Patent Application
20250074079
This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-143928, filed on Sep. 5, 2023, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-143929, filed on Sep. 5, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to printing devices.
Printing devices are known in the art that draw a recording medium from a roll of wound recording medium to print on the drawn recording medium. For example, JP 2014-195895 A discloses a recording device including a paper feed mechanism that rotatably supports a roll of paper, a platen on which the drawn roll paper is placed, a recording head, a paper feed path through which the roll paper is transferred, and transfer rollers provided along the paper feed path. The paper feed path for roll paper is formed by a pair of members that oppose each other with an interval therebetween through which the roll paper can pass.
With a printing device, the recording medium may be pulled back upstream in the transfer direction. For example, with the recording device disclosed in JP 2014-195895 A, when the roll paper is pulled back, the roll paper slacks and sags between the feed path formed by a pair of opposing members and the roll. When the recording medium slacks and sags, the recording medium may fold over inside the recording device, which may cause a jam.
Example embodiments of the present invention provide printing devices each capable of reducing or preventing jams of a recording medium that has become slack due to the pull-back operation.
A printing device disclosed herein includes a roll holder to support a medium roll, which is a recording medium wound into a roll, so that the medium roll can rotate in a front-rear direction, a support table that is higher than the roll holder and supports the recording medium drawn from the medium roll, a print head that is higher than the support table so as to oppose the support table, a conveyor to transfer the recording medium in the front-rear direction on the support table, wherein the conveyor is operable to transfer the recording medium forward on the support table to draw the recording medium from the medium roll and transfer the recording medium rearward on the support table to pull back the recording medium toward the roll holder, and a receiver that is below and spaced away from a transfer path of the recording medium extending from the medium roll to the support table along which the recording medium is drawn from the medium roll and transferred. The receiver is capable of receiving the recording medium pulled back toward the roll holder, and includes a receiving portion that slopes downward and extends forward or rearward.
With the printing device described above, when the recording medium sagging from the transfer path due to the pull-back operation of the conveyor falls on the receiving portion, the recording medium is gradually guided downward along the downward slope of the receiving portion. This prevents the recording medium from piling up, thereby reducing or preventing jams of the recording medium.
The above and other elements, features, steps, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the example embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, an inkjet printer 10 (hereinafter referred to as the printer 10) according to one example embodiment will be described. The printer 10 according to the present example embodiment is an inkjet printer with a cutting head capable of printing and cutting a recording medium 5.
The recording medium 5 is recording paper, for example. Note however that the recording medium 5 is not limited to recording paper. For example, the recording medium 5 may be a sheet made of a resin material such as PVC or polyester, or a sticker sheet consisting of a backing paper and a release paper layered on the backing paper and coated with an adhesive. In the present example embodiment, the recording medium 5 is wound into a roll to form a medium roll 6. The printer 10 is capable of printing and cutting the recording medium 5 drawn from the medium roll 6. Note however that the printer 10 is also capable of printing and cutting an unwound recording medium 5, e.g., a piece of the recording medium 5. There is no particular limitation on the recording medium 5 as long as it is a sheet medium that can be wound.
As shown in
As shown in
The roll holder 20 supports the medium roll 6 so that the medium roll 6 can rotate in the front-rear direction. As shown in
As shown in
The right flange portion 22R is connected to the right end of the shaft portion 21. The right flange portion 22R is formed in a disc shape having a larger diameter than the shaft portion 21. The right flange portion 22R regulates the movement of the medium roll 6 to the right. The positioning flange 23 is arranged further to the right of the right flange portion 22R. The positioning flange 23 includes a disc-shaped flange portion 23a that determines the position in the primary scanning direction Y when the roll holder 20 is attached to the printer 10, and a cylindrical tip portion 23b attached to the printer 10. The tip portion 23b is provided further to the right of the flange portion 23a.
As shown in
As shown in
The platen 30 is provided upward relative to the roll holder 20. The platen 30 supports the recording medium 5 having been drawn from the medium roll 6 and having arrived via the guide passage 90a. While the details of the guide passage 90a will be described below, as shown in
The platen 30 extends in the primary scanning direction Y and the secondary scanning direction X. As shown in
The head moving device 60 moves the carriage 61 in the primary scanning direction Y, thereby moving the print head 40 and the cutting head 50 in the primary scanning direction Y. As shown in
The print head 40 prints on the recording medium 5 supported by the platen 30. The print head 40 is provided upward relative to the platen 30 so as to oppose the platen 30. The print head 40 includes a plurality of ink heads 41 each having a plurality of nozzles (not shown) that eject ink. The plurality of ink heads 41 eject ink of different colors, e.g., yellow ink, magenta ink, cyan ink, black ink, and white ink. Note however that there is no particular limitation on the number of ink heads 41 and the colors of ink to be ejected from the ink heads 41.
