Image recording device

Abstract

This design makes it less likely for the user's hands to come into contact with the control board when attaching or detaching wiring components to the head unit. [Solution] The printer includes a head unit including a head and a control board, a moving mechanism, a wiring member 8, and a cover 3. The wiring member 8 is connected to a connector 9C via a relay board 9. The cover 3 supports the connector 9C via the relay board 9. The cover 3 covers at least a portion of the control board when the connector 9C is mounted on the connector supported by the control board.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus provided with a head for recording an image.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes an inkjet recording apparatus including a carriage, a housing attachable to and detachable from the carriage, a printed circuit board, a connector, and a flat cable. The housing includes a recording head portion, and the printed circuit board is fixed to an upper surface of the housing. The connector has a main body portion fixed to an upper surface of the printed circuit board, and an upper lid that is rotatable with respect to the main body portion. The flat cable is connected to the connector by rotating and closing the upper lid in a state where each contact is disposed on the main body portion. The flat cable is electrically connected to the printed circuit board via the connector.

Prior Art Literature

Patent Literature

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the inkjet recording apparatus described in Patent Document 1, when attaching or detaching the housing including the recording head to the carriage, it is necessary to remove the flat cable from the connector and to attach the flat cable to the connector. In the removal operation, the user rotates the top cover of the connector by hand to open it and remove the flat cable from the main body. In the attachment operation, the user rotates the top cover of the connector by hand to close it with each contact of the flat cable positioned on the main body of the connector. Thus, in the removal and attachment operations, the user directly touches the connector with their hands. The connector is fixed to the printed circuit board. Therefore, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, when attaching or detaching the flat cable from the housing including the recording head, the user's hands are likely to come into contact with the printed circuit board, and consequently with the electronic components and terminals contained in the printed circuit board. As a result, for example, the printed circuit board is easily damaged.

[0005] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an image recording device in which the user's hands are less likely to come into contact with the control board when attaching or detaching wiring members to the head unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The image recording apparatus of this disclosure includes a head unit including a head for recording images and a control board for controlling the head, and a support portion for detachably supporting the head unit. Furthermore, it includes a wiring member, a cover, a first connector supported on the control board, and a second connector connected to the wiring member, which is detachably connected to the first connector in a detachable direction intersecting the surface of the control board on which the first connector is supported. The cover supports the second connector and covers at least a portion of the control board when the second connector is attached to the first connector. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the image recording device disclosed herein, when attaching or detaching the head unit from the support, the user can hold the cover with their hand and attach or detach the second connector to the first connector. As a result, the user's hand is less likely to come into contact with the control board when attaching or detaching wiring components to the head unit. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of a printer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the head unit. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a printer. [Figure 4] (a) is a perspective view showing the head unit shown in Figure 2 with the cover, wiring components, and ink tubes removed, and (b) is a perspective view of the head unit shown in Figure 4(a) viewed from diagonally below. [Figure 5] This is a schematic cross-sectional view relating to a vertical plane perpendicular to the left-right direction at the rear portion of the head unit. [Figure 6] (a) is a plan view of the joint member, and (b) is a diagram showing the joint member shown in Figure 6(a) in a state where it is pressed by the fixing member. [Figure 7] This is a plan view of the head. [Figure 8] (a) is a perspective view of the connector and guide member supported on the control board, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the main part showing the connector supported on the control board and the connector supported on the relay board mated together. [Figure 9] This is a cross-sectional view along the line IX-IX shown in Figure 4. [Figure 10] (a) is a plan view of the fixing member, and (b) is a cross-sectional view along line XX shown in Figure 10(a). [Figure 11] (a) is a perspective view of the belt fixing part, and (b) is a perspective view of the belt fixing part shown in Figure 11(a) from a diagonal downward angle. [Figure 12](a) is a perspective view of the cover from diagonally below, and (b) is a bottom view of the cover. [Figure 13] (a) is a perspective view showing the head unit shown in Figure 4(a) with the fixing member released, and (b) is a perspective view of the head unit shown in Figure 13(a) viewed from diagonally below. [Figure 14] This is a plan view showing the head unit removed from the moving mechanism shown in Figure 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] <Overall printer configuration> As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 12, the printer 1 according to this embodiment includes a head unit 2, a cover 3, a moving mechanism 4, a platen 5, a transport mechanism 6, four ink tubes 7, a wiring member 8, a relay board 9, a control unit 80, and a housing 1A. As shown in Figure 1, the housing 1A houses the above-mentioned components such as the head unit 2, the cover 3, the moving mechanism 4, the platen 5, and the transport mechanism 6.

[0010] Printer 1 is installed and used in the state shown in Figure 1. In Figure 1, the bottom is the front and the top is the rear. In Figure 1, the vertical direction is the vertical direction. The left-right direction is the direction when printer 1 is viewed from the front. Printer 1 corresponds to the "image recording device" in this disclosure.

[0011] As shown in Figures 1 and 14, the moving mechanism 4 includes two guide rails 13 and 14, a belt 15, and four pulleys 16A to 16D. The two guide rails 13 and 14 extend parallel to each other along the left-right direction. The two guide rails 13 and 14 are also spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction.

[0012] The four pulleys 16A to 16D are arranged on the upper surface of the guide rail 14. Among the four pulleys 16A to 16D, three pulleys 16A to 16C are arranged at the right end of the guide rail 14. As shown in FIG. 14, the remaining pulley 16D is arranged at the left end of the guide rail 14. The belt 15 has an annular shape and is stretched around the four pulleys 16A to 16D.

[0013] Further, as shown in FIG. 14, the moving mechanism 4 includes a belt fixing portion 70. The belt fixing portion 70 is fixed between the two pulleys 16C and 16D of the belt 15. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the moving mechanism 4 includes a moving motor 4M. The moving motor 4M is driven by a control unit 80 to rotate the pulley 16B. Accordingly, the belt 15 runs and the belt fixing portion 70 moves in the left-right direction.

[0014] The head unit 2 is detachably attached to the belt fixing portion 70. Accordingly, when the belt fixing portion 70 moves in the left-right direction, the head unit 2 also moves in the left-right direction. The left-right direction is the scanning direction of the head unit 2. The two guide rails 13, 14 and the belt fixing portion 70 of the present embodiment correspond to the "support portion" of the present disclosure.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 4, the head unit 2 includes a head 20. The head 20 has a nozzle surface 20A where a plurality of nozzles 23 are arranged. The nozzle surface 20A is the lower surface of the head 20. The details of the head unit 2 including the head 20 will be described later.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, the platen 5 extends in the left-right direction and supports a sheet S from below. The width of the platen 5 in the left-right direction is larger than the width of the sheet S in the left-right direction. The platen 5 is arranged below the head 20 and is arranged to be able to face the plurality of nozzles 23.

