Image recording device

Abstract

To provide an image recording device which has a cutting unit for cutting a sheet and is miniaturized in one direction.SOLUTION: An image recording device 10 comprises: a conveyance unit 43 which conveys a sheet 16 along a conveyance path 21; a head 37 which discharges liquid; a liquid storage unit 40 which stores the liquid; and a cutting unit 45 which cuts the sheet 16 along the cutting directions 55, 56 intersecting conveyance directions 51, 52 of the sheet. The cutting unit 45 comprises: a guide rail 81 which extends in the cutting directions 55, 56; a cutter carriage 82 which is guided by the guide rail 81 to move; and a cutter 83 which is mounted on the cutter carriage 82. The guide rail 81 has a first sliding surface 81cc and a second sliding surface 81ee which are apart from each other in the conveyance directions 51, 52 and on which the cutter carriage 82 slides. A first distance L1 along the first directions 53, 54 of the guide rail 81 is smaller than a second distance L2 in which the first sliding surface 81cc and the second sliding surface 81ee are apart from each other along the conveyance directions 51, 52.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus having a cutting unit that cuts a sheet. [Background technology]

[0002] A known example of an image recording device equipped with a cutting unit that cuts a sheet is the printing device described in Patent Document 1. The printing device described in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a cutting unit that cuts a medium printed by a printing unit. The cutting unit has a movable blade provided above the conveying path and a fixed blade provided below the conveying path. The movable blade is provided so as to be able to move back and forth in the width direction along a U-shaped rail provided above the conveying path. The fixed blade is fixed to an L-shaped support provided below the conveying path. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-104634 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above-mentioned printing device, the movable blade located above the transport path moves widthwise, and the media is cut by the cutting edge of the fixed blade located below the transport path, so the vertical length of the cutting section becomes large, which causes the above-mentioned printing device to become larger in size in the vertical direction.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image recording apparatus that is provided with a cutting section for cutting a sheet and that can be made smaller in one direction. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) The image recording device according to the present invention includes a conveying unit that conveys a sheet along a conveying path, a head that ejects liquid from a nozzle toward the sheet, a liquid storage unit that stores the liquid, and a cutting unit that cuts the sheet along a transverse direction that intersects the conveying direction of the sheet. The cutting unit includes a guide rail that extends in the transverse direction, a cutter carriage that moves while being guided by the guide rail, and a cutter mounted on the cutter carriage. The guide rail is spaced apart in the conveying direction and has a first sliding surface and a second sliding surface on which the cutter carriage slides. A first distance along the first direction of the guide rail is smaller than a second distance along the conveying direction between the first sliding surface and the second sliding surface.

[0007] Since the first distance of the guide rail in the first direction is shorter than the second distance between the first sliding surface and the second sliding surface in the conveying direction, the guide rail has a flat shape whose length in the first direction is shorter than its length in the conveying direction. Therefore, the length of the cutting unit equipped with the guide rail in the first direction is reduced, and the image recording device is made smaller in size in the first direction.

[0008] (2) The cutter may protrude downward from the cutter carriage upstream of the guide rail in the conveying direction. The guide rail may have a base plate extending in the cutting direction, a first standing plate extending upward from an upstream end of the base plate in the conveying direction, a first extending plate extending upstream in the conveying direction from an upper end of the first standing plate, a second standing plate extending upward from a downstream end of the base plate in the conveying direction, and a second extending plate extending downstream in the conveying direction from an upper end of the second standing plate. The cutter carriage may have a first abutment portion that abuts against the first sliding surface, which is the upper surface of the first extension plate, a second abutment portion that can abut against the lower surface of the second extension plate, a third abutment portion that abuts against the surface of the first standing plate facing upstream in the conveying direction, a fourth abutment portion that abuts against the surface of the first standing plate facing downstream in the conveying direction, a fifth abutment portion that abuts against the second sliding surface, which is the upper surface of the second extension plate, and a sixth abutment portion that can abut against the lower surface of the first extension plate.

[0009] Because the cutter protrudes downward from the cutter carriage upstream of the guide rail in the conveying direction, gravity acts on the cutter carriage to rotate around the tip of the first extension plate in a direction that lowers the position of the cutter. In the above configuration, the cutter carriage includes a first abutment portion that abuts against the first sliding surface of the first extension plate and a second abutment portion that can abut against the underside of the second extension plate, so that the force in the direction of rotation due to gravity is received by the upper surface of the first extension plate and the underside of the second extension plate. This allows the cutter carriage to remain stable. The cutter carriage includes a third abutment portion that abuts against the surface of the first upright plate facing upstream in the conveying direction and a fourth abutment portion that abuts against the surface of the first upright plate facing downstream in the conveying direction, so that the cutter carriage is positioned in the conveying direction. This prevents the cutter carriage from shifting in the conveying direction. Meanwhile, a reaction force acting on the cutter carriage when the cutter cuts the sheet acts on the cutter carriage, tending to rotate around the tip of the first extension plate in the direction of raising the cutter position. In the above configuration, the cutter carriage is provided with a fifth abutment portion that abuts against the second sliding surface of the second extension plate and a sixth abutment portion that can abut against the underside of the first extension plate, so that the reaction force when the cutter cuts the sheet can be received by the second sliding surface of the second extension plate and the underside of the first extension plate. Therefore, the cutter carriage can remain stable when the cutter cuts the sheet.

[0010] (3) The image recording device may further include a drive pulley located on the upper surface of the substrate and rotating about an axis along the vertical direction, a driven pulley located on the upper surface of the substrate and spaced apart from the drive pulley in the cutting direction and rotating about an axis along the vertical direction, an endless belt stretched between the drive pulley and the driven pulley, and a side frame located spaced apart in the cutting direction and supporting the guide rail. The belt may be connected to the cutter carriage. The side frame may be connected to the guide rail by a screw located inside the endless belt.

[0011] The side frame is connected to the guide rail by a screw located inside the endless belt, so the guide rail is made smaller in size in the conveying direction compared to when the screw for connecting the side frame to the guide rail is located outside the endless belt.

[0012] (4) The image recording device may further include a discharge roller located below the substrate for transporting the sheet, a spur located above the discharge roller for contacting the upper surface of the sheet, and a spur holder attached to the substrate for rotatably supporting the spur.

[0013] Since a spur holder that rotatably supports a spur that can contact the upper surface of a sheet is attached to a base plate, the image recording device is made smaller in the vertical direction compared to when a member for holding the spur holder is provided between the base plate and the spur.

[0014] (5) The spur holder may be engaged with the base plate on the inner side of the endless belt.

