an upward force is applied to the holder 43. As a result, the holder 43 moves upward against the biasing force of the spring 45. Consequently, as shown in Figure 5(c), the tip of the cutter blade 42B is exposed from the holder 43 and penetrates the recording paper S.

[0035] Then, with the tip of the cutter blade 42B penetrating the recording paper S, the cutter carriage 32 is moved to the left or right depending on the shape to be cut from the recording paper S, and the cutter roller 34 moves the recording paper S forward or backward, thereby allowing the recording paper S to be cut into any shape. At this time, the cutter blade 42B and the recording paper S move relative to each other in the forward, backward, left, and right directions. As described above, the cutter 42 is rotatably supported with respect to the housing 41, so when the cutter blade 42B and the recording paper S move relative to each other, the cutter 42 rotates in accordance with the direction of relative movement.

[0036] <Conveying Section> The transport unit 7 is the part of the printer 1 that transports the recording paper S. As shown in Figure 2, the transport unit 7 includes a tray feeding path 51, a cassette feeding path 52, a paper discharge path 53, a reversal path 54, and a cut transport path 55 as paths through which the recording paper S is transported.

[0037] Furthermore, the transport unit 7 includes a tray feed roller 61, a pickup roller 62, a cassette feed roller 63, a first switchback roller 64, an upstream path roller 65, a second switchback roller 66, and a downstream path roller 67 as rollers for transporting the recording paper S. In addition, the transport rollers 15 and 16 that constitute the recording unit 2 and the cutting unit roller 34 that constitutes the cutting unit 6 also serve as rollers that constitute the transport unit 7.

[0038] Here, all of these rollers have their axes oriented in the left-right direction. These rollers are driven by the roller drive device 107 shown in Figure 8 to transport the recording paper S. The roller drive device 107 has at least one motor for driving each of the rollers that make up the transport section 7. The roller drive device 107 also includes gears and the like that connect the at least one motor to each roller. The motor of the roller drive device 107 may be provided for one roller, or it may be provided in common for two or more rollers.

[0039] <Tray paper feed path, tray paper feed roller> The tray feed path 51 is a transport path that carries recording paper S supplied from the manual feed tray 4 to the recording unit 2. The tray feed path 51 extends from the paper feed opening at the front of the manual feed tray 4 to a position below the head 13. The tray feed roller 61 is located above the mounting surface on the manual feed tray 4 where the recording paper S is placed. The recording paper S placed on the manual feed tray 4 is transported to the tray feed path 51 by the tray feed roller 61 driven by the roller drive device 107, and then transported to the recording unit 2 by the transport roller 16. At this time, if multiple sheets of recording paper S are stacked on the manual feed tray 4, the uppermost sheet of recording paper S is transported by the tray feed roller 61.

[0040] <Cassette paper feed path, pickup roller, cassette paper feed roller> The cassette paper feed path 52 is a transport path that carries the recording paper S supplied from the paper cassette 5 to the recording unit 2. The cassette paper feed path 52 extends upward from the rear end of the paper cassette 5, merges with the tray paper feed path 51 at the merging section 51A, and extends to a position below the head 13 of the recording unit 2. The pickup roller 62 is located above the mounting surface on which the recording paper S is placed in the paper cassette 5. The recording paper S placed in the paper cassette 5 is transported to the cassette paper feed path 52 by the pickup roller 62 driven by the roller drive device 107. At this time, if multiple sheets of recording paper S are stacked vertically in the paper cassette 5, the uppermost sheet of recording paper S is transported to the cassette paper feed path 52 by the pickup roller 62.

[0041] The cassette paper feed roller 63 is located in the cassette paper feed path 52. The recording paper S is transported to the cassette paper feed path 52 by the pickup roller 62, and then transported to the recording unit 2 by the cassette paper feed roller 63, which is driven by the roller drive device 107.

[0042] <Paper output path, reversal path, first switchback roller> The paper output path 53 is the path for outputting the recording paper S recorded in the recording unit 2 to the paper output tray 3. The paper output path 53 is located downstream of the tray feeding path 51 and the cassette feeding path 52 in the direction in which the recording paper S is transported, and extends from the connection point between the tray feeding path 51 and the cassette feeding path 52 to the paper output tray 3. The paper output path 53 is a path that extends forward from the recording unit 2. The reversal path 54 is a path for transporting the recording paper S recorded in the recording unit 2 back to the recording unit 2 after reversing its front and back sides. The reversal path 54 includes a path that branches off from the branching section 53A located between the recording unit 2 and the paper output tray 3 of the paper output path 53. From the branching section 53A, the reversal path 54 extends backward through below the recording unit 2 and merges with the cassette feeding path 52 at the merging section 52A. Then, the merged inversion path 54 and the cassette paper feed path 52 merge into the tray paper feed path 51 at the merging section 51A. The merged inversion path 54, cassette paper feed path 52, and tray paper feed path 51 extend to the recording unit 2.

[0043] Furthermore, a guide member 71 is provided at the branching section 53A. The guide member 71 is movable between a reversal guide position shown by a solid line in Figure 2 and a paper discharge guide position shown by a dashed line in Figure 2. The reversal guide position is the position when guiding the recording paper S from the paper discharge path 53 to the reversal path 54. The paper discharge guide position is the position when guiding the recording paper S along the paper discharge path 53. The guide member 71 is also biased from the paper discharge guide position toward the reversal guide position by a spring (not shown).

[0044] The first switchback roller 64 is located downstream of the branching point 53A of the paper discharge path 53. In other words, it is located forward of the branching point 53A of the paper discharge path 53. The transport rollers 15, 16 and the first switchback roller 64 are driven by the roller drive device 107, so that the recording paper S on which an image has been recorded in the recording unit 2 is transported along the paper discharge path 53. At this time, the guide member 71 is pushed by the transported recording paper S and moves against the biasing force of a spring (not shown) from the inversion guide position toward the paper discharge guide position. This allows the recording paper S to be transported forward of the guide member 71. At this time, the recording paper S on which an image has been recorded in the recording unit 2 can also be transported to the paper discharge tray 3.

[0045] Furthermore, when the recording paper S on which the image has been recorded in the recording unit 2 is transported by the first switchback roller 64 until the rear end of the recording paper S reaches in front of the guide member 71, the guide member 71 is no longer pressed by the recording paper S and returns to the reverse guide position due to the biasing force of a spring (not shown). In this state, when the roller drive device 107 rotates the first switchback roller 64 in the reverse direction to transport the recording paper S backward, the recording paper S is guided by the guide member 71 located in the reverse guide position and transported to the reverse path 54. Here, additional rollers for transporting the recording paper S may be arranged in the reverse path 54.

