Patent Application
20240375897
The present application is based on, and claims priority from JP Application Serial Number 2023-077089, filed May 9, 2023, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The present disclosure relates to a medium transport apparatus that transports a medium and further relates to a medium processing apparatus and a recording apparatus each of which is equipped with such a medium transport apparatus.
Some printers and facsimiles are equipped with medium transport apparatuses configured to correct skew of a medium being transported. As an example of such apparatuses, JP-A-9-183539 discloses a sheet transport apparatus in which a shutter member is disposed so as to rotatable around a rotating shaft of a transport roller. When a leading edge of a sheet being transported comes into contact with the shutter member, this sheet becomes looped in a predetermined shape. In response, the shutter member rotates to move away from the sheet, thereby permitting the sheet to pass by the shutter member. According to this sheet transport apparatus, when the leading edge of the sheet being transported comes into contact with the shutter member, the sheet becomes looped so that the leading edge becomes aligned with a side of the shutter member. In this way, the sheet transport apparatus corrects the skew of the sheet.
In the above sheet transport apparatus, the leading edge of the sheet may accidentally come into contact with any other member before coming into contact with the shutter member. If the leading edge of the sheet comes into contact with any other member before coming into contact with the shutter member, the leading edge of the sheet may become misaligned from the side of the shutter member. In such cases, the sheet transport apparatus might fail to precisely correct the skew of the sheet. To appropriately bring the leading edge of a sheet into contact with the shutter member, it is necessary to consider the positional relationships between the shutter member and some route members that constitute the sheet transport route. The above document, unfortunately, fails to suggest or teach the importance of those positional relationships.
The present disclosure is a medium transport apparatus that includes: a first route member disposed so as to face a first surface of a medium; a second route member disposed so as to face a second surface of the medium which is opposite to the first surface, both the first route member and the second route member constituting a medium transport route therebetween; a transport roller pair that nips and feeds the medium being transported between the first route member and the second route member and includes a first roller that comes into contact with the first surface of the medium and a second roller that comes into contact with the second surface of the medium; and a gate that is switchable between a first state and a second state, the first state being a state in which the gate closes the medium transport route at a location upstream, in a medium transport direction, of a nip location at which the transport roller pair nips the medium, the second state being a state in which the gate opens the medium transport route. The gate is disposed on a rotating member that is rotatable around a first rotating shaft, which is a rotating shaft for the first roller. The first rotating shaft engages with a fixed member. Both the first route member and the second route member are fixed to the fixed member.
Some aspects of the present disclosure will be described briefly below. According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a medium transport apparatus includes: a first route member disposed so as to face a first surface of a medium; a second route member disposed so as to face a second surface of the medium which is opposite to the first surface, both the first route member and the second route member constituting a medium transport route therebetween; a transport roller pair that nips and feeds the medium being transported between the first route member and the second route member and includes a first roller that comes into contact with the first surface of the medium and a second roller that comes into contact with the second surface of the medium; and a gate that is switchable between a first state and a second state, the first state being a state in which the gate closes the medium transport route at a location upstream, in a medium transport direction, of a nip location at which the transport roller pair nips the medium, the second state being a state in which the gate opens the medium transport route. The gate is disposed on a rotating member that is rotatable around a first rotating shaft, which is a rotating shaft for the first roller. The first rotating shaft engages with a fixed member. Both the first route member and the second route member are fixed to the fixed member.
With the first aspect, both of the first route member and the second route member are fixed to the fixed member. The fixed member engages with the first rotating shaft; the gate also engages with the first rotating shaft. Thus, the relative locations of the first route member, the second route member, and the gate are determined through the first rotating shaft. Consequently, the location of the gate relative to both the first route member and the second route member is accurately determined, so that a leading edge of the medium can be smoothly guided to the gate. This configuration can suppress the leading edge of the medium from coming into contact with the first roller or the second roller before the leading edge comes into contact with the gate, thereby correcting skew of the medium precisely.
According to a second aspect of the present disclosure which is dependent on the first aspect, both the first route member and the second route member may be fixed to the fixed member by inserting a screw in a direction along a straight line that passes through a rotational center of the first roller and a rotational center of the second roller as seen from a rotating shaft direction of the first roller or the second roller.
With the second aspect, both the first route member and the second route member may be fixed to the fixed member by inserting a screw in a direction along a straight line that passes through a rotational center of the first roller and a rotational center of the second roller. Consequently, the relative locations of the first route member, the second route member, and the gate may be accurately determined in the direction along the straight line.
According to a third aspect of the present disclosure which is dependent on the second aspect, both the first route member and the second route member may be fixed to the fixed member with the first route member positioned between the second route member and the fixed member.
