Printing apparatus

Abstract

To reduce the strain when operating the cover. [Solution] The printing apparatus according to the present disclosure comprises a carriage movable in the scanning direction, a transport unit for transporting a medium in the transport direction, a head mounted on the carriage for ejecting ink onto the medium, a case covering the range of movement of the carriage and having an opening upstream of the carriage in the transport direction, a cover rotatable between a first position closing the opening and a second position opening the opening, and having a closing part for closing the opening and a support shaft for rotatably supporting the closing part with respect to the case, and a front holding part provided on the carriage side of the support shaft for holding the cover in the second position.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a printing apparatus. [Background Art]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a cover for suppressing light leakage to the outside of an inkjet printer. [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2023-58459 [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0004] A support shaft of the cover described in Patent Document 1 is inserted into an elongated hole of a main body case. In order to rotate the cover and maintain the opening in an open state, it is necessary to move the support shaft of the cover in a sub-scanning direction. In such a structure, the weight of the cover may increase the burden on an operator when operating the cover.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to reduce the burden when operating a cover. [Means for Solving the Problem]

[0006] The main invention for achieving the above object is: a carriage movable in a scanning direction; a conveyance unit that conveys a medium in a conveyance direction; a head that is mounted on the carriage and ejects ink onto a medium; a case that covers a movement range of the carriage and has an opening on an upstream side of the carriage in the conveyance direction; A cover that is rotatable between a first position that closes the opening and a second position that opens the opening, and has a closing part that closes the opening and a support shaft that rotatably supports the closing part with respect to the case, A front holding portion is provided on the carriage side of the support shaft and holds the cover in the second position, This printing apparatus is characterized by being equipped with [a specific feature].

[0007] Other features of the present invention will be revealed by the description herein. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, the burden when operating the cover can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram of the internal configuration of the printing device 100. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the printing device 100 viewed from the rear at an oblique angle. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a control block diagram of the printing device 100. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is another explanatory diagram of the internal configuration of the printing apparatus 100. [Figure 5] Figure 5A is an explanatory diagram of the rear cover 70 in the first position. Figure 5B is an explanatory diagram of the rear cover 70 in the second position. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the rear cover 70. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the left and right ends of the rear cover 70. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a side view of the rear cover 70. [Figure 9] Figures 9A and 9B are explanatory diagrams showing the center of gravity of the rear cover 70. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a perspective view of the rear cover 70 of the first modified example. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is an enlarged perspective view of the left and right ends of the rear cover 70 of the first modified example. [Figure 12] Fig. 12 is a side view of the rear cover 70 according to the first modification. [Figure 13] Fig. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a state when the first medium M1 is reversely conveyed. [Figure 14] Figs. 14A and 14B are explanatory diagrams of the second modification. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0010] ===EMBODIMENT=== <Overall Configuration of Printing Apparatus 100> Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the internal configuration of the printing apparatus 100. Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the printing apparatus 100 viewed obliquely from the rear. Fig. 3 is a control block diagram of the printing apparatus 100.

[0011] The printing apparatus 100 is an apparatus that performs printing on a medium. The medium is, for example, paper. However, the medium is not limited to paper, and may be formed of a resin material (such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyester, or the like), cloth, a metal plate, a glass plate, a wood plate, corrugated cardboard, or the like. The medium may be a roll material wound in a roll shape (such as roll paper or cloth), or may be cardboard or a plate material formed in a sheet shape. In the following description, a medium wound in a roll shape is referred to as "first medium M1", and a sheet-shaped medium such as cardboard or a plate material may be referred to as "second medium M2". Note that the first medium M1 has low rigidity and is easily bendable. On the other hand, compared with the first medium M1, the second medium M2 has high rigidity and is difficult to bend.

[0012] In the following description, the direction in which the carriage 31 moves (the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 1) is defined as the "scanning direction". The scanning direction may also be referred to as the "left-right direction", "width direction", "main scanning direction", etc. When viewed from an operator operating the printing apparatus 100, the right side is referred to as "right" and the left side is referred to as "left". In addition, the vertical direction is defined as the "up-down direction". Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to the left-right direction and the up-down direction is defined as the "front-rear direction". When viewed from the printing apparatus 100, the operator side is referred to as "front" and the opposite side is referred to as "rear". In addition, the direction in which the medium is conveyed is defined as the "conveyance direction", the rear side in the conveyance direction (the supply side of the medium M during printing) is referred to as "upstream in the conveyance direction (upstream side)", and the opposite side is referred to as "downstream in the conveyance direction (downstream side)". The conveyance direction may also be referred to as the "sub-scanning direction".

[0013] The printing apparatus 100 is an apparatus that performs printing on a medium M. In this description, the printing apparatus 100 ejects photocurable ink (here, ultraviolet curable ink) onto the medium M, and irradiates the dots formed on the medium M with light (here, ultraviolet rays) to cure the dots. That is, the printing apparatus 100 is a so-called UV printer. The printing apparatus 100 comprises a base member 10, a carriage unit 30, a conveyance unit 40, a head 51, an irradiation unit 52, and a controller 60.

[0014] The base member 10 is a member that constitutes the framework (base) of the printing apparatus 100. The base member 10 supports other constituent elements of the printing apparatus 100. The base member 10 is provided with a platen 11, a central wall 12, a case 20, and the like. The platen 11 is a member for placing the medium in the printing area (see FIG. 1). The platen 11 has a placement surface for placing the medium, and is fixed to the base member 10 such that the placement surface is perpendicular to the up-down direction. The central wall 12 is a member arranged along the left-right direction inside the printing apparatus 100, and is a member that fixes the guide rail for guiding the carriage 31 in the scanning direction, and is fixed to the base member 10. The case 20 is a member that covers the internal space (e.g., the printing area) of the printing apparatus 100. The case 20 will be described later.

