Drive force transmission device, mechanical device, and liquid ejection apparatus

Abstract

A drive force transmission device that causes a plurality of driven members to operate in different operational areas for different operational purposes includes a lead screw and at least one movable member. The lead screw has a threaded portion formed on an outer circumferential surface of the lead screw. The lead screw is rotated about the axis of the lead screw when a drive force is generated. The at least one movable member has an engagement portion that is arranged to engage with the threaded portion of the lead screw. The movable member is moved along the axial direction of the lead screw through the engagement portion guided by the threaded portion when the lead screw rotates. While moving, the movable member associates with the driven members in a state in which the drive force is transmissible from the lead screw to the driven members and operates each of the driven members by the drive force.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention, together with objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description of the presently preferred embodiments together with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view showing a recording head;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a maintenance unit as viewed from the front right side;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the maintenance unit as viewed from the rear left side;

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the maintenance unit;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the interior of the body of the maintenance unit;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing lead screws;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the lead screw and a cylindrical portion of a movable member in a mutually engaged state;

FIG. 9A is a view schematically showing the maintenance unit when a cap member is located at a sealing position;

FIG. 9B is a view schematically showing the maintenance unit when the cap member is being raised or lowered;

FIG. 9C is a view schematically showing the maintenance unit when the cap member is held at a non-sealing position;

FIG. 10 is a view schematically showing the maintenance unit when an all-row wiper is located at a wiping position;

FIG. 11A is a view schematically showing a main portion of the maintenance unit when a single-row wiper is located at a wiping position;

FIG. 11B is a view schematically showing a flushing box located at a liquid receiving position;

FIG. 12A is a plan view showing the relative positions of an air exposure valve device and a pressing valve;

FIG. 12B is a front view corresponding to FIG. 12A;

FIG. 13A is a cross-sectional view taken along line 13-13A of FIG. 12A;

FIG. 13B is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the pressing valve is retracted from the state of FIG. 13A;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the flushing box; and

FIG. 15 is a graph representing the relationship between the rotation amount of the lead screw and the movement distances of the movable members.

Claims

1. A drive force transmission device that causes a plurality of driven members to operate in different operational areas for different operational purposes, comprising: a lead screw having a threaded portion formed on an outer circumferential surface of the lead screw, the lead screw being rotated about the axis of the lead screw when a drive force is generated; andat least one movable member having an engagement portion that is arranged to engage with the threaded portion of the lead screw, the movable member being moved along the axial direction of the lead screw through the engagement portion guided by the threaded portion when the lead screw rotates, wherein, while moving, the movable member associates with the driven members in a state in which the drive force is transmissible from the lead screw to the driven members and operates each of the driven members by the drive force.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one movable member is provided with an associating portion in correspondence with at least one of the driven members, and wherein, while moving, the movable member operates the at least one of the driven members maintained in a state associated with the movable member through the associating portion.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the threaded portion has a first threaded portion and a second threaded portion, and wherein the pitch of the first threaded portion is smaller that the pitch of the second threaded portion.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one movable member includes a plurality of movable members that move sequentially along the axial direction of the lead screw when the lead screw rotates, and wherein the driven members are aligned in the axial direction of the lead screw in the order in which the driven members start to operate in a state associated with the driven members when the movable members move.

5. A mechanical device comprising: a plurality of driven members that operate in different operational areas for different operational purposes;a lead screw having a threaded portion formed on an outer circumferential surface of the lead screw, the lead screw being rotated about the axis of the lead screw when a drive force is generated; andat least one movable member having an engagement portion that is arranged to engage with the threaded portion of the lead screw, the movable member being moved along the axial direction of the lead screw through the engagement portion guided by the threaded portion when the lead screw rotates, wherein, while moving, the movable member associates with the driven members in a state in which the drive force is transmissible from the lead screw to the driven members and operates each of the driven members by the drive force.

6. The mechanical device according to claim 5, wherein the at least one movable member is provided with an associating portion in correspondence with at least one of the driven members, and wherein, while moving, the movable member operates the at least one of the driven member maintained in a state associated with the movable member through the associating portion.

7. The mechanical device according to claim 5, wherein the threaded portion has a first threaded portion and a second threaded portion, and wherein the pitch of the first threaded portion is smaller that the pitch of the second threaded portion.

8. The mechanical device according to claim 5, wherein the at least one movable member includes a plurality of movable members that move sequentially along the axial direction of the lead screw when the lead screw rotates, and wherein the driven members are aligned in the axial direction of the lead screw in the order in which the driven members start to operate in a state associated with the corresponding movable members when the movable members move.

9. A liquid ejection apparatus comprising: a plurality of driven members including at least two members selected from; a cap member movable between a sealing position at which the cap member is allowed to seal a nozzle-forming surface of a liquid ejection head and a non-sealing position spaced from the nozzle-forming surface;a wiping member movable between a wiping position at which the wiping member is allowed to wipe off an adhered liquid from the nozzle-forming surface of the liquid ejection head and a non-wiping position spaced from the wiping position;a valve member movable between an opening position at which the interior of a liquid passage in which the liquid flows in a pressurized state is exposed to the air and a closing position at which the interior of the liquid passage is blocked from the air; anda liquid receiving member movable between a receiving position at which the liquid receiving member is opposed to the nozzle-forming surface in such a manner as to receive the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection head when printing is not performed and a non-receiving position spaced from the receiving position;a drive force transmitting member that operates at a certain position when a drive force is generated; andat least one movable member that moves in a predetermined direction when the drive force transmitting member operates, wherein, while moving, the movable member associates with at least two of the driven members in a state in which the drive force is transmissible from the drive force transmitting member to the driven members and operates each of the driven members by the drive force.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the movable member is provided with an associating portion in correspondence with the at least one of the driven members, and wherein, while moving, the movable member operates each of the driven members maintained in a state associated with the movable member through the associating portion.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the drive force transmission member comprises an elongated bar-like sending member, wherein the sending member is rotated about its axis by the drive force, wherein the movable member has an engagement portion that is arranged to engage with the threaded portion of the sending member, and wherein the movable member is moved along the longitudinal direction of the sending member through the engagement portion guided by the threaded portion when the sending member rotates.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the threaded portion has a first threaded portion and a second threaded portion, and wherein the pitch of the first threaded portion is smaller that the pitch of the second threaded portion.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the at least one movable member includes a plurality of movable members that move sequentially along the axial direction of the lead screw when the lead screw rotates, and wherein the driven members are aligned in the axial direction of the lead screw in the order in which the driven members start to operate in a state associated with the corresponding movable members when the movable members move.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the sending member includes a lead screw.