The cutting head 50 cuts the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 30. The cutting head 50 is provided upward of the platen 30 so as to oppose the platen 30. The cutting head 50 includes a solenoid 51 and a cutter 52 capable of cutting the recording medium 5. The cutter 52 is attached to the solenoid 51. As the solenoid 51 is turned ON/OFF, the cutter 52 moves in the up-down direction to contact the recording medium 5 or to move away from the recording medium 5. By moving the carriage 61 in the primary scanning direction Y and moving the recording medium 5 in the secondary scanning direction X while the cutter 52 is in contact with the recording medium 5, the recording medium 5 is cut by the cutter 52.
The conveyor 70 transfers the recording medium 5 on the platen 30 in the secondary scanning direction X. The conveyor 70 transfers the recording medium 5 forward on the platen 30 to draw the recording medium 5 from the medium roll 6. The conveyor 70 transfers the recording medium 5 rearward on the platen 30, thereby pulling the recording medium 5 back toward the roll holder 20. When cutting the printed recording medium 5, the printer 10 performs an operation of pulling back the printed recording medium 5 on the platen 30. As shown in
The conveyor 70 includes a plurality of grit rollers 71, a feed motor 72 (see
As shown in
The right pinch roller unit 73, of the left and right pinch roller units 73, is arranged upward of the rightmost grit roller 71. The left pinch roller unit 73 is capable of sliding in the primary scanning direction Y so that the left pinch roller unit 73 can move upward of any of a grit rollers 71 other than the rightmost grit roller 71. By moving the left pinch roller unit 73 in the primary scanning direction Y, the position of the pinch roller unit 73 in the primary scanning direction Y can be aligned with the width of the recording medium 5. The right medium clamp 74 is arranged rightward of the rightmost pinch roller unit 73. The left medium clamp 74 is capable of sliding in the primary scanning direction Y so that the left medium clamp 74 is aligned with the width of the recording medium 5 and can hold the left end of the recording medium 5.
As shown in
The medium clamps 74 are formed in a flat plate shape. The left and right medium clamps 74 hold the left end and the right end, respectively, of the recording medium 5 on the platen 30 to prevent the recording medium 5 from lifting off the platen 30. The medium clamps 74 are non-rotatably inserted over the shaft 81.
The elevator 80 moves the pinch rollers 73a and the medium clamps 74 in the up-down direction. In the present example embodiment, the elevator 80 pivots the pinch rollers 73a and the medium clamps 74 about the axis of the shaft 81, thereby moving the pinch rollers 73a and the medium clamps 74 in the up-down direction. The shaft 81 is linked to the loading lever 82 via the elevation link mechanism 83. As shown in
Specifically, when the loading lever 82 is pushed upward, the rotation of the loading lever 82 is transmitted to the shaft 81 via the elevating link mechanism 83, and the shaft 81 rotates in the direction of the arrow A in
Hereinafter, the position of the pinch rollers 73a away from the grit rollers 71 will be referred to also as the release position. The position of the pinch rollers 73a such that the recording medium 5 can be pinched between the pinch rollers 73a and the grit rollers 71 will be referred to also as the pinch position. The elevator 80 moves the pinch rollers 73a between the release position and the pinch position. The elevator 80 holds the pinch rollers 73a in the release position and in the pinch position. As the feed motor 72 is driven to rotate the grit rollers 71, with the recording medium 5 pinched between the grit rollers 71 and the pinch rollers 73a, the recording medium 5 is transferred in the secondary scanning direction X. Note that for the medium clamps 74, the position spaced away from the platen 30 will be referred to also as the release position, and the position such that the recording medium 5 can be pinched between the medium clamps 74 and the platen 30 will be referred to also as the pinch position.
As shown in
The lower end portion 91D of the rear apron 91 and the lower end portion 92D of the guide apron 92 define the medium insertion slot 90b through which the recording medium 5 is inserted into the guide passage 90a. The medium insertion slot 90b is located rearward relative to the roll holder 20 and the platen 30 and upward relative to the roll holder 20. The transfer path Rm (see
As shown in
The guide apron 92 extends downward relative to the rear apron 91. The guide apron 92 includes a rearward sloping portion 92a formed at the lower end portion 92D and sloping downward while extending rearward. The guide apron 92 extends substantially vertically to a predetermined position that is downward relative to the lowermost portion of the rear apron 91, with a portion thereof downward of that position bent rearward. The rearwardly bent portion forms the rearward sloping portion 92a. The rearward sloping portion 92a is located downward relative to the forward sloping portion 91a. The guide apron 92 is arranged downward relative to the lowermost portion 12D of the printer body 12. Here, the rearward sloping portion 92a is entirely located downward relative to the lowermost portion 12D of the printer body 12.