[0015] The guide rail is made smaller in size in the conveyance direction than when the spur holder is engaged with the substrate outside the endless belt.

[0016] (6) The image recording device may further include a support plate positioned above the guide rail, the support plate supporting the rotation shaft of the drive pulley and the rotation shaft of the driven pulley.

[0017] Since the upper part of the guide rail is covered by the support plate, it is possible to protect the cutter carriage guided by the guide rail and the endless belt connected to the cutter carriage. There is no need to provide a separate member to protect the cutter carriage or endless belt apart from the support plate, which reduces the number of parts.

[0018] (7) The image recording device may further include a resin plate positioned above the support plate, and the tube may slide on an upper surface of the resin plate as the carriage moves.

[0019] The tube slides on the upper surface of the resin plate as the carriage moves, so the resin plate prevents the tube from sagging as the head moves, and also prevents wear and damage to the tube. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to the present invention, an image recording apparatus having a cutting section for cutting a sheet is made smaller in size in one direction. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an image recording device 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic structure of the image recording device 10. As shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the main components of the image recording device 10. As shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side view of the image recording device 10 including the cutting section 45 and its surroundings. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which the drive mechanism 101 is arranged on the guide rail 81 of the image recording device 10. As shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state in which the guide rails 81 of the image recording device 10 are fixed to the side frames 121 and 122. As shown in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which the spur holder 127 of the image recording device 10 is attached to the base plate 81a of the guide rail 81. As shown in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a state in which a resin plate 134 is disposed above the support plate 130 of the image recording device 10. As shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiment described below is merely an example of the present invention, and it goes without saying that the embodiment can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In the following description, the direction in which the opening 13 of the printer unit 11 faces is referred to as the forward direction 51, and the direction opposite to the forward direction is referred to as the rearward direction 52. Front and rear together refer to the front-to-rear directions 51 and 52. The up and down directions perpendicular to the front-to-rear directions 51 and 52 are referred to as the up and down directions 53 and 54. The direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear directions 51 and 52 and the up and down directions 53 and 54 are referred to as the left and right directions 55 and 56. The upward direction of the up and down directions 53 and 54 is referred to as the upward direction 53, and the downward direction is referred to as the downward direction 54. When the image recording device 10 is viewed from the rearward direction 52, the leftward direction of the left and right directions 55 and 56 is referred to as the leftward direction 55, and the rightward direction is referred to as the rightward direction 56.

[0023] 1, image recording device 10 is a multifunction device that integrally includes a printer unit 11 provided at the bottom and a scanner unit 12 provided at the top. Image recording device 10 has print, scan, copy, and facsimile functions. Note that image recording device 10 does not necessarily have to include scanner unit 12, and may be implemented as a single-function printer that does not have a scanner or copy function.

[0024] The image recording device 10 is used while connected to an external information device (not shown), such as a computer. The printer unit 11 records an image on recording paper 16 based on print data received from the external information device and image data of a document read by the scanner unit 12.

[0025] The scanner unit 12 is located above the printer unit 11. The scanner unit 12 is a so-called flatbed scanner. The scanner unit 12 has a scanner main body 12a provided above the printer unit 11 and a document cover 12b provided above the scanner main body 12a. A platen glass (not shown) on which a document is placed is provided on the top surface of the scanner main body 12a. An image sensor (not shown) capable of optically reading an image of the document on the platen glass is provided inside the scanner main body 12a. The document cover 12b is provided with an ADF 12c, which is an automatic transport mechanism that picks up and transports multiple documents one by one, the images of which are to be read.

[0026] [Printer section 11] The configuration of the printer unit 11 will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Note that in Figure 2, the illustration of the paper feed cassette 14 is omitted for the sake of simplicity.

[0027] 1 and 2, the printer unit 11 has a housing 20. The housing 20 contains a paper feed cassette 14, a paper feed cassette 15, a recording unit 17, a cutting unit 45, and other functional components. An operation panel 19 is provided on a front surface 20b of the housing 20.

[0028] The operation panel 19 is formed in a flat plate shape having a thickness in the front-rear directions 51, 52. The front surface 19b and rear surface 19d of the operation panel 19 are rectangular and long in the left-right directions 55, 56. The operation panel 19 is located in the center of the front surface 20b of the housing 20 in the left-right directions 55, 56. The operation panel 19 is located at the top of the front surface 20b of the housing 20. The upper end of the operation panel 19 is located near the upper end of the front surface 20b of the housing 20. The lower end 19a of the operation panel 19 is located above the middle position of the front surface 20b of the housing 20 in the up-down directions 53, 54.

[0029] The operation panel 19 is configured to be rotatable about an axis A extending along left-right directions 55 and 56. The axis A is located at the top of the operation panel 19. The operation panel 19 is configured to be rotatable from a position where the front surface 19b faces forward 51 to a position further forward than the above position. In other words, the operation panel 19 can be rotated from a position where the front surface 19b faces forward 51 to a position where the front surface 19b faces upward 53 and forward 51. The front surface 19b of the operation panel 19 is provided with a display that displays various information and input keys that accept input of information. The image recording device 10 operates based on instruction information input from the operation panel 19 or instruction information transmitted from an external information device via a printer driver, scanner driver, or the like.

[0030] An opening 13 is located below the operation panel 19 on the front surface 20b of the housing 20. The opening 13 is located approximately in the center of the front surface 20b of the housing 20 in the left-right directions 55, 56. The opening 13 is formed in a rectangular shape that is long in the left-right directions 55, 56. The opening 13 extends from the lower end 19a of the operation panel 19 to the lower end of the housing 20.

[0031] The housing 20 has an internal space 20a extending rearward 52 from the opening 13. The rear of the internal space 20a is in communication with a transport path 21, which will be described later. The upper end of the internal space 20a is defined by an upper wall portion 71 extending rearward 52 from the upper end of the opening 13. Both ends of the internal space 20a in the left-right directions 55, 56 are defined by inner wall portions (not shown). The lower end of the internal space 20a is at the same position as the lower end of the housing 20.

[0032] The upper wall portion 71 separates the board accommodating space 65 located behind the operation panel 19 from the internal space 20a. The board accommodating space 65 is a space located above the internal space 20a. The lower end of the board accommodating space 65 is defined by the upper wall portion 71. The upper end of the board accommodating space 65 is defined by the upper wall of the housing 20. The front end of the board accommodating space 65 is defined by a front wall portion 72 extending upward 53 from the tip of the upper wall portion 71. The front surface of the front wall portion 72 is adjacent to the rear surface 19d of the operation panel 19, which is positioned so that the front surface 19b faces forward 51. Both ends of the board accommodating space 65 in the left-right directions 55, 56 are defined by inner wall portions not shown.

