Carriage moving device

Abstract

To maintain a flexible cable connected to a carriage, in a proper posture.SOLUTION: A flexible cable 41 of a carriage movement device 10 has one end that is connected to a carriage 20 and moves together with the carriage 20, another end positionally fixed, and a bent part 53 provided between the one end and the other end. A support member 60 has: a bottom wall 71, a first side wall 76 extended upward in a first direction Y from the bottom wall 71; and a second side wall 77 extended upward in the first direction Y from the bottom wall 71 and arranged in parallel with the first side wall 76 in a second direction S across the bottom wall 71. The bottom wall 71 has: a first groove 81 which is recessed downward, and extends in the first direction Y on the first side wall 76 side to store one end side of the flexible cable 41 from the bent part 53; and a second groove 82 which is recessed downward, and extends in the first direction Y on the second side wall 77 side to store the other end side of the flexible cable 41 from the bent part 53.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a carriage moving device.

Background Art

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a printer including a carriage and a belt-like flexible cable connected to the carriage. The carriage is capable of reciprocating movement in the scanning direction. The flexible cable extends in a standing posture in the scanning direction from a predetermined fixed fulcrum, and the extending tip end portion is connected to the carriage via a U-shaped loop portion. Here, the standing posture means a standing posture within a certain angle range centered on a vertical posture in which the width direction of the flexible cable is perpendicular.

[0003] The above printer includes a supporting portion that supports a part of the U-shaped loop portion of the flexible cable (for example, the base end portion of the loop portion located near the fixed fulcrum) from below. Thus, by supporting a part of the loop portion of the flexible cable from below by the supporting portion, the self-supportability in the standing posture of the entire flexible cable is improved.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Incidentally, in the printer disclosed in Patent Document 1, even if a portion of the flexible cable is supported from below by a support, the flexible cable may still tilt from its upright position. In particular, in so-called large printers, the flexible cable becomes longer, so a metal guide member or the like may be required to maintain the upright position of the flexible cable. Here, if the upright position of a long flexible cable can be maintained without the use of a guide member or the like, the cost can be reduced by the amount of the guide member.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and its object is to provide a carriage moving device that can maintain a flexible cable connected to a carriage in an appropriate position without using separate components such as guide members when the carriage is moving. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The carriage moving device according to the present invention comprises a carriage, a moving mechanism, a flexible cable, and a support member. The moving mechanism moves the carriage in a first direction. The flexible cable is connected to the carriage and has one end that moves with the carriage in the first direction, the other end whose position is fixed, and a bent portion provided between the one end and the other end. The support member has a bottom wall, a first side wall extending upward from the bottom wall and extending in the first direction, and a second side wall extending upward from the bottom wall and extending in the first direction, and intersecting the first direction, and is adjacent to the first side wall on either side of the bottom wall, and supports the flexible cable. The bottom wall has a first groove and a second groove. The first groove extends in the first direction on the side of the first side wall, accommodates the one end of the flexible cable beyond the bent portion, and is recessed downward. The second groove extends in the first direction on the second side wall side, accommodates the other end of the flexible cable beyond the bent portion, and is recessed downward.

[0008] According to the carriage moving device, when the carriage is moving in a first direction, the flexible cable moves along with the carriage, with one end of the flexible cable from the bend housed in the first groove and the other end of the flexible cable from the bend housed in the second groove. At this time, one end of the flexible cable from the bend is guided along by the first groove and the other end is guided along by the second groove, so that the flexible cable does not fall toward the center of the bottom wall of the support member (in this case, the center between the first side wall and the second side wall). Therefore, when the carriage is moving, the flexible cable can be positioned in an appropriate posture (e.g., an upright posture) without using separate members such as guide members. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a carriage moving device that can maintain a flexible cable connected to a carriage in an appropriate position while the carriage is moving. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a schematic plan view showing a printer according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic plan view showing a printer according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a schematic plan view showing a printer according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view of a cable assembly. [Figure 5A] This is a schematic perspective view showing the support members. [Figure 5B] This is a schematic plan view showing the support members. [Figure 6] This is a schematic front view showing the support member. [Figure 7] Figure 5B is a cross-sectional view of the support member at the VII-VII section, showing the arrangement of the first and second parts of the flexible cable. [Figure 8] This diagram corresponds to Figure 7 and shows the state in which the bent portion of the flexible cable is positioned on the support member. [Figure 9] Figure 5B is a cross-sectional view of the support member at the IX-IX section. [Figure 10] Figure 5B is a cross-sectional view of the support member in the XX section. [Figure 11] This schematic diagram illustrates how changing the length of the first section of a flexible cable changes the inclination angle of that first section. [Figure 12] This is a rear view of the cut carriage, and is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the first part of the flexible cable rotates relative to the cut carriage. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the carriage moving device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments described herein are not intended to particularly limit the present invention.

[0012] Here, the printer 10 will be used as an example to describe the carriage moving device of the present invention. Figures 1 to 3 are schematic plan views showing the printer 10 according to the embodiment. The symbols F, Rr, L, R, U, and D in the drawings indicate the front, back, left, right, top, and bottom of the printer 10, respectively. The symbol Y indicates the scanning direction. The scanning direction Y is an example of a first direction. For example, the scanning direction Y is the left-right direction. The symbol X indicates the transport direction. The transport direction X is an example of a second direction that intersects the first direction. Here, the transport direction X intersects (more specifically, orthogonal to) the scanning direction Y in a plan view. For example, the transport direction X is the front-back direction. The symbol Z indicates the up-down direction (in other words, the height direction). However, these directions are merely defined for the convenience of explanation and do not limit the installation configuration of the printer 10 in any way, nor do they limit the present invention in any way.

[0013] The printer 10 is an inkjet printer. In this embodiment, the printer 10 is a printer with a cutting carriage and has a cutting function. The printer 10 is a print & cut machine capable of printing and cutting on the medium 5.

