JP2007119222A - Recording medium conveying device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To convey a recording medium without providing an electrode in a conveying belt and feeding electricity to the conveying belt itself. <P>SOLUTION: The recording medium conveying device comprises: a high voltage power source for charging a charge to the recording medium; a conductive roller for charging the charge from the high voltage power source to the recording medium; and the conveying belt having conductivity. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus and a method for controlling the apparatus, and more particularly to a recording medium transport apparatus for an ink jet recording apparatus having a plurality of full line type ink jet recording heads having recording element arrays corresponding to the width of the recording medium. It is.

  For example, as an information output device in a word processor, personal computer, facsimile, or the like, there is a printer that records information such as desired characters and images on a sheet-like recording medium such as paper or film.

  Various methods are known as printer recording methods, but non-impact recording is possible because of non-contact recording on recording media such as paper, low running costs, easy colorization, and quietness. In recent years, the inkjet method has attracted particular attention because of its richness.

  In addition, among inkjet recording apparatuses, a full-line type recording apparatus that has a recording head having a recording element (nozzle) array corresponding to the recording width and performs recording while conveying a recording medium is more rapid in recording. It is being widely used because it is possible to make it.

  Such a full-line type recording apparatus arranges a plurality of recording heads that discharge inks of different colors in the recording medium conveyance direction so that ink can be discharged simultaneously from each recording head. The recording speed is not lowered during recording.

  A recording head of such an ink jet recording apparatus includes an energy generator that generates energy to be applied to ink in order to discharge ink as droplets from the discharge port, and the energy generator that is included in the discharge port. The ink flow path is generally composed of an ink flow path, and ink storage means such as an ink tank for storing ink supplied to the energy generator through the ink flow path.

  Recording devices having functions such as printers, copiers, facsimiles, etc., or recording devices used as output devices such as composite electronic devices and workstations including computers (hereinafter abbreviated as PCs) and word processors are based on recorded information. An image (including characters and symbols) is recorded on a recording material such as paper or a plastic thin plate. In recent years, a laser beam printer (hereinafter abbreviated as LBP), an ink jet printer (hereinafter abbreviated as IJP), a thermal printer, and the like have been put to practical use as the recording apparatus in place of the conventional dot matrix printer. To date, LBP capable of high-resolution and high-quality gradation expression and IJP capable of full-color expression of photographic image quality have been put into practical use. Accompanying this improvement in the performance of the recording apparatus main body, high-quality recording media such as glossy paper, glossy film, and code paper as well as a medium dedicated to photographic image quality have been put into practical use in order to bring out the printing performance of the recording apparatus sufficiently. ing. For this reason, the recording apparatus main body is required to have performance capable of recording on various diversified recording papers, and accordingly, the recording speed is also required to be as high as LBP.

  Therefore, in the high-speed IJP, a full-line type ink jet head is mounted, and the recording medium is conveyed under the ink jet head without moving the ink jet in the direction perpendicular to the recording medium conveying direction as in the conventional type IJP. It is configured so that printing can be performed simply by doing. As a result, the recording medium can be continuously conveyed without being intermittently conveyed as in the case of the conventional IJP, so that the printing speed can be increased. In addition, since the number of nozzles for ejecting ink has increased remarkably, the recording area per unit time also increases, so that a sufficient printing speed can be obtained even if the recording medium is conveyed at high speed.

  In this recording apparatus, a conductive electrode is provided on an endless belt member that conveys a recording medium, an electrostatic force is generated by applying an electric charge, and recording is performed while adsorbing the recording medium to the belt member and conveying the recording medium Is generally known. Hereinafter, a description will be given with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the conveying belt 31 serving as the endless belt member has an attracting force generation composed of electrode plates 36a and 36b made of conductive metal, a base layer 36c, a surface layer 36d, a power-supplied member 36e, and the like. Means are provided integrally. The power-supplied member 36e and the surface layer 36d are in the same plane.