As described in detail below, in the present example embodiment, the guide apron 92 moves (pivots) in the front-rear direction. The arrangement of the guide apron 92 illustrated in
In the present example embodiment, the apron moving mechanism 100 is interlocked with the elevator 80, and when the pinch rollers 73a are moved to the release position by the elevator 80, the guide apron 92 is moved to the closed position P1. The apron moving mechanism 100 moves the guide apron 92 to the open position P2 when the pinch rollers 73a are moved to the pinch position. Here, the apron moving mechanism 100 moves the guide apron 92 to the closed position P1 when the loading lever 82 is pulled up, and moves the guide apron 92 to the open position P2 when the loading lever 82 is pushed down. In the state where the recording medium 5 is not held by the pinch rollers 73a, the guide passage 90a is in the closed state. In the state where the recording medium 5 is held by the pinch rollers 73a, the guide passage 90a is in the open state. As shown in
As shown in
The push-up shaft 104 is located at the rear end portion of the link bar 102. The push-up shaft 104 extends leftward from the left side surface of the link bar 102, and rightward from the right side surface of the link bar 102 (a portion of the push-up shaft 104 that protrudes on the right side surface of the link bar 102 is not shown). The guide hole 105 has an opening in the inner wall 12a of the printer body 12. The portion of the push-up shaft 104 that protrudes on the right side surface of the link bar 102 is inserted into the guide hole 105. The guide hole 105 is a long hole formed to be sloping upward while extending rearward. With the push-up shaft 104 inserted into the guide hole 105, the movement of the link bar 102 is also regulated such that the push-up shaft 104 moves along the guide hole 105. As shown in
A portion 104L of the push-up shaft 104 that protrudes on the left side surface of the link bar 102 (also referred to as the push-up shaft 104L) is in contact with the front surface of the guide apron 92 (the surface opposing the rear apron 91). The push-up shaft 104L supports the guide apron 92. The push-up shaft 104L is not fixed to the guide apron 92. Without the support of the push-up shaft 104L, the guide apron 92 is in the closed position P1. By being pushed up by the push-up shaft 104L, which moves rearward and upward as the loading lever 82 is pushed down, the guide apron 92 pivots rearward (upward). As shown in
The closure plate 106 has its rear end fixed to the guide apron 92, and a portion that is forward relative to the rear end is in contact with the shaft 81. The rear end of the closure plate 106 is fixed to the upper end portion 92U (the front end portion) of the guide apron 92. As shown in
As shown in
The magnet 107 is fixed to the guide apron 92. The magnet 107 is fixed to a portion of the guide apron 92 that extends substantially vertically when the guide apron 92 is in the closed position P1 (the portion upward of the rearward sloping portion 92a). The magnet 107 is fixed to the back surface of the guide apron 92. Note however that the magnet 107 may be fixed to the front surface of the guide apron 92 as long as the magnet 107 does not interfere with the insertion of the recording medium 5 into the guide passage 90a.
The adhering plate 108, which adheres to the magnet 107, is fixed to the inner wall 12a of the printer body 12. The adhering plate 108 contains a magnetic metal, e.g., iron. The adhering plate 108 is arranged in a position adjacent to the magnet 107 when the guide apron 92 is in the closed position P1. The adhering plate 108 is arranged in a position opposing the magnet 107 in the front-rear direction when the guide apron 92 is in the closed position P1. The adhesion between the magnet 107 and the adhering plate 108 firmly holds the guide apron 92 in the closed position P1 when the loading lever 82 is pulled up. The adhesion force between the magnet 107 and the adhering plate 108 should preferably be such that the guide apron 92 does not move from the closed position P1 even when the user pushes the guide apron 92 rearward with the recording medium 5. When the loading lever 82 is pushed down, the guide apron 92 moves from the closed position P1 against the adhesion force between the magnet 107 and the adhering plate 108.
The adhering plate 108 may be fixed to the guide apron 92. In that case, the magnet 107 may be provided in a position corresponding to the adhering plate 108. For the first adhering portion fixed to the guide apron 92 and the second adhering portion arranged in a position adjacent to the first adhering portion when the guide apron 92 is in the closed position P1, one of them may contain a magnet and the other may contain a magnetic metal. Alternatively, the first adhering portion and the second adhering portion do not need to be a combination of a magnet and a magnetic material. For example, the first adhering portion and the second adhering portion may be configured such that one of them sucks air. The member holding the guide apron 92 in the closed position P1 may not be an adhering portion and it may be a hook, or the like, for example. However, a mechanism for holding the guide apron 92 in the closed position P1 can be easily configured by using a combination of a magnet and a magnetic material. Note that if the weight of the guide apron 92 itself is sufficient to hold the guide apron 92 in the closed position P1, there may be no mechanism for holding the guide apron 92 in the closed position P1.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
A plurality of roller rows 113C are aligned in the left-right direction. Preferably, three or more roller rows 113C are provided. In the present example embodiment, four roller rows 113C are provided, for example. Note however that there is no particular limitation on the number of roller rows 113C. In the following, when it is necessary to distinguish between multiple roller rows 113C, the leftmost roller row 113C will be referred to as the roller row 113CL, the second roller row 113C from the left as the roller row 113ML, the third roller row 113C from the left as the roller row 113MR, and the rightmost roller row 113C as the roller row 113CR. In the present example embodiment, the four roller rows 113CL to 113CR are configured similarly. Note however that the four roller rows 113CL to 113CR may differ from each other, for example, in terms of the number of rollers 113.