With the third aspect, both the first route member and the second route member may be fixed to the fixed member with the first route member positioned between the second route member and the fixed member. Consequently, the location of the gate relative to the first route member may be accurately determined. This configuration may be able to suppress the leading edge of the medium from coming into contact with the first roller before the leading edge comes into contact with the gate. It should be noted that the third aspect may also be dependent on the first aspect, instead of the second aspect.
According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure which is dependent on the third aspect, both the first route member and the second route member may be fixed to the fixed member at locations on both outer sides, in the rotating shaft direction of the first roller or the second roller, of a transport region in which the medium is to be transported.
With the fourth aspect, both the first route member and the second route member may be fixed to the fixed member at locations on both outer sides, in the rotating shaft direction of the first roller or the second roller, of a transport region in which the medium is to be transported. This configuration may be able to precisely maintain the parallelism between the first roller and each of the first route member and the second route member in the rotating shaft direction, thereby smoothly guiding the leading edge of the medium to the transport roller pair with the first route member and the second route member. It should be noted that the fourth aspect may also be dependent on the first or second aspect, instead of the third aspect.
According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure which is dependent on the fourth aspect, a screw by which both the first route member and the second route member are fixed to the fixed member may be passed through respective screw insertion holes formed in the fixed member and the first route member and fitted into a screw fitting hole formed in the second route member.
Consider a configuration in which a first route member and a second route member are fixed by screws to a fixed member at locations on both outer sides of a transport region in the rotating shaft direction of a first roller or a second roller. If the first route member, the second route member, and the fixed member are all provided with screw fitting holes, some of these members might be deformed in the rotating shaft direction when the screw fitting holes are misaligned from one another. With the fifth aspect, however, the screw fitting hole may be formed only in the second route member, whereas the screw insertion holes may be formed in the fixed member and the first route member. This configuration may be able to suppress the first route member, the second route member, and the fixed member from being deformed even if the screw fitting hole is misaligned from each of the screw insertion holes.
According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure which is dependent on the fifth aspect, the fixed member may include a first fixed member and a second fixed member, the first fixed member being disposed on a first outer side of both the outer sides of the transport region in the rotating shaft direction, the second fixed member being disposed on a second outer side of both the outer sides of the transport region in the rotating shaft direction. A first one of the first fixed member and the second route member may be provided with a first projection, and a second one of the first fixed member and the second route member may be provided with a first fitting hole into which the first projection is to be fitted. A first one of the second fixed member and the second route member may be provided with a second projection, and a second one of the second fixed member and the second route member may be provided with a second fitting hole into which the second projection is to be fitted. The first route member may be provided with a first insertion hole through which the first projection is to be passed and a second insertion hole through which the second projection is to be passed. A play between the second projection and the second insertion hole may be larger in the rotating shaft direction than a play between the first projection and the first insertion hole.
With the sixth aspect, by the screw fixing as well as by the first projection, the first insertion hole, and the first fitting hole, the relative locations of the first route member, the second route member, and the fixed member may be determined on the first outer side of the transport region in the rotating shaft direction. Likewise, by the screw fixing as well as by the second projection, the second insertion hole, and the second fitting hole, the relative locations of the first route member, the second route member, and the fixed member may be determined on the second outer side of the transport region in the rotating shaft direction. In this way, the relative locations of the first route member, the second route member, and the fixed member may be able to be accurately determined. Furthermore, dimension errors of the first route member and the second route member in the rotating shaft direction may be able to be absorbed because the play between the second projection and the second insertion hole may be larger in the rotating shaft direction than that between the first projection and the first insertion hole.
According to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure which is dependent on one of the first to sixth aspects, when the gate is in the first state, an entire area of the first roller which protrudes from the first route member may be positioned downstream of the gate in the medium transport direction, as seen from the rotating shaft direction of the first roller.
With the seventh aspect, when the gate is in the first state, an entire area of the first roller which protrudes from the first route member may be positioned downstream of the gate in the medium transport direction, as seen from the rotating shaft direction of the first roller. This configuration may be able to suppress the leading edge of the medium from coming into contact with the first roller at a location upstream of the gate even if the gate is somewhat displaced relative to the first route member.
According to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure which is dependent on one of the first to sixth aspects, when the gate is in the first state, an entire area of the second roller which protrudes from the second route member may be positioned downstream of the gate in the medium transport direction, as seen from the rotating shaft direction of the second roller.
With the eighth aspect, when the gate is in the first state, an entire area of the second roller which protrudes from the second route member may be positioned downstream of the gate in the medium transport direction, as seen from the rotating shaft direction of the second roller. This configuration may be able to suppress the leading edge of the medium from coming into contact with the second roller at a location upstream of the gate even if the gate is somewhat displaced relative to the second route member. It should be noted that the eighth aspect may also be dependent on the seventh aspect, instead of one of the first to sixth aspects.
