Media loading device

Abstract

To provide a media loading device that suppresses the occurrence of media skew in unintended directions. [Solution] The media loading device 100 includes a loading section 110 on a support surface 111a that supports the media 22 discharged from the recording device 10 and extends in the A direction, and a plurality of pressing members 121 that press down on the media 22 supported on the support surface 111a from above. The plurality of pressing members 121 include a first pressing member 121a located at the outermost end on the -X direction side in a direction along the X axis intersecting the A direction, and a second pressing member 121b located on the +X direction side of the first pressing member 121a, wherein the first pressing member 121a has a greater load of pressing down on the media 22 from above than the second pressing member 121b.

Description

[[Technical Field]]

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

[0002] Conventionally, medium stacking apparatuses that stack media discharged from a recording apparatus such as a large-format printer have been known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a medium placing apparatus provided with a pressing portion that presses a medium supported by a support portion from above. A plurality of arm portions are arranged on an upstream pressing portion of the pressing portion in a width direction intersecting the direction in which the medium is discharged. [[Prior Art Documents]] [[Patent Documents]]

[0003] [[Patent Document 1]] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2023-93896 [[Summary of the Invention]] [[Problem to be Solved by the Invention]]

[0004] However, the apparatus described in Patent Document 1 has a problem that it is difficult to suppress the occurrence of skew feeding in an unintended direction. Specifically, depending on the dimension in the width direction of the medium, that is, the width of the medium, the positions where the arm portions abut against the medium may be uneven. That is, although the positions of the plurality of arm portions do not change in the width direction, when the width of the medium changes, the positions where the load of the arm portions on the medium increases change. When the medium is about to move in the discharge direction, it may tend to rotate around the position where the load increases. However, when the width of the medium changes and the position where the load increases changes, the direction in which the medium tends to rotate may also change. As a result, there is a risk that the medium may skew in an unintended direction. That is, there has been a demand for a medium stacking apparatus that can suppress the occurrence of skew feeding of the medium in an unintended direction. [[Means for Solving the Problem]]

[0005] The media loading device is a media loading device on which media to be discharged from a processing device in the discharge direction is loaded, and comprises a loading section for loading the media on a support surface that extends in the discharge direction and supports the media, and a plurality of pressing members for pressing the media supported on the support surface from above, wherein the plurality of pressing members include a first pressing member located at the outermost end on one side in an intersecting direction that intersects the discharge direction, and a second pressing member located on the other side of the first pressing member, wherein the first pressing member has a greater load for pressing the media from above than the second pressing member. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0006] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram of a recording device to which a media loading device according to this embodiment can be connected. [Figure 2] A perspective view showing the media loading device and recording device connected together. [Figure 3] A perspective view showing the configuration of the media loading device. [Figure 4] A side view showing the configuration of the media loading device. [Figure 5] A perspective view showing the pressing part in the raised position. [Figure 6] A perspective view showing the arrangement of the retaining members. [Figure 7] A plan view showing the arrangement of the retaining member and the height detection mechanism. [Figure 8] A side view showing the arrangement of the retaining member and height detection mechanism. [Figure 9] A side view showing the state of the media loaded in the media loading device. [Figure 10] A plan view showing the arrangement of the medium relative to the retaining member. [Figure 11] A plan view showing the arrangement of the medium relative to the retaining member. [Figure 12] A plan view showing the arrangement of the medium relative to the retaining member. [Figure 13] A schematic plan view showing the oblique state according to the embodiment. [Figure 14] A schematic plan view showing the placement of the guides. [Figure 15] A schematic diagram illustrating the action of the guide. [Figure 16] A schematic plan view showing the oblique state related to the comparative example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] In the embodiments described below, a media loading device 100 and a recording device 10, which is a processing device to which the media loading device 100 can be applied, will be illustrated with reference to the drawings. The recording device 10 is a large-format inkjet printer. However, the processing device to which the media loading device of the present invention can be applied is not limited to a large-format inkjet printer.