[0014] The medium 5 is, for example, a roll-shaped recording paper. However, the medium 5 may be formed of a resin material such as polyvinyl chloride or polyester, aluminum, iron, or wood, and the material forming the medium 5 is not particularly limited. Also, the medium 5 may be in sheet form or a three-dimensional object having a predetermined shape.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 includes a main body 11, a platen 13, and a guide rail 15. The main body 11 has a casing extending in the scanning direction Y. The platen 13 is provided above the main body 11. The platen 13 supports the medium 5 when printing on the medium 5 and cutting the medium 5. The medium 5 is placed on the platen 13. Here, the platen 13 extends in the scanning direction Y and the conveyance direction X. The medium 5 supported by the platen 13 is configured to be movable in the conveyance direction X by a conveyance mechanism (not shown). The guide rail 15 is fixed to the main body 11 above the platen 13. The guide rail 15 extends in the scanning direction Y.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 includes a cut carriage 20 and a print carriage 25. The cut carriage 20 is an example of the carriage of the present invention. The cut carriage 20 has a function of cutting the medium 5 supported by the platen 13. The cut carriage 20 is configured to be movable in the scanning direction Y. In FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the positions of the cut carriage 20 with respect to the main body 11 are different. In the order of FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the cut carriage 20 is moving from right to left in the scanning direction Y. The cut carriage 20 is slidably engaged with the guide rail 15. Although not shown, a cutter is provided on the cut carriage 20. The cutter is configured to be movable in the vertical direction Z. The blade of the cutter can project downward from the cut carriage 20. In the present embodiment, the cutter is attached to the cut carriage 20 via a solenoid. Here, when the solenoid is turned ON or OFF, the cutter moves in the vertical direction Z to contact or separate from the medium 5. Thus, the medium 5 is cut by the cutter.

[0017] The print carriage 25 has a function of printing on the medium 5 supported by the platen 13. The print carriage 25 is arranged side by side with the cut carriage 20 in the scanning direction Y. The print carriage 25 is configured to be movable in the scanning direction Y. In FIGS. 1 to 3, the print carriage 25 is arranged inside the right part of the main body 11. However, when the print carriage 25 is connected to the cut carriage 20 as described later, the print carriage 25 moves in the scanning direction Y together with the cut carriage 20. The print carriage 25 is slidably engaged with the guide rail 15. Although not shown, an ink head (not shown) for discharging ink toward the medium 5 supported by the platen 13 is provided on the print carriage 25. The ink head discharges process color inks such as cyan ink, magenta ink, yellow ink, black ink, and special inks such as clear ink and white ink.

[0018] In this embodiment, the printer 10 is equipped with a moving mechanism 30. The moving mechanism 30 is a mechanism that moves the cut carriage 20 in the scanning direction Y. The configuration of the moving mechanism 30 is not particularly limited. The moving mechanism 30, although not shown in the figures, includes, for example, left and right pulleys provided around both ends of the guide rail 15, a belt wrapped around the left and right pulleys, and a carriage motor connected to one of the pulleys. The cut carriage 20 is fixed to the belt. Here, when the carriage motor is driven, one of the pulleys rotates and the belt moves. As a result, the cut carriage 20 moves along the guide rail 15 in the scanning direction Y.

[0019] In this embodiment, the cut carriage 20 and the print carriage 25 are configured to be connectable. When the cut carriage 20 and the print carriage 25 are separated, the cut carriage 20 moves independently in the scanning direction Y by the moving mechanism 30, as shown in Figures 1 to 3. When the cut carriage 20 and the print carriage 25 are connected, the moving mechanism 30 moves the cut carriage 20 and the print carriage 25 together in the scanning direction Y.

[0020] The printer 10 is equipped with a control device (not shown). The control device is composed of, for example, a microcomputer. The control device includes an interface (I / F) for receiving print data from external devices such as a host computer, a central processing unit (CPU) for executing instructions of the control program, a read-only memory (ROM) for storing the program executed by the CPU, a random access memory (RAM) used as a working area for expanding the program, and a memory for storing the program and various data. Detailed illustrations are omitted, but the control device is communicated to the transport mechanism, cut carriage 20, print carriage 25, and moving mechanism 30. The control device is configured to control the transport mechanism, cut carriage 20, print carriage 25, and moving mechanism 30.

[0021] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the printer 10 includes a cable assembly 40 and a support member 60. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the cable assembly 40 moves together with the cut carriage 20 in accordance with the movement of the cut carriage 20 in the scanning direction Y. The cable assembly 40 bends and deforms into a U-shape in accordance with the movement of the cut carriage 20 in the scanning direction Y. The support member 60 supports the cable assembly 40 that has been bent and deformed into a U-shape. The cable assembly 40 and the support member 60 will be described in detail below.

[0022] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cable assembly 40 (more specifically, a cross-sectional view of the cable assembly 40 along the thickness direction). Here, as shown in Figure 4, the cable assembly 40 includes a flexible cable 41, a first protective sheet 46, and a second protective sheet 47.

[0023] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the flexible cable 41 moves along with the movement of the cut carriage 20 in the scanning direction Y. The flexible cable 41 has a strip-like shape. The flexible cable 41 is, for example, a Flexible Flat Cable (FFC). However, the shape of the flexible cable 41 is not limited to a strip shape. As shown in Figure 1, the flexible cable 41 is configured to be bendable into a U-shape. In this embodiment, one end of the flexible cable 41 is connected to the cut carriage 20. One end of the flexible cable 41 moves along with the cut carriage 20 in the scanning direction Y. The other end of the flexible cable 41 is connected to the control device described above and is fixed to the main body 11. In this embodiment, the other end of the flexible cable 41 is fixed at a fixed position P1 in the central part of the main body 11 in the scanning direction Y. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, when the cut carriage 20 is moving in the scanning direction Y, the other end of the flexible cable 41 is fixed in position, but one end of the flexible cable 41 moves along with the cut carriage 20.