The four roller rows 113CL to 113CR are provided so as to correspond to the width of the recording medium 5 in the primary scanning direction Y. The recording medium 5 with the narrowest width in the primary scanning direction Y is supported by some roller rows 113C including the rightmost roller row 113CR (e.g., the rightmost roller row 113CR and the second roller row 113MR from the right). The recording medium 5 with the widest width in the primary scanning direction Y is supported by the four roller rows 113CL to 113CR. The number of roller rows 113C is determined appropriately and there is no particular limitation thereto.
Note that the roller support 112 supporting the rollers 113 of the second roller row 113MR from the right may be configured to be movable in the primary scanning direction Y. The pull-back apron 110 may be configured to be able to accommodate various widths of the recording medium 5 by allowing the rollers 113 of the roller row 113MR to move in the primary scanning direction Y. In such a case, the roller row 113C may be two roller rows 113CR and 113MR. Note however that as the distance between the roller rows 113CR and 113MR increases, the recording medium 5 sags therebetween and is more likely to come into contact with the inclined plate 111. Therefore, other roller rows 113C movable in the primary scanning direction Y may be further provided. Alternatively, the rollers 113 may be elongated in the primary scanning direction Y. The pull-back apron 110 may include one or more roller rows 113C each having a plurality of such elongated rollers 113 aligned along the downward slope of the pull-back apron 110.
As shown in
If the center of rotation 113b1 of the roller 113 is located upward relative to the upper surface 112b of the roller support 112, the recording medium 5 transferred on the roller 113 may pass downward relative to the center of rotation 113b1 of the roller 113. Downward relative to the center of rotation 113b1, when the lower end (the front end in the transfer direction) of the recording medium 5 hits the medium-supporting surface 113a1 of the roller 113, the recording medium 5 will cause the roller 113 to rotate in the direction opposite to the transfer direction. As a result, the recording medium 5 slips into the gap between the medium-supporting surface 113a1 of the roller 113 and the roller support 112. If the recording medium 5 slips into the gap, the transfer of the recording medium 5 is stopped and it is not possible to realize smooth transfer of the recording medium 5. In contrast, where the center of rotation 113b1 of each roller 113 supported by the roller support 112 is located downward relative to the upper surface 112b of the roller support 112, when the lower end (the front end in the transfer direction) of the recording medium 5 hits the medium-supporting surface 113a1 of the roller 113, the recording medium 5 will cause the rollers 113 to rotate in the transfer direction. Therefore, the recording medium 5 is transferred forward without slipping into the gap formed between the medium-supporting surface 113a1 of the roller 113 and the roller support 112. This allows smooth transfer of the recording medium 5.
Note that the mechanism for supporting the rollers 113 (or other rollers such as balls) is not limited to the above. For example, the rollers 113 may be embedded in the roller supports 112 so that their portions upward relative to the center of rotation 113b1 are exposed. For example, the inclined plate 111 and the roller support 112 may be formed as a single component. The rollers 113 may, for example, be embedded in the inclined plate 111 as the roller support so that their upper end portions are exposed.
As shown in
As shown in
The printer 10 according to the present example embodiment is configured so that an auxiliary apron 120 (see
As shown in
As shown in
The procedure for mounting the recording medium 5 in the printer 10 for printing and cutting will be described below with reference to
Then, the user inserts the longitudinal end portion of the recording medium 5 drawn from the medium roll 6 into the guide passage 90a through the medium insertion slot 90b. At this time, the user inserts the end portion of the recording medium 5 into the housing portion 11 through the gap 11c between the medium roll 6 and the pull-back apron 110. The user further inserts the end portion of the recording medium 5 into the medium insertion slot 90b by passing their hand through the upper opening 11b of the housing portion 11, and performs the operation of feeding the recording medium 5 onto the platen 30. In the present example embodiment, the guide apron 92 defines the rear wall of the guide passage 90a and extends to a position downward relative to the rear apron 91 defining the front wall. The user can insert the recording medium 5 into the medium insertion slot 90b without having to see the medium insertion slot 90b, by placing the end portion of the recording medium 5 against the front surface of the guide apron 92 and then feeding the recording medium 5 upward along the front surface of the guide apron 92. The printer 10 according to the present example embodiment is configured so that the recording medium 5 can easily be inserted into the medium insertion slot 90b even though the medium insertion slot 90b is located rearward relative to the medium roll 6. With the printer 10 according to the present example embodiment, the user can perform the operation of inserting the recording medium 5 into the medium insertion slot 90b without having to see the area around the medium insertion slot 90b. Thus, it is unnecessary to look into the upper opening 11b, thereby making the operation easy.
As shown in
The user can then feed the recording medium 5 upward to pass the recording medium 5 through the guide passage 90a. It is possible to further move the recording medium 5 onto the platen 30. The closure plate 106 prevents the recording medium 5 from slipping into the gap between the shaft 81 and the guide apron 92. The magnet 107 and the adhering plate 108 reduce or prevent the guide apron 92 from moving from the closed position P1 by the operation of inserting the recording medium 5 into the medium insertion slot 90b and the guide passage 90a.