[0017] The transport mechanism 6 has a first transport roller section 6A and a second transport roller section 6B. The first transport roller section 6A is located behind the platen 5. The first transport roller section 6A has two transport rollers 6A1. The two transport rollers 6A1 are arranged vertically side by side so that a sheet of paper S can be held between them, with their rotation axes parallel in the left-right direction.

[0018] The second transport roller section 6B is positioned in front of the platen 5. The second transport roller section 6B has two transport rollers 6B1. The two transport rollers 6B1 are arranged vertically side by side so that a sheet of paper S can be held between them, with their rotation axes parallel in the left-right direction.

[0019] As shown in Figure 3, the transport mechanism 6 has a transport motor 6M. The transport motor 6M is driven by the control unit 80, which rotates the transport rollers 6A1 and 6B1 via a transmission mechanism. This causes the paper S to be transported in a transport direction from rear to front.

[0020] Printer 1 includes a cartridge holder 10, as shown in Figure 1. Four ink cartridges 11A to 11D are removablely mounted in the cartridge holder 10. The four ink cartridges 11A to 11D are arranged horizontally and store yellow, cyan, magenta, and black inks in that order from left to right.

[0021] One end of each of the four ink tubes 7 is connected to four ink cartridges 11A to 11D mounted in a cartridge holder 10. The other ends of the four ink tubes 7 are connected to a joint member 35 included in the head unit 2. The four ink tubes 7 are flexible and extend in a long length in the left-right direction. The four ink tubes 7 are also arranged within the housing 1A so as to be able to follow the movement of the head unit 2 in the scanning direction.

[0022] As shown in Figures 1 and 13(a), the wiring member 8 connects the control board 45 included in the head unit 2 to the control unit 80. The wiring member 8 is flexible and extends in a long length from left to right in the front part of the housing 1A. This allows the wiring member 8 to follow the movement of the head unit 2 in the scanning direction. The wiring member 8 is also routed in a complex manner from front to back within the housing 1A. In this embodiment, the wiring member 8 is a flexible flat cable. However, the wiring member 8 may be composed of other wiring members as long as they are flexible.

[0023] As shown in Figure 2, cover 3 is detachably positioned to cover the front portion of the head unit 2 from the central to the front-to-back direction. Cover 3 holds the relay board 9, which will be described later, and the wiring member 8 connected to the relay board 9. Cover 3 also covers the connection portion between the wiring member 8 and the control board 45, and the connection portion between the four ink tubes 7 and the joint member 35. Further details of cover 3 will be described later.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, the printer 1 has a linear encoder 90. The linear encoder 90 has an encoder strip 91 and a sensor 92, which will be described later. The encoder strip 91 is arranged on the guide rail 14 and extends in the left-right direction along the belt 15. The encoder strip 91 has a scale consisting of a light-transmitting portion and a light-blocking portion.

[0025] Sensor 92 is a transmissive photosensor and is attached to the carriage 40 (described later) via a control board 45, as shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(b). Sensor 92 is positioned opposite the encoder strip 91 of the carriage 40 in the vertical direction. Sensor 92 can optically read the scale of the encoder strip 91 and outputs a signal indicating the reading result to the control unit 80.

[0026] Printer 1 has a sensor 93. Sensor 93 is a reflective photosensor and is mounted on the carriage 40. Sensor 93 is positioned to the left of the head 20 on the carriage 40 so as to be able to detect the paper S on the platen 5. When the carriage 40 moves in the left-right direction, sensor 93 detects the difference in color between the platen 5 and the paper S and outputs the detection signal to the control unit 80. Based on the detection signal from sensor 93, the control unit 80 detects the left-right width of the paper S.

[0027] <Electrical configuration of the printer> Next, the electrical configuration of printer 1 will be described. The operation of printer 1 is controlled by the control unit 80. As shown in Figure 3, the control unit 80 consists of a CPU 81, ROM 82, RAM 83, ASIC 84, etc. The control unit 80 controls the operation of the moving motor 4M, the transport motor 6M, and the head 20. The head 20 is electrically connected to the control unit 80 via the wiring member 8, the control board 45, and the COF 47. The control unit 80 controls the head 20 by controlling the driver IC 46 mounted on the COF 47.

[0028] Furthermore, the sensor 92 is electrically connected to the control unit 80 via the control board 45 and the wiring member 8. Based on the signal from the sensor 92, the control unit 80 derives the left-right position of the head 20.

[0029] Furthermore, the sensor 93 is electrically connected to the control unit 80 via the control board 45 and the wiring member 8. Based on the detection signal from the sensor 93, the control unit 80 derives the width of the paper S in the left-right direction.

[0030] Next, the head unit 2 will be described in detail. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the head unit 2 includes a head 20, a sub-tank 30, a joint member 35, a carriage 40, a control board 45, and a head cover 48. The carriage 40 is a box-shaped frame that opens upwards, and houses the head 20 and the sub-tank 30. The head 20 and the sub-tank 30 housed in the carriage 40 are fixed to the carriage 40 in a way that prevents them from being detached. The carriage 40 also supports the control board 45 and the head cover 48.

[0031] In this embodiment, the head 20 and the sub-tank 30 are fixed to the carriage 40 with adhesive. The head 20 only needs to be fixed to the carriage 40 in a way that prevents it from being easily removed. In this sense, "in a way that prevents it from being easily removed from the carriage 40" means that the head 20 and the carriage 40 are so tightly connected that there is a high probability of damaging the head 20 or the carriage 40 when removing the head 20, which is fixed to the carriage 40 with adhesive, from the carriage 40. Also, when removing the head 20, which is fixed to the carriage 40 with screws or the like, a special tool is required.

[0032] As shown in Figure 13(b), the carriage 40 has two holes 41 and 42. The two holes 41 and 42 are located on the bottom surface 40A of the carriage 40, in front of the portion that houses the head 20. The two holes 41 and 42 are positioning holes for the belt fixing portion 70 relative to the carriage 40. Hole 41 is sized to allow the projection 73 of the belt fixing portion 70, described later, to be inserted. Hole 42 is sized to allow the projection 74 of the belt fixing portion 70, described later, to be inserted. The carriage 40 also has an opening 43 that opens downward. The opening 43 exposes the entire nozzle surface 20A of the head 20 housed within the carriage 40 downward.