[0008] In the following diagrams, X, Y, and Z axes are added as mutually orthogonal coordinate axes as needed, with the direction indicated by each arrow being the + direction and the opposite direction being the - direction. When the recording device 10 and the media loading device 100 are installed on a horizontal plane, the Z axis is aligned vertically. The +Y direction may also be considered forward and the -Y direction backward, and the +Z direction may be considered upward and the -Z direction downward. For illustrative purposes, the sizes of each component are different from those in reality.

[0009] The recording device 10, shown in Figure 1 as a processing device, performs recording, or printing, on the medium 22 wound around the roll bodies 25a and 25b. The medium loading device 100, which will be described later, is connected to the recording device 10 and loads the medium 22 that has been printed and discharged from the recording device 10.

[0010] The recording device 10 has a housing 12, which is an exterior component. The housing 12 has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape, which is long in the direction along the X axis and tall in the direction along the Z axis. The housing 12 includes a front surface 13, a rear surface 14, side surfaces 15, 16, a top surface 17, and a bottom surface 18.

[0011] An input section 59 is located on the top surface 17 of the housing 12 in the -X and +Y directions. A paper output slot 53 and a roll storage slot 27 are located on the front surface 13. Four legs 11 are provided on the bottom surface 18.

[0012] A recording unit 30, a support unit 31, and a medium holding unit 20 are arranged inside a housing 12. Although not shown in the drawings, a conveyance path for a medium 22, a frame that is the framework of the recording apparatus 10, and a control unit are also arranged inside the housing 12. In the following description, the conveyance path of the medium 22 in the recording apparatus 10 is also simply referred to as the conveyance path.

[0013] The conveyance path extends substantially rearward from the roll bodies 25a, 25b supported near the lower portion of a front surface 13, and extends substantially upward along a rear surface 14. The conveyance path bends in the +Y direction near the upper portion of the rear surface 14, and continues through the recording unit 30 to a paper discharge outlet 53. The medium 22 is conveyed along the conveyance path by a plurality of conveyance rollers (not shown), is printed, and is discharged from the paper discharge outlet 53.

[0014] The control unit includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a system bus, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like. The control unit is electrically connected to each component of the recording apparatus 10, and integrally controls the operation of the recording apparatus 10. The recording apparatus 10 may be operated via the control unit from an information device such as a personal computer.

[0015] The input unit 59 is, for example, a touch-panel type liquid crystal display device. The input unit 59 is electrically connected to the control unit. Various instructions are input to the input unit 59 from a user of the recording apparatus 10, and various types of information related to the recording apparatus 10 are displayed on the input unit 59. The input unit 59 may have physical buttons. In the following description, the user of the recording apparatus 10 and a medium stacking apparatus 100 is also simply referred to as the user.

[0016] The roll body accommodation opening 27 is a substantially rectangular opening corresponding to the two roll bodies 25a, 25b. The roll body accommodation opening 27 extends from the vicinity of a bottom surface 18 of the housing 12 to the middle of the height of the housing 12 in the direction along the Z-axis, and is longer than the length of the roll bodies 25a, 25b in the direction along the X-axis. When viewed from the +Y direction, the roll bodies 25a, 25b are visible through the roll body accommodation opening 27.

[0017] In roll 25a, the unprinted medium 22 is wound around a core member 23a. In roll 25b, the unprinted medium 22 is wound around a core member 23b. Rolls 25a and 25b are roughly cylindrical in shape, with the height direction of the cylinder aligned with the X-axis. Roll 25b is positioned near the bottom surface 18 of the housing 12, and roll 25a is positioned above roll 25b. Examples of the medium 22 include paper such as coated paper, resin sheets such as PVC, and fabrics.

[0018] The dimensions of the medium 22 along the X-axis, i.e., the width, applicable to the recording device 10 and the medium loading device 100 are not particularly limited, but are, for example, 16 inches or more and 44 inches or less.

[0019] The media holding unit 20 holds the roll bodies 25a and 25b and supplies the media 22 before recording from the roll bodies 25a and 25b to the transport path. The media 22 is transported from the media holding unit 20 to the recording unit 30.

