JP2010046859A - Supporting device, recording device, and method of correcting the supporting device - Google Patents

Abstract

A support device capable of easily correcting the posture of a support member and improving the flatness of a recording medium supported on the support member, a recording device including the support device, and a support device Provide a correction method.
A platen 13 capable of supporting a sheet in sliding contact with a front surface 13a, an adjustment motor driven so as to be able to apply a correction force for correcting the posture of the platen 13 on the back surface 13b side of the platen 13, and a first motor. A first cam member 41a, a ROM that stores a first posture state that does not require posture correction in the platen 13, a first distance sensor 42a that can detect the degree of deformation of the platen 13 from the first posture state, and a first A correction force is applied to the platen 13 when it is determined that the platen 13 is deformed from the first posture state to the second posture state requiring posture correction based on the detection result of the distance measuring sensor 42a. And a controller for controlling the adjustment motor and the first cam member 41a.
[Selection] Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a recording apparatus such as an ink jet printer, a support apparatus provided in the recording apparatus, and a correction method for the support apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ink jet printer (hereinafter referred to as “printer”) is widely known as a recording apparatus that performs recording by ejecting a recording material (ink) from a recording head. In this printer, a sheet (recording medium) to be conveyed is supported by a platen (supporting member), and ink (recording material) is attached to the sheet whose planarity is maintained to perform printing (image formation). It has become.

  Such a platen generally has a rectangular shape in plan view, and is arranged so that its longitudinal direction is along the width direction perpendicular to the paper transport direction, and both ends thereof are supported as fixed points. . That is, a space region may be formed on the lower surface side of the central portion of the platen, for example, for wiring. Therefore, if the center part of the platen may bend due to its own weight, the relative relationship between the paper supported on the platen and the recording head changes, resulting in variations in the ink attachment position, which reduces the print quality on the paper. There was a risk of it.

Therefore, in such a printer, recently, as described in Patent Document 1, for example, the pressing member is positioned below the platen, and the pressing member is moved upward as necessary, so that the central portion is moved. A method of correcting the posture of the platen by pressing the platen bent downward is known.
JP 2005-212271 A

  By the way, in the case of the printer of Patent Document 1, the operator moves the pressing member below the central region where the bending is large in the longitudinal direction of the platen, and further adjusts the pressing force to eliminate the bending of the platen. Therefore, in order to correct the posture of the platen, it is necessary to repeatedly perform a small adjustment operation of the pressing force and a confirmation operation of the flatness of the paper supported by the platen whose posture is corrected by adjusting the pressing force. It was very time consuming.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to easily correct the posture of the support member and to improve the flatness of the recording medium supported on the support member. It is an object of the present invention to provide a support device capable of performing the above, a recording device including the support device, and a correction method for the support device.

  In order to achieve the above object, a support device of the present invention includes a support member that can be supported by sliding a recording medium on the surface, and a correction for correcting the posture of the support member on the back side of the support member. Correction means driven to be able to apply force, storage means for storing a first posture state that does not require posture correction in the support member, and degree of deformation of the support member from the first posture state can be detected The correction to the support member when it is determined that the support member is deformed from the first posture state to a second posture state that requires posture correction based on a detection means and a detection result of the detection means And a control means for controlling the correction means so that a force is applied.

  According to this configuration, when the posture state of the support member is deformed so as to require posture correction, the control unit controls the correction unit based on the detection result of the detection unit. Corrective force is automatically applied to correct the posture. Therefore, the posture of the support member can be easily corrected, and the flatness of the recording medium supported on the support member can be improved.

  In the support device of the present invention, the correction means slidably contacts the back surface side of the support member while rotating about the rotation axis, thereby applying a pressing force toward the front surface side from the back surface side to the support member. It has a cam member given as correction force, and a drive means which rotates this cam member, and the control means controls the drive means based on the detection result of the detection means.

