JP2002019220A - Cable connection structure of printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cable connection structure of a printer in which the size of the printer is not increased even if the volume of recording data or the power supply of a recording head is increased in order to enhance the recording speed. SOLUTION: The cable connection structure of a printer comprises a carriage 3 for mounting a recording head, a housing 1 for containing the carriage 3, an electric board 7 provided in the housing 1, and first and second carriage cables 5, 20 for connecting the carriage 3 and the electric board 7 wherein the first and second carriage cables 5, 20 are led out from the carriage 3 in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the carriage 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connection structure of a head cable for connecting, for example, a recording head mounted on a carriage of a recording apparatus and an electric board fixed to a main body of the recording apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A recording apparatus having a conventional head cable connection structure will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a recording apparatus having a conventional head cable connection structure,
FIG. 9 is a plan view, and FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an electric circuit.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 401 denotes a housing, which is a main scanning means 417 for driving a carriage 403;
Scanning means 418 for transporting the image data, an electric substrate 407, and a power supply means 406. The electric board 407 controls the main scanning unit 417 and the sub-scanning unit 418,
Print data is generated based on image information from the host 408, and a print head 415 mounted on the carriage 403 is generated.
Drive control. The power supply unit 406 includes the main scanning unit 4.
Power is supplied to the sub-scanning unit 17, the sub-scanning unit 418, and the electric board 407. A guide shaft 402 guides the movement of the carriage 403. A carriage cable 405 sends print data and drive power to a print head mounted on the carriage 403. The carriage cable 405 is pulled out from the carriage 403 to one side in the moving direction of the carriage 403, is folded halfway, and is connected to the housing 401 in the same direction as the direction pulled out from the carriage 403. The length of the carriage cable 405 is approximately equal to twice the distance from the farthest part of the moving range of the carriage 403 to the drawer of the housing 401 plus the amount of bending of the folded part.

In FIG. 11, reference numeral 406 denotes a power supply unit for supplying power to the printing apparatus, and 407 denotes an electric board. The electric board 407 obtains image information from the host 408 via the printer cable 409 and
The print data is converted into print data to be printed, and the main scanning means 417 for driving the carriage 403 and the sub-scanning means 418 for conveying the printing medium 404 are controlled. Electric board 407
The CPU 410 controls these controls, and the image processing circuit 41 converts an image and sends print data to the print head 415.
1, an image memory 412, a main scanning drive circuit 413, and a sub scanning drive circuit 414 are mounted.

An encoder 416 detects the state of the carriage 403 such as the position and speed. Based on the detection result of the encoder 416, the CPU 410 controls the main scanning unit 417, and the image processing circuit 411 gives the print head 415 print data including print timing. Print data and drive power for the print head are supplied to the carriage 403 from the electric board 407 via the carriage cable 405. The state of the carriage 403 is
The signal is supplied from the encoder 416 to the electric board 407 via the carriage cable 405.

[0006]

However, the conventional recording apparatus has the following problems. In order to increase the recording speed, it is necessary to improve the recording speed of the recording head and the recording amount to be recorded at the same time. For example, in a recording apparatus using an inkjet recording head, it is necessary to increase the ejection frequency or increase the number of ejection nozzles. This leads to an increase in the amount of print data and an increase in the drive power of the print head, and it is necessary to increase the number and thickness of signal lines in the carriage cable between the electric board and the carriage. However, an increase in the number of signal lines and an increase in the thickness of the signal lines cause an increase in the curvature of the folded portion of the cable, and the distance between the carriage and the housing must be increased.

This is a flexible flat cable (F
The same applies to the case of using a flat wiring material such as FC) and a flexible printed circuit board (FPC), and it is necessary to increase the number of carriage cables and increase the number of signal lines in the carriage cables. The expansion of the signal line in the carriage cable increases the width of the carriage cable, and there is a limit due to a problem in the device configuration. The increase in the number of carriage cables causes an increase in the curvature of the cable turn-up portion, resulting in an increase in the size of the apparatus.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances,
Even if the amount of recording data or the driving power of the recording head is increased in order to improve the recording speed, the apparatus does not increase in size.
An object of the present invention is to provide a head cable connection structure for a printer.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a carriage for mounting a recording head, a housing for accommodating the carriage, an electric board provided on the housing, A printer head cable connection structure including a first cable and a second cable for connecting the carriage and the electric board, wherein the first cable and the second cable are connected to each other.
And the second cable are pulled out from the carriage on the opposite side to the moving direction of the carriage.