[0024] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the flexible cable 41 has a first portion 51, a second portion 52, and a bent portion 53. The first portion 51 includes one end of the flexible cable 41. The end of the first portion 51 (in this case, the right end) is connected to the cut carriage 20. The first portion 51 extends in the scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, the first portion 51 extends from the cut carriage 20 toward the scanning direction Y (in this case, to the left).

[0025] The second part 52 includes the other end of the flexible cable 41. The end of the second part 52 (in this case, the right end) is connected to the main body 11 and is fixed in position. Here, the second part 52 is fixed at a fixed position P1 located in the central part of the main body 11 in the scanning direction Y. The second part 52 extends in the scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, the second part 52 extends from the fixed position P1 toward the scanning direction Y (in this case, to the left). The second part 52 is positioned alongside the first part 51 in the transport direction X. In this embodiment, the second part 52 is positioned behind the first part 51. The second part 52 is spaced apart from the first part 51 in the transport direction X.

[0026] The bent portion 53 constitutes the U-shaped bent portion of the flexible cable 41. Here, the bent portion 53 is bent in a U-shape so as to be convex in the scanning direction Y (more specifically, to the left). The bent portion 53 is provided between one end and the other end of the flexible cable 41. Here, the bent portion 53 is positioned between the first portion 51 and the second portion 52, connecting the first portion 51 and the second portion 52. In this embodiment, the bent portion 53 is positioned to the left of the first portion 51 and to the left of the second portion 52.

[0027] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the flexible cable 41 is configured such that the position of the bent portion 53 relative to the entire flexible cable 41 is changed when the cut carriage 20 moves in the scanning direction Y. Furthermore, the length of the first portion 51 in the scanning direction Y (hereinafter simply referred to as the length of the first portion 51) and the length of the second portion 52 in the scanning direction Y (hereinafter simply referred to as the length of the second portion 52) are changed when the cut carriage 20 moves in the scanning direction Y. In other words, the flexible cable 41 is configured such that the length of one end of the flexible cable 41 relative to the bent portion 53 and the length of the other end of the flexible cable 41 relative to the bent portion 53 are changed when the cut carriage 20 moves in the scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, when the cut carriage 20 is positioned to the far right, the bent portion 53 is positioned to the left of the fixed position P1. The position of the bent portion 53 at this time is the position that is positioned to the far right when the cut carriage 20 is moving. When the cut carriage 20 is positioned furthest to the right, the length of the first section 51 is at its longest, and the length of the second section 52 is at its shortest. As shown in Figure 2, when the cut carriage 20 moves to the left, the bent section 53 also moves to the left. At this time, the length of the first section 51 gradually decreases, and the length of the second section 52 gradually increases. Then, as shown in Figure 3, when the cut carriage 20 moves furthest to the left, the bent section 53 is positioned furthest to the left. At this time, the length of the first section 51 is at its shortest, and the length of the second section 52 is at its longest.

[0028] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, a first protective sheet 46 is provided on one of the opposing wide surfaces of the strip-shaped flexible cable 41. A second protective sheet 47 is provided on the other of the opposing wide surfaces of the flexible cable 41. Here, the flexible cable 41 is protected from noise by being sandwiched between the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47. The first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 each extend along the flexible cable 41. Therefore, in the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47, the portions corresponding to the first portion 51 and the second portion 52 of the flexible cable 41 extend in the scanning direction Y, and the portions corresponding to the bent portion 53 are bent in a U-shape. The first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 are resin sheets formed of resin. However, the material of the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 is not particularly limited. Note that the illustration of the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 is omitted in drawings other than Figure 4.

[0029] Next, the support member 60 will be described. As mentioned above, the support member 60 supports the flexible cable 41 (in other words, the cable assembly 40), as shown in Figure 2. The support member 60 is positioned above the platen 13 and behind the guide rail 15. However, the position of the support member 60 is not particularly limited. The support member 60 extends in the scanning direction Y.

[0030] Figures 5A, 5B, and 6 are schematic perspective, plan, and front views of the support member 60, respectively. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the support member 60 at the VII-VII section of Figure 5B. Figure 8 is a corresponding view to Figure 7. Figures 9 and 10 are cross-sectional views of the support member 60 at the IX-IX section of Figure 5B and the XX section of Figure 5B, respectively. As shown in Figures 5A, 5B, and 6, the support member 60 has a bottom wall 71, a first side wall 76, and a second side wall 77. The bottom wall 71 extends above the platen 13 (see Figure 1) in the scanning direction Y and the transport direction X. Here, the bottom wall 71 has a shape that is longer in the scanning direction Y than in the transport direction Y.

[0031] As shown in Figure 7, the first side wall 76 extends upward from the bottom wall 71 and extends in the scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, the first side wall 76 is connected to the front end of the bottom wall 71. Here, the first side wall 76 extends directly upward from the front end of the bottom wall 71. However, the first side wall 76 may be inclined, for example, it may be inclined away from the bottom wall 71 as it goes from bottom to top, in this case, forward.

[0032] The second side wall 77 faces the first side wall 76 in the transport direction X. The second side wall 77 is positioned alongside the first side wall 76 in the transport direction X. The second side wall 77 is positioned alongside the first side wall 76 in the transport direction X, with the bottom wall 71 in between. Here, the second side wall 77 is positioned behind the first side wall 76. The second side wall 77 extends upward from the bottom wall 71 and also extends in the scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, the second side wall 77 is connected to the rear end of the bottom wall 71. Here, the second side wall 77 extends straight up from the rear end of the bottom wall 71. However, the second side wall 77 may be inclined, for example, it may be inclined away from the bottom wall 71 as it goes from bottom to top, in this case towards the rear.