According to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure which is dependent on one of the first to sixth aspects, when the gate is in the first state, a portion of the first roller may protrude from the first route member toward the second route member at a location upstream of the gate in the medium transport direction, as seen from the rotating shaft direction of the first roller. The portion of the first roller may be positioned so as not to come into contact with the medium being guided by the first route member between the first roller and the second roller.
With the ninth aspect, a portion of the first roller, more specifically, the portion protruding from the first route member toward the second route member may be positioned so as not to come into contact with the medium being guided by the first route member between the first roller and the second roller. This configuration may be able to suppress the leading edge of the medium from coming into contact with the first roller at a location upstream of the gate even if the gate is somewhat displaced relative to the first route member. It should be noted that the ninth aspect may also be dependent on the eighth aspect, instead of one of the first to sixth aspects.
According to a tenth aspect of the present disclosure which is dependent on one of the first to sixth aspects, when the gate is in the first state, a portion of the second roller may protrude from the second route member toward the first route member at a location upstream of the gate in the medium transport direction, as seen from the rotating shaft direction of the second roller. The portion of the second roller may be positioned so as not to come into contact with the medium being guided by the second route member between the first roller and the second roller.
With the tenth aspect, a portion of the second roller, more specifically, the portion protruding from the second route member toward the first route member may be positioned so as not to come into contact with the medium being guided by the second route member between the first roller and the second roller. This configuration may be able to suppress the leading edge of the medium from coming into contact with the second roller at a location upstream of the gate even if the gate is somewhat displaced relative to the second route member. It should be noted that the tenth aspect may also be dependent on the seventh or ninth aspect, instead of one of the first to sixth aspects.
According to an eleventh aspect of the present disclosure which is dependent on one of the first to sixth aspects, at least one of the first roller and the second roller may be a toothed roller.
If a leading edge of a medium comes into contact with a first roller or a second roller implemented by a toothed roller before coming into contact with a gate, the leading edge of the medium may be misaligned from the gate, in which case the medium transport apparatus might fail to correct skew of the medium precisely. With the functions and effects of the first aspect, however, the location of the gate relative to both the first route member and the second route member may be accurately determined. Consequently, the leading edge of the medium may appropriately come into contact with the gate, so that the medium transport apparatus may be able to correct skew of the medium precisely.
According to a twelfth aspect of the present disclosure, a medium processing apparatus includes: the medium transport apparatus according to the first aspect; and a processing section that processes a medium transported by the medium transport apparatus.
With the twelfth aspect, a medium processing apparatus that includes a processing section that processes a medium transported by the medium transport apparatus can provide substantially the same function and effect as the medium transport apparatus of the first aspect.
According to a thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure, a recording apparatus includes: the medium transport apparatus according to the eleventh aspect; a recording section that records information on a surface of a medium which is in contact with the second roller by discharging a liquid onto the surface; and a reverse route along which the medium on which the information was recorded by the recording section is to be turned over and fed to the medium transport apparatus. The first roller is the toothed roller.
With the thirteenth aspect, when the medium on a surface of which the information has been recorded by the recording section is turned over along the reverse route, the surface of the medium inevitably comes into contact with the first roller. In this case, the first roller, which is implemented by a toothed roller, can suppress transfer of the liquid.
Some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below in detail. More specifically, a description will be given below of an ink jet printer 1, which is configured to record information on a medium P, such as a record sheet, by discharging ink or any other liquid onto the medium P. Hereinafter, the ink jet printer 1 may be referred to as the printer 1 for convenience. The printer 1 is an example of a recording apparatus. The printer 1 may also be referred to as a medium processing apparatus equipped with a processing section that processes a medium P. In this case, a line head 46 (described later) corresponds to an example of the processing section.
Each drawing employs an X-Y-Z coordinate system as an orthogonal coordinate system, in which the Y-axial directions correspond to directions (also referred to as medium width directions or apparatus depth directions) that intersect a transport direction of a medium P. The Y-axial directions also correspond to directions in which the rotating shafts of individual rollers (described later) extend. Of the Y-axial directions, one from the front to the rear of the printer 1 is defined as the +Y direction, and the other is defined as the −Y direction. The X-axial directions correspond to the width directions of the printer 1. Of the X-axial directions, the left direction with respect to an operator of the printer 1 is defined as the +X direction, and the right direction is defined as the −X direction. The Z-axial directions correspond to vertical directions, or apparatus height directions. Of the Z-axial directions, the upward direction is defined as the +Z direction, and the downward direction is defined as the −Z direction. Hereinafter, the direction in which a medium P is to be transported is sometimes defined as the downstream direction, whereas the opposite direction is sometimes defined as the upstream direction. In
F-axial directions correspond to directions (medium transport direction) in which a medium P is to be transported between the line head 46 and a transport belt 13 (described later), or within a record region. Of the F-axial directions, the downstream one is defined as the +F direction, and the upstream one is defined as the −F direction. V-axial directions correspond to directions in which the head unit 45 moves. Of the V-axial directions, one in which the head unit 45 moves away from the transport belt 13 is defined as the +V direction, and the other, in which the head unit 45 moves toward the transport belt 13, is defined as the −V direction.
