Recording device

Abstract

To simplify a structure for moving a recording part in a recording device which makes records on a medium.SOLUTION: A recording device includes: a medium support part which supports a medium; a recording part which makes records on the medium; a moving part which supports the recording part and moves along a first axis relative to the medium support part; a first guide shaft provided at one side of the medium support part and extending along the first axis and a second guide shaft provided at the other side of the medium support part and extending along the first axis; and a drive part which moves the moving part along the first axis. The moving part has: a first leg part movably supported by the first guide shaft; and a second leg part movably supported by the second guide shaft. The drive part exerts a driving force on the first leg part. A frictional force exerted on an area between the first leg part and the first guide shaft is larger than a frictional force exerted on an area between the second leg part and the second guide shaft.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a recording device. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a recording device is known that includes a moving unit and a recording unit provided on the moving unit. Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration that includes a gantry, which is a moving unit that can move in the Y direction, and performs recording on a medium using a recording head provided on the gantry. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-66045 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a recording device such as that described in Patent Document 1, a driving force is generally applied to two or more locations on the moving part to stabilize the movement of the moving part. This type of recording device has the problem that the mechanism for applying the driving force to the moving part is complicated. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect that solves the above problem is a recording device comprising: a medium support unit that supports a medium; a recording unit that records on the medium; a moving unit that supports the recording unit and moves relative to the medium support unit along a first axis; a first guide shaft that is provided on one side of the medium support unit and extends along the first axis; a second guide shaft that is provided on the other side of the medium support unit and extends along the first axis; and a drive unit that moves the moving unit along the first axis, wherein the moving unit has a first leg that is movably supported on the first guide shaft and a second leg that is movably supported on the second guide shaft, the drive unit applies a drive force to the first leg, and a frictional force acting between the first leg and the first guide shaft is greater than a frictional force acting between the second leg and the second guide shaft. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a recording apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a recording apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first leg according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a control system of the recording apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] 6 is a flowchart showing a process performed by the recording device according to the first embodiment when recording is performed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] [1. Overall configuration of the recording device] The recording device 1 according to the first embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a recording device 1. As shown in FIG.

[0008] The recording device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a device that performs recording on the medium M by ejecting a liquid onto the medium M using a recording head 89. The medium M is a sheet, a cloth, or a three-dimensional object. The sheet may be paper or a sheet made of synthetic resin. The cloth may be nonwoven, knitted, or woven. The three-dimensional object includes ornaments such as clothing and shoes, everyday items, machine parts, and various other objects. There is no limitation on the type of liquid that the recording device 1 ejects onto the medium M, as long as it has fluidity. For example, the recording device 1 is a printer that ejects one or more colors of ink onto the surface of the medium M using the recording head 89 to form an image on the medium M. In this case, the medium M corresponds to the print medium.

[0009] FIG. 1 shows an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis. The X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are perpendicular to each other. The Z-axis extends in the up-down direction and can also be called an axis extending in the vertical direction. The X-axis and Y-axis are parallel to a horizontal plane. In the following description, the direction along the X-axis is referred to as the left-right direction, and the direction along the Y-axis is referred to as the front-back direction. In detail, the positive direction along the Z-axis is referred to as the upward direction, the positive direction along the X-axis is referred to as the rightward direction, and the positive direction along the Y-axis is referred to as the forward direction. The X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis in FIG. 1 indicate the same directions in each of the drawings described below. The X-axis corresponds to the second axis, and the Y-axis corresponds to the first axis.

[0010] The recording device 1 has a table 31 that supports the medium M. The table 31 is a platform that does not move in the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction. The upper surface of the table 31 is the medium support portion 31m. The medium support portion 31m is a flat surface on which the medium M can be placed. The shape and size of the medium M are not limited as long as it does not protrude from the medium support portion 31m. Furthermore, the edge of the medium M may protrude from the medium support portion 31m. The height of the medium M corresponds to the size of the medium M in the +Z direction. The height of the medium M can be any size within the range in which the table 31 can be raised and lowered, as described below. The recording device 1 supports the medium M so that it does not move using the medium support part 31m, and ejects liquid from the recording head 89 onto the medium M by scanning the recording head 89 above the medium M supported by the medium support part 31m.

[0011] The recording device 1 includes a main body 10 and a moving unit 70. The main body 10 is a base that is fixed to the installation surface of the recording device 1. The moving unit 70 moves along the Y axis relative to the main body 10.

[0012] The main body 10 includes a base 11, a medium support mechanism 30, and a drive mechanism 50. The base 11 is fixed to the installation surface of the recording device 1 and supports each component of the recording device 1. Fig. 1 shows an example in which a pair of rod-shaped bases 11 are arranged side by side along the Y axis.

[0013] The medium support mechanism 30 includes a table 31 and a height movement mechanism 32. The table 31 has a rectangular flat plate and four table legs 31n arranged at the four corners of the flat plate, and the upper surface of the flat plate is the above-mentioned medium support part 31m.