[0046] <Cutting and transport route> The cutting and transport path 55 is a transport path that transports the recording paper S recorded in the recording unit 2 to the cutting unit 6. The cutting and transport path 55 has an upstream path 55A, a switchback path 55B, and a downstream path 55C.

[0047] <Upstream Route> The upstream path 55A is a transport path that branches off from the branching point 54A of the reversal path 54 and transports the recording paper S to the switchback path 55B. The branching point 54A is located between the junction 52A with the cassette paper feed path 52 and the junction 51A with the tray paper feed path 51 of the reversal path 54. In other words, the branching point 54A is located above the junction 52A and below the junction 51A. The upstream path 55A extends rearward from the branching point 54A. Furthermore, the upstream path 55A bends downward midway and then bends forward and downward to extend further. In other words, the upstream path 55A extends rearward, the transport path bends in a U-shape, and the transport path extends forward. In addition, an upstream path roller 65 is provided for the upstream path 55A.

[0048] <Switching Unit> In this embodiment, the printer 1 is equipped with a switching unit 80. The switching unit 80 is used to switch whether the recording paper S, which has been transported along the reversal path 54, is transported along the reversal path 54 towards the recording unit 2, or whether it is transported towards the upstream path 55A of the cutting transport path 55 and then transported to the cutting unit 6.

[0049] As shown in Figures 2, 6, and 7(a) to 7(d), the switching unit 80 includes a guide member 81, a rack and pinion mechanism 82, a switching motor 83, and a torque limiter 84.

[0050] The guide member 81 is positioned below the tray paper feed path 51. The guide member 81 has a first portion 81A, a second portion 81B, and a third portion 81C.

[0051] As shown in Figure 7, the first portion 81A extends in the front-rear direction. Also, as shown in Figure 6, the first portion 81A has guide portions 81D and 81E. Guide portion 81D is located at the left end of the first portion 81A, protruding downward and extending in the front-rear direction. The left end face of guide portion 81D has a groove 81D1 that extends in the front-rear direction. Guide portion 81E is located at the right end of the first portion 81A, protruding downward and extending in the front-rear direction. The right end face of guide portion 81E has a groove 81E1 that extends in the front-rear direction.

[0052] Here, the housing 1A comprises a frame 89A located to the left of the guide member 81 and a frame 89B located to the right of the guide member 81. A guide rail 89A1 is provided on the right side of frame 89A, projecting to the right and extending in the front-rear direction. The guide rail 89A1 is fitted into a groove 81D1 of the guide portion 81D. A guide rail 89B1 is provided on the left side of frame 89B, projecting to the left and extending in the front-rear direction. The guide rail 89B1 is fitted into a groove 81E1 of the guide portion 81E.

[0053] Furthermore, since the guide rail 89A1 is fitted into the groove 81D1 of the guide portion 81D, and the guide rail 89B1 is fitted into the groove 81E1 of the guide portion 81E, the guide member 81 is supported by the guide rails 89A1 and 89B1 so that it can move in the forward and backward directions.

[0054] Furthermore, two positioning protrusions 89A2 and 89A3 are positioned on the right side of frame 89A, projecting to the right. Positioning protrusion 89A2 is located behind the guide portion 81D of guide member 81. Positioning protrusion 89A3 is located in front of the guide portion 81D of guide member 81. Additionally, two positioning protrusions 89B2 and 89B3 are positioned on the left side of frame 89B, projecting to the left. Positioning protrusion 89B2 is located behind the guide portion 81E of guide member 81. Positioning protrusion 89B3 is located in front of the guide portion 81E of guide member 81.

[0055] As a result, the guide member 81 is movable between a first position shown by the solid line in Figure 2 and in Figures 7(a) and (c), and a second position shown by the dashed line in Figure 2 and in Figures 7(b) and (d). When the guide member 81 is in the first position, the rear end of the guide portion 81D contacts the positioning projection 89A2, and the rear end of the guide portion 81E contacts the positioning projection 89B2. This restricts the rearward movement of the guide member 81. The second position is a position forward of the first position. When the guide member 81 is in the second position, the front end of the guide portion 81D contacts the positioning projection 89A3, and the front end of the guide portion 81E contacts the positioning projection 89B3. This restricts the forward movement of the guide member 81.

[0056] The second section 81B is located between the first section 81A and the third section 81C in the front-rear direction and connects the first section 81A and the third section 81C. The third section 81C is fixed to the front end of the second section 81B, and the rear end of the second section 81B is fixed to the front end of the first section 81A. The second section 81B extends forward such that its front end is lower than its rear end. In other words, it extends with an inclination so that it is positioned lower as it moves forward. The third section 81C is connected to the front end of the second section 81B. The third section 81C has a guide surface at its front that guides the transported recording paper S. The guide surface is formed on the front surface of the portion that extends upward and downward from the connection point with the second section 81B. The third section 81C is located downstream of the point where the cassette paper feed path 52 and the reversal path 54 merge. Furthermore, the guide surface of the third section 81C forms part of the rear wall of the transport path that carries the recording paper S.

[0057] When the guide member 81 is in the first position, the recording paper S that has been transported along the reversal path 54 is guided by the guide surface of the third section 81C and continues to be transported along the reversal path 54. When the guide member 81 is in the second position, the recording paper S that has been transported along the reversal path 54 passes below the third section 81C and is transported to the upstream path 55A of the cutting transport path 55.

[0058] The rack and pinion mechanism 82 includes two rack gears 91A and 91B, two pinion gears 92A and 92B, gears 93A, 93B, 94 and 95, and shafts 96 and 97.

[0059] The rack gear 91A is located at the lower end of the guide portion 81D of the first portion 81A. The rack gear 91B is located at the lower end of the guide portion 81E of the first portion 81A. The rack gears 91A and 91B extend in the front-rear direction. The pinion gear 92A is located below the rack gear 91A and meshes with the rack gear 91A. The pinion gear 92B is located below the rack gear 91B and meshes with the rack gear 91B.

[0060] Gear 93A is located below pinion gear 92A and meshes with it. Gear 93B is located below pinion gear 92B and meshes with it. Gears 93A, 93B, and 94 are fixed to a shaft 96 whose axis is oriented in the left-right direction. The shaft 96 is rotatably supported by frames 89A and 89B. The shaft 96 extends to the left of frame 89A. Gear 94 is fixed to the portion of the shaft 96 that is located to the left of frame 89A. Gear 95 is located below gear 94 and meshes with it. Gear 95 is fixed to a shaft 97 whose axis is oriented in the left-right direction.