[0033] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the cable assembly 40 is positioned above the bottom wall 71 of the support member 60, between the first side wall 76 and the second side wall 77. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the flexible cable 41 moves together within the support member 60 in accordance with the movement of the cut carriage 20 in the scanning direction Y. Therefore, the bent portion 53 of the flexible cable 41 moves above the bottom wall 71 in the scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, in a plan view, the range of the trajectory of the bent portion 53 in the scanning direction Y that the bent portion 53 passes through when it moves together with the cut carriage 20, out of the entire range of the support member 60 in the scanning direction Y, is called the passing range AR1. The passing range AR1 is the range of the scanning direction Y that the bent portion 53 passes through when the cut carriage 20 is moving in the scanning direction Y, out of the entire range of the support member 60 in the scanning direction Y.

[0034] On the other hand, in a plan view, the non-passage range AR2 is defined as the range of the non-passage trajectory in the scanning direction Y that the bent portion 53 does not pass through when the bent portion 53 moves together with the cut carriage 20, within the entire range of the scanning direction Y of the support member 60. The non-passage range AR2 is the range in the scanning direction Y that the bent portion 53 does not pass through when the cut carriage 20 is moving in the scanning direction Y, within the entire range of the scanning direction Y of the support member 60.

[0035] Here, the pass-through range AR1 and the non-pass-through range AR2 are aligned in the scanning direction Y. Here, the pass-through range AR1 is located to the left of the non-pass-through range AR2. In this embodiment, the pass-through range AR1 and the non-pass-through range AR2 are separated by a fixed position P1 to which the other end of the flexible cable 41 is fixed. Here, the pass-through range AR1 is the range of the support member 60 located to the left of the fixed position P1. The non-pass-through range AR2 is the range of the support member 60 located to the right of the fixed position P1.

[0036] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, a first groove 81 and a second groove 82 are formed in the bottom wall 71 of the support member 60. The first groove 81 is a groove that extends in the scanning direction Y on the first side wall 76 side and is recessed downward. In other words, the first groove 81 is recessed downward. Here, the first groove 81 extends linearly in the scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 is placed in the first groove 81. In other words, the first groove 81 accommodates one end of the flexible cable 41 beyond the bent portion 53. Also, although shown only in Figure 4 and omitted in the other drawings, portions of the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 corresponding to the first portion 51 are also placed in the first groove 81. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 passes through the passage range AR1 and non-passage range AR2 of the support member 60 when the cut carriage 20 is moving in the scanning direction Y. Therefore, as shown in Figures 7 to 10, the first groove 81 in which the first portion 51 is located is formed in the portion of the bottom wall 71 within the passage range AR1 and in the portion of the bottom wall 71 within the non-passage range AR2.

[0037] The shape of the first groove 81 is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the first groove 81 is a V-shaped groove with a pointed bottom when viewed from the scanning direction Y. Here, the first groove 81 has a first groove side surface 81a and a first groove inclined surface 81b, and the first groove side surface 81a and the first groove inclined surface 81b form a V-shaped groove. The first groove side surface 81a extends in the vertical direction Z and also extends in the scanning direction Y. Here, the first groove side surface 81a is formed by the rear surface of the first side wall 76. The first groove inclined surface 81b is located closer to the second side wall 77 than the first groove side surface 81a. Here, the first groove inclined surface 81b is located behind the first groove side surface 81a. The lower end of the first groove inclined surface 81b is connected to the lower end of the first groove side surface 81a. The first groove inclined surface 81b extends upward from the lower end of the first groove side surface 81a, inclined away from the first groove side surface 81a. Here, the first groove inclined surface 81b is inclined backward as it extends upward. The first groove inclined surface 81b extends in the scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, the angle between the first groove side surface 81a and the first groove inclined surface 81b is acute.

[0038] The second groove 82 is a groove that extends in the scanning direction Y on the second side wall 77 side and is recessed downward. In other words, the second groove 82 is recessed downward. Here, the second groove 82 extends linearly in the scanning direction Y. The second groove 82 is located behind the first groove 81. In this embodiment, the second portion 52 of the flexible cable 41 is located in the second groove 82. In other words, the second groove 82 accommodates the other end of the flexible cable 41 beyond the bent portion 53. Also, although shown only in Figure 4 and not shown in the other drawings, portions of the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 corresponding to the second portion 52 are also located in the second groove 82. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, when the cut carriage 20 is moving in the scanning direction Y, the second portion 52 of the flexible cable 41 passes through the passage range AR1 of the support member 60, but does not pass through the non-passage range AR2. In other words, the second portion 52 is positioned within the passage range AR1. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the second groove 82 in which the second portion 52 is positioned is formed in the portion of the bottom wall 71 within the passage range AR1, and as shown in Figures 9 and 10, it is not formed in the portion of the bottom wall 71 within the non-passage range AR2. Also, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 10, the second side wall 77 of the support member 60 is not formed in a portion of the non-passage range AR2.

[0039] The shape of the second groove 82 is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the second groove 82 has the same shape as the first groove 81, and here it is a V-shaped groove with a pointed bottom when viewed from the scanning direction Y. Here, the second groove 82 has a second groove side surface 82a and a second groove inclined surface 82b, and the second groove side surface 82a and the second groove inclined surface 82b form a V-shaped groove. The second groove side surface 82a extends in the vertical direction Z and also extends in the scanning direction Y. Here, the second groove side surface 82a is formed by the front surface of the second side wall 77. The second groove inclined surface 82b is located closer to the first side wall 76 than the second groove side surface 82a. Here, the second groove inclined surface 82b is located in front of the second groove side surface 82a. The lower end of the second groove inclined surface 82b is connected to the lower end of the second groove side surface 82a. The second groove inclined surface 82b extends upward from the lower end of the second groove side surface 82a, inclined away from the second groove side surface 82a. Here, the second groove inclined surface 82b is inclined forward as it extends upward. The second groove inclined surface 82b extends in the scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, the angle between the second groove side surface 82a and the second groove inclined surface 82b is acute.