The printer 1 incudes: a main body 2; and a first medium cassette 3 disposed in a lower portion of the main body 2. The first medium cassette 3 accommodates a plurality of media P. In addition, an extension unit 6 is attachable to the lower side of the main body 2. When the extension unit 6 is attached to the printer 1, a second medium cassette 4 and a third medium cassette 5 are disposed below the first medium cassette 3. When fed from one of the first medium cassette 3, the second medium cassette 4, and the third medium cassette 5, a medium P is transported along a medium transport route indicated by a corresponding broken line inside the printer 1.
For each of the first medium cassette 3, the second medium cassette 4, and the third medium cassette 5, a pickup roller is disposed to feed a medium P accommodated therein in the −X direction. More specifically, a pickup roller 21 is disposed for the first medium cassette 3; a pickup roller 22 is disposed for the second medium cassette 4; and a pickup roller 23 is disposed for the third medium cassette 5. Furthermore, for each of the first medium cassette 3, the second medium cassette 4, and the third medium cassette 5, a feeding roller pair is disposed to obliquely upward feed the medium P that has been fed in the −X direction. More specifically, a feeding roller pair 25 is disposed for the first medium cassette 3; a feeding roller pair 26 is disposed for the second medium cassette 4; and a feeding roller pair 27 is disposed for the third medium cassette 5. The “roller pair” described herein refers to a pair of a drive roller to be driven by a motor (not illustrated) and a driven roller to be rotated by and together with the drive roller unless otherwise determined.
After having been fed from the third medium cassette 5, a medium P is further fed to a transport roller pair 35 by a transport roller pair 29 and a transport roller pair 28 in this order. Likewise, after having been fed from the second medium cassette 4, a medium P is further fed by a transport roller pair 28 to the transport roller pair 35. The medium P is then further fed by the transport roller pair 35 to a transport roller pair 38, which is one of components constituting a medium transport apparatus 50. Hereinafter, a portion of the medium transport route between the transport roller pair 35 and the transport roller pair 38 is referred to as a curved route T0, which is curved in a U shape as illustrated in
After having been fed from the first medium cassette 3, a medium P is further fed to the transport roller pair 38 without passing through the transport roller pair 35. The reference character T4 denotes a portion of the medium transport route between the first medium cassette 3 and the transport roller pair 38; this portion is referred to as an upper cassette feed route T4. Furthermore, a supply roller 19 and a separation roller 20 are disposed near the transport roller pair 35 and serve as a roller pair that feeds a medium P from a supply tray (not illustrated in
By receiving feed force from the transport roller pair 38, the medium P is fed to the site between the line head 46 and the transport belt 13, which corresponds to an example of a recording section, or a recording site facing the line head 46. Hereinafter, a portion of the medium transport route between the transport roller pair 38 and a transport roller pair 30 is referred to as a recording transport route T1.
The line head 46, which is one of components constituting a head unit 45, records information on one or both surfaces of a medium P by discharging a liquid, such as ink, onto the medium P. The line head 46 may be an ink discharge head in which nozzles thereof through which ink is to be discharged are arranged over the width of a medium P and which records information on the entire width of the medium P without moving in the width directions. The line head 46, however, is not limited to such a type; alternatively, the line head 46 may be a type that is mounted in a carriage and that discharges ink while the carriage is moving in the width directions.
The head unit 45 is disposed so as to be movable toward or away from the recording transport route T1. More specifically, the head unit 45 is disposed so as to be moveable between the recording site and an escape site: the recording site corresponds to a place indicated by the solid line in
The reference characters 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d each denote an ink storage unit that contains ink. The ink contained in each of the ink storage units 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d is supplied to the line head 46 through a tube (not illustrated) and then discharged therefrom. Each of the ink storage units 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d is detachably mounted inside the main body 2. The reference character 11 denotes a waste liquid container that stores the ink, or waste liquid, discharged from the line head 46 to a flashing cap for the sake of maintenance.
