JP2005298143A - Platen and liquid injection device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To restrain irregularly waving of an article to be recorded to a liquid injection head. <P>SOLUTION: The platen arranged to confront the liquid injection head for injecting liquid to the article to be recorded by reciprocating against the article to be recorded is provided with a guide front member of sheet metal having a plurality of ribs arranged in parallel along the direction to which the liquid injection head reciprocates and supporting the article to be recorded, and guiding the article to be recorded to the position confronting the liquid injection head; and a guide auxiliary member made of resin having an auxiliary rib arranged between the plurality of ribs of the guide front member along the direction to which the liquid injection head reciprocates so as to be parallel to the plurality of the ribs and supporting the article to be recorded, and arranged on the opposite side of the liquid injection head in the guide front member. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a platen and a liquid ejecting apparatus. In particular, the present invention relates to a platen that supports a recording material and a liquid ejecting apparatus having the platen.

An ink jet recording apparatus as an example of a liquid ejecting apparatus includes a platen that guides a recording object on which recording is performed below a recording head and supports the recording object from below. A configuration is known in which a plurality of ribs each extending along the recording material conveyance direction are provided on the platen in parallel with the recording head moving direction (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The ink jet recording apparatus supports the recording material from below with the ribs, thereby periodically undulating the recording material to make the gap to the recording head uniform.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-291430 (FIG. 3)

  In the platen of the ink jet recording apparatus, it is preferable that the number of ribs is larger in order to make the gap of the recording material with respect to the recording head uniform. On the other hand, since the recording material slides on the rib, it is desirable that the platen having the rib is formed of a sheet metal from the viewpoint of durability against wear. However, when the ribs are formed by drawing a sheet metal, adjacent ribs are pulled together, so that it is difficult to provide a large number of ribs with the same height at narrow intervals.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, in the first embodiment of the present invention, a liquid ejecting apparatus, which is a liquid ejecting head that ejects liquid onto a recording material by reciprocating the recording material, A pre-guide member made of sheet metal that has a plurality of ribs that are provided in parallel in a direction in which the liquid ejecting head reciprocates and supports the recording material, and that guides the recording material to a position facing the liquid ejecting head; An auxiliary rib that is provided in parallel with the plurality of ribs between the plurality of ribs of the pre-guide member in the direction in which the liquid ejecting head reciprocates is provided to support the recording material. And a resin guide auxiliary member disposed on the side. Since the ribs and the auxiliary ribs provide many ribs in the reciprocating direction of the liquid ejecting head, the recording medium can be supported at multiple points when the recording medium is conveyed. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress the recording material from irregularly undulating toward the liquid ejecting head.

  In the liquid ejecting apparatus, the height of the plurality of ribs of the pre-guide member to the liquid ejecting head may be higher than the height of the auxiliary rib of the guide assisting member to the liquid ejecting head. Thus, the height of the recording material relative to the liquid jet head is determined by the rib of the pre-guide member made of hard sheet metal, and the auxiliary rib of the soft resin guide auxiliary member supports the recording material below the recording rib. Therefore, the recording material can be held at a desired height with respect to the liquid ejecting head while preventing the auxiliary ribs from being worn.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a platen disposed opposite to a liquid ejecting head that ejects liquid onto a recording material by reciprocating the recording material, wherein the liquid ejecting head reciprocates. The liquid ejecting head reciprocates with a sheet metal pre-guide member that has a plurality of ribs that are provided in parallel in the moving direction and support the recording material, and that guides the recording material to a position facing the liquid ejecting head. An auxiliary rib that is provided in parallel with the plurality of ribs between the plurality of ribs of the pre-guide member in the moving direction and supports the recording material, and is disposed on the opposite side of the liquid jet head in the pre-guide member. And a resin guide auxiliary member. Thereby, the effect similar to the 1st form can be acquired.

  The above summary of the invention does not enumerate all the necessary features of the present invention, and sub-combinations of these feature groups can also be the invention.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the invention. However, the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the scope of claims, and all combinations of features described in the embodiments are included. It is not necessarily essential for the solution of the invention.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ink jet recording apparatus 10 which is an example of a liquid ejecting apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of the ink jet recording apparatus 10 of FIG. 1 along the direction in which the recording material 20 is conveyed. FIG. 1 shows a state where the cover covering the ink jet recording apparatus 10 is removed.