  FIG. 5 is a view of the endless belt as viewed from above.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the power supply means for supplying power to the transport belt is composed of a power supply brush 51 ', a power supply electrode 52', and a support member 53 '. The power supply member 36e is in contact with a power supply brush 51 'for supplying electric charges. Electric charges are supplied from the power supply brush 51 'to the power-supplied member 36e, and an electrostatic force is generated. Thereby, it is possible to always generate a good adsorption force.

  Moreover, although not shown in figure, the static elimination brush which performs static elimination in contact with the to-be-powered member of the said conveyance belt is provided in the conveyance direction downstream rather than the said electricity supply brush. By discharging the conveying belt with this discharging brush and eliminating the suction force, smooth discharge can be performed.

  FIG. 1 shows a configuration diagram of a typical ink jet recording apparatus. In FIG. 1, the printing paper supply apparatus has the following configuration. A recording medium 101 that is a printing sheet is stored in a sheet feeding cassette 100. The pickup roller 102 is a roller for picking up the recording medium 101 from the paper feed cassette 100. The transport roller 302, the registration roller 303, and the paper discharge roller 304 are rollers for transporting the recording medium 101 on the transport path, and the separation device 129 has a function of separating the recording medium 101 from the transport belt 102, and the back surface. The paper discharge tray 132 stacks the printed recording media 101.

  The conveyance belt 102 is supported by a driving roller 311, a driven roller 312, and a belt sag prevention roller 313. A motor 111 is connected to the driving roller 311. When the motor 111 rotates, the driving roller 311 rotates to drive the conveyance belt 102. The belt sag prevention spring 104 is configured to apply a pressure to the belt sag prevention roller 313 so that a constant tension is applied to the conveyance belt 102. In addition, the conveyance belt 102 is provided with a high-voltage power supply unit 103 that applies a high voltage to the conveyance belt 102 and conveys the recording medium 101 by electrostatic adsorption.

  The head unit 200 is positioned on the upper side of the conveyor belt 102 and has six color printing heads mounted thereon. From the left, the sixth inkjet head 201 which is a yellow printing inkjet head, the fifth inkjet head 202 which is a magenta printing inkjet head, the fourth inkjet head 203 which is a cyan printing inkjet head, and the light magenta printing inkjet head. 3 inkjet heads 204, a second inkjet head 205 that is a light cyan printing inkjet head, and a first inkjet head 206 that is a black printing inkjet head. Each of the printing inkjet heads 201 to 206 has a nozzle portion 210 and is capped by cap units 220a and 220b when not printing. The cap units 220a and 220b can be opened and closed in the left-right direction 230a and 230b. The head unit 200 can move in the vertical direction indicated by the arrow 240 in accordance with the opening and closing of the cap units 220a and 220b.

  The double-side reversing mechanism 150 has a reversing mechanism including a pre-reversing roller 305, a reversing roller 306, a post-reversing roller 307, a double-sided roller 308, and a path switch 350, and the front and back of the recording medium 101 printed on the conveyance belt 102 is It has a function of reversing and feeding it onto the conveyor belt 102 again.

  Next, the operation will be described.

  At the start of printing, the head unit 200 once rises, moves the cap units 220a and 220b left and right to release capping, and then descends to the printing position. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the print head unit 126 is lowered to the printable position. The conveyance drive energy of the conveyance belt 102 is given by the drive motor 111 and starts to rotate. The conveyance driving energy of the conveyance roller 302, the registration roller 303, and the paper discharge roller 304 is given by another motor (not shown) and starts rotating.

  The recording medium 101 picked up by the pickup roller 102 from the paper feed cassette 100 is conveyed onto a conveyance belt 102 as a printing unit via a conveyance roller 302 and a registration roller 303. At this time, since the conveyance belt 102 is charged by the high voltage power supply unit 103, the recording medium 101 is electrostatically attracted to the conveyance belt 102. The recording medium 101 is printed with ink ejected from the inkjet heads 201 to 206 when passing under the inkjet heads 201 to 206. The recording medium 101 that has passed under the ink jet heads 201 to 206 is separated from the conveying belt 102 by the separation device 129, passes through the paper discharge roller 304, and is then discharged to the back paper discharge tray 132.