[0015] The carriage unit 30 moves the carriage 31 in the scanning direction. The carriage unit 30 includes the carriage 31 and the carriage motor 32. The carriage 31 is mounted on the head 51 and is capable of reciprocating movement in the scanning direction. The carriage 31 is guided in the scanning direction by guide rails provided on the base member 10. The carriage motor 32 is the drive source for moving the carriage 31. The carriage unit 30 also has a transmission mechanism (not shown; for example, gears, pulleys, belts, etc.) for transmitting the driving force of the carriage motor 32 to the carriage 31.

[0016] The transport unit 40 transports the medium. The transport unit 40 has a transport member 41 and a transport motor 42. The transport member 41 is a member that transports the medium and has a transport roller 41A and a pinch roller 41B. The transport motor 42 is a drive source that rotates the transport member 41 (in this case, the transport roller 41A). When the medium is sandwiched between the transport roller 41A and the pinch roller 41B, the transport motor 42 rotates the transport roller 41A, causing the medium to be transported in the transport direction.

[0017] The print head 51 ejects ink. Here, the print head 51 ejects UV-curable ink (so-called UV ink) that hardens when exposed to ultraviolet light. However, the ink ejected by the print head 51 is not limited to photocurable ink (UV-curable ink). The print head 51 is mounted on the carriage 31 and is movable in the scanning direction. The print head 51 ejects color inks such as cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. Multiple nozzle rows are provided on the underside of the print head 51. The area on which liquid (ink) is ejected onto the medium is sometimes called the "printing area." The printing area is the area opposite the nozzle rows of the print head 51. The printing apparatus 100 has one or more print heads 51, and one or more print heads 51 are mounted on the carriage 31.

[0018] The irradiation unit 52 irradiates the medium M with light. Here, the irradiation unit 52 has a light source that emits ultraviolet (UV) light, and is configured to irradiate the medium M with ultraviolet light emitted from the light source. The light source is composed of, for example, an LED array in which multiple LEDs (UV-LEDs) are arranged. The irradiation unit 52 is mounted on the carriage 31. Therefore, the irradiation unit 52 can move along the scanning direction together with the carriage 31 (and head 51), and can irradiate the printing area with light. Note that if the ink ejected by the head 51 is not a photocurable ink (ultraviolet curing ink), the printing apparatus 100 does not need to be equipped with an irradiation unit 52.

[0019] The controller 60 controls the printing device 100. The controller 60 includes, for example, an arithmetic processing unit and a memory device (not shown), and the arithmetic processing unit executes a program stored in the memory device. Printing is realized when the arithmetic processing unit of the controller 60 executes a program stored in the memory device. During printing, the controller 60 alternately repeats a dot formation operation, in which the carriage unit 30 moves the head 51 in the scanning direction and ejects ink from the head 51 to form dots on the medium, and a transport operation, in which the transport unit 40 transports the medium in the transport direction. Also, during printing, the controller 60 hardens the dots by irradiating the medium M with light (in this case, ultraviolet light) from the irradiation unit 52.

[0020] <Case 20> As already explained, the case 20 is a component that covers the internal space (e.g., the printing area) of the printing device 100. An irradiation unit 52 is provided in the internal space of the printing device 100, and the case 20 has the function of suppressing the leakage of light emitted by the irradiation unit 52 to the outside.

[0021] The case 20 has an upper wall 21, a front wall 22, a rear wall 23, a lower wall 24, a side wall 25, and a side frame 26. The upper wall 21 is the part that constitutes the top surface of the case 20. The front wall 22 is the part that constitutes the front surface of the case 20. The front wall 22 is provided with an openable and closable front cover 22A. The rear wall 23 is the part that constitutes the rear surface of the case 20. The lower wall 24 is the part that constitutes the bottom surface of the case 20, and is located behind the carriage 31 and the central wall 12 (upstream in the transport direction). The side wall 25 is the part that constitutes the side surface of the case 20. The side frame 26 is a plate-shaped member that is spaced apart in the scanning direction and parallel (perpendicular to the scanning direction) in the vertical and front-rear directions, and is fixed to the base member 10, connecting the lower wall 24 and the base member 10. A rear cover 70 (described later) is provided between a pair of side frames 26 that are spaced apart in the scanning direction.

[0022] The case 20 is provided with a front opening 28A and a rear opening 28B.

[0023] The front opening 28A is a space that connects the internal space of the case 20 to the outside and is located in front of the carriage 31. The front opening 28A is also located in front of the printing area (the area where the head 51 mounted on the carriage 31 and the platen 11 face each other). By opening the front cover 22A, the operator can access the internal space of the printing device 100 from the front through the front opening 28A.

[0024] The rear opening 28B is a space that connects the internal space of the case 20 to the outside, and is located behind the carriage 31 and the central wall 12. The rear opening 28B is also located behind the printing area (the area where the head 51 mounted on the carriage 31 and the platen 11 face each other). Through the rear opening 28B, the operator can access the internal space from the rear of the printing device 100. For example, when setting a first medium M1, such as roll paper, into the printing device 100, the operator will insert the first medium M1 between the transport roller 41A and the pinch roller 41B through the rear opening 28B. Also, when supplying a second medium M2, which is highly rigid and difficult to bend, to the printing area, the second medium M2 will be placed in the printing area through the rear opening 28B.

[0025] Since the printing device 100 is a UV printer, it is necessary to prevent light (ultraviolet rays) from the irradiation unit 52 from leaking to the outside through the rear opening 28B. Furthermore, it is desirable to prevent operators from accessing the internal space from the rear of the printing device 100. For this reason, a rear cover 70 that can be opened and closed is provided over the rear opening 28B. The rear cover 70 will be described below.

