JP2000203741A - Recording material transport device and recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a regulating member for regulating the floating of an end portion of a recording material toward a recording means, which is applicable to recording materials having various thicknesses. A regulating member (10) is provided in accordance with the thickness of a recording material.
11 is provided for moving the recording material 11 to change the regulation state of the recording material.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording apparatus such as a printer, a copying machine, a word processor, a personal computer, a facsimile, etc. It is about.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a recording section of a recording apparatus such as a printer, in order to restrict floating of an end portion of a recording material toward a recording head, a restricting member on a side serving as a reference in the width direction when setting the recording material is provided. , Fixedly provided at a predetermined position of the recording unit.

In addition to the regulation member, in order to cope with recording materials of various sizes, the width direction regulation of the recording material setting portion is also provided on the side opposite to the reference side in the width direction when setting the recording material. Some devices include a regulating member that moves in conjunction with the member and regulates the floating toward the recording head.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional recording apparatus, since the position of the regulating member in the thickness direction of the recording material is constant, the surface of the regulating member on which the recording material floats and the recording material are not fixed. A recording material having a thickness greater than the gap between the recording material and the mounting surface could not be conveyed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an end portion of a recording material, which is applicable to recording materials having various thicknesses, to a recording means side. An object of the present invention is to provide a restricting member for restricting floating of an object.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a conveying means for conveying a recording material along a conveying path, and an end of the recording material conveyed to the conveying path. And a regulating member having a guide portion for guiding the thickness direction of the recording material, in the recording material transport device, the regulating member is moved in accordance with the thickness of the recording material, It is characterized by comprising moving means for changing the regulation state.

The conveyance path has a conveyance surface for guiding one surface of the recording material, a guide portion of the regulating member is opposed to the conveyance surface, and a thickness of the recording material is equal to the conveyance surface and the guide portion. When the distance is smaller than the distance, the regulating member takes a first position to guide the end of the recording material, and the moving means is formed on the regulating member, and the thickness of the recording material is different from the conveying surface. A contact portion that engages with the recording material when the distance from the guide portion is larger than the guide portion, and the restricting member is moved from the first position by pushing the contact portion against the leading end of the conveyed recording material. It is also preferable to move to the retracted second position. Further, it is also preferable that the moving means makes the regulating member slidable in a direction substantially orthogonal to a conveying direction of the recording material.

[0008] It is also preferable that the moving means includes a rotating shaft which makes the regulating member rotatable.

The moving means includes an urging means for urging the regulating member in the direction of the first position, and the urging force of the urging means is larger than the conveying force of the recording material by the conveying means. It is also preferable that the setting is small.

[0010] A recording apparatus is provided with the above-described recording material transport apparatus and recording means for recording an image on a recording material transported by the recording material transport apparatus.

It is also preferable that the recording apparatus is of an ink jet recording type in which the recording means performs recording by discharging ink according to a signal.

It is also preferable that the recording device has an electrothermal converter for generating thermal energy for ink discharge in the recording means.

In the recording apparatus, it is preferable that the recording means discharges the ink from the discharge port by utilizing film boiling generated in the ink by the thermal energy applied by the electrothermal transducer.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) In the first embodiment, an ink jet recording apparatus will be described as an example of a recording apparatus.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of the ink jet recording apparatus, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic structure of the ink jet recording apparatus when a front cover is opened, and FIG. 3 regulates lifting of an end portion of the recording material. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the regulating member, and FIGS. 5 to 7 are plan views showing changes in the state of the regulating member.

First, a schematic configuration of an ink jet recording apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS.

The ink jet recording apparatus according to the first embodiment includes a paper feed unit 1, a paper feed unit 6, a recording unit 16, a paper discharge unit 24, and the like.

Hereinafter, these configurations will be described.

As shown in FIG. 2, the paper feeding section 1 has an angle of 30 ° to 6 °.
The recording material P is attached to the apparatus main body at an angle of 0 °, and is configured to be discharged horizontally after recording and set. In addition, a paper feed port (not shown) is provided below the paper feed unit 1 for feeding the recording material P while keeping the recording material P substantially horizontal.