The transport belt 13 is an endless belt hung around a pulley 14 and a pulley 15. At least one of the pulleys 14 and 15 is driven by a motor (not illustrated) to run the transport belt 13. The medium P is transported to the site facing the line head 46 while sucked onto a surface of the transport belt 13. In this case, the medium P may be sucked onto the transport belt 13 with a known mechanism, such as an air suction mechanism or an electrostatic suction mechanism.
The recording transport route T1 extends near the line head 46 while being formed at a predetermined angle with respect to a horizontal or vertical line. The recording transport route T1 is a member by which the medium P is to be transported in the upward direction, which contains the −X-directional component and the +Z-directional component in
After the information has been recorded on a first surface of the medium P by the line head 46, the medium P is fed upward by the transport roller pair 30, which is disposed downstream of the transport belt 13. Then, a flap 41, which is disposed downstream of the transport roller pair 30, switches a medium transport route along which the medium P is to be transported. When the medium P is ejected from the printer 1, the flap 41 switches the medium transport route to a route leading to a transport roller pair 31 disposed above the flap 41. As a result, the medium P is ejected onto the ejection tray 8 by the transport roller pair 31.
When information is recorded on a second surface of the medium P, the flap 41 switches the medium transport route to a route leading to a branch location K1. The medium P then passes through the branch location K1 and is fed to a switchback route T2. In this embodiment, the switchback route T2 corresponds to a portion of the medium transport route above the branch location K1. The switchback route T2 is provided with a transport roller pair 32A and a transport roller pair 32B. After having been fed to the switchback route T2, the medium P is further fed upward by the transport roller pairs 32A and 32B in this order. After the trailing edge of the medium P has passed through the branch location K1, both the transport roller pairs 32A and 32B start to rotate in the opposite direction, thereby feeding the medium P downward.
The switchback route T2 is coupled to a reverse route T3. In this embodiment, the reverse route T3 corresponds to a route extending between the branch location K1 and the transport roller pair 38 in which a transport roller pair 33 and a transport roller pair 34 are disposed. In this case, the curved route T0 may be a portion of the reverse route T3. After having been fed downward from the branch location K1, the medium P receives feed force from the transport roller pairs 33 and 34 in this order. Due to this feed force, the medium P reaches the transport roller pair 35 and then is further fed by the transport roller pair 35 to the transport roller pair 38. Along the reverse route T3, the medium P is turned over so that the second surface of the medium P faces upward. The second surface refers to the surface that has been oriented downward during the recording, or the surface opposite to the first surface on which information has been recorded. The reference character 42 denotes another flap, which is disposed so as to be rotatable around a rotating shaft (not illustrated). The flap 42 is usually in a descending position and guides the medium P to the transport roller pair 35 along the reverse route T3. If fed from the second medium cassette 4 or the third medium cassette 5 disposed below the transport roller pair 35, the medium P reaches the transport roller pair 35 after having pushed up the flap 42.
When the medium P is fed to the site facing the line head 46 after having passed through the reverse route T3, the second surface of the medium P which is opposite to the first surface that first has faced the line head 46 then faces the line head 46. In this way, information can be recorded on both surfaces, or the first and second surfaces, of the medium P by the line head 46.
With reference to
As illustrated in
The gates 53a can be switched between a first state (see
As illustrated in
In this embodiment, as illustrated in
With the above configuration, while the rotating members 53A and 53B are rotating together with the joint frame 55, the inner circumferential surfaces of the rotating members 53A, which are disposed near both ends of the joint frame 55 in the rotating shaft direction, are kept in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the first rotating shaft 39a. If all the rotating members 53 are rotating members 53A, the rotating members 53 might cause wrench during the rotation due to dimension errors thereof, thus failing to rotate smoothly. In this embodiment, however, some of the rotating members 53 which are disposed near both ends of the joint frame 55 in the rotating shaft direction are rotating members 53A, and only the rotating members 53A are configured to be in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the first rotating shaft 39a. Therefore, all the rotating members 53 can rotate smoothly. It should be noted that all the gates 53a attached to the rotating members 53A and 53B are designed so as to be disposed in substantially the same location in the medium transport direction, namely, so as to be arranged in a line as seen from the rotating shaft direction. Herein, the rotating members 53A and 53B are collectively referred to as the rotating members 53 if it is unnecessary to distinguish the rotating members 53A and 53B from each other.
Both ends of the joint frame 55 in the rotating shaft direction are provided with attachment members 56, each of which has a ground member 61. Each ground member 61, which may be made of a sintered metal, has a ring shape that allows the first rotating shaft 39a to pass therethrough. In addition, each ground member 61 is electrically coupled to the ground (not illustrated) for the purpose of discharging static electricity to the outside through the first rotating shaft 39a. In this case, the inner diameter of each ground member 61 is designed with some margin reserved for the outer diameter of the first rotating shaft 39a. Therefore, while the rotating members 53A and 53B and the ground member 61 are rotating together, the rotating members 53A are mainly kept in contact with the first rotating shaft 39a.