[0026] <Rear cover 70> Figures 1 and 2 show the rear cover 70 closing the rear opening 28B. Figure 4 is another explanatory diagram of the internal configuration of the printing apparatus 100. Figure 4 shows the rear cover 70 opening the rear opening 28B. In the following description, the position of the rear cover 70 when closing the rear opening 28B will be referred to as the "first position" or "closed position," and the position of the rear cover 70 when opening the rear opening 28B will be referred to as the "second position" or "open position." Figure 5A is an explanatory diagram of the rear cover 70 in the first position. Figure 5B is an explanatory diagram of the rear cover 70 in the second position. Note that even when the rear cover 70 in the first position is closing the rear opening 28B, the rear cover 70 does not necessarily completely seal the rear opening 28B; a gap may remain.

[0027] The rear cover 70 is an openable and closable cover for closing the rear opening 28B. The rear cover 70 is located behind the rear opening 28B (upstream in the transport direction). The rear cover 70 is positioned between a pair of side frames 26 (see Figure 2) that are spaced apart in the scanning direction. The rear cover 70 is rotatably supported relative to the case 20 (side frames 26).

[0028] The rear cover 70 has the function of closing the rear opening 28B. By closing the rear opening 28B, the rear cover 70 can shield the light (ultraviolet rays) from the irradiation unit 52 and prevent an operator from accessing the internal space from the rear of the printing device 100. When the rear cover 70 is in the first position, the rear cover 70 is positioned on the rear extension of the printing area (the area where the head 51 mounted on the carriage 31 and the platen 11 face each other) (see Figures 1 and 5A). As a result, the rear opening 28B is closed, so the rear cover 70 in the first position can prevent light from the irradiation unit 52 (leakage light from the rear of the printing area) from leaking out of the rear opening 28B (and also prevent an operator from accessing the internal space from the rear of the printing device 100). On the other hand, when the rear cover 70 is in the second position, the rear cover 70 is positioned so as to be above the rear extension of the printing area (see Figures 4 and 5B). As a result, the rear opening 28B is opened, allowing the operator to access the internal space from the rear of the printing device 100 through the rear opening 28B. In addition, it is possible to prevent the highly rigid and difficult-to-bend second medium M2 from coming into contact with the rear cover 70. The rotation axis (support axis 72) of the rear cover 70 is positioned above the printing area. This allows the rear cover 70 to be positioned on the extension of the rear of the printing area in the first position, while being positioned above the printing area in the second position.

[0029] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the rear cover 70. Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the left and right ends of the rear cover 70. Figure 8 is a side view of the rear cover 70. In the figures, each direction is shown according to the state in which the rear cover 70 is in the first position. Unless otherwise specified, the rear cover 70 may be described according to the direction in which the rear cover 70 is in the first position.

[0030] The rear cover 70 has a closing portion 71, a support shaft 72, a suction portion 731, and a detection portion 732.

[0031] The closing section 71 is the part that closes the rear opening 28B and is a part that constitutes the main body of the rear cover 70. The closing section 71 has the function of shielding light that leaks from the printing area to the rear. The closing section 71 also has the function of preventing the operator from accessing the internal space by closing the rear opening 28B. The closing section 71 has a lower part 71A, an upper part 71B, and a rear projection 71C.

[0032] The lower part 71A is the portion that constitutes the lower side of the rear cover 70 when the rear cover 70 is in the first position. The lower part 71A is located below the support shaft 72 (described later; the rotation axis of the rear cover 70) and is located on the extension of the rear of the printing area. The lower part 71A is the portion that shields light leaking from the rear of the printing area (see Figure 5A). In addition, the lower part 71A is the portion that closes the space behind the printing area and below the printing area. By closing the rear opening 28B with the lower part 71A, it is possible to prevent the operator from accessing the internal space. The lower part 71A is a plate-shaped portion that extends in the scanning direction and is a plate-shaped portion that intersects the front-rear direction when the rear cover 70 is in the first position. Note that, as shown in Figures 4 and 5B, when the rear cover 70 is in the second position, the lower part 71A is located behind the support shaft 72 and above the printing area.

[0033] The lower part 71A has a downward-sloping portion 711A. The downward-sloping portion 711A is provided at the end of the lower part 71A (the lower end when the rear cover 70 is in the first position; the rear end when the rear cover 70 is in the second position) and is a plate-shaped portion that extends in the scanning direction. When the rear cover 70 is in the first position, the downward-sloping portion 711A is inclined so that the lower side is further forward (see Figures 5A and 8). Also, when the rear cover 70 is in the second position, the downward-sloping portion 711A is inclined so that the rear side is further down (see Figure 5B). The downward-sloping portion 711A has the function of contacting the second medium M2 and guiding the second medium M2 downward when the second medium M2 is transported from the downstream side to the upstream side in the transport direction (reverse transport) and the second medium M2 floats up, thereby returning the second medium M2 to its normal position.

[0034] The upper part 71B is the portion that constitutes the upper side of the rear cover 70 when the rear cover 70 is in the first position. The upper part 71B is positioned above the support shaft 72. The upper part 71B is the portion that shields light between the lower wall 24 of the case 20 and the support shaft 72 (see Figure 5A). The upper part 71B is a plate-like portion that extends in the scanning direction and is a plate-like portion that intersects the front-to-back direction when the rear cover 70 is in the first position. As shown in Figures 4 and 5B, when the rear cover 70 is in the second position, the upper part 71B is positioned in front of the support shaft 72 and above the printing area.