[0061] Furthermore, the shaft 97 is connected to the rotating shaft 83A of the switching motor 83 via a torque limiter 84. When the switching motor 83 is driven, torque is applied from the rotating shaft 83A to the shaft 97 via the torque limiter 84. At this time, the torque limiter 84 limits the torque applied from the rotating shaft 83A to the shaft 97 so that it does not exceed a threshold. Since the configuration of the torque limiter 84 itself is publicly known, further detailed explanation of the torque limiter 84 is omitted here.

[0062] When the rotating shaft 83A is rotated in one direction, the guide member 81 moves backward from the second position toward the first position. When the rotating shaft 83A is further rotated in the same direction while the guide member 81 has moved backward to the first position, with the guide portion 81D in contact with the positioning projection 89A2 and the guide portion 81E in contact with the positioning projection 89B2, the torque applied to the guide member 81 is limited by the torque limiter 84.

[0063] On the other hand, when the rotating shaft 83A is rotated in the opposite direction to the first direction, the guide member 81 moves forward from the first position toward the first position. When the rotating shaft 83A rotates further in the opposite direction while the guide member 81 has moved backward to the second position, and the guide portion 81D is in contact with the positioning projection 89A3 and the guide portion 81E is in contact with the positioning projection 89B3, the torque applied to the guide member 81 is limited by the torque limiter 84.

[0064] <Switchback route> Printer 1 is equipped with a path member 56 located below the paper cassette 5 and above the cutting section 6 of the housing 1A. Furthermore, when viewed from above, the paper cassette 5 and the path member 56 overlap.

[0065] The switchback path 55B is a transport path that performs a switchback to swap the leading and trailing ends of the recording paper S transported from the upstream path 55A, and then transports the switchedback recording paper S to the downstream path 55C. In this embodiment, the position of the recording paper S when it is switched back on the switchback path 55B corresponds to the "switchback position" of the present invention. The switchback path 55B is formed between the paper cassette 5 and the path member 56 in the vertical direction. The lower surface of the paper cassette 5 is the upper wall surface of the switchback path 55B, and the upper surface of the path member 56 is the lower wall surface of the switchback path 55B.

[0066] As a result, the switchback path 55B is located below the paper cassette 5 and above the cutting section 6. The switchback path 55B extends forward from the front end opposite the branching section 54A of the upstream path 55A. More specifically, the switchback path 55B extends with an upward inclination relative to the forward direction, so that it becomes higher as it goes further forward. In other words, the switchback path 55B extends with an inclination such that the front is higher relative to the horizontal plane. Also, when the paper cassette 5 is pulled forward from the housing 1A and removed from the housing 1A, the switchback path 55B is exposed.

[0067] <Downstream Route> The downstream path 55C is located behind the switchback path 55B and below the upstream path 55A. The downstream path 55C extends backward and downward from its position behind the switchback path 55B, curves downward, and then curves further downward and forward to reach the upper surface of the support member 35. In other words, the downstream path 55C is a transport path that extends backward, curves in a U-shape, and then extends forward.

[0068] Furthermore, guide members 72 are positioned between the upstream path 55A and the downstream path 55C and the switchback path 55B in the front-rear direction. The guide members 72 are configured to be movable between a downstream guide position, shown by a solid line in Figure 2, and an upstream guide position, shown by a dashed line in Figure 2. The downstream guide position is the position when guiding the recording paper S from the switchback path 55B to the downstream path 55C. The upstream guide position is the position when guiding the recording paper S from the upstream path 55A to the switchback path 55B. The guide members 72 are also biased from the upstream guide position toward the downstream guide position by a spring or the like (not shown).

[0069] <Upstream path roller, second switchback roller, downstream path roller> The upstream path roller 65 is located in the upstream path 55A. The second switchback roller 66 is located in the switchback path 55B. When the paper cassette 5 is pulled forward from the housing 1A and removed from the housing 1A, the second switchback roller 66 is exposed along with the switchback path 55B. In other words, the second switchback roller 66 and the switchback path 55B are visible from the opening into which the paper cassette 5 is installed. Furthermore, the second switchback roller 66 and the switchback path 55B are accessible from the opening into which the paper cassette 5 is installed. Also, any jammed recording paper S in the switchback path 55B is visible and accessible from the opening into which the paper cassette 5 is installed. The downstream path roller 67 is located in the downstream path 55C.

[0070] The recording paper S is transported from the upstream path 55A to the switchback path 55B by the roller drive device 107, which drives the upstream path roller 65 and the second switchback roller 66, causing them to rotate in one direction. When the recording paper S is transported from the upstream path 55A to the switchback path 55B, the guide member 72 is pushed by the recording paper S and moves from the downstream guide position to the upstream guide position against the biasing force of a spring (not shown). When the rear end of the recording paper S being transported from the upstream path 55A to the switchback path 55B passes the guide member 72, the guide member 72 is no longer pushed by the recording paper S and returns to the downstream guide position due to the biasing force of a spring (not shown). The position of the recording paper S when it is located on the switchback path 55B corresponds to the "switchback position" of the present invention. When viewed from above, the recording paper S located at the switchback position overlaps with the recording unit 2. This means that when the recording unit 2 is in any of its movable positions, there is a point where, when viewed from above, the recording sheet S located in the switchback position and the recording unit 2 overlap. More specifically, when the recording unit 2 is in the recording position for recording an image, when viewed from above, the recording unit 2 overlaps with the recording sheet S located in the switchback position. In other words, in the left-right direction, the right edge of the recording unit 2 is to the right of the left edge of the recording sheet S located in the switchback position. To put it another way, at least a portion of the area from the left edge to the right edge of the recording unit 2 overlaps in the left-right direction with at least a portion of the area from the left edge to the right edge of the recording sheet S located in the switchback position.

[0071] Furthermore, by driving the second switchback roller 66 with the roller drive device 107 and rotating it in the opposite direction to the above-mentioned one direction, the recording paper S on the switchback path 55B can be fed forward and downward. The recording paper S fed out from the switchback path 55B in this way is guided by the guide member 72 located at the downstream guide position and is transported from the switchback path 55B to the downstream path 55C.

