JP2003291431A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer performing printing on a print media being carried between a print head section and a platen while moving the print head section in the main scanning direction wherein warped end of the print media in the widthwise direction is prevented from touching a print head and the print media can be printed over the entire region thereof. <P>SOLUTION: A means for supplying air to the end of a print media on a platen is provided and the print media is pressed against the platen by the pneumatic pressure of air being supplied from the air supplying means thus preventing the end of the print media from warping. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer that prints while a print head reciprocates.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a printer, a shaft and a rail are installed parallel to a platen, a carriage is installed on the shaft and the rail, and a reciprocating operation is performed along the shaft and the rail in a main scanning direction. A print medium is conveyed on the platen. A print head is attached to the carriage, and a print surface of the print head is attached so as to face a recording surface of the platen. Also,
A plurality of suction holes are formed in the platen, and the print medium on the platen is brought into close contact with the platen by a suction operation. The print head installed on the carriage prints on the print medium on the platen while reciprocating in the main scanning direction.

If the end of the print medium is turned over in the serial printer, the turn-up may come into contact with the print head, and the end of the print medium may be soiled or the print head may be damaged. In order to prevent this, conventionally, measures have been taken in which plate-shaped paper pressing members are provided at both ends in the width direction of the print medium.

[0004]

When plate-shaped paper pressers are installed at both ends in the width direction of the printing medium as in the conventional case,
Printing cannot be performed on the portion where the paper presser presses and covers the print medium.

An object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism capable of performing printing on the entire area of the print medium while suppressing the curling of the end of the print medium in the width direction.

[0006]

The features of the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned object are to provide a blowing means for blowing air to the end of the printing medium on the platen, and to obtain the printing medium by the air pressure of the blowing air from the blowing means. It is to suppress the curling of the edges.

With such a structure, unlike the conventional plate-shaped paper retainer, the mechanism for covering the end of the print medium is eliminated, and printing can be performed on the entire area of the print medium.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.
3 to FIG. 3 will be described.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a method of installing a blower unit of a printer including the components of the present invention. The print medium 105 is conveyed on the platen 104. A carriage 102 is installed so as to be movable in the main scanning direction along a carriage guide rail A101, and a print head A103 is attached to the carriage 102 such that a print surface thereof faces the platen 104. A blower fan guide rail 109 is provided above the platen 104 in parallel with the carriage guide rail A, and a blower fan A107 is installed so as to be movable along the blower fan guide rail. A cylinder for guiding the air blow toward the platen is installed in the air blow direction from the air blow fan A107, and the air blow port A108 at the tip of the tube is installed at the print head A1.
The structure is such that it faces the print medium A 105 on the path through which 03 passes. The blower fan A107 is manually or automatically moved along the blower fan guide rail 109 according to the width of the print medium A105 so that the blower port A108 is always located at the end of the print medium A105 in the width direction. Adjusted to. The blower fan A
107 is 1 at both ends in the width direction of the print medium A 105.
Installed one by one.

Printing is performed while the print head A103 reciprocates in the main scanning direction several millimeters above the print medium A105. Even if the edge A106 of the print medium A105 is turned up, the print medium A105
Is transported on the platen A 104, and the blower port A
When the print medium A105 is under the 108, the blower fan A107 is constantly driven to continuously blow air to the end portion of the print medium A105, whereby the flip-up A106 is pressed against the platen A, It is possible to avoid the flipping A106 coming into contact with the print head A103. Further, it is possible to print up to the end of the print medium A105.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another example of the installation method of the air blowing means of the printer including the constituent elements of the present invention. The print medium B205 is conveyed on the platen B204.
Carriage B along the carriage guide rail B201
A print head B203 is attached to the carriage B202 such that its print surface faces the platen B204. One blower fan B207 is installed in front of and behind the print head B203 in the main scanning direction. A tube that guides the air toward the platen is installed in the air blowing direction from each of the air blowing fans B207, and the air outlet B at the tip of the tube is installed.
208 to the platen B20 of the print head B203
It is installed at a position higher than the height of 4.

The operation of the configuration example of FIG. 2 will be described with reference to the front views of FIGS. 3a to 3c. In the case where the print head B203 is on the print medium B205 and is not at the end in the width direction as shown in FIG. 3A, the blower fan B207 may or may not be driven.
In the case of FIG. 3B in which the print head B203 has moved in the main scanning direction and has come close to the edge of the print medium B205, the print head B203 keeps the turn-up B206 as it is.
Will come into contact with. At this point, the blower fan B207
By driving the fan to blow air toward the curled B206 from above, the curled B206 is pressed against the platen as shown in FIG. 3C, and the print head B203 does not contact the curled B206 and the print medium B2
It is possible to pass through the edge 05 and print up to the edge.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be variously modified as necessary.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to print on the entire area up to the edge of the print medium while preventing the edge of the print medium from being turned over.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an installation example of a blowing unit of a printer of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing another installation example of the air blowing unit of the printer of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a blowing operation of the printer of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 Carriage guide rail A 102 Carriage A 103 print head A 104 Platen A 105 Print media A 106 Turn A 107 Blower fan A 108 Blower A 109 Blower fan guide rail 201 Carriage guide rail B 202 Carriage B 203 print head B 204 Platen B 205 print media B 206 Turn B 207 Blower fan B 208 Blower B

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A printer, which conveys a print medium between a print head and a platen, and prints while the print head moves in a main scanning direction, in which air is blown to an end of the print medium on the platen. A printer having means for suppressing the curling of the end of the print medium by the air pressure of the air blown from the air blower. 2. The blower means is movably provided along a fan guide rail provided in parallel with a carriage guide rail provided so that the print head is movable in the main scanning direction. Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned.
The printer described in. 3. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the blower unit is provided so as to be united with the print head, and is provided so as to be movable in the main scanning direction together with the print head.