  According to this configuration, the pressing force exerted on the support member by the cam member from the back surface side of the support member can be adjusted according to the rotation angle of the rotation shaft. Can be easily fine-tuned.

  In the support device of the present invention, the support member has a sliding member having a frictional resistance smaller than that of the support member on the back surface side, and the cam member is in sliding contact with the sliding member, whereby the support member A pressing force is applied to the surface side.

  According to this configuration, the frictional force generated in the direction parallel to the back surface of the support member can be reduced by sliding the cam member against the sliding member having a frictional resistance smaller than that of the support member. Therefore, the rotational force of the cam member can be efficiently used as a pressing force that can correct the deformation of the support member.

  The support device according to the present invention includes a plurality of correction means arranged at a plurality of locations respectively corresponding to a plurality of portions spaced apart from each other in the support member, and each of the correction means capable of individually adjusting the correction force. And the plurality of detection means individually corresponding to each other, and the control means controls each correction means individually corresponding to each detection means based on the detection result of each detection means.

  According to this configuration, even when the support member is assumed to be deformed due to its own weight or the influence of heat over a plurality of parts, the correcting means respectively disposed at a plurality of parts individually corresponding to the plurality of parts. Since the correction force is individually applied to the support member, the posture of the support member can be corrected appropriately.

  In the support device of the present invention, the storage means further stores an allowable value of the degree of deformation of the support member from the first posture state, and the control means deforms the support member detected by the detection means. When the degree exceeds the allowable value, the correction means is controlled so that the correction force is applied to the support member.

  According to this configuration, the degree of deformation of the support member detected by the detection means is so small that there is almost no problem in maintaining the flatness of the recording medium supported while sliding on the surface of the support member. In such a case, the correction means does not give a correction force to the support member. That is, when it is necessary to truly correct the posture of the support member, the correction means can apply the correction force to the support member, so that the correction work can be performed efficiently.

  In the support device according to the aspect of the invention, the allowable value may be a portion where the detected portion is relatively easily deformed in the support member according to a detected portion whose degree of deformation is detected by the detection unit in the support member. It is set to a larger value than in the case where there is a portion that is relatively difficult to deform.

  Usually, the detection means for detecting the degree of deformation of the support member is arranged at a position corresponding to a portion that is relatively easily deformed in the support member. However, since it is necessary to arrange another member at a position corresponding to a relatively easily deformable portion in such a support member, the detection means cannot be disposed, and other than the relatively easily deformable portion in the support member. There may be a case where it can be arranged only at a location corresponding to another site (for example, a site that is relatively difficult to deform). According to this configuration, even in such a case, an allowable value serving as a determination threshold for determining whether or not the correction unit can be driven is appropriately set according to the location of the detection unit. The degree of freedom is improved.

  The recording apparatus of the present invention includes a support device having the above configuration, a transport unit that transports the recording medium so as to pass over the surface of the support member from the upstream side to the downstream side in the transport direction, and the transport unit transports the recording medium. Recording means for recording by attaching a recording material to the recording medium which is in a state of being supported while sliding on the surface of the support member.

  According to this configuration, since the recording medium is supported on the surface of the support member whose posture is corrected, the flatness of the recording medium can be maintained, and the recording quality on the recording medium is improved. Can be made.

  The correction method for a support device according to the present invention is a correction method for a support device including a support member that can be supported by sliding a recording medium on a surface, and detecting the degree of deformation of the posture state of the support member And a correction step of applying a correction force capable of correcting the posture to the support member when the degree of deformation detected in the detection step is a deformation level that requires correction of the posture of the support member. Prepared.

