The present application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-069482, which was filed on Mar. 31, 2017, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The following disclosure relates to a conveyor device configured to convey sheets and an image recording apparatus including the conveyor device.
There is known an image forming apparatus capable of preventing entry of foreign matters into an internal mechanism of the apparatus through a discharge opening of sheets. A sheet discharger of the image forming apparatus includes a discharge roller pair and a shield cover that covers the discharge roller pair.
The sheet discharger of the known image forming apparatus includes the shield cover that covers the discharge roller pair. It is thus possible to prevent rollers of the discharge roller pair from being touched by a user or to prevent entry of foreign matters. In this configuration, however, when a user removes a sheet out of the sheet discharger in a jam clearing operation, it makes difficult for a user to perform the jam clearing operation.
Accordingly, one aspect of the present disclosure relates to a sheet conveyor device capable of preventing a jam clearing operation from becoming difficult to be performed even though the conveyor device is provided with a cover for a roller configured to convey a sheet. Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to an image recording apparatus including the sheet conveyor.
In one aspect of the present disclosure, a conveyor device includes: a first roller; a second roller disposed under the first roller and configured to be movable between a nip position at which the second roller cooperates with the first roller to nip a sheet therebetween so as to discharge the sheet in a discharge direction and a separated position located at a height level lower than the nip position; a cover configured to be movable between a first position and a second position located at a height level lower than the first position, the cover including a downstream wall which at least partially covers a downstream portion of the second roller located at the nip position when the cover is located at the first position; and a moving mechanism configured to move the second roller between the nip position and the separated position and to move the cover between the first position and the second position.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, an image recording apparatus includes: a conveyor device including a first roller, a second roller disposed under the first roller and configured to be movable between a nip position at which the second roller cooperates with the first roller to nip a sheet therebetween so as to discharge the sheet in a discharge direction and a separated position located at a height level lower than the nip position, a cover configured to be movable between a first position and a second position located at a height level lower than the first position, the cover including a downstream wall which at least partially covers a downstream portion of the second roller located at the nip position when the cover is located at the first position, and a moving mechanism configured to move the second roller between the nip position and the separated position and to move the cover between the first position and the second position; an image recorder disposed upstream of the second roller in the discharge direction; and a platen disposed below the image recorder, wherein the cover is formed integrally with the platen.
The objects, features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of the present disclosure will be better understood by reading the following detailed description of embodiments, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
There will be hereinafter explained embodiments of the present disclosure. It is to be understood the following embodiments are described only by way of example, and the present disclosure may be otherwise embodied without departing from the scope of the disclosure. An up-down direction 7 is defined with respect to an attitude of a printer 10 placed horizontally in its operative position as shown in
Referring first to
Overall Structure of Printer 10
As shown in
Supply Tray 20 and Discharge Tray 21
The supply tray 20 is disposed at a lower portion of the printer 10. The supply tray 20 is insertable and removable in the front-rear direction 8. The supply tray 20 can support a stack of a plurality of sheets 12. The discharge tray 21 is located above the supply tray 20. The discharge tray 21 is configured to support the sheet 12 discharged from between the image recorder 24 and the platen 42 by the second conveyor 23.
Sheet Supplier 15
As shown in
The forward rotation of the supply roller 25 means that the supply roller 25 rotates in a direction to convey the sheet 12 in a discharge direction 16. Hereinafter, forward rotation of rollers other than the supply roller 25 also means that each roller rotates in a direction to convey the sheet 12 in the discharge direction 16.
Conveyance Path 13
As shown in
First Conveyor 22 and Second Conveyor 23
As shown in
The second conveyor 23 is disposed downstream of the image recorder 24 in the discharge direction 16. The second conveyor 23 includes first spurs 33, discharge rollers 34 (each as one example of “second roller”), and second spurs 35 (each as one example of “first roller”). The discharge rollers 34 and the second spurs 35 are disposed downstream of the first spurs 33 in the discharge direction 16 and are opposed to each other. The first spurs 33 are for preventing the sheet 12 from coming into contact with a recording head 39 when the sheet 12 floats up. The second spurs 35 are located at a height level higher than the discharge rollers 34. The sheet 12 is nipped by the discharge rollers 34 and the second spurs 35. The discharge rollers 34 are fixed to a rotation shaft 36 which is disposed coaxially with the discharge rollers 34. When the conveyance motor rotates the rotation shaft 36, the discharge rollers 34 are driven. The first spurs 33 are rotated by the sheet 12 that is being conveyed. The second spurs 35 are rotated by rotation of the corresponding discharge rollers 34. The nipped sheet 12 is conveyed in the discharge direction 16 by the discharge rollers 34 which are rotated forwardly by forward rotation of the conveyance motor and the second spurs 35.