[0072] Furthermore, when the roller drive device 107 drives the downstream path roller 67, the recording paper S that has been transported from the switchback path 55B to the downstream path 55C is transported through the downstream path 55C to the upper surface of the support member 35, and then transported along the upper surface of the support member 35 to the cutting section 6. In this embodiment, the forward direction, which is the transport direction of the recording paper S transported along the upper surface of the support member 35 toward the cutting section 6, corresponds to the "first direction" of the present invention. Here, the downstream path 55C may extend to a position immediately behind the cutting section 6. In this case, the direction in which the forward direction is downward relative to the horizontal plane, which is the transport direction of the recording paper S transported along the downstream path 55C, corresponds to the "first direction" of the present invention.

[0073] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the combination of the cutting and conveying path 55, rollers 65, 66, 67, guide member 72, and switching unit 80 corresponds to the "cutting and conveying section" of the present invention.

[0074] <Electrical configuration of the printer> Next, the electrical configuration of printer 1 will be described. As shown in Figure 8, printer 1 is equipped with a control unit 100. The control unit 100 consists of a CPU 101, ROM 102, RAM 103, memory 104, ASIC 105, etc. CPU is an abbreviation for Central Processing Unit. ROM is an abbreviation for Read Only Memory. RAM is an abbreviation for Random Access Memory. ASIC is an abbreviation for Application Specific Integrated Circuit. The control unit 100 controls the motors of the head carriage motor 106, head 13, roller drive unit 107, cutter carriage motor 108, lifting device 47, switching motor 83, etc. The control unit 100 also receives signals from sensor 33.

[0075] In addition to the configuration described above, the printer 1 is also equipped with an operation panel 99. The operation panel 99 has a display unit and an operation unit. The display unit is, for example, a liquid crystal display. The operation unit is, for example, hard keys, a touch panel provided on the display unit 68, etc. Under the control of the control unit 100, various screens are displayed on the display unit of the operation panel 99. When the operation panel 99 is operated by the user, a signal corresponding to the user's operation is transmitted to the control unit 100.

[0076] Furthermore, the control unit 100 may be configured such that only the CPU 101 performs the various processing, or only the ASIC 105 performs the various processing, or the CPU 101 and ASIC 105 perform the various processing in cooperation. Also, the control unit 100 may be configured such that one CPU 101 performs the processing independently, or multiple CPUs 101 share the processing. Also, the control unit 100 may be configured such that one ASIC 105 performs the processing independently, or multiple ASICs 105 share the processing.

[0077] <Control during recording> Next, we will explain the control by the control unit 100 when recording an image on the recording paper S in the printer 1.

[0078] Printer 1 can selectively perform one of the following: normal single-sided recording, normal double-sided recording, cut single-sided recording, or cut double-sided recording. Normal single-sided recording is the operation of recording an image on only one side of the recording paper S and not cutting the recording paper S at the cutting unit 6. Normal double-sided recording is the operation of recording an image on both sides of the recording paper S and not cutting the recording paper S at the cutting unit 6. Cut single-sided recording is the operation of recording an image on only one side of the recording paper S and cutting the recording paper S at the cutting unit 6. Cut double-sided recording is the operation of recording an image on both sides of the recording paper S and cutting the recording paper S at the cutting unit 6.

[0079] <Control during normal single-sided recording> The control by the control unit 100 when performing normal single-sided recording will now be explained. When performing normal single-sided recording, the control unit 100 processes according to the flowchart in Figure 9(a). For example, when a recording instruction signal indicating normal single-sided recording is input via operation of the operation panel 99 or a PC connected to the printer 1, processing according to the flowchart in Figure 9(a) begins.

[0080] To explain the flowchart in Figure 9(a) in detail, the control unit 100 first performs the paper feeding process (S101). In the paper feeding process of S101, the control unit 100 controls the roller drive device 107 to supply recording paper S from the manual feed tray 4 to the recording unit 2 through the tray feed path 51 to the tray feed roller 61, as shown in Figure 10(a). Alternatively, in the paper feeding process of S101, the control unit 100 controls the roller drive device 107 to supply recording paper S from the paper cassette 5 to the recording unit 2 through the cassette feed path 52 to the pickup roller 62 and the cassette feed roller 63, as shown in Figure 10(b). Whether to supply recording paper S to the recording unit 2 from the manual feed tray 4 or the paper cassette 5 is determined based on, for example, a recording instruction, setting information stored in advance in the memory 104, etc.

[0081] Next, the control unit 100 performs recording processing (S102). In the recording processing of S102, the control unit 100 repeatedly performs recording path processing and paper transport processing to record an image on the recording paper S. Recording path processing is the process of controlling the head carriage motor 106 to move the head carriage 11 to the left or right, while controlling the head 13 to eject ink from multiple nozzles 10 toward the recording paper S. Paper transport processing is the process of controlling the roller drive device 107 to transport the recording paper S forward a predetermined distance on the transport rollers 15 and 16.

[0082] Next, the control unit 100 performs the recording paper ejection process (S103) and then terminates the process. In the recording paper ejection process of S103, the control unit 100 controls the roller drive device 107 to transport the recording paper S on which the image is recorded to the paper ejection tray 3 via the transport rollers 15, 16 and the first switchback roller 64.

[0083] <Control during normal double-sided recording> The control by the control unit 100 when performing normal double-sided recording will now be explained. When performing normal double-sided recording, the control unit 100 processes according to the flowchart in Figure 9(b). For example, when a recording instruction signal for normal double-sided recording is input via operation of the operation panel 99 or a PC connected to the printer 1, processing according to the flowchart in Figure 9(b) is started.

[0084] To explain the flowchart in Figure 9(b) in detail, the control unit 100 performs the same paper feeding process as in S101 (S201). Next, the control unit 100 performs the first recording process (S202). The first recording process in S202 is the same process as the recording process in S102. The first recording process records an image on one side of the recording paper S.

[0085] Next, the control unit 100 performs a paper reversal process (S203). In the paper reversal process in S203, the control unit 100 controls the roller drive unit 107 to transport the recording paper S, on which an image is recorded on one side, to the transport rollers 15, 16 and the first switchback roller 64, as shown in Figure 11(a), until the rear end of the recording paper S is in front of the branching section 53A. After that, the control unit 100 controls the roller drive unit 107 to rotate the first switchback roller 64 in the reverse direction, transporting the recording paper S, on which an image is recorded on one side, to the rear. As a result, the recording paper S is guided by the guide member 71 located at the reversal guide position, as indicated by the symbol Sa in Figure 11(b), and transported from the paper discharge path 53 to the reversal path 54. In other words, the recording paper S is switched back. At this time, the guide member 81 is located at the first position. As a result, the recording paper S transported along the inversion path 54 is supplied back to the recording unit 2 with its front and back sides reversed, as indicated by the symbol Sb in Figure 11(b).