  According to this structure, the same effect as the said support apparatus can be acquired.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in an ink jet printer will be described with reference to FIGS. In the following description of the present specification, the terms “front-rear direction”, “left-right direction”, and “up-down direction” indicate the front-rear direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction indicated by arrows in FIG. . In addition, the vertical direction is defined as the direction in which gravity acts in the direction of gravity.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an ink jet printer (hereinafter referred to as “printer”) 11 as a recording apparatus includes a frame 12 having a rectangular shape in plan view. A platen 13 as a support member extending in the left-right direction is provided in the frame 12, and a paper feed motor 14 outside the frame 12 is provided on a surface 13 a (see FIG. 4) serving as an upper surface of the platen 13. The paper P as a recording medium is conveyed by a paper feeding mechanism (conveying means) configured as described above. That is, the paper P passes from the paper feed tray (not shown) arranged on the upstream side (rear side in FIG. 1) in the transport direction to the downstream side (front side in FIG. 1) in the transport direction through the surface 13a of the platen 13. It is supposed to be discharged.

  A rod-shaped guide member 15 is installed above the platen 13 in the frame 12 in parallel with the longitudinal direction (left-right direction) of the platen 13. A carriage 16 is supported on the guide member 15 such that the carriage 16 can reciprocate in the axial direction (left-right direction) with respect to the guide member 15. A part of the carriage 16 is fixed to a timing belt 17 stretched between a pair of pulleys 17 a provided on the rear surface in the frame 12. The carriage 16 is reciprocated along the guide member 15 as the timing belt 17 is reciprocated by driving the carriage motor 18.

  A recording head 19 as recording means is mounted on the lower surface of the carriage 16, and the lower surface of the recording head 19 is a nozzle forming surface (not shown) on which a plurality of nozzles are formed. A cartridge 21 is detachably mounted above the recording head 19 in the carriage 16, and ink as a recording material is accommodated in the cartridge 21 so as to be supplied to the recording head 19.

  The ink in the cartridge 21 is ejected (sprayed) onto the paper P fed onto the platen 13 from each nozzle by driving a piezoelectric element (not shown) provided in the recording head 19. That is, printing (recording) is performed on the paper P. A cleaning mechanism 23 for cleaning the nozzle forming surface of the recording head 19 at the time of non-printing is provided near the home position region provided in the non-printing region located at the right end portion in the frame 12. The cleaning mechanism 23 sucks the cap 24 with the bottomed square box-shaped cap 24 in contact with the nozzle forming surface of the recording head 19 moved to the home position so as to surround the nozzle. Cleaning is to be executed.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of (eight in the present embodiment) sliding members having a rectangular shape with a lower frictional resistance than the platen 13 and excellent in slidability are formed on the back surface 13 b serving as the lower surface of the platen 13. The first to eighth sliding plates 25a to 25h are fixed. The sliding plates 25a to 25h are fixed so as to be arranged in a manner of two in the front-rear direction and four in the left-right direction with a gap between each of the sliding plates 25a-25h. And in the back surface 13b of the platen 13, the first to eighth sliding plates 25a to 25h are respectively adjacent to the first to eighth sliding plates 25a to 25h, and the same number (eight in this embodiment) of the first to first cylindrical plates. The eighth targets 26a to 26h are formed so as to protrude downward. In the present embodiment, the first to eighth targets 26a to 26h constitute a detected portion in the platen 13.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, an adjustment device 30 having a bottomed square box shape with an open upper surface is provided below the platen 13. That is, in the platen 13, the support portions 13 c (see FIG. 2) at both ends in the left-right direction are fixed to the protrusions 31 formed in the front-rear direction on the inner surface side upper portions of the left and right side walls in the adjustment device 30. The adjustment device 30 is supported so as to be bridged between the left and right side walls. In the present embodiment, the adjustment device 30 and the platen 13 constitute a support device 32 (see FIG. 4).

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the adjusting device 30, a main shaft 34 that can be rotated based on the driving force of an adjusting motor 33 as a driving unit extends through the right side wall of the adjusting device 30 along the left-right direction. It is provided as follows. The main shaft 34 can switch the transmission direction of the driving force so as to correspond to the rows of the first to eighth sliding plates 25a to 25h (in this embodiment, four rows having equal intervals in the left-right direction). First to fourth drive bevel gears 35 to 38 are provided so as to be integrally rotatable.

