Patent Application
20200270088
The present application is based on, and claims priority from JP Application Serial Number 2019-034233, filed Feb. 27, 2019, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The present disclosure relates to a medium loading device.
In JP-A-2011-32045, as an example of a medium loading device, a stacker is described onto which a medium discharged from a fluid ejection device is loaded. This stacker is configured to be foldable when not in use. In other words, the size of the stacker can be reduced when not in use.
In the stacker described in JP-A-2011-32045, the size of the stacker is fixed when it is used. Thus, depending on the size of the medium to be discharged, the size of the stacker may not be appropriate. In this case, the medium may not be properly loaded.
According to one embodiment, a medium loading device is a medium loading device in which a medium discharged from a discharge port of a printing apparatus is loaded, and is provided with a sheet supporting the medium and a winding shaft configured to wind the sheet.
An embodiment of a printing apparatus and an embodiment of a medium loading device will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The printing apparatus is, for example, an inkjet-type printer that records an image such as characters and photographs on a medium such as a sheet by ejecting ink, which is an example of liquid. The medium loading device supports the medium printed by the printing apparatus.
As illustrated in
The printing apparatus 11 includes a base 14. The base 14 supports the housing 12. In this embodiment, the housing 12 is positioned above the base 14. In this embodiment, an upper side in the vertical direction is simply referred to as “upward”, and a lower side in the vertical direction is simply referred to as “downward”.
The printing apparatus 11 is installed on an installation surface 91. The installation surface 91 is a horizontally extending surface, for example. In this embodiment, a floor surface with which the base 14 is in contact is the installation surface 91.
The printing apparatus 11 of this embodiment is configured so that a roll body 98, around which the medium 99 is wound, can be set therein. In this embodiment, the roll body 98 is set as a result of being housed in a predetermined position in the housing 12. The printing apparatus 11 performs printing on the medium 99 fed out from the roll body 98.
The printing apparatus 11 is provided with a transport unit 15 that transports the medium 99. The transport unit 15 of this embodiment is located in the housing 12. The transport unit 15 includes a first roller 16 and a second roller 17, for example. The first roller 16 and the second roller 17 transport the medium 99 by rotating while clamping the medium 99 therebetween. The transport unit 15 transports the medium 99 from the roll body 98 toward the discharge port 13. In other words, in the housing 12, the transport unit 15 transports the medium 99 from a rear surface toward a front surface of the housing 12.
The printing apparatus 11 is provided with a printing unit 18 that performs the printing on the medium 99. The printing unit 18 of this embodiment is located in the housing 12. The printing unit 18 performs the printing on the medium 99 by ejecting liquid toward the medium 99. The printing unit 18 performs the printing on the medium 99 being transported by the transport unit 15.
The printing apparatus 11 is provided with a cutting unit 19 that cuts the medium 99. The cutting unit 19 is located in the housing 12. The cutting unit 19 includes a first rotary cutter 21 and a second rotary cutter 22, for example. The medium 99 is cut as a result of the first rotary cutter 21 and the second rotary cutter 22 rotating while clamping the medium 99 therebetween. When the long medium 99 that is continuously supplied from the roll body 98 is cut by the cutting unit 19, the long medium 99 becomes the single-sheet medium 99 separated from the roll body 98.
The medium 99 discharged from the discharge port 13 of the printing apparatus 11 is loaded onto a medium loading device 31. The medium loading device 31 of this embodiment is used in a state of being attached to the printing apparatus 11. Thus, the printing apparatus 11 of this embodiment is provided with an attachment portion 24 to which the medium loading device 31 is attached. The attachment portion 24 is provided on the housing 12, for example. The attachment portion 24 may be provided on the base 14.
The medium loading device 31 is provided with a sheet 32 that supports the medium 99, and a winding shaft 33 that winds the sheet 32. The medium 99 discharged from the discharge port 13 is loaded onto the sheet 32. The sheet 32 is formed from a woven fabric, a non-woven fabric, or the like, for example. The sheet 32 of this embodiment is a long fabric having a rectangular shape.
In this embodiment, the medium 99 is loaded onto the sheet 32 with a printed print surface facing upward. Thus, a back surface, which is a surface of the medium 99 on an opposite side from the print surface, is in contact with the sheet 32. Since the print surface does not come into contact with the sheet 32, the quality of the printed image is less affected by the medium 99 being placed on the sheet 32.