[0040] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the bottom wall 71 of the support member 60 has a raised portion 83. The raised portion 83 extends in the scanning direction Y between the first groove 81 and the second groove 82. Here, the raised portion 83 is positioned between the first groove 81 and the second groove 82. The raised portion 83 is raised higher than the first groove 81 and the second groove 82. Here, "raised" means that the raised portion 83 is raised higher than the bottom of the first groove 81 and the bottom of the second groove 82. In this embodiment, the raised portion 83 is continuous with the upper end of the surface forming the first groove 81 and continuous with the upper end of the surface forming the second groove 82. Here, the raised portion 83 connects the upper end of the first groove inclined surface 81b of the first groove 81 and the upper end of the second groove inclined surface 82b of the second groove 82. The raised portion 83 is formed by a flat surface connecting the upper end of the first groove inclined surface 81b and the upper end of the second groove inclined surface 82b. However, the raised portion 83 is not limited to a flat surface.

[0041] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, the bent portion 53 of the flexible cable 41 is positioned on the raised portion 83. The raised portion 83 supports the bent portion 53. Although not shown in the figures, the portions of the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 corresponding to the bent portion 53 are also positioned on the raised portion 83. When the cut carriage 20 moves in the scanning direction Y, the bent portion 53 moves along the raised portion 83 in the scanning direction Y. Therefore, in the flexible cable 41, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the bent portion 53 is positioned higher than the first portion 51 positioned in the first groove 81, and higher than the second portion 52 positioned in the second groove 82.

[0042] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing how the inclination angle R1 changes when the length of the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 is changed. Here, as shown in Figure 11, the first portion 51 is inclined upward from the bottom of the first groove 81 toward the bend 53 as it moves from the cut carriage 20 (here, the right end of the first portion 51) toward the bend 53. As described above, the first portion 51 is configured such that its length in the scanning direction Y is changed when the cut carriage 20 moves in the scanning direction Y. For example, when the length of the first portion 51 in the scanning direction Y is long, the distance from the bend 53 to the cut carriage 20 becomes longer, the inclination of the first portion 51 becomes gentler, and the inclination angle R1 of the first portion 51 becomes smaller. On the other hand, as shown by the two dashed lines in Figure 11, when the length of the first portion 51 in the scanning direction Y is short, the distance from the bend 53 to the cut carriage 20 becomes shorter, the inclination of the first portion 51 becomes steeper, and the inclination angle R1 of the first portion 51 becomes larger.

[0043] In this embodiment, in order to accommodate changes in the inclination angle R1 of the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41, the end of the first portion 51 connected to the cut carriage 20 (here, one end of the flexible cable 41) is rotatably connected to the cut carriage 20. Figure 12 is a rear view of the cut carriage 20 and is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 rotates relative to the cut carriage 20. Here, as shown in Figure 12, a rotating shaft 55 is provided that connects the end of the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 (here, the right end, which is one end of the flexible cable 41) to the cut carriage 20. The rotating shaft 55 extends in the transport direction X. Here, a rotating hole (not shown) is formed in the end of the first portion 51, and this rotating hole is inserted into the rotating shaft 55. Therefore, the first portion 51 (in other words, one end of the flexible cable 41) is configured to be rotatable in the vertical direction Z about the rotating shaft 55, as shown by arrow A1 in Figure 12.

[0044] In this embodiment, a regulating hole 56 is formed at the end of the first portion 51. The regulating hole 56 is an elongated hole that is long in the vertical direction Z. A regulating pin 57 extending in the transport direction X is inserted into the regulating hole 56. The regulating pin 57 is fixed to the cut carriage 20. Here, when the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 rotates around the rotation axis 55, the regulating pin 57 moves in the vertical direction Z within the regulating hole 56. When the regulating pin 57 is positioned at the upper or lower end of the regulating hole 56, it restricts the rotation of the first portion 51 around the rotation axis 55.

[0045] In this embodiment, when the cut carriage 20 is moving, the bent portion 53 of the flexible cable 41 may lift up from the raised portion 83 of the support member 60. Therefore, as shown in Figure 8, the support member 60 has an upper wall 73. The upper wall 73 is for preventing the bent portion 53 from lifting up from the raised portion 83. The upper wall 73 is positioned above the bent portion 53 when the flexible cable 41 is supported by the support member 60. At least a portion of the upper wall 73 is positioned to overlap with the raised portion 83 in a plan view. The upper wall 73 extends above the bottom wall 71 in the scanning direction Y and in the transport direction X. In this embodiment, the upper wall 73 is connected to the upper end of the second side wall 77 and extends forward from the upper end of the second side wall 77 toward the first side wall 76. However, the upper wall 73 may be connected to the upper end of the first side wall 76 and extend from the first side wall 76 toward the second side wall 77.

[0046] The upper wall 73 is preferably positioned within the range through which the bent portion 53 passes. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the upper wall 73 is positioned within the passing range AR1 of the entire range in the scanning direction Y of the support member 60, and is not positioned within the non-passing range AR2. However, it is also possible for the upper wall 73 to be positioned within the non-passing range AR2.

[0047] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, when the cut carriage 20 moves in the scanning direction Y, the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 directly connected to the cut carriage 20 also moves in the scanning direction Y within the first groove 81 of the support member 60. At this time, as shown in Figure 10, the first portion 51 may come out of the first groove 81. For example, the first portion 51 may attempt to move from the first groove 81 to the raised portion 83.

[0048] Therefore, in this embodiment, the support member 60 has a guide wall 74. The guide wall 74 guides the first portion 51 so that the first portion 51 that has come out of the first groove 81 returns to the first groove 81. Here, the guide wall 74 is connected to the upper end of the surface of the first groove 81 opposite to the first side wall 76 (here, the first groove inclined surface 82b). The guide wall 74 extends inclined away from the first side wall 76 as it goes upward from the upper end of the first groove inclined surface 82b of the first groove 81, and extends in the scanning direction Y. In other words, the guide wall 74 is inclined backward as it goes upward from the upper end of the first groove inclined surface 82b. The guide wall 74 is positioned on the extension of the first groove inclined surface 82b. As shown in Figure 7, the guide wall 74 is positioned directly above the raised portion 83 when viewed from the scanning direction Y. Here, the inclination angle of the guide wall 74 is the same as the inclination angle of the first groove inclined surface 82b. However, the inclination angle of the guide wall 74 may be smaller or larger than the inclination angle of the first groove inclined surface 82b.