[0035] The upper part 71B has an upward inclined portion 712B. The upward inclined portion 712B is provided at the end of the upper part 71B (the upper end when the rear cover 70 is in the first position; the front end when the rear cover 70 is in the second position) and is a plate-shaped portion that extends in the scanning direction. When the rear cover 70 is in the first position, the upward inclined portion 712B is inclined so that the lower side is further forward (see Figures 5A and 8). Also, when the rear cover 70 is in the second position, the upward inclined portion 712B is inclined so that the rear side is further down (see Figure 5B). The upward inclined portion 712B has the function of contacting the second medium M2 and guiding the second medium M2 downward when the second medium M2 is transported from the downstream side to the upstream side in the transport direction (reverse transport) and the second medium M2 floats up, thereby returning the second medium M2 to its normal position.

[0036] The upper part 71B is the portion that is held by the front retaining portion 81. As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the side frame 26 is provided with a front retaining portion 81, and a magnet is provided on the front retaining portion 81. The upper part 71B is the portion that is attracted to the magnet of the front retaining portion 81. The front retaining portion 81 will be described later.

[0037] The rear projection 71C is the part that protrudes rearward when the rear cover 70 is in the first position. The rear projection 71C is located behind the support shaft 72. The rear projection 71C is a plate-shaped part that extends in the scanning direction. When the rear cover 70 is in the first position, the rear projection 71C is parallel to the front-to-back direction (perpendicular to the up-and-down direction), and when the rear cover 70 is in the second position, it is parallel to the up-and-down direction (perpendicular to the front-to-back direction). When the rear cover 70 is in the second position, the rear projection 71C becomes the part that shields light between the lower wall 24 of the case 20 and the support shaft 72 (see Figure 5B). In other words, light shielding between the lower wall 24 of the case 20 and the support shaft 72 is performed by the upper part 71B when the rear cover 70 is in the first position, and by the rear projection 71C when the rear cover 70 is in the second position.

[0038] When the rear cover 70 is in the first position, the rear projection 71C is positioned above the support shaft 72. This allows the center of gravity of the rear cover 70 to be positioned close to the support shaft 72. The center of gravity of the rear cover 70 will be described later.

[0039] Here, the closing section 71 is composed of a first member 711 and a second member 712. In Figures 6 to 8, the second member 712 is given a sandy pattern to distinguish it from the first member 711. The first member 711 is a member that constitutes the lower part 71A and the rear projection 71C. The first member 711 is a plate-shaped member with a substantially L-shaped cross-section along the scanning direction. The second member 712 is a plate-shaped member that constitutes the upper part 71B. Since the second member 712 is located above the first member 711, the center of gravity of the second member 712 is located above the center of gravity of the first member 711. The second member 712 is made of a magnetic material and is made of a material that can be attracted to a magnet. As will be described later, the rear cover 70 can be held in the second position by the second member 712 (upper part 71B) being attracted to the magnet of the front holding part 81. Furthermore, the closing portion 71 does not necessarily have to be composed of two members, the first member 711 and the second member 712; the closing portion 71 may be composed of one member, or it may be composed of three or more members.

[0040] The support shaft 72 is a part that constitutes the rotation axis of the rear cover 70. The support shaft 72 rotatably supports the closing part 71 relative to the case 20 (side frame 26). The support shaft 72 is a rod-shaped (cylindrical) part that protrudes outward from both ends of the rear cover 70 in the scanning direction and is inserted into a hole provided in the side frame 26. The rear cover 70 has a pair of support shafts 72.

[0041] Here, the support shaft 72 is provided on the shaft member 721. The shaft member 721 is a component of the support shaft 72. The shaft member 721 has a support shaft 72 and a fixing portion 721A. The fixing portion 721A is a portion for fixing the support shaft 72 to the closing portion 71 (first member 711 and second member 712). The rear cover 70 has a pair of shaft members 721, which are provided on both edges in the scanning direction of the closing portion 71 (first member 711 and second member 712) so that the support shaft 72 protrudes outward from both ends in the scanning direction.

[0042] The suction portion 731 is the part that is attracted (held) by the magnet. As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the side frame 26 is provided with a lower holding portion 82, and a magnet is provided on the lower holding portion 82. The suction portion 731 is the part that is attracted to the magnet of the lower holding portion 82. The lower holding portion 82 will be described later.

[0043] The detected part 732 is the part that is detected by the sensor 83. As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the sensor 83 is provided on the side frame 26. The sensor 83 will be described later.

[0044] Here, the adsorption part 731 and the detected part 732 are composed of an L-shaped iron member (adsorption member 73) and are provided on one edge (in this case, the left edge) in the scanning direction of the lower part 71A (second member 712) of the rear cover 70. Note that the adsorption part 731 and the detected part 732 may be provided in other positions. Also, the adsorption part 731 and the detected part 732 do not have to be composed of a single member, but may be composed of separate members. In this case, the detected part 732 does not have to be made of a magnetic material.

[0045] The side frame 26 is provided with a front holding portion 81, a lower holding portion 82, and a sensor 83.

[0046] The front retaining portion 81 is a member that holds the rear cover 70 in a second position. By providing the front retaining portion 81, movement of the rear cover 70 from the second position can be suppressed. The front retaining portion 81 is positioned in front of the support shaft 72 of the rear cover 70 (towards the carriage 31). The front retaining portion 81 is equipped with a magnet, and the rear cover 70 is held in the second position by the magnet attracting the upper part 71B of the rear cover 70. The upper surface of the front retaining portion 81 (the upper surface of the magnet) is positioned to contact the lower surface of the upper part 71B when the rear cover 70 is in the second position.

[0047] Since the front holding portion 81 is positioned in front of the support shaft 72 of the rear cover 70 (on the carriage 31 side), when an operator rotates the rear cover 70 from the first position to the second position, the upper part 71B of the rear cover 70 can be attracted to the magnet of the front holding portion 81. In other words, by rotating the rear cover 70 on the support shaft 72, both the operation of opening the rear cover 70 and the operation of holding the rear cover 70 in the second position can be performed.