[0014] The height movement mechanism 32 includes a lifting motor 33, a lifting belt 37, and a lifting mechanism 39, and moves the medium support unit 31m in a direction along the Z axis. A lifting mechanism 39 is provided for each of the four table legs 31n. The lifting mechanism 39 has a ball screw arranged along the Z axis, a nut that screws onto the ball screw, and a pulley. The ball screw of the lifting mechanism 39 is rotatably supported by the base unit 11. The nut of the lifting mechanism 39 is fixed to the table leg 31n. The pulley of the lifting mechanism 39 is fixed to the upper part of the ball screw. When the pulley of the lifting mechanism 39 rotates, the ball screw rotates, and as the ball screw rotates, the table leg 31n moves along the Z axis together with the nut.

[0015] The lift motor 33 is a motor that rotates under the control of a control unit 90, which will be described later. The control unit 90 controls the direction and amount of rotation of the lift motor 33. The lift belt 37 is a circular belt that is looped around the output shaft of the lift motor 33 and the pulleys of the four lift mechanisms 39. The lift belt 37 is driven in a circular motion as the lift motor 33 rotates. The lift belt 37 transmits the rotation of the lift motor 33 to the pulleys of the four lift mechanisms 39. This rotates the ball screw of the lift mechanism 39, moving the table 31 along the Z axis.

[0016] The rotation direction of the lift motor 33 can be switched between a forward direction to move the table 31 upward and a reverse direction to move the table 31 downward. The recording device 1 raises and lowers the table 31 by operating the lift motor 33.

[0017] The drive mechanism 50 has a first guide shaft 51a, a second guide shaft 51b, and a frame drive unit 60. The first guide shaft 51a and the second guide shaft 51b are shaft-shaped members that are hung across the pair of base units 11 and arranged along the Y axis. The first guide shaft 51a is fixed to the left end of the base unit 11, and the second guide shaft 51b is fixed to the right end of the base unit 11.

[0018] The first guide shaft 51a is located on the left side of the medium support section 31m. The second guide shaft 51b is located on the right side of the medium support section 31m. The left side corresponds to one side in the present invention. The right side corresponds to the other side in the present invention. In other words, the first guide shaft 51a is provided on one side of the medium support section 31m. The second guide shaft 51b is provided on the other side of the medium support section 31m.

[0019] The moving unit 70 includes a main frame 71, a first leg 73a, a second leg 73b, and a recording unit 80.

[0020] The main frame 71 is a plate-like member that is long in the direction along the X-axis. The left-right size of the main frame 71 is larger than that of the base portion 11. The first leg 73a fits onto the first guide shaft 51a and is movable along the first guide shaft 51a. The second leg 73b fits onto the second guide shaft 51b and is movable along the second guide shaft 51b. The main frame 71 is fixed onto the first leg 73a and the second leg 73b and is supported from below by the first leg 73a and the second leg 73b. The first leg 73a is located at the left end of the main frame 71, and the second leg 73b is located at the right end of the main frame 71. The main frame 71, together with the first leg 73a and the second leg 73b, is guided by the first guide shaft 51a and the second guide shaft 51b to move along the Y-axis. The first leg portion 73a and the second leg portion 73b will be described in detail later.

[0021] The frame driving unit 60 includes a frame moving motor 61 , a transmission belt 63 , a speed change mechanism 65 , and a transmission belt 67 . The frame driving unit 60 is an example of a driving unit in the present invention. The frame moving motor 61 is an example of a moving motor. The transmission belts 63 and 67 are an example of a moving belt.

[0022] The frame moving motor 61 is a motor that rotates under the control of a control unit 90, which will be described later. The transmission belt 63 is a circular belt that is looped between the output shaft of the frame moving motor 61 and the transmission mechanism 65, and transmits the driving force of the frame moving motor 61 to the transmission mechanism 65. The transmission mechanism 65 has a first pulley and a second pulley, with the transmission belt 63 wound around the first pulley and the transmission belt 67 wound around the second pulley. The transmission mechanism 65 drives the transmission belt 67 by rotating the second pulley using the driving force transmitted from the transmission belt 63 to the first pulley. The transmission mechanism 65 transmits the driving force of the frame moving motor 61 to the transmission belt 67 at a reduction ratio that corresponds to the ratio between the diameters of the first and second pulleys.

[0023] The transmission belt 67 is a circular belt that is stretched between the speed change mechanism 65 and a pulley 13 that is disposed at the end of the base unit 11 in the -Y direction. The pulley 13 is rotatably disposed relative to the base unit 11. The transmission belt 67 is disposed along the first guide shaft 51a. The first leg unit 73a is fixed to the transmission belt 67 via a belt connection unit 79a. Therefore, when the transmission belt 67 is driven in a circular motion, a power acts on the first leg unit 73a to move the first leg unit 73a along the Y axis. As a result, the moving unit 70 moves along the Y axis.

[0024] The rotation direction of the frame movement motor 61 can be switched between a forward direction, which moves the main frame 71 in the +Y direction, and a reverse direction, which moves the main frame 71 in the -Y direction. The recording device 1 operates the frame movement motor 61 to move the main frame 71 forward and backward.