  FIG. 3 is a top view of FIGS. 1 and 2. This shows a state in which the recording media 101a and 101b on the conveying belt 102 are conveyed under the inkjet heads 201 to 206 in the conveying direction indicated by the arrows.

  Next, the operation during duplex printing will be described.

  The recording medium 101 printed with ink ejected from the ink jet heads 201 to 206 and passed under the ink jet heads 201 to 206 is conveyed to the double-side reversing mechanism 150 via the separation device 129. In the double-side reversing mechanism 150, it passes through the pre-reversing roller 305 and is conveyed to the reversing roller 306. When the trailing edge of the recording medium 101 passes the pre-reverse roller 305, the conveyance of the recording medium 101 is temporarily stopped. The path switching unit 350 switches the conveyance path toward the reverse roller 307. Next, the reverse roller 306 is rotated in the reverse direction before stopping, and the conveyance of the recording medium 101 is resumed. By this operation, the recording medium 101 is reversed. The recording medium 101 is temporarily stopped after being conveyed to the double-sided roller 308. The subsequent transport resumption timing is determined by the interval with the front recording medium 101, and the transport after a predetermined weight is resumed. The recording medium 101 that has resumed conveyance passes through the conveyance roller 302 and the registration roller 303, and is conveyed again onto the conveyance belt 102. After printing on the back surface, the recording medium 101 is separated from the conveyance belt 102 by the separation device 129, After passing, the paper is discharged to the back surface discharge tray 132.

  In the embodiments described below, a printer is taken as an example of a recording apparatus using an inkjet recording method.

  In this specification, “printing” means not only the formation of significant information such as characters and figures, but also whether it is manifested so that it can be perceived visually by humans, regardless of significance. Regardless of the case, an image, a pattern, a pattern, or the like is widely formed on a recording medium, or the medium is processed.

  “Recording medium” refers not only to paper used in general recording apparatuses but also widely to cloth, plastic film, metal plate, glass, ceramics, wood, leather, and the like that can accept ink. Shall.

Further, the term “ink” should be interpreted broadly in the same way as the definition of “recording” described above. When applied to a recording medium, it forms an image, a pattern, a pattern, etc., or processes the recording medium. It represents a liquid that can be subjected to the above processing (for example, coagulation or insolubilization of the colorant in the ink applied to the recording medium).
For example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 can be cited as conventional examples.
JP 2003-103857 A Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-122038

  However, in order to enclose the comb-like electrode in the transport belt, there is a problem that the manufacturing process is complicated and it is difficult to reduce the cost. In addition, since a voltage must be applied to the electrode in the rotating conveyor belt, a means capable of supplying power to the dynamic electrode must be provided. In addition, it is necessary to provide a protective member so as not to cause a leak or a short circuit from the power supply means.

  Thus, there were problems in manufacturing and problems in structure.

  The first invention according to the present application generates a static force by applying a positive or negative voltage to the insulating recording medium, and a conveying device having a grounded conductive conveying belt for conveying the recording medium as an insulator. And an electroconductive roller connected to the electrostatic attraction device.

  The second invention according to the present application is characterized in that the conductive transport belt is conductive only on a surface in contact with the recording medium.

  A third invention according to the present application is characterized in that the electrostatic adsorption device alternately applies a positive or negative voltage.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present application, there is provided a transport device having a conductive transport belt that transports a recording medium that is an insulator, and an electrostatic that generates an electrostatic force by applying a positive or negative voltage to the insulating recording medium. It consists of a suction roller and a conductive roller connected to the electrostatic chuck.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the recording medium is charged and electrostatically attracted and transported by the conductive transport belt, so that an electrode is provided in the transport belt and no means for supplying power to the electrode is provided. There is an effect that a good conveyance can be made.

  According to the second invention of the present application, by making the surface of the conveying belt in contact with the recording medium conductive, there is an effect that good conveyance can be performed without causing leakage or leakage to other parts. .