According to the above arrangement, it is possible to provide a printer head cable connection structure which does not increase the size of the apparatus even if the amount of print data or the drive power of the print head is increased in order to improve the printing speed. .

[0011]

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

<First Embodiment> A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electric circuit.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a housing, which includes a main scanning unit 17 for driving the carriage 3, a sub-scanning unit 18 for conveying the recording medium 4, an electric substrate 7, and a power supply unit 6. The electric board 7 controls the main scanning unit 17 and the sub-scanning unit 18, generates print data based on image information from the host 8, and controls the drive of the print head 15 mounted on the carriage 3. The power supply 6 supplies power to the main scanning unit 17, the sub-scanning unit 18, and the electric board 7. Reference numeral 2 denotes a guide shaft for guiding the movement of the carriage 3. Reference numeral 5 denotes a first carriage cable which sends a driving power supply to a recording head mounted on the carriage 3. The first carriage cable 5 is connected to the carriage 3 by the carriage 3.
Is pulled out to one side in the moving direction of
It is connected to the housing 1 in the same direction as the direction in which the carriage 3 is pulled out. The length of the first carriage cable 5 is
The length is approximately twice as long as the distance from the farthest part of the movement range of the carriage 3 to the drawer of the housing 1 plus the amount of bending of the folded part.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a second carriage cable which sends recording data to a recording head mounted on the carriage 3.
The second carriage cable 20 is pulled out from the carriage 3 in the direction opposite to the first carriage cable 5 with respect to the moving direction of the carriage 3, is folded back halfway, and is drawn back to the housing 1 from the carriage 3. Connected from the same direction. The length of the second carriage cable 20 is approximately equal to twice the distance from the farthest part of the moving range of the carriage 3 to the main body draw-out part, plus the amount of bending of the folded part.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 6 denotes power supply means for supplying power to the printing apparatus, and 7 denotes an electric board. The electric board 7 obtains image information from the host 8 via the printer cable 9, converts the image information into print data to be printed by the print head 15, and drives the carriage 3.
7 and the sub-scanning means 18 for conveying the recording medium 4 are controlled.
On the electric board 7, a CPU 10 for controlling the above, an image processing circuit 11, which converts an image and sends print data to a print head 15, an image memory 12, a main scan drive circuit 13, and a sub scan drive circuit 14 are mounted. .

Reference numeral 16 denotes an encoder for detecting a state such as the position and speed of the carriage 3. Encoder 16
Based on the detection result, the CPU 10 controls the main scanning unit 17 and the image processing circuit 11 supplies the print head 15 with print data including print timing. The recording data is provided from the electric board 7 to the carriage 3 via the second carriage cable 20. The driving power for the recording head 15 is supplied from the electric board 7 to the carriage 3 via the first carriage cable 5. The state of the carriage 3 is determined by the encoder 16 from the second carriage cable 20.
To the electric board 7 via

In the above configuration, when the carriage 3 is located at the end of the moving range of the carriage 3 in the direction in which the first carriage cable 5 is pulled out as shown in FIG.
The carriage cable 5 is drawn out to the end side from the carriage 3, is folded near the cable lead-out portion of the carriage 3, and is laid around the cable lead-out portion of the housing 1. On the other hand, the second carriage cable 20 is pulled out from the carriage 3 in a direction opposite to the first carriage cable 5, is folded near the cable lead-out portion of the housing 1, and is laid around the cable lead-out portion of the housing 1.

When the carriage 3 is located at the end of the moving range of the carriage 3 in the direction in which the second carriage cable 20 is pulled out as shown in FIG. And is folded back near the cable lead-out portion of the carriage 3 and crawls around the cable lead-out portion of the housing 1. On the other hand, the first carriage cable 5 is pulled out from the carriage 3 in the direction opposite to the second carriage cable 20, is folded near the cable lead-out portion of the housing 1, and is laid around the cable lead-out portion of the housing 1.

According to the configuration described above, the two carriage cables 5 and 20 are arranged in a space not used by the other carriage cable as the carriage 3 moves. Therefore, even if the number of carriage cables is increased by increasing the amount of print data and the drive power of the print head in order to improve the printing speed, it is not necessary to increase the distance between the carriage and the housing, and the apparatus becomes larger. There is no.