[0049] Thus, in this embodiment, since the guide wall 74 is positioned directly above the raised portion 83 when viewed from the scanning direction Y, it is preferable that it is not positioned in a location that overlaps with the raised portion 83 through which the bent portion 53 of the flexible cable 41 passes in a plan view. For this reason, as shown in Figure 1, the guide wall 74 is positioned in the non-passing area AR2 of the entire range of the scanning direction Y of the support member 60, but not in the passing area AR1.

[0050] Next, the movement of the flexible cable 41 when the cut carriage 20 is moving in the scanning direction Y will be described. As shown in Figure 1, when the cut carriage 20 is positioned to the far right, the bent portion 53 is positioned to the left of the fixed position P1. As shown in Figure 8, the bent portion 53 is positioned on the raised portion 83 of the support member 60. As shown in Figure 1, when the cut carriage 20 is positioned to the far right, the length of the first portion 51 is at its longest and the length of the second portion 52 is at its shortest. At this time, as shown in Figure 7, the first portion 51 is positioned in the first groove 81 of the support member 60, and the second portion 52 is positioned in the second groove 82 of the support member 60.

[0051] As shown in Figure 2, when the cut carriage 20 moves to the left, the bent portion 53 moves to the left along the raised portion 83. At this time, the length of the first portion 51 gradually decreases, and the length of the second portion 52 gradually increases. Then, as shown in Figure 3, when the cut carriage 20 moves to the far left, the bent portion 53 is positioned to the far left. At this time, the length of the first portion 51 is at its shortest, and the length of the second portion 52 is at its longest. Subsequently, when the cut carriage 20 moves to the right, the bent portion 53 moves to the right along the raised portion 83. At this time, the length of the first portion 51 gradually increases, and the length of the second portion 52 gradually decreases. In this way, as the cut carriage 20 moves back and forth in the scanning direction Y, the flexible cable 41 moves along with the cut carriage 20, with the first portion 51 positioned in the first groove 81 and the second portion 52 positioned in the second groove 82.

[0052] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, when the bent portion 53 is moving on the raised portion 83, the upper wall 73 of the support member 60 is positioned above the bent portion 53. Therefore, even if the bent portion 53 were to lift off the raised portion 83, it would be prevented from lifting off by contacting the upper wall 73.

[0053] Furthermore, while the cut carriage 20 is moving, the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 moves along with the cut carriage 20, and therefore moves along the first groove 81 in the scanning direction Y. As described above, the guide wall 74 is a guide for returning the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 to the first groove 81 in the non-passage range AR2 (here, the home position side of the cut carriage 20) if the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 comes out of the first groove 81. Therefore, even if the flexible cable 41 comes out of the first groove 81 in the passage range AR1, in the non-passage range AR2, as shown in Figure 10, a part of the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 rides onto the guide wall 74 of the support member 60. Then, due to gravity, it moves along the guide wall 74 into the first groove 81 as shown by arrow A2 in Figure 10. Thus, even if the flexible cable 41 comes out of the first groove 81 in the passage range AR1, it does not move back and forth between the passage range AR1 and the non-passage range AR2 while out of the first groove 81. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the movement of the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 in the scanning direction Y while it is disengaged from the first groove 81.

[0054] As described above, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the printer 10 includes a flexible cable 41 that moves along with the movement of the cut carriage 20 in the scanning direction Y, and a support member 60 that extends in the scanning direction Y and supports the flexible cable 41. The flexible cable 41 is connected to the cut carriage 20 and has one end that moves with the cut carriage 20 in the scanning direction Y, the other end whose position is fixed, and a bent portion 53 provided between the one end and the other. As shown in Figure 7, the support member 60 has a bottom wall 71, a first side wall 76, and a second side wall 77. The first side wall 76 extends upward from the bottom wall 71 and extends in the scanning direction Y. The second side wall 77 extends upward from the bottom wall 71 and extends in the scanning direction Y, and is located next to the first side wall 76 in the transport direction X, with the bottom wall 71 in between. The bottom wall 71 has a first groove 81 that extends in the scanning direction Y on the first side wall 76 side, accommodates one end of the flexible cable 41 (in this case, the first portion 51) beyond the bent portion 53, and is recessed downwards, and a second groove 82 that extends in the scanning direction Y on the second side wall 77 side, accommodates the other end of the flexible cable 41 (in this case, the second portion 52) beyond the bent portion 53, and is recessed downwards.

[0055] As a result, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, when the cut carriage 20 moves in the scanning direction Y, as shown in Figure 7, the flexible cable 41 moves along with the movement of the cut carriage 20 with the first portion 51 housed in the first groove 81 and the second portion 52 housed in the second groove 82. At this time, since the first portion 51 moves along guided by the first groove 81 and the second portion 52 moves along guided by the second groove 82, it is possible to prevent the flexible cable 41 from falling towards the center side of the bottom wall 71 (in this case, the center side between the first side wall 76 and the second side wall 77). Therefore, when the cut carriage 20 is moving, the flexible cable 41 can be positioned in an appropriate posture (e.g., an upright posture).

[0056] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since separate components such as guide members used to maintain the flexible cable 41 in an upright position are not required, costs can be reduced. In addition, compared to when a guide member is used, the distance between the first side wall 76 and the second side wall 77 of the support member 60 can be narrowed, thus enabling miniaturization of the support member 60. The following are possible reasons why the support member 60 can be miniaturized.