  Further, on the inner bottom surface of the adjusting device 30, first to eighth rotating shafts 39 a to 39 h that are rotatably supported by bearings and extend in the front-rear direction are provided. And the 1st-8th driven gear 35a, 35b, 36a, 36b, 37a, 37b, 38a, 38b fixed to the base end part of each rotating shaft 39a-39h respectively respond | corresponds 1st-4th drive. It meshes with bevel gears 35-38.

  Further, the first to eighth rotating shafts 39a to 39h are provided with first to eighth clutches 40a to 40h on their respective base end sides, and are further distal than the positions at which the clutches 40a to 40h are provided. On the side, first to eighth cam members 41a to 41h are provided so as to be rotatable integrally with the respective rotation shafts 39a to 39h. In other words, the first to eighth cam members 41a to 41h are configured such that the driving force of the adjusting motor 33 is the first to eighth clutches with respect to the fixed portions of the cam members 41a to 41h on the first to eighth rotating shafts 39a to 39h. Since the power is selectively transmitted by the power transmission switching function of 40a to 40h, each is configured to rotate individually (that is, cam operation).

  In the present embodiment, the adjusting motor 33 and the first to eighth cam members 41a to 41h constitute a correcting means. In addition, on the inner bottom surface of the adjusting device 30, first to eighth ranging sensors as detection means are located immediately below the first to eighth targets 26 a to 26 h that are formed to protrude from the back surface 13 b of the platen 13. 42a-42h are provided.

  Here, the first to eighth sliding plates 25a to 25h, the first to eighth targets 26a to 26h, the first to eighth rotating shafts 39a to 39h, the first to eighth cam members 41a to 41h, the first to first cams. Since the configurations of the eighth distance sensors 42a to 42h are the same, in the following, from the first sliding plate 25a, the first target 26a, the first rotating shaft 39a, the first cam member 41a, and the first distance sensor 42a. As an example, the correction mechanism will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a front-view egg-shaped plate-like first cam member 41a that rotates integrally with the first rotation shaft 39a rotates around the first rotation shaft 39a at a position below the first sliding plate 25a. Are arranged to be. When the first cam member 41a abuts on the first sliding plate 25a during its rotation, the first cam member 41a applies a pressing force in a direction (upward) toward the surface 13a to the platen 13. .

  Therefore, the platen 13 that has been bent and deformed downward (deformation direction) under the influence of its own weight or heat in the vicinity of the first sliding plate 25a is directed upward (in a direction against the deformation direction) applied from the first cam member 41a. The deformation is corrected by the pressing force.

  Further, the first distance measuring sensor 42a can measure the distance to the first target 26a located above. That is, for example, when an optical sensor is used as the first distance measuring sensor 42a, the first distance measuring sensor 42a emits light to the first target 26a and receives light reflected from the lower surface of the first target 26a. The distance to the first target 26a that is displaced integrally with the platen 13 is detected.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the printer 11 is provided with a control unit 43 as a control unit that performs overall control of the operating state of the printer 11. The control unit 43 includes a CPU 44 that performs various operations by functioning as a central processing unit, a ROM 45 as a storage unit that stores programs and preset information, and a RAM 46 that temporarily stores input information. It consists of a digital computer.

  In the ROM 45, the platen 13 has a flat surface suitable for supporting the paper P on the surface 13 a in a posture state of the platen 13 (for example, a posture state at the time of factory shipment, hereinafter referred to as a “first posture state”). The detection results obtained by detecting the distances to the first to eighth targets 26a to 26h corresponding to the first to eighth ranging sensors 42a to 42h are stored as the first to eighth reference values B1 to B8.