The paper feed section 1 is provided with a paper feed roller 2, a movable side guide 3, a pressure plate 4, a base 5, a separation claw (not shown), and the like. Then, the recording material P stacked on the pressure plate 4
The paper feed unit 6 is driven one by one by the separation claw and the paper feed roller 2.
Transported to

The paper feeding section 6 includes a transport roller 7, a pinch roller 8, a platen 9, regulating members 10, 11, and the like.
The recording material P sent to the paper feeding unit 6 is sent to a nip portion between the transport roller 7 and the pinch roller 8.

The pinch roller 8 is a pinch roller guide 1
The recording material P is conveyed by a pinch roller spring 13 and is pressed against the conveyance roller 7 by the rotation of the conveyance roller 7.

Then, the transport roller 7 and the pinch roller 8
Is transported by a predetermined amount to the recording start position on the platen 9 by the rotation of the transport roller 7 driven by the transport motor 14.

Then, recording is performed by the recording head 15 based on predetermined image information. The recording head 15 is for recording an ink image on the recording material P transported by the transport roller 7 and the pinch roller 8.

As the recording means in this apparatus, an ink jet recording system for discharging ink from a recording head for recording is used. That is, the recording head has a fine liquid discharge port (orifice), a liquid path, an energy action section provided in a part of the liquid path, and an energy generation section for generating droplet forming energy to act on the liquid in the action section. Means.

As an energy generating means for generating such energy, a recording method using an electromechanical transducer such as a piezo element or the like, an electromagnetic wave such as a laser is irradiated to generate heat, and droplets are discharged by the action of the generated heat. There is a recording method using an energy generating unit, a recording method using an energy generating unit that discharges the liquid by heating the liquid with an electrothermal converter such as a heating element having a heating resistor.

Among them, a recording head used in an ink jet recording method for discharging a liquid by thermal energy has a liquid discharge port (orifice) for discharging a recording droplet to form a discharge droplet at a high density. Since they can be arranged, high-resolution recording can be performed.

Among them, a recording head using an electrothermal transducer as an energy generating means is easy to make compact and easy to use. In recent years, there has been a remarkable advance in technology in the field of semiconductors and a remarkable improvement in reliability. This is advantageous because the advantages can be fully utilized, high-density mounting is easy, and the manufacturing cost is low.

As shown in FIG. 2, the recording section 16 holds a carriage 17 on which the recording head 15 is mounted, a guide shaft 18 for reciprocating the carriage 17 in a direction perpendicular to the recording material conveyance direction, and a rear end of the carriage 17. A guide 19 for maintaining a distance between the recording head 15 and the recording material P; a timing belt 21 for transmitting the drive of the carriage motor 20 to the carriage 17; an idle pulley 22 for extending the timing belt 21; And a flexible board 23 for transmitting the head drive signal.

The recording head 15 is formed integrally with the ink tank and is a replaceable recording head.
The scanning is performed integrally with the recording material P to record an ink image on the recording material P conveyed on the platen 9.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
The paper ejection roller 25, a transmission roller (not shown) for transmitting the drive of the transport roller 7 to the paper ejection roller 25, a spur 26 for assisting the ejection of the recording material P, a paper ejection tray 27, and the like are provided. The recording material P after recording is discharged onto the discharge tray 27 shown in FIG. 1 by the discharge roller 25 and the spur 26 without soiling the recording surface.

Next, a state in which the recording material P is conveyed by a predetermined amount to the recording start position will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

At this time, when both ends parallel to the conveying direction of the recording material P are curled toward the recording head 15 such as when the thickness of the recording material P is relatively thin, such as about 0.1 mm, and is easily deformed. As shown in FIG. 3, the regulating member 1 is at the first position.
The curl of the recording material P is suppressed by 0 and 11, thereby preventing both ends of the recording material P from contacting the recording head 15.