[0033] The board accommodating space 65 accommodates a board 22 on which an electronic circuit 22a electrically connected to the operation panel 19 and the recording head 37 is mounted. The board 22 has a flat plate shape with thickness in the up-down directions 53 and 54. The board 22 has a rectangular shape that is long in the left-right directions 55 and 56 in a plan view. The electronic circuit 22a functions as a control unit that controls the operation of the operation panel 19 and the carriage 35, for example.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 1, an access cover 41 is attached to the front surface 20b of the housing 20 to the right of the opening 13. When the access cover 41 is opened, the cartridge installation space is exposed, and an ink cartridge 40 (an example of a liquid storage unit) that stores ink (an example of a liquid) can be installed or removed from the housing 20. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the ink cartridge 40 is located in front of the recording unit 17 in the housing 20. In this embodiment, four ink cartridges 40, each holding four different colored inks, can be installed in the housing 20. Each ink cartridge 40 supplies ink to a recording head 37 (an example of a head) of the recording unit 17 through a tube 44. Details of the tube 44 will be described later.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 1, the paper feed cassettes 14 and 15 are inserted into the opening 13 and attached to the housing 20. The paper feed cassettes 14 and 15 can be inserted into and removed from the housing 20 along the front-rear directions 51 and 52. This allows the paper feed cassettes 14 and 15 to be detachably attached to the housing 20. The paper feed cassette 14 is located below the paper feed cassette 15 when attached to the housing 20. As shown in FIG. 2, the paper feed cassette 15 stores a stack of multiple sheets of standard-sized recording paper 16 (an example of a sheet). Standard sizes of the recording paper 16 include A3, A4, and B5 sizes according to the Japanese Industrial Standards. A paper output tray 18 (an example of an output tray) is located above the paper feed cassette 15. The paper output tray 18 supports the recording paper 16 ejected from the transport path 21. In this embodiment, two types of paper feed cassettes, 14 and 15, are provided, but the paper feed cassette 14 may be omitted.

[0036] The paper feed cassette 15 holds a plurality of recording papers 16. The paper feed cassette 15 is formed in the shape of a container with a portion open on the rear side (left side in FIG. 2) of the image recording device 10. The recording papers 16 are held in a stacked state in the internal space of the paper feed cassette 15. The paper output tray 18 of the paper feed cassette 15 is formed on the front side (right side in FIG. 2) of the image recording device 10. FIG. 2 shows the state in which the paper feed cassette 15 is inserted into the housing 20.

[0037] 2, a transport unit 43 is disposed in the housing 20, which transports the recording paper 16 along a transport path 21 from the paper feed cassette 15 to the paper discharge tray 18. The transport path 21 is a so-called U-turn path that extends from the paper feed cassette 15 in an upward direction 53, curves forward in a U-turn direction 51, and then extends linearly in the forward direction 51 toward the paper discharge tray 18. The downstream end of the transport path 21 communicates with the internal space 20a.

[0038] In the conveying path 21, a paper feed roller 32, a pair of intermediate rollers 24, a pair of PF rollers 25, a first pair of discharge rollers 27, and a second pair of discharge rollers 28 are arranged in this order from the upstream side along the conveying direction from the paper feed cassette 15 to the paper discharge tray 18. The paper feed roller 32 and the roller pairs 24, 25, 27, and 28 constitute a conveying section 43.

[0039] The paper feed roller 32 is located above the paper feed cassette 15. The paper feed roller 32 is mounted on the tip of an arm 33 so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the left-right directions 55 and 56. The base end of the arm 33 is rotatable around an axis 34. As the arm 33 rotates, the paper feed roller 32 moves in a direction toward and away from the paper feed cassette 15. The weight of the paper feed roller 32 causes the arm 33 to rotate in a direction toward the paper feed cassette 15. As a result, the paper feed roller 32 comes into contact with the uppermost recording sheet 16 of the multiple sheets of recording paper 16 stacked in the paper feed cassette 15. When the paper feed roller 32 rotates in this state, the uppermost recording sheet 16 is sent from the paper feed cassette 15 to the conveyance path 21.

[0040] The intermediate roller pair 24 is located in a curved portion of the conveying path 21. The intermediate roller pair 24 is rotatable about its axis in the left-right directions 55 and 56. The intermediate roller pair 24 is rotated by the drive of a motor (not shown). The recording paper 16 sent from the paper feed cassette 15 to the conveying path 21 is sandwiched between the intermediate roller pair 24 and conveyed toward the PF roller pair 25.

[0041] The PF roller pair 25 is located near the downstream end of the curved portion of the conveying path 21 in the conveying direction. The PF roller pair 25 is rotatable about its axis in the left-right directions 55, 56. The PF roller pair 25 is rotated by the drive of a motor (not shown). The recording paper 16 conveyed by the intermediate roller pair 24 is sandwiched between the PF roller pair 25 and conveyed below the recording head 37.

[0042] The first discharge roller pair 27 is located downstream of the recording head 37 in the conveying direction on the conveying path 21. The first discharge roller pair 27 is located upstream of the second discharge roller pair 28 in the conveying direction. The first discharge roller pair 27 is rotated by the drive of a motor (not shown). The recording paper 16 conveyed by the PF roller pair 25 is sandwiched between the first discharge roller pair 27 and conveyed to the second discharge roller pair 28.

[0043] The second discharge roller pair 28 is located downstream of the first discharge roller pair 27 on the conveying path 21. The second discharge roller pair 28 has a discharge roller 28a located below 54 of the conveying path 21 and a spur 28b located above the discharge roller 28a. The discharge roller 28a is capable of contacting the lower surface of the recording paper 16. The discharge roller 28a is rotated by the drive of a motor (not shown). The spur 28b is located above the conveying path 21. The spur 28b is capable of contacting the upper surface of the recording paper 16. The recording paper 16 conveyed by the first discharge roller pair 27 is sandwiched between the discharge roller pair 28 and discharged to the paper output tray 18.

[0044] 2, the recording unit 17 is located on the conveying path 21 between the PF roller pair 25 and the first discharge roller pair 27. The recording unit 17 has a carriage 35 located above the conveying path 21, a platen 36 located below the conveying path 21, and a recording head 37 mounted on the carriage 35. The detailed structure of the carriage 35 will be described later.