[0020] The recording unit 30 prints on the medium 22. The recording unit 30 is located near the top surface 17 and faces the support unit 31 in the direction along the Z-axis. The support unit 31 is a so-called platen and is located below the recording unit 30. The recording unit 30 includes a carriage 33 and a recording head 34.

[0021] The carriage 33 holds the recording head 34. The carriage 33 is located above the housing 12 and is positioned near the top surface 17. The carriage 33 is supported by the frame and moves back and forth along the X axis together with the recording head 34, driven by a carriage motor (not shown).

[0022] The recording head 34 ejects and adheres a liquid such as ink onto the medium 22. The recording head 34 is located below the carriage 33. The recording head 34 has a nozzle surface (not shown) at a position opposite the support portion 31.

[0023] Multiple nozzle rows are arranged on the nozzle surface. Each of the multiple nozzle rows consists of multiple nozzles that individually eject ink exhibiting colors such as cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. These inks are individually supplied from the corresponding ink cartridges 35 to the recording head 34 via piping (not shown). In addition to the inks of each color described above, the recording head 34 may also eject liquids such as clear ink or processing solution.

[0024] The recording head 34 uses a piezoelectric element as an actuator, which is the driving means. The driving means is not limited to this. For example, an electromechanical conversion element that displaces a diaphragm acting as an actuator by electrostatic attraction, or an electrothermal conversion element that ejects ink or the like as droplets by generating bubbles through heating may be used as the driving means.

[0025] The support section 31 supports the medium 22 from below when printing is performed on the medium 22 by the recording head 34. The support section 31 is elongated in the X direction and is provided to correspond to the range in which the carriage 33 reciprocates.

[0026] The recording head 34 is moved back and forth along the X-axis with the carriage 33 while the medium 22 is transported in the +Y direction. At this time, ink or the like is applied to the medium 22 from the recording head 34 at predetermined timings, thereby printing the desired image or the like onto the medium 22.

[0027] Although not shown in the diagram, a cutting section is positioned in the +Y direction of the support section 31. The cutting section cuts the medium 22 along the X axis. The cutting section cuts the medium 22 from a strip to individual sheets.

[0028] At the paper output slot 53, the printed medium 22 is discharged approximately in the +Y direction. The paper output slot 53 is located above the roll body storage slot 27 and in the +Y direction of the cutting section. The paper output slot 53 is a long, narrow slit in the direction along the X-axis, corresponding to the width of the medium 22 along the X-axis.

[0029] The recording device 10 has a height detection mechanism, which will be described later. The height detection mechanism detects the stacking height of the media 22 loaded on the media loading device 100. The detection result of the height detection mechanism is transmitted to the control unit.

[0030] The four legs 11 are wheeled casters. The four legs 11 support the recording device 10 from below and the wheels facilitate the movement of the recording device 10.

[0031] As shown in Figure 2, the media loading device 100 according to this embodiment is connected to the paper output port 53 of the recording device 10 from the +Y direction. The media loading device 100 is loaded with media 22 (not shown) that are discharged from the recording device 10 in the discharge direction.

[0032] Although not shown in the illustration, the media loading device 100 and the recording device 10 may be positioned and connected by connecting connecting members provided on each device.

[0033] Here, the direction in which the media 22 is discharged from the paper output slot 53 is defined as direction A. Direction A coincides with the +Y direction when viewed from above and is perpendicular to the X-axis. Direction A is downward sloping when viewed from the recording device 10, and the height decreases as it moves away from the +Y direction.

[0034] When multiple sheets of media 22, printed by the recording device 10 and cut into single sheets by the cutting unit, are continuously discharged, the media stacking device 100 automatically stacks the media 22 discharged from the paper output slot 53 in sequence. By using the media stacking device 100, the user does not need to pick up the media 22 discharged from the recording device 10 each time, improving user convenience.

[0035] As shown in Figure 3, the media loading device 100 includes a loading section 110, a pressing section 120, and a frame member 102.