[0048] The lower holding portion 82 is a member that holds the rear cover 70 in a first position. By providing the lower holding portion 82, movement of the rear cover 70 from the first position can be suppressed. The lower holding portion 82 is positioned below the support shaft 72 of the rear cover 70 and holds the lower part 71A of the rear cover 70. The lower holding portion 82 is equipped with a magnet, and the rear cover 70 is held in the first position by the magnet attracting the suction portion 731 of the rear cover 70. In the above description, the rear cover 70 is held in the first position by the attractive force acting between the magnet of the lower holding part 82 and the iron of the rear cover 70 (second member 712). However, the configuration in which the rear cover 70 is held in the first position by the attractive force of the magnet is not limited to this. For example, by providing a magnet on the rear cover 70 and constructing the lower holding part 82 from a magnetic material (for example, iron), it is also possible to hold the rear cover 70 in the first position by the attractive force of the magnet. Furthermore, by providing magnets on both the rear cover 70 and the lower holding part 82, it is also possible to hold the rear cover 70 in the first position by the attractive force of the magnet. In addition, the lower holding part 82 may hold the rear cover 70 in the first position by a mechanism other than a magnet. Moreover, the printing device 100 may not have a lower holding part 82, and the rear cover 70 may be held in the first position by its own weight.

[0049] Sensor 83 detects that the rear cover 70 is in a first position. Here, sensor 83 is an optical sensor 83 having a light-emitting part and a light-receiving part. When the rear cover 70 is in the first position, the detected part 732 of the rear cover 70 is positioned between the light-emitting part and the light-receiving part of sensor 83, and the detected part 732 blocks the light from the light-emitting part, thereby allowing sensor 83 to detect that the rear cover 70 is in the first position. When the rear cover 70 rotates away from the first position, the detected part 732 of the rear cover 70 moves away from sensor 83, and the light-receiving part receives the light from the light-emitting part, thereby allowing sensor 83 to detect that the rear cover 70 is not in the first position. The signal from sensor 83 is output to controller 60. Note that the printing device 100 does not necessarily have to be equipped with sensor 83.

[0050] Incidentally, when the rear cover 70 is in the first position, it is positioned behind the printing area to close the rear opening 28B, and when it is in the second position, it is positioned above the extension of the rear of the printing area to open the rear opening 28B. Therefore, the support shaft 72 of the rear cover 70 is positioned above the printing area. On the other hand, the rear cover 70 needs to block light leaking from the printing area to the rear. For this reason, the lower part 71A of the rear cover 70, which is below the support shaft 72, is longer in the vertical direction than the upper part 71B, which is above the support shaft 72.

[0051] If the lower part 71A of the rear cover 70 is longer than the upper part 71B, and assuming the rear cover 70 is made of the same material, when the rear cover 70 is in the first position, the center of gravity of the rear cover 70 will be located below the support shaft 72 of the rear cover 70. In this case, when the rear cover 70 is in the second position, the center of gravity of the rear cover 70 will be located behind the support shaft 72, that is, on the opposite side from the front holding part 81 when viewed from the support shaft 72. In such a structure, when the front holding part 81 is holding the upper part 71B of the rear cover 70 in the second position, the rear cover 70 may easily detach from the front holding part 81 due to its own weight. In order to prevent the rear cover 70 from detaching from the front holding part 81 due to its own weight, it is desirable that the center of gravity of the rear cover 70 be close to the support shaft 72.

[0052] Therefore, the rear cover 70 is composed of a first member and a second member made of a different material from the first member, and the second member 712, which has a shorter vertical length, is made of a material with a higher specific gravity than the first member 711, which has a longer vertical length. Specifically, the first member 711 is made of aluminum and the second member 712 is made of iron. Even if the pivot axis is not located in the center of the rear cover 70 in the front-to-back direction, the structure makes it possible to bring the center of gravity of the rear cover 70 closer to the support shaft 72 by making the second member 712 of a material with a higher specific gravity than the first member 711.

[0053] Figures 9A and 9B are explanatory diagrams showing the center of gravity of the rear cover 70. As shown in Figures 9A and 9B, the center of gravity of the rear cover 70 is at the same height as the support shaft 72 of the rear cover 70. Note that "at the same height as the support shaft 72" means the height between the upper and lower edges of the cylindrical part that makes up the support shaft 72, and does not necessarily have to be at the same height as the center of the support shaft 72. Because the center of gravity of the rear cover 70 is at the same position as the support shaft 72, the force of the rear cover 70's own weight around the support shaft 72 can be suppressed. As a result, the operation of rotating the rear cover 70 from the first position to the second position (the operation of opening the rear cover 70) becomes easier compared to the case where the center of gravity of the rear cover 70 is below the support shaft 72. In addition, compared to the case where the center of gravity of the rear cover 70 is below the support shaft 72, the rear cover 70 can be prevented from coming off the front holding part 81 when the front holding part 81 is holding the rear cover 70 in the second position.

[0054] Furthermore, when the rear cover 70 is in the first position, the center of gravity of the first member 711 is below the support shaft 72, and the center of gravity of the second member 712 is above the support shaft 72. In this way, when the rear cover 70 is in the first position, the center of gravity of one of the members (in this case, the second member 712) is above the support shaft 72, and the center of gravity of the other member (in this case, the first member 711) is below the support shaft 72. This makes it easier to position the center of gravity of the closing section 71 closer to the support shaft 72 compared to the case where the center of gravity of both the first member 711 and the second member 712 are either above or below the support shaft 72.