The −Y-side of each attachment member 56 is provided with a pressed section 56a protruding therefrom in the −Y direction. As illustrated in
As illustrated in
With reference to
In
As can be found from
The first route member 51 is provided with a right fixed section 51b at the +Y-side end and a left fixed section 51c at the −Y-side end in the rotating shaft direction. Each of the right fixed section 51b and the left fixed section 51c has a plate shape. Likewise, the second route member 52 is provided with a right fixed section 52b at the +Y-side end and a left fixed section 52c at the −Y-side end in the rotating shaft direction. Each of the right fixed section 52b and the left fixed section 52c has a plate shape.
The first rotating shaft 39a is provided with a plurality of fixed members 57 on respective outer sides, in the rotating shaft direction, of a transport region Wa (see
The first route member 51 and the second route member 52 will be described below in more detail. As illustrated in
The right fixed section 51b of the first route member 51 is provided with a screw insertion hole 51d and a first insertion hole 51e-1. The inner diameter of the screw insertion hole 51d is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the locking screw 60. The inner diameter of the first insertion hole 51e-1 is large enough to be able to removably pass the first projection 52d-1 through the first fitting hole 57d-1 without rattling.
The right fixed section 52b of the second route member 52 is provided with a screw fitting hole 52e and the first projection 52d-1. The screw fitting hole 52e may be a threaded hole into which the locking screw 60 is to be screwed.
Both the right fixed section 51b of the first route member 51 and the right fixed section 52b of the second route member 52 can be fixed to the fixed section 57b of the first fixed member 57-1 (see
In this embodiment, as described above, both the screw fixing and the projection fitting are employed. With the screw fixing, the relative locations of the right fixed section 51b, the right fixed section 52b, and the fixed section 57b in the V-axial directions are determined. With the projection fitting, the relative locations of the right fixed section 51b, the right fixed section 52b, and the fixed section 57b in the Y-axial directions and the F-axial directions are determined. The fixing method is, however, not limited to the combination of the screw fixing and the projection fitting; alternatively, only one of the screw fixing and the projection fitting may be employed. If the projection fitting is employed alone, the right fixed section 51b and the right fixed section 52b can be fixed to the fixed section 57b by press-fitting the first projection 52d-1 of the second route member 52 into the first fitting hole 57d-1 of the first fixed member 57-1.
As illustrated in
Both the left fixed section 51c of the first route member 51 and the left fixed section 52c of the second route member 52 can be fixed to the fixed section 57b of the second fixed member 57-2 (see
The second insertion hole 51e-2 of the first route member 51 has an oval shape with the longer side thereof extending in the Y-axial directions, unlike the first insertion hole 51e-1 disposed on the opposite side in the rotating shaft direction. In this case, the play between the second projection 52d-2 and the second insertion hole 51e-2 is larger in the rotating shaft direction than that between the first projection 52d-1 and the first insertion hole 51e-1. This configuration enables the second projection 52d-2 to smoothly pass through the second insertion hole 51e-2 even if the first route member 51 and the second route member 52 are somewhat different in size in the longitudinal direction, namely, in the rotating shaft direction.
To fix the first route member 51 to the second route member 52 on the left side, both the screw fixing and the projection fitting are employed, similar to that on the right side. With the screw fixing, the relative locations of the left fixed section 51c, the left fixed section 52c, and the fixed section 57b in the V-axial directions are determined. With the projection fitting, the relative locations of the left fixed section 51c, the left fixed section 52c, and the fixed section 57b in the F-axial directions are determined. The fixing method is, however, not limited to the combination of the screw fixing and the projection fitting; alternatively, only one of the screw fixing and the projection fitting may be employed. If the projection fitting is employed alone, the left fixed section 51c and the left fixed section 52c are fixed to the fixed section 57b by press-fitting the second projection 52d-2 of the second route member 52 into the second fitting hole 57d-2 of the second fixed member 57-2.