[0045] 3, the recording head 37 is of a so-called inkjet type, in which inks of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (Bk) are supplied from ink cartridges 40 through tubes 44 and ejected as tiny ink droplets from nozzles. While the carriage 35 reciprocates in left and right directions 55 and 56, ink droplets are ejected from the recording head 37, thereby recording an image on the recording paper 16 transported on the platen 36.

[0046] The carriages 35 are separated in the front-rear directions 51, 52 and are supported by guide frames 61, 62 that extend in the left-right directions 55, 56, respectively. The carriage 35 is mounted so as to straddle the guide frames 61, 62 and be able to move back and forth in the left-right directions 55, 56. The guide frame 61, located at the rear, is a flat plate whose length in the left-right directions 55, 56 is longer than the range of reciprocating movement of the carriage 35, and the upper surface of the guide frame 61 slidably supports the rear end of the carriage 35.

[0047] The guide frame 62 disposed in front is a flat plate whose length in the left-right directions 55 and 56 is approximately the same as that of the guide frame 61, and an edge 63 that supports the front end of the carriage 35 is bent at an approximately right angle upward 53. The carriage 35 is slidably supported on the upper surface of the guide frame 62, and the edge 63 is held between rollers or the like (not shown). Therefore, the carriage 35 is slidably supported on the guide frames 61 and 62, and can reciprocate in the left-right directions 55 and 56 with the edge 63 of the guide frame 62 as a reference.

[0048] A belt drive mechanism 46 is disposed on the upper surface of the guide frame 62. The belt drive mechanism 46 includes a first pulley 47 and a second pulley 48, which are disposed near both ends of the conveying path 21 in the left-right direction 55, 56, respectively, and an endless, circular belt 49 with teeth on the inside stretched between them. The first pulley 47 and the second pulley 48 are disposed at both ends of the area in which the carriage 35 reciprocates. A driving force is input to the shaft of the first pulley 47 from a CR motor (not shown), which serves as a drive source, causing the first pulley 47 to rotate. The rotation of the first pulley 47 causes the belt 49 to move in a circular motion, and the second pulley 48 is driven by this rotation. Note that the belt 49 may be an endless, circular belt, or may be a belt with ends, both ends of which are fixed to the carriage 35.

[0049] The carriage 35 is fixed to the belt 49. Although the connection between the carriage 35 and the belt 49 is not shown in detail in the drawings, the belt 49 is pulled slightly upward while connected to the carriage 35. This generates tension in the belt 49 that causes it to elastically return downward, and this tension elastically urges the carriage 35 toward the guide frames 61 and 62. When the belt 49 rotates as described above, the carriage 35 moves back and forth on the guide frames 61 and 62, with the edge 63 as the reference. A recording head 37 is mounted on this carriage 35, and the recording head 37 can move back and forth in the left-right directions 55 and 56 of the conveying path 21 as the main scanning direction.

[0050] The tubes 44 are made of synthetic resin and are flexible enough to bend in accordance with the reciprocating movement of the carriage 35. Four tubes 44 are provided corresponding to the four ink cartridges 40. One end of each tube 44 is connected to a case (not shown) that houses the ink cartridge 40. The other end of each tube 44 is connected to the recording head 37 in the carriage 35. Between the front and rear directions 51, 52 of the carriage 35 and the ink cartridge 40, each tube 44 extends from the carriage 35 to the left 55, then curves in a U-turn to the right 56, and extends again to the right 56, and is fixed to the housing 20 at a fixing position 96. The tubes 44 are appropriately arranged from the fixing position 96 to the case of the ink cartridge 40. As the carriage 35 moves in the left-right directions 55, 56, each tube 44 changes its curved U-turn shape to follow the carriage 35.

[0051] [Cutting part] 2 and 3, the cutting unit 45 is located above the transport path 21 in front of the recording unit 17. When stopped, the cutting unit 45 is located to the left of the image recording area A1 (hereinafter referred to as the stop position). The image recording area A1 is the maximum width in which ink is ejected from the recording head 37, which reciprocates together with the carriage 35, to record an image on the recording paper 16. If the maximum size that can be recorded by the printer unit 11 is A4 size, the image recording area A1 is slightly wider than the width of the A4 size.

[0052] The cutting unit 45 cuts the recording paper 16 conveyed by the conveying unit 43 along left-right directions 55 and 56 (an example of a cutting direction). The cutting unit 45 cuts the recording paper 16 by moving rightward 56 from a stop position (the position of the cutting unit 45 shown in FIG. 3) to the left of the image recording area A1. For example, one A4-sized recording paper 16 is cut into two A5-sized recording papers 16 by the cutting unit 45. As shown in FIG. 4, the cutting unit 45 includes a guide rail 81 extending along the left-right directions 55 and 56, a cutter carriage 82 that moves while being guided by the guide rail 81, a cutter 83 mounted on the cutter carriage 82, and a fixed blade 95. Note that in FIG. 4, an endless belt 90 (described later) is shown in cross section to make the structure of the cutting unit 45 easier to understand. Also, in FIG. 2, the cutting unit 45 is shown in a simplified manner, with detailed configuration omitted.

[0053] 4 and 5, the guide rail 81 has a flat shape extending in the left-right directions 55, 56. The length of the guide rail 81 in the left-right directions 55, 56 is longer than the length of the conveying path 21 in the left-right directions 55, 56. The left and right ends of the guide rail 81 extend outward beyond the image recording area A1.

[0054] The guide rail 81 has a substantially flat base plate 81a extending in the left-right directions 55 and 56, a first upright plate 81b extending upward 53 from the rear end of the base plate 81a, a first extending plate 81c extending backward 52 from the upper end of the first upright plate 81b, a second upright plate 81d extending upward 53 from the front end of the base plate 81a, and a second extending plate 81e extending forward 51 from the upper end of the second upright plate 81d. The base plate 81a, the first upright plate 81b, the first extending plate 81c, the second upright plate 81d, and the second extending plate 81e are formed by bending a single rectangular steel plate.

[0055] An upper surface 81cc (an example of a first sliding surface) of the first extending plate 81c and an upper surface 81ee (an example of a second sliding surface) of the second extending plate 81e extend horizontally. The upper surface 81cc of the first extending plate 81c and the upper surface 81ee of the second extending plate 81e are at the same height. A first abutment portion 84 (described below) of the cutter carriage 82 slides on the upper surface 81ee of the first extending plate 81c. A fifth abutment portion 88 (described below) of the cutter carriage 82 slides on the upper surface 81ee of the second extending plate 81e. The first distance L1 along the vertical direction 53, 54 (an example of the first direction) between the upper surface 81ee of the second extension plate 81e and the lower surface of the substrate 81a is smaller than the second distance L2 between the upper surface 81cc of the first extension plate 81c and the upper surface 81ee of the second extension plate 81e along the front-to-back direction 51, 52 (an example of the conveying direction).