<Second Embodiment> A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a recording apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a plan view. In the first embodiment, two carriage cables are used. In the second embodiment, four carriage cables are used. With the improvement of the recording speed and the higher definition of the recording head, the recording data amount and the driving power supply of the recording head tend to further increase. In addition, there is a model in which a plurality of recording heads are mounted on the carriage 3, and the number of carriage cables increases.

In the figure, reference numerals 21 and 22 denote a first carriage cable group, which sends print data and drive power to a print head mounted on the carriage 3. Reference numeral 21 denotes a carriage cable for supplying drive power to the recording head.
Reference numeral 2 denotes a carriage cable for supplying print data to the print head. A first carriage cable group 21,
22 are overlapped, pulled out from the carriage 3 to one side in the moving direction of the carriage 3, folded back halfway, and
Are connected in the same direction as the direction in which the carriage 3 is pulled out.

Reference numerals 23 and 24 denote a second carriage cable group, which sends print data and drive power to a print head mounted on the carriage 3. Reference numeral 23 denotes a carriage cable for supplying drive power to the print head, and reference numeral 24 denotes a carriage cable for supplying print data to the print head. The second carriage cable groups 23 and 24 are overlapped, pulled out from the carriage 3 in the direction of movement of the carriage 3 to the opposite side to the first carriage cable group, folded back halfway, and pulled out of the carriage 3 to the main body. Connected from the same direction.

Although the first carriage cable group and the second carriage cable group have been described with two carriage cables respectively, the invention is not limited to this, and one or three or more cables may be used. Also, the number of carriage cables in the first carriage cable group and the second carriage cable group may be different.

According to the configuration described above, the recording speed is increased and the recording head is made finer, so that the recording data amount and the driving power supply of the recording head are increased, so that even if the number of carriage cables is increased, the carriage and the housing are increased. The size of the device can be prevented by reducing the distance to the body.

<Others> It should be noted that the present invention includes a means (for example, an electrothermal converter or a laser beam) for generating thermal energy as energy used for discharging ink, particularly in an ink jet recording system. An excellent effect is obtained in a recording head and a recording apparatus of a type in which the state of ink is changed by the thermal energy. This is because according to such a method, it is possible to achieve higher density and higher definition of recording.

The typical structure and principle are described in, for example, US Pat. Nos. 4,723,129 and 4,740.
It is preferable to use the basic principle disclosed in the specification of Japanese Patent No. 796. This method is a so-called on-demand type,
Although it can be applied to any of the continuous type, particularly, in the case of the on-demand type, the electric heat disposed corresponding to the sheet or the liquid path holding the liquid (ink or processing liquid) is used. By applying to the transducer at least one drive signal corresponding to the recorded information and providing a rapid temperature rise exceeding the nucleate boiling, the electrothermal transducer generates heat energy and is applied to the heat acting surface of the recording head. This is effective because film boiling can be caused, and as a result, bubbles in the liquid (ink or processing liquid) corresponding to this drive signal one-to-one can be formed. A liquid (ink or processing liquid) is ejected through an 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 bubbles are immediately and appropriately performed, and therefore, the ejection of a liquid (ink or processing liquid) having particularly excellent responsiveness is more preferable. Examples of the drive signal in the form of a pulse include those described in U.S. Pat.
Suitable are those described in US Pat. No. 45,262. Further, if the conditions described in US Pat. No. 4,313,124 relating to the temperature rise rate of the heat acting surface are adopted, more excellent recording can be performed.

As the configuration of the recording head, in addition to the combination of a discharge port, a liquid path, and an electrothermal converter (a linear liquid flow path or a right-angled liquid flow path) as disclosed in the above-mentioned respective specifications, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,558,333 and 44,596 which disclose a configuration in which a heat acting portion is arranged in a bending region.
The configuration using the specification of No. 00 is also included in the present invention. In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Sho 59-123670 discloses a configuration in which a common slit is used as a discharge portion of an electrothermal converter for a plurality of electrothermal converters, and an opening for absorbing pressure liquid of thermal energy is provided. The effect of the present invention is effective even if the configuration is based on JP-A-59-138461, which discloses a configuration corresponding to a discharge unit. That is, according to the present invention, recording can be reliably and efficiently performed regardless of the form of the recording head.