[0033] The carriage 40 has two sliders 44A and 44B, as shown in Figures 4(b) and 13(b). Slider 44A is located at the lower front end of the carriage 40 and is positioned on the guide rail 14A. Slider 44A has two slider sections 44A1 and 44A2 that are spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction.

[0034] Slider 44B is positioned at the lower rear end of carriage 40 and is located on guide rail 13. Slider 44B has a slider portion 44B1 that is longer than slider portion 44A1 in the left-right direction.

[0035] As shown in Figure 5, the sub-tank 30 is positioned on the head 20. The sub-tank 30 has four ink channels 31 inside. Different colored inks are supplied to the four ink channels 31.

[0036] Figure 5 shows one of the four ink channels 31. The ink channel 31 has a supply port 31A at its upper end and an outlet port 31B at its lower end. The ink channel 31 further has a horizontal section 31C that extends horizontally and a vertical section 31D that extends downward from the horizontal section 31C. The supply port 31A opens to the upper surface 30A of the sub-tank 30. The outlet port 31B opens to the lower surface 30B of the sub-tank 30.

[0037] As shown in Figure 6(a), the joint member 35 has four connection parts 36 and four connecting channels 37. Since the structures of the four connection parts 36 and the four connecting channels 37 are the same, one connection part 36 and the connecting channel 37 corresponding to that connection part 36 will be described. The connection part 36 has a cylindrical shape and the other end of the ink tube 7 is connected to it. A part of the connecting channel 37 is located inside the connection part 36. The connecting channel 37 has a supply port 37A at one end and an outlet port 37B at the other end.

[0038] The supply port 37A is located on the tip surface 36A of the connection portion 36. The discharge port 37B opens on the lower surface 35A of the joint member 35, which faces the upper surface 30A of the sub-tank 30.

[0039] As shown in Figures 4(a) and 6(b), the head unit 2 has a fixing member 60 that secures the joint member 35. The joint member 35 is positioned with four discharge ports 37B facing four supply ports 31A. At this time, the fixing member 60 presses the joint member 35 against the sub-tank 30 from above. This makes the joint member 35 removably fixed to the sub-tank 30. In this way, the four connecting channels 37 connect the four ink channels 31 and the four ink tubes 7. Details of the fixing member 60 will be described later.

[0040] As shown in Figures 5 and 7, the head 20 has a flow path unit 21 and an actuator unit 25. The flow path unit 21 has four common flow paths 22, a plurality of nozzles 23, and a plurality of individual flow paths 24. The four common flow paths 22 extend in the front-to-back direction and are arranged side by side in the left-to-right direction. The four common flow paths 22 are sometimes referred to as common flow paths 22A to 22D in order from left to right in Figure 7.

[0041] Four supply ports 21A to 21D open on the upper surface 21E of the flow path unit 21. The four supply ports 21A to 21D are arranged side by side in the left-right direction at the rear end of the upper surface 21E. Supply port 21A communicates with the common flow path 22A. Supply port 21B communicates with the common flow path 22B. Supply port 21C communicates with the common flow path 22C. Supply port 21D communicates with the common flow path 22D. Supply ports 21A to 21D communicate with the discharge port 31B, and different colored inks are supplied to each of them.

[0042] Multiple nozzles 23 open onto the nozzle surface 20A. The multiple nozzles 23 constitute four nozzle rows 23A to 23D. Each nozzle row 23A to 23D is composed of multiple nozzles 23 arranged in the front-to-back direction.

[0043] The multiple individual flow channels 24 constitute four individual flow channel rows 24A to 24D. Each individual flow channel row 24A to 24D is composed of multiple individual flow channels 24 arranged in the front-to-back direction. One end of each individual flow channel 24 communicates with the nozzle 23, and the other end communicates with the common flow channel 22. Each individual flow channel 24 has a pressure chamber 24P. The pressure chamber 24P has an elongated elliptical shape in the left-to-right direction and opens onto the upper surface 21E of the flow channel unit 21.

[0044] Individual channel 24 belonging to individual channel row 24A communicates with nozzle 23 belonging to nozzle row 23A and common channel 22A. Individual channel 24 belonging to individual channel row 24B communicates with nozzle 23 belonging to nozzle row 23B and common channel 22B. Individual channel 24 belonging to individual channel row 24C communicates with nozzle 23 belonging to nozzle row 23C and common channel 22C. Individual channel 24 belonging to individual channel row 24D communicates with nozzle 23 belonging to nozzle row 23D and common channel 22D. Multiple nozzles 23 eject ink of different colors from each other, according to nozzle row 23A to 23D. More specifically, in Figure 7, yellow, cyan, magenta, and black inks are ejected sequentially from the leftmost nozzle row 23A to the rightmost nozzle row 23D.

[0045] As shown in Figures 5 and 7, the actuator unit 25 is positioned on the upper surface 21E of the flow path unit 21. The actuator unit 25 includes a diaphragm 26, two piezoelectric layers 27A and 27B, a plurality of individual electrodes 28, and a common electrode 29.

[0046] The diaphragm 26 is joined to the upper surface 21E of the flow channel unit 21, covering multiple pressure chambers 24P. Two piezoelectric layers 27A and 27B are stacked on the upper surface of the diaphragm 26. Multiple individual electrodes 28 are arranged on the upper surface of the upper piezoelectric layer 27A, facing the multiple pressure chambers 24P. The common electrode 29 is arranged between the two piezoelectric layers 27A and 27B, spanning across the multiple pressure chambers 24P.

[0047] Each individual electrode 28 and the common electrode 29 are connected to the control board 45 via a COF 47. A driver IC 46 is mounted on the COF 47. The control board 45 is connected to the control unit 80 via a wiring member 8. The common electrode 29 is at ground potential.

[0048] Upon receiving a signal from the control unit 80, the driver IC 46 supplies a drive signal to the individual electrodes 28. This causes piezoelectric strain to occur in the portion of the upper piezoelectric layer 27A facing the pressure chamber 24P, causing the diaphragm 26 to deform and bend. At this time, the change in the volume of the pressure chamber 24P applies pressure to the ink in the individual channel 24, causing the ink to be ejected from the nozzle 23.