[0086] Next, the control unit 100 performs a second recording process (S204). The second recording process in S204 is the same as the recording process in S102. The second recording process records an image on the other side of the recording paper S. Subsequently, the control unit 100 performs a recording paper ejection process similar to that in S103 (S205), and the process ends.

[0087] <Control during single-sided recording after cutting> The control by the control unit 100 when performing single-sided cutting recording will now be explained. When performing single-sided cutting recording, the control unit 100 processes according to the flowchart in Figure 9(c). For example, when a recording instruction signal instructing single-sided cutting recording is input via operation of the operation panel 99 or a PC connected to the printer 1, processing according to the flowchart in Figure 9(c) is started.

[0088] To explain the flowchart in Figure 9(c) in detail, the control unit 100 executes the same processes as S101 and S102, as in S301 and S302. As a result, an image is recorded on the recording paper S.

[0089] Here, in the recording process for normal single-sided recording and the first and second recording processes for normal double-sided recording described above, for example, as shown in Figure 12(a), an image P corresponding to the image data input along with the recording instruction is recorded on the recording paper S. In contrast, in the recording process of S302, for example, as shown in Figure 12(b), in addition to the image P corresponding to the image data input along with the recording instruction, a marker M that serves as a positioning reference when cutting the recording paper S is recorded on the recording paper S. Figure 12(b) shows the case where four markers M are recorded at the four corners of the recording paper S, but the number of markers M may be 1 to 3 or 5 or more. Also, the position where the markers M are recorded may be a position other than the four corners of the recording paper S. Also, Figure 12(b) shows the case where the markers M are L-shaped, but the markers M may be of a different shape.

[0090] Next, the control unit 100 performs the cutting and transport process (S303). In the cutting and transport process of S303, the control unit 100 controls the roller drive device 107 to transport the recording paper S on which the image is recorded to the transport rollers 15, 16 and the first switchback roller 64, as shown in Figure 11(a), in the same way as in normal double-sided recording, until the rear end of the recording paper S is in front of the branching section 53A.

[0091] In the cutting and transport process of S303, the control unit 100 then controls the switching motor 83 to move the guide member 81 to the second position, and then controls the roller drive unit 107 to transport the recording paper S on which the image is recorded to the first switchback roller 64 backward. As a result, the recording paper S is guided by the guide member 71 located at the inversion guide position, as shown by the symbol Sc in Figure 13(a), and transported from the paper discharge path 53 to the inversion path 54. In other words, the recording paper S is switched back. At this time, the guide member 81 is located at the second position. As a result, the recording paper S transported along the inversion path 54 is transported from the inversion path 54 to the upstream path 55A, as shown by the symbol Sd in Figure 13(a).

[0092] Furthermore, the control unit 100 controls the roller drive unit 107 to transport the recording paper S that has been transported along the upstream path 55A to the switchback position of the switchback path 55B via the upstream path 55A, as indicated by the symbol Se in Figure 13(a). When the recording paper S is transported to the switchback path 55B, it is transported in a direction that is inclined upward with respect to the forward direction. Here, the diagonally upward direction, which is the direction that is inclined upward with respect to the forward direction when the recording paper S is transported to the switchback path 55B, corresponds to the "third direction" of the present invention. The recording paper S located on the switchback path 55B has its front end Ea, which is the front end of the third direction, located above its rear end Eb, which is the rear end of the third direction. The recording paper S shown by the dashed line in Figure 2 is the recording paper S located at the switchback position. The same applies to the recording paper S shown by the dashed lines in Figures 14 and 16, which will be described later.

[0093] In the cutting and transport process of S303, the control unit 100 then controls the roller drive unit 107 to rotate the second switchback roller 66 in the opposite direction. As a result, the recording paper S is transported from the switchback path 55B to the downstream path 55C, as indicated by the letter Sf in Figure 13(b). In other words, the recording paper S is switched back. At this time, the control unit 100 also controls the roller drive unit 107 to transport the recording paper S, which has been transported from the switchback path 55B to the downstream path 55C, through the downstream path 55C and the upper surface of the support member 35 to the cutting section 6, as indicated by the letter Sg in Figure 13(b). As a result of being transported in the cutting and transport process of S303, the recording paper S is transported to the cutting section 6 with the recording surface on which the image was recorded facing upwards during the recording process of S302.

[0094] Furthermore, when the recording paper S is transported to the switchback path 55B, the end Ea of the recording paper S is the front end of transport, and the opposite end Eb is the rear end of transport. In contrast, when the recording paper S is transported from the switchback path 55B to the cutting section 6, the end Eb is the front end of transport, and the end Ea is the rear end of transport. In other words, in this embodiment, a switchback occurs in which the front and rear ends of the transport of the recording paper S are swapped when the recording paper S is transported to the switchback path 55B and when the recording paper S is transported from the switchback path 55B to the cutting section 6.

[0095] Next, the control unit 100 performs the cutting process (S304). In the cutting process of S304, the control unit 100 controls the cutter carriage motor 108 to move the cutter carriage 32 to the left and right, and controls the roller drive device 107 to move the recording paper S forward and backward on the cutting roller 34, thereby causing the sensor 33 to detect the marker M on the recording paper S. Then, based on the left-right position of the cutter carriage 32 and the front-rear position of the recording paper S when the marker M is detected by the sensor 33, and the image data, the control unit 100 obtains the position of the area on the recording paper S where the image is recorded.

[0096] Then, in the cutting process of S304, the control unit 100 controls the lifting device 47 to lower the cutter cartridge 31 until the cutter blade 42B of the cutter 42 penetrates the recording paper S. In this state, the control unit 100 controls the cutter carriage motor 108 to move the cutter carriage 32 to the left and right according to the position of the area on the recording paper S in which the image is recorded, and controls the roller drive device 107 to move the recording paper S forward and backward on the cutting roller 34, thereby causing the cutter 42 to cut the recording paper S. For example, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 12(b), the recording paper S is cut along the outline of the recorded image P.

[0097] After the cutting process in S304, the control unit 100 performs the cut and paper discharge process (S305) and then terminates the process. In the cut and paper discharge process in S305, the control unit 100 controls the roller drive device 107 to discharge the record paper S, which has been cut in the cutting section 6, forward to the cutting section roller 34.

[0098] <Control during recording on both sides of a cut surface> The control by the control unit 100 when performing double-sided cutting recording will now be explained. When performing double-sided cutting recording, the control unit 100 processes according to the flowchart in Figure 9(d). For example, when a recording instruction signal instructing double-sided cutting recording is input via operation of the operation panel 99 or a PC connected to the printer 1, processing according to the flowchart in Figure 9(d) is started.

