Recording device

Abstract

This recording device includes: a storage cassette on which a recording medium is loaded; a conveyance means for conveying the recording medium to a recording head; a carriage on which the recording head is mounted; and a driving means for moving the carriage. The storage cassette is attachable to and detachable from a front surface of a main body of the recording device with respect to the main body in a front-rear direction of the recording device. The conveyance means conveys the recording medium from a front side to a rear side in the front-rear direction. The driving means moves the carriage in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction, and is disposed on the rear side with respect to the recording head in the front-rear direction.

Description

Recording device

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

[0002] A recording device is known in which a recording head is mounted on a carriage and performs recording while the recording head is moved. Patent Document 1 discloses a device that is capable of double-sided recording on a recording medium, having a path that determines whether the recording medium is on the front or back and returns the recording head.

[0003] Japanese Patent No. 7089667

[0004] The recording medium being transported to the recording head may jam around the recording head. To resolve such a jam, an operator must have access to the upstream side of the recording head in the direction of recording medium transport, but accessibility is affected by the presence of internal structures in the recording device.

[0005] The present invention provides a recording apparatus that improves accessibility to the upstream side of the recording head.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording device comprising: a storage cassette on which recording media are loaded; a transport means for transporting the recording media to a recording head; a carriage on which the recording head is mounted; and a drive means for moving the carriage, wherein the storage cassette is attachable to and detachable from the front of the main body of the recording device in the front-to-rear direction of the recording device; the transport means transports the recording media from the front to the rear in the front-to-rear direction; and the drive means moves the carriage in a direction intersecting the front-to-rear direction and is positioned rearward of the recording head in the front-to-rear direction.

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a recording apparatus that improves accessibility to the upstream side of the recording head.

[0008] 18 is an external view of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Schematic diagram of the internal structure of the recording apparatus of FIG. 1. Perspective view of a recording unit. Cross-sectional view along line B-B of FIG. 3. Schematic diagram of the internal structure of the recording apparatus of FIG. 1 with an opening / closing member in an open state. Plan view of the recording apparatus of FIG. 1 with the opening / closing member in an open state. Schematic diagram of the internal structure of the recording apparatus of FIG. 1 with a storage cassette removed. Perspective view of the recording apparatus of FIG. 1 with a storage cassette removed. Perspective view of the storage cassette. Schematic diagram of the internal structure of the recording apparatus of FIG. 1 with a removable unit removed. Perspective view of the removable unit. Cross-sectional view along line CC of FIG. 11. A diagram showing another example of the configuration of an opening. A diagram showing yet another example of the configuration of an opening. A diagram showing another example of the configuration of a sub-transport path. A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a recording apparatus with a feed tray added. A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a recording apparatus with a feed tray added. An external view of a recording apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. An external view of the recording apparatus of FIG. 18 with multiple optional devices attached. 25. A diagram showing a state in which the storage cassette is removed from the recording apparatus of FIG. 18. A diagram showing a state in which the removable unit is removed from the recording apparatus of FIG. 18. A diagram showing a state in which the opening / closing member is in an open state in the recording apparatus of FIG. 18. A diagram showing a state in which the opening / closing member is in an open state in the recording apparatus of FIG. 18. A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the recording apparatus and optional device shown in FIG. 19. A perspective view of the recording unit. A cross-sectional view taken along line D-D in FIG. 25. A diagram showing a state in which the cover and feed tray are pulled out in the recording apparatus of FIG. 19. A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the recording apparatus shown in FIG. 27. An external view of the recording apparatus 1A of FIG. 19 with the opening / closing member in an open state. A plan view of the recording apparatus 1A of FIG. 19 with the opening / closing member in an open state. A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the recording apparatus of FIG. 18 with the removable unit removed. A perspective view of the removable unit. A plan view showing the internal structure of the removable unit. A cross-sectional view taken along line E-E in FIG. 32. A cross-sectional view taken along line E-E in FIG. 32. An explanatory diagram of a sensor. An explanatory diagram of a sensor. FIG.

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention claimed. Although multiple features are described in the embodiments, not all of these multiple features are necessarily essential to the invention, and multiple features may be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0010] 1 is an external view of a printing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a case where the present invention is applied to a serial type inkjet printing apparatus will be described, but the present invention can also be applied to printing apparatuses of other types.

[0011] It should be noted that "recording" not only includes the formation of meaningful information such as characters and figures, but also includes the formation of images, designs, patterns, etc. on a recording medium, whether meaningful or insignificant, or the processing of the medium, regardless of whether the information is visible to humans. In addition, although sheet-like paper is assumed as the "recording medium" in this embodiment, it may also be cloth, plastic film, etc.

[0012] In each figure, arrows X, Y, and Z indicate directions that intersect with one another, arrows X and Y indicate horizontal directions that are orthogonal to one another, and arrow Z indicates the up-down direction. The X direction corresponds to the left-right direction (width direction) of the recording device 1, and the Y direction corresponds to the front-to-back direction (depth direction) of the recording device 1. The Z direction corresponds to the height direction of the recording device 1. Furthermore, when referring to the downstream side and the upstream side, reference is made to the conveyance direction of the recording medium.

[0013] The recording device 1 includes a main body 100, a storage cassette 2 detachably attached to the main body 100, and a removable unit 40. The main body 100 includes a roughly rectangular parallelepiped housing 101, which forms the outer wall of the recording device 1. A front surface 101a of the housing 101, which forms the front portion of the recording device 1, is formed with slots 111 and 112 that allow the storage cassette 2 for storing recording media and the removable unit 40 for maintenance to be detachably attached to the main body 100, respectively. The slot 111 opens on the front surface 101a and extends in the Y direction, and the storage cassette 2 is inserted into and removed from the slot 111 in the Y direction. The slot 112 also opens on the front surface 101a and extends in the Y direction, and the removable unit 40 is inserted into and removed from the slot 112 in the Y direction. The storage cassette 2 is located below the removable unit 40, making it easier to ensure a storage capacity for recording media and a feeding path.

[0014] An opening 70 exposing the interior of the recording device 1 is formed on the top surface of the housing 101 that forms the upper part of the main body 100. The opening 70 is opened and closed by an opening / closing member 17a. In this embodiment, the opening / closing member 17a is a plate-shaped tray member that forms part of the discharge tray 17, and is a rotating member that is provided so as to be rotatable around a rotation center axis 17b in the X direction. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the opening / closing member 17a is in an open state, and the opening 70 is open. When the opening / closing member 17a is in a closed state as shown in FIG. 2, the opening 70 is closed.

[0015] 2 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the recording apparatus 1. The recording apparatus 1 records on sheets SH, which are recording media before recording, that are loaded on a feed tray 2a in the storage cassette 2. The recording apparatus 1 also discharges the recorded sheets SH to a discharge tray 17. The storage cassette 2 can be removed from the main body 100 of the recording apparatus 1, and sheets SH can be set on the feed tray 2a of the removed storage cassette 2.

[0016] A main transport path RT1 that guides the transport of sheets SH is formed from the feed tray 2a to the discharge tray 17. The recording apparatus 1 also has a sub-transport path RT2 that branches off from the main transport path RT1 at a branch point BP. The sub-transport path RT2 is a reversing path that turns over sheets SH and returns them to the main transport path RT1, and is used when double-sided recording is performed on sheets SH. Note that the recording apparatus 1 may be configured without a double-sided recording function for sheets SH, in which case the sub-transport path RT2 and related components are not necessary.

[0017] The main transport path RT1 and the sub-transport path RT2 are formed by path forming members. As an example of the path forming members, an upper path forming member 40b and a lower path forming member 40a are schematically illustrated in FIG. 2 in the section between the feeding unit 4 and the transport unit 5. The transport paths are defined by such path forming members.

[0018] The sheets SH on the feed tray 2a are introduced one by one into the main transport path RT1 by the feed unit 3. The feed unit 3 is a pickup mechanism that uses a feed motor 22 as a drive source and picks up the sheets SH from the feed tray 2a. The feed unit 3 includes a feed roller (pickup roller) 3a, a feed roller 3b, and a separation roller 3c.

[0019] The feed roller 3a comes into contact with the top surface of the sheets SH stacked on the feed tray 2a and rotates by the drive of the feed motor 22, thereby starting to feed the sheets SH. Downstream of the feed roller 3a are arranged the feed roller 3b, which is rotated by the drive of the feed motor 22, and the separation roller 3c, which forms a nip with the feed roller 3b. The separation roller 3c is a roller equipped with a torque limiter and has rotational resistance. When two or more sheets SH enter the nip between the feed roller 3b and the separation roller 3c, the rotational resistance of the separation roller 3c separates the sheets SH into one sheet.

[0020] The recording apparatus 1 includes a feeding unit 4 and a plurality of transport units 5 to 8. These are arranged in the order of feeding unit 4, transport unit 5, transport unit 6, transport unit 7, and transport unit 8 from upstream to downstream in the transport direction of the sheet SH on the main transport path RT1. Transport units 61 and 62 are arranged along the sub-transport path RT2, and are arranged in the order of transport unit 61, transport unit 62 from upstream to downstream in the transport direction of the sheet SH on the sub-transport path RT2. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the leading edge and trailing edge of the sheet SH refer to the downstream edge and upstream edge of the sheet SH.