[0025] The second leg 73b of the moving part 70 is guided by the second guide shaft 51b, so that the main frame 71 moves in parallel in the +Y direction and the −Y direction along the first guide shaft 51a and the second guide shaft 51b.

[0026] A carriage support frame 81, a transmission mechanism 82, a carriage guide shaft 83, and a carriage drive motor 87 are mounted on the main frame 71. The recording unit 80 includes a carriage 88 and a recording head 89.

[0027] The carriage support frame 81 is a plate-like member that is long in the direction along the X-axis. A carriage guide shaft 83 is fixed to the carriage support frame 81 along the X-axis. The carriage 88 is supported by the carriage support frame 81 and the carriage guide shaft 83 and is movable along the carriage guide shaft 83. Within the range in which the carriage 88 moves along the X-axis, the leftmost position is the home position. A mechanism for performing maintenance such as flushing and cleaning of the recording head 89 is located at the home position. In Figure 1, the home position of the carriage 88 is indicated by a dashed line. When the carriage 88 is located at the home position, the carriage 88 does not overlap the medium support portion 31m on the X axis.

[0028] The carriage drive belt 85 is a circular belt that is stretched between a transmission mechanism 82 disposed at the left end of the carriage support frame 81 and a pulley (not shown) disposed at the right end of the carriage support frame 81. The carriage drive belt 85 is disposed along the carriage guide shaft 83.

[0029] The carriage drive motor 87 is a motor that rotates under the control of a control unit 90, which will be described later. The transmission mechanism 82 has a pulley 82a, a two-stage pulley 82b, and a belt 82c. The pulley 82a is fixed to the output shaft of the carriage drive motor 87. The belt 82c is a circular belt that is stretched between the pulley 82a and the two-stage pulley 82b. The two-stage pulley 82b has a small pulley and a large pulley with a larger diameter than the small pulley. The belt 82c is wound around the large pulley, and the carriage drive belt 85 is wound around the small pulley. The belt 82c is driven in a circular motion in conjunction with the rotation of the carriage drive motor 87, rotating the large pulley of the two-stage pulley 82b. The small pulley of the two-stage pulley 82b rotates together with the large pulley, driving the carriage drive belt 85 in a circular motion. In this way, the rotation of the carriage drive motor 87 is transmitted to the carriage drive belt 85 at a reduction ratio corresponding to the ratio of the diameters of the large pulley and the small pulley in the two-stage pulley 82b.

[0030] A carriage 88 is connected to the carriage drive belt 85. Therefore, when the carriage drive belt 85 is driven in a circular motion, the carriage 88 moves along the X-axis. The carriage 88 carries a recording head 89. As the carriage 88 moves along the X-axis, the recording head 89 moves left and right, i.e., in the +X and -X directions. In other words, the recording head 89 can move back and forth between one side and the other side in the present invention. Furthermore, as the main frame 71 moves along the Y-axis, the recording head 89 moves forward and backward, i.e., in the +Y and -Y directions. Therefore, the recording device 1 can move the recording head 89 in the forward and backward directions and left and right directions relative to the table 31. As a result, a liquid such as ink can be ejected onto the entire medium M supported by the table 31.

[0031] The recording head 89 has multiple nozzles (not shown) that eject liquid. These nozzles open at the bottom surface of the recording head 89. When the recording head 89 ejects liquid from the nozzles, the ejected liquid flies between the bottom surface of the recording head 89 and the medium M placed on the table 31 and lands on the medium M. The distance between the bottom end of the recording head 89 and the medium M is called the recording gap. To perform high-quality recording on the medium M, the recording device 1 has a function to adjust the size of the recording gap. More specifically, the recording device 1 adjusts the recording gap to an appropriate size by operating the lift motor 33 to raise or lower the table 31.

[0032] The recording device 1 includes a height detection unit 20. The height detection unit 20 detects the height of the medium M placed on the table 31. The height of the medium M refers to the position of the top end of the medium M in the direction along the Z axis.

[0033] The height detection unit 20 has a contact plate 24 that protrudes downward from the lower end of the main frame 71. The contact plate 24 is a plate-shaped member that is long in the direction along the X-axis. The contact plate 24 is attached to the main frame 71 so as to be rotatable around the X-axis. The contact plate 24 rotates and displaces when it comes into contact with the medium M or the medium support unit 31m. An arm is formed on the contact plate 24, and the arm displaces in accordance with the displacement of the contact plate 24. The displacement of the arm is detected by a displacement sensor 27 shown in FIG. 4. The displacement sensor 27 is provided in the height detection unit 20. The displacement sensor 27 is, for example, a magnetic sensor, a reflective optical sensor, or a transmissive optical sensor. The height detection unit 20 detects the displacement of the contact plate 24 when the displacement sensor 27 detects the displacement of the arm.