Image Recorder 24
As shown in
The recording head 39 is mounted on the carriage 38. A plurality of nozzles 40 are formed in a lower surface of the recording head 39. A distal end of each nozzle 40 is exposed from the lower surface of the recording head 39. The entirety of the plurality of nozzles 40 is located downstream of the conveyance roller 31 and the pinch roller 32 in the discharge direction 16. The recording head 39 ejects, from the nozzles 40, ink as minute ink droplets. During a movement of the carriage 38 in the right-left direction 9, the recording head 39 ejects ink droplets to the sheet 12 supported on the platen 42. Thus, an image is recorded on the sheet 12.
Platen 42
As shown in
As shown in
The two side walls 43 are respectively located at opposite end portions of the platen 42 in the right-left direction 9. Each side wall 43 is a plate-like portion perpendicular to the right-left direction 9 and is long in the front-rear direction 8. A lower surface of the side wall 43 has flat portions 43a and a recessed portion 43b opening downward. The flat portions 43a are respectively located on a front side and a rear side of the recessed portion 43b.
Each of the rear upper wall 44, the rear wall 45, the bottom wall 46, the intermediate wall 47, the front upper wall 48, and the front wall 49 connects the two side walls 43 in the right-left direction 9. The rear upper wall 44 is a plate-like portion perpendicular to the up-down direction 7 and extends frontward from rear upper ends of the side walls 43. The rear wall 45 is a plate-like portion perpendicular to the front-rear direction 8 and extends downward from a front upper end of the rear upper wall 44. The bottom wall 46 is a plate-like portion perpendicular to the up-down direction 7 and extends frontward from a lower end of the rear wall 45. The intermediate wall 47 is a plate-like portion perpendicular to the front-rear direction 8 and extends upward from a front end of the bottom wall 46. The front upper wall 48 is a plate-like portion perpendicular to the up-down direction 7 and extends frontward from an upper end of the intermediate wall 47. The front wall 49 is a plate-like portion perpendicular to the front-rear direction 8 and extends downward from a front end of the front upper wall 48.
Cover 41
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Engaging Portion 50
As shown in
Cover Body 51
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
A rear end of the curved surface 58 of the front portion 56 is located directly under the lower end 64 and an upper end 65 of the discharge roller 34. The lower end 64 and the upper end 65 of the discharge roller 34 are located within the vertical plane passing the axis A34 of the discharge roller 34. A front end of the curved surface 58 of the front portion 56 and the flat surface 59 are located at a height level higher than the rear end of the curved surface 58 of the front portion 56 and are located between the lower end 64 and the upper end 65 of the discharge roller 34. An imaginary line L64 indicates a straight line passing the lower end 64 and extending in the front-rear direction 8. As shown in
The front end 66 (as one example of a position of a downstream end in the discharge direction 16) of the front portion 56 is located more rearward (i.e., located more upstream in the discharge direction 16) than a front end 67 (as one example of a position of a downstream end in the discharge direction 16) of the discharge roller 34. An imaginary line L67 indicates a straight line passing the front end 67 of the discharge roller 34 and extending in the up-down direction 7.
As shown in
As shown in
Moving Mechanism 90
As shown in
The two side frames 91 respectively disposed at the right and left end portions support the platen 42 such that the platen 42 is movable in the up-down direction 7. The two side frames 91 are connected to each other by a frame (not shown) extending in the right-left direction 9. Each side frame 91 supports the corresponding movable member 92 such that the movable member 92 is movable in the front-rear direction 8. The two movable members 92 are connected to each other by a frame (not shown) extending in the right-left direction 9. The following explanation will be made focusing on one movable member 92 where appropriate.