In addition, even in the case of the serial type as described above, the recording head fixed to the apparatus main body or the electric connection to the apparatus main body or the ink from the apparatus main body is attached to the apparatus main body by being attached to the apparatus main body. The present invention is also effective when a replaceable chip-type recording head that can be supplied or a cartridge-type recording head in which an ink tank is provided integrally with the recording head itself is used.

It is preferable to add a discharge recovery means for the print head, a preliminary auxiliary means, and the like as the structure of the printing apparatus of the present invention since the effects of the present invention can be further stabilized. To be specific, these are pre-heating by using a capping unit, a cleaning unit, a pressurizing or suctioning unit, an electrothermal transducer or another heating element or a combination thereof for the recording head. Means and preliminary ejection means for performing ejection other than recording.

The type and number of recording heads to be mounted are not limited to those provided only for one color ink, for example, and for a plurality of inks having different recording colors and densities. A plurality may be provided. That is, for example, the printing mode of the printing apparatus is not limited to a printing mode of only a mainstream color such as black, but may be any of integrally forming a printing head or a combination of a plurality of printing heads. The present invention is also very effective for an apparatus provided with at least one of the full-color recording modes using mixed colors.

In addition, in the embodiment of the present invention described above, the ink is described as a liquid.
An ink that solidifies at room temperature or below and softens or liquefies at room temperature may be used, or the ink jet method controls the viscosity of the ink by adjusting the temperature of the ink itself within the range of 30 ° C to 70 ° C. Is generally controlled so as to be within the stable ejection range, so that the ink may be in a liquid state when the use recording signal is applied. In addition, in order to positively prevent temperature rise due to thermal energy by using it as energy for changing the state of the ink from a solid state to a liquid state, or to prevent evaporation of the ink, the ink is solidified in a standing state and heated. May be used. In any case, the application of heat energy causes the ink to be liquefied by the application of the heat energy according to the recording signal and the liquid ink to be ejected, or to start solidifying when it reaches the recording medium. The present invention is also applicable to a case where an ink having a property of liquefying for the first time is used. In such a case, the ink is disclosed in JP-A-54-56847 or JP-A-60
As described in JP-A-71260, a configuration may be adopted in which a liquid or solid substance is held in a concave portion or through hole of a porous sheet and opposed to an electrothermal converter. In the present invention, the most effective one for each of the above-mentioned inks is to execute the above-mentioned film boiling method.

In addition, the form of the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention is not limited to those used as image output terminals of information processing equipment such as computers, copying apparatuses combined with readers and the like, and facsimile apparatuses having a transmission / reception function. It may take a form.

[0033]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention constructed as described above, the first cable and the second cable for connecting the carriage and the electric board are connected with each other.
The apparatus is pulled out from the carriage in the opposite direction to the moving direction of the carriage. Therefore, even if the print data amount or the driving power supply of the print head is increased to improve the printing speed, the apparatus does not become large.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an electric circuit of the recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating the operation of the recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating an operation of the recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a recording apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a recording apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a conventional recording apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a conventional recording apparatus.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an electric circuit of a conventional recording apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Housing 2 Guide shaft 3 Carriage 4 Recording medium 5 1st carriage cable 6 Power supply means 7 Electric board 15 Recording head 20 2nd carriage cable

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A carriage for mounting a recording head, a housing accommodating the carriage, an electric board provided in the housing, and a first cable connecting the carriage and the electric board. And a second cable, wherein the first cable and the second cable are pulled out of the carriage in a direction opposite to a moving direction of the carriage. A head cable connection structure of a printer characterized by the following. 2. The head cable connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the cable is a flat wiring member. 3. A carriage for mounting a recording head, a housing for accommodating the carriage, an electric board provided in the housing, and a first cable group connecting the carriage and the electric board. And a second cable group, wherein the first cable group and the second cable group are on the opposite side of the carriage with respect to the moving direction of the carriage. A head cable connection structure for a printer, wherein the head cable connection structure is drawn out. 4. The head cable connection structure for a printer according to claim 3, wherein the cable group is formed of a flat wiring member. 5. A printing apparatus comprising: a head cable connection structure for a printer according to claim 1; and conveying means for conveying a recording medium, wherein recording is performed on the recording medium by the recording head. A recording device characterized by the above-mentioned. 6. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording head includes an ink jet recording head that records an image by discharging ink. 7. The recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the ink jet recording head records the image using ink droplets formed by thermal energy.