[0034] When the recording device 1 detects that the contact plate 24 has come into contact with and displaced the medium M while the moving unit 70 is moving forward or backward, it determines that the relative position of the medium support unit 31m with respect to the main frame 71 on the Z axis is high. In this case, the recording device 1 lowers the medium support unit 31m using the height movement mechanism 32. This makes it possible to adjust the relative position of the medium M with respect to the recording head 89 on the Z axis, and to adjust the recording gap to an appropriate size. Note that the lower end of the contact plate 24 is located below the lower end of the recording head 89 by a distance equivalent to the appropriate size of the recording gap.

[0035] On the X-axis, the position of contact plate 24 overlaps with medium support portion 31m. That is, the range W in which medium support portion 31m is located on the X-axis overlaps with contact plate 24. Therefore, by using contact plate 24, the relative position of the entire medium M placed on medium support portion 31m with respect to recording head 89 can be detected.

[0036] [2. Configuration of the first and second legs] Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view of the recording device 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the first leg portion 73a. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first leg 73a includes a first drive-side bearing 75a and a second drive-side bearing 77a. The first drive-side bearing 75a and the second drive-side bearing 77a are each provided at the bottom of the first leg 73a. The first drive-side bearing 75a is provided at the front end 74a of the first leg 73a. The second drive-side bearing 77a is provided at the rear end 76a of the first leg 73a. That is, the first drive-side bearing 75a and the second drive-side bearing 77a are provided at the end 74a and end 76a of the first leg 73a, respectively, in the direction along the Y axis. Furthermore, both the first drive-side bearing 75a and the second drive-side bearing 77a are movably attached to the first guide shaft 51a.

[0037] Similarly, a first driven-side bearing 75b and a second driven-side bearing 77b are provided at the bottom of the second leg 73b. The first driven-side bearing 75b is provided at a front end 74b of the second leg 73b. The second driven-side bearing 77b is provided at a rear end 76b of the second leg 73b. That is, the first driven-side bearing 75b and the second driven-side bearing 77b are provided at the ends 74b and 76b of the second leg 73b, respectively, in the direction along the Y-axis. Furthermore, the first driven-side bearing 75b and the second driven-side bearing 77b are both movably attached to the second guide shaft 51b.

[0038] In this embodiment, the first driving-side bearing 75a and the second driving-side bearing 77a are each a sliding bushing, and the first driven-side bearing 75b and the second driven-side bearing 77b are each a ball bushing. The first driven-side bearing 75b and the second driven-side bearing 77b, which are ball bushes, each include a ball (not shown), and the ball slides by rolling in contact with the second guide shaft 51b. Therefore, the first driven-side bearing 75b and the second driven-side bearing 77b receive a frictional force from the second guide shaft 51b due to rolling friction. On the other hand, the first drive-side bearing 75a and the second drive-side bearing 77a, which are sliding bushes, receive a frictional force due to sliding friction from the first guide shaft 51a. Therefore, when the moving section 70 moves, the frictional force acting between the first leg section 73a and the first guide shaft 51a is greater than the frictional force acting between the second leg section 73b and the second guide shaft 51b.

[0039] In this way, by using a ball bush and a sliding bush appropriately, the friction force acting between the first leg portion 73a and the first guide shaft 51a can be easily made greater than the friction force acting between the second leg portion 73b and the second guide shaft 51b.

[0040] Furthermore, the bearings are attached to the front and rear ends 74a, 76a, 74b, and 76b of the first leg 73a and the second leg 73b, respectively, in the direction along the Y axis. Therefore, the first leg 73a is less likely to come into contact with the first guide shaft 51a at a portion other than the first drive-side bearing 75a and the second drive-side bearing 77a. Similarly, the second leg 73b is less likely to come into contact with the second guide shaft 51b at a portion other than the first driven-side bearing 75b and the second driven-side bearing 77b. This stabilizes the movement of the moving part 70.

[0041] [3. Configuration of the control system of the recording device] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the recording device 1, showing the functional configuration of the control system of the recording device 1. The recording device 1 has a control unit 90. The control unit 90 includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), and a storage unit. The storage unit of the control unit 90 includes a volatile memory and a non-volatile storage unit. The volatile memory is, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory). The non-volatile storage unit is composed of a ROM (Read Only Memory), a hard disk, a flash memory, etc. The control unit 90 controls each unit of the recording device 1 by executing a program stored in the storage unit.

[0042] An interface (I / F) 91 is connected to the control unit 90. The interface 91 is a communication device that performs wired communication using a cable or wireless communication using a wireless communication line. The interface 91 communicates with a host computer (not shown) and receives recording data. The recording data includes image and text data that the recording device 1 records on the medium M, commands that instruct the recording device 1 to perform recording, and other data.

[0043] The control unit 90 is connected to the lift motor 33, the frame movement motor 61, the carriage drive motor 87, and the recording head 89. The control unit 90 is also connected to a frame position sensor 92, a table position sensor 93, a carriage position sensor 94, and a displacement sensor 27.