  As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the ink jet recording apparatus 10 holds a recording material 20 and feeds the recording material 20 upward, and is disposed above the feeding device 100. 20, a recording unit 200 that performs recording, a platen 300 that faces the recording unit 200, supports the recording material 20, and is disposed between the platen 300 and the feeding unit 100. Are conveyed from the feeding unit 100 to the platen 300, and a discharge unit 500 that is disposed above the platen 300 and discharges the recording material 20 on which recording has been performed.

  The feeding unit 100 includes a substantially flat sheet feeding tray 110 that holds the recording material 20 in a stacked manner. As shown in FIG. 1, the paper feed tray 110 is located between a retreat position where the recording material 20 is held substantially horizontally and a feeding position where the front end of the recording material 20 faces upward as shown in FIG. Rotate. The feeding unit 100 further includes a spare roller 140 above the front end of the paper feeding tray 110 when the paper feeding tray 110 is in the feeding position. The feeding unit 100 further includes a feeding roller 120 that rotates in synchronization with the preliminary roller 140 on the downstream side of the auxiliary roller 140 in the conveyance direction of the recording material 20, and the feeding roller 120. A separation roller 130 that rotates around the recorded material 20 is provided.

  The recording unit 200 disposed obliquely above the feeding unit 100 is disposed below the carriage 210 that houses the ink cartridge 30 that holds ink and the recording head 230, and has a plurality of ejection openings facing the platen 300. Has a recording head 230. In the recording head 230, the surface 232 on which the plurality of ejection openings are arranged is inclined up and down with respect to the horizontal plane, and the downstream side is higher than the upstream side in the direction in which the recording material 20 is conveyed. The recording unit 200 further includes a carriage guide shaft 220 that extends across the width direction of the recording material 20. The carriage guide shaft 220 is inserted into a part of the carriage 210 and guides reciprocation of the carriage 210 on the recording material 20.

  The platen 300 that is disposed obliquely downward facing the recording head 230 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane substantially parallel to the surface 232 of the recording head 230, and the recording head 230 reciprocates in the width direction of the recording object 20. Stretched in the direction of movement.

  The conveyance unit 400 disposed between the feeding unit 100 and the platen 300 is configured to convey the recording material 20 between the conveyance drive roller 410 that rotates by being driven by a motor (not shown) and the conveyance drive roller 410. It has a transport driven roller 420 that is sandwiched around. Similarly, the discharge unit 500 disposed above the platen 300 is driven by a motor (not shown) to rotate, and the recording medium 20 is sandwiched between the discharge drive roller 510 and the discharge drive roller 510. It has a discharge driven roller 520 that rotates.

  In the ink jet recording apparatus 10 having the above configuration, the paper feed tray 110 is in the retracted position shown in FIG. 1 and holds the recording material 20 substantially horizontally before recording. When recording, the paper feed tray 110 rotates to the feeding position shown in FIG. 2, and the downstream end of the stacked uppermost recording material 20 is brought into contact with the auxiliary roller 140. By rotating the preliminary roller 140 in this state, the uppermost recording material 20 in the paper feed tray 110 is fed toward the feeding roller 120. The recording material 20 fed by the preliminary roller 140 is gripped by the feeding roller 120 and the separation roller 130 and further fed toward the transport unit 400. The recording material 20 fed by the feeding roller 120 and the separation roller 130 is gripped by the conveyance driving roller 410 and the conveyance driven roller 420 and conveyed above the platen 300.

  Thereafter, while the carriage 210 reciprocates along the carriage guide shaft 220, the recording head 230 that reciprocates with the carriage 210 ejects the ink of the ink cartridge 30 toward the recording material 20 conveyed onto the platen 300. Thus, recording is performed on the recording material 20. Further, the transport driving roller 410 and the transport driven roller 420 transport the recording material 20 by a predetermined amount, and recording is performed while the recording head 230 reciprocates on the transported recording material 20. By repeating this operation, the recording head 230 performs recording on the entire surface of the recording material 20. The recording material 20 on which the recording has been performed is held by the discharge driving roller 510 and the discharge driven roller 520 disposed further above the platen 300, and is discharged above the ink jet recording apparatus 10.

  Here, the ink jet recording apparatus 10 is an example of a liquid ejecting apparatus that performs recording by ejecting liquid onto the recording material 20. The recording head 230 of the ink jet recording apparatus 10 is an example of a liquid ejecting head of the liquid ejecting apparatus. The ejection port provided in the recording head 230 is an example of an ejection port of the liquid ejection head.