At this time, the guide apron 92 is in the closed position P1 and the guide passage 90a is in the closed state (see
After the recording medium 5 is fed at least further downstream in the secondary scanning direction X than between the grit rollers 71 and the pinch rollers 73a, the user pushes down the loading lever 82 so that the pinch roller 73a and the medium clamp 74 are in the pinch state. This allows the recording medium 5 to be fed or pulled back by the conveyor 70. At the same time, as shown in
The behavior of the recording medium 5 and the guide apron 92 during the pull-back operation will now be described.
As mentioned above, when the recording medium 5 is first mounted, the recording medium 5 can be fed downstream D1 in the insertion direction more easily along the guide passage 90a when the guide passage 90a is in the closed state than in the open state. On the other hand, when printing or cutting the mounted recording medium 5, the width of the guide passage 90a is larger in the open state than in the closed state, which makes it easier to prevent damage to the print surface 5U. Here, with the printer 10, the recording medium 5 cannot be mounted unless the pinch rollers 73a are in the release state, and printing and cutting cannot be performed on the recording medium 5 unless the pinch rollers 73a are in the pinch state. That is, the situation in which it is preferable to keep the guide passage 90a in the closed state is the same as the situation in which the pinch rollers 73a need to be in the release state. The situation in which it is preferable to keep the guide passage 90a in the open state is the same as the situation in which the pinch rollers 73a need to be in the pinch state. Therefore, in the present example embodiment, the elevator 80 and the apron moving mechanism 100 are interlocked with each other. Such interlocking prevents the user from forgetting to set the guide passage 90a to the open state or the closed state, or from mistaking the open state for the closed state. Note however that the apron moving mechanism 100 may move the guide apron 92 between the closed position P1 and the open position P2 independently of the elevator 80.
As shown in
As shown in
The functions/effects of the printer 10 according to the present example embodiment will now be described.
The printer 10 according to the present example embodiment includes the roll holder 20 that supports the medium roll 6, which is the recording medium 5 wound into a roll, so that the medium roll 6 can rotate in the front-rear direction, the platen 30 that is higher than the roll holder 20 and supports the recording medium 5 drawn from the medium roll 6, the print head 40 that is higher than the platen 30 so as to oppose the platen 30, the conveyor 70 that transfers the recording medium 5 forward on the platen 30, the rear apron 91 that is arranged rearward relative to the roll holder 20 and rearward and downward relative to the platen 30, extends in the up-down direction, and guides the recording medium 5 onto the platen 30, and the guide apron 92 that is arranged rearward of the rear apron 91 so as to oppose the rear apron 91 and extends in the up-down direction. The rear apron 91 and the guide apron 92 form the guide passage 90a therebetween through which the recording medium 5 is inserted. The guide apron 92 extends to a position downward relative to the rear apron 91.
In a printing device in which the recording medium is drawn from a medium roll, which is a wound recording medium, as in the paper feed path described in JP 2014-195895 A, a guide passage that guides the recording medium being transferred may be provided. In such a case, the user of the printing device inserts the end portion of the recording medium into the inlet of the guide passage. If the paper feed mechanism supporting the roll paper is provided on the front side and the inlet of the guide passage (paper feed path) is provided rearward thereof, as in the recording device described in JP 2014-195895 A, it is more convenient when replacing the roll paper, for example, but the operation of inserting the recording medium into the guide passage is more difficult to perform.
With the printer 10 according to the present example embodiment, the recording medium 5 drawn from the medium roll 6 is inserted into the inlet (the medium insertion slot 90b) of the guide passage 90a, which is arranged rearward relative to the roll holder 20. The guide passage 90a includes the rear apron 91 and the guide apron 92, which extend in the up-down direction and are aligned in the front-rear direction. The guide passage 90a extends in the up-down direction. Of the rear apron 91 and the guide apron 92, the guide apron 92, which is arranged rearward, extends to a position downward relative to the rear apron 91 arranged forward. Therefore, by placing the recording medium 5 against the guide apron 92 and pushing the recording medium 5 upward, the user can easily insert the recording medium 5 into the guide passage 90a extending in the up-down direction. Therefore, with the printer 10, the recording medium 5 can be easily inserted into the guide passage 90a even though the medium insertion slot 90b is located rearward relative to the medium roll 6.
In the present example embodiment, the conveyor 70 is capable of pulling back the recording medium 5 on the platen 30. The printer 10 includes the apron moving mechanism 100 that moves the guide apron 92 to the closed position P1 and to the open position P2 rearward relative to the closed position P1. According to such a configuration, the interval between the rear apron 91 and the guide apron 92 can be widened by retreating the guide apron 92 to the open position P2. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the risk of rubbing between the print surface 50 of the recording medium 5 and the guide apron 92 during the pull-back operation.