At this time, the floating regulating surfaces 10a, 11a of the guide portions of the regulating members 10, 11 are moved from the conveying surface 9a of the platen 9, which is the conveying surface of the conveying path for guiding one surface of the recording material P.
If the distance T to the recording material P is set to, for example, 0.5 mm, the curl at both ends of the recording material P is suppressed to 0.5 mm or less.

Next, when the recording material P is transported in a state where the thickness of the recording material P is thicker than 0.5 mm, and the recording material P is relatively strong and hardly deforms at both ends while the distance T is set to 0.5 mm,
Moving means for changing the regulation state of the recording material will be described.

The floating restricting portions 10b and 11b of the guide portions of the restricting members 10 and 11 are associated with the recording material having a slope which becomes wider toward the center of the apparatus as the recording material P moves downstream in the conveying direction. Recording material contact portions 10c and 11c are provided.

The regulating members 10 and 11 are respectively
It is placed on the regulating member attaching portion 3a connected to the regulating member attaching portion 28 and the movable side guide 3. At this time, the guide shaft 10 is attached to the respective regulating members 10 and 11.
d and 11d are provided, and the regulating member mounting portion 2 is provided.
8 and 3a are inserted into the respective guide grooves 28a and 3b.

The regulating members 10 and 11 are respectively
It is waiting at the first position while being urged toward the center of the apparatus by an elastic member (not shown) (FIG. 4).

In the above state, when the recording material P is transported by the transport roller 7, the leading end of the recording material P is
c, 11c (FIG. 5).

Thereafter, when the recording material P is further conveyed to the downstream side, the regulating members 10 and 11 are respectively actuated by the force in the downstream direction of the recording material P, and the regulating member mounting portions 28 and It slides along the guide grooves 28a, 3b of 3a and moves in the directions of arrows A and B in FIG. 5 (FIG. 6). Thereafter, when the recording material P is further conveyed to the downstream side, the regulating member 1 is moved in the directions indicated by arrows A and B in FIG.
0 and 11 are further moved, and the regulating members 10 and 11 are completely retracted from the conveyance path of the recording material P, and assume the second position (FIG. 7).

Therefore, the recording material P thicker than 0.5 mm
When the recording material P is conveyed, the recording material P
The sheet is conveyed by a predetermined amount to the recording start position without being disturbed by 0 and 11.

As described above, in the present embodiment, even when the regulating members 10 and 11 which cannot pass through the conveying path of the recording material P unless the thickness of the recording material P is 0.5 mm or less are provided, The recording material P thicker than 0.5 mm can be conveyed.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a regulating member according to a second embodiment.

In the first embodiment, the regulating members 10, 1
FIG. 8 shows the case in which the slide 1 is retracted.
As shown in FIG. 7, the recording medium P is rotated in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 8 by the contact of the recording material P with the contact portion 10c and retracted from the conveyance path of the recording material P when the recording material P comes into contact with the contact portion 10c. Can obtain the same effect.

Also in this case, in the standby state at the first position, the regulating member 10 is urged by the elastic member 29 in the direction of arrow D in FIG. 8 so that the distance T becomes 0.5 mm. Stopped at.

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 9 is a front view of a regulating member according to a third embodiment.

In the above embodiment, the value of the distance T is set to 0.
Although set as 5 mm, it is not limited to this value.

Also, the elastic members are used to stop the regulating members 10 and 11 at the first position in the standby state. However, as shown in FIG. 9, the regulating member 10 is moved in the direction of arrow E in the figure. The same effect can be obtained even if the weight 30 is suspended at a position where the weight 30 is rotated.

Further, in a printing apparatus in which the distance from the ink discharge port surface of the print head 15 to the platen 9 is variable, the effect that the range of the thickness of the print material P that can be supported can be obtained is increased. it can.

In the above-described embodiment, the ink jet recording system is used as the recording means. However, an electric current is supplied to the electrothermal transducer according to the recording signal, and the thermal energy applied by the electrothermal transducer is applied to the ink. It is further preferable that the ink is ejected from the ejection port to perform the recording by the growth and shrinkage of the bubble generated in the ink utilizing the film boiling that occurs.