[0099] To explain the flowchart in Figure 9(d) in detail, the control unit 100 executes the same processes as S201 to S204, specifically S401 to S404. As a result, an image is recorded on both sides of the recording paper S. However, in the first recording process in S402, for example, as shown in Figure 12(a), an image P is recorded on the recording paper S, and in the second recording process in S404, for example, as shown in Figure 12(b), both the image P and the marker M are recorded on the recording paper S.

[0100] Next, the control unit 100 executes the same processes as S303 to S305, from S405 to S407, and the process ends. In this case, the recording paper S is transported as described above by the cutting and transport process in S405, and is transported to the cutting unit 6 with the recording surface on which the image was recorded facing upwards in the second recording process in S403.

[0101] <Effects> In this embodiment, the recording paper S on which an image has been recorded in the recording unit 2 is transported to the cutting unit 6 so that the recording surface becomes the upper surface at the cutting unit 6. This makes it easier to grasp the position of the area on the recording paper S where the image has been recorded when cutting the recording paper S in the cutting unit 6, and allows the recording paper S to be cut appropriately in the cutting unit 6. Also, when viewed from above, the recording paper S located on the switchback path 55B overlaps with the recording unit 2. Therefore, compared to a configuration where the recording paper S located on the switchback path 55B does not overlap with the recording unit 2 when viewed from above, the printer 1 can be made smaller in the front-to-back direction.

[0102] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the sensor 33 detects the position of the area on the recording paper S in which an image has been recorded. Based on the detection result of the sensor 33, the cutting unit 6 cuts the recording paper S. This makes it possible to accurately cut the recording paper S according to the position of the area on the recording paper S in which an image has been recorded.

[0103] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the sensor 33 is provided on the cutter carriage 32, it is easy to detect the position of the area on the recording paper S that has been transported to the cutting section 6 in which an image has been recorded.

[0104] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cutting section 6 is located below the recording section 2. The switchback path 55B and the second switchback roller 66 are arranged between the recording section 2 and the cutting section 6 in the vertical direction. As a result, the switchback path 55B and the second switchback roller 66 can be arranged using the space between the recording section 2 and the cutting section 6 in the vertical direction, that is, the space below the recording section 2 and above the cutting section 6, thereby reducing the size of the device.

[0105] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the paper cassette 5 is located below the recording unit 2, and the cutting unit 6 is located below the paper cassette 5. The switchback path 55B and the second switchback roller 66 are located below the paper cassette 5 and above the cutting unit 6. This allows the switchback path 55B and the second switchback roller 66 to be positioned using the space between the paper cassette 5 and the cutting unit 6 in the vertical direction, thus enabling a smaller device.

[0106] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lower surface of the paper cassette 5 forms part of the switchback path 55B. More specifically, the recording paper S is guided to the lower surface of the paper cassette 5 and reaches the switchback position. When the paper cassette 5 is removed from the housing 1A, the switchback path 55B and the second switchback roller 66 are exposed. This makes it easier for the user to perform tasks on the switchback mechanism, such as removing the recording paper S jammed in the switchback path 55B.

[0107] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the switchback path 55B extends at an inclination with respect to the front-to-back direction, such that it extends upward as it moves forward. That is, the front end Ea of the recording paper S located on the switchback path 55B is positioned above the rear end Eb when it is being transported toward the switchback path 55B. As a result, compared to the case where the switchback path 55B extends parallel to the front-to-back direction, the rear end of the switchback path 55B can be moved away from the recording unit 2 in the vertical direction. Consequently, the curvature of the recording paper S when it is being transported toward the switchback path 55B can be reduced.

[0108] In this case, the path member 56 forming the switchback path 55B can be made to extend upward as it moves forward. This increases the vertical length of the space located below the switchback path 55B at its front end. This makes it easier to secure space below the switchback path 55B for positioning the cut section 6, resulting in a miniaturization of the device in the vertical direction.

[0109] <Variation> Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible as long as they are within the scope of the claims.

[0110] In the embodiment described above, the switchback path 55B was inclined with respect to the forward direction so as it moved forward, but it is not limited to this. The switchback path 55B may be inclined with respect to the forward direction so as it moves forward, so as it moves forward. In other words, the switchback path 55B may extend inclined so that the front is lower with respect to the horizontal plane. In this case, the edge Ea of the recording paper S located on the switchback path 55B is located below the edge Eb. Alternatively, the switchback path 55B may extend substantially parallel to the front-to-back direction. In this case, the vertical positions of the edges Ea and Eb of the recording paper S located on the switchback path 55B are substantially the same. Even in such cases, the effects of the present invention are still achieved.

[0111] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the lower surface of the paper cassette 5 forms part of the switchback path 55B located below the paper cassette 5. When the paper cassette 5 is removed from the housing 1A, the switchback path 55B and the switchback roller 66 are exposed. However, this is not the only possible configuration.

[0112] For example, the housing 1A may have a partition wall separating the paper cassette 5 and the switchback path 55B in the vertical direction between the paper cassette 5 and the switchback path 55B. This partition wall may form part of the switchback path 55B, while the lower surface of the paper cassette 5 may not form part of the switchback path 55B. In this case, when the paper cassette 5 is removed from the housing 1A, the switchback path 55B and the switchback roller 66 may or may not be exposed.

[0113] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the paper cassette 5 is located between the recording unit 2 and the cutting unit 6 in the vertical direction. In contrast, the switchback path 55B and the second switchback roller 66 are located between the paper cassette 5 and the cutting unit 6 in the vertical direction. However, this is not limited to this configuration. For example, the switchback path 55B and the second switchback roller 66 may be located between the recording unit 2 and the paper cassette 5 in the vertical direction.

[0114] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the switchback path 55B and the second switchback roller 66 were arranged in the vertical direction between the recording unit 2 and the cutting unit 6, but this is not limited to this configuration.

[0115] In the first modified example, as shown in Figure 14, the cutting section 6 of the printer 110 is located below the recording section 2 and the paper cassette 5, and above the lower end of the housing 1A.

[0116] Furthermore, the cutting and transport path 111 includes an upstream path 111A, a switchback path 111B, and a downstream path 111C.

[0117] The upstream path 111A extends rearward from the branching section 54A. The upstream path 55A extends by curving rearward and downward, and further by curving downward and forward. Upstream path rollers 112A and 112B are provided at two separate sections of the upstream path 111A, respectively.