[0056] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the base plate 81a has a rail portion 106 located between the first upright plate 81b and the second upright plate 81d in the front-to-rear directions 51, 52, and an attachment plate 107 formed adjacent to the left side of the rail portion 106.

[0057] The mounting plate 107 has a pulley mounting portion 108 that is generally rectangular in plan view, two protrusions 109 that extend rearward 52 from a rear end of the pulley mounting portion 108, and a first mounting piece 110 that extends upward 53 from a front end of the pulley mounting portion 108. A through hole 108a is formed in the pulley mounting portion 108, through which a motor shaft of a motor (not shown) is inserted from below. The two protrusions 109 are positioned with a gap between them in the left-right directions 55 and 56. The two protrusions 109 are formed with screw holes 109a through which screws can be inserted in the up-down directions 53 and 54. The first mounting piece 110 is positioned between the two protrusions 109 in the left-right directions 55 and 56 when viewed from the front-rear directions 51 and 52. The first mounting piece 110 has an upright piece 110a extending upward 53, and an extending piece 110b bending from the upper end of the upright piece 110a toward the front 51 and extending horizontally. A screw hole 110bb is formed in the extending piece 110b, through which a screw can be inserted in the up-down directions 53, 54.

[0058] 4, the cutter carriage 82 has a cutter holding portion 82a that holds the cutter 83 and a connecting portion 82b that is connected to the guide rail 81. The cutter holding portion 82a is located behind the guide rail 81. However, the cutter holding portion 82a may also be located in front of the guide rail 81. The cutter holding portion 82a extends downward beyond the guide rail 81.

[0059] The cutter holding portion 82a has an inclined surface 82c on the upper outer surface. The inclined surface 82c faces rearward 52 and upward 53. When viewed from the left and right directions 55 and 56, the inclined surface 82c overlaps with the front end 35a of the carriage 35 in the up-down directions 53 and 54 and the front-back directions 51 and 52. This allows the image recording device 10 to be made smaller in the up-down directions 53 and 54 and the front-back directions 51 and 52. By providing the cutter holding portion 82a with the inclined surface 82c, the front portion of the cutter holding portion 82a, i.e., the portion close to the connecting portion 82b, can be made thicker in the up-down directions 53 and 54 and the front-back directions 51 and 52, thereby providing strength, while reducing the gap between the cutter carriage 82 and the carriage 35.

[0060] 4 and 6, the connecting portion 82b extends from the cutter holding portion 82a in the forward direction 51 and is connected to the guide rail 81. The connecting portion 82b has a first abutting portion 84 that abuts against an upper surface 81cc of the first extending plate 81c, a second abutting portion 85 that can abut against a lower surface of the second extending plate 81e, a third abutting portion 86 that abuts against the surface of the first upright plate 81b that faces backward 52, a fourth abutting portion 87 that abuts against the surface of the first upright plate 81b that faces forward 51, a fifth abutting portion 88 that abuts against an upper surface 81ee of the second extending plate 81e, and a sixth abutting portion 89 that can abut against the lower surface of the first extending plate 81c.

[0061] The guide rail 81 supports the cutter carriage 82 in the downward direction 54 by abutting against the first abutment portion 84 and the fifth abutment portion 88. This positions the cutter carriage 82 in the up-down directions 53, 54. The guide rail 81 positions the cutter carriage 82 in the front-rear directions 51, 52 by abutting against the third abutment portion 86 and the fourth abutment portion 87, respectively. When the cutter carriage 82 moves upward 53 relative to the guide rail 81, at least one of the second abutment portion 85 or the sixth abutment portion 89 abuts against the guide rail 81. This prevents the cutter carriage 82 from coming off the guide rail 81 in the upward direction 53.

[0062] The cutter 83 is supported by the cutter holding portion 82a in a state in which it protrudes downward 54 from the lower end of the cutter holding portion 82a. The cutter 83 has a disk shape, and is supported by the cutter holding portion 82a so as to be rotatable about its axis in the front-rear directions 51 and 52. The cutter 83 is detachably attached to the cutter holding portion 82a.

[0063] The fixed blade 95 is located below the cutter holding portion 82a of the cutter carriage 82. The fixed blade 95 is supported by side frames 121, 122 (described later) and extends in the left-right directions 55, 56 across the image recording area A1. The cutting edge of the fixed blade 95 abuts against the cutter 83 from behind. The recording paper 16 is sandwiched between the cutter 83 and the fixed blade 95 and cut.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 5, a drive mechanism 101 that drives the cutter carriage 82 is disposed on the upper surface of the base plate 81a. The drive mechanism 101 includes a motor (not shown), a gear 104, a drive pulley 102, a driven pulley 103, and an endless belt 90. The motor has a motor shaft that extends upward 53 from below the mounting plate 107 and is inserted into a through-hole 108a. The gear 104 is disposed on the upper surface of the pulley mounting portion 108 so as to be rotatable about an axis along the up-down directions 53, 54. The gear 104 is located midway between the rail portion 106 in the front-rear directions 51, 52. The gear 104 meshes with a gear (not shown) that is connected to the motor shaft.

[0065] The drive pulley 102 is disposed on the upper end surface of the gear 104 in the axial direction. The drive pulley 102 includes a first rotating body 102a fixed to the upper end surface of the gear 104, a first rotating shaft 102b extending upward 53 from the first rotating body 102a, and a support piece 102c disposed around the first rotating shaft 102b. The first rotating body 102a rotates around the same axis as the gear 104. A plurality of teeth 102aa are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the first rotating body 102a at intervals in the circumferential direction. The teeth 102aa mesh with ribs (not shown) formed on the inner side of the endless belt 90. The first rotating shaft 102b extends upward 53 from the center of the upper end surface of the first rotating body 102a in the axial direction. The first rotating shaft 102b rotates around the same axis as the first rotating body 102a. The first rotating shaft 102b has a smaller diameter than the first rotating body 102a. The support pieces 102c extend upward 53 from the upper axial end surface of the first rotating body 102a. The support pieces 102c are arranged at equal intervals around the first rotating shaft 102b. In the example of FIG. 5, three support pieces 102c are arranged. In a plan view, the support pieces 102c are formed in an arc shape that curves inward toward the axis of the first rotating shaft 102b. As shown in FIG. 7, the support pieces 111a of the encoder 111 are fitted from above between the support pieces 102c in the circumferential direction, thereby attaching the encoder 111 to the drive pulley 102. When the encoder 111 is attached to the drive pulley 102, the first rotating shaft 102b protrudes upward beyond the encoder 111.