The typical configuration and principle are described in, for example, US Pat. Nos. 4,723,129 and 47407.
It is preferable to use the basic principle disclosed in the specification of Japanese Patent No. 96.

This method can be applied to any of the so-called on-demand type and continuous type. In particular, in the case of the on-demand type, it corresponds to a sheet or a liquid path holding a liquid (ink). To the electrothermal transducers
By applying at least one drive signal corresponding to the recorded information and providing a rapid temperature rise exceeding the nucleate boiling, heat energy is generated in the electrothermal transducer, thereby causing film boiling on the heat acting surface of the recording head. As a result, bubbles in the liquid corresponding to the drive signal one by one can be formed, which is effective.

The liquid is ejected through the ejection opening by the growth and contraction of the bubble to form at least one droplet. When the drive signal is formed into a pulse shape, the growth and shrinkage of the bubble are immediately and appropriately performed, so that particularly excellent liquid ejection can be achieved, which is more preferable.

As the pulse-shaped drive signal, those described in US Pat. Nos. 4,463,359 and 4,345,262 are suitable. still,
US Patent No. 4 of the invention relating to the rate of temperature rise of the heat acting surface
If the conditions described in the specification of Japanese Patent No. 313124 are adopted, more excellent recording can be performed.

As the configuration of the recording head, in addition to the combination of the discharge port, the liquid path, and the electrothermal converter (linear liquid flow path or right-angled liquid flow path) as disclosed in the above-mentioned respective specifications, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,558,333 and 445,960 which disclose a configuration in which a heat acting portion is arranged in a bending region.
The configuration using the specification No. 0 is also included in the present invention.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 59-123670 discloses a configuration in which a common slit is used as a discharge portion of an electrothermal transducer for a plurality of electrothermal transducers, or an aperture for absorbing pressure waves of thermal energy. The effect of the present invention is also effective when the configuration is based on JP-A-59-138461, which discloses a configuration in which is configured to correspond to a discharge unit.

That is, regardless of the form of the recording head, according to the present invention, recording can be performed reliably and efficiently.

Further, the present invention can be effectively applied to a full-line type recording head having a length corresponding to the maximum width of a recording medium on which a recording section can record. As such a recording head, by combining a plurality of recording heads,
Either a configuration that satisfies the length or a configuration as a single recording head formed integrally may be used.

In addition, even in the case of the serial type described above, the recording head fixed to the carriage or mounted on the carriage enables electrical connection with the apparatus main body and supply of ink from the apparatus main body. A replaceable chip-type recording head or the like may be used.

It is preferable to add recording head recovery means, preliminary auxiliary means, and the like, which are provided as components of the recording section of the present invention, since the effects of the present invention can be further stabilized.

Specific examples thereof include capping means for the recording head, cleaning means, pressurizing or suction means, preheating means using an electrothermal conversion type or another heating element or a combination thereof, Performing a preliminary ejection mode in which ejection is performed separately from printing is also effective for performing stable printing.

The type and number of recording heads mounted on the carriage are, for example, not only those provided for one color ink but also a plurality of inks having different recording colors and densities. May be provided in plurality.

That is, for example, the recording mode of the recording section is not limited to the recording mode of only the mainstream color such as black, but may be any of a plurality of combinations integrally forming the recording head. Alternatively, the present invention can be applied to an apparatus provided with at least one of full colors by color mixing.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the ink is described as a liquid. However, an ink which solidifies at room temperature or lower and which softens or liquefies at room temperature, or an ink jet recording method Generally, the temperature of the ink itself is controlled within the range of 30 ° C. or more and 70 ° C. or less to control the temperature so that the viscosity of the ink is in the stable ejection range. Anything is fine.

[0066]

As described above, according to the present invention, the regulating member is moved in accordance with the thickness of the recording material to change the regulation state of the recording material, whereby the regulating member is provided. It is also possible to convey a relatively thick and durable recording material, which does not need to be controlled by a member, and it is possible to obtain an effect of expanding the range of the thickness of the recording material that can be handled.