[0055] Even if the first member 711 and the second member 712 are made of materials with the same specific gravity, it is possible to bring the center of gravity of the rear cover 70 closer to the support shaft 72 by making the thickness of the second member 712 thicker than that of the first member 711. By making the second member 712 a thicker material than the first member 711, it becomes easier to position the center of gravity of the rear cover 70 closer to the support shaft 72 compared to the case where the first member 711 and the second member 712 have the same thickness.

[0056] Furthermore, as already explained, when the rear cover 70 is in the first position, the rear projection 71C is positioned above the support shaft 72. This makes it easier to position the center of gravity of the rear cover 70 closer to the support shaft 72 compared to a structure in which the rear projection 71C is positioned below the support shaft 72.

[0057] <Variation> • First variation Figure 10 is a perspective view of the rear cover 70 of the first modified example. Figure 11 is an enlarged perspective view of the left and right ends of the rear cover 70 of the first modified example. Figure 12 is a side view of the rear cover 70 of the first modified example.

[0058] The rear cover 70 of the first modified example has the same configuration as the rear cover 70 described above, and further includes a protective sheet 75. The protective sheet 75 is a sheet-like member that is positioned on the front side (the side of the rear opening 28B) of the closing portion 71 and the lower part 71A when the rear cover 70 is in the first position. One end of the protective sheet 75 (the upper end when the rear cover 70 is in the first position) is fixed to the rear cover 70 by being sandwiched between the first member 711 and the second member 712, and is a fixed end. The other end of the protective sheet 75 (the lower end when the rear cover 70 is in the first position) is a movable free end. The side of the free end of the protective sheet 75 is inclined so that the lower side is further forward. The protective sheet 75 is also made of a low-friction material.

[0059] Figure 13 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the process when the first medium M1 is transported in reverse. During the printing process on the first medium M1, the first medium M1 may bend and lift up when it is transported from the downstream side to the upstream side in the transport direction (reverse transport). If there is no protective sheet 75, the bent first medium M1 will come into contact with the lower part 71A of the metal rear cover 70 during reverse transport, and the frictional force acting between the first medium M1 and the lower part 71A will make it difficult for the first medium M1 to slide against the lower part 71A. If the first medium M1 is transported in reverse, there is a risk of malfunctions such as paper jams occurring. In contrast, with the rear cover 70 of the first modified example, the lifted first medium M1 comes into contact with the low-friction protective sheet 75 during reverse transport, allowing the first medium M1 to slide on the protective sheet 75. Furthermore, even if the first medium M1 is transported in reverse, it can be guided downwards, thereby suppressing the occurrence of malfunctions during reverse transport.

[0060] Furthermore, the protective sheet 75 is made of a flexible resin sheet material. Therefore, the free end portion of the protective sheet 75 is configured to be displaceable by elastic deformation. This allows the impact to be absorbed by the displacement of the protective sheet 75 when the first medium M1, which has bent and lifted up during reverse transport, collides with the protective sheet 75, and also makes it easier to guide the first medium M1 downwards when it is transported in reverse.

[0061] • Second variation Figures 14A and 14B are explanatory diagrams of a second modified example. Figure 14A is an explanatory diagram of the rear cover 70 in the first position. Figure 14B is an explanatory diagram of the rear cover 70 in the second position.

[0062] The front holding portion 81 of the second modified example is a member that holds the rear cover 70 in a second position, similar to the front holding portion 81 described above. While the front holding portion 81 described above attracts the upper part 71B of the rear cover 70 with a magnet, the front holding portion 81 of the second modified example does not have a magnet and holds the rear cover 70 in a second position by contacting the upper part 71B of the rear cover 70. The front holding portion 81 of the second modified example functions as a stopper to prevent the rotation of the rear cover 70. In the second modified example as well, the front holding portion 81 is provided in front of the support shaft 72.

[0063] In the second modified example, a biasing mechanism 85 is provided. The biasing mechanism 85 is a mechanism that applies force to the rear cover 70. The biasing mechanism 85 has a spring 85A, a main body-side spring support portion 85B, and a cover-side spring support portion 85C. The spring 85 is an elastically deformable member. The spring 85 shown in Figures 14A and 14B is in an elongated deformed state. The main body-side spring support portion 85B is provided on the side frame 26 and supports one end of the spring 81B. The main body-side spring support portion 85B is positioned in front of the support shaft 72 and above the support shaft 72. The cover-side spring support portion 85C is provided on the rear cover 70 and supports the other end of the spring 85A. The cover-side support portion 85C is located below the support shaft 72 when the rear cover 70 is in the first position (see Figure 14A), and is located at approximately the same height as the support shaft 72 and behind the support shaft 72 when the rear cover 70 is in the second position. Here, the cover-side spring support portion 85C is provided on the detected portion 732, but it may be provided on other parts as well. The rear cover 70 of the second modified example has the same configuration as the rear cover 70 described above, and also has the cover-side spring support portion 85C.

[0064] As shown in Figure 14A, when the rear cover 70 is in the first position, the spring 85A is stretched and deformed, and the cover-side spring support portion 85C is biased by the spring 85A toward the main body-side spring support portion 85B. When the rear cover 70 is in the first position, the rear cover 70 receives a force from the biasing member 85 in the clockwise direction in Figure 14A. As a result, when the rear cover 70 is in the first position, the rear cover 70 is held by the lower holding portion 82 by the force of the spring 85A.