[0036] The frame member 102 is a structural member of the media loading device 100. The frame member 102 supports the loading section 110 and the pressing section 120. The frame member 102 positions the loading section 110 below the pressing section 120. The frame member 102 is assembled from sheet metal parts, tubular parts, and the like. A plurality of legs 103 are provided below the frame member 102.

[0037] The multiple legs 103 are wheel casters. The multiple legs 103 support the media loading device 100 from below and facilitate the movement of the media loading device 100 with the wheels.

[0038] The pressing section 120 presses down on the medium 22 from above when the medium loading device 100 loads the medium 22. The pressing section 120 has a plurality of pressing members 121 and downstream pressing members 122 and 123. The plurality of pressing members 121, downstream pressing member 122, and downstream pressing member 123 are arranged in the order of the plurality of pressing members 121, downstream pressing member 122, and downstream pressing member 123 in the direction A. The plurality of pressing members 121 and downstream pressing members 122 and 123 are positioned above the medium 22 when the medium loading device 100 loads the medium 22. Note that pressing member 121 is an example of a pressing member of the present invention. Details of the pressing member 121 will be described later.

[0039] The downstream retaining member 122 is a roughly rod-shaped member that is elongated in the A direction. Six downstream retaining members 122 are arranged in a line along the X axis.

[0040] The downstream retaining member 123 is a single, roughly rod-shaped member that is elongated in the A direction. The downstream retaining member 123 is supported at the A-direction end of one of the downstream retaining members 122. When viewed from the -X direction, the downstream retaining member 123 can rotate clockwise from the state shown in Figure 3, centered on the support position by the downstream retaining member 122. By rotating the downstream retaining member 123 and folding it toward the downstream retaining member 122, the dimension of the pressing portion 120 in the direction along the Y axis is shortened.

[0041] The loading section 110 loads the medium 22. The loading section 110 has a plurality of support members 111, a girder member 112, and two legs 113.

[0042] Multiple support members 111 support the medium 22 from below. Each support member 111 is a roughly elongated, rod-shaped member in the A direction. The multiple support members 111 are arranged in a line along the X-axis. Each support member 111 is, for example, a metal square bar.

[0043] Although not shown in the diagram, the support members 111 are also positioned below the downstream retaining member 122. Four support members 111 are positioned in the region that does not overlap with the downstream retaining member 122 in the direction along the Z axis, in other words, in the region that protrudes in the +Y direction from the downstream retaining member 122 when viewed from above. The A-direction ends of these four support members 111 are fixed to the girder member 112.

[0044] The multiple support members 111 are positioned at different heights along the Z-axis when viewed from direction A. Therefore, when the media 22 is loaded onto the loading section 110, the center of the media 22 in the width direction tends to curve upward in a convex shape when viewed from direction A. Since the media 22 was wound into a roll before printing, it may have a curl. This curl does not disappear even when cut into single sheets, so the curl is mitigated by curving it in a direction different from the curl, as described above.

[0045] The girder member 112 supports the four support members 111 and suppresses deflection. The girder member 112 also has the function of aligning the position of the medium 22 in direction A by contacting the leading edge of the medium 22 in direction A. The girder member 112 is a roughly elongated, rod-shaped member along the X-axis. Two legs 113 are positioned below the girder member 112.

[0046] The two legs 113 are wheel casters. The two legs 113 support the girder member 112 from below and facilitate the movement of the media loading device 100 by means of the wheels. The four support members 111 and the girder member 112 can move relative to the frame member 102 in the -Y direction from the state shown in Figure 3. In other words, the four support members 111 and the girder member 112 are retracted and stored below the downstream retaining member 122. At this time, the two legs 113 facilitate movement in the -Y direction. In addition, by folding the downstream retaining member 123 and storing the four support members 111, it is possible to reduce the occupied area of ​​the media loading device 100.

[0047] As shown in Figure 4, each support member 111 includes a support surface 111a that supports the medium 22. The support surface 111a is the upper surface of the support member 111 and extends in direction A, which is the discharge direction. Here, in Figure 4, the movement path of the medium 22 in the medium loading device 100 is shown by a dashed line. The movement path of the medium 22 follows direction A. The movement path of the medium 22 is located between the pressing section 120 and the loading section 110 when viewed from the -X direction. In the movement path of the medium 22, the side moving in direction A is considered downstream, and the side moving upstream from direction A is considered upstream.

