JP2000355144A - Image-recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make an apparatus compact and light-weight and fit to be carried with, by storing a battery in a reciprocative scanning area of a carriage when the battery is not used, and constituting the battery to be able to supply a power source at a position retreated to the outside an image-recording apparatus body from the reciprocative scanning area when the battery is used. SOLUTION: When a battery 9 is used, the battery 9 is opened to let an operation panel 10 appear outside an upper case 2. A power source is turned on. A recording format or the like is set by an operation switch 11 of the operation panel 10. When the battery 9 is not used, the battery 9 is stored in a reciprocative scanning area of the carriage. At this time, the switch is turned off in association with a position of the battery 9, thereby shutting the power source. When the battery 9, a recording sheet support plate 5 and a discharge tray 13 are closed, respective outer faces serve as an armor of an image- recording apparatus 1. The apparatus can be made compact and light-weight with a required minimum area.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a particularly small image recording apparatus used as an output device such as a computer or a word processor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 is a schematic explanatory view of a conventional image recording apparatus. The image recording apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 5 includes an image recording apparatus main body 101 and a battery 9 for supplying power for driving the image recording apparatus main body 101. The battery 9 is detachably provided on the back of the image recording apparatus main body 101.

The image recording apparatus main body 101 includes an operation switch 11 for turning on / off the power of the image recording apparatus 100 and setting various recording modes of the image recording apparatus 100, and various recording modes of the image recording apparatus 100 and the operation mode of the image recording apparatus 100. It has a display plate 12 made of a liquid crystal or the like for displaying a recording style and the like, and a cartridge exchange window 16 for exchanging a recording head cartridge and an ink cartridge mounted on the recording head cartridge.

A recording sheet insertion port 8 for inserting the recording sheet 7 at the rear, a recording sheet discharge port 15 for discharging the recording sheet 7 after recording is provided at the front, and a main body 101 of the image recording apparatus. A recording sheet support plate 5 that can be opened and closed with respect to the upper surface.

When the recording sheet support plate 5 is opened (the state shown in FIG. 5), the recording sheet 7 inserted into the recording sheet
When the switch is closed, the operation switch 11 and the display
In order to cover the cartridge 12 and the cartridge exchange window 16, it is configured to have substantially the same area as the upper surface of the image recording apparatus main body 101, and particularly prevents erroneous operation of the operation switch 11 and damage of the display panel 12 when the image recording apparatus is carried.

[0006]

However, with the recent development of communication equipment and the further miniaturization and weight reduction of portable communication information terminals, it has been required to reduce the size and weight of the image recording apparatus 100 as well. ing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording apparatus which is further reduced in size and weight and which is suitable for portability, without fear of erroneous operation of an operation switch or breakage of a display panel when the device is carried.

[0008]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a typical configuration of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention carries out reciprocating scanning by mounting a battery for supplying power and a recording head for recording an image. A carriage, and the battery can be stored in a reciprocating scanning area of the carriage when not in use, and can be supplied with power at a position retracted from the reciprocating scanning area to the outside of the main body of the image recording apparatus when in use. It is characterized by comprising.

With the above-described configuration, the image recording apparatus can be reduced in size and weight and can be made suitable for carrying.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment (Overall Configuration) A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a view showing a use state of the image recording apparatus according to the first embodiment, FIG. 2 is a view showing a state when the image recording apparatus is carried, FIG. 3 is a structural view of the image recording apparatus, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a positional relationship between the battery and the image recording apparatus when the battery is removed.

An image recording apparatus 1 as an image recording apparatus includes an outer case 2 and an upper case 3 and image recording means 4 housed in upper and lower cases 2 and 3, and a driving energy source for the image recording apparatus 1. And a battery 9.

An operation panel 10 of the image recording apparatus 1 is provided on a front surface of the battery 9. Therefore, the operation panel 10 is hidden inside the upper and lower cases 2 and 3 when the battery 9 is closed, and appears outside the upper case 2 only when the battery 9 is opened. An operation panel 10 includes an operation switch 11 for operating the image recording apparatus 1 and a display panel made of a liquid crystal or the like for displaying setting conditions and recording modes of the image recording apparatus 1.
Has 12

As shown in FIG. 2, the end of the battery 9 on the opposite side of the operation panel 10 is pivotally supported by the upper case 3, and the battery 9 is rotatable in the direction of arrow D around the end.
The reciprocating scanning area 21a is provided so that it can be taken in and out. The battery 9 is always urged by a spring 30 in a direction in which the battery 9 opens (a direction in which the battery 9 comes out of the reciprocating scanning area 21a). The upper case 3 is provided with an engaging portion 32, and the battery 9 is provided with engaging portions 33a and 33b which are engaged with the engaging portion 32. The engaging portion 32 and the engaging portion 33a
The open state is maintained by engaging
The closed state is indicated by holding by engaging the lock portion 33b with the lock portion 33b.

