This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-273897, filed on Dec. 14, 2012, the entire subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Technical Field
An aspect of the present invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus having a waste ink tank to store waste ink discharged from a nozzle.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, an inkjet recording apparatus for recording an image on a sheet by discharging ink from nozzles of a recording head onto the sheet is known. In such an inkjet recording apparatus, while the ink is lead in ink channels to the nozzles of the recording head, obstacles such as ink clots may clog in the ink channels and may interfere with discharge of the ink from the nozzles. In order to remove the obstacles from the nozzles of the recording head, a maintenance unit may be provided in the inkjet recording apparatus. The maintenance unit may have a pump to suck the obstacles from the nozzles and a reservoir tank to store the discharged ink and the removed obstacles.
For example, a multi-function device (MFD) may be equipped with such a waste liquid container. The waste liquid container may be detachably attached to a lower-rear side of a body of the MFD, and a rear cover may cover a part of the waste liquid container. The waste liquid container may be exchangeable when the rear cover is removed from the body.
Meanwhile, an MFD may often be placed in a position adjacent to a wall with a rear side thereof faced to the wall. Therefore, when the above-mentioned MFD is placed in such a position, and when a user intends to exchange the waste liquid container, it may be necessary that the user moves the MFD to create a work area in between the rear side of the MFD and the wall. Further, it may also be necessary to reserve an extra work area for the MFD to be moved therein to disconnect cables such as a power cable and a communication cable from the MFD. Thus, exchanging the waste containers may involve onerous works.
The present invention is advantageous in that an inkjet recording apparatus having an easily exchangeable waste ink tank is provided.
According to an aspect of the present invention, an inkjet recording apparatus is provided. The inkjet recording apparatus includes a first casing having an upward opening at a top thereof; a recording unit disposed in the first casing and configured to discharge ink from a nozzle onto a sheet; a first cover configured to cover a part of the opening of the first casing; a second cover detachably attached to the first cover and configured to cover another part of the opening which is not covered by the first cover; a waste ink tank removably supported by the first casing at a position facing the second cover in the first casing and configured to contain waste ink discharged from the nozzle; and a second casing disposed in an upper position with respect to the first casing and configured to be movably supported by the first cover, the second casing being movable between a proximate position, in which the second casing is adjacent to top planes of the first cover and the second cover, and a separate position, in which the second casing is separated from the top planes of the first cover and the second cover.
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is noted that various connections are set forth between elements in the following description. These connections in general, and unless specified otherwise, may be direct or indirect, and this specification is not intended to be limiting in this respect.
In the following description, it is noted that a vertical direction 7 is defined with reference to an up-to-down or down-to-up direction for the MFD 10 in an ordinarily usable posture (see
[Overall Configuration of the MFD 10]
The MFD 10 is a multi-functional device having a plurality of functions, including a printing function and a scanning function, integrally. As depicted in
The printer casing 11 accommodates a printer unit 14. The printer unit 14 records an image on a recording sheet 19 being conveyed from a feeder tray 20 and ejects the recording sheet 19 with the recorded image thereon in a discharge tray 21. The feeder tray 20 and the discharge tray 21 are detachably attached to the printer casing 11 through an opening (unsigned) formed on the front face of the printer casing 11. Detailed configuration of the printer unit 14 will be described later.
[Scanner Casing 12]
The scanner casing 12 accommodates an image reading unit 16 being a flatbed scanner (FBS) and an auto document feeder (ADF) 17 arranged on top of the image reading unit 16. The scanner casing 12 is arranged in an upper position with respect to the printer casing 11 and is movable with respect to the printer casing 11.
The image reading unit 16 includes a piece of contact glass (not shown), on which an original sheet to be read is placed, and a contact image sensor (CIS) unit (not shown), which is movable to reciprocate underneath the contact glass. The CIS unit includes an image sensor (not shown), which can read an image recorded on the original sheet being placed on the contact glass or being conveyed by the ADF 17.
The ADF 17 is pivotably supported by the image reading unit 16 and is movable between a proximate position (see
As depicted in
The paired guide rails 60, 61 are arranged along the widthwise direction 9 to be spaced apart from each other along the front-rear direction 8 and supported by a frame (not shown) on a rear side of the printer casing 11. The carriage 67 is arranged over the guide rails 60, 61 and movable to reciprocate on the guide rails 60, 61 along the widthwise direction 9. The waste ink tank 80 is removably supported by the printer casing 11 at a right-side end position in the printer casing 11 and in a central area along the front-rear direction 8. Thus, the carriage 67 reciprocates along a direction in parallel with the widthwise direction 9 at the position separated from the waste ink tank 80. The terminals 51, 52 are arranged on a front side along the front-rear direction 8 and on a left-hand side along the widthwise direction 9 in the printer casing 31 to orient rightward, i.e., toward the second cover 31.