[0048] The position of the support surface 111a of each support member 111 along the Z-axis, i.e., the height, is lower on the downstream side than on the upstream side in the A direction. Therefore, when the medium 22 is loaded onto the medium loading device 100, the medium 22 is more likely to slide down from upstream to downstream due to gravity.

[0049] The pressing members 121 are positioned above the starting point of the movement path of the medium 22. The medium 22 introduced into the medium loading device 100 is first held down from above by the pressing members 121. As will be described in detail later, there are three pressing members 121 arranged along the X-axis.

[0050] Each downstream retaining member 122 includes a plurality of movable parts 122a. The plurality of movable parts 122a are arranged along direction A. The upper end of each movable part 122a is supported by the downstream retaining member 122 and is rotatable around the position supported by the downstream retaining member 122 when viewed from the -X direction. As a result, each movable part 122a presses the medium 22 from above by its lower end contacting the medium 22, and the pressure on the medium 22 is adjusted by its rotation.

[0051] The downstream retaining member 123 has a rib portion 123a at its tip in direction A. The rib portion 123a protrudes downward. Together with the girder member 112, the rib portion 123a contacts the tip of the medium 22 in direction A, aligning the tip position of the medium 22 in direction A.

[0052] The media 22 is discharged in direction A and introduced into the media loading device 100, where it slides down in direction A along the multiple support surfaces 111a, overlapping and being stacked. At this time, the media 22 supported by each support surface 111a is first pressed down from above by the multiple pressing members 121. Next, the media 22 is pressed down from above in the order of each downstream pressing member 122 and downstream pressing member 123. This guides the movement path of the media 22 in direction A and also mitigates the curling of the media 22 as described above. However, if the degree of curling of the media 22 is slight, or if the number of media 22 to be loaded into the media loading device 100 is small, the media 22 may not come into contact with the pressing members 121 or the downstream pressing members 122 and 123.

[0053] As shown in Figure 5, the pressing portion 120 can be flipped up so that the tip end in direction A is positioned upward. The end of the pressing portion 120 opposite to direction A is supported by the frame member 102. The pressing portion 120 rotates when viewed from the -X direction, with the position supported by the frame member 102 as the pivot point. In Figure 5, the downstream retaining member 123 is folded so as to overlap with the downstream retaining member 122. The media loading device 100 also includes an open holding part (not shown) that holds the pressing portion 120 in the flipped-up position.

[0054] By flipping up the pressing section 120, the loading section 110 is opened. This makes it easier to pick up the media 22 loaded in the loading section 110.

[0055] As shown in Figure 6, the multiple retaining members 121 include a first retaining member 121a, a second retaining member 121b, and a third retaining member 121c. The first retaining member 121a is located at the outermost end in the -X direction, which is one side of the X-axis, which is the intersecting direction that intersects with direction A. The second retaining member 121b is adjacent to the first retaining member 121a and is located in the +X direction, which is on the other side of the first retaining member 121a. The third retaining member 121c is adjacent to the second retaining member 121b and is located in the +X direction, which is on the other side of the second retaining member 121b. Figure 6 is a view of the media stacking device 100 from the side where the recording device 10 is located. Figure 6 shows the upstream portion of the stacking section 110 connected to the paper output port 53 of the recording device 10. Figure 6 is a view of the media stacking device 100 from below, and the downward-facing surface of the support member 111 is visible.

[0056] As shown in Figure 7, the first retaining member 121a, the second retaining member 121b, and the third retaining member 121c have similar shapes, and when viewed from above, each is approximately a rectangle with its longest side aligned with the X-axis. Note that some components are not shown in Figure 7.

[0057] As will be explained in more detail later, the first pressing member 121a has a greater load of pressing down on the medium 22 from above than the second pressing member 121b and the third pressing member 121c.