Further, the battery 9 and the upper case 3 are provided with switches 31a and 31b for turning on and off the power of the image recording apparatus 1 according to the open / close position of the battery 9, so that at least a part of the battery 9 is closed. Battery 9
When at least a part of the carriage 21 is housed in the reciprocating scanning area of the recording head cartridge 20, the switches 31a and 31b are separated and the power is turned off. When the user goes outside, the switches 31a and 31b come into contact with each other to turn on the power. With such a configuration, erroneous operation of the image recording apparatus 1 is eliminated and the carriage
21 can be prevented from hitting the battery 9.

The upper case 3 has a rotatable cartridge exchange window 16 for exchanging a head cartridge and an ink cartridge, a recording sheet insertion opening 8 for introducing a recording sheet 7 into a portion where image recording means 4 records. And a recording sheet support plate 5 rotatably mounted.

As described above, the recording sheet support plate 5 allows the operation panel 10 to be hidden inside the main body of the image recording apparatus 1, and covers only the recording sheet insertion opening 8.
It is formed with a minimum necessary area. For this reason, the recording sheet 7 cannot be supported only by the recording sheet support plate 5, so that the auxiliary members 6 formed of SUS plates are provided at the upper end of the recording sheet support plate 5 in the direction (B) to open and close horizontally with the recording sheet 7. , C direction) and the recording sheet support plate 5
It can be stored inside. By providing the auxiliary member 6 and the recording sheet support plate 5 covering only the recording sheet insertion opening 8 as described above, the size and weight of the image recording apparatus 1 can be reduced.

A discharge tray 13 is rotatably provided on the front surface of the lower case 2, and an auxiliary member is provided at the tip of the discharge tray 13.
14 are provided. The auxiliary member 14 is formed of a SUS plate, and opens and closes horizontally with the discharged recording sheet 7.
(F, G directions) and can be stored inside the discharge tray 13. A portion for storing the discharge tray 13 is a recording sheet discharge port 15 for discharging the recording sheet 7 on which recording has been completed.

(Image Recording Means) Next, recording on the recording sheet 7 by the image recording means 4 will be described with reference to FIG.
The recording sheet support plate 5 is rotated to open the recording sheet insertion opening 8. The auxiliary member 6 is rotated in the directions B and C, respectively, to spread the recording sheet 7 in substantially the same direction as the conveying direction.

The discharge tray 13 is rotated to discharge the recording sheet.
Open 15. The auxiliary member 14 is rotated in the F and G directions, respectively, and spreads in the same direction as the discharge direction of the recording sheet 7. When the battery 9 is completely opened, the power is turned on. Then, the recording mode and the like are set by the operation switch 11 of the operation panel 10 that appears when the battery 9 is opened.

The recording sheet support plate 5 and the auxiliary member 6
The recording sheet 7 is supported, and the recording sheet 7 is inserted into the recording sheet insertion opening 8 and set. The recording sheet 7 before recording is mounted on a pressure plate 28, and the pressure plate 28 is pressed by a release cam 34 provided on a shaft on which the pickup roller 17 for pulling in the recording sheet 7 is mounted, and is separated from the pickup roller 17. It is in.

The recording sheet 7 is set, and the driving of the feed roller 18 is performed by a gear (not shown).
When the force is transmitted to the release cam 34, the release cam 34 separates from the pressure plate 28, and the pressure plate 28 rises. The pressure plate 28 pushes up the recording sheet 7, the pickup roller 17 and the recording sheet 7 come into contact with each other, and the recording sheet 7 is pulled in with the rotation of the pickup roller 17. The recording sheet 7 is sandwiched between the pinch roller 19 and the feed roller 18 urged by a spring 29 and is conveyed to a position facing the ink ejection surface of a recording head cartridge 20 which is recording means for recording on the recording sheet 7. .