[0021] The feeding unit 4 conveys the sheet SH introduced into the main transport path RT1 by the feeding unit 3 or the sheet SH returned from the sub-transport path RT2 to the main transport path RT1 to the transport unit 5. The feeding unit 4 includes a feeding roller 4a and a driven roller 4b that is pressed against the feeding roller 4a by a spring or the like (not shown). The feeding roller 4a is a rotating body that rotates by the driving force of the feeding motor 23, and the driven roller 4b is a rotating body that rotates following the rotation of the feeding roller 4a.

[0022] The sheet SH is sandwiched in the nip between the feed roller 4 a and the driven roller 4 b, and is transported by the rotation of the feed roller 4 a and the driven roller 4 b. Note that the feed rollers 3 a and 3 b are one-way rollers, and once the sheet SH has been transported to a position beyond the nip of the feed unit 4, the feeding unit 4 can continue to transport the sheet SH even if the drive of the feed unit 3 is stopped.

[0023] Although the present embodiment includes the feeding unit 3 and the feeding unit 4, the configuration may include only the feeding unit 3 that feeds the sheets SH stacked on the feeding tray 2a.

[0024] The sensor 31 is a sensor, such as an optical sensor, that detects the passage of the leading and trailing edges of the sheet SH. The detection position of the sensor 31 is set downstream of the nip portion of the feeding unit 4. After detecting the passage of the leading edge of the sheet SH, the detection result of the sensor 31 can be used as a trigger for control, such as stopping the driving of the feeding unit 3 or increasing the conveying speed of the feeding unit 4.

[0025] The transport unit 5 is disposed upstream of the recording head 12, and the sheet SH is transported downstream between the recording head 12 and a platen 15 facing the recording head 12 by the transport unit 5. The transport unit 5 includes a transport roller 5a and a driven roller (pinch roller) 5b that is pressed against the transport roller 5a by a spring or the like (not shown). The transport roller 5a is a rotating body that rotates by the driving force of the transport motor 24, and the driven roller 5b is a rotating body that rotates following the rotation of the transport roller 5a. The sheet SH is sandwiched in the nip portion between the transport roller 5a and the driven roller 5b, and is transported by the rotation of the transport roller 5a and the driven roller 5b.

[0026] The sensor 32 is an optical sensor that detects the passage of the leading and trailing edges of the sheet SH, similar to the sensor 31. The sensor 32 is disposed upstream of the conveying unit 5 and in the vicinity thereof, and therefore the detection result can be used to manage the loop amount for registering the sheet SH and the position of the leading edge of the sheet SH.

[0027] The transport unit 6 is disposed downstream of the recording head 12 and transports the sheet SH transported by the transport unit 5 to the downstream transport unit 8. The transport unit 6 includes a transport roller 6a and a spur 6b that is pressed against the transport roller 6a by a spring or the like (not shown). The transport roller 6a is a rotating body that rotates due to the driving force of a transport motor 24, and the spur 6b is a rotating body that rotates following the rotation of the transport roller 6a. In this embodiment, the transport unit 5 and the transport unit 6 share the same driving source (the transport motor 24).

[0028] The sensor 33 is an optical sensor similar to the sensors 31 and 32, and is used to detect the leading and trailing ends of the sheet SH.

[0029] The transport unit 7 is disposed downstream of the recording head 12 and the transport unit 6, and transports the sheet SH transported by the transport unit 6 downstream. The transport unit 7 includes a transport roller 7a and a driven roller 7b that is pressed against the transport roller 7a by a spring or the like (not shown). The transport roller 7a is a rotating body that rotates by the driving force of the transport motor 25, and the driven roller 7b is a rotating body that rotates following the rotation of the transport roller 7a. The sheet SH is sandwiched in the nip portion between the transport roller 7a and the driven roller 7b, and is transported by the rotation of the transport roller 7a and the driven roller 7b.

[0030] The transport unit 8 is disposed downstream of the recording head 12 and the transport units 6 and 7, and is a discharge unit that discharges the sheet SH transported by the transport unit 7 onto the discharge tray 17. In the case of single-sided recording, the sheet SH discharged onto the discharge tray 17 is "face-down discharged" with the image recorded side facing downward. In the case of double-sided recording, the second recorded side faces downward. In the main transport path RT1, the path from the transport unit 6 to the transport unit 8 may be referred to as the "discharge transport path."

[0031] The transport unit 8 includes a transport roller 8a and a driven roller 8b that is pressed against the transport roller 8a by a spring or the like (not shown). The transport roller 8a is a rotating body that rotates by the driving force of a transport motor 25, and the driven roller 8b is a rotating body that rotates following the rotation of the transport roller 8a. The sheet SH is sandwiched in a nip portion between the transport roller 8a and the driven roller 8b, and is transported by the rotation of the transport roller 8a and the driven roller 8b.

[0032] In this embodiment, the drive source (transport motor 25) is shared between the transport units 7 and 8. However, the transport motor 25 may be eliminated, and the transport motor 24, which is the drive source for the transport units 5 and 6, may also be shared by the transport units 7 and 8.

[0033] The sensor 34 is an optical sensor similar to the sensors 31 to 33, and is used to detect the leading and trailing edges of the sheet SH. In this embodiment, after the trailing edge of the sheet SH is detected by the sensor 34, discharge is completed after a predetermined transport distance, and the detection result of the sensor 34 can also be used for discharge detection.

[0034] A flapper 16 is disposed at the branch point BP. The flapper 16 switches the transport destination path of the sheet SH between the main transport path RT1 and the sub-transport path RT2. When the flapper 16 is in the position shown in FIG. 2 , the flapper 16 maintains the transport destination path of the sheet SH as the main transport path RT1, and the sheet SH is discharged onto the discharge tray 17 via the transport unit 8. The flapper 16 is provided rotatably, and is rotated by an actuator 27 such as an electromagnetic solenoid to switch the path.

[0035] The transport unit 61 is a reversing unit that transports the sheet SH that has entered the sub-transport path RT2 from the branch point BP. The sub-transport path RT2 has a reversing path RT21 that extends upward from the branch point BP via the branch point BP', and a return path RT22 that extends from the branch point BP' to the feeding unit 4, and constitutes a path that guides the sheet SH from the rear side to the front side of the recording apparatus 1. The transport unit 61 is disposed on the reversing path RT21. The transport unit 61 includes a transport roller 61a and a driven roller 61b that is pressed against the transport roller 61a by a spring or the like (not shown). The transport roller 61a is a rotating body that rotates due to the driving force of the transport motor 26, and the driven roller 61b is a rotating body that rotates following the rotation of the transport roller 61a.

[0036] The sheet SH that enters the sub-transport path RT2 from the branch point BP moves along the reversal path RT21. The transport rollers 61a are rotated in both directions, in the direction R2 opposite to the direction R1. As the transport rollers 61a rotate in the direction R1, the sheet SH is transported in the direction of arrow F. When the rear end of the sheet SH passes the branch point BP', the rotation direction of the transport rollers 61a is switched to the direction R2. The sheet SH is transported in the reverse direction. The sheet SH is turned over and introduced into the return path RT22 from the branch point BP'.

[0037] The transport unit 62 is an intermediate unit disposed on the return path RT22. The transport unit 62 includes a transport roller 62a and a driven roller 62b that is pressed against the transport roller 62a by a spring or the like (not shown). The transport roller 62a is a rotating body that rotates due to the driving force of the transport motor 26, and the driven roller 62b is a rotating body that rotates following the rotation of the transport roller 62a. The sheet SH is sandwiched in the nip portion between the transport roller 62a and the driven roller 62b, and is transported by the rotation of the transport roller 62a and the driven roller 62b. In this embodiment, the transport unit 61 and the transport unit 62 share the drive source (the transport motor 26).

[0038] The conveying roller 62a is a one-way roller, and once the sheet SH has been conveyed to a position beyond the nip portion of the feeding unit 4, the feeding by the feeding unit 4 can continue even if the driving of the conveying roller 62a is stopped.

[0039] <Recording Unit> The recording unit 10 will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4 in addition to Figure 2. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the recording unit 10, and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in Figure 3. The recording unit 10 includes a recording head 12, a carriage 11, and a drive unit 14. The recording head 12 ejects liquid ink onto a sheet SH to record an image on the sheet SH. The lower surface of the recording head 12 forms an ejection surface on which a plurality of nozzles for ejecting ink are formed.

[0040] The ink supply method to the recording head 12 is, for example, a tube supply method in which ink is supplied via a tube from an ink tank located in a location separate from the carriage 11. However, the ink supply format may be any of the following methods, such as an independent ink cartridge method in which the ink cartridge is mounted on the carriage 11 together with the recording head 12, or a head cartridge method in which the ink cartridge and recording head 12 are integrated.

[0041] The platen 15 is disposed between the transport unit 5 and the transport unit 6 so as to face the recording head 12 (particularly the ejection surface). The sheet SH is transported between the recording head 12 and the platen 15 in the direction of the arrow SD (Y direction), and an image is recorded by the recording head 12.

[0042] The recording head 12 is mounted on a carriage 11. The carriage 11 is reciprocated by a drive unit 14 in a direction intersecting the SD direction (the X direction in this embodiment).

[0043] The drive unit 14 includes a support member 20 extending in the X direction. The support member 20 is a base member that supports each component of the drive unit 14. The support member 20 is provided with a guide member 13 that engages with the carriage 11 to guide the movement of the carriage 11. In the present embodiment, the guide member 13 includes a lower rail member 13a and an upper rail member 13b. The rail members 13a and 13b are spaced apart from each other in the Z direction, and each extends in the X direction. The guide member 13 engages with the carriage 11 to guide the movement of the carriage 11. Note that the guide member 13 may be a member in the form of a shaft.

