JP2002290664A - Recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To remove the influence on the scanning operation of a scanner head by ink mist generated by the recording operation of a recording head, in a recorder mounted with the recording head which discharges ink and the scanner head. SOLUTION: In a scanner head case 300b of the scanner head 300, a scanner unit 100 is disposed. The scanner unit 100 comprises an LED 306, condensing leans 315 for irradiating light generated by the LED 306 on a manuscript surface 303, field lens 304 for imaging an image of the manuscript surface 303, sensor 302 for detecting light from the field lens 304, vibrator for vibrating the condensing lens 315, and vibrator for vibrating the field lens 304 in the direction of rotation around the optical axis of the field lens 304. Attachment of ink mist to the condensing lens 315 and the field lens 304 can be prevented by vibration of these lenses by means of the vibrators.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording apparatus in which an optical image reading head is installed near an ink jet recording head. Also, the present invention relates to a recording apparatus in which the influence of an extremely small ink droplet (hereinafter, referred to as an ink mist) generated in the recording operation on an optical image reading head is prevented.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a demand for a document reading apparatus for inputting an image has been increasing. There are a wide variety of document reading devices, such as a flatbed type document reading device that has a document table and can capture images such as characters and figures even from thick books, and a film reading device that can directly read images from photographic film. Among them, as a reading device which can be realized with a small space configuration, there is a band scan type reading device in which the scanner head has a line sensor extending in a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction (main scanning direction) of the scanner head (image reading head).

FIG. 13 is a perspective view schematically showing a configuration of a band scan type scanner as a configuration of a conventional general reading apparatus.

In a band scan type scanner shown in FIG. 13, light emitted from a light source 86 illuminates a document 88 via a condenser lens 85, and light reflected on the surface of the document 88 is reflected by lenses 82 and 83. By condensing the light on the sensor 84, the original image on the original 88 is formed on the reading sensor 84, and the original image is read. The light source 86, the condenser lens 85, the lenses 82 and 83, the sensor 84, and the like constitute a scanner head 87 as image reading means. The scanner head 87 moves the original 88 from FIG.
When the image of the original 88 is read by a necessary amount, the original 88 or the scanner head 87 moves in the direction of arrow b perpendicular to the direction of arrow a and shifts. Repeats reading the document 88 in the direction of arrow a.

[0005] Such a scanner head 87 and original 88
The movement of the recording head is similar to the movement of the recording head and the recording medium in the recording apparatus. Therefore, a recording apparatus in which a unitized scanner head is mounted as reading means on a carrier on which the recording head is mounted in the recording apparatus is also used. Have been.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing an example of a recording apparatus having a recording head and a scanner head mounted thereon.

In the recording apparatus shown in FIG. 14, both ends of a guide shaft 3004 and a guide rail 3007 arranged in parallel with each other inside a frame 3025 are fixed to the frame 3025. Carrier 3002
Are slidably supported by a guide shaft 3004 and a guide rail 3007 in a direction parallel to the direction in which they extend. The carrier 3002 includes the recording head 30
01 and scanner head (scanner cartridge) 33
00 are removably mounted side by side. The carrier 3002 has a guide shaft 3004
Pulley 30 rotatably supported near one end of the drive pulley 30
30 and a part of a belt 3005 wound around an idle pulley 3015 rotatably supported near the other end of the guide shaft 3004. Driving pulley 3030 is driven to rotate by driving force of carrier motor 3006 attached to frame 3025 being transmitted to driving pulley 3030 via a gear train (not shown). Therefore, by driving the carrier motor 3006, the belt 3005 runs along with the rotation of the driving pulley 3030, and the carrier 3002 reciprocates along the guide shaft 3004 and the guide rail 3007. The moving direction of the carrier 3002 is orthogonal to the conveying direction of the sheet 3018 conveyed in the recording apparatus by a conveying unit described later, and is parallel to the surface of the sheet 3018.

A control board (not shown) is disposed inside the frame 3025, and the control board is
02 and the recording head 3001
Wiring board and flexible cable 30
03 are electrically connected. An electric signal from the control board is transmitted to each of the recording head 3001 and the scanner head 3300 via the flexible cable 3003.

The recording head 3001 is detachably held on the carrier 3002 by a press-contact portion provided on the recording head 3001 engaging a latch member 3030X of the carrier 3002. When removing the recording head 3001 from the carrier 3002, the arm 3030X of the latch member 3030X
When a is lifted, the recording head 3001 is disengaged from the press contact portion and can be easily removed.

Next, a mechanism for conveying the sheet 3018 in the recording apparatus will be described. In addition, since the recording apparatus of the present embodiment is configured integrally with the reading apparatus, the sheet 3
018 includes three types of recording media, such as recording paper on which recording is performed by the recording head 3001, a document whose image is read by a reading device, and a white reference sheet used as a calibration sheet of the reading device. Pass the paper inside. In the frame 3025, the carrier 3
002 on the recording head 3001 and the scanner head 33
A platen 3009 is provided to face the movement locus surface of 00, and the sheet 3018 is conveyed on the platen 3009. At one end of platen 3009, sheet 3
A guide 3032 that guides the sheet 3018 by contacting one edge of the sheet 018 is provided, and a guide 3033 that guides the sheet 3018 by contacting the other edge of the sheet 3018 is provided at the other end of the platen 3009. Have been.

The recording apparatus of this embodiment has a frame 30
An automatic paper feed unit 3019 located outside the area 25 is provided. In the automatic paper feed unit 3019, a plurality of sheets 3018 as recording papers or originals are stacked and set. The stacked sheets 3018 are fed to the automatic sheet feeding section 3019.
, And are sequentially conveyed to a paper feed roller 3014. The paper feed roller 3014 is the frame 3
The LF gear 3031 is fixed to one end of a paper feed roller 3014. The LF gear 3031 is driven to rotate by transmitting the driving force of the paper feed motor 3020 to the LF gear 3031 via a gear train (not shown).

A discharge roller 3011 for discharging the sheet 3018 to the outside of the recording apparatus is located downstream of the recording area of the recording head 3001 and the reading area of the scanner head 3300 in the transport direction of the sheet 3018.
A plurality of spurs 3008 that sandwich the sheet 3018 between the paper ejection roller 3011 and the spurs 3008 are arranged. Driving force is transmitted to the paper discharge roller 3011 from the paper feed roller 3014 via a row of idle gears 3029, whereby the paper discharge roller 3011 rotates in synchronization with the paper feed roller 3014. The discharge roller 3011 is urged toward the spur 3008 by a spring, and the discharge roller 3011 and the discharge roller spring 3024
Sheet 3018 is sandwiched between
It is transported with the rotation of 011.

The recording operation of the apparatus having the above-described configuration includes a recording head 3001 ejecting ink downward in response to a recording signal in synchronization with a reciprocating movement of the carrier 3002, so that the sheet 30 used as a recording sheet is discharged.
Recording is performed at 18.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the scanner head 3300. FIG. 15A is a perspective view of the scanner head 3300 viewed from below, and FIG.
(B) is the figure which looked at the scanner head 3300 from the terminal part side provided in it.

[0015] As shown in FIG.
300 is a box-shaped scanner head case 330
0b, a field lens 3304 for forming a read image
And an imaging lens 3301, a sensor 3302 at an imaging position on the optical axis thereof, an LED 3306 for illuminating a reading surface 3303 of a document, and a condensing lens 3315 for irradiating light from the LED 3306 to the reading surface 3303. Are arranged and configured. On the bottom surface of the scanner head 3300, the surface of the condenser lens 3315 is exposed at the LED opening 3311, and the field lens 3304 is exposed at the sensor opening 3312.

The scanner head 3300 includes the carrier 30
When mounted on the carrier 3002, the guide portion 3314 formed on both sides of the scanner head 3300 guides the carrier to the positioning position in the carrier 3002, and as shown in FIG. To operate the scanner head 33
00 is pressed against the carrier 3002. A head terminal portion 3309 of a wiring board 3305 extending from the inside of the scanner head case 3300b is attached to an outer surface of the scanner head case 3300b. When the scanner head 3300 is mounted on the carrier 3002, the head terminal 3309
Terminal part provided inside carrier 3002 (not shown)
And an electrical signal from the main body of the recording apparatus through the terminals of the scanner head 3.
Sent to 300. Scanner head case 3300b
Inside, a main electric circuit board for controlling the sensor 3302 and the LED 3306 is arranged.
305 is electrically connected to the head terminal portion 3309.

In such a scanner head 3300,
The LED light emitted from the LED 3306 is a condensing lens 3
The reading surface 3303 is irradiated via the 315. The illuminated LED light is reflected by the reading surface 3303 to become image light 3308, and becomes a field lens 3304.
After passing through, the light passes through the light amount correction diaphragm, the light amount regulating diaphragm, the imaging lens 3301, and the stray light blocking diaphragm in this order,
An image is formed on the sensor 3302.