[0049] As shown in Figures 4(a) and 5, the control board 45 is positioned above the sub-tank 30. The control board 45 has electronic components and multiple wirings. The control board 45 also has a first region 45A and a second region 45B. The first region 45A is not shown because it is covered by the head cover 48 except for its front end, but it has a long rectangular planar shape in the front-to-back direction and covers most of the area of ​​the sub-tank 30 that overlaps with the head 20 in the vertical direction.

[0050] The second region 45B is a region that extends diagonally forward and to the left from the front left end of the first region 45A. A sensor 92 is supported on the lower surface of the front end of the second region 45B. The sensor 92 is electrically connected to a connector 45C via multiple wires of the control board 45.

[0051] Furthermore, a connector 45C is supported on the upper surface 45A1 of the first region 45A. The connector 45C is located at the front end of the first region 45A. In addition, a COF 47 and a sensor 93 are connected to the first region 45A of the control board 45. Note that the COF 47 is covered by the head cover 48 and is therefore not shown in Figure 4(a). The COF 47 and the sensor 93 are electrically connected to the connector 45C via multiple wires of the control board 45. The upper surface 45A1 of this embodiment corresponds to the "surface on which the first connector is supported" in this disclosure.

[0052] In this embodiment, connector 45C is a plug-type connector. Connector 45C mates with connector 9C, which will be described later, by moving connector 9C downward from above to above connector 45C. This electrically connects connector 45C and connector 9C.

[0053] On the other hand, by moving the connector 9C, which is mated to the connector 45C, upward relative to the connector 45C, the mating between the connector 9C and the connector 45C is released. This releases the electrical connection between the connector 45C and the connector 9C. In this embodiment, the connector 45C corresponds to the "first connector" of this disclosure, and the connector 9C corresponds to the "second connector" of this disclosure. The vertical direction that intersects with the upper surface 45A1 on which the connector 45C is supported corresponds to the "attachment / detachment direction" of this disclosure.

[0054] As shown in Figure 8(a), the control board 45 has a guide member 95 supported on the upper surface 45A1 of the first region 45A. The guide member 95 has a rectangular tube shape. The guide member 95 also has a rectangular planar shape that is elongated in the left-right direction. A connector 45C is arranged inside the guide member 95. In other words, the guide member 95 surrounds the entire circumference of the connector 45C.

[0055] Furthermore, the guide member 95 does not necessarily surround the entire circumference of the connector 45C; only a portion of the guide member 95 may be positioned adjacent to the connector 45C. Also, the portion of the guide member 95 surrounding the connector 45C may be partially missing. In other words, the guide member 95 may intermittently surround the connector 45C.

[0056] As shown in Figure 8(b), the inner circumferential surface 96 of the guide member 95 has an upper inner circumferential surface 96A and a lower inner circumferential surface 96B. The upper inner circumferential surface 96A is inclined so as it approaches the connector 45C as it moves downward. The lower inner circumferential surface 96B extends downward from the lower end of the upper inner circumferential surface 96A. The lower inner circumferential surface 96B is spaced apart from the side surface of the connector 45C in the front-rear and left-right directions. The front-rear and left-right directions in this embodiment correspond to the "first intersecting direction and second intersecting direction" in this disclosure. The upper inner circumferential surface 96A in this embodiment corresponds to the "surface of the guide member facing the plug-type connector in the second intersecting direction" in this disclosure.

[0057] The head cover 48 is configured to cover the portion of the carriage 40 that is rearward from the center in the front-rear direction, from above. In addition, the head cover 48 covers the entire portion of the control board 45 that is rearward from the connector 45C in the front-rear direction.

[0058] In this embodiment, the head cover 48 covers a portion of the area on the upper surface 45A1 of the control board 45 other than the area where the connector 45C and the guide member 95 are located. However, the head cover 48 may be configured to cover the entire area on the upper surface 45A1 of the control board 45 other than the area where the connector 45C and the guide member 95 are located. That is, the head cover 48 may be configured to cover the upper surface 45A1 of the control board 45 such that only the connector 45C and the guide member 95 are exposed.

[0059] As shown in Figure 4(a), the head cover 48 has a protrusion 48B that projects upward from the upper surface 48A. The protrusion 48B extends in the left-right direction. The protrusion 48B is located at the front end of the head cover 48 and is positioned in the central part in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the upper surface 48A is the surface opposite to the lower surface of the head cover 48 that faces the upper surface 45A1 of the control board 45. In other words, the upper surface 48A corresponds to the "opposite surface" in this disclosure.

[0060] Next, the fixing member 60 and the belt fixing part 70 will be described. As shown in Figures 4 and 9, the fixing member 60 removably fixes the head unit 2 to the belt fixing part 70. As shown in Figure 10, the fixing member 60 has a lower plate portion 61, an upper plate portion 62, and a connecting plate portion 63. The fixing member 60 is elastic. Specifically, it is configured to be elastically deformable so that when an upward external force is applied to the left end of the upper plate portion 62, the vertical distance between the lower plate portion 61 and the left end of the upper plate portion 62 becomes larger than the state shown in Figure 10(b).

[0061] As shown in Figure 10(b), the lower plate portion 61 is a plate-like portion that extends to the left from the lower end of the connecting plate portion 63. The upper plate portion 62 is a plate-like portion that extends diagonally downward to the left from the upper end of the connecting plate portion 63. The lower plate portion 61 and the upper plate portion 62 are positioned apart in the vertical direction. Also, as shown in Figure 10(a), the lower plate portion 61 and the upper plate portion 62 face each other in the vertical direction.

[0062] The lower plate portion 61 has a wide portion 61A and a narrow portion 61B. The wide portion 61A has a greater width in the front-to-back direction than the narrow portion 61B. The wide portion 61A has a longer length in the left-to-right direction than the narrow portion 61B. Since the narrow portion 61B is narrower than the wide portion 61A, it is more flexible than the wide portion 61A.

[0063] The wide portion 61A has a hole 61A1 that penetrates vertically. The hole 61A1 has an elongated shape that is narrow in the left-right direction. A projection 40B that protrudes from the bottom surface 40A of the carriage 40 is fitted into the hole 61A1. The carriage 40 also has a beam 40C that extends in the front-rear direction at its front right end, as shown in Figure 13(b). The beam 40C is positioned between the bottom surface 40A and the beam 40C with a gap through which the lower plate portion 61 passes. As a result, as shown in Figure 13(b), even if the fixing member 60 is moved to the right from the fixed state described later, the wide portion 61A is supported between the bottom surface 40A and the beam 40C, and the left end of the hole 61A1 is locked into the projection 40B. Therefore, the fixing member 60 is less likely to fall off the head unit 2.