The carriage 21 reciprocates in the main scanning direction along a carriage guide shaft 23 and a guide rail 24, both ends of which are fixed to the frame 22, by a carriage drive belt 25, a carriage drive motor 26 and a drive pulley 27.
At the same time, the recording of the content to be recorded on the recording sheet 7 is performed by ejecting ink from the recording head cartridge 20 mounted on the carriage 21 in accordance with the recording signal.

(When Stored) Next, the image recording apparatus 1 when stored will be described with reference to FIG. After the auxiliary members 6 are folded and stored inside the recording sheet support plate 5, the recording sheet support plate 5 is rotated to close the recording sheet insertion opening 8. Similarly, after folding the auxiliary members 14, the discharge tray 13 is rotated to close the recording sheet discharge port 15. The battery 9 is housed in the reciprocating scanning area, and
And the engaging portion 33b are engaged. At this time, the switch is turned off in conjunction with the position of the battery 9, and the power is turned off. Thus, the battery 9, the recording sheet support plate 5, and the discharge tray
When the cover 13 is closed, each outer surface also serves as the exterior of the image recording device 1.

As described above, by incorporating the battery 9 in the main body of the image recording apparatus 1, it is possible to further reduce the size. Here, when at least a part of the battery 9 is in the reciprocating scanning area, the power is turned off, so that the operation switch 11 is not erroneously operated.

Further, since the operation panel 10 is hidden in the reciprocating scanning area, there is no need to cover the display panel. Therefore, the recording sheet support plate 5 and the discharge tray 13 may be configured to cover only the recording sheet insertion port 8 and the recording sheet discharge port 15, and the size and weight of the image recording apparatus can be reduced.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, the size of the image recording apparatus can be reduced by allowing the battery to be moved in and out of the reciprocating scanning area of the carriage. By controlling the power to be turned off when at least a part of the battery enters the reciprocating scanning area of the carriage, it is possible to eliminate erroneous operation of the operation switch.

When the battery is completely housed in the reciprocating scanning area of the carriage, the operation panel is hidden, so that the need for a cover for protecting the display panel can be eliminated. Therefore, the recording sheet support plate that covers the recording sheet insertion opening can be reduced in size and weight with a minimum necessary area.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a use state of an image recording apparatus according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a positional relationship between a battery and an image recording apparatus when a battery is taken in and out.

FIG. 3 is a structural diagram showing a positional relationship between a battery and an image recording apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state when the image recording apparatus is carried.

FIG. 5 is a schematic explanatory view of a conventional image recording apparatus.

[Description of Signs] 1 ... Image recording device 2 ... Lower case 3 ... Upper case 4 ... Image recording means 5 ... Recording sheet support plate 6 ... Auxiliary member 7 ... Recording sheet 8 ... Recording sheet insertion port 9 ... Battery 10 ... Operation panel 11 ... operation switch 12 ... display plate 13 ... discharge tray 14 ... auxiliary member 15 ... recording sheet discharge port 16 ... cartridge replacement window 17 ... pickup roller 18 ... feed roller 19 ... pinch roller 20 ... recording head cartridge 21 ... carriage 22 ... Frame 23 Carriage guide shaft 24 Guide rail 25 Carriage drive belt 26 Carriage drive motor 27 Drive pulley 28 Pressure plate 29 Spring 30 Spring 31a Switch 31b Switch 32 Engagement part 33a Lock part 33b … Locking part 34… Release cam

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A reciprocating scanning device including a battery for supplying power and a carriage for reciprocating scanning by mounting a recording head for recording an image, wherein the battery can be stored in a reciprocating scanning area of the carriage when not in use. An image recording apparatus characterized in that when used, power can be supplied at a position retracted from the reciprocating scanning area to the outside of the main body of the image recording apparatus. 2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the battery is housed in the reciprocating scanning area, an exterior of the battery also serves as an exterior of the image recording apparatus main body. 3. The image recording apparatus has an operation panel provided with an operation switch and a display plate for displaying setting conditions and the like, wherein the operation panel is integrally formed with at least one side surface of the battery. The operation panel is hidden inside the image recording apparatus when the battery is stored in the reciprocating scanning area, and the operation panel is reciprocating scanning when the battery is completely retracted out of the reciprocating scanning area. 3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image recording apparatus appears outside the area. 4. A switch for controlling a power supply of the image recording apparatus according to a position of the battery, wherein when at least a part of the battery is in a reciprocating scanning area of the carriage, the power supply is turned off; The power supply is turned on when the battery is completely retracted out of the reciprocating scanning area of the carriage.
The image recording apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 3.