[0044] The rail member 13a supports the carriage 11 in the height (Z) direction and the front-to-back (Y) direction. By adjusting the height (Z) of the rail member 13a relative to the support member 20, the height (Z) of the recording head 12 relative to the platen 15 can be adjusted. The rail member 13b is located above the rail member 13a (in the +Z direction) and regulates the position of the carriage 11 around the X axis. By adjusting the rail member 13b in the front-to-back (Y) direction relative to the support member 20, the tilt of the recording head 12 around the X axis relative to the platen 15 can be adjusted.

[0045] The drive unit 14 in this embodiment is a belt transmission mechanism that uses a carriage motor 21 as a drive source. However, the drive unit 14 may have a mechanism type other than a belt transmission mechanism. The carriage motor 21 is disposed on the opposite side of the support member 20 from the carriage 11 in the Y direction. The drive unit 14 includes a drive pulley 18 and a driven pulley 19 that are spaced apart in the X direction, and an endless belt V that is wound around these pulleys, and these are disposed between the rail members 13a and 13b in the Z direction.

[0046] The carriage 11 is fixed to an endless belt V. When a carriage motor 21 rotates a drive pulley 18, the endless belt V runs and the carriage 11 moves. A code strip 35 is supported on a support member 20. A sensor (not shown) that detects the slits in the code strip 35 is provided on the carriage 11, and the position of the carriage 11 in the X direction can be identified from the detection result of the sensor.

[0047] The carriage 11 is provided with electrical contacts between the recording head 12 and a substrate (not shown). The substrate (not shown) may be disposed downstream of the recording head 12 and between the carriage 11 and the support member 20.

[0048] The image recording operation will now be described. An image is recorded by ejecting ink from the recording head 12 onto the sheet SH while the carriage 11 is moving in the X direction. This operation is called a recording scan. The recording operation is performed by alternately repeating a transport operation in which the transport unit 5 intermittently transports the sheet SH in the SD direction and a recording scan.

[0049] <Layout of the Configuration Around the Recording Head> See Figures 2 to 4. A sheet SH may jam around the recording head 12. The drive unit 14 is a structure that includes a support member 20 fixed to a wall shape in the XZ plane. When considering the accessibility of an operator to the location where a jam has occurred, the drive unit 14 of the carriage 11 is likely to become an obstacle.

[0050] In this embodiment, the drive unit 14 is disposed downstream of the recording head 12. This increases the space upstream of the recording head 12, improving the worker's accessibility to the upstream side of the recording head 12. Jams often occur when the leading edge of the sheet SH gets stuck between the recording head 12 and the platen 15, so the worker can easily access the upstream side of the recording head 12, making recovery work smoother.

[0051] When viewed from the front-to-rear direction (Y direction) of the recording device 1, the transport unit 5 is disposed in front of the recording head 12, and the drive unit 14 is disposed behind the recording head 12. In many cases, the recording device 1 is installed in a location where the front side is wide and the rear side is narrow due to the presence of a wall or the like. In this embodiment, because the space in front of the recording head 12 is wider, if a jam occurs, it is easy for an operator to perform recovery work from the front side of the recording device 1.

[0052] In this embodiment, the feeding unit 4 is disposed further forward than the transport unit 5. This allows an operator to easily perform recovery work from the front side of the recording apparatus 1 when a jam occurs between the feeding unit 4 and the transport unit 5.

[0053] <Structure Related to Maintenance> <Maintenance Around the Recording Head> The recording device 1 of this embodiment has a structure that facilitates maintenance (access) to the recording unit 10. This will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the recording device 1 with the opening / closing member 17a in the open state, and Figure 6 is a plan view of the recording device 1 with the opening / closing member 17a in the open state.

[0054] Examples of maintenance for the recording unit 10 include recovery from the jam described above and replacement of the recording head 12. In a configuration in which an ink tank is mounted on the carriage 11, replacement of the ink tank can also be included.

[0055] The opening 70 is formed so that a portion upstream of the recording head 12 is more exposed than a portion downstream of the opening 70. The open / close member 17a is disposed above the transport unit 5 (in the +Z direction). When the open / close member 17a is in the open state, the transport unit 5, carriage 11, recording head 12, platen 15, etc. are exposed through the opening 70, allowing an operator to access these. In this embodiment, the drive unit 14 is disposed downstream of the recording head 12, making it easy to access the transport unit 5, carriage 11, recording head 12, platen 15, etc. from the front side of the recording device 1.

[0056] 6 , if the width of the opening 70 in the X direction is KW, the width KW is wider than the maximum width of the size of sheet SH that is compatible with the recording device 1. Therefore, if a jam of the sheet SH occurs, it is easy to remove the sheet SH from the opening 70.

[0057] In this embodiment, the opening / closing member 17a is configured to rotate, but it may be configured to slide to open and close the opening 70.

[0058] <Maintenance Around the Storage Cassette> Next, the maintenance that can be performed by removing and attaching the storage cassette 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the recording device 1 with the storage cassette 2 removed, and FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the recording device 1 with the storage cassette 2 removed. The storage cassette 2 is equipped with a separation roller 3c of the feeding unit 3 and a path forming member 2b that forms part of the main transport path RT1. When the storage cassette 2 is removed from the front side of the main body 100, these are also exposed. This makes it easier to recover from jammed sheets SH around the storage cassette 2.

[0059] Rails 80a and 80b are installed in the slot 111 to support the storage cassette 2 in the Z direction, and guide the movement of the storage cassette 2 when the storage cassette 2 is attached to or detached from the main body 100. The rails 80a and 80b are provided on both sides of the slot 111 in the X direction.

[0060] A pressure plate cam 83 is provided above the rail 80a to position a pressure plate 91 (described later) in a horizontal position when removing the storage cassette 2 from the main body 100. A pressure plate release cam 84 for the pressure plate 91 (described later) is also provided at the tip of the rail 80a, which acts when attaching the storage cassette 2 to the main body 100. The pressure plate cam 83 and the pressure plate release cam 84 are also provided on both sides of the slot 111 in the X direction, so that the pressure plate 91 can be raised and lowered by the left and right cams (83, 84).

[0061] When the storage cassette 2 is removed from the main body 100, the feed rollers 3a and 3b remaining on the main body 100 are exposed and accessible to an operator. The operator can, for example, replace the feed rollers 3a and 3b. The feed rollers 3a and 3b are supported by a single holder (not shown), and by removing the holder, the feed rollers 3a and 3b can be replaced simultaneously. However, they do not necessarily have to be attached to a single holder, and the feed rollers 3a and 3b may be configured to be removable individually.

[0062] Further description will be given of the storage cassette 2. The separation roller 3c is attached to a separation roller holder 95, and the separation roller 3c can be replaced by removing the separation roller holder 95 from the storage cassette 2. In the storage cassette 2, sheets SH can be stacked and stored on the feed tray 2a and pressure plate 91.

[0063] Depending on the size of the sheets SH to be stored, the side guides 85 and 86 can regulate the widthwise position of the sheets SH, while the end guide 89 can regulate the longitudinal (conveyance) position of the sheets SH. An end lock portion 90 equipped with a latch 90a is provided in the center of the end guide 89, preventing the end guide 89 from shifting. Similarly, the side guide 85 also has a side lock portion 87, which again prevents the guide 85 from shifting.

[0064] The side guide 85 is connected to the side guide 86 by a rack and pinion (not shown) below the pressure plate 91, so that by operating the side guide 85, the side guide 86 also operates at the same time, thereby regulating the position of the sheet SH in the width direction. In addition, the side guide 86 is provided with a side biasing plate 88 that is biased in the X direction by a spring (not shown), and can move the sheets SH stacked in the storage cassette 2 to one side in the X direction.

[0065] The pressure plate 91 is biased upward in the Z direction by a spring (not shown) installed below the pressure plate 91, allowing the stacked sheets SH to be pressed against the feed roller 3a. The pressure plate 91 shown in FIG. 9 is in the position it is in when the storage cassette 2 is removed from the main body 100. Both ends of the pressure plate 91 in the X direction are held in the Z direction by the pressure plate holders 92, and the pressure plate 91 is substantially parallel to the feed tray 2a and substantially horizontal to the XY plane. This is because, when the storage cassette 2 is removed from the main body 100, the pressure plate cam 83 presses down on the ends of the pressure plate 91, allowing the pressure plate holders 92 to hold the pressure plate 91 in the Z direction. When the storage cassette 2 is attached to the main body 100, the pressure plate release cam 84 releases the pressure plate holders 92 from their hold. This returns the pressure plate 91 to the feed position (where it is pressed against the feed roller 3a by the spring bias).

[0066] <Maintenance of the Periphery of the Detachable Unit> Maintenance of the periphery of the detachable unit 40 will be described with reference to Figures 10 to 12. Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the recording device 1 with the detachable unit 40 removed, Figure 11 is a perspective view of the detachable unit 40, and Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in Figure 11.

[0067] The detachable unit 40 is configured as a transport path unit that configures a portion of the path from the feeding unit 4 to the upstream portion of the transport unit 5. Therefore, when a sheet SH fed from the feeding unit 3 jams on the main transport path RT1 upstream of the transport unit 5, the detachable unit 40 can be removed from the main body 100 to deal with the jam.