[0064] The upper plate portion 62 has a curved portion 62A and a hole 62B. The curved portion 62A is formed by bending the right end of the upper plate portion 62 so that it bulges downwards. The hole 62B is located in the central part of the upper plate portion 62 in the left-right direction and penetrates through the upper plate portion 62 in the thickness direction. The connecting plate portion 63 is a plate-like portion that extends in the vertical direction. The connecting plate portion 63 is slightly curved so that its central part in the vertical direction bulges to the left.

[0065] As shown in Figure 11, the belt fixing portion 70 has a main body portion 71 and a clamping portion 72. The main body portion 71 extends in the left-right direction and has two protrusions 73 and 74 on its upper surface 71A. Protrusion 73 has a frustoconical shape that protrudes upward from the right end of the main body portion 71. Protrusion 73 is configured to be insertable into the hole 41 of the carriage 40 shown in Figure 13(b). Protrusion 74 has a frustoconical shape that protrudes upward from the left end of the main body portion 71. Protrusion 74 protrudes more than projection 73 and has a thinner tip. Protrusion 74 is configured to be insertable into the hole 42 of the carriage 40. As a result, when positioning the belt fixing portion 70 on the carriage 40, projection 74 is more likely to be inserted into the hole 42 before projection 73 is inserted into the hole 41.

[0066] Furthermore, the belt fixing portion 70 has a frame portion 75 on the front side of the main body portion 71. The frame portion 75 has a right connecting portion 75A, a left connecting portion 75B, and a connecting portion 75C, and has a U-shaped planar form. The right connecting portion 75A and the left connecting portion 75B extend parallel to each other in the front-rear direction and are spaced apart in the left-right direction. The rear ends of the right connecting portion 75A and the left connecting portion 75B are connected to the main body portion 71. The connecting portion 75C extends in the left-right direction and connects the front end of the right connecting portion 75A and the front end of the left connecting portion 75B. A through portion 76 is formed in the area enclosed by the frame portion 75 and the main body portion 71, extending vertically.

[0067] The right connecting portion 75A has a hole 75D that penetrates in the left-right direction. The hole 75D is sized to allow the insertion of the width detail 61B of the fixing member 60. The ceiling surface 75D1 that defines the upper part of the hole 75D of the right connecting portion 75A is inclined diagonally downward as it moves to the left, as shown in Figure 9. As shown in Figure 4(b), the width detail 61B of the fixing member 60 is inserted into the hole 75D. Then, as shown in Figure 9, the width detail 61B and the ceiling surface 75D1 engage, causing the width detail 61B to bend downward. At this time, the width detail 61B of the lower plate portion 61 tries to return to its original state, so the belt fixing portion 70 is pressed against the bottom surface 40A of the carriage 40. As a result, the belt fixing portion 70 is positioned on the carriage 40 by the two protrusions 73 and 74 and fixed to the carriage 40.

[0068] The clamping portion 72 has a front portion 72A and a rear portion 72B. The front portion 72A and the rear portion 72B face each other in the front-rear direction. The belt fixing portion 70 is fixed to the belt 15 by clamping the belt 15 with the front portion 72A and the rear portion 72B.

[0069] Next, the cover 3 will be described in detail. As shown in Figure 2, the cover 3 has a cover body 3A and a holding portion 3B. The cover body 3A covers the front end of the first region 45A of the control board 45 shown in Figure 4(a) from above. More specifically, the cover body 3A covers the front end of the first region 45A, the connector 45C, the guide member 95, and the entire periphery of the connector 45C and the guide member 95. The cover body 3A may be configured to cover either the periphery of the connector 45C or the periphery of the connector 45C in the first region 45A. Furthermore, the periphery of the connector 45C in the first region 45A may be the entire circumference or only a part of it. In addition, the cover body 3A covers the entire second region 45B from above.

[0070] As shown in Figure 12, the retaining portion 3B extends downward from the front end of the cover body 3A. The retaining portion 3B holds the wiring member 8 in a bent state. A portion of the wiring member 8 that extends in the left-right direction is bent by the retaining portion 3B and extended to the rear. The rear end of the wiring member 8 is connected to the upper surface 9A of the relay board 9.

[0071] The cover body 3A has three support pieces 3C1 to 3C3 on its lower surface 3C. Support piece 3C1 is located at the right rear end of the cover body 3A. The rear end of support piece 3C1 protrudes upward and is connected to the lower surface 3C. In other words, the part of support piece 3C1 other than the rear end is separated from the lower surface 3C.

[0072] Support piece 3C2 is located at the right end of the cover body 3A, slightly behind the center in the front-to-back direction. The right end of support piece 3C2 protrudes upward and is connected to the bottom surface 3C. In other words, the part of support piece 3C2 other than the right end is separated from the bottom surface 3C. Support piece 3C3 is located in the center of the cover body 3A in the left-to-right direction. The left end of support piece 3C3 protrudes upward and is connected to the bottom surface 3C. In other words, the part of support piece 3C3 other than the left end is separated from the bottom surface 3C.

[0073] The rear end, right end, and left end of the relay board 9 are positioned between the three support pieces 3C1 to 3C3 and the bottom surface 3C. Thus, the relay board 9 is supported by the three support pieces 3C1 to 3C3. The distance L1 between support piece 3C2 and support piece 3C3 is greater than the distance L2 between the ends of the portion of the relay board 9 supported by support pieces 3C2 and 3C3, as shown in Figure 12(b). Distance L1 is the distance between the connection point between support piece 3C2 and the bottom surface 3C and the connection point between support piece 3C3 and the bottom surface 3C in the left-right direction. As a result, the relay board 9 is supported by the three support pieces 3C1 to 3C3 so that it can move in the left-right direction.

[0074] Furthermore, the relay board 9 is biased rearward by the connected wiring member 8. Therefore, the rear end of the relay board 9 is biased by the wiring member 8 toward the connection point with the lower surface 3C of the support piece 3C1. The wiring member 8 is flexible. Therefore, the relay board 9 is supported by the three support pieces 3C1 to 3C3 so that it can move in the front-rear direction as well.

[0075] As shown in Figure 12, the relay board 9 has a rectangular planar shape that is elongated in the front-to-back direction. The relay board 9 has a connector 9C supported on its lower surface 9B. The connector 9C is supported by the cover 3 via the relay board 9. The relay board 9 also has a plurality of wires that connect the connector 9C and the wiring member 8.