  Further, the ROM 45 stores first to eighth threshold values A1 to A8 that are allowable values of the degree of deformation of the platen 13 from the first posture state so as to correspond to the first to eighth ranging sensors 42a to 42h. ing. The first to eighth threshold values A1 to A8 correspond to the third to sixth distance measuring sensors 42c to 42f arranged near the center, which is a portion that is relatively easily deformed in the longitudinal direction of the platen 13. 3rd to 6th thresholds A3 to A6 (for example, 0.1 mm) are arranged closer to the end, which is a portion that is relatively difficult to deform, the first, second, seventh, and eighth ranging sensors 42a, The values are set to be larger than the first, second, seventh, and eighth threshold values A1, A2, A7, and A8 (for example, 0.05 mm) corresponding to 42b, 42g, and 42h.

  On the other hand, when the printer 11 is used, the detection results of the first to eighth ranging sensors 42a to 42h are stored in the RAM 46 as the first to eighth deformation amounts C1 to C8, and are constantly updated. Yes.

  When the difference between the deformation amount C and the reference value B is greater than the threshold value A, the control unit 43 determines that the platen 13 has changed from the first posture state to the second posture state that requires posture correction. The first to eighth clutches 40a to 40h and the adjustment motor 33 are driven, and the power of the adjustment motor 33 is transmitted and rotated only to the cam members 41a to 41h corresponding to the positions where the platen 13 is largely bent (deformation degree). It is supposed to let you. After that, when the difference between the deformation amount C detected by the distance measuring sensors 42a to 42h and the reference value B becomes smaller than the threshold value A, the driving of the adjustment motor 33 is stopped. .

  Next, the operation of the adjustment device 30 of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 6, the degree of bending of the platen 13 is exaggerated for easy understanding.

  When the printer 11 is turned on, the first to eighth ranging sensors 42a to 42h measure the distances to the first to eighth targets 26a to 26h located above, respectively, and the respective detection results are displayed. Temporarily stored in the RAM 46 of the control unit 43 as the first to eighth deformation amounts C1 to C8 (first detection stage). Then, in the control unit 43, the CPU 44 compares the first to eighth deformation amounts C1 to C8 temporarily stored in the RAM 46 with the first to eighth reference values B1 to B8 stored in advance in the ROM 45. At this time, if the difference between the first to eighth deformation amounts C1 to C8 and the first to eighth reference values B1 to B8 does not exceed the first to eighth threshold values A1 to A8, respectively, When the detection results of the eighth distance sensors 42a to 42h are input to the control unit 43, the first to eighth deformation amounts C1 to C8 temporarily stored in the RAM 46 are updated.

  That is, when the printer is turned on, for example, the detection result detected by the first distance measuring sensor 42a is temporarily stored in the RAM 46 as the first deformation amount C1. The CPU 44 compares the difference between the first deformation amount C1 and the first reference value B1 stored in the ROM 45 with the first threshold value A1, and is smaller than the first threshold value A1 (| B1-C1 | ≦ A1). In this case, the detection result of the first distance measuring sensor 42a is acquired again, and the first deformation amount C1 temporarily stored in the RAM 46 is updated and compared.

  The detection by the second to eighth ranging sensors 42b to 42h is performed in the same manner, and the CPU 44 stores the second to eighth deformation amounts C2 to C8 and the second to eighth reference values B2 to B8 stored in the RAM 46. Are compared with the second to eighth reference values B2 to B8, respectively.

  Now, as shown in FIG. 6, for example, bending occurs near the first sliding plate 25a, the difference between the first deformation amount C1 and the first reference value B1 becomes larger than the first threshold value A1, and the platen 13 is moved. When the second posture state is reached (| B1-C1 |> A1), the CPU 44 switches the first clutch 40a to a transmission state in which the driving force can be transmitted based on a program stored in the ROM 45. At the same time, the CPU 44 drives the adjustment motor 33 with the second to eighth clutches 40b to 40h disconnected. Then, the rotational force of the main shaft 34 based on the driving force of the adjusting motor 33 is transmitted only to the cam fixing portion of the first rotating shaft 39a to which the first cam member 41a is fixed. Therefore, the first cam member 41a slidably contacts the first sliding plate 25a during its rotation and presses the platen 13 upward (correction stage).