Each movable member 92 includes a long lever portion 95 extending in the front-rear direction 8, a grip portion 96 fixed to a front end of the lever portion 95, and a guide portion 97 fixed to a middle portion of the lever portion 95. The lever portion 95 is supported by the side frame 91 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction 8. The grip portion 96 is disposed over the discharge tray 21 shown in
By being guided by the guide hole 98, the discharge roller 34 is movable between the nip position PE1 shown in
The cover 41 is movable between the first position P1 shown in
The movable member 92 is movable between a storage position PM1 shown in
When the movable member 92 is located at the storage position PM1 shown in
The movement of the movable members 92 between the storage position PM1 and the protruding position PM2 causes the platen 42 and the discharge rollers 34 to be moved in the up-down direction 7. As shown in
The platen 42 is supported by the two side frames 91 so as to be unrotatable about the right-left direction 9 and so as to be movable in the up-down direction 7. With this configuration, in accordance with a change of the position of the movable members 92 between the storage position PM1 and the protruding position PM2, the platen 42 is translated in the up-down direction 7. Since the cover 41 is fixed to the platen 42 and the discharge rollers 34 are supported by the cover 41, the translation of the platen 42 causes the cover 41 and the discharge rollers 34 to be translated.
According to the printer 10 of the first embodiment, the discharge rollers 34 are moved to the separated position PE2, and the cover 41 is moved to the second position P2. With this configuration, the cover 41 does not disturb the jam clearing operation to take out the sheet 12 present between the second spurs 35 and the discharge rollers 34.
When the cover 41 is located at the first position P1, a region of the downstream portion 62 of each discharge roller 34 in the discharge direction 16 except the region 63 is exposed, namely, is not covered by the cover 41, enabling the sheet 12 to easily pass without being disturbed by the cover 41.
The positional relationship between the discharge rollers 34 and the cover 41 is maintained, so that a distance over which the cover 41 moves is minimized while a collision of the cover 41 and the discharge rollers 34 is avoided.
The first embodiment easily attains the structure for moving the cover 41 in conjunction with the movement of the discharge rollers 34.
In the first embodiment, the cover 41 does not protrude in the discharge direction beyond the discharge rollers 34, so that the cover 41 does not disturb the sheet 12 to be discharged by the discharge rollers 34, enabling the sheet 12 to easily pass.
The cover 41 includes the side walls 54, thereby preventing the discharge rollers 34 from being touched by the user in the axial direction.
The cover 41 includes the bottom walls 55, thereby preventing the discharge rollers 34 from being touched by the user from below. Further, paper dust of the sheet 12 is received by the bottom walls 55, thereby preventing dropping of paper dust.
Each bottom wall 55 has the through-hole 68. It is consequently possible to prevent paper dust from being accumulated on the bottom wall 55 to such an extent that paper dust disturbs rotation of the discharge roller 34.
As compared with a case in which the cover 41 is formed separately from the platen 42, the cover 41 is easily formed.
Referring next to
As shown in
Each movable member 92 is movable between a storage position PM1 shown in
The two side frames 191 respectively located at the right and left end portions support the platen 42 through the supporting shaft 195. The supporting shaft 195 is the shaft extending in the right-left direction 9 and fixed to the two side frames 191. The platen 42 is rotatable about the supporting shaft 195. The two side frames 191 are connected by a frame (not shown) extending in the right-left direction 9. Each side frame 191 supports the corresponding movable member 92 such that the movable member 92 is movable in the front-rear direction 8.
When the movable member 92 is located at the storage position PM1 shown in
As shown in
The platen 42 is supported by the two side frames 191 so as to be rotatable about the right-left direction 9. With this configuration, when the position of the movable member 92 changes between the storage position PM1 and the protruding position PM2, the platen 42 pivots about the supporting shaft 195. Since the cover 41 is fixed to the platen 42 and the discharge rollers 34 are supported by the cover 41, the pivotal movement of the platen 42 causes the cover 41 and the discharge rollers 34 to pivot about the pivot shaft 195.