[0076] In this embodiment, connector 9C is a socket-type connector with a downward opening. By mating connector 9C with connector 45C, the wiring member 8 and the control board 45 are electrically connected. In other words, the driver IC 46 and the two sensors 92 and 93 are electrically connected to the control unit 80 via the control board 45 and the wiring member 8.

[0077] The cover body 3A has a through hole 3D at its rear end. The through hole 3D is positioned alongside the relay board 9 in the front-to-back direction. The through hole 3D has an elongated shape in the left-to-right direction. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the through hole 3D is configured to allow the insertion of a protrusion 48B. In this embodiment, the cover 3 has a different color from the head cover 48. This makes it easier for the user to distinguish between the cover 3 and the head cover 48 when attaching or detaching the head unit 2. It also makes it easier to attach and detach the connector 9C to the connector 45C by holding the cover 3.

[0078] Next, the operation of attaching and detaching the head unit 2 to the moving mechanism 4 will be described below. When attaching or detaching the head unit 2 to the moving mechanism 4, the head unit 2 is positioned as shown in Figure 1. Specifically, the head unit 2 is positioned at the leftmost end of the guide rails 13 and 14.

[0079] The head unit 2 is normally attached to the moving mechanism 4. In other words, the head unit 2 is in a fixed state, fixed to the belt fixing part 70 by the fixing member 60. When the fixing member 60 fixes the head unit 2 to the belt fixing part 70, the vertical distance between the lower plate part 61 and the left end of the upper plate part 62 of the fixing member 60 is greater than the state shown in Figure 10(b). In other words, when the fixing member 60 is in a fixed state, an elastic restoring force is generated such that the vertical distance between the lower plate part 61 and the left end of the upper plate part 62 becomes smaller. As a result, the joint member 35 is pressed against the sub-tank 30 from above by the curved part 62A of the upper plate part 62. In this way, when the fixing member 60 is in a fixed state, the head unit 2 is fixed to the belt fixing part 70 and the joint member 35 is fixed to the sub-tank 30.

[0080] At this time, the head unit 2 is covered by the cover 3, and the connector 9C is attached to the connector 45C. In other words, the control board 45 is electrically connected to the wiring member 8.

[0081] To remove the head unit 2 from the moving mechanism 4, the wiring component 8 must first be removed from the head unit 2. To remove the wiring component 8, the user holds the cover 3 by hand and moves the cover 3 upward. This causes the relay board 9 to move upward along with the cover 3. At this time, the mating between connector 9C and connector 45C is released. As a result, the electrical connection between connector 45C and connector 9C is released. Thus, as shown in Figure 4(a), the cover 3, relay board 9, and wiring component 8 are removed from the head unit 2. The cover 3, relay board 9, and wiring component 8 remain inside the housing 1A.

[0082] If the wiring member 8 could not be easily removed from the control board 45, it would be necessary to remove the wiring member 8 from the housing 1A when removing the head unit 2. The wiring member 8 is long and is routed in a complex manner inside the housing 1A. Therefore, it is difficult to remove the wiring member 8 from inside the housing 1A. Furthermore, it is also difficult to route and install the removed wiring member 8 inside the housing 1A. In this embodiment, the wiring member 8 is configured to be detachable from the control board 45, so there is no need to attach or detach the wiring member 8 to the housing 1A.

[0083] Next, the user moves the fixing member 60 shown in Figure 4 to the right, as shown in Figure 13. This releases the fixing member 60 from pressing the joint member 35 against the sub-tank 30. As a result, the four ink tubes can be removed from the head unit 2 along with the joint member 35.

[0084] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4(b), the width detail 61B of the fixing member 60 is removed from the hole 75D. As a result, by lifting the head unit 2 upward from the moving mechanism 4, the belt fixing part 70 is detached from the carriage 40, as shown in Figure 13(b). In other words, as shown in Figure 14, the head unit 2 can be removed from the moving mechanism 4 with the belt fixing part 70 fixed to the belt 15. The head cover 48 of the head unit 2 has a protrusion 48B. As a result, when removing the head unit 2 from the moving mechanism 4, it becomes easier to grasp the head unit 2 by placing your fingers on the tip of the protrusion 48B and the front or rear end of the carriage 40. Thus, the head unit 2 becomes easier to operate. In this way, the removal of the head unit 2 from the moving mechanism 4 is completed.

[0085] The head unit 2 removed from the moving mechanism 4 includes the head 20, sub-tank 30, carriage 40, control board 45, head cover 48, and two sensors 92 and 93. Therefore, by simply replacing the head unit 2 with a new or repaired one, the two sliders 44A and 44B of the carriage 40, the two sensors 92 and 93, and the control board 45 can also be replaced.

[0086] When attaching the head unit 2 to the moving mechanism 4, the head unit 2 is placed on the belt fixing portion 70 in the state shown in Figure 14. At this time, the projections 73 and 74 of the belt fixing portion 70 are inserted into the holes 41 and 42 of the carriage 40. Even when operating the head unit 2, the head unit 2 can be grasped by placing fingers on the tip of the protrusion 48B of the head cover 48 and the front or rear end of the carriage 40. This makes it easier to operate the head unit 2 and to position the head unit 2 relative to the belt fixing portion 70.

[0087] Next, the joint member 35 to which the four ink tubes 7 are connected is placed on the sub-tank 30. Specifically, the four discharge ports 37B of the joint member 35 are positioned opposite the four supply ports 31A of the sub-tank 30. Then, the user manually moves the fixing member 60 shown in Figure 13 to the left, as shown in Figure 4.

[0088] By moving the fixing member 60 to the left, the fixing member 60 presses the joint member 35 against the sub-tank 30. As a result, the four ink tubes are connected to the head unit 2 together with the joint member 35.

[0089] At this time, the width detail 61B of the fixing member 60 is inserted into the hole 75D. As a result, the belt fixing part 70 is pressed against the bottom surface 40A of the carriage 40. This positions the belt fixing part 70 on the carriage 40 by the two protrusions 73 and 74, and fixes it to the carriage 40. In this way, the head unit 2 is attached to the moving mechanism 4. The head unit 2 is positioned at the left end of the guide rails 13 and 14. Therefore, even if the fixing member 60 is moved to the left, the head unit 2 does not move to the left. Consequently, it is easy to attach the fixing member 60 to the head unit 2 while pressing the joint member 35 and the belt fixing part 70 against the head unit 2.

