CN1220592C

CN1220592C - A loading mechanism for a modular commercial printer

Info

Publication number: CN1220592C
Application number: CNB008198047A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 卡·西尔弗布鲁克; 托比·艾伦·金
Original assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd
Priority date: 2000-09-13
Filing date: 2000-09-13
Publication date: 2005-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 2020-09-13
Also published as: WO2002022367A1; IL154339A0; AU7395300A; EP1317341A1; CN1454161A; AU2000273953B2; JP2004517762A; KR20030026355A; ATE413972T1; ZA200301058B; DE60040808D1; EP1317341B1; EP1317341A4; JP4699678B2

Abstract

The present invention relates to a print medium loading mechanism (150) for printers (10), which comprises a feeding device which comprises a pair of surface definition elements (152) with surfaces. The definition surfaces can move corresponding to each other in the same direction parallel to a feeding direction of printing medium (46), and the feeding device can operate the front edge of the printing medium (46) to delivery the medium along an exit area (86) of the printer so as to realize loading effects of the printer. A displacement device moves the surface definition elements on a direction which is transverse to the medium loading direction, when the printing medium needs to be loaded, the surface definition element (152) is moved to mutual connection; when the printing medium loading is completed, the surface definition (152) elements are mutually separated. The surface definition elements can be provided with holes or delivery mesh belts, so dry air can be allowed to pass through.

Description

A kind of print media loader mechanism of modular commercial printer

Technical field

The present invention relates to a kind of modularization chopping machine.The invention particularly relates to but not necessarily be exclusively used in, a kind of high speed, digitalisation, photo effect, commercial modular commercial printer of printing realized.The invention particularly relates to and a kind of print media is loaded into loader mechanism on the modular commercial printer.

Background technology

When flying print, a large amount of print file (printed matter that will print) are linked at together, and print page goes out definite publication, and the page of these publications is immediately by formation publication stapled together.This print file have taken great space thereby cost is very high.

The applicant has also proposed a kind of business printer, and this business printer adopts the stacked chopping machine of being furnished with page width printing head in a large number.This business printer can be used for the situation of extreme flying print, prints five 180 pages file such as reaching per second.

For reaching this flying print, need be ready to a large amount of printing consumables for chopping machine.Therefore, although this business printer is equal relatively high-end, but the business printer that does not have request for utilization person's Memjet technology (Memjet is the trade mark of Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd), its cost is quite cheap, but same, this business printer need occupy great space.

When the applicator proposes the Memjet business printer, the applicator have recognized that the market demand a kind of take up space littler, though the identical business printer of the lower printing effect of capacity rating.

Summary of the invention

According to the present invention, a kind of print media loader mechanism that is used for chopping machine is provided, this loader mechanism of this loader mechanism is set to drip molding and is used for along direction of feed supply print media, and this loader mechanism comprises:

A feed arrangement, this feed arrangement comprises a pair of endless belt, each annular has an outside face, wherein, this outside face is parallel to each other, and can move on direction of feed, this feed arrangement can be operated the forward position that engages a print media and carry this medium to realize the loading to chopping machine to a chopping machine exit region; With

A Displacement system, be used for moving described outside face respect to one another on the horizontal direction being, when needs load print media, described outside face moved on to face each other connect with direction of feed, when the loading print media is finished, described outside face is moved away from each other.These driving bands also can have the hole, allow the oven dry fluid to circulate at surface of print media by driving band when printing.

Each driving band can be through the roller at a pair of interval, and the roller of one of them driving band and the roller of other driving band are in line and arrange so that the rotation axis of the roller of above-mentioned arrangement extends parallel to each other and each interval on the direction of above-mentioned and direction of feed traversed by.Particularly, the roller of each driving band can be installed in the up zone of a driving band, and this transmission has one second roller, and this roller is installed in the descender region of this driving band." up zone " depends on the driving band zone of nearly chopping machine entrance point, and " descender region " of driving band refers to the driving band zone of contiguous chopping machine exit region.