When such a configuration is adopted, recording and reading can be performed by a single device, and there are advantages such as a small space, cost reduction by common use of a power supply and a housing, and the like.

[0019]

However, as described above, the scanner head 33 together with the recording head 3001 is used.
00, the recording head 3001 is of an inkjet type, and the recording head 300
The minute lens (ink mist) generated by the recording operation 1 is exposed to the outside of the scanner head case 3300b.
And the reading performance of the scanner head 3300 is degraded. Therefore, the scanner head 3
It is necessary to frequently remove the 300 from the carrier 3002 and wipe off the ink attached to the field lens 3304 and the imaging lens 3301.

As a similar example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
Japanese Patent No. 38421 discloses a mechanism for vibrating a lens to prevent dew condensation on the lens. This mechanism is applied to spectacles used by humans, and is applied to a precise reading device such as a scanner. Is not suitable.

An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording head for ejecting ink, a scanner head mounted thereon, and a recording apparatus capable of performing an original reading operation. It is an object of the present invention to provide a recording apparatus capable of eliminating an influence on a reading operation of a scanner head due to the above.

[0022]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a recording head for recording on a recording medium by discharging a liquid toward the recording medium, and the recording head in a recording apparatus main body. In a recording apparatus including an optical component located in the same space as the head and having an image reading device for reading an image of a document, a vibration generating device for vibrating the optical component of the image reading device is provided.

In the above recording apparatus, it is preferable that the amplitude direction of the vibration of the optical component by the vibration generating means is a rotation direction about the optical axis of the optical component.

According to the present invention, there is provided a recording head for recording on a recording medium by discharging a liquid toward the recording medium, and an image of a document located in the same space as the recording head in a recording apparatus main body. Image reading means for reading, wherein the image reading means emits light for illuminating the original, an illumination-side lens for irradiating the original with light from the light source, and the illumination-side lens A reading-side lens for transmitting light reflected by the document among the light irradiated on the document, and forming an image of the document as a reading image by the passed light; and an optical axis of the reading-side lens. A recording device having an optical sensor that is disposed at a position where the read image is formed by the reading lens and detects a light amount of light from the reading lens and converts the detected light amount into a signal. To A first vibration generating means for vibrating the reading-side lens such that an amplitude direction of the vibration is a rotation direction about the optical axis of the reading-side lens; and a second vibration means for vibrating the illumination-side lens. A vibration generating means.

Further, it is preferable that the optical sensor is formed by integrating a plurality of light receiving pixels, and the light source of the image reading means is a light emitting diode.

Further, it is preferable that the recording apparatus has a holding means for detachably mounting the image reading means and holding the image reading means in the recording apparatus.

[0027] Further, the recording apparatus includes a rotatable roller for conveying the recording medium or the original,
A frame on which the roller is rotatably mounted to support the roller, a shaft mounted on the frame in a state substantially parallel to the roller, and a shaft guided by the shaft, the rotation of the roller accompanies the rotation of the roller. It is preferable that a carrier that moves on the conveyed recording medium or the original, mounts the recording head, and has the image reading unit detachably mounted thereon is provided.

According to the invention as described above, in a recording apparatus in which a recording head for performing recording by discharging liquid and image reading means for reading an image of a document are located in the same space in the main body of the recording apparatus, the image reading means is used. The provision of the vibration generating means for vibrating the constituent optical components such as the lens allows the liquid to be discharged into the space as extremely small liquid droplets by the recording operation of the recording head, and the mist of the liquid is generated. Is generated, the turbulence is generated around the optical component by the vibration of the optical component, whereby it is possible to prevent the minute droplet from approaching the optical component. Further, the minute droplet approaching the optical component is repelled by the vibration of the optical component, and the adhesion of the droplet to the optical component is prevented. As a result, the influence of the minute droplets generated by the recording operation of the recording head on the reading operation of the image reading unit is eliminated, and the operation of frequently wiping the droplets adhered to the optical component is not required.

Further, since the amplitude direction of the vibration of the optical component by the vibration generating means is the rotation direction about the optical axis of the optical component, even if the image reading means is reading the image of the document, Droplets can be prevented from adhering. Therefore, even when the image of the original is read by the image reading unit immediately after the recording operation of the recording head, the deterioration of the image reading quality in the image reading unit can be prevented by vibrating the optical components during the reading operation. It becomes possible.

Further, the image reading means includes a light source, an illuminating lens for irradiating the light from the light source to the original, and light from the original incident to form an image of the original as a read image. A reading-side lens, and an optical sensor that detects the amount of light from the reading lens, the recording apparatus vibrates the reading-side lens,
By having the second vibration generating means for vibrating the illumination side lens, by vibrating the reading side and the illumination side lens by the first and second vibration generating means,
Droplets generated in the recording operation are prevented from adhering to those lenses. Therefore, the operation of frequently wiping the droplets adhered to the reading side and the illumination side lens is not required. Further, since the amplitude direction of the vibration of the reading-side lens by the first vibration generating means is the rotation direction about the optical axis of the reading-side lens, the reading side lens can be read even during the operation of reading the image of the original by the image reading means. By vibrating the lens, it is possible to prevent droplets from adhering to the reading-side lens, so that it is possible to prevent deterioration of the image reading quality of the image reading unit in the reading operation immediately after the recording operation by the recording head. .

[0031]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the internal structure of a recording apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the recording apparatus shown in FIG. Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, a description will be given of an apparatus having a configuration in which a scanner head as an image reading device can be detachably mounted independently of a recording head in a side of a recording head mounting portion in an ink jet printer.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the recording apparatus of the present embodiment, both ends of the guide shaft 4 and the guide rail 7 arranged in parallel with each other inside the frame 25 are fixed to the frame 25. I have. The carrier 2 is slidably supported by the guide shaft 4 and the guide rail 7 in a direction parallel to a direction in which the carrier 2 extends. The carrier 2 removably mounts and holds the recording head 1 and the scanner head (scanner cartridge) 300. The carrier 2 includes a drive pulley 30 rotatably supported near one end of the guide shaft 4,
The guide shaft 4 is coupled to a portion of the belt 5 that is wrapped around an idle pulley 15 rotatably supported near the other end of the guide shaft 4. The drive pulley 30 is
Is transmitted to a driving pulley 30 via a gear train (not shown) to be driven to rotate. Therefore, by driving the carrier motor 6, the belt 5 runs along with the rotation of the driving pulley 30, and the carrier 2 reciprocates along the guide shaft 4 and the guide rail 7. The direction of movement of the carrier 2 is perpendicular to the direction of conveyance of the sheet 18 conveyed in the recording apparatus by the conveyance means described later, and the guide shaft 4 on the inner wall surface of the frame 25 which is parallel to the surface of the sheet 18. A home position sensor 16 for detecting the position of the carrier 2 by detecting the passage of the carrier 2 is attached near the end on the idle pulley 15 side. A control board (not shown) is arranged inside the frame 25, and the control board is electrically connected to the respective wiring boards provided on the recording head 1 and the scanner head 300 on the carrier 2 via the flexible cable 3. It is connected. An electric signal from the control board is transmitted to each of the recording head 1 and the scanner head 300 via the flexible cable 3.

Next, a mechanism for conveying the sheet 18 in the recording apparatus will be described. Since the recording apparatus of the present embodiment is configured integrally with the reading apparatus, the sheet 18 is a medium such as recording paper on which recording is performed by the recording head 1, and an image is read by the reading apparatus. Three types of originals and a white reference sheet used as a calibration sheet for the reading device are passed through the recording device. In the frame 25, the recording head 1 on the carrier 2
And a platen 9 facing the movement trajectory surface of the scanner head 300, and the sheet 1 is placed on the platen 9.
8 is conveyed. A sheet 18 is provided at one end of the platen 9.
A guide 32 for guiding the sheet 18 by contacting one edge of the platen 9 is provided.
A guide 33 that guides the sheet 18 by contacting the other edge of the sheet 8 is provided.

The recording apparatus of this embodiment has a frame 25
The automatic paper feeder 19 is provided outside the printer. In the automatic paper feed section 19, a plurality of sheets 18 as recording papers or originals are stacked and set. The stacked sheets 18 are separated one by one by the automatic sheet feeding unit 19 and are sequentially conveyed to the sheet feed roller 14. The paper feed roller 14 is rotatably attached to the frame 25, and the LF gear 31 is fixed to one end of the paper feed roller 14. The LF gear 31 is driven to rotate by transmitting the driving force of the paper feed motor 20 to the LF gear 31 via a gear train (not shown).