  However, the present invention is not limited to these. Another example of the liquid ejecting apparatus is a color filter manufacturing apparatus that manufactures a color filter for a liquid crystal display. In this case, the color material ejecting head of the color filter manufacturing apparatus is an example of the liquid ejecting head. Still another example of the liquid ejecting apparatus is an electrode forming apparatus that forms electrodes such as an organic EL display and an FED (surface emitting display). In this case, the electrode material (conductive paste) ejecting head of the electrode forming apparatus is an example of the liquid ejecting head. Still another example of the liquid ejecting apparatus is a biochip manufacturing apparatus that manufactures a biochip. In this case, the bio-organic substance ejecting head of the biochip manufacturing apparatus and the sample ejecting head as a precision pipette are examples of the liquid ejecting head. The liquid ejecting apparatus of the present invention includes other liquid ejecting apparatuses having industrial use. The recording object is an object on which recording is performed by ejecting a liquid. For example, a recording paper, a circuit board on which a circuit pattern such as a display electrode is formed, a CD-ROM on which a label is recorded, DNA The preparation on which the circuit is recorded is included.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the platen 300, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing an area X in FIG. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the platen 300 shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a top view of the platen 300 as viewed from the recording head 230 side, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the platen 300 taken along section A in FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the platen 300 extends along the direction in which the recording head 230 reciprocates, and the whole has a substantially flat plate shape. The platen 300 holds the recording material 20 so as to be tilted up and down so that the upstream side in the transport direction is down.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the platen 300 includes a pre-guide member 310, a liquid absorbent material 350, and a guide auxiliary member 330. The pre-guide member 310 includes an upper rib portion 312, a lower rib portion 316 disposed on the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the recording material 20 with the groove 315 sandwiched from the upper rib portion 312, and the upper rib portion in the groove 315. A bridge 320 connecting the 312 and the lower rib portion 316 is provided. The pre-guide member 310 is integrally formed by drawing a sheet metal.

  The upper rib portion 312 includes a flat plate portion 313 extending in the reciprocating direction of the recording head 230, and a plurality of upper ribs 314 protruding from the flat plate portion 313 toward the recording head 230 and extending in the conveyance direction of the recording material 20. Including. The plurality of upper ribs 314 are arranged in parallel in the reciprocating direction of the recording head 230. The upper rib portion 312 shown in FIG. 5 has eight upper ribs 314. Further, the upper rib portion 312 has rectangular through holes 319 at both ends of the upper rib 314 in the reciprocating direction of the recording head 230. The upper rib portion 312 shown in FIG. 5 has 16 through holes 319. Further, the width of each through hole 319 is larger than the width of the auxiliary rib 332 of the guide auxiliary member 330 described later. As shown in FIG. 6, the position of the upper rib 314 in the reciprocating direction of the recording head 230 corresponds to the position of the discharge driven roller 520 (and the transport driven roller 420 arranged on the upstream side).

  The lower rib portion 316 includes a flat plate portion 317 that extends in the reciprocating direction of the recording head 230, and a lower rib that protrudes toward the recording head 230 and is spaced apart from the upper rib 314 in the conveyance direction of the recording material 20. 318. The lower rib 318 is arranged on the same straight line as the upper rib 314 along the conveyance direction of the recording material 20. The lower rib portion 316 shown in FIG. 5 has eight lower ribs 318 similar to the number of lower ribs 318.

  A groove 315 disposed between the upper rib portion 312 and the lower rib portion 316 is below (upstream) the reciprocating region of the recording head 230 and extends along the reciprocating direction. Yes. In the groove 315, the bridge 320 has a U-shape protruding downward, and connects the upper rib portion 312 and the lower rib portion 316. A pre-guide member 310 shown in FIG. When the bridge 320 connects the upper rib portion 312 and the lower rib portion 316, when the pre-guide member 310 is formed by drawing, a plurality of upper ribs 314 of the upper rib portion 312 and these and the lower rib portion 316 are connected to each other. The height of the plurality of lower ribs 318 can be made uniform. The bridge 320 is disposed at a position deviated from the upper rib 314 and the through hole 319 in the reciprocating direction of the recording head 230.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the guide assisting member 330 is disposed on the opposite side of the pre-guide member 310 from the recording head 230 (downward in the drawing). The guide auxiliary member 330 is integrally formed by injecting resin. The guide auxiliary member 330 is provided below the flat plate portion 336 on the upstream side in the transport direction of the recording material 20 from the flat plate portion 336 extending along the reciprocating direction of the recording head 230. The liquid container 340 includes a plurality of auxiliary ribs 332 that protrude from the flat plate 336 toward the recording head 230 and extend in the conveyance direction of the recording material 20. The plurality of auxiliary ribs 332 are arranged in parallel with the reciprocating direction of the recording head 230 at a position facing the through hole 319 of the pre-guide member 310. The guide auxiliary member 330 shown in FIG. 5 has 17 auxiliary ribs 332. Further, the length of the auxiliary rib 332 in the conveyance direction of the recording medium 20 is shorter than the length of the upper rib 314 in the conveyance direction of the recording medium 20.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the liquid absorbing material 350 is, for example, a multi-material material that can hold ink therein, and has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape that extends along the direction of reciprocal movement of the recording head 230. Further, the liquid absorbent 350 has a notch 352 at a position corresponding to the auxiliary rib 332 of the guide auxiliary member 330. The liquid absorbent material 350 shown in FIG. 5 has 17 notches 352 that are the same number as the auxiliary ribs 332.