The winding shaft 33 is attached to one end of the sheet 32. Thus, when the winding shaft 33 rotates, the sheet 32 is wound around the winding shaft 33. When the winding shaft 33 rotates in a direction opposite to that when the sheet 32 is wound around the winding shaft 33, the sheet 32 is unwound from the winding shaft 33.
The sheet 32 is used in a state of being unwound from the winding shaft 33 by a predetermined amount. Depending on the unwinding amount of the sheet 32 unwound from the winding shaft 33, the size of the medium 99 that can be loaded on the sheet 32 changes. Thus, in this embodiment, when the size of the medium 99 is large, a user increases the unwinding amount of the sheet 32, and when the size of the medium 99 is small, the user reduces the unwinding amount of the sheet 32. In this manner, the user can change the size of the sheet 32 supporting the medium 99 in accordance with the size of the medium 99. Note that although the user changes the unwinding amount of the sheet 32 in this embodiment, a configuration may be adopted in which the unwinding amount of the sheet 32 is changed in accordance with the size of the medium 99 detected by a sensor provided separately, without relying on the operation by the user.
The sheet 32 is formed into a roll-shape by being wound around the winding shaft 33. Thus, when the medium loading device 31 is not used, the medium loading device 31 is made compact as a result of the winding shaft 33 winding the sheet 32.
In this embodiment, the sheet 32 includes a first end 34 that is an end portion thereof, and a second end 35 that is an end portion positioned on an opposite side from the first end 34. The first end 34 and the second end 35 of this embodiment are the end portions corresponding to short sides of the sheet 32. The first end 34 is attached to the winding shaft 33. The first end 34 is attached to the winding shaft 33 so as to be parallel with an axis line of the winding shaft 33.
The second end 35 is attached to the printing apparatus 11. The second end 35 can be removed from the printing apparatus 11. When the second end 35 is removed from the printing apparatus 11, the medium loading device 31 is removed from the printing apparatus 11.
The winding and unwinding of the sheet 32 is performed by rotating the winding shaft 33. Thus, the winding shaft 33 is easily rotated by attaching the second end 35, which is positioned on the opposite side from the first end 34 to which the winding shaft 33 is attached, to the printing apparatus 11. In other words, the size of the sheet 32 is easily adjusted.
The medium loading device 31 of this embodiment includes an attachment shaft 36 attached to the second end 35. The second end 35 is attached to the attachment shaft 36 so as to be parallel with an axis line of the attachment shaft 36. Thus, when the sheet 32 is appropriately wound by the winding shaft 33, or when the sheet 32 is appropriately unwound from the winding shaft 33, the attachment shaft 36 becomes parallel with the winding shaft 33. The attachment shaft 36 of this embodiment has the same length as the winding shaft 33. The length of the attachment shaft 36 and the winding shaft 33 is longer than a length between the first end 34 and the second end 35, which forms the width of the sheet 32.
In this embodiment, the second end 35 is attached to the printing apparatus 11 by attaching the attachment shaft 36 to the attachment portion 24. In other words, the second end 35 is attached to the printing apparatus 11 via the attachment shaft 36. The attachment portion 24 of this embodiment is configured by a hook onto which the attachment shaft 36 can be hooked. As a result, the attachment and removal of the medium loading device 31 with respect to the printing apparatus 11 is easily performed.
In this embodiment, the second end 35 is attached to the printing apparatus 11 at a position higher than the installation surface 91 and lower than the discharge port 13. For example, the attachment portion 24 is provided at a position higher than the installation surface 91 and lower than the discharge port 13. Thus, the medium 99 that has been cut by the cutting unit 19 falls from the discharge port 13 toward the sheet 32.
In this embodiment, the winding shaft 33 from which the sheet 32 is unwound is placed on the installation surface 91. In this case, the sheet 32 is inclined downward or has a curved posture from the second end 35 to the winding shaft 33. Thus, the medium 99 discharged from the discharge port 13 is loaded onto the sheet 32 so as to slide over the sheet 32. This facilitates the discharge of the medium 99. A risk that the medium 99 discharged from the discharge port 13 accumulates in the vicinity of the discharge port 13 can be reduced. The medium loading device 31 of this embodiment is used in a state in which the sheet 32 extends toward the front from the printing apparatus 11.