[0090] Next, the wiring component 8 is attached to the head unit 2. To attach the wiring component 8, the user holds the cover 3 by hand and inserts the protrusion 48B of the head cover 48 into the through-hole 3D of the cover 3. This allows for a rough alignment of the cover 3 with respect to the head unit 2. The cover 3 supports the relay board 9 to which the wiring component 8 is connected.

[0091] Next, the cover 3 is moved downwards, and the connector 9C is fitted into the connector 45C. At this time, the connector 9C is supported so as to be movable in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions relative to the cover 3 via the relay board 9. Therefore, when fitting the connector 9C into the connector 45C, the centers of the connector 9C and the connector 45C are more likely to coincide. Thus, it becomes easier to attach the connector 9C to the connector 45C.

[0092] Furthermore, when fitting connector 9C to connector 45C, even if the centers of connector 9C and connector 45C are slightly misaligned in the front-to-back or left-to-right directions, the lower end of connector 9C is guided by the upper inner circumferential surface 96A of guide member 95. This guidance allows the relay board 9 to move along with connector 9C in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions relative to the cover 3, making it easier for the centers of connector 9C and connector 45C to coincide. Therefore, it becomes easier to attach connector 9C to connector 45C. In this embodiment, the downward direction when connector 9C approaches connector 45C corresponds to the "direction of relative approach" in this disclosure.

[0093] The control board 45 of the head unit 2 is electrically connected to the control unit 80 via the wiring member 8. In this way, the installation of the wiring member 8 to the head unit 2 is completed, and the installation of the head unit 2 to the moving mechanism 4 is also completed.

[0094] As described above, in the printer 1 of this embodiment, the cover 3 covers a portion of the control board 45 when the connector 9C is attached to the connector 45C, as shown in Figure 2. More specifically, the cover 3 covers the front end of the first region 45A and the entirety of the second region 45B. This allows the user to attach and detach the connector 9C to the connector 45C by holding the cover 3 with their hand when attaching and detaching the head unit 2 from the moving mechanism 4. As a result, the user's hand is less likely to come into contact with the control board 45 when attaching and detaching the wiring member 8 to the head unit 2. Consequently, the control board 45 is less likely to be damaged.

[0095] The cover 3 supports the connector 9C via the relay board 9. This makes it less likely for the user's hands to come into contact with the relay board 9 when attaching or detaching the wiring member 8 to the head unit 2.

[0096] Cover 3 supports connector 9C so that it can move in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions. This makes it easier to attach connector 9C to connector 45C. It can also absorb mounting errors of connector 9C to cover 3.

[0097] The guide member 95 is positioned adjacent to the connector 45C. This makes it easier to attach the connector 9C to the connector 45C. Furthermore, the guide member 95 surrounds the entire circumference of the connector 45C. This makes it even easier to attach the connector 9C to the connector 45C. Even when the guide member 95 intermittently surrounds the perimeter of the connector 45C, it still makes it even easier to attach the connector 9C to the connector 45C.

[0098] The head cover 48 covers the entire portion of the control board 45 behind the connector 45C in the front-to-back direction. This makes it less likely for the user's hand to come into contact with the control board 45 when attaching or detaching the wiring components 8 to the head unit 2.

[0099] The head cover 48 has a protrusion 48B. Therefore, the head unit 2 can be operated by gripping the protrusion 48B. Consequently, the head unit 2 becomes easier to operate.

[0100] The cover 3 has a through hole 3D for passing the protrusion 48B through. This makes it easier to attach the connector 9C to the connector 45C by passing the protrusion 48B through the through hole 3D when attaching the connector 9C to the connector 45C.

[0101] The carriage 40 has two sliders 44A and 44B. This means that when the head unit 2 is replaced, the carriage 40, including the two sliders 44A and 44B, is also replaced. This prevents a decrease in the movement accuracy of the head 20 due to wear on the sliders 44A and 44B.

[0102] Furthermore, the head unit 2 has two sensors 92 and 93. This means that when the head unit 2 is replaced, the two sensors 92 and 93 are also replaced. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the detection accuracy of the head unit 2's movement position due to deterioration or dirt on sensor 92. It is also possible to prevent a decrease in the detection accuracy of the width of the paper S in the left-right direction due to deterioration or dirt on sensor 93.

[0103] According to the printer 1 of this embodiment, when attaching or detaching the head unit 2 from the moving mechanism 4, the head unit 2 only needs to be attached to or detached from the belt fixing part 70. Therefore, there is no need to loosen the belt and remove it from the pulley or to attach the belt to the belt fixing part 70 and then adjust the belt tension. As a result, the attachment and detachment of the head unit 2 can be made easier.

[0104] The head 20, housed in the carriage 40, is fixed to the carriage 40 in a way that prevents it from being detached. This makes it less likely for assembly errors to occur between the head 20 and the carriage 40. If the replacement head 20 were to be able to be attached to the carriage 40, the head 20 might be attached in a misaligned position relative to the carriage 40. In this configuration, even if the head unit 2 is attached or detached, the head 20 will not be misaligned relative to the carriage 40.

[0105] The fixing member 60 removably fixes the head unit 2 to the belt fixing part 70. Compared to a configuration in which the head unit 2 is directly fixed to the belt fixing part 70 without using the fixing member 60, the need to achieve high mounting precision for the head unit 2 to the belt fixing part 70 is reduced. Furthermore, the fixing member 60 removably fixes the joint member 35 to the sub-tank 30. As a result, the fixing of the joint member 35 to the sub-tank 30 and the fixing of the head unit 2 to the belt fixing part 70 can be done with the same fixing member 60, thus reducing the number of parts and operations required for fixing.

[0106] The fixing member 60 removably secures the head unit 2 to the belt fixing part 70 by sandwiching the belt fixing part 70 between the lower plate part 61 and the head unit 2. Furthermore, the fixing member 60 removably secures the joint member 35 to the sub-tank 30 by sandwiching the joint member 35 between the upper plate part 62 and the sub-tank 30. This allows for the fixing of the joint member 35 to the head unit 2 and the fixing of the head unit 2 to the belt fixing part 70 using a fixing member 60 with a simple shape.

[0107] The fixing member 60 can be set to a fixed state by moving the fixing member 60 in the released state to the left, and to a released state by moving the fixing member 60 in the fixed state to the right. As a result, the fixing member 60 can selectively switch between a fixed state and a released state simply by moving it parallel to the left relative to the head unit 2.

[0108] The lower plate portion 61 and the upper plate portion 62 of the fixing member 60 are facing each other in the vertical direction. This makes it possible to reduce the size of the fixing member 60 in the front-to-back direction.