[0118] A path member 113 is provided at the lower end of the housing 1A. The path member 113 extends in the front-rear direction. The end of the upstream path 111A opposite to the branching section 54A is located just above the rear end of the upper surface of the path member 113. The space between the path member 113 and the support member 35 of the cutting section 6 in the vertical direction is the switchback path 111B. The switchback path 111B extends in the front-rear direction. A second switchback roller 114 is also provided in the switchback path 111B.

[0119] One end of the downstream path 111C is located forward of the end of the upstream path 111A opposite to the branching point 54A, and above that end of the upstream path 111A. The downstream path 111C extends backward from the aforementioned one end, curves upward midway, and then curves forward to extend to the upper surface of the support member 35. A downstream path roller 115 is also provided on the downstream path 111C.

[0120] Furthermore, a guide member 116 is provided near one end of the downstream route 111C. The guide member 116 is movable between the downstream guide position shown by a solid line in Figure 14 and the upstream guide position shown by a dashed line in Figure 14. The downstream guide position is the position when guiding the recording paper S from the switchback route 111B to the downstream route 111C. The upstream guide position is the position when guiding the recording paper S from the upstream route 111A to the switchback route 111B.

[0121] In the modified example 1, the control unit 100 can perform normal single-sided recording, normal double-sided recording, cut single-sided recording, and cut double-sided recording by processing according to the flowcharts in Figures 9(a) to (d), similar to the embodiment described above.

[0122] In the modified example 1, the control unit 100, in the cutting and transport process of S303 and S405, transports the recording paper S until the rear end of the recording paper S is in front of the branching section 53A, similar to the embodiment described above. After that, the control unit 100 controls the switching motor 83 to move the guide member 81 to the second position, and then controls the roller drive device 107 to transport the recording paper S on which the image is recorded on the first switchback roller 64 backward. At this time, the recording paper S is transported from the paper discharge path 53 to the reversal path 54, and from the reversal path 54 to the upstream path 111A, as indicated by the symbol Sh in Figure 15(a).

[0123] Furthermore, the control unit 100 controls the roller drive unit 107 to drive the upstream path rollers 112A, 112B and the second switchback roller 114, thereby transporting the recording paper S that has been transported to the upstream path 111A to the switchback path 111B, as indicated by the symbol Si in Figure 15(a). When the recording paper S is transported from the upstream path 111A to the switchback path 111B, the guide member 116 is pushed by the recording paper S and moves from the downstream guide position to the upstream guide position against the biasing force of the spring. As a result, the recording paper S is guided by the guide member 116 from the upstream path 111A to the switchback path 111B. When the transport of the recording paper S to the switchback path 111B is complete, the guide member 116 returns to the downstream guide position due to the biasing force of the spring.

[0124] In the cutting and transport process of S303 and S405, the control unit 100 then controls the roller drive unit 107 to rotate the second switchback roller 114 in the opposite direction. As a result, as shown in Figure 15(b), the recording paper S is fed backward from the switchback path 111B. In other words, the recording paper S is switched back. Furthermore, the recording paper S is transported from the switchback path 111B to the downstream path 111C by being guided by the guide member 116 located at the downstream guide position. At this time, the control unit 100 also controls the roller drive unit 107 to drive the downstream path roller 115 and the cutting section roller 34. As a result, the recording paper S that has been transported to the downstream path 111C is transported to the cutting section 6 through the downstream path 111C and the upper surface of the support member 35.

[0125] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the switchback path 55B and the cutting section 6 were located below the recording section 2, but this is not limited to this configuration.

[0126] In the second modified example, as shown in Figure 16, the cutting unit 6 is located above the recording unit 2 and the output tray 3 in the printer 120.

[0127] In the modified example 2, the cutting and transport path 121 has an upstream path 121A, a switchback path 121B, and a downstream path 121C. The upstream path 121A is located above the tray paper feed path 51. A connecting passage 122 is formed between the tray paper feed path 51 and the upstream path 121A. The upstream path 121A extends rearward from the connection point with the connecting passage 122, curves upward, and then curves upward and forward. An upstream path roller 123 is provided on the upstream path 121A.

[0128] A guide member 124 is provided in the connecting passage 122. The guide member 124 is movable between a cutting guide position, shown by a solid line in Figure 16, and a tray feed guide position, shown by a dashed line in Figure 16. The cutting guide position is the position when guiding the recording paper S from the tray feed path 51 to the upstream path 121A. The tray feed guide position is the position when guiding the recording paper S along the tray feed path 51. The guide member 124 is also biased from the tray feed guide position toward the cutting guide position by a spring (not shown).

[0129] In the modified example 2, the path member 125 is positioned between the recording section 2 and the cutting section 6 in the vertical direction. The switchback path 121B is formed by the upper surface of the path member 125. The switchback path 121B extends forward from a position in front of the end of the upstream path 121A opposite to the connecting passage 122. A second switchback roller 126 is also provided in the switchback path 121B.

[0130] One end of the downstream path 121C is located forward of the end of the upstream path 121A opposite to the connecting passage 122, and above the end of the upstream path 121A opposite to the branching section 54A. The downstream path 121C extends backward from the aforementioned one end, curves upward midway, and then curves forward to extend to the upper surface of the support member 35. A downstream path roller 127 is also provided on the downstream path 121C.

[0131] Furthermore, a guide member 128 is provided near one end of the downstream path 121C. The guide member 128 is movable between a downstream guide position shown by a solid line in Figure 16 and an upstream guide position shown by a dashed line in Figure 16. The downstream guide position is the position when guiding the recording paper S from the switchback path 121B to the downstream path 121C. The upstream guide position is the position when guiding the recording paper S from the upstream path 121A to the switchback path 121B. The guide member 128 is also biased from the upstream guide position toward the downstream guide position by a spring or the like (not shown).

[0132] In the modified example 2, the control unit 100 can perform normal single-sided recording, normal double-sided recording, cut single-sided recording, and cut double-sided recording by processing according to the flowcharts in Figures 9(a) to (d), similar to the embodiment described above.

[0133] However, in the modified example 2, when the recording paper S is supplied from the manual feed tray 4 to the recording unit 2 by the paper feeding process S101, S201, S301, and S401, the guide member 124 is pushed by the recording paper S, causing it to move from the cutting guide position to the tray paper feed guide position against the biasing force of the spring.