The top of the printer casing 11 is partly covered with the first cover 30, but some part of the top of the printer casing 11 is not covered with the first cover 30. In particular, at least an upper area with respect to the waste ink tank 80 is not covered with the first cover 30. Meanwhile, the area not covered with the first cover 30, that is, the area above the waste ink tank 80, is covered with the second cover 31. The second cover 31 is detachably attached to the first cover 30. Still, the top of the printer casing 11 has an uncovered part, which is covered with neither the first cover 30 nor the second cover 31. In particular, an area extending along the widthwise direction 9 at a rear side of the printer casing 11 (i.e., an area in which the recording sheet 19 being conveyed passes through) is covered neither with the first cover 30 nor the second cover 31 but remains uncovered and to be open upward.
As depicted in
On a rear end of the scanner casing 12, hinges 18A, one on each widthwise end, are disposed along the widthwise direction 9. Meanwhile, on a rear end of the first cover 30, hinge supports 18B, one on each widthwise end, are formed in positions coincident with the hinges 18A. When the hinges 18A are attached to the hinge supports 18B, the scanner casing 12 is pivotably supported by the first cover 30 to pivot about an axis, which extends along the widthwise direction 9.
More specifically, the scanner casing 12 is pivotable to move between a proximate position (see
The proximate position of the scanner casing 12 refers to a condition, in which a bottom plane of the scanner casing 12 faces a top plane of the printer casing 11, and space formed in between the two planes is inaccessible from outside of the MFD 10. In other words, by placing the scanner casing 12 in the proximate position, the second cover 31 is restricted from being removed from the first cover 30.
In the present embodiment, the top plane of the printer casing 11 and the bottom plane of the scanner casing 12 are arranged to contact each other at least partially, and the printer casing 11 supports the scanner casing 12 from below. When the scanner casing 12 is in the proximate position, the printer casing 11 and the scanner casing 12 are in contact with each other at outer rims thereof. In this regard, however, it is not necessary that the outer rim of the printer casing 11 is entirely in contact with the entire outer rim of the scanner casing 11, and vice versa as long as the scanner casing 11 is substantially proximate to the printer casing 11 so that the space in between the two casings 11, 12 is inaccessible from the ambient outside the MID 10. In other words, a small amount of clearance, which is substantially small to prevent the in-between space from being accessed, may be allowed.
The separate position of the scanner casing 11 refers to, on the other hand, a condition, in which the top plane of the printer casing 11 and the bottom plane of the scanner casing 12 are separated from each other, and the space between the printer casing 11 and the scanner casing 12 are accessible by the ambient outside the MFD 10. Therefore, by placing the scanner casing 12 in the separate position, the second cover 31 becomes accessible to a user and can be removed from the first cover 30. In the present embodiment, when the scanner casing 12 is pivoted to be separated from the printer casing 11 approximately at 45 degrees with respect to the printer casing 11, the user standing in front of the MFD 10 can access the space formed in between the printer casing 11 and the scanner casing 12.
As depicted in
The support member 62 is coupled to the printer casing 11 at a rearward position with respect to a space, in which the waste ink tank 80 is accommodated. In other words, the waste ink tank 80 is supported by the printer casing 11 in a frontward position in the printer casing 11 with respect to a coupled position of the support member 62 with the printer casing 11.
The printer casing 11 accommodates a control unit (not shown), which controls behaviors of the printer unit 14. On the other hand, the scanner casing 12 accommodates a control unit (not shown) to control behaviors of the image reading unit 16 and the ADF 17. Each control unit includes a substrate and electric components mounted on the substrate. The control units are electrically connected with each other by cables.