[0065] As shown in Figure 14B, when the rear cover 70 is in the second position, the spring 85A is stretched and deformed, and the cover-side spring support portion 85C is biased by the spring 85A toward the main body-side spring support portion 85B. When the rear cover 70 is in the second position, the rear cover 70 receives a force from the biasing member 85 in a counterclockwise direction. The front-side retaining portion 81 is positioned in front of the support shaft 72 of the rear cover 70 (on the carriage 31 side), and when an operator rotates the rear cover 70 from the first position to the second position, the spring 85 can bring the upper part 71B of the rear cover 70 into contact with the front-side retaining portion 81. As a result, when the rear cover 70 is in the second position, the rear cover 70 is held by the front-side retaining portion 81 by the force of the spring 85A. In the second modified example, by rotating the rear cover 70 on the support shaft 72, both the operation of opening the rear cover 70 and the operation of holding the rear cover 70 in the second position can be performed.

[0066] In addition, the lower holding portion 82 of the second modified example may, like the lower holding portion 82 described above, attract the suction portion 731 of the rear cover 70 with a magnet, or, like the front support portion 81 described above, it may not have a magnet and may contact the rear cover 70 with the force of the spring 85A of the biasing mechanism 85 to hold the rear cover 70 in the second position.

[0067] In the second modified example, similar to the rear cover 70 described above, the center of gravity of the rear cover 70 is positioned close to the support shaft 72. This makes it possible to stabilize the rear cover 70 in the first or second position even with a relatively weak spring 85A.

[0068] As shown in the second modified example, the rear cover 70 may be held in the first or second position by a spring. Also, as shown in the second modified example, the means for holding the rear cover 70 is not limited to a magnet. Furthermore, the rear cover 70 may be held in the first or second position using both a magnet and a spring.

[0069] <Summary> The above-described printing apparatus 100 comprises a carriage 31 that is movable in the scanning direction, a transport unit 40 that transports the medium in the transport direction, a head 51 mounted on the carriage 31, and a case 20 that covers the range of movement of the carriage 31. The case 20 is provided with a rear opening 28B, which is located upstream of the carriage 31 in the transport direction. The case 20 is also provided with a rear cover 70. The rear cover 70 is rotatable between a first position that closes the rear opening 28B and a second position that opens the rear opening 28B, and has a closing part 71 that closes the rear opening 28B and a support shaft 72 that rotatably supports the closing part 71 relative to the case 20. The printing apparatus 100 of this embodiment is equipped with a front holding part 81 that holds the rear cover 70 in a second position, and the front holding part 81 is provided in front of the support shaft 72 (on the carriage 31 side). Because the front holding part 81 is positioned in front of the support shaft 72 of the rear cover 70, both the operation of opening the rear cover 70 and the operation of holding the rear cover 70 in the second position can be performed by rotating the rear cover 70 on the support shaft 72. Therefore, compared to cases where it is necessary to slide the rear cover 70 in the front-rear direction in order to hold the rear cover 70 in the second position after opening it (see Patent Document 1), the burden on the operator can be reduced.

[0070] The head 51 described above is configured to eject photocurable ink (ultraviolet-curable ink), and the carriage 31 is equipped with a light irradiation unit 52 that irradiates light. When the rear cover 70 is in the first position, the light is shielded by the closing part 71. This prevents the light from the irradiation unit 52 (leakage light from the printing area to the rear) from leaking to the outside through the rear opening 28B.

[0071] Furthermore, in the printing apparatus 100 described above, the rear cover 70 is held in the second position by attracting the front holding part 81 and the rear cover 70 with magnets. As a result, when an operator rotates the rear cover 70 from the first position to the second position, the upper part 71B of the rear cover 70 can be attracted to the front holding part 81. The magnets that attract the front holding part 81 and the rear cover 70 may be provided on the front holding part 81, on the rear cover 70, or on both the front holding part 81 and the rear cover 70.

[0072] Furthermore, in the second modified printing apparatus 100, the rear cover 70 is held in the second position by a spring. Thus, the method of holding the rear cover 70 in the second position is not limited to magnets.

[0073] Furthermore, in the above-described printing apparatus 100, the closing portion 71 of the rear cover 70 has a first member 711 and a second member 712. When the rear cover 70 is in the first position, the center of gravity of the second member is above the support shaft 72, and the center of gravity of the first member is below the support shaft 72. This makes it easy to position the center of gravity of the closing portion 71, composed of the first member 711 and the second member 712, close to the support shaft 72. Alternatively, the center of gravity of the second member may be below the support shaft 72, and the center of gravity of the first member may be above the support shaft 72. In this case as well, the center of gravity of the closing portion 71, composed of the first member 711 and the second member 712, will be positioned close to the support shaft 72. The closer the center of gravity of the closing portion 71 is to the support shaft 72, the smaller the load required to open and close the cover can be, thus reducing the burden on the operator opening and closing the cover.

[0074] Furthermore, the rear cover 70 has a rear projection 71C that protrudes from the closing portion 71 to the rear (opposite side from the rear opening 28B) when it is in the first position. The rear projection 71C closes the space between the support shaft 72 and the lower wall 24 of the case 20 when the rear cover 70 is in the second position. This prevents light from leaking to the outside from between the support shaft 72 and the lower wall 24 of the case 20 when the rear cover 70 is in the second position.

[0075] Furthermore, the rear projection 71C is positioned above the support shaft 72 when the rear cover 70 is in the first position. This makes it easier to position the center of gravity of the rear cover 70 close to the support shaft 72.

[0076] The closing portion 71 of the rear cover 70 has a first member 711 and a second member 712, and it is desirable that the second member 712 is made of a material with a higher specific gravity than the first member 711. This makes it easier to position the center of gravity of the rear cover 70 closer to the support shaft 72 compared to the case where the first member 711 and the second member 712 are made of materials with the same specific gravity. However, the first member 711 and the second member 712 may be made of materials with the same specific gravity. For example, as described below, if the second member 712 is made of a material that is thicker than the first member 711, it is easier to position the center of gravity of the rear cover 70 closer to the support shaft 72 even if the first member 711 and the second member 712 are made of materials with the same specific gravity.