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is an effect that the recording medium can be transported satisfactorily without grounding the electrically conductive transport belt by charging the recording medium to the positive and negative electrodes.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present application, by charging the recording medium to either + or −, there is an effect that the recording medium can be transported satisfactorily without grounding the conductive transport belt.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  A first embodiment according to the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The high-voltage power source 501 is configured to be able to charge the recording medium 508 via the roller 502. The voltage of the high voltage power source 501 is −1 kV that can sufficiently charge the recording medium 508. Further, the polarity of the high voltage power source 501 may be either + or-. The roller 502 is made of a conductive material and can transfer charges from the high-voltage power source 502 to the recording medium 508. The roller 502 does not need to have all conductivity, and the surface that contacts the recording medium 508 and the connection point to the high-voltage power source 501 may be made of a conductive material. The rollers 502 are composed of two pairs, one being grounded to the high-voltage power source 502 and the other to GND. The recording medium 508 is desirably a medium having a resistance value of 10E10Ω or more, and a higher resistance value has a higher adsorption force.

  The conveyance belt 510 is held by a driving roller 503 and a driven roller 504. When the driving roller 503 is rotated by a motor (not shown), the conveyance belt 510 also rotates. The driven roller 504 rotates following the conveyance belt 510. The conveyor belt 510 is configured to be grounded to at least one location GND.

  Next, the operation will be described.

  When the recording apparatus transitions from the standby state to the printing state, a voltage is applied from the high voltage power source 501 to the roller 502 at the same time as the conveyance belt 510 starts to rotate. The recording medium 508 conveyed from the paper feeding unit is conveyed to the conveyor belt 510 via the roller 502. When the recording medium 508 passes through the roller 502, the high voltage power source 501 is charged with a positive charge. When the recording medium 508 charged to + is conveyed onto the belt, the conveyance belt 510 is made of a conductive material, so that electrostatic induction occurs and the surface in contact with the recording medium 508 is − The electric charge gathers. Between the recording medium 508 charged to + and the conveyance belt 510 charged to −, a force that attracts each other by an electrostatic force is generated. With this force, the recording medium 508 is attracted to the transport belt 510 and transported.

  In this embodiment, the recording medium 508 is charged to +, but may be configured to be charged to-having the opposite polarity. In that case, the roller 502 is connected to the + side of the high-voltage power source 501. Further, although the voltage value is 1 kV, the voltage value may be adjusted within a range in which a charge can be given to the recording medium 508.

  Next, a second embodiment according to the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The difference from the first embodiment of the present invention is that the transport belt has a two-layer structure, the front surface is a conductive transport belt 511 and the back surface is an insulating belt 512.

  Since the surface, that is, the surface in contact with the recording medium 508 has conductivity, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained. At the same time, portions that come into contact with the recording apparatus main body, such as the driving roller 503 and the driven roller 504, are in contact with each other via an insulator, so that unnecessary electric charge can be prevented from flowing into the recording apparatus main body.

  Next, a third embodiment according to the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 9 is a schematic configuration diagram according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The difference from the first and second embodiments of the present invention is that the power supply for supplying charge to the recording medium 508 is a bipolar power supply 520 having a function of switching between positive and negative polarities, and the conveyor belt 510 is not grounded to GND. Is a point.

  Next, the operation will be described.

  When the recording apparatus transitions from the standby state to the printing state, a voltage is applied from the high voltage power source 520 to the roller 502 at the same time as the conveyance belt 510 starts to rotate. At this time, the high-voltage power supply 520 supplies electric charges to the roller 502 while alternately switching the polarity of ± 1 kV. The recording medium 508 conveyed from the paper feeding unit is conveyed to the conveyor belt 510 via the roller 502. When the recording medium 508 passes through the roller 502, the bipolar power supply 520 is charged with + and − with respect to each other. When the recording medium 508 charged with + and − is conveyed onto the belt, the conveyance belt 510 is made of a conductive material, so that electrostatic induction occurs and the recording medium 508 is charged with +. − Charge is collected on the surface in contact with the surface, and + charge is collected on the surface in contact with the surface charged with −. Between the recording medium 508 charged to + and the conveying belt 510 charged to-, and between the recording medium 508 charged to-and the conveying belt 510 charged to +, a force attracting each other by an electrostatic force is generated. With this force, the recording medium 508 is attracted to the transport belt 510 and transported.