[0058] As described above, the recording device 10 has a height detection mechanism 71. The height detection mechanism 71 is located at the paper discharge opening 53 and is positioned near the +Y direction end and the -X direction end of the recording device 10. When the recording device 10 is discharging the media 22 to the loading section 110 of the media loading device 100, that is, when the media loading device 100 is connected to the recording device 10, the first pressing member 121a is positioned closer to the height detection mechanism 71 than the second pressing member 121b.

[0059] As shown in Figure 8, when the recording device 10 and the media loading device 100 are connected, the first pressing member 121a and the height detection mechanism 71 are in close proximity.

[0060] The height detection mechanism 71 detects the height of the medium 22 loaded on the loading section 110. The height detection mechanism 71 is a contact-type sensor. The height detection mechanism 71 includes a rotation axis 71a and a contact portion 71b. The height detection mechanism 71 is supported by structural members (not shown) so as to be rotatable about the rotation axis 71a along the X axis. The contact portion 71b contacts the medium 22.

[0061] The height detection mechanism 71 rotates on its rotation axis 71a when its contact portion 71b comes into contact with the medium 22, according to the number of medium 22 sheets loaded on the loading section 110, i.e., the height of the medium 22. The higher the height of the loaded medium 22, the more the height detection mechanism 71 is pushed by the medium 22 and rotates clockwise when viewed from the -X direction. This rotation allows the height of the medium 22 to be detected, and the detection result is transmitted to the control unit of the recording device 10.

[0062] If the medium 22 is loaded onto the loading section 110 to a height exceeding a predetermined level, clogging is likely to occur. Therefore, when the height of the loaded medium 22 reaches a predetermined level, the control unit stops the printing operation of the recording device 10 and also stops the ejection of the medium 22. In this embodiment, a contact-type height detection mechanism 71 is used, but the device is not limited to this. The height detection mechanism 71 may be a non-contact type sensor, such as a photosensor.

[0063] The first retaining member 121a and the second retaining member 121b and third retaining member 121c (not shown) are gently curved downwards in a convex shape when viewed from the -X direction.

[0064] As shown in Figure 9, the first pressing member 121a is supported on the pressing part 120 so as to be rotatable on a rotation axis 128 along the X axis. Similarly, the second pressing member 121b and the third pressing member 121c (not shown) are also supported on the pressing part 120 so as to be rotatable on a rotation axis 128 along the X axis. In other words, the multiple pressing members 121 can swing vertically with the rotation axis 128 on the upstream side in direction A as the pivot point. The multiple pressing members 121 gently press the medium 22 from above by swinging.

[0065] Figure 9 shows the stacking of media 22, creating a bulky structure, with the uppermost media 22, indicated by the dashed line, being held down. Note that Figure 9 observes a different cross-section than Figure 8. Therefore, the height detection mechanism 71 is not shown in Figure 9.

[0066] The first pressing member 121a has a biasing member 129. The biasing member 129 is a torsion spring, with one end fixed to the first pressing member 121a and the other end supported by the pressing portion 120. The second pressing member 121b and the third pressing member 121c do not have a biasing member 129. Therefore, the first pressing member 121a has a greater load pressing down on the medium 22 from above than the second pressing member 121b and the third pressing member 121c.

[0067] The presence or absence of the biasing member 129 can create a difference in the load between the first retaining member 121a and the second and third retaining members 121b and 121c. In this embodiment, the second and third retaining members 121b and 121c are configured without the biasing member 129, but the embodiment is not limited to this. The second and third retaining members 121b and 121c may be fitted with a biasing member that provides a smaller load than the biasing member 129. Furthermore, the biasing member 129 is not limited to a torsion spring.

[0068] After printing is performed on the recording device 10, the medium 22 is discharged to the medium stacking device 100 by the discharge mechanism 81 of the recording device 10. Once introduced into the medium stacking device 100, the medium 22 droops downwards at its downstream end due to its own weight, as shown by the solid line. Then, as shown by the dashed line, it slides down and moves into the stacking device in direction A. At this time, the multiple pressing members 121, including the first pressing member 121a, are swung counterclockwise more than in the state shown in Figure 9 when viewed from the -X direction, and the medium 22 moves in direction A while being held down by the multiple pressing members 121.