The medium loading device 31 may include a support portion 37 that supports the winding shaft 33 in a rotatable state. The support portion 37 supports both ends of the winding shaft 33, for example. In this embodiment, the winding shaft 33 is placed on the installation surface 91 as a result of the support portion 37 being placed on the installation surface 91.
As illustrated in
The sheet 32 of this embodiment includes a third end 41, which is an end portion different from the first end 34 and the second end 35, and a fourth end 42, which is an end portion positioned on an opposite side from the third end 41. The third end 41 and the fourth end 42 of this embodiment are the end portions corresponding to long sides of the sheet 32.
As illustrated in
As shown in
The first adjustment tool 43 of this embodiment is fixed to the third end 41 of the sheet 32. The second adjustment tool 44 of this embodiment is fixed to the fourth end 42 of the sheet 32.
The printing apparatus 11 of this embodiment includes a first mounting portion 25 for attaching the first adjustment tool 43, and a second mounting portion 26 for attaching the second adjustment tool 44. In this embodiment, the first mounting portion 25 and the second mounting portion 26 are configured by hooks onto which the first adjustment tool 43 and the second adjustment tool 44 can be hooked. The first adjustment tool 43 is attached to the first mounting portion 25 by a part of the first adjustment tool 43 being hooked onto the first mounting portion 25. The second adjustment tool 44 is attached to the second mounting portion 26 by a part of the second adjustment tool 44 being hooked onto the second mounting portion 26.
The first adjustment tool 43 and the second adjustment tool 44 may be configured to be adjustable in stages with respect to a magnitude of a force pulling the sheet 32. For example, the first adjustment tool 43 and the second adjustment 44 may be configured by a plurality of annular members. The first adjustment tool 43 of this embodiment includes a first annular member 46, a second annular member 47, and a third annular member 48. The first annular member 46 is coupled to the third end 41 and to the second annular member 47. The second annular member 47 is coupled to the first annular member 46 and to the third annular member 48.
The first adjustment tool 43 is attached to the printing apparatus 11 by hooking one of the first annular member 46, the second annular member 47, and the third annular member 48 onto the first mounting portion 25. The magnitude of the force pulling the sheet 32 changes depending on which of the first annular member 46, the second annular member 47, and the third annular member 48 is hooked onto the first mounting portion 25. In the first adjustment tool 43 of this embodiment, the force pulling the sheet 32 is weakest when the third annular member 48 is hooked onto the first attachment portion 25. The force pulling the sheet 32 is strongest when the first annular member 46 is hooked onto the first attachment portion 25.
The second adjustment tool 44 of this embodiment includes a fourth annular member 51, a fifth annular member 52, and a sixth annular member 53. The fourth annular member 51 is coupled to the fourth end 42 and to the fifth annular member 52. The fifth annular member 52 is coupled to the fourth annular member 51 and to the sixth annular member 53.
The second adjustment tool 44 is attached to the printing apparatus 11 by hooking one of the fourth annular member 51, the fifth annular member 52, and the sixth annular member 53 onto the second mounting portion 26. The magnitude of the force pulling the sheet 32 changes depending on which of the fourth annular member 51, the fifth annular member 52, and the sixth annular member 53 is hooked onto the second mounting portion 26. In the second adjustment tool 44 of this embodiment, the force pulling the sheet 32 is weakest when the sixth annular member 53 is hooked onto the second mounting portion 26. The force pulling the sheet 32 is strongest when the fourth annular member 51 is hooked onto the second mounting portion 26.
Next, operations and effects of the above-described embodiment will be described.
(1) By rotating the winding shaft 33, the size of the sheet 32 to be unwound from the winding shaft 33 can be adjusted. In other words, the size of the sheet 32 can be adjusted in accordance with the size of the medium 99. As a result, the medium 99 is appropriately loaded.
(2) The first end 34 is attached to the winding shaft 33, and the second end 35 is attached to the printing apparatus 11. As a result of the second end 35, which is the end portion positioned on the opposite side from the first end 34 to which the winding shaft 33 is attached, being attached to the printing apparatus 11, the winding shaft 33 is easily rotated. In other words, the size of the sheet 32 is easily adjusted.
(3) The second end 35 is attached to the printing apparatus 11 at a position higher than the installation surface 91 on which the printing apparatus 11 is installed and lower than the discharge port 13. When the winding shaft 33 from which the sheet 32 is unwound is placed on the installation surface 91, the sheet 32 is inclined downward or has a curved posture from the second end 35 to the winding shaft 33. Thus, the medium 99 discharged from the discharge port 13 comes into contact with the sheet 32 so as to slide over the sheet 32. This facilitates the discharge of the medium 99. A risk that the medium 99 discharged from the discharge port 13 accumulates in the vicinity of the discharge port 13 can be reduced.