[0066] The driven pulley 103 is disposed on the upper surface of the right end of the rail portion 106. The driven pulley 103 is located midway between the rail portion 106 in the front-rear directions 51 and 52. The driven pulley 103 includes a second rotating body 103a disposed on the upper surface of the rail portion 106 and a second rotating shaft 103b extending upward 53 from the second rotating body 103a. The second rotating body 103a is rotatable around an axis along the vertical directions 53 and 54. The second rotating shaft 103b extends upward 53 from the center of the axial upper end face of the first rotating body 102a. The second rotating shaft 103b rotates around the same axis as the second rotating body 103a. The second rotating shaft 103b has a smaller diameter than the second rotating body 103a. The second rotating shaft 103b is formed in a semicircular shape in a plan view.

[0067] The endless belt 90 is wound around the outer circumferential surface of the first rotating body 102a and the outer circumferential surface of the second rotating body 103a. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the endless belt 90 is connected to the cutter carriage 82. Specifically, the endless belt 90 is fixed to a through-hole 87a that penetrates the front side of the fourth contact portion 87 of the connecting portion 82b of the cutter carriage 82 in the left-right directions 55 and 56. As a result, when the driving force of the motor is transmitted to the drive pulley 102 via the gear 104, the endless belt 90 rotates, and the driven pulley 103 rotates accordingly. The rotation of the endless belt 90 causes the cutter carriage 82 to reciprocate in the left-right directions 55 and 56 along the guide rail 81.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 5, a first screw 112 (an example of a screw) for fixing the guide rail 81 to the left side frame 121 is disposed at the left end of the rail portion 106. The first screw 112 is located at the middle of the rail portion 106 in the front-rear directions 51, 52. The first screw 112 is located on the rail portion 106 on the inside of the endless belt 90 in the front-rear directions 51, 52. The first screw 112 is inserted into a first through hole that penetrates the rail portion 106 in the up-down directions 53, 54. A second through hole 123 that penetrates the rail portion 106 in the up-down directions 53, 54 is disposed at the right end of the rail portion 106. The second through hole 123 is located on the rear side of the rail portion 106. The second through hole 123 is located to the right of the driven pulley 103. A second screw for fixing the guide rail 81 to the right side frame 122 is inserted into the second through hole 123 .

[0069] A plurality of locking holes 124 are formed in the rail portion 106 at a middle position in the front-rear directions 51, 52, penetrating the rail portion 106 in the up-down directions 53, 54. The plurality of locking holes 124 are located on the inside of the endless belt 90 in the front-rear directions 51, 52 on the rail portion 106. The plurality of locking holes 124 are located at intervals in the left-right directions 55, 56. In the example of FIG. 5, four locking holes 124 are formed in the rail portion 106.

[0070] The left side frame 121 has a second attachment piece (not shown) with a screw hole formed therein through which the first screw 112 can be inserted. The second attachment piece is located at the front end of the left side frame 121. The left side frame 121 is fixed to the guide rail 81 by inserting the first screw 112 from above into the first through hole and the screw hole with the screw hole of the second attachment piece aligned from below with the first through hole of the rail portion 106, and then tightening the screw hole with a nut from below (see FIG. 7).

[0071] 7, the right side frame 122 has a third attachment piece 125 with a screw hole formed therein through which the second screw can be inserted. The third attachment piece 125 is located at the front end of the right side frame 122. The right side frame 122 is fixed to the guide rail 81 by aligning the screw hole of the third attachment piece 125 with the second through hole 123 from below, inserting the second screw into the second through hole 123 and the screw hole from above, and tightening the screw with a nut from below.

[0072] The left side frame 121 and the right side frame 122 support the discharge roller 28a. Mounting holes 126 are formed in the left side frame 121 and the right side frame 122 for mounting bearings (not shown) that rotatably support the rotation shaft of the discharge roller 28a to the side frames 121, 122. The mounting holes 126 are located below the rail portion 106 when viewed from the left-right directions 55, 56.

[0073] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 8 , a spur holder 127 that rotatably supports the spur 28 b is disposed below the rail portion 106. The spur holder 127 has a holding portion 128 to which the rotation shaft of the spur 28 b is rotatably attached, and a hook portion 129 that extends upward 53 from the holding portion 128. The hook portion 129 is formed in a generally L-shape with its upper end bent forward 51. In the example of FIG. 5 , four hook portions 129 are provided at intervals in the left-right directions 55 and 56. The hook portions 129 are inserted into the locking holes 124 from below and locked to the upper surface of the rail portion 106. In this way, the spur holder 127 is attached to the rail portion 106.

[0074] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 9, a support plate 130 is disposed above the guide rail 81. The support plate 130 is formed in a flat plate shape having a thickness in the up-down directions 53 and 54. The support plate 130 has substantially the same shape as the base plate 81a in a plan view. The support plate 130 has a substantially rectangular shape that is long in the left-right directions 55 and 56. The support plate 130 is fixed to the base plate 81a while covering the drive mechanism 101 and the cutter carriage 82 from above. Specifically, the left end of the support plate 130 is fixed to the right protrusion 109 and the first mounting piece 110 of the mounting plate 107 with screws. The right end of the support plate 130 is fixed to the rail portion 106 with screws 133 disposed on the upper surface of the support plate 130.

[0075] A first insertion hole 130a is formed at the left end of the support plate 130, through which the first rotating shaft 102b of the drive pulley 102 is inserted. The first insertion hole 130a is circular and has a diameter slightly larger than that of the first rotating shaft 102b. As a result, the first rotating shaft 102b is rotatably supported by the inner surface of the first insertion hole 130a. A second insertion hole is formed at the right end of the support plate 130, through which the second rotating shaft 103b of the driven pulley 103 is inserted. The second insertion hole is circular and has a diameter slightly larger than that of the second rotating shaft 103b. As a result, the second rotating shaft 103b is rotatably supported by the inner surface of the second insertion hole.