In addition, first roller of each driving band can be mounted to the vertical arrangement relation, and second roller of each driving band also can be mounted to the vertical arrangement relation.

Shift assembly can act on the driving band of linear array of roller, when print media loads, impels the roller of driving band of above-mentioned linear array approaching mutually, when loading is finished, removes the roller of the driving band of above-mentioned linear array.

Shift assembly can comprise a long and narrow drive member and a pair of driven member that is arranged in the nearest end of each drive member, drive member is exercisable, can move roller that this driven member impels described linear array and move on the direction of above-mentioned and throughput direction traversed by, driven member is continuous by the roller of adaptor union linear array relevant with them.Preferably, drive member with the elongation of its relevant driven member is arranged in each side of driving band.

This drive member can be a worm screw, each driven member can be that a horizontal slide block is configured to and can moves on the hand of rotation of worm screw along worm screw, and each adaptor union can be a scissors-like adaptor union, and the slide block that each is horizontal is connected on its roller relevant, linear array.

Description of drawings

Now the present invention is illustrated in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 shows that the three-dimensional view of a chopping machine of the present invention;

Figure 2 shows that the planar view of chopping machine;

Figure 3 shows that the lateral plan of chopping machine;

Figure 4 shows that the end elevation of chopping machine;

Figure 5 shows that one embodiment of the invention a printing group of planes (stack) three-dimensional view;

Figure 6 shows that another embodiment of the present invention printing group of planes three-dimensional view;

Figure 7 shows that the three-dimensional view that comprises its liquid bonded assembly chopping machine;

Figure 8 shows that the concrete three-dimensional view of printer section;

Figure 9 shows that a three-dimensional exploded view of chopping machine;

Figure 10 shows that the three-dimensional view of the print engine of chopping machine;

Figure 11 shows that the cross-sectional end view of a print engine;

Figure 12 shows that the part enlarged diagram of print engine;

Figure 13 shows that the three-dimensional view of a print head assembly of print engine;

Figure 14 shows that the three-dimensional exploded view of a print head assembly;

Figure 15 shows that a side cross-sectional view that is in the printer prints medium loader mechanism under the loading condition;

Figure 16 shows that a side cross-sectional view that is in the chopping machine loader mechanism under opening, the light condition;

Figure 17 shows that the three-dimensional view that is in the loader mechanism under the light condition; And

Figure 18 shows that the three-dimensional exploded view that is in the loader mechanism under the loading condition.

The specific embodiment

In the accompanying drawings, reference number 10 is represented a chopping machine of the present invention usually.Chopping machine 10 is modular chopping machines, and with other or identical printer module use, this point can give more careful explanation in high speed, digitalisation, photographic quality, the commercial printed contents following how the realization.Series printer 10 modularizations can be got up to form upgradeable print system.But, also can use separately at some situation chopping machine 10.

Chopping machine 10 is made of a frame 12.Frame 12 is by a top cover 14, a bottom 16 (as Fig. 9), and second sidewall 20 (Fig. 9) of a first side wall 18 and a subtend is formed.The end of each sidewall 18,20 is positioned at cap end or cheek mould 22 places.Each cheek mould 22 shape is identical to reduce the productive costs of chopping machine 10.Each cheek mould 22 has a slot, and wherein pincers are gone into the plug-in unit 24 of a concrete application software.

Frame 12 is surrounded a framework 26.The INT COMP of chopping machine 10 is installed on the framework 26.

Between the cheek mould 22 that the two ends of frame 12 subtend is placed, an adjustable guiding roller 28 has been installed.Like this, each cheek mould 22 has been determined an arc slot 30, and the axle of roller 28 is gone into wherein by pincers.

