JP2002205441A - Recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a recorder in which the size is reduced furthermore, the degree of freedom is enhanced in design, version up is facilitated and serviceability is enhanced variously including enhancement of recycling. SOLUTION: The recorder A comprises a recording unit 11 having a recording head 5a for recording on a recording medium, a control substrate 12b for transmitting a control signal to the recording unit 11, and a power supply 12a for supplying electric power to the recoding unit 11 wherein the control substrate 12b and the power supply 12a are arranged independently from the recording unit 11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording apparatus for improving various serviceability by devising a unit configuration and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A recording device having a function such as a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile or the like, or a recording device used as an output device of a composite electronic device or a workstation including a computer or a word processor, etc. An image is recorded on a recording medium such as a plastic thin plate.

At the time of recording by a serial type recording apparatus 50 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 which employs a serial scanning system in which a main scan is performed in a direction (main scanning direction) orthogonal to a recording medium conveying direction (sub-scanning direction). An image is recorded (main-scanned) by recording means mounted on a carriage moving in a direction perpendicular to the recording medium conveyance direction based on a signal sent from a host such as a personal computer via an interface cable 53 such as (1) Repeating the operation of performing a predetermined amount of paper feeding (pitch conveyance) after printing of one row is completed, and then printing (main scanning) the image of the next row on the stopped printing medium. Thus, recording is performed on the recording medium.

[0004] As shown in FIG. 8, a control board 51 and a power supply unit 52 having a power supply are connected to a recording device 50.
Are provided integrally. Here control board 51
Are connected to a host such as a personal computer by an interface cable 53.

[0005]

However, control boards for controlling various information devices have been rapidly reduced in size due to recent high-density mounting technology.
As shown in FIG. 8, a control board 51 and a power supply unit 52 having a power supply have a considerable amount of space in the recording device 50, and increase the size of the recording device. This requires a large space on the user's desk, etc.
It also limits other serviceability improvements, such as improved design flexibility.

On the other hand, a power supply unit 52 having a power supply
Exist, but they have not been satisfied with the demands for various serviceability improvements such as further miniaturization, improved design flexibility, improved recyclability, and easier version upgrades. is the current situation.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve various services such as further downsizing of the device, improvement of design freedom, easiness of upgrading, and improvement of recyclability.

[0008]

A typical configuration of the present invention for achieving the above object is a recording unit having recording means for recording on a recording medium, and a control means for transmitting a control signal to the recording unit. And a power supply for supplying electricity to the recording unit, wherein the control unit and the power supply are configured separately from the recording unit.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (First Embodiment) A recording apparatus A according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings by exemplifying a printer. 1 is a block diagram showing components of the printing apparatus, FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the printing apparatus, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a printing unit, and FIG. 4 is a front view of the printing apparatus.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the recording apparatus A uses an ink jet recording method in which ink is ejected from a recording head 5a to perform recording on a recording medium as a recording method. The recording head 5a as a recording unit records an image on a recording medium transported by the transport unit. The recording head 5a includes a fine liquid ejection port (orifice), a liquid path, and an energy action section provided in a part of the liquid path.
There is provided an energy generating means for generating droplet forming energy to act on the liquid in the action section.

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

Among them, a recording head used in an ink jet recording method for discharging a liquid by thermal energy has a liquid discharge port (orifice) for discharging a recording droplet to form a discharge droplet at a high density. Since they can be arranged, high-resolution recording can be performed. Among them, a recording head using an electrothermal transducer as an energy generating means is advantageous because it can be easily made compact, easily mounted at a high density, and inexpensively manufactured.

In the first embodiment, the ink is ejected by energizing the electrothermal transducer according to a recording signal, and utilizing the film boiling caused by the thermal energy to grow and shrink bubbles generated in the ink. Thus, the recording is performed by discharging the ink from the discharge port.

A recording unit 11 having an automatic feeding device includes a feeding unit 2 for holding a recording medium and conveying it to a conveying unit 3 in a frame 11a, and a conveying unit 3 for conveying the recording medium to a recording position.
A carriage unit 5 having a recording head 5a for recording on a recording medium at a recording position, a discharge unit 4 for discharging the recording medium from the recording position, and a cleaning unit 6 for protecting and recovering the recording head 5a. Note that the recording unit 11 in the first embodiment is made of sheet metal.

At the time of recording, the recording medium stacked on the feeding section 2 is conveyed to the carriage section 5 by the rotation of the feeding rotator 2a and the conveyance in the conveying section 3. Next, the recording medium is recorded at a recording position where recording is performed by the recording head 5a of the carriage unit 5, and then discharged by the discharge unit 4 out of the apparatus. Further, the cleaning unit 6 protects and recovers the recording head 5a before and after recording.