As depicted in
The conveyer path 23 rises from a rear end of the feeder tray 20 and curves upper-frontward in the printer casing 11 to extend from the rear side of the casing 11 to the front side. The conveyer path 23 is formed in a widthwise central position inside the printer casing 11. A pair of conveyer rollers 54 and a pair of discharge rollers 55 are arranged on the conveyer path 23. The pair of conveyer rollers 54 and the pair of discharge rollers 55 nip and convey the recording sheet 19 along a conveying direction 15. The conveyer path 23 extends through a nipping position between the paired conveyer rollers 54, a lower position with respect to the recording unit 24, and a nipping position between the paired discharge rollers 55 to reach the discharge tray 21. The recording sheet 19 picked up from the feeder tray is guided along the curvature upwardly in the conveyer path 23 to be turned in a cross-sectional shape of “U” and reaches the lower position of the recording unit 24, in which an image is recorded on the recording sheet 19, and is discharged on the discharge tray 12.
The recording unit 24 records images on the recording sheet 19 conveyed along the conveying direction 15 in the conveyer path 23 in the inkjet recording method. The recording unit 24 includes a recording head 65 and the carriage 67. Further a platen 66 is disposed in a position opposite from the recording unit 24 across the conveyer path 23, i.e., in a lower position with respect to the conveyer path 23. The platen 66 spreads along an entire movable area of the carriage 67 (i.e., an entire widthwise area along the conveyer path 23), in which the carriage 67 reciprocates, and supports the recording sheet 19 being conveyed in the conveyer path 23 from below.
The carriage 67 is disposed in an upper position with respect to the conveyer path 23. The carriage 67 is moved by a driving force, which is from a carriage driving motor (not shown) and transmitted by a belt driving mechanism (not shown), to reciprocate along the widthwise direction 9 on the guide rails 60, 61. The recording head 65 is mounted on the carriage 67. The recording head 65 is arranged on a bottom plane of the carriage 67 to be exposed downwardly and to face the platen 66 across the conveyer path 23. While the carriage 67 reciprocates along the widthwise direction 9, the recording head 65 discharges ink droplets selectively toward the recording sheet 19 placed on the platen 66. Thus, an image is recorded on the recording sheet 19.
As depicted in
[Purging Unit 70]
A purging unit 70 shown in
The purging unit 70 includes a movable part 71, a cam mechanism 72 to move the movable part 71 along the vertical direction 7, the tubes 76, 77 for ink to pass there-through, and a pump 73 to suck the ink. The purging unit 70 manipulates the ink to be discharged through the nozzles 69C, 69M, 69Y, 69B of the recording head 65 and conveys the discharged ink to the waste ink tank 80 through the tubes 76, 77. In the following description, the ink discharged through the nozzles 69C, 69M, 69Y, 69B by the purging unit 70 will be referred to specifically as waste ink in order to distinguish from the ink to be discharged to record the image through the nozzles 69C, 69M, 69Y, 69B onto the recording sheet 19.
The movable part 71 includes rubber-made caps 74, 75. The caps 74, 75 are arranged in positions to vertically face the bottom plane 68 of the recording head 65 in the purging position along the vertical direction 7. The cam mechanism 72 is driven by a cam driving motor (not shown) and moves the movable part 71 along the vertical direction 7. When the movable part 71 is moved upward, the caps 74, 75 become in contact with the bottom plane 68 of the recording head 65. In this regard, the cap 74 covers the nozzle 69B, and the cap 75 covers the nozzles 69C, 69M, 69Y. The caps 74, 75 are connected with ends of the tubes 76, 77 respectively. The tubes 76, 77 are resin-made flexible tubes.
In intermediate positions in the tubes 76, 77, a pump 73 is disposed. The pump 73 may be, for example, a rotary-typed tube pump, which can be driven by a pump driving motor (not shown). The pump 73 is in communication with a sealed space between the bottom plane 68 and the caps 74, 75 via the tubes 76, 77. When the pump 73 is driven while the caps 74, 75 seal the nozzles 69C, 69M, 69Y, 69B, negative pressure is created in areas inside the caps 74, 75, and the ink remaining in the nozzles 69C, 69M, 69Y, 69B flow to be discharged in the caps 74, 75. The discharges waste ink is conveyed to the waste ink tank 80 through the tubes 76, 77.
The tubes 76, 77 are, as depicted in
[Waste Ink Tank 80]
The waste ink tank 80 includes, as depicted in
The enclosure 81 is open at a top thereof. In other words, the enclosure 81 forms an opening, having edges 85, 86, 87, 88, at the top thereof. On the edges 85, 86, which extend along the front-rear direction 8 and face each other along the widthwise direction 9, paired protrusions 89A, 89B to protrude upward are formed respectively. The paired protrusions 89A are formed in spaced apart positions from each other along the front-rear direction 8, and the paired protrusions 89B are formed in spaced apart positions from each other along the front-rear direction 8. The paired protrusions 89A are formed in frontward positions, i.e., positions closer to the edge 87, on the edge 85 along the front-rear direction 8. Meanwhile, the paired protrusions 89B are formed in substantially central positions on the edge 86 along the front-rear direction 8. Thus, the paired protrusions 89A and the paired protrusions 89B are in displaced positions from each other along the front-rear direction.