[0044] The frame position sensor 92 is a sensor that detects the position of the main frame 71 on the Y axis. For example, the frame position sensor 92 is a linear encoder arranged along the first guide shaft 51a. The table position sensor 93 is a sensor that detects the position of the table 31 on the Z axis. For example, the table position sensor 93 is a rotary encoder that detects the amount of rotation of the lift motor 33, or a rotary encoder that detects the amount of rotation of the ball screw of the lift mechanism 39. The carriage position sensor 94 is a sensor that detects the position of the carriage 88 on the X axis. For example, the carriage position sensor 94 is a linear encoder that is arranged along the carriage guide shaft 83. The control unit 90 determines the positions of the main frame 71, the table 31, and the carriage 88 based on the detection values ​​of the frame position sensor 92, the table position sensor 93, and the carriage position sensor 94.

[0045] The control unit 90 operates each motor based on the recorded data received by the interface 91. Specifically, the control unit 90 controls the switching of the rotation direction of the frame movement motor 61 and the start and stop of its rotation, thereby moving the movement unit 70 along the Y axis. The control unit 90 controls the switching of the rotation direction of the lift motor 33 and the start and stop of its rotation, thereby moving the table 31 along the Z axis. The control unit 90 controls the switching of the carriage drive motor 87 and the start and stop of its rotation, thereby moving the carriage 88 along the X axis. In these controls, the control unit 90 uses the detection values ​​of the frame position sensor 92, the table position sensor 93, and the carriage position sensor 94.

[0046] The control unit 90 operates the recording head 89 based on the recording data received by the interface 91, thereby discharging liquid.

[0047] The control unit 90 adjusts the recording gap with the medium M placed on the table 31. The control unit 90 operates the frame movement motor 61 to move the main frame 71 forward or backward. The control unit 90 determines whether the arm has been displaced based on the detection value of the displacement sensor 27, thereby determining whether the contact plate 24 has come into contact with the medium M or the table 31. If the control unit 90 determines that the contact plate 24 has come into contact with the medium M or the table 31, it operates the lift motor 33 to lower the table 31.

[0048] [4. Operation of the recording device] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the recording device 1, and shows the operation of the recording device 1 when recording images and characters on the medium M.

[0049] In step S1, the control unit 90 acquires recording data via the interface 91. The control unit 90 reads a command from the recording data that instructs the recording device 1 to execute recording.

[0050] In step S2, the control unit 90 adjusts the recording gap. To explain the operation in step S2 in detail, the control unit 90 first operates the carriage drive motor 87 to move the carriage 88 to the home position. The control unit 90 also operates the frame movement motor 61 to move the movement unit 70 to the rear end. This moves the contact plate 24 to a position where it does not overlap with the medium support unit 31m in a plan view. Next, the control unit 90 operates the lift motor 33 to move the table 31 upward. At this time, the control unit 90 moves the table 31 so that the medium support portion 31m of the table 31 is positioned above the lower end of the contact plate 24.

[0051] The control unit 90 then operates the frame movement motor 61 to move the movement unit 70 to the front end, as described above. If the control unit 90 detects displacement of the arm during this time, the control unit 90 stops the frame movement motor 61 and then operates the lift motor 33 to lower the table 31. If the contact plate 24 then no longer contacts the medium M or the table 31 and the control unit 90 no longer detects displacement of the arm, the control unit 90 operates the frame movement motor 61 again to move the movement unit 70 to the front end. By repeating this operation, the positions of the bottom end of contact plate 24 and the top of medium M in the vertical direction become approximately the same. This allows the recording gap to be appropriately adjusted. After adjusting the recording gap, the process proceeds to step S3.

[0052] In step S3, the control unit 90 operates the frame movement motor 61 to move the movement unit 70 forward from the rear end. When the position of the recording head 89 on the Y axis reaches a position on the Y axis where recording is performed on the medium M, the control unit 90 stops the frame movement motor 61. This causes the movement unit 70 to come to a standstill. After the movement unit 70 has come to a standstill, the control unit 90 proceeds to step S4. The position on the Y axis where recording is performed on the medium M is included, for example, in the recording data acquired by the recording device 1 in step S1. The control unit 90 controls the movement of the recording head 89 on the Y axis, for example, based on the position included in the recording data and the detection value of the frame position sensor 92.

[0053] While the moving unit 70 moves along the Y axis, the frictional force acting between the first leg 73a and the first guide shaft 51a is greater than the frictional force acting between the second leg 73b and the second guide shaft 51b. This reduces the difference in the resultant force in the front-to-rear direction between the first leg 73a, which receives the driving force from the frame driving unit 60, and the second leg 73b, which does not directly receive the driving force. This reduces the likelihood of misalignment between the front-to-rear positions of the first leg 73a and the second leg 73b. This effectively prevents the first leg 73a from getting caught in the first guide shaft 51a and the second leg 73b from getting caught in the second guide shaft 51b.

[0054] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the frictional force acting between the first leg 73a and the first guide shaft 51a is configured to be large. Therefore, when the frame moving motor 61 stops, the frictional force acting between the first leg 73a and the first guide shaft 51a makes it easier for the moving unit 70 to come to a standstill. This makes it possible to suppress vibration of the moving unit 70 after the frame moving motor 61 stops.