[0077] Furthermore, it is desirable that the second member 712 is made of a thicker material than the first member 711. This makes it easier to position the center of gravity of the rear cover 70 closer to the support shaft 72 compared to the case where the first member 711 and the second member 712 are made of materials of the same thickness. However, the first member 711 and the second member 712 may be made of materials of the same thickness. For example, as mentioned above, if the second member 712 is made of a material with a higher specific gravity than the first member 711, it will be easier to position the center of gravity of the rear cover 70 closer to the support shaft 72, even if the first member 711 and the second member 712 are made of materials of the same thickness.

[0078] Furthermore, it is desirable that the center of gravity of the rear cover 70 be at the same height as the support shaft 72 when the rear cover 70 is in the first position. This makes it easier to rotate the rear cover 70.

[0079] As shown in Figures 10 to 12, it is desirable that the rear cover 70 has a protective sheet 75 (a sheet that reduces friction with the medium) provided in front of the closing portion 71 (on the side of the rear opening 28B) when it is in the first position. This can suppress the occurrence of abnormalities during reverse transport.

[0080] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12, one end of the protective sheet 75 is a fixed end fixed to the closing part 71, and the other end is a free end that can move relative to the closing part 71, so that the protective sheet 75 is configured to be elastically deformable when the medium comes into contact with it. As a result, when the medium collides with the protective sheet 75, the impact can be absorbed by the displacement of the protective sheet 75, making it easier for the protective sheet 75 to guide the medium and further suppressing the occurrence of abnormalities during reverse transport.

[0081] Furthermore, the printing device 100 is equipped with a lower holding part 82 that holds the rear cover 70 in a first position. However, the printing device 100 does not necessarily have to be equipped with a lower holding part 82. For example, the rear cover 70 may be held in the first position by its own weight.

[0082] ===Other Embodiments=== The above embodiments are presented as examples and do not limit the scope of the invention. The above configurations can be combined as appropriate, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The above embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0083] 10 Base member, 11 Platen, 12 Central wall, 20 cases, 21 top walls, 22 Front wall, 22A Front cover, 23 rear wall, 24 lower wall, 25 side wall, 26 side frame, 28A front opening, 28B rear opening, 30 carriage units, 31 carriage, 32 carriage motor, 40 Conveying unit, 41 Conveying member, 41A Conveyor roller, 41B Pinch roller, 42 Conveyor motor, 51 heads, 52 irradiation units, 60 controllers, 70 Rear cover, 71 Closure section, 71A lower part, 71B upper part, 71C rear protrusion, 711 First member, 711A Downward inclined portion, 712 Second member, 712B Upper inclined section, 72 Support shaft, 721 Shaft member, 721A Fixed part, 73 Adsorption member, 731 Adsorption part, 732 Detection part, 75 protective sheets, 81 Front holding part, 82 Lower holding part, 83 Sensor, 85 biasing mechanism, 85A spring, 85B Main body side spring support part, 85C Cover side spring support part, 100 Printing device, M1 1st medium, M2 2nd medium

Claims

1. A carriage that can move in the scanning direction, A transport unit that transports the medium in the transport direction, Mounted on the carriage is a head that ejects ink onto a medium, A case that covers the range of movement of the carriage and has an opening upstream of the carriage in the conveying direction, A cover that is rotatable between a first position that closes the opening and a second position that opens the opening, and has a closing part that closes the opening and a support shaft that rotatably supports the closing part with respect to the case, A front holding portion is provided on the carriage side of the support shaft and holds the cover in the second position, A printing apparatus characterized by being equipped with the following features.

2. A printing apparatus according to claim 1, The head ejects light-curable ink, The carriage is equipped with a light irradiation unit that emits light to cure the photocurable ink. A printing apparatus characterized in that when the cover is in the first position, the light is blocked by the closing portion.

3. A printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, A printing apparatus characterized in that the cover is held in the second position by attracting the front holding portion and the cover with a magnet.

4. A printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, A printing apparatus characterized by holding the cover in the second position by a spring.

5. A printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, The closing portion comprises a first member and a second member provided on the first member. A printing apparatus characterized in that, when the cover is in the first position, the center of gravity of one of the first member and the second member is above the support shaft, and the center of gravity of the other member is below the support shaft.

6. A printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, The cover has a projection that, when in the first position, protrudes from the closing portion on the side opposite to the opening. A printing apparatus characterized in that when the cover is in the second position, the protrusion closes the space between the support shaft and the case.

7. A printing apparatus according to claim 6, When the cover is in the first position, the center of gravity of the first member is below the support shaft, and the center of gravity of the second member is above the support shaft. A printing apparatus characterized in that, when the cover is in the first position, the protrusion is positioned above the support shaft.

8. A printing apparatus according to claim 6, A printing apparatus characterized in that, when the cover is in the first position, the member whose center of gravity is above the support shaft is made of a member with a higher specific gravity or a thicker member than the member whose center of gravity is below the support shaft.

9. A printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, The printing apparatus is characterized in that the center of gravity of the closing portion is positioned at the same height as the support shaft when the cover is in the first position.

10. A printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, The printing apparatus is characterized in that the cover, when in the first position, is provided on the side of the opening that is closer to the closing portion than the closing portion, and has a sheet that reduces friction with the medium.

11. A printing apparatus according to claim 10, One end of the sheet is a fixed end that is fixed to the closing portion. The other end of the sheet is a free end that can move relative to the closing portion. A printing apparatus characterized in that the sheet is configured to be deformable when the medium comes into contact with the sheet.

12. A printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, A printing apparatus further comprising a lower holding portion provided below the support shaft and holding the cover in the first position.

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