(4) The first adjustment tool 43 is attached to the third end 41 and to the printing apparatus 11, and the second adjustment tool 44 is attached to the fourth end 42 and to the printing apparatus 11. The center portion of the unwound sheet 32 tends to sag downward between the third end 41 and the fourth end 42. When the medium 99 comes into contact with the sheet 32 when the central portion of the sheet 32 is sagging downward, the load on the medium 99 caused by the contact with the sheet 32 increases. In this regard, according to the above-described embodiment, the slack in the sheet 32 can be reduced by pulling the sheet 32 using the first adjustment tool 43 and the second adjustment tool 44. As a result, the load on the medium 99 caused by the medium 99 coming into contact with the sheet 32 can be reduced.
(5) The first adjustment tool 43 and the second adjustment 44 are configured so that the magnitude of the force pulling the sheet 32 can be adjusted in stages. As a result, the force pulling the sheet 32 can be adjusted to an appropriate magnitude in accordance with the size of the medium 99.
The above-described embodiment may be modified and implemented as follows. The above-described embodiment and modified examples thereof to be described below may be implemented in any combination within a range in which a technical contradiction does not arise.
As illustrated in
When the medium loading device 31 includes the support portion 37, the winding shaft 33 is attached to the printing apparatus 11 by attaching the support portion 37 to the attachment portion 24. Thus, the attachment portion 24 is configured to be able to hold the support portion 37. The attachment portion 24 may be configured by a bearing that rotatably supports the winding shaft 33.
In this modified example, the winding shaft 33 is attached to the printing apparatus 11 at a position higher than the installation surface 91 and lower than the discharge port 13. For example, the attachment portion 24 is provided at a position higher than the installation surface 91 and lower than the discharge port 13. Thus, the medium 99 that has been cut by the cutting unit 19 falls from the discharge port 13 toward the sheet 32.
The first end 34 of the sheet 32 unwound from the winding shaft 33 is placed on the installation surface 91. When the attachment shaft 36 is provided, the first end 34 is placed on the installation surface 91 by the attachment shaft 36 being placed on the installation surface 91.
When the first end 34 is placed on the installation surface 91, the sheet 32 is inclined downward or has a curved posture from the winding shaft 33 to the first end 34. Thus, the medium 99 discharged from the discharge port 13 is loaded onto the sheet 32 so as to slide over the sheet 32. This facilitates the discharge of the medium 99. A risk that the medium 99 discharged from the discharge port 13 accumulates in the vicinity of the discharge port 13 can be reduced.
According to the above-described modified example, the following effects can be obtained.
(6) The first end 34 is attached to the winding shaft 33, and the winding shaft 33 is attached to the printing apparatus 11. In this way, when the medium loading device 31 is not used, by the winding shaft 33 winding the sheet 32, the medium loading device 31 can be held by the printing apparatus 11. As a result, usability is improved.
(7) The winding shaft 33 is attached to the printing apparatus 11 at a position higher than the installation surface 91 on which the printing apparatus 11 is installed and lower than the discharge port 13. When the second end 35 of the sheet 32 unwound from the winding shaft 33 is placed on the installation surface 91, the sheet 32 is inclined downward or has a curved posture from the winding shaft 33 to the second end 35. Thus, the medium 99 discharged from the discharge port 13 is loaded onto the sheet 32 so as to slide over the sheet 32. This facilitates the discharge of the medium 99. A risk that the medium 99 discharged from the discharge port 13 accumulates in the vicinity of the discharge port 13 can be reduced.
As illustrated in
The first adjustment tool 43 may be configured to include two of the annular members, or to include four or more of the annular members.
The second adjustment tool 44 may be configured to include two of the annular members, or to include four or more of the annular members.
Instead of the attachment shaft 36, an annular member may be provided at the second end 35 of the sheet 32. In this case, the second end 35 is attached to the printing apparatus 11 by hooking the annular member onto the attachment portion 24.