[0055] In step S4, the control unit 90 operates the carriage drive motor 87 to move the carriage 88 to the right from the home position. At this time, if the position of the recording head 89 on the X axis reaches a position on the X axis where recording is performed on the medium M, the process proceeds to step S5. The control unit 90 reads from the recording data the position on the X axis where recording is to be performed on the medium M. The control unit 90 grasps the position of the recording head 89 on the X axis by reading the detection value of the carriage position sensor 94.

[0056] In step S5, the control unit 90 operates the recording head 89 to perform recording on the medium M. For example, if the recording device 1 is an inkjet printer, in step S5 the recording head 89 ejects ink onto the medium M, and the ink adhering to the medium M forms characters, images, etc. included in the recording data. After step S5 is executed, the process proceeds to step S6.

[0057] In step S6, the control unit 90 determines whether recording in the direction along the X axis has been completed at the Y axis position of the recording head 89. That is, the control unit 90 determines whether there is a position where recording is to be performed to the right of the X axis position of the recording head 89 when recording was performed in step S5.

[0058] In step S6, if the control unit 90 determines that recording in the direction along the X axis has not been completed at the position of the recording head 89 on the Y axis (step S6: NO), the process returns to step S4. In this way, the recording device 1 repeatedly executes steps S4 to S6 until the control unit 90 determines that recording in the direction along the X axis has been completed at the position of the recording head 89 on the Y axis (step S6: YES). If the control unit 90 determines that recording in the direction along the X axis has been completed at the Y axis position of the recording head 89 (step S6: YES), the process proceeds to step S7.

[0059] In step S7, the control unit 90 operates the carriage drive motor 87 to move the carriage 88 leftward to the home position, and then proceeds to step S8.

[0060] In step S8, the control unit 90 determines whether or not the recording of characters and images on the medium M is complete. That is, the control unit 90 determines whether or not there is a position on the medium M where recording can be performed in the +Y direction relative to the position of the recording head 89 on the Y axis.

[0061] If it is determined that the recording of characters and images on the medium M is not complete (step S8: NO), the control unit 90 returns to step S3 and moves the moving unit 70. In this way, the recording device 1 repeatedly executes steps S3 to S8 until the recording of characters and images on the medium M is complete (step S8: YES). In step S8, if the control unit 90 determines that the recording of characters and images on the medium M is complete (step S8: YES), the recording device 1 ends the series of operations.

[0062] As described above, in the recording device 1, when the recording head 89 mounted on the carriage 88 moves to the right, the recording head 89 performs recording on the medium M. On the other hand, when the recording head 89 moves to the left, the recording head 89 does not perform recording on the medium M. Therefore, when the recording head 89 starts to move to record on the medium M, the recording head 89 is in the home position. Therefore, the reaction force when the recording head 89 starts to move to record on the medium M is mainly received by the first leg portion 73a. This reaction force is effectively attenuated by the friction force between the first leg portion 73a and the first guide shaft 51a. As a result, when the recording head 89 records on the medium M, vibration of the moving portion 70 is suppressed.

[0063] [5. Effects of the embodiment] As described above, the recording device 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a medium support unit 31m that supports a medium M, a recording unit 80 that records on the medium M, and a moving unit 70 that supports the recording unit 80 and moves along a first axis relative to the medium support unit 31m. The recording device 1 includes a first guide shaft 51a that is provided on one side of the medium support unit 31m and extends along the first axis, and a second guide shaft 51b that is provided on the other side of the medium support unit 31m and extends along the first axis. The recording device 1 also includes a frame driving unit 60 that moves the moving unit 70 along the first axis. The moving unit 70 has a first leg 73a that is movably supported on the first guide shaft 51a and a second leg 73b that is movably supported on the second guide shaft 51b. The frame driving unit 60 applies a driving force to the first leg 73a. The frictional force acting between the first leg portion 73a and the first guide shaft 51a is greater than the frictional force acting between the second leg portion 73b and the second guide shaft 51b.

[0064] According to this configuration, in a configuration in which the moving unit 70 is supported by the first leg 73a and the second leg 73b, a driving force is applied only to the first leg 73a to move the moving unit 70. At this time, the moving unit 70 can be stabilized during movement by the friction force acting between the first leg 73a and the first guide shaft 51a. For example, it is possible to prevent the first leg 73a and the second leg 73b from getting caught in the first guide shaft 51a and the second guide shaft 51b. It is also possible to prevent vibration of the moving unit 70 when stopping the moving unit 70. Therefore, it is possible to stabilize the movement of the moving unit 70 with a simple configuration. This makes it possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the recording device 1 and the number of manufacturing steps.

[0065] In the recording device 1, the frame driving unit 60 includes a frame moving motor 61 and transmission belts 63 and 67 that connect the frame moving motor 61 to the first leg 73a. In the recording device 1, the power of the frame moving motor 61 is transmitted by the transmission belts 63 and 67, causing the first leg 73a to move along the first guide shaft 51a.