[0068] The front surface of the detachable unit 40 is formed with grips 41, 42 that are grasped by the operator when removing the detachable unit 40 from the main body 100. A lock spring 44 is disposed between the left and right grips 41, 42, and when the grips 41, 42 are not being gripped, the grips 41, 42 are biased in the left-right (X) direction. Bosses 41a, 41b are provided on the end of the biased grip 41, and serve to position and lock the unit relative to the main body 100. The grip 42 also has a boss (not shown) on its end, which functions in the same way.

[0069] The removable unit 40 is provided with a lever 31a for the sensor 31 located downstream of the feeding unit 4. The lever 31a is rotatable about an axis in the X direction, and its tip protrudes into the main transport path RT1. The other end of the lever 31a functions as a flag that blocks the optical axis of a photointerrupter serving as the sensor 31 arranged in the main body 100.

[0070] The detachable unit 40 supports the feed roller 4a and driven roller 4b of the feed unit 4. It also supports parts of the path forming members 40a and 40b. The path forming members 40a and 40b may be further separable. The path forming member 40a may not be provided in the detachable unit 40, and the path forming member 40a remaining in the main body 100 may be removable when the detachable unit 40 is removed.

[0071] Second Embodiment In the first embodiment, the opening 70 is formed in the top surface of the housing 101, but the location where the opening is formed is not limited to this.

[0072] For example, as shown in the example of Figure 13, an opening 71a may be formed in the front surface 101a of the housing 100. The opening 71a is opened and closed by an opening / closing member 17c. The opening / closing member 17c is a movable member that forms part of the front surface 101a. Even with this configuration, an operator can access the periphery of the recording head 12 through the opening 71a.

[0073] 14, the front surface 101a may have a recessed portion on the rear side in the Y direction, and an opening 71b may be formed therein, and the opening 71b may be opened and closed by an opening / closing member 17d. With this configuration, the operator can also access the periphery of the recording head 12 through the opening 71b.

[0074] Third Embodiment The path for inverting the sheet SH and transporting it to the recording head 12 for double-sided recording is not limited to that in the first embodiment. FIG. 15 shows an example of a recording apparatus 1 equipped with a sub-transport path RT3 of this embodiment, replacing the sub-transport path RT2. In this embodiment, after the recording head 12 records on the first side of the sheet SH, the rollers of the transport units 5 to 8 are rotated in reverse to guide the sheet SH to the sub-transport path RT3. The sheet SH is inverted on the sub-transport path RT3 and returned to the main transport path RT1 by the feeding unit 4. The second side of the sheet SH is then printed on by the recording head 12, and the sheet SH is then ejected.

[0075] Fourth Embodiment A separate feed tray may be provided for feeding sheets SH. Figures 16 and 17 show an example. In this embodiment, a feed tray 51 is provided on which sheets SH can be set from the front surface 101a of the recording apparatus 1, and a front feed unit 50 is provided corresponding to this.

[0076] The front feeding unit 50 includes a feeding roller 50a that is pressed against sheets SH stacked on a feeding tray 51. A transport roller 50b and a separation roller 50c are provided downstream of the feeding roller 50a. The feeding roller 50a and the transport roller 50b may have their own drive sources, or the feeding motor 22 may be used as the drive source. The sheets SH set on the feeding tray 51 are picked up by the feeding roller 50a, separated into single sheets at the nip portion between the transport roller 50b and the separation roller 50c, and fed to the main transport path RT1. When not in use, the feeding tray 51 may be configured to be folded so as not to protrude from the main body 100.

[0077] In this embodiment, an opening / closing member 17b', which replaces the opening / closing member 17b, extends to the front surface 101a, and an opening 72, which replaces the opening 70, exposes the area from the recording head 12 to the front feeding unit 50. Fig. 16 is a diagram showing the opening / closing member 17b' in a closed state, and Fig. 17 is a diagram showing the opening / closing member 17b' in an open state. When the opening / closing member 17b' is in the open state, maintenance can be performed around the recording head 12 as well as around the front feeding unit 50, and even if a sheet SH jams near the front feeding unit 50, this can be addressed.

[0078] In this embodiment, the sheet supply tray 2 a may be omitted, and the sheets SH may be supplied only from the sheet supply tray 51 .

[0079] Fifth Embodiment The above-described embodiments may be combined with one another. For example, a configuration in which the third embodiment and the fourth embodiment are combined may be employed. Furthermore, an embodiment in which some of the configurations of the above-described embodiments are deleted may be employed.

[0080] Sixth Embodiment Overview of the Recording Apparatus FIG. 18 is an external view of a recording apparatus 1A according to one embodiment of the present invention. Multiple optional devices can be attached to the recording apparatus 1A. FIG. 19 shows the recording apparatus 1A with optional devices 500A and 500B attached. The optional devices 500A and 500B have the same configuration, and when the optional devices 500A and 500B are collectively referred to or not distinguished from each other, they are simply referred to as optional device 500. The optional device 500 includes a storage cassette 501 for storing recording media. Adding additional optional devices 500 can increase the storage capacity of recording media used for recording and the types of recording media used for recording. The storage cassette 501 is removably attached to the main body of the optional device 500. In this embodiment, the storage cassette 501 is located on the front of the optional device 500, allowing it to be inserted and removed in the Y direction relative to the main body.

[0081] In the example of Figure 19, two tiers of optional devices 500 are provided below the recording device 1A. However, only one optional device 500 can be attached to the recording device 1A, or three or more tiers of optional devices 500 can be attached to the recording device 1A. Also, the recording device 1A can be used without any optional devices 500 attached.

[0082] In this embodiment, a case where the present invention is applied to a serial type inkjet printing apparatus will be described, but the present invention can also be applied to printing apparatuses of other types.

[0083] In each of the drawings described in this embodiment, arrows X, Y, and Z indicate directions that intersect with one another, arrows X and Y indicate horizontal directions that are orthogonal to one another, and arrow Z indicates the up-down direction. The X direction corresponds to the left-right direction (width direction) of the recording device 1A, and the Y direction corresponds to the front-to-back direction (depth direction) of the recording device 1A. The Z direction corresponds to the height direction of the recording device 1A. Furthermore, when referring to the downstream side and the upstream side, reference is made to the conveyance direction of the recording medium.

[0084] The recording apparatus 1A includes a main body 100A, a removable unit 640 that is detachable from the main body 100A, a storage cassette 602A, and a tank unit 665. The main body 100A includes a roughly rectangular parallelepiped housing 601, which forms the outer wall of the recording apparatus 1A. The removable unit 640, the storage cassette 602A, and the tank unit 665 are attached to a front surface 601a of the housing 601, which forms the front part of the recording apparatus 1A, so that they can be inserted into and removed from the main body 100A in the Y direction. The front surface 601a also includes an openable cover 653 that covers a feeding unit 650 inside the main body 100A. The cover 653, removable unit 640, storage unit 602A, and tank unit 665 are arranged in this order from top to bottom in the Z direction.

[0085] 20 is a diagram showing the state in which the storage cassette 602A is pulled out in the -Y direction from the main body 100A. The main body 100A has a slot SL1 that opens on the front surface 601a, and the storage cassette 602A is stored in this slot SL1.

[0086] 21 is a diagram showing the state in which the detachable unit 640 has been removed in the -Y direction from the main body 100A. The main body 100A has a slot SL2 that opens in the front face 601a, and the detachable unit 640 is stored in this slot SL2.

[0087] Although not specifically shown, the tank unit 665 is also stored in a slot provided in the main body 100A, similar to the storage cassette 602A and the detachable unit 640.

[0088] An ejection tray 617 is provided on the top surface of the main body 100A. Recording media that have been recorded on are ejected onto the ejection tray 617 and stacked on the ejection tray 617.

[0089] 19 and 22, an opening 670 formed on the top surface of the housing 601 and exposing the inside of the main body 100A of the recording apparatus 1A will be described. The opening 670 is opened and closed by an opening / closing member 617a. In this embodiment, the opening / closing member 617a is a plate-shaped tray member that constitutes part of the discharge tray 617, and is a rotating member that is provided so as to be rotatable around a rotation center axis 617b in the X direction. FIG. 22 shows a state in which the opening / closing member 617a is in an open state, and the opening 670 is open. When the opening / closing member 617a is in a closed state as shown in FIG. 19, the opening 670 is closed.

[0090] 19 and 23, an opening 672 formed on the top surface of the housing 601 and exposing the interior of the main body 100A of the recording apparatus 1A will be described. The opening 672 is located on the rear side in the Y direction relative to the opening 670. The opening 672 is opened and closed by an opening / closing member 617c. In this embodiment, the opening / closing member 617c is a plate-shaped tray member that, together with the opening / closing member 617a, constitutes part of the discharge tray 617 and is configured to be pulled out toward the operator. When pulling out the opening / closing member 617c, the operator can operate it by holding the grip 617e. FIG. 23 shows the opening / closing member 617c in the open position, with the opening 672 open. When the opening / closing member 617c is closed as shown in FIG. 19, the opening 672 is closed.

[0091] 24 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the recording apparatus 1A and the optional device 500. The recording apparatus 1A records on sheets SH, which are recording media before recording, that are loaded on a feed tray 602a in a storage cassette 602A. The recording apparatus 1A also discharges the recorded sheets SH to a discharge tray 617. The storage cassette 602A can be removed from the main body 100A of the recording apparatus 1A, and sheets SH can be set in the feed tray 602 of the removed storage cassette 602A.

[0092] The recording apparatus 1A also records on sheets SH, which are recording media before recording, stacked on a feed tray 502 in each optional device 500. The recording apparatus 1A also discharges the recorded sheets SH to a discharge tray 617. The storage cassette 501 of the optional device 500 can be removed from the optional device 500, and sheets SH can be set on the feed tray 502 of the removed storage cassette 501.