Below the paper feed roller 14, there is provided a pinch roller holder 22 which is swingably mounted on a frame 25 via a pinch roller holder 22, as shown in FIG. The pinch roller holder 22 is urged toward the paper feed roller 14 from below by a pinch roller spring 23. The sheet 18 sandwiched between the paper feed roller 14 and the pinch roller 21
The paper feed roller 14 is rotated by the drive of, so that the paper is conveyed in the direction of arrow A shown in FIGS.
The paper feed roller 16 and the pinch roller 21
In the transport direction, the recording area is arranged upstream of the recording area of the recording head 1 and the reading area of the scanner head 300 in the transport direction. Further, a discharge roller 11 for discharging the sheet 18 to the outside of the recording apparatus and a spur 8 for sandwiching the sheet 18 between the discharge roller 11 are provided downstream of the recording area and the reading area in the transport direction. A plurality of each are arranged. Driving force is transmitted to the paper discharge roller 11 from the paper feed roller 14 via a row of idle gears 29, whereby the paper discharge roller 11 rotates in synchronization with the paper feed roller 14. The paper discharge roller 11 is urged toward the spur 8 by a paper discharge roller spring 24, and the sheet 18 is sandwiched between the paper discharge roller 11 and the paper discharge roller spring 24, and with the rotation of the paper discharge roller 11. Conveyed.

A paper sensor 17 for detecting the presence or absence of the sheet 18 immediately before reaching the paper feed roller 14 in the sheet feeding path between the automatic paper feeding section 19 and the paper feed roller 14.
Is arranged. In the recording apparatus, a paper ejection sensor 10 for detecting the presence or absence of a sheet 18 near the paper ejection roller 11 is provided.
Is provided.

The function of the recording apparatus in the apparatus having the above-described configuration is as follows. The recording head 1 ejects ink downward in FIG. One line is recorded on the used sheet 18. The recording head 1 that performs such a recording operation includes a fine discharge port (orifice) that discharges a liquid such as ink, a liquid path communicating with the discharge port, and an energy action provided in a part of the liquid path. And an energy generating means for generating discharge energy to act on the liquid in the energy application section.

Examples of the energy generating means for generating such ejection energy include a means for pressurizing the ink using an electromechanical transducer such as a piezo element, and a method for irradiating the ink with an electromagnetic wave such as a laser to vibrate or generate heat. The liquid is heated and foamed by an electrothermal transducer element such as one using an electromagnetic wave mechanical transducer element or an electromagnetic wave heat transducer element that ejects droplets by the action of vibration or heat generation, or a heating element having a heating resistor or the like. And the like for discharging liquid.

Among them, a recording head using an ink jet recording method in which a liquid is discharged by thermal energy is required to have a high density of discharge ports for discharging a recording liquid to form droplets. Because it is possible, it is possible to record at high resolution. In particular, a recording head using an electrothermal transducer as an energy generation source is more compact (smaller) than one using an electromechanical transducer element.
It is easy to implement high-density mounting by utilizing the advantages of IC technology and micro-machining technology, which have been making remarkable progress in the recent semiconductor manufacturing field, and improving their reliability. Further, there is an advantage that the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

In the printing apparatus of this embodiment, when one row of printing is performed by moving the printing head 1, the sheet 18 is transported in the transport direction of the sheet 18 with the rotation of the paper feed roller 14 driven by the paper feed motor 20. That is, the paper is transported by the movement amount of one line in the direction of arrow A shown in FIG. As described above, this recording apparatus includes an automatic sheet feeding unit 1 for separating and feeding the stacked sheets 18 one by one to the recording apparatus.
9 is provided, and 1 is provided for the fed sheet 18.
Recording is performed automatically one sheet at a time.

In the vicinity of one end of the moving area of the carrier 2 in the moving direction, a cap 13 for covering the liquid ejection port of the recording head 1 is arranged. By performing a capping operation for covering the liquid ejection port of the recording head 1 with the cap 13, the liquid ejection port can be protected from drying. When the carrier 2 is at the home position, the driving force of the paper feed motor 20 is transmitted to the cap 13 via a power transmission mechanism (not shown) when the carrier 2 is at the home position. It is pressed against the liquid ejection surface. In addition, an ink suction operation of sucking ink in the recording head 1 from the ejection port through the cap 13 to clean the inside of the liquid ejection port and the nozzle of the recording head 1 is also performed at the home position. A blade 12 for wiping and cleaning the liquid ejection surface of the recording head 1 is disposed near the cap 13.
2 is moved up and down by a link mechanism (not shown).
The operation of squeezing the liquid ejection port surface of the recording head 1 with the tip of the blade 12 (wiping operation) is as follows. This is performed by moving the carrier 2 in a state where the carrier 2 is moved. In the wiping operation, foreign matter such as dust attached to the vicinity of the ejection port on the ink ejection surface is removed by the blade 12, so that the recording head 1 can always perform normal recording. Scanner head 300 on carrier 2
Is mounted, the surface of the scanner head 300 on the side of the recording head 1 is separated from the recording head 1 so that the cap 13 and the blade 12 do not contact the scanner head 300 in the capping operation and the wiping operation. It is in.

Next, a block diagram of an electric circuit in the recording apparatus of the present embodiment having the document reading apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of an electric circuit of the above-described recording apparatus.

In FIG. 3, the logic controller 50
Reference numeral 1 denotes a main control of the entire recording apparatus.
PU 502, RAM 503, ROM 504, timer 50
5 and an interface unit 506. The CPU 502 is in the form of, for example, a microcomputer that executes a certain procedure, and the RAM 503 is provided with an area for expanding text data and image data, an area for work, and the like. The ROM 504 stores programs corresponding to the procedure executed by the CPU 502 and other fixed data such as font data. The timer 505 creates an execution cycle of the CPU 502 and creates a timing necessary for a print operation by the print head 1. The interface unit 506 includes the logic controller 50
The peripheral device is electrically connected to the peripheral device 1, and signals are exchanged between the CPU 502 and the peripheral device via the interface unit 506.

The power controller 507 controls the recording operation of the recording head 1 and the reading operation of the scanner head 300.
0, scanner driver 513, motor driver 511
a, 511b, and a sensor detection unit 512. The head detection unit 508 detects the presence or absence of the recording head 1 and the scanner head 300 on the carrier 2, the type of those heads, the output value of a sensor that detects the temperature of the recording head 1, and the presence or absence of ink in the recording head 1. This is for detecting information about the recording head 1 and the scanner head 300, such as the output of a sensor to be executed. The line buffer 509 stores recording data for recording characters and images by the recording head 1. Head driver 510
Transmits a recording signal, electric power, and the like to the recording head 1. The motor driver 511a is connected to the carrier motor 6
The motor driver 511b sends a signal, electric power, and the like necessary to drive the paper feed motor 20 to the paper feed motor 20. The sensor detection unit 512 includes a home position sensor 16, a paper sensor 17, and a paper ejection sensor 1.
It detects the output of a sensor such as 0. The scanner driver 513 drives the scanner head 300 by exchanging signals with the scanner head 300 and transmitting power to the scanner head 300 when the scanner head 300 is mounted on the carrier 2. Data signals are exchanged between the head detection unit 508, the head driver 510, and the scanner driver 513, and the recording head 1 and the scanner head 300 via the flexible cable 3 commonly used between them. Will be

The printing apparatus of this embodiment has an operation unit 514 provided with a power switch and a head replacement switch for performing head replacement, and a display unit 5 for displaying the status of the printing apparatus.
15. The recording apparatus has an external interface 517 for communicating with other information processing apparatuses and receiving a recording or document reading command from a control device external to the recording apparatus. As the external interface 517, for example, a Centronics port, an RS232C port, a USB (Universal Se
rial Bus). Further, the recording device includes an external storage device 5 such as an FDD, an HDD, and a RAM card.
16 are connected.

The logic controller 501 has a power supply 51
9 is constantly supplied, and the CPU 502 monitors the state of the switch of the operation unit 514 and the input signal from the external interface 517 through the interface unit 506. Also, a power controller 507 is provided from the power supply 519.
The power supply to the switch 518 is controlled by the switch 518, and the operation of the switch 518 is controlled by the CPU 502 through the interface unit 506. The power supply 519 is supplied with power from an AC power supply (not shown) outside the recording apparatus, a battery outside or inside the recording apparatus, or the like.

In the image reading operation of the scanner head 300 in the printing apparatus of the present embodiment, first, when the scanner head 300 is mounted on the carrier 2, the CPU 50
2 reads the head recognition signal via the scanner driver 513 and recognizes the mounting of the scanner head 300 on the carrier 2. When the operation state changes to a state for performing a reading operation, that is, a so-called scanner mode, depending on the state of the recording apparatus, the automatic feeding unit 19 supplies a sheet 18 used as a read original or a white reference sheet, similarly to the above-described recording operation. The paper feed motor 20 is driven to a predetermined position in the recording apparatus, and the carrier motor 6 is driven to move the carrier 2 while the characters and images of the sheet 18 are scanned through the scanner head 300 and the scanner driver 513. Read the signal (see FIG. 3).