The ink absorber 82 is placed in and removed out of the enclosure 81 through the opening formed on top of the enclosure 81. The ink absorber 82 is made of a porous material, such as foamed polyurethane. The waste ink conveyed to the inner space of the enclosure 81 through the tubes 76, 77 and the connector parts 83, 84 enters pores in the ink absorber 82 to be absorbed by the ink absorber 82. Moisture in the waste ink evaporates and exits out of the enclosure 81 through the opening formed on top of the enclosure 81. Meanwhile, the edge 85 is provided with an cave 90 overhanging toward the edge 86 and extending along the front-rear direction 8. Thus, with the cave 90, a distance between the edges 85, 86 is smaller than a width of the inner space inside the enclosure 81, in other words, the cave 90 narrows the opening on top of the enclosure 81 to be narrower than the width of the inner space inside the enclosure 81. Therefore, the ink absorber 82 accommodated in the inner space inside the enclosure 81 is prevented from falling off from the enclosure 81 unintentionally.
The connector parts 83, 84 are formed to protrude outward from a rear side of the enclosure 81 and are formed to have tubular shapes with through-holes (not shown), which connects the inner space inside the enclosure 81 and the ambience surrounding the enclosure 81. Therefore, when the tubes 76, 77 are attached to the connector parts 83, 84 to fit around outer circumferences of the connector parts 83, 84, spaces inside the tubes 76, 77 are in communication with the inner space inside the enclosure 81. Thus, the waste ink sucked by the purging unit 70 is conveyed in the tubes 76, 77 to flow into the inner space in the enclosure 81. A dimension of outer diameters of the connector parts 83, 84 is substantially smaller than an inner diameter of the tubes 76, 77. Therefore, the tubes 83, 84 are attachable to the connector parts 83, 84 rather easily. On tip ends of the tubes 76, 77 attached to the connector parts 83, 84 respectively, fastening members 91 (see
[Second Cover 31]
As depicted in
With the fit-in claws 37, 38 fitted in the first cover 30, the second cover 31 is attached to the first cover 30. Thereby, the area above the waste ink tank 80 is covered by the second cover 31, while the waste ink tank 80 is held inside the printer casing 11. By releasing the fit-in claws 37, 38 from the first cover 30, the second cover 31 can be removed from the first cover 30 while the first cover 30 is maintained attached to the printer casing 11. Thereby, the area above the waste ink tank 80 is exposed, and the waste ink tank 80 can be removed from or attached to the printer casing 11 while the first cover 30 is maintained attached to the printer casing 11.
With the second cover 31 being attached to the first cover 30, the covering piece 32 is arranged in a position to face an upper plane of the waste ink tank 80. In this regard, a part of the covering piece 32 facing the ink absorber 81 in the waste ink tank 80 is dented downward. In other words, a lower plane of the covering piece 32 protrudes downward at the pan facing the ink absorber 81. Meanwhile, on an upper plane of the guiding piece 33, a guide groove 34 is formed to accommodate cables 57, 58. The guide groove 34 guides the cables 57, 58 connected to the terminals 51, 52 to the outside of the printer casing 11. More specifically, the cables 57, 58, which are connected to the terminals 51, 52 at one ends, enter a front part of the guide groove 34 from a left-hand side and bended rearward to exit the printer casing 11 through a rear end (a position in a vicinity of the hinges 18A) of the printer casing 11 to the outside.
The guide groove 34 is formed to dent downward with respect to a top portion of the second cover 31 and includes a first groove 34A, which extends along the widthwise direction 9, and a second groove 34B, which extends along the front-rear direction 8. The first groove 34A is open at a left-side end thereof to be continuous with a guide groove (not shown) formed in the first cover 31. A right-side end of the first groove 34A is continuous with a front end of the second groove 34B, and the guide groove 34 is angled at the point where the first groove 34A meets the second groove 34B. The second groove 34B extends to the rear end of the printer casing 11 and is closed thereat. The second groove 34B in the present embodiment is a three-sided groove formed with a bottom plane and a sidewall formed in the guiding piece 33 and a sidewall formed in the first cover 30. In one embodiment, the guiding piece 33 may be omitted from the second cover 31.