As mentioned above, a large amount of chopping machine 10 modularizations are used, with the target that realizes that commercialization is printed.As shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6, chopping machine 10 stacks and forms a printing group of planes 40.Embodiment as shown in Figure 5 prints a group of planes 40 and is installed on the brace table 42.By the lock pin 44 of locking chopping machine 10, the chopping machine 10 of printing the bottom in the group of planes 40 is fixed in brace table 42.Print lock pin 44 pincers of each follow-up chopping machine 10 in the group of planes 40 and go into to be arranged in the relevant lockhole 46 on one deck chopping machine 10 tops down.Each lock pin 44 has a bayonet lock device, like this when in the lockhole 46 that lock pin 44 is inserted one deck chopping machines down or brace table 42, as the case may be, for the chopping machine 10 or the brace table 42 of following one deck, lock pin 44 is rotated quadrants top chopping machine 10 can be pinned respectively.

As shown in Figure 5, when chopping machine 10 levels stack, insert in the suitable lockhole 46 of contiguous chopping machine by lock pin 44, and chopping machine 10 is offset each other a chopping machine 10.Therefore, the lockhole 46 of a large amount of arranged in series is arranged on the position that is close to each cheek mould 22.By selecting suitable lockhole 46, can reach skew for any degree.

The skew of being made up of chopping machine 10 is printed a group of planes and is allowed print media, such as paper 48, sends into the inside of each chopping machine 10 with predetermined angle from the uncoiler (not shown), and delivers to chopping machine 10 outsides with suitable output angle.If paper 48 is sent into and sent with level angle in

chopping machine

10,10 of chopping machines printing a group of planes 40 so can be in alignment with each other vertically and be linear rank.

Be illustrated in figure 6 as another embodiment scheme drawing of printing a group of planes 40.Among this embodiment, chopping machine 10 vertical placements and horizontal interval (HI) arrangement each other.Among this embodiment, paper 48 is sent into each chopping machine 10 inside by the top of chopping machine, sends through the bottom of each chopping machine 10 after the printing.Be positioned at the chopping machine of printing a group of planes 40 1 ends and be locked on the end plate 51 of framework 49, print a group of planes 40 and support by framework 49 by its lock pin 44.Insert by the lock pin 44 with a chopping machine 10 in the suitable lockhole 46 of contiguous chopping machine 10, the adjacent chopping machine of printing in the group of planes 40 10 is locked in together.A control desk 54 is set prints the operation of a group of planes 40 with control.

Print each chopping machine 10 in the group of planes 40, connect 50 by USB2 ccontaining in the dual USB port device 52, realization is communicated by letter with its controller and other chopping machines.Port device 52 has an input port and an output port, the chopping machine 10 of printing a group of planes 40 can be linked at together and realization communication to each other.

Each chopping machine comprises a print engine 56, and the print head assembly of being placed by a pair of subtend 54 constitutes, to realize duplex printing.The print head assembly 54 (Figure 11) of the print engine 56 of chopping machine 10 can be printed 12 kinds of colors at most.This point hereinafter can give more careful explanation, and each print head assembly 54 is duplexing printheads, so if desired, and each print head assembly 54 printable twice six kinds of color.Ink is sent into print engine 56 by ink matching box 58.12 ink coupling components 60 have been installed on the ink matching box 58.Ink flexible pipe 64 links to each other with ink matching box 58 by ink coupling component 60, and passes through ink adaptor union device 62 link to each other with the print head assembly 54 of print engine 56 (Fig. 9).On the ink coupling component, also be provided with a power connector end mouth 66.Port 66 is embedded in the plug-in unit 24 of a cheek mould 22 by opening 68.Same plug-in unit 24 has been installed an Air Coupling member 70.An air hose 72 (Fig. 7) provides air to the print head assembly 54 of print engine 56, so that keep the print-head nozzle (end shows) of print head assembly not stay residue and foreign matter.

A roll assembly 74 is installed in an input end of chopping machine 10.Roll assembly 74 comprises a driven roller 76 and a driven voller 78.Driven roller 76 is driven by the drive motor 80 that is installed on the metal bracket 82.Metal bracket 82 and corresponding carriage 84 looking-glass symmetrys that are installed in roll assembly 74 opposite

ends.Metal bracket

82 and 84 is installed on the framework 26.