Some functions and effects of a medium transport apparatus 50 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below. As described above, a medium transport apparatus 50 includes a gate 53a disposed on a rotating member 53, which is rotatable around a first rotating shaft 39a, the first rotating shaft 39a being a rotating shaft for a drive roller 39. The first rotating shaft 39a engages with a fixed member 57, which is fixed to a first route member 51 and a second route member 52. Thus, the relative locations of the first route member 51, the second route member 52, and the gate 53a are determined through the first rotating shaft 39a. Consequently, the location of the gate 53a relative to both the first route member 51 and the second route member 52 is accurately determined, so that a leading edge Pf of a medium P can be smoothly guided to the gate 53a. This configuration can suppress the leading edge Pf of the medium P from coming into contact with the drive roller 39 or a driven roller 40 before the leading edge Pf comes into contact with the gate 53a, thereby correcting skew of the medium P precisely. If the relative locations of a first route member 51, a second route member 52, and a gate 53a are poorly determined in a direction along the straight line L1 (see
To suppress the leading edge Pf of the medium P from coming into contact with the drive roller 39 or the driven roller 40 before the leading edge Pf comes into contact with the gate 53a, it is only necessary to position the gate 53a at a location sufficiently upstream of the nip location Np between the drive roller 39 and the driven roller 40. However, it may be difficult to position the gate 53a sufficiently upstream of the nip location Np because the location of the gate 53a installed is restricted by, for example, the need to reserve the space in which the gate 53a is switched between the first state and the second state. Therefore, the configuration in which the relative locations of the first route member 51, the second route member 52, and the gate 53a are accurately determined can be effective.
Alternatively, the first route member 51 may be fixed to the fixed member 57, whereas the second route member 52 may be fixed to another member. This configuration can also accurately determine the relative positions of the first route member 51 and the gate 53a. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the drive roller 39 is driven by a motor, whereas the driven roller 40 is not driven by a motor. However, the driven roller 40 may be replaced with a drive roller to be driven by a motor. Alternatively, the drive roller 39 may be replaced with a driven roller not to be driven by a motor, whereas the driven roller 40 may be replaced with a drive roller to be driven by a motor. In this embodiment, the first route member 51 and the second route member 52 are separate components; however, the first route member 51 and the second route member 52 may be integrated together.
To fix both the first route member 51 and the second route member 52 to the fixed member 57, a locking screw 60 is inserted into the fixed member 57 in a direction along the straight line L1 (see
In this embodiment, both the first route member 51 and the second route member 52 are fixed to the fixed member 57 with the first route member 51 disposed between the second route member 52 and each fixed member 57. In this way, the relative locations of the first route member 51 and the gate 53a can be accurately determined. This configuration can suppress the leading edge Pf of the medium P from coming into contact with the drive rollers 39 before the leading edge Pf comes into contact with the gate 53a. In this embodiment, the first route member 51 is disposed between the second route member 52 and the fixed member 57; this configuration is referred to below as the first configuration. However, the second route member 52 may be disposed between the first route member 51 and the fixed member 57; this configuration is referred to below as the second configuration. With the second configuration, the relative locations of the second route member 52 and the gate 53a can also be accurately determined. This configuration can also suppress the leading edge Pf of the medium P from coming into contact with the driven roller 40 before the leading edge Pf comes into contact with the gate 53a. It may be selected as appropriate which of the first configuration and the second configuration is employed, depending on the location of a roller with which the leading edge Pf of the medium P may accidentally come into contact before the leading edge Pf comes into contact with the gate 53a or the location of a roller with which the leading edge Pf of the medium P more likely to come into contact than the gate 53a.
Each of the first route member 51 and the second route member 52 is fixed to the fixed member 57 at locations on both outer sides of a transport region Wa in the rotating shaft direction of the drive roller 39 or the driven roller 40. This configuration can precisely maintain the parallelism between the drive roller 39 and each of the first route member 51 and the second route member 52 in the rotating shaft direction, thereby smoothly guiding the leading edge Pf of the medium P to a transport roller pair 38 with the first route member 51 and the second route member 52.
To fix each of the first route member 51 and the second route member 52 to the fixed member 57 with the locking screw 60, the locking screw 60 is passed through a screw insertion hole 57c formed in the fixed member 57 and a screw insertion hole 51d formed in the first route member 51 and then fitted into a screw fitting hole 52e formed in the second route member 52. This configuration provides some functions and effects that will be described below. Consider a configuration in which a first route member 51 and a second route member 52 are fixed by screws to a fixed member 57 at locations on both outer sides of a transport region Wa in the rotating shaft direction of a drive roller 39 or a driven roller 40. If the first route member 51, the second route member 52, and the fixed member 57 are all provided with screw fitting holes, some of these members might be deformed in the rotating shaft direction when the screw fitting holes are misaligned from one another. In this embodiment, however, the screw fitting hole 52e is formed only in the second route member 52, whereas the screw insertion hole 57c is formed in the fixed member 57, and the screw insertion hole 51d is formed in the first route member 51. This configuration can suppress the first route member 51, the second route member 52, and the fixed member 57 from being deformed even if the screw fitting hole 52e is displaced from each of the screw insertion holes 57c and 51d.