[0076] A resin plate 134 made of resin is disposed above the support plate 130. The resin plate 134 has a sliding portion 134a fixed to the upper surface of the support plate 130 and a restricting piece 135b extending upward 53 from the front end of the sliding portion 134a. The sliding portion 134a is large enough to cover almost the entire support plate 130 from above. This allows the tube 44, which follows the carriage 35 as it moves, to slide on the upper surface of the sliding portion 134a (see FIG. 3). Note that the sliding portion 134a does not have to be large enough to cover almost the entire support plate 130 from above, as long as it is large enough to allow the tube 44, which follows the carriage 35 as it moves, to slide. For example, the sliding portion 134a may be large enough to extend from approximately the middle position of the support plate 130 in the left-right directions 55, 56 to the left end of the support plate 130. The restricting piece 135b extends from approximately the middle position of the sliding portion 134a in the left-right directions 55, 56 to the left end. This prevents the tube 44, which moves with the carriage 35, from protruding forward of the sliding portion 134a. The material from which the resin plate 134 is made is not particularly limited as long as it is a resin material with a lower coefficient of friction than iron. For example, the resin plate 134 can be made of polyacetal, polyamide, fluororesin, or polyethylene.

[0077] The operation of the image recording device 10 to cut one sheet of A4 recording paper 16 into two sheets of A5 recording paper will be described below.

[0078] As the paper feed roller 32 rotates, the topmost sheet of A4 recording paper 16 is sent from the paper feed cassette 15 to the conveying path 21. The recording paper 16 sent from the paper feed cassette 15 to the conveying path 21 is transported below the recording head 37 by the intermediate roller pair 24 and the PF roller pair 25. The recording paper 16 transported below the recording head 37 is supported from below by the platen 36. While the conveyance of the recording paper 16 is stopped, the carriage 35 moves left and right in the directions 55 and 56, and ink is ejected from the recording head 37 toward the recording paper 16. At this time, the tube 44, which follows the movement of the carriage 35, slides on the upper surface of the sliding portion 134a of the resin plate 134. As a result, one pass's worth of image is recorded on the recording paper 16. The recording paper 16 is repeatedly conveyed and stopped, and image recording for a predetermined number of passes is performed, until image recording on the recording paper 16 is completed. Here, an image equivalent to two A5 sheets of recording paper is recorded on an A4 recording paper 16. During image recording, the recording paper 16 that has passed through the platen 36 is transported below the cutting section 45 by the first discharge roller pair 27.

[0079] When the center of the recording paper 16 in the transport direction is transported to below 54 the cutting unit 45, the cutter carriage 82 moves from the stop position (the position of the cutting unit 45 shown in FIG. 3) to the right 56 ​​along the guide rail 81 as the drive pulley 102 rotates. At this time, the first contact portion 84 and the fifth contact portion 88 of the cutter carriage 82 slide on the upper surface 81cc of the first extension plate 81c and the upper surface 81ee of the second extension plate 81e of the guide rail 81, respectively. Also, at this time, as shown in FIG. 4, a reaction force F1 acts on the cutter carriage 82 when the cutter 83 cuts the recording paper 16, so a force P acts on the cutter carriage 82, tending to rotate around the tip C of the first extension plate 81c in the direction raising the position of the cutter 83. In other words, an upward force F2 is applied from the sixth contact portion 89 to the lower surface of the first extension plate 81c, and a downward force F3 is applied from the fifth contact portion 88 to the upper surface 81ee of the second extension plate 81e. These forces F2 and F3 are received by the lower surface of the first extension plate 81c and the upper surface 81ee of the second extension plate 81e, respectively. This allows the cutter carriage 82 to remain stable. As a result, the A4 recording paper 16 is sandwiched between the cutter 83 and the fixed blade 95 and cut along the left-right directions 55 and 56, resulting in two A5 recording papers. The two A5 recording papers are discharged from the conveyance path 21 to the paper discharge tray 18 by the second discharge roller pair 28.

[0080] [Effects of the embodiment] In the image recording device 10, a first distance L1 in the up-down directions 53, 54 between an upper surface 81ee of the second extending plate 81e and a lower surface of the substrate 81a is smaller than a second distance L2 separating an upper surface 81cc of the first extending plate 81c and an upper surface 81ee of the second extending plate 81e in the front-rear directions 51, 52, and therefore the guide rail 81 has a flat shape whose length in the up-down directions 53, 54 is shorter than its length in the front-rear directions 51, 52. Therefore, the length of the cutting section 45 equipped with the guide rail 81 in the up-down directions 53, 54 is reduced, and the image recording device 10 is made smaller in size in the up-down directions 53, 54.

[0081] In the image recording device 10, the cutter 83 protrudes downward 54 from the cutter carriage 82 behind the guide rail 81 (upstream in the conveying direction), so that a force acting on the cutter carriage 82 by gravity tends to rotate the cutter carriage 82 around the tip C of the first extension plate 81c in a direction that lowers the position of the cutter 83. The cutter carriage 82 is equipped with a first contact portion 84 that contacts the upper surface 81cc of the first extension plate 81c and a second contact portion 85 that can contact the lower surface of the second extension plate 81e, so that the force acting in the direction that tends to rotate due to gravity is received by the upper surface 81cc of the first extension plate 81c and the lower surface of the second extension plate 81e. This allows the cutter carriage 82 to remain stable. The cutter carriage 82 is provided with a third abutment portion 86 that abuts against the surface of the first upright plate 81b facing backward 52 and a fourth abutment portion 87 that abuts against the surface of the first upright plate 81b facing forward 51, and is therefore positioned in the front-rear directions 51, 52. Therefore, the cutter carriage 82 is unlikely to shift in the front-rear directions 51, 52.

[0082] Meanwhile, a force P acts on the cutter carriage 82, which tends to rotate about the tip C of the first extension plate 81c in a direction to raise the position of the cutter 83, due to a reaction force F1 when the cutter 83 cuts the recording paper 16. As a result, an upward force F2 from the sixth contact portion 89 acts on the underside of the first extension plate 81c in a direction 53, and a downward force F3 from the fifth contact portion 88 acts on the upper surface 81ee of the second extension plate 81e in a direction 54. In the image recording device 10, the cutter carriage 82 is provided with the fifth contact portion 88 that contacts the upper surface 81ee of the second extension plate 81e and the sixth contact portion 89 that can contact the lower surface of the first extension plate 81c, so that the reaction force F1 when the cutter 83 cuts the recording paper 16 is received by the upper surface 81ee of the second extension plate 81e and the lower surface of the first extension plate 81c. Therefore, the cutter carriage 82 can be kept stable when the cutter 83 cuts the recording paper 16 .