In addition, similar outlet roller assembly 86 is installed in the mouth of chopping machine 10.Equally, roll assembly 86 has a driven roller 88 and a driven voller 92 that is driven by drive motor 90.

Roll assembly

86 and 92 is installed between metal bracket 94 and 96.Metal bracket 94 and 96 is fixed on the framework 26.Motor 90 also is installed on the metal bracket 94.

Driven roller 76 drives driven voller 78 by a cover helical wheel 132.Its setting is similar with 92 to the roller 88 of roll assembly 86.

Cheek mould 22 is positioned at the input end of chopping machine 10, and is relative with the cheek mould 22 that Air Coupling member 70 is installed, and a USB control PCB 98 also is installed.

Print engine 56 is supported by a chassis, and this chassis is made of a pair of metal bracket staggered relatively 100,102, and this metal bracket is installed in the direction (being the paper supply direction) of roll assembly 74 following currents.Each metal bracket 100,102 upper support a print head assembly 54 of print engine 56.

Print engine 56 gives finer explanation in Figure 10 to Figure 12.As mentioned above, print engine 56 is made of two print head assemblies 54.Print head assembly 54 is staggered relatively, to realize duplex printing.In other words, paper 48 passes through between print head assembly 54.Carriage 100,102 printhead support assemblies 54, and the distance that limits print head assembly 54 and the media roll that is made of paper 48 is approximately 0.75mm.This distance can be by carriage 100,102 automatically regulatings, to guarantee keeping a constant distance when paper sheet thickness changes.

In addition,, so design the position of the printhead of print head assembly 54, thereby make it adjoin roller 76 and the 78 strict gaps of controlling between paper and printhead as hereinafter more careful explanation.

Each print head assembly 54 is made of one first printhead 104 and second an adjacent printhead 106.Each printhead 104,106 also is made of two modules 104.1 and 104.2 and 106.1 and 106.2 respectively.

Module 104.1 and 106.1 links together and is controlled by one first PC board (PCB) 108.Equally, module 104.2 and 106.2 links together and is controlled by second PC board 110.PCB 108 and 110 communicates by the print head chip 112 of flexible PCB 114 with printhead 104 and 106.Pad 116 places of these flexible PCBs 114 on the holder mould 118 of the module 104.1,104.2,106.1,106.2 of

printhead

104 and 106 stop.Pad 116 links to each other with the pad (not shown) of corresponding PCB 108,110.

It should be noted that holder mould 118 each other in mirror image, each holder mould has ink entry 120 at its free end.Ink is in an end supply of the holder mould 118 of interconnection, so that can obsolete ink entry 120 usefulness are beyond the Great Wall suitable.And PCB 108,110 is each other in mirror image.That has reduced the productive costs of chopping machine 10 like this and also made chopping machine 10 is assembled into possibility rapidly and easily.PCB 108 realizes communicating by letter each other with 110 by a serial cable 122.PCB 108,110 is connected to USB wiring board 98 by adaptor union 124.

Each PCB 108,110 comprises two print engine controllers (PEC) 126 and the memory storage 128 that is associated.Memory storage 128 is dynamic random access memory (DRAM) (DRAM).

The holder mould 118 of each print head assembly 54 is fixed on the framework 100,102 by an end plate 130 (Figure 13).

Print engine 56 gives finer explanation in Figure 11.Print engine 56 is made of two print head assemblies 54.As mentioned above, each print head assembly 54 is made of two printheads 104,106.Each printhead 104,106 has a print head chip that connects with it 112.The print head chip 112 of printhead 104,106 is installed in its longitudinal edge portions of holder mould 118 upper edges.Each marginal portion that the holder mould 118 of printing chip 112 is installed is arc.The radius of curvature of each mould 118 arcuate section is identical with the radius of curvature of roller 76,78.Printhead 104,106 so is set can allows print head chip 112 and

roller

76,78 next-door neighbours, thus the strict gap that limits paper and printhead.Print head chip 112 is printed on the paper of tension like this, thereby ink is more accurately dropped on the paper 48.