As shown in FIG. 1, the recording apparatus A has a recording unit 11 and an electric unit 12. Recording unit
Reference numeral 11 includes sensors disposed in a device for detecting passage of a recording medium and the like, and respective motors serving as driving sources of the recording head 5a and the feeding unit 2 and the transporting unit 3 for transporting the recording medium. The electric unit 12 includes MPU, GA, ROM, C
R motor driver, LF motor driver, RAM, I /
It has a control board 12b as control means having F, KEWSW and the like, and a power supply 12a.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, the control board 51 which is conventionally formed integrally with the recording unit is used.
And the power supply 52 (see FIG. 8), the control board 12b and the power supply 12a are separated from the recording apparatus A, and furthermore, the control board 12b and the power supply 12a are integrally formed as an electric unit 12 having the control board 12b and the power supply 12a. The recording unit 11 and the electric unit 12 are connected to each other. Connection cable
The recording unit 11 transmits the detection signals of the respective sensors to the electric unit 12 via 13, and the electric unit 12 supplies electricity and transmits control signals to the recording unit 11.

As described above, the control board 12b and the power supply
Since the electric unit 12a is provided separately from the recording unit 11 as an electric unit 12, the electric unit 12 is provided in an empty space of the control board 51 (see FIG. 8) conventionally mounted between the feeding unit 2 and the conveying unit 3 on the frame. A part of the feeding unit 2 can be shifted, and the lower case 10 installed below the feeding unit 2 can be reduced in size by the space of the power supply 52 (see FIG. 8). As a result, the depth dimension L1 of the recording apparatus A of the present invention in FIG. 2 is reduced to about two thirds (L1 / L0) as compared with the depth dimension L0 of the conventional recording medium shown in FIG. Can be. In addition, since the control board 12b and the power supply 12a are integrated into an electric unit 12, the electric unit 12 can be installed in a dead space on a desk or in a foot to improve the degree of freedom in arranging components in the recording unit 11. Accordingly, the degree of freedom in design can be improved. Furthermore, as the cable connected to the recording unit 11, two cables, the interface cable and the power cable, are replaced with only the connection cable 13, thereby simplifying the wiring.

As described above, in the first embodiment, the control board 12b and the power supply 12a are provided separately from the recording unit 11, and the control board 12b and the power supply 12a are formed as an integrated electric unit. By connecting with a book cable, the recording unit 11 required by a user on a desk or the like can be reduced in size.

Further, by replacing the electric unit 12 with the recording unit 11, it is possible to easily upgrade the version by replacing the electric unit 12, and conventionally, a recording signal is transmitted to a control board or the like. A host that can be connected only to a personal computer can be connected to another information terminal. Furthermore, the recording unit 11 and the electric unit
Since the unit 12 is separate from the unit A, the unit can be detached from the recording device A for each unit, thereby improving the recyclability.

As described above, further miniaturization of the recording apparatus A,
Improved design flexibility, easier version upgrade,
Various service properties such as recyclability can be improved.

(Second Embodiment) A recording apparatus A according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the second embodiment, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description is omitted. FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating components of the recording apparatus according to the second embodiment.

In the second embodiment, in addition to the block diagram of the first embodiment, a synthesizing circuit for putting a signal such as a detection signal and a control signal on a power supply line on the connection cable 13 and a power supply line Added a separation circuit for extracting signals.

In the second embodiment, the connection cable 13 is
As power supply lines for transmitting electricity, there are a 24V line for operating the recording head 5a and motors, a 5V line for operating each sensor, and a ground line. In this case, a control signal on the host side such as a personal computer is transmitted to
On the 4V line, the control signal is taken out by the separation circuit of the recording unit 11 to perform the recording operation, and the detection signal from each sensor is put on the 24V line by the synthesis circuit of the recording unit 11, and the separation circuit of the electric unit 12 The detection signal can be extracted and reflected on the control of the recording head 5a and each motor.

As described above, in the second embodiment, since the signal is applied to the power supply line of the connection cable 13, a line for transmitting the signal is not required separately from the power supply line, and thus the wiring is simplified. In addition, the size of the entire device can be reduced by reducing the size of the connector, and the ability to route cables can be improved.

The connection cable 13 in the second embodiment
Power line has three lines of 24V line, 5V line, and ground line, but the present invention is not limited to this. The 24V line is supplied from the electric unit 12 to the recording unit 11, and the 24V line is supplied from the recording unit 11 to the electric unit 12. Can use a 5V line, and can also operate each sensor at 24V, so that the number of power supply lines of the connection cable 13 can be reduced.

(Third Embodiment) A recording apparatus A according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the third embodiment, the same parts as those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a recording unit according to the third embodiment.

In the first embodiment, the frame 11a is made of sheet metal, but in the third embodiment, the frame 11a is made of plastic. Also,
Each motor and each sensor shown in FIG.
The structure was fixed by snap fit. Furthermore, colors are classified according to the type of plastic material. Note that the snap fit is a method in which a projection is provided on one of the joining portions and a notch is provided on the other, and the fitting is performed.