[0066] According to this configuration, the mechanism for applying a driving force to the moving unit 70 can be simplified compared to when, for example, the frame driving unit 60 applies a driving force to the first leg 73a by a ball screw. Furthermore, by combining this with a configuration that stabilizes the movement of the moving unit 70 by the frictional force acting between the first leg 73a and the first guide shaft 51a, the configuration related to the movement of the moving unit 70 can be simplified.

[0067] In the recording device 1, the first leg 73a includes a first drive-side bearing 75a attached to the first guide shaft 51a, and the first drive-side bearing 75a is a sliding bush. In the recording device 1, the second leg 73b includes a first driven-side bearing 75b attached to the second guide shaft 51b, and the first driven-side bearing 75b is a ball bush.

[0068] With this configuration, it is possible to realize a configuration in which the friction force acting between the first leg portion 73a and the first guide shaft 51a is greater than the friction force acting between the second leg portion 73b and the second guide shaft 51b with a simple configuration.

[0069] In the recording device 1, the first leg 73a includes a second drive-side bearing 77a attached to the first guide shaft 51a, and the second drive-side bearing 77a is a sliding bush. In the recording device 1, the second leg 73b includes a second driven-side bearing 77b attached to the second guide shaft 51b, and the second driven-side bearing 77b is a ball bush.

[0070] With this configuration, the friction force acting between the first leg portion 73a and the first guide shaft 51a can be made greater than the friction force acting between the second leg portion 73b and the second guide shaft 51b, and this can be achieved with a simple configuration.

[0071] In the recording device 1, the first drive-side bearing 75a and the second drive-side bearing 77a are provided at the ends 74a and 76a of the first leg 73a in the direction along the first axis, respectively. In the recording device 1, the first driven-side bearing 75b and the second driven-side bearing 77b are provided at the ends 74b and 76b of the second leg 73b in the direction along the first axis, respectively.

[0072] According to this configuration, while moving the moving part 70 along the first axis, the first driving-side bearing 75a, the second driving-side bearing 77a, the first driven-side bearing 75b, and the second driven-side bearing 77b can effectively stabilize the moving part 70. Therefore, the movement of the moving part 70 can be stabilized with a simple configuration.

[0073] The recording device 1 includes a control unit 90 that controls the recording unit 80. The recording unit 80 includes a recording head 89 that is capable of reciprocating between one side and the other side. The control unit 90 causes the recording head 89 to record on the medium M while the recording head 89 is moving from one side to the other side. The control unit 90 does not cause the recording head 89 to record on the medium M while the recording head 89 is moving from the other side to the one side.

[0074] According to this configuration, the recording head 89 performs recording on the medium M while the recording head 89 moves from one side to the other. The reaction force generated when the recording head 89 starts to move from one side to the other is mainly received by the first leg portion 73a, and this reaction force is attenuated by the frictional force acting between the first leg portion 73a and the first guide shaft 51a. Therefore, vibration of the moving portion 70 is suppressed when the recording head 89 performs recording on the medium M. This can improve the accuracy of recording by the recording device 1.

[0075] 6. Other Embodiments The above-described embodiment merely shows a specific example of application of the present invention. The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment, and can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0076] For example, in the above embodiment, the first leg 73a is described as including the first drive-side bearing 75a and the second drive-side bearing 77a, both of which are sliding bushes. This is just one example, and the second drive-side bearing 77a may be a ball bushing, for example. According to this configuration, the first leg 73a is provided with a combination of a sliding bushing and a ball bushing, thereby enabling adjustment of the magnitude of the frictional force acting between the first leg 73a and the first guide shaft 51a. This allows the combination of a ready-made ball bushing and sliding bushing to arbitrarily adjust the magnitude of the frictional force acting between the first leg 73a and the first guide shaft 51a. This reduces manufacturing costs and improves design flexibility.

[0077] In the above embodiment, for example, the first leg 73a includes the first drive-side bearing 75a and the second drive-side bearing 77a, and the second leg 73b includes the first driven-side bearing 75b and the second driven-side bearing 77b. However, this is merely an example. The first leg 73a may include a third drive-side bearing, and the second leg 73b may include a third driven-side bearing. As described above, as long as the frictional force acting between the first leg 73a and the first guide shaft 51a is greater than the frictional force acting between the second leg 73b and the second guide shaft 51b, the number of bearings included in each of the first leg 73a and the second leg 73b is not limited to two.