  When assembling the platen 300, first, the liquid absorbent material 350 is stored in the liquid storage unit 340. In this case, the auxiliary rib 332 of the guide auxiliary member 330 is inserted into the notch 352 of the liquid absorbent material 350. As a result, the lower end 333 of the auxiliary rib 332 in the conveyance direction of the recording material 20 comes into contact with the liquid absorbent 350. Further, the pre-guide member 310 is disposed above the guide auxiliary member 330 in a state where the liquid storage portion 340 of the guide auxiliary member 330 stores the liquid absorbent 350. In this case, the auxiliary rib 332 of the guide auxiliary member 330 passes through the through hole 319 of the pre-guide member 310 and protrudes toward the recording head 230. Thus, the auxiliary ribs 332 are arranged in parallel with the upper ribs 314 on both sides of the upper ribs 314 in the reciprocating direction of the recording head 230. Since the width of the through hole 319 is larger than the width of the bridge 320 of the guide auxiliary member 330 described later, the ink is directed toward the liquid absorbing material 350 between the auxiliary rib 332 and the through hole 319 as shown in FIG. A flowing channel 334 is formed. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the side surface of the bridge 320 abuts on the liquid absorbent material 350. In this state, the platen 300 is disposed below the recording head 230 so that the upstream side in the transport direction of the recording material 20 is inclined downward. As a result, the liquid storage portion 340 of the guide assisting member 330 in the platen 300 is positioned below the platen 300.

  FIG. 8 is a front view showing a part of the platen 300 as viewed from the conveyance direction of the recording material 20. As shown in FIG. 8, the height of the upper rib 314 of the pre-guide member 310 to the recording head 230 is higher than the height of the auxiliary rib 332 of the guide auxiliary member 330 to the bridge 320. As a result, the height of the recording object 20 with respect to the recording head 230 is determined by the upper rib 314 of the pre-guide member 310, and the auxiliary rib 332 of the guiding auxiliary member 330 supports the recording object 20 below. As a result, the recording material 20 slides more strongly against the upper rib 314 of the pre-guide member 310 made of a hard metal plate than to the auxiliary rib 332 of the guide auxiliary member 330 made of soft resin. Therefore, the recording material 20 can be held at a desired height with respect to the recording head 230 while preventing the auxiliary rib 332 from being worn.

  Further, in addition to the upper rib 314 formed by drawing in the pre-guide member 310, the auxiliary rib 332 is formed by injection molding in the guide auxiliary member 330, so that the recording head 230 is moved in the reciprocating direction of the recording head 230. Many ribs with the same height can be arranged. Therefore, when the recording medium 20 is transported, the recording medium 20 can be supported by the upper rib 314, the lower rib 318, and the auxiliary rib 332 in multiple directions in the reciprocating direction of the recording head 230. Irregular undulation toward the recording head 230 can be suppressed. Thereby, the gap between the recording medium 20 and the recording head 230 becomes uniform, and the recording quality can be improved.

  When the recording head 230 ejects ink onto the recording material 20 conveyed on the platen 300, the ink is placed outside the recording material 20 for so-called borderless printing in which recording is performed up to the end of the recording material 20. Is abandoned. In this case, the abandoned ink does not reach the recording material 20 and lands on the platen 300. Here, since the platen 300 is tilted up and down and the liquid container 340 is positioned below the platen 300, the platen 300 causes the ink that has landed on the platen 300 to flow down into the grooves 315 due to gravity, and the liquid. It can be accommodated in the accommodating portion 340. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the recording material 20 from being stained by the ink discarded on the platen 300. Further, since the ink flows down from the groove 315 to the liquid container 340 below the platen 300, it is possible to prevent the ink from adhering to the transport driving roller 410 disposed below the platen 300.