The more detailed explanation given as Figure 12, gas channel 138 are arranged on the position of contiguous each print head chip 112, with the air supply that will come from air hose 72 to print head chip 112.

Print head assembly 54 adopts this set, both can print six kinds of colors and also can print 12 kinds of colors.When printing six kinds of colors, by the ink or the related substances (abbreviating " color " as) of the suitable color of installing in the relevant ink aquaporin 136 of holder mould 118, these colors are packed in the printhead 104,106 of each assembly 54 doublely.Yet by adding suitable " color " for 136 li to printhead 104,106 ink channels, each print head assembly 54 can be printed 12 kinds of colors.When printing six kinds " color ", these colors are generally cyan, carmetta, yellow and black.Then add a kind of ink fixative and a kind of varnish in the remaining ink channel 136.When printing 12 kinds of colors, these " colors " are cyan, carmetta, yellow, black, redness, green, blueness, perhaps one of ternary and binary color, and infrared ink, fixative and varnish.

Design chopping machine 10 can make chopping machine when printing six kinds " color " like this, can the speed with 1360 pages of the highest per minutes print when the chart speed degree is 1.6m/s.When printing 12 kinds " color ", when being arranged on chart speed and being 0.8m/s, operates chopping machine 10 with the speed of 680 pages of per minutes.

This flying print moves and can reach with the speed of 50,000 of per seconds by the nozzle that makes print head chip 112.

Each print head chip 112 of each printhead module 104.1,104.2,106.1,106.2 has six nozzle row, and each print head chip 112 is made of 92,160 nozzles, has 737,280 nozzles to realize every chopping machine.It should be noted that and adopt these nozzles just, when the media roll width is 18.625 inches, realized the resolution of full 1600dpi.This size setting of media roll width can allow a large amount of pages of text to print side by side.

In addition, typescripts to be deposited in buffer zone partly, therefore, complicated file can print from the data of partial cache fully.

Deciding the quantity that is installed in memory storage 128 on each plate 108,110 according to practical application also is one of target of the present invention.When if chopping machine 10 is used to print the constant page, for example, print with skew and to realize, then to adopt 16MB be enough to each memory module.If the variable number of every page just is confined to the small size variation of text or variable image, then 16 megabyte also are enough.Yet, when being applied to diverse continuous page, need the internal memory that approach 1G be installed on each PC board 108,110, so that the internal memory that adds up to 4G to be provided to print engine 56.So just allow about 2,000 diverse page digitalisations to be stored in the print engine 56.The partial cache of data helps to realize the flying print of chopping machine 10.

Distance between print engine 56 and the outlet roller assembly 86 is approximately one meter, puts drying time with the heat of supporting a second, and this moment, the commentaries on classics degree by the media roll that paper 48 constitutes was 0.8 meter of a per second.For promoting the oven dry of print image on the paper 48, in an ink channel 136, used fixative.In addition, hot air blows into the inside of chopping machine 10 from the air source that communicates with air-in 140 (Fig. 1) (end shows) by air hose 142.Air-in links to each other with a metallo-air lead 144 (Fig. 9), and hot air blows on the paper that just withdraws from print engine 56 by this air lead.The hot air of printer is discharged by the vent window in the sidewall 20 of the frame 12 of chopping machine 10 146.

Chopping machine 10 comprises a print media loader mechanism 150, paper 48 is sent into the inside of chopping machine 10.Loader mechanism 150 is by driving band 152 (Figure 15-18 the has given explanation more clearly) formation of a pair of subtend annular.Although not so explanation, these driving bands 152 have aperture, so that can be blowed to the surface of the paper of having printed 48 by driving band 152 by the hot air of conduit 144 introducings.

Each driving band 152 is around the roller 154 by a pair of interval.The position of roller 154 is limited by slide unit 156, but its vertical direction is slided.Slide unit 156 is installed on the framework 26 of chopping machine 10.