Modifications
In the printer 10 according to the first and second embodiments, the uppermost position of the front portion 56 of the bottom wall 55 (i.e., the front end of the curved surface 58 and the flat surface 59) is located between the lower end 64 and the upper end 65 of the discharge roller 34. Further, the bottom wall 55 partially covers a frontward facing portion of the outer circumferential surface of the discharge roller 34. It is needed for the bottom wall 55 to cover at least partially the outer circumferential surface of the discharge roller 34, and the entirety of the frontward facing portion of the outer circumferential surface of the discharge roller 34 need not be covered at all by the bottom wall 55. A front wall that extends upward from the front end of the bottom wall 55 may be provided as long as the sheet 12 easily passes the discharge rollers 34 without being adversely influenced by the provision of the front wall. The front wall may cover a portion of the discharge roller 34 ranging from the lower end 64 of the discharge roller 34 to the front end 67 thereof. Further, the front wall may cover a portion of the discharge roller 34 ranging from the lower end 64 of the discharge roller 34 to the vicinity of the upper end 65 thereof.
In the printer 10 according to the first and second embodiments, the discharge rollers 34 are supported by the cover 41 fixed to the platen 42, and the movable members 92 cause the discharge rollers 34 and the cover 41 to move together in conjunction with the movement of the platen 42 while the distance between the cover 41 and the axis of the discharge rollers 34 is kept constant. The configuration of the movable member 92 is not limited to those in the first embodiment and the second embodiment as long as the movable member 92 causes the cover 41 to be moved from the first position P1 to the second position P2 in conjunction with the movement of the discharge rollers 34 from the nip position PE1 to the separated position PE2. The movable members 92 may be connected to the discharge rollers 34 and the cover 41 through individual link mechanisms. In a case where the movable member 92 is configured to move the discharge rollers 34 and the cover 41 independently of each other, the distance between the cover 41 and the axis of the discharge rollers 34 is not necessarily required to be kept constant.
In the printer 10 according to the first and second embodiments, the engaging portions 50 of the cover 41 are held in engagement with the rotation shaft 36 of the discharge rollers 34. The cover 41 does not necessarily have to be held in engagement with the rotation shaft 36 of the discharge rollers 34.
In the printer 10 according to the first and second embodiments, the front end 66 of the bottom wall 55 is located more rearward than the front end 67 of the discharge roller 34. The front end 66 of the bottom wall 55 may be located more frontward than the front end 67 of the discharge roller 34.
In the printer 10 according to the first and second embodiments, the bottom wall 55 has the through-hole 68. The bottom wall 55 may have an opening portion that opens upward, instead of the through-hole 68. The through-hole 68 may be omitted.
In the printer 10 according to the first and second embodiments, the cover 41 is integral with the platen 42. The platen 42 and the cover 41 may be separate from each other.
In the printer 10 according to the first and second embodiments, the movable members 92 are manually moved by the user. The movable members 92 may be moved by driving of a motor. In this case, the printer 10 includes a drive-force transmitting mechanism for transmitting a rotation driving force of the motor to the movable members 92.
In the printer 10 according to the first and second embodiments, the movable member 92 is a sliding member reciprocable in the front-rear direction 8. The movable member 92 may be an eccentric cam. In this case, the lower surface of a member that supports the discharge rollers 34 and the cover 41 (e.g., the platen 42) is configured to be in contact with an outer circumferential surface of the eccentric cam. In accordance with rotation of the eccentric cam, a position of an upper end of the outer circumferential surface of the eccentric cam changes up and down, whereby the discharge rollers 34 and the cover 41 are moved in the up-down direction 7.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2017-069482 | Mar 2017 | JP | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
7346294 | Lee | Mar 2008 | B2 |
8567941 | Sano | Oct 2013 | B2 |
9016463 | Mimoto | Apr 2015 | B2 |
9187283 | Sano | Nov 2015 | B2 |
9517645 | Iijima | Dec 2016 | B2 |
9694606 | Ito | Jul 2017 | B2 |
9731918 | Lee | Aug 2017 | B2 |
9783381 | Kawamata | Oct 2017 | B2 |
9815648 | Uchino | Nov 2017 | B2 |
20110236118 | Ota | Sep 2011 | A1 |
20130293656 | Anami | Nov 2013 | A1 |
20140103605 | Yamada et al. | Apr 2014 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
2014-077942 | May 2014 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20180282090 A1 | Oct 2018 | US |