[0069] The arrangement of media 22 of various widths with respect to multiple pressing members 121 will be explained with reference to Figures 10, 11, and 12. Figure 10 shows the application of media 22 with a width of 20 inches, Figure 11 with a width of 24 inches, and Figure 12 with a width of 36 inches. In the explanation of Figures 10, 11, and 12, unless otherwise specified, the view from above will be described. Also, in Figures 10 to 12, the illustration of members that are not necessary for the explanation has been omitted.

[0070] As shown in Figure 10, in a 20-inch wide medium 22, the entire area of ​​the first pressing member 121a and approximately half the area of ​​the second pressing member 121b are in contact with the medium 22 in the direction along the X-axis. At this time, the dimensional center Cm of the medium 22 in the direction along the X-axis passes approximately through the center of the first pressing member 121a.

[0071] As shown in Figure 11, in a 24-inch wide medium 22, the entire area of ​​the first pressing member 121a and substantially the entire area of ​​the second pressing member 121b are in contact with the medium 22 in the direction along the X axis. At this time, the dimensional center Cm of the medium 22 in the direction along the X axis passes closer to the +X direction of the first pressing member 121a.

[0072] As shown in Figure 12, in a 36-inch wide medium 22, the entire areas of the first pressing member 121a, the second pressing member 121b, and the third pressing member 121c are in contact with the medium 22 in the direction along the X-axis. At this time, the dimensional center Cm of the medium 22 in the direction along the X-axis passes slightly towards the -X direction from the center of the second pressing member 121b.

[0073] As described above, the area of ​​each pressing member 121 that holds the medium 22 differs depending on the width of the medium 22. Also, the position of the dimensional center Cm varies in the direction along the X axis. Therefore, the load acting on the medium 22 from each of the multiple pressing members 121 becomes uneven. Due to the uneven load and the misalignment with the dimensional center Cm of the medium 22, the medium 22 may tilt obliquely with respect to direction A.

[0074] More specifically, the dimensional center Cm of the 36-inch wide medium 22 is located slightly off-X from the center of the second pressing member 121b in the direction along the X-axis. Assuming that all of the pressing members 121 press the medium 22 with the same load, the center of the load acting on the medium 22 in the direction along the X-axis is center C2. As the medium 22 moves in the discharge direction, the region in the direction along the X-axis that overlaps with the center of the load will experience particular resistance and try to stay in place, so the medium 22 tends to tilt with the region overlapping with the center of the load as its center of rotation. In the case of the 36-inch wide medium 22, since center C2 is offset in the +X direction from center Cm, a force acts on the medium 22 that rotates it clockwise around the region where center C2 and the medium 22 overlap.

[0075] Therefore, if all of the multiple pressing members 121 were to press the medium 22 with the same load, as shown in Figure 16, the medium 22 would tilt and move obliquely with its downstream end tilted in the +X direction when viewed from above. If the medium 22 moves obliquely in the +X direction, which is an unintended direction, the medium 22 will deviate from the detection area of ​​the height detection mechanism 71, making it impossible to detect the height of the loaded medium 22. In contrast, the medium loading device 100 of this embodiment suppresses the oblique movement of the medium 22 in the +X direction by varying the strength of the loads applied by the multiple pressing members 121.

[0076] Returning to Figure 12, in this embodiment, only the first pressing member 121a has the biasing member 129. Therefore, in the direction along the X axis, the center of the load acting on the medium 22 is center C1. Center C1 passes through the center of the first pressing member 121a. Because center C1 is offset from center Cm in the -X direction, a counterclockwise rotational force acts around the region where center C1 and the medium 22 overlap.

[0077] As a result, as shown in Figure 13, when viewed from above, the media 22 tilts and moves obliquely with its downstream end in the -X direction. Since the height detection mechanism 71 is located near the first retaining member 121a in the -X direction, even if the media 22 moves obliquely in the -X direction, the media 22 does not deviate from the detection area of ​​the height detection mechanism 71, and the height of the loaded media 22 can be detected.