[0083] In the image recording device 10, the left side frame 121 is connected to the guide rail 81 by a first screw 112 located inside the endless belt 90, so the guide rail 81 is made smaller in the front-to-rear directions 51 and 52 compared to when the screw for connecting the left side frame 121 and the guide rail 81 is located outside the endless belt 90.

[0084] In the image recording device 10, a spur holder 127 that rotatably supports a spur 28b that can contact the upper surface of the recording paper 16 is attached to the base plate 81a, so that the image recording device 10 is made smaller in the vertical directions 53 and 54 than when a member for holding the spur holder 127 is provided between the base plate 81a and the spur 28b.

[0085] In the image recording device 10, the spur holder 127 is engaged with the base plate 81a on the inside of the endless belt 90, so the guide rail 81 is made smaller in the front-to-rear directions 51 and 52 compared to when the spur holder 127 is engaged with the base plate 81a on the outside of the endless belt 90.

[0086] In the image recording device 10, the upper part of the guide rail 81 is covered by the support plate 130, so it is possible to protect the cutter carriage 82 guided by the guide rail 81 and the endless belt 90 connected to the cutter carriage 82. For this reason, a member separate from the support plate 130 for protecting the cutter carriage 82 and the endless belt 90 is omitted, thereby reducing the number of parts.

[0087] In the image recording device 10, the tube 44 slides on the upper surface of the resin plate 134 as the carriage 35 moves, so that the resin plate 134 prevents the tube 44 from sagging as the recording head 37 moves, and also prevents wear and damage to the tube 44.

[0088] [Variations] In the above embodiment, the first direction is the vertical directions 53, 54 between the upper surface 81ee of the second extending plate 81e and the lower surface of the substrate 81a, but may be a direction inclined toward the front-rear directions 51, 52 with respect to the vertical directions 53, 54.

[0089] In the above embodiment, the cutting unit 45 cuts the recording paper 16 using the cutter 83 and the fixed blade 95, but the structure of the cutting unit 45 is not particularly limited as long as it can cut the recording paper 16 in the left-right directions 55, 56. For example, instead of the fixed blade 95, the cutting unit 45 may have two disk-shaped rotary blades like the cutter 83 mounted on the cutter carriage 82.

[0090] In the first and second embodiments, the cutting section 45 cuts a standard rectangular recording paper 16, but it may also cut a medium pulled out from a roll into a standard rectangular recording paper 16.

[0091] In the above embodiment, the conveying path 21 forms a so-called U-turn path that curves and makes a U-turn from the paper feed cassette 15 toward the upward direction 53, but it may also be provided with a double-sided conveying path for recording images on both sides of the recording paper 16. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] 10. Image recording device 16 seats 21. Transport path 28a Ejection roller 28b...spur 37···head 40 Liquid storage section 43 Transfer section 45...cutting section 81 Guide rail 81a···Substrate 81b...1st standing board 81c...1st extension plate 81cc...1st sliding surface 81d...Second standing board 81e...Second extension plate 81ee... Second sliding surface 82 Cutter carriage 83···Cutter 84...1st contact part 85...Second contact part 86...Third contact part 87...4th contact part 88...5th contact part 89...6th contact part 90···Endless belt 102 Drive pulley 102b Rotation axis 103 Driven pulley 103b Rotation axis 112···Screw 121···Side frame 127 Spur holder 130...support plate 134···Resin plate L1...1st distance L2...Second distance

Claims

1. a conveying unit that conveys the sheet along a conveying path; a head that ejects liquid from a nozzle toward a sheet; a carriage on which the head is mounted; a liquid storage section that stores a liquid; a cutting unit that is located downstream of the carriage in the sheet conveying direction and separates from the carriage, and cuts the sheet along a cutting direction that intersects with the sheet conveying direction, The cut portion is a guide rail extending in the cutting direction; a cutter carriage that moves while being guided by the guide rail; a cutter mounted on the cutter carriage, The above guide rails are a substrate extending in the cutting direction; a first upright plate extending from an upstream end of the substrate in a conveyance direction in a first direction intersecting the conveyance direction and the cutting direction; a first extending plate extending upstream in the conveying direction from the one end in the first direction of the first standing plate; a second upright plate extending from a downstream end in the substrate transport direction toward the one side in the first direction; a second extending plate extending downstream in the conveying direction from the one end in the first direction of the second standing plate; a first sliding surface located at the one end of the first extension plate in the first direction, on which the cutter carriage slides; a second sliding surface that is spaced apart from the first sliding surface in the conveying direction, that is located at the one end of the second extension plate in the first direction, and that the cutter carriage slides on; an image recording device in which a first distance along the first direction between the first sliding surface and the other end of the substrate in the first direction is smaller than a second distance between the first sliding surface and the second sliding surface along the transport direction.

2. the cutter protrudes downward from the cutter carriage upstream of the guide rail in the conveying direction, The cutter carriage is a first contact portion that contacts the first sliding surface, which is the upper surface of the first extension plate; a second contact portion that can contact the lower surface of the second extending plate; a third contact portion that contacts a surface of the first upright plate facing upstream in the conveying direction; a fourth contact portion that contacts a surface of the first upright plate facing downstream in the conveying direction; a fifth contact portion that contacts the second sliding surface, which is the upper surface of the second extension plate; 2. The image recording device according to claim 1, further comprising: a sixth contact portion that can contact the lower surface of the first extending plate.

3. a drive pulley located on the upper surface of the substrate and rotating around an axis along the vertical direction; a driven pulley located on the upper surface of the substrate and spaced apart from the drive pulley in the cutting direction, the driven pulley rotating around an axis extending in the up-down direction; an endless belt stretched over the drive pulley and the driven pulley; a side frame positioned apart in the cutting direction and supporting the guide rail; the endless belt is connected to the cutter carriage, 3. The image recording device according to claim 2, wherein the side frames are connected to the guide rails by screws positioned inside the endless belt.

4. a discharge roller located below the substrate and configured to transport a sheet; a spur located above the discharge roller and capable of contacting an upper surface of the sheet; 4. The image recording device according to claim 3, further comprising a spur holder attached to the base plate and rotatably supporting the spur.

5. 5. The image recording device according to claim 4, wherein the spur holder is engaged with the base plate on the inner side of the endless belt.

6. The apparatus further includes a support plate positioned above the guide rail, 6. The image recording device according to claim 3, wherein the support plate supports the rotation shaft of the drive pulley and the rotation shaft of the driven pulley.

7. A tube connecting the head and the liquid storage section; a resin plate positioned above the support plate, 7. The image recording device according to claim 6, wherein the tube slides on the upper surface of the resin plate as the carriage moves.

Images