  That is, the rotating first cam member 41a is in sliding contact with the first sliding plate 25a to apply a pressing force to the platen 13, so that the first sliding plate 25a and the first sliding plate are shown in FIG. The bent portion of the platen 13 to which the plate 25a is fixed is displaced upward so as to change from the second posture state indicated by the two-dot chain line to the first posture state indicated by the solid line. At this time, the first ranging sensor 42a acquires the detection result and updates the first deformation amount C1 stored in the RAM 46 as needed. Therefore, the CPU 44 stops the adjustment motor 33 when the difference between the first deformation amount C1 to be updated and the first reference value B1 becomes smaller than the first threshold value A1 (second detection stage). The clutch 40a is switched to the disconnected state (stopping stage).

  Similarly, when the difference between the second to eighth deformation amounts C2 to C8 and the second to eighth reference values B2 to B8 is larger than the second to eighth threshold values A2 to A8, the corresponding cam member Drive control of the clutches 40a to 40h and the adjustment motor 33 is performed so as to rotate 41b to 41h.

According to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) When the posture state of the platen 13 is deformed so as to require posture correction, the control unit 43 controls the adjustment motor 33 based on the detection results of the distance measuring sensors 42a to 42h. A correction force for correcting the posture is automatically applied to the side. Therefore, the posture of the platen 13 can be easily corrected, and the flatness of the paper P supported on the platen 13 can be improved.

  (2) Since the pressing force exerted on the platen 13 from the back surface 13b side of the platen 13 by the cam members 41a to 41h can be adjusted according to the rotation angle of the rotary shafts 39a to 39h, posture correction applied to the platen 13 This makes it easy to fine-tune the correction force.

  (3) By causing the cam members 41a to 41h to slidably contact the sliding plates 25a to 25h having a lower frictional resistance than the platen 13, the frictional force generated in the direction parallel to the back surface 13b of the platen 13 can be reduced. it can. Therefore, the rotational force of the cam members 41 a to 41 h can be efficiently used as a pressing force that can correct the deformation of the platen 13.

  (4) Even when the platen 13 is assumed to be deformed over a plurality of sites due to its own weight or the influence of heat, the first to eighth cams respectively disposed at a plurality of sites individually corresponding to the plurality of sites. Since the members 41a to 41h individually apply correction force to the platen 13, the posture of the platen 13 can be corrected appropriately.

  (5) The amount of deformation of the platen 13 detected by the distance measuring sensors 42a to 42h is so small that there is almost no problem in maintaining the flatness of the paper P supported while being in sliding contact with the surface 13a of the platen 13. In the case where it is not proper, the cam members 41 a to 41 h do not give a correction force to the platen 13. That is, when the posture of the platen 13 needs to be truly corrected, the cam members 41a to 41h can apply the correction force to the platen 13, so that the correction work can be performed efficiently.

  (6) Usually, the distance measuring sensors 42 a to 42 h that detect the degree of deformation of the platen 13 are arranged at locations corresponding to portions that are relatively easily deformed on the platen 13. However, since it is necessary to dispose other members at the portions corresponding to the relatively deformable portions of the platen 13, the distance measuring sensors 42 a to 42 h cannot be disposed, and the platen 13 is relatively deformed. There are cases where it can be placed only in a portion corresponding to a portion other than the portion that is easy to perform (eg, a portion that is relatively difficult to deform). According to this configuration, even in such a case, the threshold A for determining whether or not the cam members 41a to 41h can be driven is appropriately set according to the arrangement positions of the distance measuring sensors 42a to 42h. The degree of freedom of arrangement of the sensors 42a to 42h is improved.

  (7) Since the paper P is supported on the surface 13a of the platen 13 whose posture is corrected, the flatness of the paper P can be maintained, and the recording quality on the paper P can be improved. Can do.