When the reading operation for one line by the scanner head 300 is completed, the sheet feed motor 20 conveys the sheet 18 by the moving amount for one line, and performs the reading operation for one line for the next line. Such an operation is described in sheet 18.
Until the process is completed over the entire area of. If the sheet 18 is a white reference sheet, the sheet 18 is ejected outside the printing apparatus after the calibration data of the scanner head 300 is obtained.

Next, the configuration of the scanner head 300 will be described. FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the scanner head 300 viewed from below. FIG. 4B is a view of the scanner head 300 viewed from a terminal portion provided on the scanner head 300. In FIG. 4B, a part of the scanner head 300 is shown in a cross section to show the internal configuration of the scanner head 300. Have been. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a scanner head 300 with a part thereof in section.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the scanner head 300 has its components housed in the scanner head case 300b or the wiring board 30.
5 is attached to the scanner head case 300b. The outer shape of the scanner head case 300b is substantially a cube, and the scanner head case 3
00b has three walls 300x, 300y, 300z,
It has a reading unit surface 300s at a position protruding below the wall 300y in a posture in use, and a surface on which a slit-shaped hole 300c is formed. Reading surface 300s and wall 3
00y is located at the bottom of the scanner head case 300b,
The wall 300x is positioned so as to be connected to one side of the reading unit surface 300s and the wall 300y, and the wall 30x is connected to the other side of the reading unit surface 300s and the wall 300y.
0z is located. The surface on which the slit-shaped hole 300c is formed is connected to the reading unit surface 300s and each of the walls 300x and 300z. Scanner head case 300
The upper end of b is open, and a cover 321 is attached to the upper part of the scanner head case 300b so as to cover the opening. On both side surfaces of the cover 321, there is provided a head unit attaching / detaching operation unit 300 a to which a user can put a fingertip to grip the scanner head 300 when attaching / detaching the scanner head 300 to / from the carrier 2.
The surface of the cover 321 is the upper surface 300t of the scanner head 300. Further, a square hole is formed at the center in the width direction of the reading unit surface 300s, and an end of the scanner unit 100 housed in the scanner head case 300b is fitted into the square hole in the forward direction hole. . The scanner unit 100 includes a lens, a light source, and the like, as will be described later, and is fixed to the scanner head case 300b by a coupling screw 320 that is a coupling member. When the scanner head 300 is mounted on the carrier 2, as shown in FIG. 4B, the reading unit surface 300 s and the distal end surface of the scanner unit 100, that is, the reading surface, are the It faces the surface 303.

The scanner unit 100 includes an LED (light-emitting diode) 306, a condenser lens 315 as an illumination side lens, a field lens 304 as a reading side lens, a light amount correction stop 316, a light amount control stop 317, It has an image lens 301, a stray light blocking stop 318, and an optical sensor 302. LED 306
Is for illuminating the original surface 303, and LEDs 306 of three colors of red, green, and blue are arranged in the scanner unit 100 to read a color image. LED light 3 emitted from LED 306
07 is illuminated on the document surface 303 through the LED opening 311 via the condenser lens 315. The irradiated LED light 307 is reflected by the original surface 303 to become image light 308, and the image light 308 obtained by the original surface 303 passes through the field lens 304 provided in the sensor opening 312. After that, the light passes through the light amount correction stop 316, the light amount control stop 317, the imaging lens 301, and the stray light cutoff stop 318 in this order, and the sensor 302
Imaged on top. In the present embodiment, a 256-pixel linear image sensor is used as the sensor 302.

When viewed from the optical axis direction of the image light 308, a thread-shaped hole is formed in the light amount correction aperture 316. It has the function of reducing the difference in light amount between the central part and the peripheral part.

The light amount regulating aperture 317 finally determines the total light amount. The overall light amount determined by the light amount regulating aperture 317 is determined by the relationship between the light amount of the LED 306 and the sensitivity of the sensor 302. The shape of the light amount regulating aperture 317 is
A round hole is formed so as to reduce the amount of image light 308.

The image light 308 that has passed through the imaging lens 301 passes through a stray light blocking aperture 318 before entering the sensor 302. The stray light blocking aperture 318 blocks light other than the image light 308 that enters the sensor 302 and functions to improve the quality of an image read by the sensor 302. The shape of the stray light blocking aperture 318 is such that a slit is formed in accordance with the shape of the light receiving portion of the sensor 302. Sensor 3
Numeral 02 is disposed on the optical axis of the field lens 304 at a position where a read image is formed by the lens, detects the amount of light from the field lens 304,
The detected light quantity is converted into a signal.

The above-described lens, the components for reducing the light amount, and the like are all incorporated in the same unit. A detailed description of these components will be given later.

As shown in FIG. 5, a main electric circuit board 105 electrically connected to the LED 306 and the sensor 302 is arranged in the scanner head case 300b. The LED 306 and the sensor 302 are controlled by the main electric circuit board 105. The control signal lines of the main electric circuit board 105 are drawn out of the scanner head 300 by a wiring board 305 electrically connected thereto.
A plurality of electrodes are formed on the head terminal portion 309 of the wiring board 305, and these electrodes are brought into contact with electrodes (not shown) provided on the carrier 2 by pressure contact, whereby
A signal from the main electric circuit board 105 can be guided to a control circuit on the recording body side.

The appearance of the scanner head 300 is box-shaped by attaching the cover 321 to the scanner head case 300b. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the scanner head case 300b is formed with a positioning boss 310 and a guide 314 located at the lower end of each of the walls 300x and 300z, that is, near the reading surface 300s. In addition, positioning notches 313 are formed on both sides in the width direction of the reading section surface 300s of the scanner head case 300b. When mounting the scanner head 300 on the carrier 2, a guide portion formed on the inner wall surface of the carrier 2,
By the guide part 314 guided by the guide part,
The scanner head 300 is guided into the carrier 2 at the positioning position. The scanner head 300 is moved relative to the carrier 2 with reference to the positioning boss 310 and the positioning notch 313.
The pair of pressure contact portions 319, which are parts of Ob, are mounted by engaging with the latch members 30Y of the carrier 2. When removing the scanner head 300 from the carrier 2, when the arm 30Ya of the latch member 30Y is lifted, the engagement with the press contact portion 319 is released, and the scanner head 300 can be easily removed.

Similarly to the scanner head 300, the recording head 1 is also provided with a positioning boss, a guide portion, and a positioning notch. Attached to. The recording head 1 is held on the carrier 2 by the engagement of the pressure contact portion provided on the recording head 1 with the latch member 30 </ b> X of the carrier 2. Recording head 1
When the arm 30Xa of the latch member 30X is lifted off the carrier 2, the engagement with the press contact portion of the recording head 1 is released, and the recording head 1 can be easily removed.

When the scanner head 300 is mounted on the carrier 2, the CPU 502 reads the head recognition signal of the wiring board 305 via the scanner driver 513, and enters the scanner mode depending on the situation. When a document reading signal is input from the external interface 517, the CPU 502 sends the read document to the automatic sheet feeding unit 1 in the same manner as the recording paper.
9 and the paper feed motor 20 are driven to a predetermined position in the recording apparatus, and after the LED 306 is turned on, an image signal obtained from a read document is read via the scanner driver 513 while driving the carrier motor 6. .

Here, the driving speed of the carrier motor 6 can be changed according to the original reading mode of the scanner head 300. The original reading mode is a combination of the reading resolution and the gradation of each read value. The recording apparatus has a resolution of 600 dpi (dpi:
(The number of dots per 25.4 mm), and in the sub-scanning direction, the resolution of the sensor 302 of the scanner head 300 is 600 dpi, and an output of 256 gradations can be obtained. For example, from the reading in the main scanning direction at 600 dpi and the resolution in the sub-scanning direction at 600 dpi at 256 gradations, the reading in the main scanning direction at 75 dpi and the resolution in the sub-scanning direction at 75 dpi at two gradations, or
The resolution in the main scanning direction is read as 200 dpi, and F
There is also a mode in which consistency with AX (facsimile) is considered. In a mode in which the resolution in the main scanning direction is 6000 dpi and the resolution in the sub-scanning direction is 600 dpi and the amount of data is large, such as reading of 256 gradations, it takes time to process and transfer data. ,
When reading in two gradations with a resolution in the main scanning direction of 75 dpi and a resolution in the sub-scanning direction of 75 dpi, the driving speed of the carrier 2 can be increased. In order to read a color image document, the above operation is performed using the three-color LED 306.
Is repeated three times for each color.

When the reading operation for one line is completed, the original is conveyed by the movement amount for one line by the paper feed motor 20, and the reading operation for the next line is performed. Such an operation is performed until the operation is completed over the entire original.

The standby position of the carrier 2 when the scanner head 300 is mounted on the carrier 2 does not need to be the same as the standby position when the recording head 1 is mounted. 1 for maintenance (blade 12 and cap 1
If the shape avoids 3), the standby position is moved to the recovery portion side, and the movable section caused by this is used as an idle section where the carrier 2 travels in order to increase the traveling stability of the carrier 2. May be.