[0134] In the modified example 2, the control unit 100 controls the roller drive unit 107 to drive the transport rollers 15 and 16 during the cutting and transport process in S303 and S405, thereby transporting the recording paper S backward along the tray paper feed path 51. As a result, the recording paper S is guided by the guide member 124 located at the cutting guide position, as indicated by the letter Sj in Figure 17(a), and transported from the tray paper feed path 51 through the connecting passage 122 to the upstream path 121A. The guide member 128 is also pushed by the recording paper S being transported along the upstream path 111A, causing it to move from the downstream guide position towards the upstream guide position. As a result, the recording paper S is transported from the upstream path 111A to the switchback path 111B, as indicated by the letter Sk in Figure 17(a). At this time, the control unit 100 controls the roller drive unit 107 to drive the second switchback roller 126, thereby transporting the recording paper S along the switchback path 121B.

[0135] In the modified example 2, during the cutting and transport process in S303 and S405, the control unit 100 subsequently controls the roller drive device 107 to drive the second switchback roller 126 to rotate in the opposite direction, and also drives the downstream path roller 127 and the cutting section roller 34. As a result, as shown in Figure 17(b), the recording paper S on the switchback path 121B is guided to the guide member 128 located at the downstream guide position and transported to the cutting section 6 through the downstream path 121C and the upper surface of the support member 35.

[0136] In the modified example 2, the cutting section 6 is located above the recording section 2. The switchback path 121B and the second switchback roller 126 are positioned between the recording section 2 and the cutting section 6 in the vertical direction. This allows the switchback path 1215B and the second switchback roller 126 to be positioned using the space between the recording section 2 and the cutting section 6 in the vertical direction, that is, the space above the recording section 2 and below the cutting section 6 in the vertical direction.

[0137] Furthermore, in the modified example 2, the cutting section 6 and the switchback path 121B were located above the recording section 2, and the switchback path 121B was positioned between the recording section 2 and the cutting section 6 in the vertical direction, but this is not limited to this. For example, the cutting section 6 may be located above the recording section 2, and the switchback path 121B may be located above the cutting section 6.

[0138] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment and Modification 1, the switchback path 121B was located below the recording unit 2 in a configuration where the cutting section 6 is located below the recording unit 2, but this is not limited to this configuration. For example, in a configuration where the cutting section 6 is located above the recording unit 2, as in Modification 2, the switchback path may be located below the recording unit 2.

[0139] Furthermore, in the modified example 2, the cut section 6 is located above the recording section 2, and the switchback path 121B is located above the recording section 2, but this is not limited to this configuration. For example, in a configuration where the cut section 6 is located below the recording section 2, as in the above-described embodiment and modified example 1, the switchback path may be located above the recording section 2.

[0140] Furthermore, in the above examples, the cutting and transport path was a path branched off from the reversal path, but this is not limited to this. For example, the cutting and transport path may be a path branched off from the paper output path. In this case, the printer does not need to have a reversal path.

[0141] Furthermore, although the sensor 33 was provided on the cutter carriage 32 in the above-described embodiment, it is not limited to this. For example, the sensor 33 may be attached to the part of the housing 1A where the cutting portion 6 is located.

[0142] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the sensor 33 detected a marker M recorded on the recording paper S along with the image P, but it is not limited to this. The sensor 33 may also detect the image P recorded on the recording paper S.

[0143] Furthermore, the sensor 33 may not even be necessary. In this case, for example, if the variation in the position of the recording paper S when it is transported to the cutting unit 6 is sufficiently small, the cutting unit 6 can appropriately cut the image based on the image data of the image being recorded.

[0144] Furthermore, in the above example, recording paper S could be supplied to the recording unit 2 from the manual feed tray 4 and the paper cassette 5, but this is not limited to this. The printer does not need to have at least one of the manual feed tray 4 and the paper cassette 5.

[0145] Furthermore, in the above examples, the recording unit was equipped with a so-called serial head that ejects ink from nozzles while moving leftward and rightward with the carriage, but it is not limited to this. For example, the recording unit may be equipped with a so-called line head that extends along the entire length of the recording paper S in the left-right direction.

[0146] Furthermore, in the above examples, the recording unit was composed of a so-called inkjet printer that records an image on the recording paper by ejecting ink from a nozzle toward the recording paper, but it is not limited to this. For example, the recording unit may record an image on the recording paper by coating the recording paper with toner. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0147] 1,110,120: Printer 1A: Enclosure 1A1:Front 1A2: Rear 2: Records Department 4: Manual feed tray 5: Paper cassette 32: Cutter carriage 42B: Cutter blade 33: Sensor 55,111,121: Cutting and transport routes 55A, 111A, 111C, 121A: Upstream route 55B, 111B, 121B: Switchback routes 55C, 111C, 121C: Downstream routes 65,112A,112B,123: Upstream path rollers 66,114,126: Second switchback roller 67,115,127: Downstream path rollers

Claims

1. A recording unit that records images onto a recording medium, A cutting unit located above or below the recording unit, which cuts the recording medium into any shape, The recording medium on which an image has been recorded in the recording unit is transported toward the cutting unit, and the cutting and transporting unit has a switchback mechanism, The cutting and transporting unit uses the switchback mechanism to switch back the recording medium to be transported so that the recording surface becomes the upper surface at the cutting unit. The image recording apparatus is characterized in that the switchback mechanism is positioned such that the recording medium to be used in the switchback position overlaps with the recording unit when viewed from above.

2. Control unit and The system includes a sensor for detecting the position of an area on the recording medium containing an image that is transported from the switchback mechanism to the cutting section, The control unit, The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the cutting section cuts the recording medium based on the detection result of the sensor.

3. The aforementioned cut portion is A cutter blade for cutting the recording medium, The device comprises a cutter carriage mounted on the cutter blade, which intersects the first direction in which the recording medium to be transported to the cutting section and moves in a second direction along the recording surface, The image recording device according to claim 2, characterized in that the sensor is mounted on the cutter carriage.

4. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the switchback mechanism is arranged in the vertical direction between the recording unit and the cutting unit.

5. The image recording apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the cutting portion is located below the recording portion.

6. It includes a paper feed tray located below the recording unit, The image recording apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the switchback mechanism is located below the paper feed tray.

7. The housing comprises a removable paper feed tray, The image recording apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the switchback mechanism is exposed when the paper feed tray is removed from the housing.

8. The image recording apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the lower surface of the paper feed tray attached to the housing forms part of the switchback mechanism.

9. The cutting and transporting unit is configured such that when the recording medium to be transported is introduced to the switchback position of the switchback mechanism, the recording medium to be transported along a third direction that intersects the vertical direction. The image recording apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the switchback mechanism is such that the front end of the recording medium in the third direction, located at the switchback position, is positioned above the rear end of the recording medium.

10. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the switchback mechanism is located above the recording unit.

11. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the switchback mechanism is located below the recording unit.

Images