The first adjustment tool 43 may be configured by a cord. In this case, the first adjustment tool 43 is attached to the first mounting portion 25 by tying the cord to the first mounting portion 25. The magnitude of the pulling force can be adjusted by changing a position at which the cord is tied to the first mounting portion 25. The second adjustment tool 44 may be configured by a cord in a similar manner to the first adjustment tool 43.
Instead of the roll body 98, the single-sheet medium 99 can be set in the printing apparatus 11.
The printing unit 18 is not limited to the inkjet-type. The printing unit 18 may be a toner jet-type, a thermal print-type, a dot impact-type, or the like.
The liquid ejected by the printing unit 18 is not limited to the ink, and may be a liquid body containing particles of a functional material dispersed or mixed therein, for example. For example, the printing unit 18 may eject a liquid body including a material, such as an electrode material or a pixel material used in manufacturing a liquid crystal display, an electroluminescent display, and a surface emitting display, in a dispersed or dissolved form.
Hereinafter, technical concepts and effects thereof that are understood from the above-described embodiments and modified examples will be described.
(A) A medium loading device is a medium loading device onto which a medium discharged from a discharge port of a printing apparatus is loaded, and includes a sheet configured to support the medium, and a winding shaft configured to wind the sheet.
According to this configuration, the size of the sheet unwound from the winding shaft can be adjusted by rotating the winding shaft. In other words, the size of the sheet can be adjusted in accordance with the size of the medium. As a result, the medium is appropriately loaded.
(B) In the above-described medium loading device, the sheet may include a first end that is an end portion, and a second end that is an end portion positioned opposite the first end. The first end may be attached to the winding shaft, and the second end may be attached to the printing apparatus.
The winding and unwinding of the sheet is performed by rotating the winding shaft. According to the above-described configuration, by the second end, which is the end portion positioned on the opposite side from the first end to which the winding shaft 33 is attached, being attached to the printing apparatus, the winding shaft is easily rotated. In other words, the size of the sheet is easily adjusted.
(C) In the above-described medium loading device, the second end may be attached to the printing apparatus at a position higher than an installation surface, on which the printing apparatus is installed, and lower than the discharge port.
According to this configuration, when the winding shaft from which the sheet is unwound is placed on the installation surface, the sheet is inclined downward or has the curved posture from the second end to the winding shaft. Thus, the medium discharged from the discharge port comes into contact with the sheet so as to slide over the sheet. This facilitates the discharge of the medium. The risk that the medium discharged from the discharge port accumulates in the vicinity of the discharge port can be reduced.
(D) In the above-described medium loading device, the sheet may include a first end that is an end portion, and a second end that is an end portion positioned opposite the first end. The first end may be attached to the winding shaft, and the second end may be attached to the printing apparatus.
According to this configuration, when the medium loading device is not used, by the winding shaft winding the sheet, the medium loading device can be held by the printing apparatus. As a result, usability is improved.
(E) In the above-described medium loading device, the winding shaft may be attached to the printing apparatus at a position higher than an installation surface, on which the printing apparatus is installed, and lower than the discharge port.
According to this configuration, when the second end of the sheet unwound from the winding shaft is placed on the installation surface, the sheet is inclined downward or has the curved posture from the winding shaft to the second end. Thus, the medium discharged from the discharge port is loaded onto the sheet so as to slide over the sheet. This facilitates the discharge of the medium. The risk that the medium discharged from the discharge port accumulates in the vicinity of the discharge port can be reduced.
(F) The above-described medium loading device may include a first adjustment tool and a second adjustment tool, and the sheet may include a third end that is a different end portion from the first end and the second end, and a fourth end that is an end portion positioned opposite the third end. The first adjustment tool may be attached to the third end and to the printing apparatus, and the second adjustment tool may be attached to the fourth end and to the printing apparatus.
The central portion of the unwound sheet tends to sag downward between the third end and the fourth end. When the medium comes into contact with the sheet with the central portion of the sheet sagging downward, the load on the medium caused by the contact with the sheet increases. In this regard, according to the above-described configuration, the slack in the sheet can be reduced by pulling the sheet by the first adjustment tool and the second adjustment tool. As a result, the load on the medium caused by the medium coming into contact with the sheet can be reduced.
(G) In the above-described medium loading device, the first adjustment tool and the second adjustment tool may be configured so that a magnitude of the force of pulling the sheet is adjustable in stages.
According to this configuration, the force pulling the sheet can be adjusted to an appropriate magnitude in accordance with the size of the medium.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-034233 | Feb 2019 | JP | national |