[0057] For example, when a guide member is used, the guide member is made of metal or the like. Therefore, from the viewpoint of durability of the guide member corresponding to the bent portion 53 of the flexible cable 41, there is a limitation on the bending rate of the guide member. In order to address this limitation on the bending rate of the guide member, it was necessary to ensure a predetermined distance between the first side wall 76 and the second side wall 77. However, in this embodiment, since a guide member is not required, it is not necessary to ensure a predetermined distance between the first side wall 76 and the second side wall 77. Therefore, the distance between the first side wall 76 and the second side wall 77 can be set within a range that does not interfere with the movement of the flexible cable 41 in the scanning direction Y, so the support member 60 can be made smaller compared to when a guide member is used.

[0058] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the flexible cable 41 is sandwiched between a first protective sheet 46 and a second protective sheet 47. One end of each of the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 is housed in the first groove 81, and the other end is housed in the second groove 82. Therefore, even when no guide member is used, the upright position of the flexible cable 41 sandwiched between the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 can be maintained.

[0059] If the flexible cable 41 sandwiched between the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 were to move together with the cut carriage 20 without using the first groove 81 and the second groove 82, the flexible cable 41 would bend, causing friction between the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 between one end and the other. Here, since the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 are made of resin (e.g., PET), the friction between the flexible cable 41 and the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 would generate electrical noise (e.g., static electricity), which could result in a communication error. However, in this embodiment, even without using a guide member, the upright position of the flexible cable 41 sandwiched between the first protective sheet 46 and the second protective sheet 47 can be maintained. Therefore, friction between the one end and the other end of the flexible cable 41 can be suppressed, and communication errors can be suppressed.

[0060] In this embodiment, the flexible cable 41 is configured such that the position of the bent portion 53 changes when one end moves in the scanning direction Y together with the cut carriage 20. The first groove 81 has a first groove side surface 81a that extends in the vertical direction Z and in the scanning direction Y, and a first groove inclined surface 81b that is located closer to the second side wall 77 than the first groove side surface 81a, extends inclined upwards away from the first groove side surface 81a, and extends in the scanning direction Y. The second groove 82 has a second groove side surface 82a that extends in the vertical direction Z and in the scanning direction Y, and a second groove inclined surface 82b that is located closer to the first side wall 76 than the second groove side surface 82a, extends inclined upwards away from the second groove side surface 82a, and extends in the scanning direction Y. By configuring the first groove 81 and the second groove 82 as described above, when the flexible cable 41 moves in the scanning direction Y together with the cut carriage 20, the position of the bent portion 53 in the flexible cable 41 changes in the scanning direction Y, causing the flexible cable 41 to flap. Even in this case, the flapping of the flexible cable 41 can be suppressed by moving the flexible cable 41 along the inclined surface 81b of the first groove and the inclined surface 82b of the second groove. Therefore, it is possible to make it difficult for one end and the other end of the flexible cable 41 to come off the first groove 81 and the second groove 82.

[0061] In this embodiment, the flexible cable 41 is configured such that the position of the bent portion 53 changes as one end moves with the cut carriage 20 in the scanning direction Y. The bottom wall 71 extends in the scanning direction Y between the first groove 81 and the second groove 82, and has a raised portion 83 that is higher than the first groove 81 and the second groove 82 and supports the bent portion 53. This makes it possible to keep the vertical position of the bent portion 53 constant even when the position of the bent portion 53 in the flexible cable 41 changes in the scanning direction Y. Therefore, it is possible to make it difficult for the flexible cable 41 to come off the first groove 81 and the second groove 82.

[0062] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the flexible cable 41 is configured such that when the cut carriage 20 moves in the scanning direction Y, the position of the bent portion 53 relative to the entire flexible cable 41 is changed, and the length of one end of the flexible cable 41 from the bent portion 53 (here, the first portion 51) and the length of the other end of the flexible cable 41 from the bent portion 53 (here, the second portion 52) are changed. As shown in Figure 8, the bent portion 53 of the flexible cable 41 is located on a raised portion 83. As shown in Figure 12, the printer 10 is equipped with a rotating shaft 55 that connects the end of the first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 to the cut carriage 20. The first portion 51 of the flexible cable 41 is configured to be rotatable in the vertical direction Z about the rotating shaft 55.

[0063] As a result, in the flexible cable 41, as shown in Figure 11, the bent portion 53 is positioned higher than one end of the flexible cable 41 (in this case, the first portion 51) that is placed in the first groove 81. The first portion 51 is inclined upward from the bottom of the first groove 81 toward the bent portion 53 as it moves from the cut carriage 20 (for example, the right end of the first portion 51) toward the bent portion 53. As described above, the first portion 51 is configured such that its length in the scanning direction Y is changed as the cut carriage 20 moves in the scanning direction Y. For example, when the length of the first portion 51 in the scanning direction Y is long, the distance from the bent portion 53 to the cut carriage 20 becomes long, and the inclination angle R1 of the first portion 51 becomes small. On the other hand, when the length of the first portion 51 in the scanning direction Y is short, the distance from the bent portion 53 to the cut carriage 20 becomes short, and the inclination angle R1 of the first portion 51 becomes large. In this embodiment, even if the inclination angle R1 of the first portion 51 is changed, as shown in Figure 12, the first portion 51 rotates around the rotation axis 55 relative to the cut carriage 20, so that the first portion 51 can be properly positioned within the first groove 81.

[0064] In this embodiment, the support member 60 has an upper wall 73 positioned above the bent portion 53, as shown in Figure 8, within the entire range of the scanning direction Y of the support member 60, specifically within the range of the trajectory of the bending portion 53 in the scanning direction Y that the bending portion 53 passes through when it moves together with the cut carriage 20 (here, the passing range AR1). This prevents the bending portion 53 from lifting off the raised portion 83 even if it were to lift off the raised portion 83, by keeping the bending portion 53 in contact with the upper wall 73.