The white reference sheet used in the printing apparatus of the present embodiment is a sheet having a reflection density of 0.1 or less as a reference reflectance, and the sensitivity and the amount of received light of each pixel of the sensor 302 vary. In order to correct the above, the white reference sheet is read under the same conditions as the original, and it is desired to obtain between the obtained white reference signal for each sensor and the signal when the sensor is not receiving light (black reference signal). This is a member necessary for obtaining a gradation that absorbs variation of each pixel of the sensor 302 by dividing by the number of gradations.

After the white reference sheet is fed into the recording apparatus in the same manner as the recording paper or the read original, the white reference sheet is stopped in a state like the sheet 18 shown in FIG.
After the carrier 2 on which the scanner head 300 is mounted is moved above the white reference sheet, the LED 306 is turned on to read a signal from the sensor 302, and the obtained signal is used as a reference for an image signal. After obtaining the reference value of the image signal from the white reference data, the white reference sheet is discharged from the recording apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an electric circuit of the scanner head 300. Next, the electric circuit will be described.

When the scanner head 300 is mounted on the carrier 2, the head terminal 3
09 presses against a terminal (not shown) formed at the end of the flexible cable 3 wired in the carrier 2,
The electric circuit of the scanner head 300 is electrically connected to the power controller 507 shown in FIG.

Between the electric circuit of the scanner head 300 and the power controller 507 via the scanner driver 513 on the power controller 507 side and via the I / O port 601 on the scanner head 300 side as shown in FIG. Thus, bidirectional communication of data and commands is performed.

As shown in FIG. 4, image light 308 obtained by illuminating document surface 303 with LED 306 is
It is detected as image data by a sensor 302 having photoelectric conversion characteristics. The signal detected by the sensor 302 is shown in FIG.
In the amplifier 604 shown in (1), the signal is amplified to an optimum level at the level handled by the analog / digital converter (A / D converter) 603, and then the analog / digital converter 6
03 is input. Here, the analog / digital converter 6
03 is converted into digital data by the image processing LSI 602, and is subjected to shading correction, binarization correction, and other image processing. Power controller 50 via 3
7 is transferred to the scanner driver 513.

The white reference data for each pixel obtained by reading the white reference sheet by each pixel of the sensor 302 is stored in a register in the image processing LSI 602 and used for each processing.

The vibrating body 304a shown in FIG. 6 is the first vibration generating means for vibrating the field lens 304 as will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. Have been. The vibrating body 315b is a second vibration generating unit that vibrates the condenser lens 315 as described with reference to FIG. The vibrating bodies 304a and 315b are driven by the vibrating body driver 605 to vibrate. Piezoelectric elements or the like are used as the vibrators 304a and 315b. The vibrating body driver 605 includes:
Power controller 507 via I / O port 601
Are electrically connected to each other, and a drive signal to the vibrating body driver 605 is provided from the power controller 507 to the vibrating body driver 605 when necessary.

FIG. 7 is an external view of the recording apparatus of this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 7, the recording apparatus according to the present embodiment has a case 701 in which a cover 703 is attached to a housing 707 and an assembly having the structure shown in FIG. A paper discharge port 702 for discharging the sheet 18 shown in FIG. 1 to the outside of the recording apparatus is formed on a front end surface of the housing 707. The cover 703 is
7 is attached to the upper part of the paper ejection port 702 side, and the cover 703 is opened and the recording head 1 and the scanner head 30 for the carrier 2 in the case 701 are opened.
0 is attached and detached. A power switch 7 is provided on the upper surface of the housing 707.
04 and a head exchange switch 706 are attached. The power switch 704 is connected to the operation unit 514 shown in FIG.
And the input to the power switch 704 is
502. When the power switch 704 is turned on, the CPU 502
6 by sending a signal to the switch 518 of the power supply to the power controller 507.
Turn on.

A display unit 515 for displaying the status of the document reading apparatus is provided on the upper surface of the housing 707.
A sheet feed port 705 for the sheet 18 is formed. Paper feed slot 7
The sheet 18 fed from 05 is guided to the automatic sheet feeding unit 19 shown in FIGS. Head replacement switch 70
Reference numeral 6 denotes a button which is pressed when the recording head 1 or the scanner head 300 is attached or detached to input a signal to an electric circuit of the recording apparatus. The head 300 moves to a position where it can be easily attached and detached.

Next, the scanner head 300 having the features of the present invention will be further described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, the main electric circuit board 105
Are arranged in the scanner head case 300b in parallel with the scanner unit 100, and the scanner head case 3
00b. Then, the shield plate 102
Cover the scanner unit 100 and the main electric circuit board 105 so as to cover the upper surface 30 of the components.
It is arranged on the 0t side. The coupling portion 102a, which is one end of the shield plate 102, is bent in parallel with the wall having the slit-shaped hole 300c and abutted against the wall, and the head terminal portion 309 and the scanner head case 300b are screwed to the scanner head case 300b. It is fixed with a connecting member. As the shield plate 102, a metal plate is used. The coupling member used here is electrically conductive, and the electrical ground portion of the head terminal portion 309 and the shield plate 102 are also electrically connected by the coupling member.
2 electrical ground levels are established. The actual coupling of the coupling portion 102a to the scanner head case 300b is performed after the components of the scanner head 300 have been adjusted as described later.

The joint 1 as the other end of the shield plate 102
02b is the scanner head case 300 from the wall 300y.
b, movably abuts an end surface of the rib 104 extending in a direction perpendicular to the wall 300y toward the inside of the wall 300y in a direction perpendicular to the wall having the slit-shaped hole 300c.
It is fixed to the rib 104 by a member such as a screw while absorbing variations in component dimensions. Since the shield plate 102 is fixed to the scanner head case 300b in this manner, the decrease in the strength of the wall portion due to the formation of the slit-shaped hole 300c is caused by the fact that the wall portion has the wall 300y via the shield plate 102. And the scanner head case 300b can maintain a strong box shape.

Wiring board 30 connected to head terminal section 309
5 is passed over the shield plate 102 and then bent over the side of the shield plate 102 so that the shield plate 1
02, and is connected to the main electric circuit board 105.

The cover 321 is connected to the scanner head case 3
A wall 300f or a wall 300f, which covers the components in the case from the upper opening side of
x, 300y, and 300z are closely bonded to the end faces of the walls. The cover 321 prevents light from the outside from entering the scanner unit 100 and covers the cover 321.
Cover latch 32 which is a part of
1a is the wiring board 30 in the slit-shaped hole 300c.
The cover latch 321a couples the cover 321 and the scanner head case 300b and shields the scanner unit 100 from light.

Next, the scanner unit 100 mounted on the scanner head 300 will be described. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the scanner unit 100.

The sensor 302 is mounted on the sensor board 901 shown in FIG. 8, and the sensor board 901 is connected to the main electric circuit board 105 via the sensor wiring 901a. The LED 306 in the scanner unit 100 is L
It is connected to the main electric circuit board 105 via the ED wiring 902b. The scanner unit 100 has mounting holes 903a and 903a.
03b, it is attached to the scanner head case 300b.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the portion on the field lens 304 side of the scanner unit 100 as viewed from the field lens 304 side. As shown in FIG. 9, the second barrel 1001 of the scanner unit 100 has a second lens barrel.
A passage 1004 is formed, and a concave portion 1004 a is formed on both sides of one end of the second passage 1004. Of the plurality of lenses provided in the scanner unit 100, the field lens 304 has two
04a is accommodated in one end of the second passage 1004 by being fitted. LED 306 is LED board 1
002, and is housed together with the condenser lens 315 in a concave portion 1005 separated by a wall beside the second passage 1004 in the second lens barrel 1001. The condensing lens 315 has a pair of positioning bosses provided on the LED board 10.
The position with respect to the LED substrate 1002 is determined by engaging with concave portions formed at both ends of the LED substrate 02. LED
The external dimensions of the substrate 1002 are set to be substantially the same as the size of the concave portion 1005, and the LED substrate 1002 is
The LED substrate 1002 is positioned with respect to the second lens barrel 1001 by fitting into the inside of the lens barrel 05. The field lens 304 and the condenser lens 315 are prevented from falling off from the second lens barrel 1001 by covering the holding plate 1003. In the holding plate 1003, the latch portions 1003a, 1003b, and 1003c formed at the ends thereof respectively have the concave portions 1001a, 1001b, and 100 of the second lens barrel 1001.
1c, the holding plate 1
003 is coupled to the second lens barrel 1001 and fixed. The condensing lens 315 is attached to the holding plate 1003 with the second lens barrel 100.
An LED opening 311 for exposing at one end and a sensor opening 312 for exposing the field lens 304 at an end of the second lens barrel 1001 are formed.
Thereby, the LED from the LED 306 to the document surface 303
Irradiation of light 307 is performed through LED opening 311,
The scanner unit 100 captures the image light 308 from the document surface 303 through the sensor opening 312.