  In this embodiment, the voltage value is 1 kV. However, the voltage value may be adjusted within a range in which a charge can be applied to the recording medium 508.

  Next, a fourth embodiment according to the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the conveyance belt 510 is not grounded. That is, when the conveyance belt 520 is sufficiently larger than the charged recording medium 508, the conveyance belt 510 itself can be regarded as GND.

  That is, when the recording medium 508 is stacked and transported on a part of the transport belt 510, when the charged recording medium 508 is stacked on the transport belt 510, electrostatic induction occurs on the contacted surface, and the charged recording medium. 508 charges of opposite polarity are collected. As shown in FIG. 10, when the recording medium 508 is positively charged, − charge is collected by electrostatic induction on the surface of the conveying belt 510 that is in contact with the recording medium 508. As a result, an electrostatic force acts between the conveyance belt 510 and the recording medium 508, and an adsorption force is generated.

  Thereby, the recording medium 508 can be transported satisfactorily even in the configuration of the present embodiment.

It is a block diagram of an inkjet recording device. (Part 1) It is a block diagram of an inkjet recording device. (Part 2) FIG. 3 is a top view of the ink jet recording apparatus transport unit of FIGS. 1 and 2. Explanatory drawing inside a conveyance belt. The figure which looked at the conveyance belt from the top. The positional relationship diagram of the conventional adsorption | suction force generation means, a conveyance belt, and an inkjet head. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram according to a first embodiment. FIG. The schematic block diagram which concerns on a 2nd Example. The schematic block diagram which concerns on a 3rd Example. The schematic block diagram which concerns on a 4th Example.

Explanation of symbols

7Y, 7M, 7C, 7K recording device
31 Conveyor belt
32 Transport roller
33 Pinch roller
34 Drive roller
35 Pressure roller
36 Adsorption power generation means
36a electrode plate
36a, 36b Electrode plate
36c Base layer
36d surface
36e Power-supplied member
36e1, 36e2 Powered part
51 Power supply brush
52a, 52b, 52c Feed electrode
53 Support Member 100 Paper Feed Cassette 101 Recording Medium 102 Conveying Belt 103 High Voltage Power Supply Unit 104 Balt Sag Prevention Spring 111 Motor 129 Separator 132 Paper Discharge Tray 200 Head Unit 201 Sixth Head (Yellow)
202 5th head (magenta)
203 4th head (cyan)
204 3rd head (light magenta)
205 2nd head (light cyan)
206 1st head (black)
210 Nozzle 220a Cap 220b Cap 301 Pickup roller 302 Conveying roller 303 Registration roller 304 Paper discharge roller 305 Roller before reverse 306 Reverse roller 307 Roller after reverse 308 Double-sided roller 311 Drive motor 312 Drive roller 313 Belt deflection prevention roller 350 Path switch 501 High-voltage power supply 502 Roller 503 Drive Roller 504 Followed Roller 508 Recording Medium 510 Conveying Belt 511 Conductive Conveying Belt 512 Insulating Conveying Belt 520 Bipolar Power Supply

Claims (4)

  A transport device having a grounded conductive transport belt for transporting a recording medium that is an insulator, an electrostatic suction device that generates an electrostatic force by applying a positive or negative voltage to the insulating recording medium, and electrostatic suction A recording medium conveying apparatus comprising a conductive roller connected to the apparatus.   The recording medium conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conductive conveying belt has conductivity only on a surface in contact with the recording medium.   The recording medium conveyance device according to claim 1, wherein the electrostatic adsorption device can alternately apply a positive or negative voltage.   Connected to a transport device with a conductive transport belt that transports a recording medium that is an insulator, an electrostatic suction device that generates an electrostatic force by applying a positive or negative voltage to the insulating recording medium, and an electrostatic suction device A recording medium conveying apparatus comprising a conductive roller.

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