Further, when the thickness of the recording material is smaller than the distance between the conveying surface and the guide portion, the regulating member guides the end of the recording material to prevent the recording material from floating toward the recording means, thereby achieving recording. In addition to preventing the recording material from contacting the recording means and being contaminated, when the thickness of the recording material is larger than the distance between the conveyance surface and the guide portion, the conveyance path is opened by retreating, so that the regulating member is used. A relatively thick and durable recording material that is not required can be conveyed.

Further, by providing a moving means for making the regulating member slidable or rotatable, a simple structure is provided.
The range of the thickness of the recording material that can be handled can be expanded.

Further, since the moving means includes an urging means for urging the regulating member in the direction of the first position, it is possible to cope with a continuous conveyance of recording materials having different thicknesses.

Further, by adopting the ink jet system as the recording means, it is possible to perform low-noise, high-speed recording and high-quality recording. In this case, by providing an electrothermal converter for generating heat energy as ink ejection energy, the head can be easily made compact and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

Further, by ejecting the ink from the ejection port by utilizing the film boiling generated in the ink by the thermal energy at the time of ejecting the ink, it is possible to obtain an effect such that a high-definition image can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an ink jet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of the inkjet recording apparatus when a front cover is opened.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for regulating lifting of a recording sheet.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a regulating member according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a state change of the regulating member according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a state change of the regulating member according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a state change of the regulating member according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a regulating member according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a front view of a regulating member according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Paper feed part 2 Paper feed roller 3 Movable side guide 3a Restriction member attaching part 3b Guide groove 4 Pressure plate 5 Base 6 Paper feed part 7 Transport roller 8 Pinch roller 9 Platen 9a Transport surface 10, 11 Restriction member 10a, 11a Floating control surface 10b, 11b Floating control part 10c, 11c Recording material contact part 10d, 11d Guide shaft 10e Rotation center axis 12 Pinch roller guide 13 Pinch roller spring 14 Transport motor 15 Recording head 16 Recording unit 17 Carriage 18 Guide shaft 19 Guide 20 Carriage motor DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 21 Timing belt 22 Idle pulley 23 Flexible board 24 Discharge part 25 Discharge roller 26 Spur 27 Discharge tray 28 Restriction member attaching part 28a Guide groove 29 Elastic member 30 Weight

Claims (9)

[Claims] A transporting means for transporting a recording material along a transporting path; a regulating member having a guide portion for guiding a thickness direction of the recording material at an end of the recording material transported to the transporting path. A recording material transport device comprising: a moving unit configured to move the regulating member according to a thickness of the recording material to change a regulation state of the recording material. . 2. The conveyance path has a conveyance surface for guiding one surface of a recording material, a guide portion of the regulating member is opposed to the conveyance surface, and a thickness of the recording material is equal to the conveyance surface and the guide portion. When the distance is smaller than the first distance, the regulating member guides the first end of the recording material.
The moving means is formed on the regulating member, and has a contact portion that engages with the recording material when the thickness of the recording material is greater than the distance between the conveyance surface and the guide portion, 2. The recording material transport according to claim 1, wherein the contact member is moved to a second position retracted from the first position by being pushed by a tip of the transported recording material. 3. apparatus. 3. The recording material transporting device according to claim 1, wherein said moving means is slidable in a direction substantially perpendicular to a recording material transporting direction. 4. The recording material conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the moving unit includes a rotating shaft that makes the regulating member freely rotatable. 5. The moving means includes an urging means for urging the regulating member in the direction of the first position, wherein the urging force of the urging means is larger than the conveying force of the recording material by the conveying means. The recording material conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording material conveying apparatus is set to be small. 6. A recording material conveying apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a recording unit for recording an image on a recording material conveyed by the recording material conveying apparatus. Recording device. 7. The recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said recording apparatus is of an ink jet recording type in which said recording means performs recording by discharging ink according to a signal. 8. The recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the recording unit includes an electrothermal converter for generating thermal energy for discharging ink. 9. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording means discharges the ink from the discharge port by using a film boiling generated in the ink by the thermal energy applied by the electrothermal transducer. 9. The recording device according to item 8.