In addition, you may change the said embodiment as follows.
In the above embodiment, the thresholds A1 to A8 corresponding to the plurality of distance measuring sensors 42a to 42h are determined according to the arrangement of the distance measuring sensors 42a to 42h, but the threshold values A1 to A8 may be the same value. Further, the ROM 45 may store one threshold value A ′, and compare the reference values B1 to B8 and the deformation amounts C1 to C8 with the threshold value A ′.

In the above-described embodiment, every time the distance measuring sensors 42a to 42h detect deformation of the platen 13, a correction force may be applied to the platen 13 by the cam members 41a to 41h.
In the above embodiment, at least one cam member 41 a to 41 h and distance measuring sensors 42 a to 42 h may be provided for the platen 13. Further, when the plurality of cam members 41 a to 41 h and the distance measuring sensors 42 a to 42 h are provided, the cam members 41 a to 41 h do not have to be equally spaced from each other and may be provided at an arbitrary position with respect to the platen 13.

In the above embodiment, the cam members 41 a to 41 h may be brought into direct contact (sliding contact) with the back surface 13 b of the platen 13 without providing the sliding plates 25 a to 25 h.
In the above-described embodiment, the pressing bar on which the rack is formed is used as a correction force imparting member, and this is moved up and down by a pinion rotated by the driving force of the adjustment motor 33, so that the tip of the pressing bar is the back surface 13 b of the platen 13. The pressing force may be applied to the platen 13. Further, a pressing force may be applied to the platen 13 using a solenoid or an actuator as a correction force applying member. Furthermore, by fixing the contact portion of the platen 13 with the back surface 13b of these correction force application members to the back surface 13b, the correction force application member can be moved downward even when the platen 13 is displaced upward. Thus, a downward correction force can be applied to the platen 13.

  In the above embodiment, the distance measuring sensors 42 a to 42 h detect the deformation amounts C1 to C8 even when the platen 13 is pressed, and the control unit 43 stops driving the adjustment motor 33. On the other hand, the drive correspondence of the adjustment motor 33 according to the difference between the deformation amounts C1 to C8 and the threshold values A1 to A8 may be stored, and the adjustment motor 33 may be driven and stopped based on the drive correspondence.

In the above embodiment, the detection means may be a switch that contacts when the platen 13 is deformed.
In the above embodiment, the liquid ejecting apparatus is embodied in the ink jet printer 11, but a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects or discharges liquid other than ink may be employed. The present invention can be used for various liquid ejecting apparatuses including a liquid ejecting head that ejects a minute amount of liquid droplets. In addition, a droplet means the state of the liquid discharged from the said liquid ejecting apparatus, and shall also include what pulls a tail in granular shape, tear shape, and thread shape. The liquid here may be any material that can be ejected by the liquid ejecting apparatus. For example, it may be in a state in which the substance is in a liquid phase, such as a liquid with high or low viscosity, sol, gel water, other inorganic solvent, organic solvent, solution, liquid resin, liquid metal (metal melt) ) And a liquid as one state of the substance, as well as particles in which functional material particles made of solid materials such as pigments and metal particles are dissolved, dispersed or mixed in a solvent. Further, representative examples of the liquid include ink and liquid crystal as described in the above embodiment. Here, the ink includes general water-based inks and oil-based inks, and various liquid compositions such as gel inks and hot melt inks. As a specific example of the liquid ejecting apparatus, for example, a liquid containing a material such as an electrode material or a coloring material used for manufacturing a liquid crystal display, an EL (electroluminescence) display, a surface light emitting display, a color filter, or the like in a dispersed or dissolved state. It may be a liquid ejecting apparatus for ejecting, a liquid ejecting apparatus for ejecting a bio-organic material used for biochip manufacturing, a liquid ejecting apparatus for ejecting a liquid as a sample used as a precision pipette, a textile printing apparatus, a microdispenser, or the like. In addition, transparent resin liquids such as UV curable resin to form liquid injection devices that pinpoint lubricant oil onto precision machines such as watches and cameras, and micro hemispherical lenses (optical lenses) used in optical communication elements. A liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects a liquid onto the substrate or a liquid ejecting apparatus that ejects an etching solution such as an acid or an alkali to etch the substrate may be employed. The present invention can be applied to any one of these liquid ejecting apparatuses.