As depicted in
[Fastening Members 91]
In the following description, the fastening member 91 attached to the tube 77, representing the fastening members 91, will be described. It is to be noted that the fastening member 91 attached the tube 76 is identical to the fastening member 91 attached to the tube 76.
As depicted in
In
The handle portion 93 is handled by the user when the user attaches the fastening member 91 to the tube 77 and removes the fastening member 91 from the tube 77. The one and the other ends of the fastening member 91 forming the handle portion 93 are moved toward each other, the ring of the annular portion 92 is expanded. The condition of the expanded annular portion 92 will be referred to as an expanded condition. Thus, through the handle portion 93, the annular portion 92 is transitive between the neutral condition, in which the inner diameter thereof is smaller than the outer diameter of the tube 77, and the expanded condition, in which the inner diameter thereof is greater than the outer diameter of the tube 77.
The engageable portion 91 is a part of the wire containing parts curved in approximate shapes of “U.” More specifically, as shown in
The fastening member 91 described above may be attached to the tube 77 in a procedure described below. Firstly, while the annular portion 92 is placed in the expanded condition by an expanding force from the user through the handle portion 93, the tip end of the tube 77 may be threaded through the ring of the annular portion 92 from a side opposite from the engageable portion 94 toward the engageable portion 94. The tube 77 may be pushed with respect to the fastening member 91 to a position, in which the tip end thereof contacts the inner side of the curved part of the engageable portion 94. Secondly, while the expanded condition of the annular portion 92 is maintained, the tube 77 may be fitted around the connector part 84. Finally, the handle portion 93 may be released from the expanding force so that the annular portion 92 tends to be in the neutral condition. Thus, the tube 77 may be fastened tightly to the connector part 84.
According to the embodiment described above, the waste ink tank 80 is replaced with another waste ink tank 80 by moving the scanner casing 12 from the proximate position to the separate position and removing the second cover 31 from the first cover 30. If, for example, the waste ink tank 80 is covered solely by the first cover 30, it may be necessary that the cable extended between the printer casing 11 and the scanner casing 12 is disconnected, the scanner casing 12 is removed from the first cover 30, and the first cover 30 is removed from the printer casing 11 before the waste ink tank 80 is removed. In order to carry out all these works, the user may require an extra work area around the MFD 10. According to the embodiment described, above, however, it is not necessary that the MFD 10 is moved, nor the cables are disconnected. Therefore, the extra work area is not required, and the waste ink tanks 80 may be easily exchanged.
According to embodiment described above, the scanner casing 12 is rotatably supported by the printer casing 11 at the rear end thereof. With this structure, it may be natural that the user reaches a hand to access the waste ink tank 80 through the front ends of the scanner casing 12 and the printer casing 11. Therefore, with the waste ink tank 80 arranged in the frontward position in the printer casing 11 with respect to the support member 62, it may be prevented that the user is interfered with by the support member 62 while the waste ink tank 80s are exchanged.
According to embodiment described above, when the scanner casing 12 is placed in the separate position, a space, of which height is greater than the height of the waste ink tank 80, is created in the position above the waste ink tank 80. Therefore, the waste ink tank 80 may be moved upward into the space securely without being tilted. Thus, the waste ink tank 80 may be easily removed from the printer casing 11, and leakage of the waste ink through the open top of the enclosure 81 may be prevented.
According to embodiment described above, with the restrictive parts 63, 64 being placed in the upper positions with respect to the tubes 76, 77 to be contacted by the tubes 76, 77, the tubes 76, 77 may be restricted from being pulled upward for a larger amount by the waste ink tank 80 from operable positions in the extending path when the waste ink tank 80 is moved upward to be removed out of the printer casing 11. In other words, the tubes 76, 77 may be pulled upward by the waste ink tank 80 only for a necessary amount but are restricted from being pulled further upward from the restrictive parts 63, 64. Therefore, when a new waste ink tank 80 is placed in the printer casing 11, the user's works to place the tubes 76, 77 back into the operable positions in the extending path may be reduced. Further, with the restrictive parts 63, 64 contacting the tubes 76, 77 at the positions lower than the connector parts 83, 84 of the waste ink tank 80, it is likely that the tip ends of the tubes 76, 77 orient upward when the waste ink tank 80 is moved upward to be removed. Accordingly, leakage of the waste ink from the open-ended tubes 76, 77 may be prevented. In this regard, the restrictive part 63 being closer to the waste ink tank 80 serves even more effectively to prevent the leakage than the restrictive part 64, which is farther from the waste ink tank 80 compared to the restrictive part 63. Although in
According to embodiment described above, with the fastening members 91, the tubes 76, 77 are tightly fitted around the outer circumferences of the connector parts 83, 84. Therefore, when the MFD 10 is in use or moved, leakage of the waste ink through the connected parts between the tubes 76, 77 and the waste ink tank 80 may be prevented. Further, even when the tubes 76, 77 are removed from the connector parts 83, 84, the fastening members 91 stay on the tubes 76, 77 and plug the tubes 76, 77 to block the remaining waste ink from leaking. Therefore, even when the waste ink tank 80 is removed, or when the tubes 76, 77 unintentionally fall from the connector parts 83, 84, leakage of the remaining waste ink out of the tubes 76, 77 may be restricted.