In the present example embodiment, the conveyor 70 includes the grit rollers 71 that are embedded in the platen 30 so that the upper end portions are exposed and that rotates in the front-rear direction, the pinch rollers 73a that are arranged upward of the platen 30 so as to oppose the grit rollers 71 and are capable of rotating in the front-rear direction, and the elevator 80 that is configured to move the pinch rollers 73a in the up-down direction, wherein the elevator 80 moves the pinch rollers 73a to the release position spaced away from the grit rollers 71 and to the pinch position such that the recording medium 5 can be pinched between the pinch rollers 73a and the grit rollers 71. The apron moving mechanism 100 is interlocked with the elevator 80, wherein the apron moving mechanism 100 moves the guide apron 92 to the closed position P1 when the pinch rollers 73a are moved by the elevator 80 to the release position, and the apron moving mechanism 100 moves the guide apron 92 to the open position P2 when the pinch rollers 73a are moved to the pinch position. With such a configuration, through the operation of moving the pinch rollers 73a to the pinch position or the release position, the guide passage 90a can be set to the open state or the closed state at the same time. Therefore, by performing the operation of moving the pinch rollers 73a to the pinch position or the release position, there is no need to perform the operation of setting the guide passage 90a to the open state or the closed state, thereby reducing the work of the user. It also prevents the user from forgetting to put the guide passage 90a to the open state or the closed state, or from mistaking the open state for the closed state.
In the present example embodiment, the elevator 80 includes the loading lever 82 that can be operated to thereby move the pinch rollers 73a. The apron moving mechanism 100 includes the open/close link mechanism 101 connected to the loading lever 82 and the guide apron 92. With such a configuration, the loading lever 82, which is always operated when switching the state of the pinch rollers 73a between the release state and the pinch state, can be linked to the guide apron 92, thereby easily realizing the interlock between the apron moving mechanism 100 to the elevator 80.
Note however that the method of interlocking the apron moving mechanism 100 and the elevator 80 is not limited to that of linking the loading lever 82 and the guide apron 92. The method of interlocking the apron moving mechanism 100 and the elevator 80 may be an electrical method, for example. In that case, the apron moving mechanism 100 may include an electrically controlled actuator, such as an electric motor or an air cylinder controlled by a solenoid valve.
In the present example embodiment, the apron moving mechanism 100 includes the magnet 107 as the first adhering portion that is fixed to the guide apron 92, and the adhering plate 108 as the second adhering portion that is arranged at a position adjacent to the magnet 107 when the guide apron 92 is in the closed position P1, wherein the adhering plate 108 adheres to the magnet 107. With such a configuration, the guide apron 92 is firmly held in the closed position P1 by means of adhesion between the magnet 107 and the adhering plate 108. Therefore, the guide apron 92 can be held in the closed position P1 even if the guide apron 92 is pushed during the operation of inserting the recording medium 5 into the guide passage 90a, for example. This makes easier, for example, the operation of inserting the recording medium 5 into the guide passage 90a. One of the first adhering portion and the second adhering portion includes a magnet, and the other includes a magnetic metal. In the present example embodiment, the magnet 107 as the first adhering portion includes a magnet and the adhering plate 108 as the second adhering portion includes a magnetic metal. With such a configuration, adhesion between the first adhering portion and the second adhering portion can be easily achieved by the magnetic force between the magnet and the magnetic metal.
In the present example embodiment, the shaft 81 of the elevator 80 is arranged forward relative to the guide apron 92 and away from the guide apron 92. The printer 10 includes the closure plate 106, of which the rear end is fixed to the guide apron 92 and a portion that is forward relative to the rear end is in contact with the shaft 81. The closure plate 106 is flexible, and closes the gap between the guide apron 92 and the shaft 81 when the guide apron 92 is in the closed position P1, the open position P2, and an intermediate position between the closed position P1 and the open position P2. With such a configuration, because the closure plate 106 is flexible and is in contact with the shaft 81 regardless of the positional relationship with the shaft 81, the gap between the guide apron 92 and the shaft 81 can be closed at all times. Such closing of the gap prevents erroneous insertion of the recording medium 5 into the gap between the guide apron 92 and the shaft 81.
In the present example embodiment, the guide apron 92 includes the rearward sloping portion 92a that is formed at the lower end portion 92D and sloping downward while extending rearward. With such configuration, the rearward sloping portion 92a of the guide apron 92 widens the lower end of the medium insertion slot 90b and gradually narrows the medium insertion slot 90b toward the upper end. This allows the recording medium 5 to be inserted more easily into the guide passage 90a.
In the present example embodiment, the rear apron 91 includes the forward sloping portion 91a at the lower end portion 91D and sloping downward while extending forward. The rearward sloping portion 92a is located downward relative to the forward sloping portion 91a. With such a configuration, the forward sloping portion 91a of the rear apron 91 widens the lower end of the medium insertion slot 90b and gradually narrows the medium insertion slot 90b toward the upper end. As a result, the recording medium 5 can be more easily inserted into the guide passage 90a. Furthermore, if the recording medium 5 is pushed in so that the recording medium 5 is placed along the lower surface of the forward sloping portion 91a, the tip of the recording medium 5 is placed against a portion of the guide apron 92 that is upward relative to the rearward sloping portion 92a. The recording medium 5 then moves smoothly upward along the front surface of the guide apron 92. Thus, the recording medium 5 can be successfully inserted into the guide passage 90a.