[0065] In this embodiment, the support member 60 has a guide wall 74 that extends in the scanning direction Y, as shown in Figure 10, in the non-passage trajectory range (here, non-passage range AR2) in the scanning direction Y, where the bent portion 53 does not pass when the bent portion 53 moves together with the cut carriage 20, in the range of the non-passage trajectory in the scanning direction Y that the bent portion 53 does not pass through when the bent portion 53 moves together with the cut carriage 20, in the range of the non-passage trajectory in the scanning direction Y (here, non-passage range AR2). The guide wall 74 extends in the scanning direction Y, and is inclined to move away from the first side wall 76 as it goes upward from the upper end of the surface (here, the first groove inclined surface 81b) of the first groove 81 that houses one end (here, the first portion 51) connected to the cut carriage 20, and is inclined to move away from the first side wall 76 as it goes upward. One end (here, the first portion 51) of the flexible cable 41 moves in the scanning direction Y on the first groove 81 in order to move together with the cut carriage 20. At this time, even if the first portion 51 moves upward along the first groove inclined surface 81b and rides up onto the raised portion 83 from the first groove 81 (if it comes off the first groove 81), in the non-passage trajectory range in the scanning direction Y that the bent portion 53 does not pass through (here, the non-passage range AR2), the guide wall 74 extends away from the first side wall 76 as it moves upward from the upper end of the first groove inclined surface 81b in the first groove 81, and also extends in the scanning direction Y. Therefore, when the flexible cable 41 moves in the non-passage range AR2, the portion of the first portion 51 that has come off the first groove 81 moves upward along the guide wall 74. A part of one end of the flexible cable 41 (first portion 51) that has moved upward along the guide wall 74 will move downward along the guide wall 74 due to gravity, as shown by arrow A2 in Figure 10, and move into the first groove 81 when it moves in the scanning direction Y. As a result, even if the first portion 51 comes out of the first groove 81, it can be returned to the first groove 81 when moving through the non-passing area AR2, thus preventing one end of the flexible cable 41 (the first portion 51) from coming out of the first groove 81 and continuing to move.

[0066] Furthermore, the carriage moving device according to the present invention is not limited to the printer 10, and the carriage provided by the carriage moving device is not limited to the cutting carriage 20. The carriage moving device according to the present invention does not have to have a printing function like the printer 10, and may be a so-called cutting device in which the print carriage 25 is omitted and the cutting carriage 20 is provided. In addition, the carriage provided by the carriage moving device according to the present invention may be, for example, a sensor carriage equipped with a sensor.

[0067] In this embodiment, the first groove 81 and the second groove 82 of the support member 60 were V-shaped grooves when viewed from the scanning direction Y. However, the shape of the first groove 81 and the second groove 82 is not particularly limited. For example, the first groove 81 and the second groove 82 may be U-shaped grooves or rectangular grooves when viewed from the scanning direction Y. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 10. Printer (carriage moving device) 20 Cut Carriage (Carriage) 30 Moving mechanism 41 Flexible Cable 51 Part 1 52 Part 2 53. Bending section 55 Rotation axis 60 Support member 71 Bottom wall 73 Upper wall 74 Guide Wall 76 First side wall 77 Second side wall 81 First groove 81a 1st groove side 81b 1st groove slope 82 2nd groove 82a 2nd groove side 82b 2nd groove slope 83 Ridge X Conveying direction (second direction) Y scanning direction (first direction)

Claims

1. The carriage and, A moving mechanism for moving the carriage in a first direction, A flexible cable having one end connected to the carriage and moving in the first direction together with the carriage, the other end fixed in position, and a bend provided between the one end and the other end, A support member for supporting the flexible cable, having a bottom wall, a first side wall extending upward from the bottom wall and extending in the first direction, and a second side wall extending upward from the bottom wall and extending in the first direction, and intersecting the first direction, and adjacent to the first side wall on either side of the bottom wall. Equipped with, The aforementioned bottom wall is On the first side wall, a first groove extends in the first direction, accommodates the one end of the flexible cable beyond the bent portion, and is recessed downwards, On the second side wall, a second groove extends in the first direction, accommodates the other end of the flexible cable beyond the bent portion, and is recessed downwards, A carriage moving device having

2. The flexible cable is configured such that the position of the bent portion changes when one end of the flexible cable moves in the first direction together with the carriage. The first groove is A first groove side surface extending in the vertical direction and in the first direction, A first groove inclined surface is positioned on the second sidewall side of the first groove surface, extends in a direction that is inclined away from the first groove surface as it extends upward, and extends in the first direction, It has, The second groove is The second groove side surface, which extends in the vertical direction and in the first direction, A second groove inclined surface is positioned on the first sidewall side of the second groove side, extends in a direction that is inclined away from the second groove side as it extends upward, and extends in the first direction, A carriage moving device according to claim 1, having the following features.

3. The flexible cable is configured such that the position of the bent portion changes when one end of the flexible cable moves in the first direction together with the carriage. The carriage moving device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bottom wall extends in the first direction between the first groove and the second groove, is raised above the first groove and the second groove, and has a raised portion that supports the bent portion.

4. The flexible cable is configured such that, as the carriage moves in the first direction, the position of the bent portion relative to the entire flexible cable is changed, and the length of the flexible cable from the bent portion to one end and the length of the flexible cable from the bent portion to the other end are changed. The bent portion of the flexible cable is positioned on the raised portion, The flexible cable has a rotating shaft that connects one end of the flexible cable to the carriage, The carriage moving device according to claim 3, wherein one end of the flexible cable is configured to be rotatable in the vertical direction about the rotation axis.

5. The carriage moving device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the support member has an upper wall positioned above the bent portion in the range of the trajectory in the first direction through which the bent portion passes when the bent portion moves together with the carriage, within the entire range of the support member in the first direction.

6. The carriage moving device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the support member has a guide wall that extends inclined upward from the upper end of the surface of the first groove opposite to the first side wall, and moves away from the first side wall, in the range of the non-passage trajectory in the first direction that the bent portion does not pass through when the bent portion moves together with the carriage, within the entire range of the support member in the first direction.

Images