1 is a schematic perspective view of a printer according to an embodiment. The bottom face schematic diagram of a platen. The plane schematic diagram of an adjustment apparatus. The schematic diagram of a support apparatus. The block diagram of a control part. Explanatory drawing of a support apparatus. Explanatory drawing of a support apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Printer (recording apparatus), 13 ... Platen (support member), 13a ... Front surface, 13b ... Back surface, 13c ... Support part, 14 ... Paper feed motor (conveyance means), 19 ... Recording head (recording means), 25a- 25h ... 1st to 8th sliding plate (sliding member), 32 ... support device, 33 ... adjusting motor (driving means) constituting straightening means, 39a-39h ... 1st-8th rotating shaft, 41a-41h ... cam members constituting correction means, 42a to 42h ... first to eighth ranging sensors (detection means), 43 ... control unit (control means), 45 ... ROM (storage means), A, A1 to A8 ... threshold value (Allowable values), C, C1 to C8, deformation amount, P, paper (recording medium).

Claims (8)

A support member capable of supporting the recording medium in sliding contact with the surface;
A correction means driven so as to be able to apply a correction force for correcting the posture of the support member on the back side of the support member;
Storage means for storing a first posture state that does not require posture correction in the support member;
Detecting means capable of detecting a degree of deformation of the support member from the first posture state;
The correction force is applied to the support member when it is determined that the support member is deformed from the first posture state to the second posture state that requires posture correction based on the detection result of the detection means. And a control means for controlling the correction means as described above. The correction means includes
A cam member that applies a pressing force toward the front surface side from the back surface side to the support member as the correction force by slidingly contacting the back surface side of the support member in the middle of rotation about the rotation axis;
Drive means for rotating the cam member,
The support device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the driving unit based on a detection result of the detection unit. The support member has a sliding member on the back side having a smaller frictional resistance than the support member,
The support device according to claim 2, wherein the cam member applies a pressing force toward the surface side to the support member by slidingly contacting the slide member. A plurality of the correction means arranged at a plurality of locations respectively corresponding to a plurality of portions spaced apart from each other in the support member, the correction force being individually adjustable;
A plurality of the detection means individually corresponding to each of the correction means,
The said control means controls each said correction means to which each said detection means respond | corresponds individually based on the detection result of each said detection means, The any one of Claims 1-3 characterized by the above-mentioned. The support apparatus as described in. The storage means further stores an allowable value of the degree of deformation of the support member from the first posture state,
The control means controls the correction means so that the correction force is applied to the support member when the degree of deformation of the support member detected by the detection means exceeds the allowable value. The support device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The permissible value is relatively greater when the detected part is a part that is relatively easily deformed in the support member, depending on the detected part of the support member whose degree of deformation is detected by the detecting means. The support device according to claim 5, wherein the support device is set to a larger value than that of a portion that is difficult to deform. The support device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
Conveying means for conveying the recording medium so as to pass over the surface of the support member from the upstream side to the downstream side in the conveying direction;
Recording means for recording by attaching a recording material to the recording medium that is supported while being slidably contacted on the surface of the support member in the middle of being conveyed by the conveying means apparatus. A correction method for a support device including a support member capable of supporting a recording medium in sliding contact with a surface,
A detection step of detecting a degree of deformation of the posture state of the support member;
When the degree of deformation detected in the detection step is a degree of deformation that requires correction of the posture of the support member, a correction step of applying a correction force capable of correcting the posture to the support member;
A method for correcting a support device, comprising:

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