[0078] In the above embodiment, the recording device 1 has been described as using the frame moving motor 61, transmission belt 63, speed change mechanism 65, and transmission belt 67 to move the moving unit 70 along the Y-axis, but this is merely an example. The recording device 1 may be configured, for example, such that the first guide shaft 51a is formed of a ball screw, a nut engaging with the ball screw is fixed to the first leg 73a, and the first guide shaft 51a is rotated by the driving force of the frame moving motor 61. Similarly, the recording device 1 has been described as using the transmission mechanism 82 to scan the recording unit 80 in the X-axis direction, but this is merely an example. Instead of the transmission mechanism 82, a configuration using a ball screw and a nut may be adopted, or the carriage 88 may be moved by a linear motor. Furthermore, the height moving mechanism 32 has been described as using the lifting mechanism 39 driven by the lifting belt 37 to raise and lower the table 31, but this is merely an example. For example, the recording device 1 may be configured so that the table 31 is raised and lowered by a rack-and-pinion mechanism. The medium support portion 31m, which is the upper surface of the table 31, is not limited to being flat. For example, the table 31 may be a base having a holder such as a claw or belt that holds the medium M. Furthermore, the medium support portion 31m may be, for example, a recess into which the medium M is fitted. Other mechanical configurations of the recording device 1 can be appropriately modified to have the same functions as those of the present invention.

[0079] 4 is an example of the configuration of the recording apparatus 1 equipped with the frame position sensor 92, table position sensor 93, and carriage position sensor 94. For example, the recording apparatus 1 may be configured to identify the position of the main frame 71 by detecting the amount of rotation of the frame movement motor 61. Similarly, the recording apparatus 1 may be configured to identify the position of the table 31 by detecting the amount of rotation of the lift motor 33, or may be configured to identify the position of the carriage 88 by detecting the amount of rotation of the carriage drive motor 87.

[0080] At least some of the functional blocks shown in Fig. 4 may be realized by hardware, or may be realized by a combination of hardware and software. The processing units in the flowchart of Fig. 5 are divided according to the main processing contents to make it easier to understand the operation of the recording device 1, and the embodiment is not limited by the division method or names of the processing units shown in the figure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 1...recording device, 10...main body, 11...base, 13...pulley, 20...height detection unit, 24...contact plate, 27...displacement sensor, 30...medium support mechanism, 31...table, 31m...medium support unit, 31n...table leg, 32...height movement mechanism, 33...lifting motor, 37...lifting belt, 39...lifting mechanism, 50...driving mechanism, 51a...first guide shaft, 51b...second guide shaft, 60...frame driving unit (driving unit), 61...frame movement motor (movement motor), 63...transmission belt (movement belt), 65...speed change mechanism, 67...transmission belt (movement belt), 70...movement unit, 71...main frame, 73a...first leg, 73b...second leg part, 74a...end part, 74b...end part, 75a...first drive side bearing, 75b...first driven side bearing, 76a...end part, 76b...end part, 77a...second drive side bearing, 77b...second driven side bearing, 79a...belt connection part, 80...recording part, 81...carriage support frame, 82...transmission mechanism, 82a...pulley, 82b...two-stage pulley, 82c...belt, 83...carriage guide shaft, 85...carriage drive belt, 87...carriage drive motor, 88...carriage, 89...recording head, 90...control part, 91...interface, 92...frame position sensor, 93...table position sensor, 94...carriage position sensor, M...medium.

Claims

1. a medium support section that supports the medium; a recording unit that records on the medium; a moving unit that supports the recording unit and moves relative to the medium supporting unit along a first axis; a first guide shaft provided on one side of the medium support portion and extending along the first axis; and a second guide shaft provided on the other side of the medium support portion and extending along the first shaft; a drive unit that moves the moving unit along the first axis, The moving part includes a first leg part movably supported on the first guide shaft, and a second leg part movably supported on the second guide shaft. a second leg portion movably supported on the id shaft; the drive unit applies a drive force to the first leg unit, The friction force acting between the first leg and the first guide shaft is The friction force acting between the guide shaft and the The first leg portion includes a first drive-side bearing attached to the first guide shaft, The driving side bearing 1 is a sliding bush, The second leg portion includes a first driven-side bearing attached to the second guide shaft, The recording device, wherein the driven-side bearing of the first bearing is a ball bushing.

2. The drive unit includes a movement motor and a drive shaft connecting the movement motor and the first leg unit. It is equipped with a transport belt that The power of the movement motor is transmitted by the movement belt, The recording device according to claim 1 , wherein one leg moves along the first guide shaft.

3. The first leg portion includes a second drive-side bearing attached to the first guide shaft, The driving side bearing 2 is a sliding bush, The second leg portion includes a second driven-side bearing attached to the second guide shaft, 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second driven-side bearing is a ball bushing.

4. The first leg portion includes a second drive-side bearing attached to the first guide shaft, The driving side bearing 2 is a ball bushing, The second leg portion includes a second driven-side bearing attached to the second guide shaft, 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second driven-side bearing is a ball bushing.

5. The first drive-side bearing and the second drive-side bearing are and The first driven-side bearing and the second driven-side bearing are 5. The recording device according to claim 3, wherein the second leg is provided at an end of the second leg.

6. a control unit that controls the recording unit, the recording unit includes a recording head that is reciprocally movable between the one side and the other side, The control unit controls the recording head while the recording head moves from the one side to the other side. The recording head is moved from the other side to the one side to record on the medium. The recording head is prevented from recording on the medium while the recording head is moving.

6. The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 5.

Images