Each roller 154 is installed in an end of arm 158.The opposite end of each arm 158 links to each other with crossbeam module 162 at its common center point 160 places, and arm 158 is connected to relevant crossbeam module 162 with being scissor like this.Crossbeam module 162 is installed on a lead or the worm screw 164 conversely.This worm screw 164 comes driven in rotation by the motor 166 that is installed on the carriage 168.

Roller 154 is driven by motor 170 (Figure 18).

When needs were loaded into chopping machine 10 with paper 48, paper loaded the operation (Fig. 1 and 8) of button 172 control mechanisms 150.Thereby roller motor 170 and motor 166 are activated.The rotation of motor 166 causes that crossbeam module 162 moves along the direction of arrow 174, makes driving band 152 near each other.The leading edge of paper 48 is sent between the driving band 152, is fixed by driving band 152 and sends into chopping machine 10, and withdraw from from outlet roller assembly 86.In case paper 48 has loaded, the such crossbeam module of motor 166 beginning backward rotation oppositely moves to arrow 174, thereby causes that driving band 152 moves to position as shown in figure 16.Therefore, when printing, the spaced surface certain distance of driving band 152 and paper 48, rather than abut one another.

Therefore, adopt device of the present invention, realized having the modularization chopping machine of commercial print speed, be used for print file.Several modules can be set to use with the insertion machinery modularization of publication such as magazine, and print the paper of Different Weight.In addition, should be when the page that print the outside of chopping machine 10 under other the module printing normal circumstances in printing a group of planes, the print module backup allows paper to engage on the media roll that stops and not causing shutdown.

Each chopping machine 10 is provided file printout request from workstation such as control desk 54 by USB2 communication network (perhaps free ethernet).

And because the high capacity internal memory of each chopping machine 10, thousands of image and text block can being stored in the internal memory and allowing with the page is that the page is fully optionally selected by unit.Can print the catalogue and the magazine of each reader's high userization like this.

Those skilled in the art can carry out a large amount of changes and/or improvement to the invention shown in the specific embodiment under situation without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.Therefore which the preferred embodiments of the present invention all be considered to be explanation aspect, rather than restriction.

Claims

1. print media loader mechanism that is used for the modularization chopping machine, this loader mechanism are set to along direction of feed supply print media, and this loader mechanism comprises:

A feed arrangement, this feed arrangement comprises a pair of endless belt, each annular has an outside face, wherein, this outside face is parallel to each other, and can move on direction of feed, this feed arrangement can be operated the forward position that engages a print media and carry this medium to realize that print media is loaded into chopping machine to a chopping machine exit region; With

A Displacement system, in order to be on the horizontal direction and to be movable relative to each other described outside face loading direction, when needs load print media, described outside face moved on to face each other connect with medium, when the loading print media is finished, described outside face is moved away from each other.

2. loader mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein, driving band has the hole, allows the oven dry fluid by the surperficial cocycle of driving band at print media during printing.

3. loader mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein, each driving band is through the roller of pair of spaced, the S. A. that the roller of each driving band and the roller of other driving band are placed the roller that is linear array relation so that described linear array extends parallel to each other, and, with the direction of described direction of feed traversed by on each interval.

4. loader mechanism as claimed in claim 3, wherein, Displacement system acts on the roller of linear array of driving band, in order to when print media is loaded, impel the linearly aligned roller of described driving band to move towards each other, and, the linearly aligned roller of described driving band is moved away from each other in order to when print media loading is finished.

5. loader mechanism as claimed in claim 4, wherein, Displacement system comprises a long and narrow drive member and a pair of driven member, each driven member is placed in very the associated end near drive member, drive member is exercisable, mobile driven member so as to realize described roller with the direction of described direction of feed traversed by on displacement, driven member is connected on the roller relevant with them, linear array by adaptor union.

6. loader mechanism as claimed in claim 5, wherein, drive member is a worm screw, each driven member is a horizontal slide block, this slide block is configured to and can moves on the hand of rotation of worm screw along worm screw, and each adaptor union is a scissors-like adaptor union, and the slide block that each is horizontal is connected on its roller relevant, linear array.