[0093] <Conveying Path> The conveying path of the sheet SH will be described. The recording apparatus 1A has conveying paths RT6A to RT6E that guide the conveyance of the sheet SH. The conveying path RT6A is a main conveying path that extends from the junction JP1 to the discharge tray 617. The conveying path RT6B extends from the feed tray 602a to the junction JP1. When recording on the sheet SH stored in the storage cassette 602A, the sheet SH is conveyed in the order of the conveying path RT6B and then the conveying path RT6A, and recording is performed during this conveying process.

[0094] Conveying paths RT6D and RT6E are conveying paths for feeding sheets SH from the optional device 500. Conveying path RT6D is formed in the Z direction in front of the storage cassette 602A. By attaching the storage cassette 602A to the main body 100A, the conveying path RT6D is formed from the midpoint JP2 to the junction point JP1. Conveying path RT6E is formed in the Z direction in front of the tank unit 665. By attaching the tank unit 665 to the main body 100A, the conveying path RT6E is formed from the midpoint JP3 to the midpoint JP2.

[0095] Each optional device 500 has transport paths RT7A and RT7B that guide the transport of sheets SH. Transport path RT7A is formed from the feed tray 502 to the junction JP4 in the storage cassette 501 and is a transport path for feeding sheets SH in the optional device 500. Transport path RT7B is formed in front of the storage cassette 501, from the midpoint JP5 to the junction JP4. Transport path RT7B is a transport path for passing sheets SH fed from another optional device 500 located below the optional device 500. For example, in the example of FIG. 24 , transport path RT7B of optional device 500A is a path for passing sheets SH fed from optional device 500B through optional device 500A.

[0096] When recording on a sheet SH stored in the optional device 500A, the sheet SH is transported in the order of transport path RT7A of the optional device 500A → transport path RT6E of the recording device 1A → transport path 6D → transport path RT6A, and recording is performed during this transport process.

[0097] When recording on a sheet SH stored in the optional device 500B, the sheet SH is transported in the following order: transport path RT7A of the optional device 500B → transport path RT7B of the optional device 500A → transport path RT6E of the recording device 1A → transport path 6D → transport path RT6A, and recording is performed during this transport process.

[0098] Next, a path for inverting the sheet SH and transporting it to the recording head 612 for double-sided recording will be described. In this embodiment, after the recording head 612 has recorded on the first side of the sheet SH, the sheet SH can be transported to the transport path RT6C, thereby inverting the sheet. The transport path RT6C is a sub-transport path formed from near the transport unit 605 (described later) to the junction JP1. The sheet SH, on which the first side has been recorded, can be inverted via the transport path RT6C and introduced back into the transport path RT6A. Then, recording can be performed on the second side of the sheet SH.

[0099] The sheet SH is introduced into the transport path RT6C as follows: After the rear end of the sheet SH reaches the vicinity of the transport unit 605 (described later), or after it leaves the transport unit 605, at least some of the rollers of the transport units 605 to 609 (described later) are rotated in reverse. This allows the sheet SH, on which the first side has been printed, to be introduced into the transport path RT6C. The sheet SH, on which the second side has been printed, is discharged to the discharge tray 617.

[0100] Each transport path is formed by a path forming member. As an example of a path forming member, a pair of path forming members 666 that form the transport path RT6E are schematically illustrated in Figure 24. The pair of path forming members 666 are arranged to face each other in the Y direction, and the transport path RT6E extending in the Z direction is formed between them. Each transport path is defined by such a path forming member.

[0101] <Conveyance Mechanism> Next, a configuration for conveying a sheet SH will be described. The recording apparatus 1A includes a feeding unit 603, a feeding unit 604, and multiple transport units 605 to 609. These are arranged in the following order from upstream to downstream in the conveyance direction of the sheet SH on the conveyance paths RT6B and RT6A: feeding unit 603, feeding unit 604, and transport units 605 to 609. An image is formed (recorded) on the sheet SH by a recording unit 610 between the conveyance unit 605 and the conveyance unit 606.

[0102] (Feeding unit 603) Sheets SH in the feed tray 602a are introduced one by one into the transport paths RT6B and RT6A by the feed unit 603. The feed unit 603 is a pickup mechanism that uses a feed motor 622A as a drive source and picks up sheets SH from the feed tray 602a. The feed unit 603 includes a feed roller (pickup roller) 603a, a feed roller 603b, a separation roller 603c, a feed roller 603d, and a driven roller 603e that forms a nip with the feed roller 603d.

[0103] The feed roller 603a comes into contact with the top surface of the sheets SH stacked on the feed tray 602a and rotates by the driving force of the feed motor 622A to start feeding the sheets SH. Downstream of the feed roller 603a are arranged a feed roller 603b that rotates by the driving force of the feed motor 622A and a separation roller 603c that forms a nip with the feed roller 603b. The separation roller 603c is a roller that is equipped with a torque limiter and has rotational resistance. When two or more sheets SH enter the nip between the feed roller 603b and the separation roller 603c, the rotational resistance of the separation roller 603c separates the sheets SH into one sheet.

[0104] The separated sheet SH is conveyed to a downstream feed roller 603d and a driven roller 603e. The feed roller 603d is driven by a feed motor 622A.

[0105] (Feeding unit 604) The feeding unit 604 conveys the sheet SH introduced from the junction JP1 into the conveying path RT6A to the conveying unit 605. The feeding unit 604 includes feeding rollers 604a and 604c. The feeding rollers 604a and 604c are rotating bodies that are rotated by the driving force of a feeding motor 623. The feeding rollers 604a and 604c are in pressure contact with corresponding driven rollers 604b and 604d to form nip portions. The driven rollers 604b and 604d are rotating bodies that are driven by the rotation of the feeding rollers 604a and 604c.

[0106] The sheet SH is sandwiched in a nip portion between the feeding roller 604a and the driven roller 604b and in a nip portion between the feeding roller 604c and the driven roller 604d, and is conveyed by the rotation of these rollers.

[0107] The feed rollers 603a, 603b, and 603d are one-way rollers. Therefore, once the leading edge of the sheet SH has been conveyed to a position beyond the nip of the feed unit 604a, the sheet can be continued to be conveyed by the feed unit 604 even if the drive of the feed unit 603 is stopped.

[0108] The sensor 631 is a sensor that detects the sheet SH, and detects the passage of the leading and trailing edges of the sheet SH. The detection position of the sensor 631 is set downstream of the nip portion of the feeding unit 604a. After detecting the passage of the leading edge of the sheet SH, the detection result of the sensor 631 can be used as a trigger for conveyance control, such as stopping the driving of the feeding unit 603 or increasing the conveyance speed of the feeding unit 604.

[0109] Further, the size of the sheet SH can be detected from the drive amount of the motors 623 and 624 from the detection of the leading edge to the detection of the trailing edge of the sheet SH using the sensor 631, and subsequent transport control can be switched.

[0110] (Transport Unit 605) The transport unit 605 is disposed upstream of the recording head 612. The transport unit 605 transports the sheet SH downstream between the recording head 612 and a platen 615 facing the recording head 612. The transport unit 605 includes a transport roller 605a and a driven roller (pinch roller) 605b that is pressed against the transport roller 605a by a spring or the like (not shown). The transport roller 605a is a rotating body that rotates by the driving force of a transport motor 624, and the driven roller 605b is a rotating body that rotates following the rotation of the transport roller 605a. The sheet SH is sandwiched in a nip portion between the transport roller 605a and the driven roller 605b, and is transported by the rotation of the transport roller 605a and the driven roller 605b.

[0111] The sensor 632 is a sensor that detects the sheet SH in the same way as the sensor 631, and is a sensor that detects the passage of the leading and trailing edges of the sheet SH, and is, for example, an optical sensor. The sensor 632 is disposed upstream near the conveying unit 605, and therefore the detection result can be used to manage the loop amount for registering the sheet SH and the positions of the leading and trailing edges of the sheet SH.

[0112] (Transport Unit 606) The transport unit 606 is disposed downstream of the recording head 612, and transports the sheet SH transported by the transport unit 605 to the downstream transport unit 609. The transport unit 606 includes a transport roller 606a and a spur 606b that is pressed against the transport roller 606a by a spring or the like (not shown). The transport roller 606a is a rotating body that rotates by the driving force of a transport motor 624, and the spur 606b is a rotating body that rotates following the rotation of the transport roller 606a. In this embodiment, the transport unit 605 and the transport unit 606 share the drive source (transport motor 624).

[0113] (Transport Unit 607) The transport unit 607 is disposed downstream of the recording head 612 and the transport unit 606, and transports the sheet SH transported by the transport unit 606 downstream. The transport unit 607 includes a transport roller 607a and a spur 607b that is pressed against the transport roller 607a by a spring or the like (not shown). The transport roller 607a is also a rotating body that rotates by the driving force of the transport motor 624 described above, and the spur 607b is a rotating body that rotates following the rotation of the transport roller 607a. The sheet SH is sandwiched in the nip portion between the transport roller 607a and the driven roller 607b, and is transported by the rotation of the transport roller 607a and the spur 607b.

[0114] The sensor 633 is, for example, an optical sensor that detects the sheet SH, similar to the sensors 631 and 632. The sensor 633 can be used to detect the leading and trailing edges of the sheet SH, and can also be used to detect the presence or absence of the sheet SH in the conveying path when a jam or the like of the sheet SH occurs in the conveying path.