Between one end of the field lens 304 and the inner wall surface of the concave portion 1004a into which the end is fitted,
The vibrating body 30 is provided between the other end of the field lens 304 and the inner wall surface of the recess 1004a into which the end is fitted.
4a is installed in close contact with its inner wall surface and the field lens 304. The vibrating body wiring 304b extending from the two vibrating bodies 304a has its ends connected to the main electric circuit board 105, and transmits a driving signal of the vibrating body 304a from the main electric circuit board 105 to the vibrating body 304a. In addition, LED
A vibrating body 315b is mounted on the substrate 1002, and by incorporating the condensing lens 315 on the LED substrate 1002, the vibrating body 315b is in close contact with the condensing lens 315 and the second lens barrel 1001. Will be installed. The vibrating body 315b is electrically connected to the LED board 1002, and the driving signal of the vibrating body 315b is
And the main electric circuit board 105 through the LED wiring 902b.
To the vibrating body 304a. Therefore, the vibrating body 3
The wiring of 15b is shared with the LED 306.

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the scanner unit 100 as viewed from the sensor substrate 901 side. The optical axis described below is an axis coinciding with the cylindrical center line of the second passage 1004, and the optical axis direction is indicated by an arrow Z shown in FIG.
Direction.

As shown in FIG. 10, the sensor 302 is mounted on a sensor substrate 901, and the sensor substrate 901 is mounted on a sensor holding plate 1103. The sensor holding plate 1103 is provided with a stray light cut-off stop 318 by forming a slit. When the sensor substrate 901 is mounted on the sensor holding plate 1103, the light receiving portion 302a of the sensor 302 is turned off in the optical axis direction. The position of the sensor substrate 901 is adjusted and attached so as to overlap the slit 318.

The sensor holding plate 1103 is provided with the stray light blocking aperture 3
When later assembled into the second lens barrel 1001 such that the center of 18 is substantially coincident with the center line of the cylindrical shape of the second passage 1004, it rotates about the optical axis with respect to the cylindrical portion of the second passage 1004. Fit as much as possible. The sensor holding plate 1103 is
In order to make it possible to adjust the rotation angle of the scanner unit 100 with respect to the second lens barrel 1001 in the rotation direction about the optical axis, an arc-shaped long hole 1 of the sensor holding plate 1103 is used.
Temporarily coupled to the sensor distance adjusting cylinder 1102 via 103a. The reason why the mounting hole of the sensor holding plate 1103 is the elongated hole 1103a is that the sensor distance adjusting cylinder 11
This is to provide an adjustment margin when adjusting the rotation angle of the sensor holding plate 1103 with respect to 02.

An imaging lens 301 is provided at an end of the first passage 1101 in the first lens barrel 1105 on the sensor 302 side.
Is provided, and a light amount regulating aperture 317 is provided in the middle of the first passage 1101. Further, the first passage 110
In 1, a light amount correction aperture 316 is disposed at a portion opposite to the imaging lens 301 side. Light intensity correction aperture 31
6 is formed with a pin-shaped hole extending from the center to the edge of the light amount correction aperture 316 while gradually widening when viewed from the optical axis direction of the first lens barrel 1105. The light-amount correction aperture 316 functions to reduce the light flux at the center of the light-amount correction aperture 316 through the thread-shaped hole, and to allow the light flux at the peripheral portion to pass through as it is, thereby reducing the light quantity difference between the central portion and the peripheral portion. Therefore, the light-amount correction aperture 316 has a positioning recess 316a that engages with the projection formed on the inner wall surface of the first passage 1101.
The positioning concave portion 316a engages with the convex portion on the inner wall surface of the first passage 1101 such that the longitudinal axis of the thread-shaped hole in FIG.

Here, the light amount correction aperture 316 is the first lens barrel 1
There is no problem even if it is integrally formed with the 105. The first lens barrel 1105 has an anti-rotation plate 1101b on its outer surface, and the anti-rotation slit 1001i into which the anti-rotation plate 1101b is inserted is on the sensor 302 side of the second passage 1004 in the second lens barrel 1001. It is formed in a cylindrical part for providing a part. The first lens barrel 1105 moves only in the optical axis direction by inserting the first lens barrel 1105 into the second passage 1004 of the second lens barrel 1001 by inserting the rotation stopper plate 1101b into the rotation stopper slit 1001i. It is stored in the second lens barrel 1001 as possible. A long hole 1105a extending in the optical axis direction is formed in the rotation stop plate 1101b, and a stop hole 1001f communicating with the long hole 1105a when the first lens barrel 1105 is stored in the second passage 1004.
Are formed in a plate-like portion extending from the outer surface of the cylindrical outer wall portion 1001j. The first lens barrel 1105 is connected to the second lens barrel 10.
No. 01 is fixed to the second lens barrel 1001 by a coupling member such as a screw passed through the stop hole 1001f and the long hole 1105a. An adjustment hole 1105b is formed on the outer surface of the first lens barrel 1105, and the adjustment hole 110 in the cylindrical outer wall portion 1001j is formed.
A relief hole 1001 is provided in the portion corresponding to 5b and its peripheral portion.
d is formed. As a result, the first lens barrel 1105 in the second passage 1004 can be read from outside the second lens barrel 1001.
It is configured to be able to contact the adjustment hole 1105b through the escape hole 1001d. A jig is attached to the adjustment hole 1105b through the relief hole 1001d, and the first lens barrel 1105 is moved in the optical axis direction by the jig to adjust the position of the first lens barrel 1105 in the optical axis direction. This adjustment corresponds to the adjustment in the direction of arrow a in FIG. 13 described in the related art.

The sensor distance adjusting barrel 1102 is the second barrel 1
001 is fitted to the outer surface of the cylindrical outer wall portion 1001j so as to be movable in the optical axis direction and rotatable about the optical axis. At this time, the sensor holding plate 1103 is fitted to the cylindrical portion of the second passage 1004 so as to be movable in the optical axis direction and rotatable about the optical axis.

Sensor 302 of sensor distance adjusting cylinder 1102
A step rib 1102a is formed on the end opposite to the side and the outer surface of the sensor distance adjusting cylinder 1102, and the upper end of the sensor distance adjusting cylinder 1102 is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis from the outer surface. An adjusting arm 1102c extending in the direction is formed. On the other hand, on the second lens barrel 1001, a connecting column 1001 h to which a step rib 1102 a on the outer surface of the sensor distance adjusting cylinder 1102 is attached, and an adjusting rib 1010 at which the step rib 1102 a at the end of the sensor distance adjusting cylinder 1102 comes into contact.
01e and a coupling plate 1001k to which the tip of the adjusting arm 1102c is attached.

A plurality of steps are provided on the distal end surfaces of each step rib 1102a and the coupling plate 1001k such that the position in the optical axis direction differs by a fixed amount at every fixed angle in the circumferential direction around the optical axis. I have. In the present embodiment, each step rib 1102a and the coupling plate 1001k are provided with five steps whose positions in the optical axis direction are different by 0.15 mm every 7.5 degrees. Each step of the coupling plate 1001k has a step mounting hole 1001g for mounting the adjusting arm 1102c there. When the sensor distance adjusting cylinder 1102 is incorporated into the second lens barrel 1001, any one of the five steps on the step rib 1102a contacts the coupling column 1001h or the adjusting rib 1001e, and the five steps on the coupling plate 1001k. The adjustment arm 1102c comes into contact with any of the steps, and all of those parts come into contact with each other. Therefore, when the sensor distance adjustment cylinder 1102 is rotated by 7.5 degrees about the optical axis with respect to the second lens barrel 1001 from this state, the sensor distance adjustment cylinder 1102 is moved 0.1 mm with respect to the second lens barrel 1001. It moves by 15 mm in parallel with the optical axis direction. Since the sensor holding plate 1103 on which the sensor 302 is mounted is connected to the sensor distance adjusting cylinder 1102, the sensor 302 moves in the optical axis direction in conjunction with the sensor distance adjusting cylinder 1102.

The adjustment of the position of the sensor 302 in the optical axis direction by the movement of the sensor distance adjusting cylinder 1102 can be performed independently of the adjustment of the first lens barrel 1105 in the optical axis direction. FIG. 13 shows the adjustment of the sensor 302 in the optical axis direction.
In the direction of the arrow b. After adjusting the position of the sensor distance adjusting cylinder 1102, when the position is determined,
Step rib 110 on the outer surface of sensor distance adjusting cylinder 1102
A long hole 1102b formed in the adjusting arm 1102c, and a connecting member passed through a screw or the like into a long hole formed in the 2a and a mounting hole formed in the distal end surface of the connecting column 1001h;
A coupling member such as a screw is passed through one of the step mounting holes 1001g of the coupling plate 1001k, and the sensor distance adjusting cylinder 1102 is fixed to the second lens barrel 1001 by the coupling members. The long hole formed in the step rib 1102a on the outer surface of the sensor distance adjusting cylinder 1102 is provided in an arc shape over the entire five steps of the step rib 1102a.