Having said that, it may be difficult to perfectly avoid the leakage from occurring. In consideration of the risk of leakage, in the present embodiment, the cables 57, 57 connected to the terminals 51, 52 are supported in the guide groove 34 which is formed on the upper plane of the second cover 31. With this structure, it is necessary to remove the cables 57, 58 before the second cover 31 is removed. Thus, the cables 57, 58 may be securely prevented from being tainted by the waste ink, which may leak when the waste ink tank 80 is exchanged. The cables 57, 58 may be, but not limited to, LAN cables or modular cables.
According to embodiment described above, the position of the waste ink tank 80 or the enclosure 81 is defined by the printer casing 11 and the second cover 31. Therefore, by being placed in the printer casing 11, the enclosure 81 is restricted from moving downward. Meanwhile, by being placed to contact the ribs 35, 36 of the second cover 31, the enclosure 81 is restricted from moving upward. Further, with the ribs 35, 36 being placed in the position between the paired protrusions 89A and the paired protrusions 89B respectively, the enclosure 81 is restricted from moving along the front-rear direction 8. Furthermore, with the paired protrusions 89A and the paired protrusions 89B being in the displaced positions with respect to each other along the front-rear direction 8, the enclosure 81 is restricted from being rotated on a horizontal plane. Thus, the enclosure 81 is securely prevented from being tilted, and the leakage of the waste ink when the MFD 10 is moved may be prevented.
[Modifications]
Although an example of carrying out the invention has been described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the inkjet recording apparatus that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. It is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or act described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.
For example, the rotation axis of the scanner casing 12 may not necessarily be arranged at the rear end of the printer casing 11 along the widthwise direction 9 but may be arranged in an arbitrary position. For another example, the scanner casing 12 may not necessarily be rotatable with respect to the printer casing 11. The scanner casing 12 may be vertically movable in parallel with the scanner casing 12 along the vertical direction 7 or may be slidable with respect to the printer casing 11 along the front-rear direction 8 or the widthwise direction 9. In other words, the scanner casing 12 may be movable with respect to the printer casing 11 in any direction as long as the scanner casing 12 is movable between a position, in which the scanner casing 12 covers the second cover 31 (i.e., a proximate position), and a position, in which the scanner casing 12 exposes the second cover (i.e., a separate position).
For another example, the waste ink tank 80 may not necessarily be connected with the purging unit 70. The present embodiment may be applied to a waste ink tank, which is disposed in a position to face the bottom plane 68 of the recording head 65 within the movable range of the carriage 68 to catch and contain the waste ink discharged through the nozzles 69C, 69M, 69Y, 69B without recording an image. The behavior of the recording head 65 to discharge the ink through the nozzles 69C, 69M, 69Y, 69B without recording an image may be known as “flushing.”
For another example, the two paired protrusions 89A, 89B may not necessarily be formed on the edges 85, 86, which extend in parallel with each other. The paired protrusions 89A, 89B may be formed on edges, which extend orthogonally with respect to each other. For example, the paired protrusions 89A may be formed on the edge 85 in positions spaced apart from each other, and another paired protrusions (not shown) may be formed on the edge 87 extending orthogonally to the edge 85 along the front-rear direction 8 in spaced apart from each other.
For another example, the scanner casing 12 may not necessarily accommodate the image reading unit 16 or the ADF 17 but may contain a data receiver unit, which may receive data wirelessly from an external device (not shown) through a short-distance wireless communication such as infrared communication of Bluetooth (registered trademark) interface.
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2012-273897 | Dec 2012 | JP | national |
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