[0115] (Transport units 608 and 609) The transport units 608 and 609 are arranged downstream of the recording head 612 and the transport units 606 and 607. The transport units 608 and 609 are discharge units that discharge the sheet SH transported by the transport unit 607 onto a discharge tray 617. In the case of single-sided recording, the sheet SH discharged onto the discharge tray 617 is discharged with the image printed side facing downward, a so-called "face-down discharge." In the case of double-sided recording, the second side faces downward.

[0116] The transport unit 608 includes a transport roller 608a and a spur 608b that is pressed against the transport roller 608a by a spring or the like (not shown). The transport roller 608a is a rotating body that rotates by the driving force of a transport motor 625, and the spur 608b is a rotating body that rotates following the rotation of the transport roller 608a. The sheet SH is sandwiched in a nip portion between the transport roller 608a and the spur 608b, and is transported by the rotation of the transport roller 608a and the spur 608b.

[0117] The transport unit 609 includes a transport roller 609a and a spur 609b that is pressed against the transport roller 609a by a spring or the like (not shown). The transport roller 609a is a rotating body that is rotated by the driving force of the transport motor 625, the same as the transport unit 608 described above, and the spur 609b is a rotating body that is rotated following the rotation of the transport roller 609a. The sheet SH is sandwiched in a nip portion between the transport roller 609a and the spur 609b, and is transported by the rotation of the transport roller 609a and the spur 609b.

[0118] In this embodiment, the drive source (transport motor 625) is shared between the transport units 608 and 609. However, the motor 625 may be eliminated, and the transport motor 624, which is the drive source for the transport units 605 to 607, may also be shared between the transport units 608 and 609.

[0119] In addition, in this embodiment, four transport units (transport units 606 to 609) are used downstream of the print head 612, but this number can be reduced depending on the size of the print medium compatible with the printing apparatus 1A in the transport direction. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which only transport units 606 and 609 are used, and the sheet SH is discharged to the paper discharge tray 617 by transport unit 609.

[0120] The sensor 634 is a sensor that detects the sheet SH in the same way as the sensors 631 to 633, and is a sensor that detects the passage of the leading and trailing edges of the sheet SH, and is, for example, an optical sensor. In this embodiment, after the sensor 634 detects the trailing edge of the sheet SH, the sheet SH is discharged (the trailing edge of the sheet SH reaches the discharge tray 617) after a predetermined transport distance. Therefore, the detection result of the sensor 634 can be used to detect the discharge of the sheet SH.

[0121] Next, a description will be given of a conveying mechanism for sheets SH provided in optional device 500. Sheets SH set in feed tray 502 are separated one by one by feed unit 510 in optional device 500 and fed to conveying path RT7A. Feed unit 510 is a pickup mechanism that uses feed motor 522 as a drive source and picks up sheets SH from feed tray 502. Feed unit 510 includes a feed roller (pickup roller) 510a, a feed roller 510b, and a separation roller 510c.

[0122] The feeding unit 511 is located downstream of the feeding unit 510 and includes a feeding roller 511a and a driven roller 511b. The feeding roller 511a is a rotating body that rotates by the driving force of the feeding motor 522, and the driven roller 511b is a rotating body that rotates following the rotation of the feeding roller 511a.

[0123] The sheet SH is sandwiched in a nip between the feeding roller 511a and the driven roller 511b, and is transported by the rotation of the feeding roller 511a and the driven roller 511b.

[0124] Sheet SH conveyed by feeding unit 511 of option device 500A passes through an exit on the top surface of option device 500A and intermediate point JP3, which is a conveying path entrance on the bottom surface of recording apparatus 1A, and enters conveying path RT6E. Sheet SH is further conveyed to junction point JP1 along conveying path RT6D.

[0125] Sheet SH conveyed by feeding unit 511 of optional device 500B passes through an exit on the top surface of optional device 500B and intermediate point JP5, which is a conveying path entrance on the bottom surface of optional device 500A, and enters conveying path RT7B. Sheet SH further passes through conveying path RT7B of optional device 500A, and is conveyed by feeding unit 511 of optional device 500A through conveying path RT6D to junction JP1.

[0126] <Recording Unit> The recording unit 610 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 25 and 26 in addition to Fig. 24. Fig. 25 is a perspective view of the recording unit 610, and Fig. 26 is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D in Fig. 24. The recording unit 610 includes a recording head 612, a carriage 611, and a drive unit 614. The recording head 612 ejects liquid ink onto a sheet SH to record an image on the sheet SH. The lower surface of the recording head 612 forms an ejection surface on which a plurality of nozzles that eject ink are formed.

[0127] The ink supplied to the recording head 612 is stored in an ink tank 664 of a tank unit 665. The ink stored in the ink tank 664 is supplied to the recording head 612 via a tube (not shown) (tube supply system). Note that the ink supply system may be an independent ink cartridge system in which the ink cartridge is mounted on the carriage 611 together with the recording head 612, or a head cartridge system in which the ink cartridge and recording head 612 are integrated, and any of these systems may be used.

[0128] The platen 615 is disposed between the transport unit 605 and the transport unit 606 so as to face the print head 612 (particularly the ejection surface). The sheet SH is transported between the print head 612 and the platen 615 in the direction of the arrow SD (+Y direction), and an image is printed by the print head 612.

[0129] The print head 612 is mounted on a carriage 611. The carriage 611 is reciprocated by a drive unit 614 in a direction intersecting the SD direction (the X-axis direction in this embodiment).

[0130] The drive unit 614 includes a support member 620 extending in the X-axis direction. The support member 620 is a base member that supports each component of the drive unit 614. The support member 620 is provided with a guide member 613 that engages with the carriage 611 to guide the movement of the carriage 611. In this embodiment, the guide member 613 includes a lower rail member 613a and an upper rail member 613b. The rail members 613a and 613b are spaced apart from each other in the Z-axis direction and extend in the X-axis direction. The rail members 613a and 613b engage with the carriage 611 to guide the movement of the carriage 611. The guide member 613 may be an axle-shaped member.

[0131] The rail member 613a supports the carriage 611 in the height (Z) direction and the front-rear (Y) direction. By adjusting the height (Z) of the rail member 613a relative to the support member 620, it is possible to adjust the height (Z position) of the print head 612 (particularly the ejection surface) relative to the platen 615. The rail member 613b is located above the rail member 613a (in the +Z direction) and regulates the position of the carriage 611 around the X axis. By adjusting the rail member 613b in the front-rear (Y) direction relative to the support member 620, it is possible to adjust the tilt of the print head 612 around the X axis relative to the platen 615.

[0132] The drive unit 614 in this embodiment is a belt transmission mechanism that uses a carriage motor 621 as a drive source. However, the drive unit 614 may have a mechanism type other than a belt transmission mechanism. The carriage motor 621 is disposed on the opposite side of the carriage 611 in the front-to-rear (Y) direction, with the support member 620 sandwiched between them. The drive unit 614 includes a drive pulley 618 and a driven pulley 619 that are spaced apart in the X-axis direction, and an endless belt 616 that is wound around these pulleys, and these are disposed between the rail members 613a and 613b in the height (Z) direction.

[0133] The carriage 611 is fixed to an endless belt 616. When a carriage motor 621 rotates a drive pulley 618, the endless belt 616 runs and the carriage 611 moves. A code strip 635 is supported on a support member 620. A sensor (not shown) that detects the slits in the code strip 635 is provided on the carriage 611, and the position of the carriage 611 in the X-axis direction can be identified and the speed can be adjusted based on the detection result of the sensor.

[0134] An electrical contact point between the recording head 612 and a substrate (not shown) is provided on the carriage 611. The substrate (not shown) may be disposed downstream of the recording head 612 in the transport direction (+Y direction) and between the carriage 611 and the support member 620.

[0135] Next, the image recording operation will be described. An image is recorded by ejecting ink from the recording head 612 onto the sheet SH during the reciprocating movement of the carriage 611 in the X-axis direction. This operation is called a recording scan. The recording operation is performed by alternately repeating a transport operation in which the transport unit 605 intermittently transports the sheet SH in the SD direction (+Y direction) and a recording scan.

[0136] <Front Feeding Mechanism> The front feeding mechanism of the recording apparatus 1A will be described using Figures 27 and 28. The front feeding mechanism allows sheets SH to be manually fed from the front side of the recording apparatus 1A. Figure 27 is a diagram showing a state in which the cover 653 and the feeding tray 651 have been pulled out from the state shown in Figure 19. Figure 28 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the recording apparatus 1A, showing a state in which the cover 653 and the feeding tray 651 have been pulled out.

[0137] In this embodiment, in addition to the storage cassette 602A already described, a feeding unit 650 is disposed above the storage cassette 602A and the removable unit 640 in the Z direction (+Z direction) and on the front surface 601a side of the recording apparatus 1A. Fig. 19 shows the state in which the stacking tray 651 is closed, and Fig. 27 shows the state in which the stacking tray 651 is open. When the stacking tray 651 is closed, multiple trays are folded and stored inside. When the stacking tray 651 is open, the folded multiple trays are unfolded and are long enough to hold the stacked sheets SH so that they do not fall.

[0138] A feed tray 652 is located behind the open stack tray 651, and holds sheets SH stacked on both the stack tray 651 and the feed tray 652. A sensor 636 is provided to detect whether or not sheets SH are stacked on the feed tray 652.