The printer 10 according to the present example embodiment includes the housing portion 11 that houses at least a portion of the roll holder 20 and supports the platen 30, the print head 40, the rear apron 91, the guide apron 92, etc. The rear apron 91 and the guide apron 92 are arranged rearward and upward relative to the roll holder 20, and a portion of the front surface 11F of the housing portion 11 that is upward relative to the roll holder 20 is provided with the upper opening 11b, which is large enough for the user to pass their hand through. With such a configuration, the user can pass their hand into the housing portion 11 through the upper opening 11b and insert the end portion of the recording medium 5 drawn from the medium roll 6 into the guide passage 90a. The medium insertion slot 90b, which is the inlet of the guide passage 90a, is located rearward and upward relative to the roll holder 20 in the interior space 11a of the housing portion 11. Therefore, the upper opening 11b, which is located upward relative to the roll holder 20, makes easier the operation of inserting the recording medium 5 into the medium insertion slot 90b.
The printer 10 according to the present example embodiment includes the pull-back apron 110 provided downward of, and away from, the transfer path Rm of the recording medium 5. The pull-back apron 110 is capable of receiving the recording medium 5 pulled back toward the roll holder 20, and includes the receiving portion 110a that slopes downward and extends forward.
With such a such printer 10, when the recording medium 5 sagging from the transfer path Rm by the pull-back operation of the conveyor 70 falls on the receiving portion 110a, the recording medium 5 is gradually guided forward along the downward slope of the receiving portion 110a. This suppresses the problem that the recording medium 5 having been transferred off the transfer path Rm may pile up without being transferred forward. Therefore, it is possible to suppress jams of the recording medium 5. Note that, as will be described later, similar functions/effects can be achieved even if the downward slope of the receiving portion 110a is a slope that slopes downward and extends rearward.
In the present example embodiment, the medium insertion slot 90b is located rearward relative to the roll holder 20 and the platen 30 and upward relative to the receiving portion 110a. The receiving portion 110a is provided so as to oppose the medium insertion slot 90b and slopes downward and extends forward. With such a configuration, the recording medium 5 falling from the medium insertion slot 90b onto the receiving portion 110a is guided toward the roll holder 20 forward of the medium insertion slot 90b along the downward slope of the receiving portion 110a. This makes smooth the return path of the slackened recording medium 5 and suppresses the occurrence of jams of the recording medium 5.
In the present example embodiment, the receiving portion 110a extends to a position rearward relative to the medium insertion slot 90b. With such a configuration, it is possible to receive the recording medium 5 that is sagging by being tilted rearward relative to a position directly below the medium insertion slot 90b, during the pull-back operation, for reasons such as those described above, for example.
In the present example embodiment, the front end of the receiving portion 110a is located downward relative to the roll holder 20. Between the front end of the receiving portion 110a and the roll holder 20, the gap 11c is provided through which the recording medium 5 can pass with the medium roll 6 mounted on the roll holder 20. With such a configuration, when the pull-back distance is long, the recording medium 5 having become slackened from the transfer path Rm can be taken out of the housing portion 11 through the gap 11c. This can reduce or prevent jams of the recording medium 5 due to the longer pull-back distance and the recording medium 5 having no place to go in the housing portion 11.
In the present example embodiment, the receiving portion 110a includes a group of rollers including a plurality of rollers capable of rotating in the front-rear direction. Here, the rollers are the rollers 113, and the receiving portion 110a includes a plurality of rollers 113 as a group of rollers. With such a configuration, the recording medium 5 can be pulled back on the receiving portion 110a by the plurality of rollers 113 rotating in the front-rear direction without rubbing the print surface 5U. Here, it is possible to suppress the print surface 5U from contacting, and rubbing against, the inclined plate 111 of the receiving portion 110a.
In the present example embodiment, the group of rollers includes, for example, three or more roller rows 113C that are arranged in alignment in the left-right direction, each roller row 113C including a plurality of rollers 113. With such a configuration, a recording medium 5 with a narrow width can be received by using two roller rows 113C that are close in distance, and a recording medium 5 with a wide width can be received by further using another roller row 113C. Thus, since the receiving portion 110A includes three or more roller rows 113C, recording mediums 5 of different widths can be received by the roller rows 113C.
In the present example embodiment, the receiving portion 110a of the pull-back apron 110 includes the roller supports 112 that rotatably support a plurality of rollers 113 of the roller rows 113C. The medium-supporting surface 113a1 of each roller 113 protrudes upward relative to the upper surface 112b of the roller support 112. The center of rotation 113b1 of each roller 113 is located downward relative to the upper surface 112b of the roller support 112. With such a configuration, for the reasons described above, the recording medium 5 is prevented from being caught in the gap between the rollers 113 and the roller supports 112, and it is possible to smoothly move the recording medium 5.