As described above, the scanner unit 1
00, the first lens barrel 1105 can be moved and adjusted in the optical axis direction with respect to the second lens barrel 1001, and the sensor 302 can be rotated around the optical axis by the sensor holding plate 1103, and the sensor The movement can be adjusted in the optical axis direction by the distance adjusting cylinder 1102.

FIG. 8 shows a state where the scanner unit 100 is assembled. The scanner unit 100 is assembled in the scanner head case 300b, and the scanner unit 100 is fixed to the scanner head case 300b with the connecting screws 320 as shown in FIG. Next, the main electric circuit board 105 is assembled into the scanner head case 300b.

FIG. 11 shows the scanner head case 300b.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view for describing focus adjustment of the scanner head 300 in a state where the scanner head case 300b and the main electric circuit board 105 are incorporated therein. FIG.
The original surface 303 of the original placed at a reference position separated by a predetermined distance from the reading unit surface 300s in the state shown in FIG.
, The focus of the scanner unit 100 is adjusted. In this focus adjustment, the scanner head case 300b is set on a jig (not shown) provided with a connector to the head terminal unit 309 for supplying a test pattern, a signal, and power to the scanner unit 100, and FIG. As shown, the head terminal portion 3 of the scanner head case 300b
Adjustment holes 1201, 12 formed in the portion corresponding to
02, the jig is inserted into the first lens barrel 11 from the direction of arrow a.
The focus adjustment (adjustment in the direction of the arrow a in FIG. 13) is performed by the adjustment hole 1105b of FIG.
At 5, the first lens barrel 1105 is fixed to the second lens barrel 1001.

Next, a jig is inserted into the scanner head case 300b from the direction of the arrow b shown in FIG. 11, and the sensor holding plate 1103 is rotated with respect to the sensor distance adjusting cylinder 1102 by the jig. Sensor holding plate 11
By adjusting the angle of 03, the inclination of the sensor 302 with respect to the optical axis (corresponding to the angle θ shown in FIG. 13)
Is adjusted, and the sensor holding plate 1103 is fixed to the sensor distance adjusting cylinder 1102 with the coupling screw 906a shown in FIG.
At this time, the shape of the main electric circuit board 105 is such that it does not hinder the adjustment.

In this adjustment, there are cases where the focus cannot be adjusted due to variations in the dimensions of the parts. At this time, the coupling screw 906b is loosened, and the sensor distance adjusting cylinder 1102 is rotated by a necessary angle to adjust the distance between the sensor 302 and the field lens 304. As described above, in the case of the present embodiment, the position of the sensor 302 in the optical axis direction is set to 0.15 mm by rotating the sensor distance adjusting cylinder 1102 by 7.5 degrees.
You can add or subtract from them. The sensor holding plate 1103 connected to the sensor distance adjusting cylinder 1102 also rotates together, but if the connecting screw 906a is loosened, the long hole 110
Only the coupling screw 906a is rotated along 3a, the jig is inserted again in the direction of arrow b to adjust the rotation of the sensor holding plate 1103, and the inclination of the sensor with respect to the optical axis (θ in FIG. 13) may be adjusted.

In the recording apparatus of the present embodiment, the recording head 1
And the scanner head 300 can be simultaneously mounted on the carrier 2, and the scanner head 300 is arranged in the same space as the recording head 1 in the recording apparatus main body. As an advantage, it is possible to operate while switching between recording and reading of an image in a short time. That is, the state of the image recorded by the recording head 1 is read by the scanner head 300, and information obtained by the reading operation can be fed back to the next recording operation. As an actual example, application to recording up to the end of irregular recording paper, recording in which the color balance is changed depending on paper quality, and the like can be considered. In order to realize this, immediately after the recording operation by the recording head 1, the scanning operation must be performed by the scanner head 300 passing through the space where the ink mist caused by the recording operation is drifting. At this time, the vibrating bodies 304a and 315b disposed in close contact with the field lens 304 and the condenser lens 315 vibrate by sending their drive signals as necessary, thereby causing the field lens 304 and the condenser lens 315 to vibrate. Vibrates to generate turbulence around those lenses, preventing ink mist from approaching the field lens 304 and the condenser lens 315. The ink mist approaching the field lens 304 and the condenser lens 315 is blown off by the vibration of those lenses, and
4 and the condenser 315 are prevented from adhering ink mist.

The original surface 30 is irradiated with light emitted from the LED 306.
The function performed by the condenser lens 315, such as illuminating 3, is
In order to illuminate the light by making the range illuminated by the condensing lens 315 somewhat wide to the periphery of the reading range, even if vibration is applied to the condensing lens 315 by the vibrating body 315b, the image reading operation is hardly affected. The optical axis of the field lens 304 must not be shifted from the optical axes of the imaging lens 301 and the sensor 302.

Next, a mechanism for this will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 12 shows that the optical axis of the imaging lens 301 and the sensor 3
FIG. 3 is a detailed diagram for describing a mechanism for preventing deviation from the optical axis of No. 02. FIG. 12A shows the second lens barrel 10.
FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of the field lens 304 attached to the device 01 through a vibrating body 304a and its vicinity.
(B) shows a case where the vibrating body 304a is vibrated,
FIG. 12C is an enlarged view showing a state in which the vibrating body 304a is contracted.

The field lens 304 is fixed to the inner wall surface of the second lens barrel 1001 via a pair of vibrators 304a attached to both ends. A pair of vibrators are provided between the field lens 304 and the inner wall surface of the second lens barrel 1001, except between the surface of the field lens 304 in contact with the vibrator 304a and the inner wall surface of the second lens barrel 1001. A slight gap slightly larger than the amplitude of the field lens 304 due to 304a is provided. This gap may be filled with a soft substance that does not restrict the vibration of the field lens 304, such as soft rubber.

In the present embodiment, as described above, the sensor 3
Since 02 is a linear image sensor, the field lens 304 may be a rectangle elongated in the direction in which the pixels of the sensor 302 are arranged, and the field lens 304 has such a shape. The vibrating bodies 304 a are installed at both end surfaces on the long side of the field lens 304, that is, at two places, at the same distance from the optical axis 304 c of the field lens 304. As shown in FIG. 12, when the distance from the optical axis 304c to the center of one vibrating body 304a is b, and the distance from the optical axis 304c to the center of one vibrating body 304a is c, the relationship of b = c is obtained. It is made up.

At the end of the side end face on one long side of the field lens 304, an attachment surface 304d to which one vibrating body 304a is attached is formed. A mounting surface 304d to which the other vibrating body 304a is mounted is formed at an end located on the side opposite to the one vibrating body 304a. The two mounting surfaces 304d are connected to the optical axis 30.
4c are arranged in the same plane through which they pass. This allows
Field lens 3 driven by a pair of vibrators 304a
The amplitude direction of the vibration of the optical lens 304 is the rotation direction about the optical axis 304c, that is, the field lens 304 is
It is a direction that rotates in both directions about c. 2
The amplitudes of the two vibrators 304a are set to be substantially the same.

When the two vibrating members 304a are respectively vibrated, as shown in FIG.
4a are deformed in a direction in which both extend, the field lens 304 moves around its optical axis 304c as shown in FIG.
It moves so as to rotate in the direction opposite to the clockwise direction on the paper of FIG. Conversely, when the two vibrating bodies 304a are both deformed in the contracting direction as shown in FIG. 12C, the field lens 304 moves around its optical axis 304c in the plane of FIG. 12C. Move to rotate clockwise. If the two vibrators 304a perform the expansion and contraction motion at high speed, the field lens 304 is rotated and vibrated at high speed, and the adhesion of ink mist to the field lens 304 can be prevented. At this time, since the rotation center of the field lens 304 is the optical axis 304c of the lens, the field lens 304
02 has no effect on performance. Therefore, even while the scanner head 300 is reading, the vibrating body 304a
By vibrating the field lens 304, adhesion of ink mist to the field lens 304 can be prevented. As a result, the influence of the ink mist generated in the recording operation of the recording head 1 on the reading operation of the scanner head 300 is eliminated.

As described above, in the recording apparatus of the present embodiment, the recording head 1 and the scanner head 300 are located in the same space in the main body of the recording apparatus.
A vibrating body for vibrating optical components such as a lens constituting the 00 is provided in the scanner head 300. Accordingly, even if the ink is ejected into the space as extremely small droplets by the recording operation of the recording head 1 and fog (mist) of the ink is generated, turbulence is generated around the component by vibration of the optical component. The generation can prevent a minute ink droplet from approaching the optical component. Further, the minute ink droplet approaching the optical component is repelled by the vibration of the optical component, thereby preventing the droplet from adhering to the optical component. As a result, the influence of the minute ink droplets generated by the recording operation of the recording head 1 on the reading operation of the scanner head 300 is eliminated, and the operation of frequently wiping the ink droplets adhered to the optical components becomes unnecessary. Since it is not necessary to frequently wipe an optical component such as a lens, it is possible to prevent the optical component from being accidentally scratched.