[0109] For example, if a fixing member is used that has a switching mechanism at the top of the head unit 2 to switch between a fixed state and an unlocked state so that the user can operate it from above, the center of gravity of the head unit will be raised by the switching mechanism. When the center of gravity of the head unit is raised, it becomes more likely to tilt to the left or right when the head unit moves in the left-right direction. As a result, effects such as a decrease in the quality of the image recorded on the paper S during printing are more likely to occur. However, in the configuration of this disclosure, since an elastically deformable fixing member 60 is used, the center of gravity of the head unit 2 is less likely to be raised. Therefore, the quality of the image recorded on the paper S during printing is maintained and less likely to be affected.

[0110] While preferred embodiments of this disclosure have been described above, this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible as long as they are within the scope of the claims.

[0111] In the above-described embodiment, the head unit 2 was a serial type that moved in the left-right direction, but it may also be a line type that does not move in the left-right direction. In a line type head unit, the head unit is mounted on a head support frame which serves as a support part. When attaching or detaching the head unit, the user holds the cover 3 by hand and attaches or detaches the connector 9C to the connector 45C. As a result, the user's hand is less likely to come into contact with the control board 45 when attaching or detaching the wiring member 8 to the head unit. Consequently, the control board 45 is less likely to be damaged.

[0112] Furthermore, the head unit 2 does not have to include the carriage 40. Also, the head unit 2 does not have to include the sub-tank 30.

[0113] Furthermore, the direction in which connector 45C and connector 9C are attached and detached may be in a direction that intersects the upper surface 45A1, or in a direction that intersects the vertical direction. Also, connector 9C may be directly connected to the wiring member 8. In this case, the relay board 9 may not be present.

[0114] The cover 3 may immovably support the connector 9C. It may not have a guide member 95.

[0115] The head cover 48 is not required. The head cover 48 is not required to have a protrusion 48B. In this case, the cover 3 is not required to have a through hole 3D. The head cover 48 and the cover 3 may be the same color.

[0116] The carriage 44 does not need to have sliders 44A and 44B. The head unit 2 does not need to have sensors 92 and 93.

[0117] In the above-described embodiment, the fixing member 60 does not have to fix the head unit 2 to the belt fixing part 70 and fix the head unit 2 to the joint member 35. The printer 1 may have another fixing member that fixes the head unit 2 to the joint member 35.

[0118] Furthermore, the fixing member 60 may have any shape as long as it can fix the head unit 2 and the belt fixing part 70. The connecting plate part 63 may extend in directions that intersect with the front-rear direction, left-right direction and up-down direction.

[0119] Furthermore, the fixing member 60 may be configured to allow selective switching between a fixed state and a released state by moving it in a direction intersecting the left-right direction. In this case, the direction extending from the connecting plate portion 63 of the lower plate portion 61 and the upper plate portion 62 also needs to be in a direction intersecting the left-right direction. Also, the lower plate portion 61 and the upper plate portion 62 do not need to be facing each other in the vertical direction.

[0120] Furthermore, the joint member 35 may be fixed to the head unit 2 in a way that prevents it from being detached.

[0121] Furthermore, the moving mechanism 4 may have two, three, or five or more pulleys. Also, the moving mechanism 4 does not have to have guide rails 13, 14.

[0122] A socket-type connector 9C may be supported on the upper surface 45A1 of the control board 45, and a plug-type connector 45C may be supported on the lower surface 9B of the relay board 9. In this case, the guide member 95 should be supported on the lower surface 9B of the relay board 9 so as to surround the connector 45C.

[0123] Printer 1 may record images on a recording medium other than paper S. The recording medium is not limited to paper and may consist of any material such as cloth or plastic film.

[0124] The head 20 may also dispense a liquid other than ink as the recording material, such as a processing liquid that causes components in the ink to coagulate or precipitate.

[0125] This disclosure is not limited to printers, but is also applicable to facsimile machines, copiers, multifunction devices, etc. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0126] 1. Printer 2 Head Units 3 Cover 3D through hole 4 Moving mechanism 8 Wiring components 9. Intermediate board 9C connector 13,14 Guide rails 40 Carriage 44A, 44B Slider 45 Control board 45A1 Top 45C connector 48 headcovers 48A Top 48B protrusion 70 Belt fixing part 92,93 Sensors 95 Guide member 96A Upper inner surface

Claims

1. A head unit including a head for recording images and a control board for controlling the head, A support portion that detachably supports the head unit, Wiring components and The cover and, The first connector supported on the control board, A second connector connected to the wiring member, the second connector being detachable from the first connector in a detachment direction intersecting with the surface of the control board on which the first connector is supported, The image recording apparatus is characterized in that the cover supports the second connector and covers at least a portion of the control board when the second connector is attached to the first connector.

2. The aforementioned wiring member is a flexible flat cable, The relay board to which the aforementioned flexible flat cable is connected further comprises The relay board supports the second connector, The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover supports the second connector by supporting the relay board.

3. The image recording device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover movably supports the second connector in a first intersecting direction intersecting the attachment / detachment direction.

4. One of the first connector and the second connector is a plug-type connector. The other of the first connector and the second connector is a socket type connector. The system further includes a guide member positioned adjacent to the plug-type connector in a second intersecting direction that intersects the aforementioned attachment / detachment direction, which guides the attachment of the socket-type connector to the plug-type connector. The image recording device according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that the surface of the guide member facing the plug-type connector in the second intersecting direction is inclined to approach the plug-type connector as the socket-type connector moves in a direction that brings it relatively closer to the plug-type connector when the socket-type connector is mounted on the plug-type connector.

5. The image recording device according to claim 4, characterized in that the guide member surrounds the plug-type connector.

6. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the head unit further includes a head cover that covers an area on the surface of the control board other than the area where the first connector is located.

7. The image recording apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the head cover has a protrusion on the surface of the control board opposite to the surface facing the aforementioned surface.

8. The image recording device according to claim 7, characterized in that the cover has a through hole through which the protrusion passes in the attachment / detachment direction when the second connector is attached to the first connector.

9. The image recording apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the head cover and the cover have different colors from each other.

10. The support portion includes a guide rail and constitutes a moving mechanism for moving the head unit along the guide rail. The head unit includes a carriage that holds the control board, The image recording device according to claim 1, characterized in that the carriage has a slider that moves along the guide rail on the guide rail.

11. The support portion includes a guide rail and constitutes a moving mechanism for moving the head unit along the guide rail. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the head unit includes a sensor connected to the control board.

Images