[0139] The sensor 636 is a sensor that detects the sheet SH and is, for example, an optical sensor. The sensor 636 detects the presence or absence of the sheet SH in the feed tray 652 and can be configured as, for example, a reflective sensor. In addition, side guides 656a and 656b for supporting the stacked sheets SH in the width direction are attached to the left and right sides of the feed tray 652. The left and right side guides 656a and 656b are connected by a rack and pinion (not shown). When the user operates one of the side guides, the side guide on the opposite side also moves in conjunction, allowing the left and right edges of the sheet SH to be supported.

[0140] Next, the arrangement of the feeding unit 650 and the transport path RT6F will be described. The feeding unit 650 includes a feeding roller 650a that presses against sheets SH stacked on a feeding tray 652. A transport roller 650b and a separation roller 650c are provided downstream of the feeding roller 650a. The feeding roller 650a and the transport roller 650b are driven by a feeding motor 623. The sheets SH set on the feeding tray 652 are picked up by the feeding roller 650a, separated one by one at a nip between the transport roller 650b and the separation roller 650c, and fed to the transport path RT6A. The sheets SH fed from the feeding unit 650 merge with the transport path RT6A at a junction JP6 and are transported to the transport unit 605. Thereafter, an image is recorded on the sheets by the recording head 612 while they are transported by the transport unit 605.

[0141] <Layout of the Configuration Around the Print Head> See Figures 25 and 26. A sheet SH may jam around the print head 612. The drive unit 614 is a structure that includes a support member 620 fixed in a wall shape on the XZ plane. Depending on the location of the drive unit 614, the drive unit 614 of the carriage 611 may easily become an obstacle when considering the accessibility of an operator to the location where a jam has occurred.

[0142] In this embodiment, the drive unit 614 is disposed downstream (+Y direction) in the transport direction (SD direction) relative to the recording head 612. This increases the space upstream of the recording head 612, improving the worker's accessibility to the upstream side of the recording head 612. Jams often occur when the leading edge of the sheet SH gets stuck between the recording head 612 and the platen 615, so the worker can easily access the upstream side of the recording head 612, making recovery work smoother.

[0143] When viewed from the front-to-back direction (Y direction) of the recording apparatus 1A, the transport unit 605 is disposed in front of the recording head 612 (on the -Y side), and the drive unit 614 is disposed behind the recording head 612 (on the +Y side). In many cases, the installation location of the recording apparatus 1A is wide in front of the recording apparatus 1A and narrow in the rear due to the presence of a wall or the like. In this embodiment, because the space in front of the recording head 612 is wider, if a jam occurs, it is easy for an operator to perform recovery work from the front of the recording apparatus 1A.

[0144] In this embodiment, the feeding unit 604 is disposed further forward than the transport unit 605. If a jam occurs between the feeding unit 604 and the transport unit 605, an operator can easily perform recovery work from the front side 601a of the recording apparatus 1A.

[0145] <Structure Related to Maintenance> <Maintenance Around the Recording Head> The recording apparatus 1A of this embodiment has a structure that facilitates maintenance (access) to the recording unit 610. This will be described with reference to Figures 22, 23, 29, and 30. Figure 29 is an external view of the recording apparatus 1A with the opening / closing member 617a in the open state, and Figure 30 is a plan view of the recording apparatus 1A with the opening / closing member 617a in the open state.

[0146] Examples of maintenance for the recording unit 610 include recovery from the jam described above and replacement of the recording head 612 .

[0147] The opening 670 is formed so that a portion upstream (-Y direction) of the print head 612 in the transport direction (SD direction) is more exposed than a portion downstream (+Y direction). The open / close member 617a is disposed above (+Z direction) the transport unit 605. When the open / close member 617a is in the open state, the transport unit 605, carriage 611, print head 612, platen 615, etc. are exposed through the opening 670, allowing an operator to access these components. In this embodiment, the drive unit 614 is disposed downstream (+Y direction) of the print head 612 in the transport direction, making it easy to access the transport unit 605, carriage 611, print head 612, platen 615, etc. from the front side of the recording apparatus 1A.

[0148] 30 , if the width of the opening 670 in the X direction is KW, the width KW is wider than the maximum width of the size of sheet SH that the recording apparatus 1A can accommodate. Therefore, if a jam occurs in the sheet SH, it is easy to remove the sheet SH from the opening 670.

[0149] <Maintenance of the structure of the detachable unit and its surroundings> The structure of the detachable unit 640 and maintenance of its surroundings will be described. Fig. 31 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the recording device 1A with the detachable unit 640 removed. Fig. 32 is a perspective view of the detachable unit 640. Fig. 33 is a plan view showing the internal structure of the detachable unit 640, showing some of the configuration in a see-through state and illustrating some of the configuration on the main body 100A side. Fig. 34 is a cross-sectional view taken along line E-E in Fig. 32.

[0150] The detachable unit 640 is configured as a transport path unit that configures a portion of the path from the feeding unit 604 to the upstream portion of the transport unit 605. Therefore, when a sheet SH fed from the feeding unit 603 jams on the transport path RT6A upstream of the transport unit 605, the detachable unit 640 can be detached from the main body 100A to deal with the jam, as shown in Fig. 31. By detaching the detachable unit 640, it is possible to improve accessibility to the upstream side of the print head 612.

[0151] The detachable unit 640 includes a base 641, and left and right slide members 642R and 642L are supported on the front of the base 641 so as to be slidable in the X direction. The slide members 642R and 642L are operating parts (handling parts) that are operated by an operator when removing the detachable unit 640 from the main body 100A.

[0152] When the operator slides the slide members 642R and 642L inward in the X direction (directions D1R and D1L in FIG. 32 ), the engaging portions 642a connected to the slide members 642R and 642L are displaced inward in the X direction. In FIG. 32 , the engaging portion 642a connected to the slide member 642R is shown, but the engaging portion 642a connected to the slide member 642L is not shown. Each engaging portion 642a is located on each side of the detachable unit 640 in the left-right direction.

[0153] When the detachable unit 640 is attached to the main body 100A, the engaging portion 642a engages with the engaging portion 601b of the slot SL2 shown in FIG. 21. FIG. 21 also shows the engaging portion 601b that engages with the engaging portion 642a of the slide member 642L. The engaging portions 601b are formed on the left and right inner walls of the slot SL2. When the operator slides the slide members 642R and 642L inward in the X direction, the engaging portions 642a and 601b are disengaged, and the detachable unit 640 can be removed from the main body 100A.

[0154] As shown in FIG. 34 , a lock spring 644 is interposed between the left and right slide members 642R and 642L. The lock spring 644 biases the slide members 642R and 642L outward in the X direction. When the detachable unit 640 is inserted into the slot SL2 and the operator releases the slide members 642R and 642L, the bias of the lock spring 644 causes the engaging portion 642a to engage with the engaging portion 601b. The detachable unit 640 is locked to the main body 100A.

[0155] The base portion 641 is integrally provided with path forming members 640a and 640b that form a transport path RT6a, which is a section of the transport path RT6A. The path forming members 640a and 640b are spaced apart from each other in the Y direction and each has an arc-shaped cross section that extends in the X direction. As shown in FIG. 34 , the transport path RT6a is formed between these path forming members 640a and 640b, extending in an arc shape in the Z direction when viewed in the X direction. The top and bottom ends of the transport path RT6a are open. The base portion 641 also is integrally provided with a path forming member 640c that continues downstream from the path forming member 640a. The path forming member 640c forms the bottom surface of a portion of the transport path RT6A.

[0156] The removable unit 640 includes a feed roller 604a and a driven roller 604b facing the transport roller 604a. The driven roller 604b is rotatably supported by a base portion 641, and the feed roller 640a is rotatably supported by a support member 643a.

[0157] The support member 643a is supported by the base portion 641 via a shaft 604e extending in the X direction and is rotatable around the shaft 604e. The support member 643a is urged in the D2 direction by an elastic member 643c installed between the support member 643a and the base portion 641. Therefore, the feed roller 604a, which rotates integrally with the support member 643a, is pressed against the driven roller 604b by the urging of the elastic member 643c. In this embodiment, the elastic member 643c is a tension spring.

[0158] A driving force is transmitted to the feed roller 604a via rotors 6406 and 6407. In this embodiment, the rotors 6406 and 6407 are gear devices. The rotor 6406 is a spur gear provided coaxially with the feed roller 604a and rotates together with the feed roller 604a. The rotor 6407 is a spur gear provided coaxially with the shaft 604e and rotates around the shaft 604e.

[0159] When the feed roller 604a is driven to convey the sheet SH, a revolution force is applied to the support member 643a around the shaft 604e relative to the driven roller 604b, and the pressure of the feed roller 604a against the driven roller 604b increases. Therefore, even if the biasing force of the elastic member 643c is small, sufficient nip pressure can be obtained between the feed roller 604a and the driven roller 604b during driving.

[0160] On the other hand, when the feed roller 604a is not driven, only the nip pressure exerted by the elastic member 643c acts. When the detachable unit 640 is removed from the main body 100A to deal with a jam, even if the sheet SH is nipped between the feed roller 604a and the driven roller 604, the operator can more easily remove the sheet SH.

[0161] A feed roller 604c is also provided in the detachable unit 640. A driven roller 604d is provided in the main body 100A at a position opposite to the feed roller 604c. The driven roller 604d is also shown in Figure 33.

[0162] The feed roller 604c is rotatably supported by a support member 643b. The support member 643b is supported by the base portion 641 via a shaft 604f extending in the X direction, and is rotatable around the X axis with the shaft 604f as the center. The support member 643b is biased in the D3 direction by an elastic member 643d installed between the support member 643b and the base portion 641. Therefore, the feed roller 604c, which rotates integrally with the support member 643b, is pressed against the driven roller 604d by the bias of the elastic member 643d. In this embodiment, the elastic member 643d is a tension spring.