  Further, since the liquid absorbent 350 is disposed in the liquid storage unit 340, the platen 300 can reliably hold the ink stored in the liquid storage unit 340. In addition, since the flow path 334 is provided between the auxiliary rib 332 of the guide auxiliary member 330 and the through hole 319 of the pre-guide member 310, the platen 300 more reliably supplies the ink flowing along the auxiliary rib 332 to the liquid. It can flow to the absorbent 350. Further, since the lower end 333 of the auxiliary rib 332 is in contact with the liquid absorbing material 350, the platen 300 can reliably absorb the ink flowing along the auxiliary rib 332 with the liquid absorbing material 350.

  Further, since the bridge 320 is disposed at a position deviated from the upper rib 314 and the through hole 319 in the reciprocating direction of the recording head 230, the platen 300 is configured to receive ink landed on the upper rib 314 and the flow path 334. Instead of flowing over the bridge 320, it can flow into the groove 315 and be absorbed by the liquid absorbent 350. Even when ink flows into the bridge 320, the side surface of the bridge 320 is in contact with the liquid absorbent 350, so that the ink can be reliably absorbed by the liquid absorbent 350.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the upper rib 314 and the auxiliary rib 332 can dispose many ribs in the reciprocating direction of the recording head 230. Therefore, when the recording medium 20 is transported, the recording medium 20 can be supported at multiple points, and the recording medium 20 can be prevented from undulating irregularly toward the recording head 230. Thereby, the gap between the recording medium 20 and the recording head 230 becomes uniform, and the recording quality can be improved.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated using embodiment, the technical scope of this invention is not limited to the range as described in the said embodiment. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be added to the above-described embodiment. It is apparent from the scope of the claims that the embodiments added with such changes or improvements can be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

1 is a perspective view of an ink jet recording apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of an ink jet recording apparatus 10. 2 is a perspective view of a platen 300. FIG. It is an enlarged view which expands and shows the area | region X in FIG. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the platen 300 shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a top view of the platen 300 as viewed from the recording head 230 side. It is sectional drawing which cut | disconnected the platen 300 in the cross section A in FIG. 6 is a front view showing a part of the platen 300 as viewed from the conveyance direction of the recording material 20. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Inkjet recording device, 20 to-be-recorded object, 30 Ink cartridge, 100 Feeding part, 110 Paper feed tray, 120 Feeding roller, 130 Separation roller, 140 Preliminary roller, 200 Recording part, 210 Carriage, 220 Carriage guide shaft, 230 recording head, 300 platen, 310 guide member, 312 upper rib portion, 313 flat plate portion, 314 upper rib, 315 groove, 316 lower rib portion, 317 flat plate portion, 318 lower rib, 319 through hole, 320 bridge, 330 guide Auxiliary member, 332 Auxiliary rib, 334 Channel, 336 Flat plate part, 340 Liquid storage part, 350 Liquid absorbent, 352 Notch, 400 Conveying part, 410 Conveying drive roller, 420 Conveying driven roller, 500 Discharging part, 510 Discharging drive Roller, 520 discharge driven low

Claims (3)

A liquid ejecting head that ejects liquid onto the recording material by reciprocating the recording material;
A sheet metal guide that has a plurality of ribs that are provided in parallel in a direction in which the liquid ejecting head reciprocates and supports the recording material, and guides the recording material to a position facing the liquid ejecting head. A front member;
An auxiliary rib that is provided in parallel with the plurality of ribs between the plurality of ribs of the pre-guide member in a direction in which the liquid ejecting head reciprocates, and supports the recording material; And a resin guide auxiliary member disposed on the opposite side of the liquid jet head.   2. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a height of the plurality of ribs of the pre-guide member to the liquid ejecting head is higher than a height of the auxiliary auxiliary member of the guiding auxiliary member to the liquid ejecting head. A platen disposed opposite to a liquid ejecting head that ejects liquid onto the recording object by reciprocatingly moving against the recording object,
A sheet metal guide that has a plurality of ribs that are provided in parallel in a direction in which the liquid ejecting head reciprocates and supports the recording material, and guides the recording material to a position facing the liquid ejecting head. A front member;
An auxiliary rib that is provided in parallel with the plurality of ribs between the plurality of ribs of the pre-guide member in a direction in which the liquid ejecting head reciprocates, and supports the recording material; And a resin guide auxiliary member disposed on the opposite side of the liquid jet head.

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