The fixed member 57 includes: a first fixed member 57-1 disposed on a first outer side of both outer sides of the transport region Wa in the rotating shaft direction; and a second fixed member 57-2 disposed on a second outer side of both outer sides of the transport region Wa in the rotating shaft direction. The second route member 52 includes a right fixed section 52b provided with a first projection 52d-1, whereas the first fixed member 57-1 is provided with a first fitting hole 57d-1 into which the first projection 52d-1 is fitted. The second route member 52 further includes a left fixed section 52c provided with a second projection 52d-2, whereas the second fixed member 57-2 is provided with a second fitting hole 57d-2 into which the second projection 52d-2 is fitted. The first route member 51 includes a right fixed section 51b provided with a first insertion hole 51e-1 through which the first projection 52d-1 is passed. The first route member 51 further includes a left fixed section 51c provided with a second insertion hole 51e-2 through which the second projection 52d-2 is passed. Further, the play between the second projection 52d-2 and the second insertion hole 51e-2 is larger in the rotating shaft direction than that between the first projection 52d-1 and the first insertion hole 51e-1.
In the above configuration, by the screw fixing with the locking screw 60 as well as by the projection fitting with the first projection 52d-1, the first insertion hole 51e-1, and the first fitting hole 57d-1, the relative locations of the first route member 51, the second route member 52, and the first fixed member 57-1 are determined on the first outer side of the transport region Wa in the rotating shaft direction. Likewise, by the screw fixing with the locking screw 60 as well as by the projection fitting with the second projection 52d-2, the second insertion hole 51e-2, and the second fitting hole 57d-2, the relative locations of the first route member 51, the second route member 52, and the second fixed member 57-2 are determined on the second outer side of the transport region Wa in the rotating shaft direction. In this way, the relative locations of the first route member 51, the second route member 52, and the fixed member 57 can be accurately determined. Furthermore, dimension errors of the first route member 51 and the second route member 52 in the rotating shaft direction can be absorbed because the play between the second projection 52d-2 and the second insertion hole 51e-2 is larger in the rotating shaft direction than that between the first projection 52d-1 and the first insertion hole 51e-1. In this embodiment, the second route member 52 is provided with the first projection 52d-1 and the second projection 52d-2, the first fixed member 57-1 is provided with the first fitting hole 57d-1, and the second fixed member 57-2 is provided with the second fitting hole 57d-2. However, the fixed member 57 may be provided with a projection, and the second route member 52 may be provided with a fitting hole.
In this embodiment, when the gate 53a is in the first state as illustrated in
In this embodiment, when the gate 53a is in the first state as illustrated in
When the gate 53a is in the first state as illustrated in
Likewise, when the gate 53a is in the first state as illustrated in
In this embodiment, the drive roller 39 may be implemented by a toothed roller, which provides some functions and effects that will be described below. If the leading edge Pf of the medium P comes into contact with a drive roller 39 implemented by a toothed roller before coming into contact with a gate 53a, the leading edge Pf of the medium P may be misaligned from the gate 53a, in which case a medium transport apparatus 50 might fail to correct skew of the medium P precisely. In this embodiment, however, the relative locations of the first route member 51, the second route member 52, and the gate 53a are determined through the first rotating shaft 39a, as described above. Since the location of the gate 53a relative to the first route member 51 and the second route member 52 is accurately determined, the leading edge Pf of the medium P appropriately comes into contact with the gate 53a, so that the medium transport apparatus 50 can correct skew of the medium P precisely.
A printer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure corresponds to an example of a medium processing apparatus that includes a processing section that processes a medium P transported by the above medium transport apparatus 50. A line head 46 in the printer 1 corresponds to an example of the processing section; however, the processing section is not limited to the line head 46. Instead of being the line head 46, the processing section may be a recording section that records information, such as an image, on a medium P, a processing section that performs a stable, punching or other similar process on a medium P, or a scanner that scans information, such as an image, on a medium P.
A printer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a line head 46 that records information on a surface of a medium P being in contact with the driven roller 40 by discharging ink onto the surface; and a reverse route T3 along which the medium P on a surface of which the information has been recorded by the line head 46 is turned over and fed to the above medium transport apparatus 50. In this configuration, the drive roller 39 is implemented by a toothed roller. When the medium P on a surface of which the information has been recorded by the line head 46 is turned over along the reverse route T3, the surface of the medium P comes into contact with the drive roller 39. In this case, the drive roller 39, which is implemented by a toothed roller, can suppress transfer of the ink.
The foregoing embodiment is not intended to limit the present disclosure and thus can undergo various modifications, variations, and replacements within the scope of the claims described herein. It is obvious that such modifications, variations, and replacements also fall within the scope.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-077089 | May 2023 | JP | national |