The amplitude direction of the vibration of the field lens 304 caused by the vibrating body 304a is
By rotating the field lens 304 even during the operation of reading the image of the original by the scanner head 300, it is possible to prevent the ink droplets from adhering to the lens during rotation of the scanner head 300. Therefore, even when an image of a document is read by the scanner head 300 immediately after the recording operation of the recording head 1, the field lens 304 is vibrated during the reading operation to prevent the image reading quality of the scanner head 300 from deteriorating. It becomes possible.

[0107]

As described above, the present invention relates to a recording apparatus in which a recording head for performing recording by discharging liquid and image reading means for reading an image of a document are located in the same space in the recording apparatus main body. The provision of the vibration generating means for vibrating the optical components such as the lens constituting the image reading means prevents the droplets from adhering to the optical components, and frequently wipes the droplets adhered to the optical components. There is an effect that it becomes unnecessary.

Further, since the amplitude direction of the vibration of the optical component by the vibration generating means is the rotation direction about the optical axis of the optical component, the optical component vibrates even during the operation of reading the image of the original by the image reading means. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the droplets from adhering to the optical components, so that it is possible to prevent deterioration of the image reading quality of the image reading means in the reading operation immediately after the recording operation by the recording head.

Further, in the recording apparatus of the present invention, the image reading means may include a light source, an illumination-side lens for irradiating the light from the light source to the document, and light from the document incident on the image reading means. First vibration generating means for vibrating the reading-side lens when having a reading-side lens for forming an image as a reading image and an optical sensor for detecting the amount of light from the reading lens; By having the second vibration generating means for vibrating the lens, the reading and illumination-side lenses are vibrated by the first and second vibration generating means, so that the droplet generated by the recording operation by the recording head Is prevented from adhering to those lenses, so that the operation of frequently wiping the droplets adhering to the reading side and the illumination side lenses is not required. Further, since the amplitude direction of the vibration of the reading-side lens by the first vibration generating means is the rotation direction about the optical axis of the reading-side lens, the reading side lens can be read even during the operation of reading the image of the original by the image reading means. By vibrating the lens, it is possible to prevent droplets from adhering to the reading-side lens, so that it is possible to prevent deterioration of the image reading quality of the image reading unit in the reading operation immediately after the recording operation by the recording head. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an internal configuration of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the recording apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of an electric circuit of the recording apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a scanner head detachably mounted on the recording apparatus shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from below. (B) is a view of the scanner head as viewed from a terminal portion provided on the scanner head.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a scanner head with a part thereof in section.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an electric circuit of the scanner head.

FIG. 7 is an external view of a recording apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a scanner unit mounted on the scanner head.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the scanner unit on the field lens side as viewed from the field lens side.

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the scanner unit viewed from a sensor substrate side.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view for explaining focus adjustment of the scanner head in a state where the scanner head case and the main electric circuit board are incorporated in the scanner head case.

FIG. 12 is a detailed diagram for explaining a mechanism for preventing the optical axis of the field lens from being shifted from the optical axis of the imaging lens or the sensor even when vibration is applied to the field lens.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view schematically showing a configuration of a band scan type scanner as a configuration of a conventional general reading apparatus.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a recording apparatus in which a scanner head is mounted together with the recording head.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a conventional scanner head mounted on the recording apparatus shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Recording head 2 Carrier 3 Flexible cable 4 Guide shaft 5 Belt 6 Carrier motor 7 Guide rail 8 Spur 9 Platen 10 Discharge sensor 11 Discharge roller 12 Blade 13 Cap 14 Paper feed roller 15 Idle pulley 16 Home position sensor 17 Paper sensor 18 Sheet 19 Automatic paper feeder 20 Paper feed motor 21 Pinch roller 22 Pinch roller holder 23 Pinch roller spring 24 Discharge roller spring 25 Frame 29 Idle gear 30 Drive pulley 30X, 30Y Latch member 30Xa, 30Ya Arm 31 LF gear 32, 33 Guide 100 Scanner unit 102 Shield plates 102a, 102b Coupling portion 104 Rib 105 Main electric circuit board 300 Scanner head 300a Head mounting / removing operation unit 300b Scanner head case 300c Slit shape hole 300f, 300x, 300y, 300z Wall 300s Reading unit surface 300t Top surface 301 Imaging lens 302 Sensor 302a Light receiving unit 303 Document surface 304 Field lens 304a Oscillator 304b Oscillator wiring 304c Optical axis 304d Mounting surface 305 Wiring board 306 LED 307 LED light 308 Image light 309 Head terminal section 310 Positioning boss 311 LED opening 312 Sensor opening 313 Positioning cutout 314 Guide section 315 Condensing lens 315b Vibrating body 316 Light amount correction aperture 316a Positioning recess 317 Light intensity Restriction aperture 318 Focus adjustment member 319 Press-contact part 320 Coupling screw 321 Cover 321a Cover latch 501 Logic controller 502C U 503 RAM 504 ROM 505 Timer 506 Interface unit 507 Power controller 508 Head detection unit 509 Line buffer 510 Head driver 511 Motor driver 511a, 511b Motor driver 512 Sensor detection unit 513 Scanner driver 514 Operation unit 515 Display unit 516 External storage device 517 External Interface 518 Switch 519 Power supply 601 I / O port 602 Image processing LSI 603 A / D converter 604 Amplifier 605 Driver driver 701 Case 702 Paper discharge port 703 Cover 704 Power switch 705 Paper feed port 706 Head exchange switch 707 Housing 901 Sensor Substrate 901a Sensor wiring 902b LED wiring 903a Mounting hole 905 Coupling screw 906a, 906b Mating screw 1001 Second lens barrel 1001a, 1001b, 1001c Recess 1001d Relief hole 1001e Adjust rib 1001f Stop hole 1001g Step mounting hole 1001h Connection column 1001i Slit rotation stop 1001j Cylindrical outer wall 1001k Connection plate 1002b LED plate 1003b , 1003c Latch portion 1004 Second passage 1004a, 1005 Concave portion 1101 First passage 1101b Rotation stop plate 1102 Sensor distance adjusting cylinder 1102a Step rib 1102b Slot 1102c Adjusting arm 1103 Sensor holding plate 1103a Slot 1105 First lens barrel 1105a Slot 1105b Adjustment hole 1201, 1202 Adjustment hole

Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2C055 EE02 2C056 EA16 EB26 FA03 FA10 HA29 HA58 JB18 5B047 AA01 AB04 BA01 BB02 BC05 BC11 CA17 CB17 5C051 AA03 BA04 CA04 DA03 DB22 DB29 DB31 DC07 DE09 DE26 EA01 5C072 A01 DA05 BA03 DA05 MA01 NA01 QA11 XA04

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A recording head for recording on a recording medium by ejecting a liquid toward the recording medium, and an optical component located in the same space as the recording head in a recording apparatus main body, and an image of a document is provided. A recording apparatus comprising: an image reading unit for reading; and a vibration generating unit for vibrating the optical component of the image reading unit. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the amplitude direction of the vibration of the optical component by the vibration generating means is a rotation direction about the optical axis of the optical component. 3. A recording head that performs recording on a recording medium by discharging a liquid toward the recording medium, and an image reading unit that is located in the same space as the recording head in a recording apparatus main body and reads an image of a document. A light source for emitting light for illuminating the original, an illumination-side lens for irradiating the original with light from the light source, and an illumination-side lens for the original by the illumination-side lens. A reading-side lens configured to form an image of the document as a read image by the light that has passed through the light reflected by the document among the irradiated light, and the reading on the optical axis of the reading-side lens; An optical sensor disposed at a position where the read image is formed by the side lens, detecting an amount of light from the reading lens, and converting the detected amount of light into a signal. First vibration generating means for vibrating the side lens such that the amplitude direction of the vibration is in a rotational direction about the optical axis of the reading side lens, and second vibration generating means for vibrating the illumination side lens; A recording device comprising: 4. The recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the optical sensor is formed by integrating a plurality of light receiving pixels. 5. The recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a light source of said image reading means is a light emitting diode. 6. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a holding unit that detachably mounts the image reading unit and holds the image reading unit in the recording device. 7. A rotatable roller for transporting the recording medium or the original, a frame rotatably mounted to support the roller, and a frame substantially parallel to the roller. An attached shaft and, by being guided by the shaft, move on the recording medium or the document conveyed with the rotation of the roller, mount the recording head, and detach the image reading unit. The recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a carrier that is mounted so as to be capable of being mounted.