[0163] A driving force is transmitted to the feed roller 604ca via rotors 6405 and 6408. In this embodiment, the rotors 6405 and 6408 are gear devices. The rotor 6408 is a spur gear that is provided coaxially with the feed roller 604c and rotates together with the feed roller 604c. The rotor 6405 is a spur gear that is provided coaxially with the shaft 604f and rotates around the shaft 604f.

[0164] When the feed roller 604c is driven to convey the sheet SH, a revolution force is applied to the support member 643b around the shaft 604f relative to the driven roller 604d, and the pressure of the feed roller 604c against the driven roller 604d increases. Therefore, even if the biasing force of the elastic member 643d is small, sufficient nip pressure can be obtained between the feed roller 604c and the driven roller 604d during driving.

[0165] On the other hand, when the feed roller 604c is not driven, only the nip pressure exerted by the tension spring 643d acts. When the detachable unit 640 is removed from the main body 100A, the resistance caused by the nip between the feed roller 604c and the driven roller 604d can be reduced.

[0166] In the detachable unit 640 of this embodiment, the drive source for the feed rollers 604a and 604c is a feed motor 623 provided in the main body 100A. By locating the drive source externally, electrical wiring work can be eliminated when attaching or detaching the detachable unit 640.

[0167] For this reason, the detachable unit 640 is equipped with a transmission mechanism that transmits the driving force of the feed motor 623. Referring to FIG. 33 , the transmission mechanism includes an input portion 6401, a drive shaft 6403, and a gear device 6402 between the input portion 6401 and the drive shaft 6403. In this embodiment, the input portion 6401 is a gear that rotates around an axis in the X direction and is disposed on one side of the detachable unit 640 in the X direction. When the detachable unit 640 is attached to the main body 100A, the input portion 6401 meshes with an output gear 601c provided on the main body 100A. The output gear 601c rotates due to the driving force of the feed motor 623. When the detachable unit 640 is detached from the main body 100A, the input portion 6401 and the output gear 601c are separated, and the drive transmission is cut off.

[0168] The driving force input to the input unit 6401 is transmitted to the driving shaft 6403 via a gear device 6402. The driving force is transmitted from the driving shaft 6403 to the feed rollers 604a and 604c. For example, the driving force is transmitted to the feed roller 604c via a rotating body (gear) 6404 ( FIG. 34 ) provided on the driving shaft 6403 and the rotating body 6405 already described. The driving force is also transmitted to the feed roller 604a by a similar mechanism.

[0169] Next, we will explain the configuration of the sensor 631. The sensor 631 includes a light-blocking piece 631a, a lever member 631b, a connecting shaft 631c, and a photointerrupter 631d. The photointerrupter 631d is provided in the main body 100A, and is also shown in Figure 33.

[0170] The connecting shaft 631c extends in the X direction and is supported by the base portion 641 so as to be rotatable about the X axis. The lever member 631b is attached to one end of the connecting shaft 631c and is rotatable together with the connecting shaft 631c around an axis in the X axis direction.

[0171] As shown in Figure 34, the tip of lever member 631b extends radially from connecting shaft 631c and protrudes into transport path RT6a. The tip of lever member 631b is located in the area between path forming member 640a and path forming member 640b. Therefore, even when detachable unit 640 is detached from main body 100A, the tip of lever member 631b is surrounded by path forming member 640a and path forming member 640b, making it difficult for an operator to touch. This prevents damage to lever member 631b.

[0172] The light blocking piece 631a is attached to the other end of the connecting shaft 631c with respect to the lever member 631b, and is rotatable together with the connecting shaft 631c around an axis in the X-axis direction. The light blocking piece 631a is a fan-shaped, plate-like member that extends in the radial direction of the connecting shaft 631c. The light blocking piece 631a is disposed on one side of the detachable unit 640 in the X-axis direction. The light blocking piece 631a and the input section 6401 are located on opposite sides of the detachable unit 640, either left or right.

[0173] The photointerrupter 646 is an optical sensor having a light-emitting element EL and a light-receiving element RL. The slit between the light-emitting element EL and the light-receiving element RL opens toward the front of the main body 100A. When the detachable unit 640 is attached to the main body 100A, the light-blocking piece 631a is positioned in the slit between the light-emitting element EL and the light-receiving element RL. Because the slit opens toward the front of the main body 100A, the light-blocking piece 631a and the photointerrupter 646 do not come into contact with each other when the detachable unit 640 is attached or detached. By locating the photointerrupter 646 in the main body 100A, electrical wiring work is not required when attaching or detaching the detachable unit 640.

[0174] As shown in Fig. 34, when there is no sheet SH on the transport path RT6a, the lever member 631b is biased by the elastic member 631e so that its tip protrudes into the transport path RT6a as described above. At this time, the light-shielding piece 631a shields the optical axis between the light-emitting element EL and the light-receiving element RL of the photointerrupter 646 as shown in Fig. 36. In this embodiment, the elastic member 631e is a torsion coil spring.

[0175] 35, when a sheet SH passes through the transport path RT6a, the lever member 631b comes into contact with the sheet SH and rotates in the direction of arrow D4 to a position that avoids the sheet SH. More specifically, the leading edge of the sheet SH comes into contact with the lever member 631b and pushes it up, causing the lever member 631b to rotate. The lever member 631b protrudes only slightly from the transport path RT6a, or is positioned at a position retracted from the transport path RT6a.

[0176] 37, the light-shielding piece 631a does not block the optical axis between the light-emitting element EL and the light-receiving element RL of the photointerrupter 646 (the light-receiving element RL receives light from the light-emitting element EL). Therefore, by monitoring the detection result of the photointerrupter 646, the position of the sheet SH can be recognized.

[0177] When the sheet SH passes through the transport path RT6a, the lever member 631b is returned to the position shown in Fig. 34 by the urging force of the elastic member 631e, and the light blocking piece 631a blocks the optical axis between the light emitting unit EL and the light receiving unit RL of the photointerrupter 646 as shown in Fig. 36. In this embodiment, the urging force of the elastic member 631e is used to return the lever member 631b to the position shown in Fig. 34, but its own weight may also be used.

[0178] 38, even when the detachable unit 640 is detached from the main body 100A, the light-shielding piece 631a does not block the optical axis between the light-emitting element EL and the light-receiving element RL of the photointerrupter 646 (the light-receiving element RL receives light from the light-emitting element EL). If it is detected that the light-receiving element RL is receiving light from the light-emitting element EL when the conveyance of the sheet SH is stopped, it can be determined that the detachable unit 640 has been detached from the main body 100A.

[0179] In the sixth embodiment, the lever member 631b is a part of the sensor 631 that detects the sheet SH, but the lever member 631b can also be used for purposes other than as a sensor. For example, the lever member 631b may be used as a posture guide that shifts the position of the sheet SH to one side within the conveying path RT6a.

[0180] The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following claims are appended to apprise the public of the scope of the invention.

[0181] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-149554 filed on September 14, 2023 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-157731 filed on September 11, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A recording device comprising: a storage cassette in which recording media are loaded; a transport means for transporting the recording media to a recording head; a carriage on which the recording head is mounted; and a drive means for moving the carriage, wherein the storage cassette is attachable to and detachable from the front of the main body of the recording device in the front-to-rear direction of the recording device, the transport means transports the recording media from the front to the rear in the front-to-rear direction, and the drive means moves the carriage in a direction intersecting the front-to-rear direction and is positioned rearward of the recording head in the front-to-rear direction.

2. A recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transport means is disposed in front of the recording head in the front-rear direction.

3. A recording device as described in claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a feeding means for transporting the recording medium from the storage cassette to the transporting means, the feeding means being disposed in front of the transporting means in the front-to-rear direction.

4. A recording device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a removable unit that is removable in the front-to-rear direction from the front surface of the main body, and the removable unit forms a transport path for the recording medium transported from the storage cassette.

5. A recording device according to claim 4, characterized in that the storage cassette is located below the removable unit.

6. A recording apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a reversing path for reversing the recording medium that has passed the recording head and transporting it to the feeding means.

7. A recording device according to claim 6, characterized in that the reversing path is a path that guides the recording medium from the rear side to the front side of the recording device in the front-rear direction.

8. A recording device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising an opening provided at an upper portion of a housing of the recording device to expose the inside of the recording device, the opening being formed such that a portion of the recording head in the front-to-rear direction is more exposed from the opening than a portion of the recording head in the rearward direction.

9. A recording device according to claim 8, characterized in that the opening has a width greater than a width of the recording medium.

10. A recording apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, further comprising a platen facing said recording head, said platen being exposed through said opening.

11. A recording device according to any one of claims 8 to 10, further comprising an opening / closing member for opening and closing the opening, the opening / closing member forming an ejection tray into which the recorded recording medium is ejected.

12. A recording device according to claim 11, characterized in that the opening and closing member is a rotating member having a central axis of rotation in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction.

13. A recording device as described in any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the driving means comprises: a guide member extending in the direction intersecting the front-rear direction and guiding the movement of the carriage; a drive pulley and a driven pulley spaced apart in the direction intersecting the front-rear direction; an endless belt wound between the drive pulley and the driven pulley and to which the carriage is fixed; and a motor for rotating the drive pulley.

14. A recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the recording head ejects ink onto the recording medium.

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