[0078] The first pressing member 121a maximizes the load acting on the medium 22, so that even when the width of the medium 22 is different, the center of the load acting on the medium 22 can be positioned closer to the -X direction than the center Cm. Therefore, even with 20-inch and 24-inch wide mediums 22, slanting in the +X direction is suppressed in the same way as with the 36-inch wide medium 22. As a result, unintended slanting in the +X direction is suppressed, the medium 22 does not deviate from the detection area of ​​the height detection mechanism 71, and the occurrence of detection failures when detecting the loading state can be suppressed.

[0079] As shown in Figure 14, the media loading device 100 may be equipped with a guide 119a. The guide 119a restricts the movement of the media 22 from the other side, the +X direction, to the one side, the -X direction, in the direction along the X-axis, which is the intersecting direction. Note that guide 119a is an example of a guide of the present invention.

[0080] The media loading device 100 may further include a guide 119b. The guide 119b is positioned at the end of the support surface 111a in direction A and restricts the movement of the media 22 from the end of the support surface 111a in direction A.

[0081] Guide 119a extends from the -X direction to the A direction of the height detection mechanism 71, and its height in the +Z direction is higher than that of the support surface 111a. Therefore, when the downstream end of the medium 22 moves obliquely in the -X direction, it hits guide 119a, and its movement in the -X direction beyond guide 119a is restricted.

[0082] Then, as shown in Figure 15, the medium 22 slides down the support surface 111a in direction A, with its downstream corner in the -X direction in contact with the guide 119a, and is stopped when it comes into contact with the guide 119b. At this time, the orientation of the medium 22 changes so that its -X side is aligned with the guide 119a, and its diagonal movement in the -X direction is corrected. As a result, the orientation of the medium 22 can be correctly aligned with a simple configuration without using conveying force such as conveying rollers.

[0083] According to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0084] This makes it possible to suppress the slanting of the medium 22 in an unintended direction. Specifically, in the direction along the X-axis, the first pressing member 121a at the outermost end in the -X direction presses the medium 22 relatively strongly, while the second pressing member 121b in the +X direction presses the medium 22 relatively weaker than the first pressing member 121a. Depending on the width of the medium 22, even if the second pressing member 121b contacts the medium 22 near the +X end, the load applied by the second pressing member 121b is relatively weak. Therefore, the medium 22 is more likely to resist and remain in place at the point where it contacts the first pressing member 121a, making it easier for the medium 22 to slant in the -X direction. This suppresses the slanting of the medium 22 in the +X direction, which is an unintended direction. Thus, it is possible to provide a medium loading device 100 that suppresses the slanting of the medium 22 in an unintended direction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 10...Recording device as a processing device, 22...Media, 71...Height detection mechanism, 100...Media loading device, 110...Loading section, 111a...Support surface, 119a...Guide, 121...Pressing member, 121a...First pressing member, 121b...Second pressing member, 129...Biting member.

Claims

1. A media loading device on which a medium is loaded to be discharged from a processing device in the discharge direction, A support surface extending in the discharge direction and supporting the medium, comprising a loading section for loading the medium, The device comprises a plurality of pressing members that press down on the medium supported on the support surface from above, The multiple retaining members are arranged in an intersecting direction that intersects with the discharge direction, A first retaining member located at the outermost end on one side, A second pressing member located on the other side of the first pressing member, A media loading device characterized in that the first pressing member has a greater load for pressing the media from above than the second pressing member.

2. The media loading device according to claim 1, further comprising a guide that restricts the movement of the media from the other side to the one side in the aforementioned intersecting direction.

3. The media loading device according to claim 1, wherein the height of the support surface is lower downstream than upstream in the discharge direction.

4. The multiple retaining members are capable of swinging vertically with the upstream side in the discharge direction as the pivot point. The media loading device according to claim 1, wherein the first pressing member has a biasing member that increases the load compared to the second pressing member.

5. The media loading device according to claim 1, wherein, when the processing device is discharging the medium to the loading section, the first pressing member is provided at a position closer to the height detection mechanism of the processing device than the second pressing member.

Images