In the present example embodiment, the pull-back apron 110 and the auxiliary apron 120 as a receiver include the auxiliary apron 120 as an extended receiving portion that is continuous with and extends forward from the front end of the receiving portion 110a of the pull-back apron 110. With such a configuration, the auxiliary apron 120 can receive the recording medium 5 that is returned to a position forward relative to the receiving portion 110a and sags downward to touch the floor surface. Thus, the recording medium 5 can move forward without being inhibited by friction with the floor surface. That results in preventing a jam of the recording medium 5. With such a configuration, the print surface 50 of the recording medium 5 can be prevented from contacting the floor surface. That results in preventing the damage of the print surface 50 of the recording medium 5.
In the present example embodiment, the auxiliary apron 120 also includes a group of rollers including a plurality of rollers 123 configured to be capable of rotating in the front-rear direction. With such a configuration, the recording medium 5 can be pulled back on the auxiliary apron 120 without rubbing the print surface 5U, as in the case of the receiving portion 110a.
The printer 10 according to the present example embodiment includes the cutting head 50 including the cutter 52 capable of cutting the recording medium 5 and provided upward relative to the platen 30 so as to oppose the platen 30, the head moving device 60 that moves the cutting head 50 in the left-right direction, and the controller 130. The controller 130 controls the head moving device 60 and the conveyor 70 according to the cutting data so that the cutting head 50 moves in the left-right direction and the recording medium 5 is transferred forward or pulled back rearward on the platen 30. With such a printer 10, a pull-back operation occurs due to cutting. Therefore, the pull-back apron 110 and the auxiliary apron 120 as the receiver, the apron moving mechanism 100 that retracts the guide apron 92 rearward, etc., realize advantageous effects.
The configuration of an inkjet printer according to one preferred example embodiment has been described above. However, the example embodiment described above is merely illustrative, and the present invention can be implemented in other example embodiments. Some other example embodiments will be described below. Note that in the following description of other example embodiments, like reference sings to those of the example embodiment described above will be used for like elements to those of the example embodiment described above.
For example, the printer 10 according to the example embodiment described above is configured so that the guide apron 92 can move to widen the guide passage 90a. However, the guide passage 90a does not need to be configured to be able to change the state. The guide passage 90a may be fixed.
The method of moving the guide apron 92 is not limited to the pivotal method as in the example embodiment described above. The guide apron 92 may be configured to be capable of sliding in the front-rear direction, for example.
In the example embodiment described above, the rear apron 91 and the guide apron 92 are configured to include the forward sloping portion 91a and the rearward sloping portion 92a, respectively, to make it easier to insert the recording medium 5 into the medium insertion slot 90b. However, there is no particular limitation on the shape of the tip portion of the rear apron 91 and that of the guide apron 92. The tip portions of the rear apron 91 and the guide apron 92 may be straight, for example.
The pull-back apron 110 may be sloped in the opposite direction to the example embodiment described above.
In the example embodiment described above, the pull-back apron 110 includes a plurality of rollers 113 that rotate in the front-rear direction. However, the pull-back apron 110 may be configured to receive the recording medium 5 via a slope without including rollers such as the rollers 113.
The printer 10 according to the example embodiment described above is provided with the housing portion 11 that supports the printer body 12 in which main portions of the printer 10 are integrated, houses at least a portion of the roll holder 20, and forms the internal space 11a in which the recording medium 5 is transferred. However, the printer 10 does not need to include such a housing portion 11.
The pulled-back recording medium 5 does not need to be pulled out of the printer 10. In that case, there is no need for the gap 11c downward of the roll holder 20 and the auxiliary apron 120. Even in the case where the pulled-back recording medium 5 is pulled out of the printer 10, the auxiliary apron 120 may not always be necessary. For example, the pulled-back recording medium 5 may be pulled out of the printer 10 from a height such that the recording medium 5 does not touch the floor surface.
In the example embodiment described above, the printer 10 is a printer with cutting head including the cutting head 50. However, the printer 10 may be a printer without the cutting head 50.
The present invention is not limited to these example embodiments unless specifically noted otherwise.
The terms and expressions used herein are for description only and are not to be interpreted in a limited sense. These terms and expressions should be recognized as not excluding any equivalents to the elements shown and described herein and as allowing any modification encompassed in the scope of the claims. The present invention may be embodied in many various forms. This disclosure should be regarded as providing example embodiments of the principles of the present invention. These example embodiments are provided with the understanding that they are not intended to limit the present invention to the example embodiments described in the specification and/or shown in the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the example embodiments described herein. The present invention encompasses any of example embodiments including equivalent elements, modifications, deletions, combinations, improvements and/or alterations which can be recognized by a person of ordinary skill in the art based on the disclosure. The elements of each claim should be interpreted broadly based on the terms used in the claim, and should not be limited to any of the example embodiments described in this specification or used during the prosecution of the present application.
While example embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it is to be understood that variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention, therefore, is to be determined solely by the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-143928 | Sep 2023 | JP | national |
| 2023-143929 | Sep 2023 | JP | national |