In FIG. 6, the frame 11b, the platen 3
a, material stamping on large parts such as ASF base 2b,
Materials having no space for engraving the material and small parts of less than about 25 g which are difficult to separate even if engraved are color-coded for each type of material. For example, the gears 3b such as a transport gear using a POM resin having good slidability, the idler pulley 5b and the like are painted milky white, have high rigidity, and have a carriage 5c using a modified PPE resin which is stable with respect to recording ink; The cleaning base 6a and the like are color-coded for each type of plastic material in a manner such as painting black.

As described above, in the third embodiment, the recording unit 11 is made of plastic, and drive components such as motors and electric components such as sensors in the recording unit 11 are
One of the joints and the other notch are fixed to the frame 11b by fitting the protrusions into the notches. Also,
The plastics were color-coded for each type of material.

Thus, at the time of recycling, drive components such as motors, electric components such as sensors, some metal springs, rubbers for transporting the recording medium, and the like, which are fixed in the recording unit 11 by snap-fitting, are recycled. Is removed, only the plastic part is obtained, and the large parts and the small parts which are engraved with the material can be separated easily and without waste by classifying them. In addition to the effects of the first embodiment, the recyclability Can be further improved.

(Other Embodiments) In the above-described embodiment, an ink jet recording system is used as a recording means for recording on a recording medium. It is further preferable that recording is performed by ejecting the ink from the ejection port by the growth and shrinkage of the bubble generated in the ink by utilizing the film boiling generated in the ink by the thermal energy applied by the body.

The above-mentioned serial type can be replaced with a recording head fixed to a carriage or an ink supply from the apparatus main body by being electrically connected to the apparatus main body and being supplied to the carriage. A chip-type recording head or a cartridge-type recording head in which an ink tank is provided integrally with the recording head itself may be used.

Regarding the type and number of recording heads mounted on the carriage, for example, only one recording head is provided corresponding to a single color ink, and a plurality of inks having different recording colors and densities are supported. May be provided in plurality. 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, and may be a combination of a plurality of print heads integrally formed. To at least one of the full-color devices.

Further, as the form of the above-mentioned ink jet recording apparatus, in addition to the one used as an image output terminal apparatus of an information processing apparatus such as a computer, a copying apparatus combined with a reader or the like, and a facsimile apparatus having a transmission / reception function And the like.

Although an example in which an ink jet recording method is used as the above-described recording means has been described, the present invention does not need to limit the recording method to the ink jet recording method. Can be applied to an impact recording method such as a wire dot recording method or other recording methods. It is not necessary to limit to the serial recording method, and a so-called line recording method may be used.

[0037]

As described above, according to the present invention, the control means and the power supply are formed separately from the recording unit, and the control means and the power supply are formed as an integrated electric unit. The required recording unit can be reduced in size.

Further, since the recording unit and the electric unit are connected by a detachable connection cable and a signal is applied to a power supply line, wiring is simplified.

Further, the recording unit is made of plastic, and the driving parts and the electric parts in the recording unit are fixed to the frame by fitting one of the projections of the joining portion and the other cutout. Further, since the plastic is color-coded for each type of material, recyclability is improved.

As described above, various services can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating components of a recording apparatus according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the recording apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the recording unit according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the recording apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating components of a recording apparatus according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a recording unit according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a conventional recording apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of a conventional recording apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A: Recording device L1: Depth dimension 2: Feeding unit 2a: Feeding rotating body 2b: ASF base 3: Transporting unit 3a: Platen 3b: Gears 4: Ejecting unit 5: Carriage unit 5a: Recording head 5b: Idler pulley 5c Carriage 6 Cleaning part 6a Cleaning base 10 Lower case 11 Recording unit 11a Frame 11b Frame 12 Electric unit 12a Power supply 12b Control board 13 Connection cable

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A recording apparatus comprising: a recording unit having recording means for performing recording on a recording medium; control means for transmitting a control signal to the recording unit; and a power supply for supplying electricity to the recording unit. The recording device, wherein the means and the power supply are configured separately from the recording unit. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit and the power supply are configured as an integrated electric unit. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the recording unit and the electric unit are connected by a detachable connection cable. 4. The recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the connection cable is configured to put a signal on a power supply line. 5. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording unit is made of plastic, and a driving component and an electric component in the recording unit are moved relative to a frame.
A recording apparatus characterized in that one of the joints and the other cutout are fixed by fitting each other. 6. The recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the plastic is color-coded for each type of material. 7. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording device performs recording by ejecting ink according to a signal. 8. The recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein in the recording apparatus, the recording means supplies a current to the electrothermal transducer in response to a signal, and discharges ink using thermal energy generated by the electrothermal transducer. A recording device, comprising: