JP2007301798A - Image recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a means which maintains sliding property between a carriage and a guide rail, and at the same time, can realize a stable sliding movement by properly removing an adhered object on the sliding surface in an image recording device for which a so-called rail type carriage moving mechanism having a carriage posture adjusting means is adopted. <P>SOLUTION: On the carriage 38, a pinching section 115 which pinches the edge section 45 of a guide plate 44 is provided. The pinching section 115 has first and second slide-contact members 120 and 121 which come slide contact with the front and rear surfaces of the edge section 45, and a fourth slide-contact member 123 through which the edge section 45 is passed. The fourth slide-contact member 123 is connected with a moving mechanism 200, and is moved in a direction being approximately vertical to the front and rear surfaces of the edge section 45. The first and second slide-contact members 120 and 121 are urged to the edge section 45 side by coil springs 130 and 131. On the contact surfaces to the edge section 45 of the first and second slide-contact members 120 and 121, absorbing bodies 132 and 133 which are impregnated with a lubricant are provided. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium by reciprocating a carriage on which a recording head is mounted along a guide rail, and in particular, a sliding surface of a carriage that slides on a guide rail. It is related with the improvement of the mechanism which maintains the lubrication effect | action in.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a so-called inkjet image recording apparatus that records an image on a recording sheet by selectively ejecting ink acquired from an ink cartridge from a nozzle of a recording head and landing on a recording sheet (corresponding to a recording medium) It has been known. This type of image recording apparatus selectively ejects ink droplets from a recording head while reciprocating a carriage on which the recording head is mounted in a direction orthogonal to a recording sheet conveyance direction (hereinafter referred to as a “main scanning direction”). By discharging, an image is recorded on the recording paper.

  As a mechanism for reciprocating the carriage in the main scanning direction, a mechanism using a so-called shaft system is known (see Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2). The shaft-type moving mechanism is such that a carriage is slidably supported via a bearing on a guide shaft (guide shaft) installed over the main scanning direction of the frame.

  As another mechanism for reciprocating the carriage in the main scanning direction, a so-called rail system is also known. In this rail-type moving mechanism, the carriage slides on the guide member in the main scanning direction while holding the guide rail provided on the flat guide member installed over the main scanning direction of the frame. It has become. As such a moving mechanism using a rail system, as disclosed in Patent Document 3, a mechanism provided with a posture adjusting means for adjusting the mounting posture of the carriage is known. This posture adjusting means realizes adjustment of the posture angle of the carriage with respect to the guide rail, and the position of the recording head is adjusted by adjusting the posture angle. By providing such an attitude adjusting means, the position of the recording head can be easily adjusted as necessary by adjusting the attitude of the carriage even after the apparatus is assembled.

  In any moving mechanism, a lubricant is applied to the sliding surface of the carriage so that the carriage can move smoothly. In general, the lubricant applied to the sliding surface gradually decreases as the carriage reciprocates. Along with this, the slidability on the sliding surface between the guide shaft and the bearing is gradually lowered, and the smooth movement of the carriage is obstructed. In addition, a decrease in lubrication performance due to dust and ink mist mixed in the applied lubricant is also a factor that hinders carriage movement. In addition, dust or ink mist may adhere to the guide shaft, which may hinder stable movement of the carriage. These are not preferable because the quality of the recorded image is lowered. The ink mist refers to ink that does not land on the recording paper but floats in a mist (mist) state despite being ejected from the recording head.

  In the shaft type moving mechanism, as a technique for maintaining the slidability between the guide shaft and the bearing, a technique for forming a groove for retaining the lubricant on the sliding surface of the bearing (the inner surface of the bearing) (patent) Document 1) is known. In addition to providing slidability between the guide shaft and the bearing, the carriage is provided with an absorber impregnated with a lubricant, and the absorber is brought into contact with the guide shaft when the carriage reciprocates. A method for wiping off surface deposits and maintaining movement stability (see Patent Document 2) is also known.

JP 2004-338105 A JP 2001-113774 A JP 2005-246933 A

  By the way, in recent years when many electric devices have been used in homes and offices, there is a strong demand for downsizing of the apparatus, and the same applies to image recording apparatuses. When the shaft type moving mechanism and the rail type moving mechanism described above are compared, since the latter moving mechanism uses a thin guide member instead of the guide shaft, the height of the apparatus can be reduced. There are advantages. It is conceivable to apply the technique disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, that is, an absorbent body impregnated with a lubricant, to the rail type moving mechanism. However, in the rail-type moving mechanism having the posture adjusting means disclosed in Patent Document 3, when the posture of the carriage with respect to the guide rail is changed by the posture adjusting means, the sliding surface changes accordingly. Even if the absorber is applied, the slidability of the carriage cannot always be maintained. For example, by changing the posture of the sliding surface, the absorber is moved away from the sliding surface, and neither the lubricant can be applied to the sliding surface nor the deposits on the sliding surface can be wiped off. This can happen.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image recording apparatus employing a so-called rail-type moving mechanism having a carriage posture adjusting means, and between a carriage and a guide rail. It is an object of the present invention to provide means capable of maintaining stable slidability and capable of realizing stable sliding movement by appropriately removing deposits on the sliding surface.

  (1) The present invention is an image recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium, a guide member having a guide rail extending in a predetermined direction, and a recording head for ejecting ink droplets on the recording medium And a carriage that is reciprocated in the extending direction along the guide rail. The carriage includes a sliding contact member that is slidably contacted with the guide rail while holding the guide rail as the carriage is moved in the main scanning direction, and the guide rail that is held by the sliding contact member. And a posture adjusting means for adjusting a holding posture of the carriage, and a lubricant impregnated member impregnated with a lubricant and provided at a sliding contact position of the sliding contact member with the guide rail.

  A recording head is mounted on the carriage, and this carriage is supported by a guide rail and reciprocates with the recording head along the same direction as the extension direction of the guide rail. The carriage is provided with a slidable contact member that slidably contacts the guide rail while holding the guide rail when moved in the extending direction. As the carriage moves, the sliding member comes into sliding contact with the guide rail, so that the carriage slides on the guide rail. In addition, the holding posture of the carriage with respect to the guide rail can be adjusted by the posture adjusting means.

  The sliding contact member is provided with a lubricant impregnated member provided so as to be in sliding contact with the guide rail. Therefore, when the carriage slides on the guide rail, the lubricant-impregnated member is moved while contacting the guide rail. Thereby, the lubricant is applied to the guide rail. In addition, since dust and ink mist adhering to the guide rail are wiped off, the guide rail becomes flat and the carriage can be moved smoothly. Furthermore, since the lubricant impregnated member is slidably contacted with the guide rail while wiping off the excessively exuded lubricant, it is possible to increase the holding power of the lubricant. As a result, an appropriate amount of lubricant is applied to the guide rail. Can be supplied.

  (2) A configuration in which a plurality of the lubricant-impregnated members are juxtaposed in the extending direction of the guide rail is conceivable. Accordingly, since the plurality of lubricant-impregnated members are in sliding contact with the guide rail, the effect of applying the lubricant and the effect of removing the deposits are improved. Even if the sliding contact member is displaced with respect to the guide rail, it can be expected that at least one lubricant-impregnated member contacts the guide rail.

  (3) The sliding contact member includes a first sliding contact portion that is in sliding contact with the guide rail, and a second sliding contact portion that is separated from the first sliding contact portion in the extending direction of the guide rail, The lubricant-impregnated member may be provided between the first sliding contact portion and the second sliding contact portion.

  Thus, since the 1st sliding contact part and 2nd sliding contact part which are slidably contacted with a guide rail are spaced apart, the carriage which moves on a guide rail is stabilized. Further, by providing a lubricant-impregnated member in a space formed between the first sliding contact portion and the second sliding contact portion, the sliding contact member can be simplified, and the carriage can be simplified. As a result, downsizing of the device can be realized.

  (4) It is preferable that the carriage further includes an urging unit that elastically urges the sliding contact member toward the guide rail in accordance with a change in the holding posture of the carriage by the position adjusting unit.

  Since the sliding contact member is elastically biased toward the guide rail by the biasing means, the amount of lubricant oozing out from the lubricant-impregnated member increases, and the lubricant with respect to the guide rail is thus configured. The application of is ensured. In addition, it is possible to easily remove the deposit adhered to the guide rail. Even if the holding position of the carriage is changed by the position adjusting means, the sliding member is elastically biased toward the guide rail following the change in the position, so that the lubricant-impregnated member is securely attached. It will be in sliding contact with the guide rail.

  (5) The sliding contact member has a pair of sliding contact surfaces sandwiching the guide rail, and the lubricant-impregnated member is provided on one or both of the pair of sliding contact surfaces. Also good.

  Thereby, the lubricant can be applied to both side surfaces of the guide rail, and the carriage can be moved more smoothly.

  (6) The guide member includes a first guide member disposed on the upstream side in the transport direction and a second guide member disposed on the downstream side in the transport direction, which is separated in the transport direction of the recording medium. Each of the one guide member and the second guide member supports the carrier, and the guide rail is preferably provided on one or both of the first guide member and the second guide member. .

  As described above, in the apparatus in which the configuration in which the carrier is supported by the pair of guide members is adopted, a sliding portion with the carrier is increased, and a load due to the sliding resistance is increased. Therefore, when the present invention is applied to the apparatus having such a configuration, an appropriate amount of lubricant is supplied to the guide rail, so that the load can be reduced, which is preferable.

  (7) The position adjusting means adjusts the vertical posture of the carriage with respect to the sliding contact surface of the guide rail with which the sliding contact member is slidably contacted. The present invention is suitable for an apparatus provided with such position adjusting means.

  According to this image recording apparatus, since the lubricant-impregnated member provided so as to be in sliding contact with the guide rail is provided in the slide-contact member, when the carriage slides on the guide rail, the lubricant-impregnated member Is moved in contact with the guide rail, and the lubricant is applied to the guide rail. As a result, the lubricant is uniformly supplied to the guide rail, and adhering matters such as dust and ink mist adhering to the guide rail are wiped off, so that the carriage can be smoothly moved. Further, since the lubricant-impregnated member is slidably contacted with the guide rail while wiping off the excessively exuded lubricant, the retention force of the lubricant can be maintained for a long time.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings as appropriate. In addition, this embodiment is only an example of this invention, and it cannot be overemphasized that embodiment can be changed suitably in the range which does not change the summary of this invention.

  FIG. 1 shows an external configuration of a multifunction machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the internal configuration of the multifunction machine 1. The multi-function device 1 is a multi-function device (MFD) having a printer unit 2 at the bottom and a scanner unit 3 at the top, and includes various functions such as a printer function, a scanner function, a copy function, and a facsimile function. It has a function. This multifunction device 1 corresponds to an image recording apparatus according to the present invention. The functions other than the printer function are arbitrary. For example, the image recording apparatus according to the present invention may be implemented as a single-function printer that does not have the scanner unit 3 and does not have a scanner function or a copy function.

  The multifunction device 1 is often used by being connected to an external information device such as a computer. In this case, the printer unit 2 is mainly connected to the external information device, and based on print data including image data and document data transmitted from the external information device, an image or image is recorded on a recording sheet (recording medium). Record the document. The multifunction device 1 is connected to a digital camera or the like, records image data output from the digital camera or the like on a recording sheet, or is loaded with various storage media such as a memory card and stored in the storage media. It is also possible to record image data or the like on a recording sheet.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the multifunction device 1 has a wide, thin, rectangular parallelepiped outer shape whose width and depth are larger than the height, and a lower portion of the multifunction device 1 is a printer unit 2. The printer unit 2 has an opening 2a formed in the front. The paper feed tray 20 and the paper discharge tray 21 are provided in two upper and lower stages inside the opening 2a. The paper feed tray 20 stores recording paper, which is a medium to be transported, and stores recording paper of various sizes such as B5 size and postcard size, for example, A4 size or smaller. As shown in FIG. 2, the tray surface of the paper feed tray 20 is enlarged by pulling out the slide tray 20 a as necessary, and can accommodate, for example, legal size recording paper. The recording paper stored in the paper feed tray 20 is fed into the printer unit 2 to record a desired image and is discharged to the paper discharge tray 21.

  The upper part of the multifunction device 1 is a scanner unit 3, which is configured as a so-called flat bed scanner. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a platen glass 31 and an image sensor 32 are provided below a document cover 30 that can be opened and closed as a top plate of the multifunction machine 1. An original from which an image is read is placed on the platen glass 31. Below the platen glass 31, an image sensor 32 whose main scanning direction is the depth direction of the multifunction device 1 (left and right direction in FIG. 2) can reciprocate in the width direction of the multifunction device 1 (perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 2). Is provided.

  An operation panel 4 for operating the printer unit 2 and the scanner unit 3 is provided in the upper front portion of the multifunction machine 1. The operation panel 4 includes various operation buttons and a liquid crystal display unit. The multifunction device 1 operates based on an operation instruction from the operation panel 4. When the multifunction device 1 is connected to an external computer, the multifunction device 1 also operates based on an instruction transmitted from the computer via a printer driver or a scanner driver. A slot portion 5 is provided in the upper left part of the front surface of the multifunction machine 1. The slot unit 5 can be loaded with various small memory cards as storage media. By performing a predetermined operation on the operation panel 4, the image data stored in the small memory card loaded in the slot unit 5 is read out. Information about the read image data is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit of the operation panel 4, and an arbitrary image can be recorded on the recording paper by the printer unit 2 based on this display.

  The outline of the internal configuration of the multifunction machine 1 will be described below with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 2, an image recording unit 24 is provided in the approximate center of the multifunction device 1, and a paper feed tray 20 is provided on the bottom side of the multifunction device 1. A separation inclined plate 22 is provided on the back side of the paper feed tray 20. The separation inclined plate 22 separates the recording paper that is double-fed from the paper feed tray 20 and guides the uppermost recording paper upward. A sheet conveyance path 23 is formed above the separation inclined plate 22. The sheet conveyance path 23 is directed upward from the separation inclined plate 22, then bends to the front side, extends from the back side to the front side of the multifunction machine 1, and communicates with the sheet discharge tray 21 through the image recording unit 24. . Accordingly, the recording paper stored in the paper feed tray 20 is guided by the paper conveyance path 23 so as to make a U-turn from the lower side to the upper side, reaches the image recording unit 24, and after image recording is performed by the image recording unit 24. The paper is discharged to the paper discharge tray 21.

  FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view showing the main configuration of the printer unit 2. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the main configuration of the printer unit 2, and mainly shows the configuration on the back side of the apparatus from the approximate center of the printer unit 2. As shown in FIG. 3, on the upper side of the paper feed tray 20, a paper feed roller 25 that supplies the recording paper loaded on the paper feed tray 20 to the paper transport path 23 is provided. The paper feed roller 25 is pivotally supported at the tip of the paper feed arm 26. The paper feed roller 25 is rotated by a drive transmission mechanism 27 in which a plurality of gears are engaged to transmit the drive of a conveyance motor (LF motor) (not shown).

  The paper feed arm 26 is arranged with a base shaft 26 a as a rotation shaft, and moves up and down so as to be able to contact and separate from the paper feed tray 20. As shown in FIG. 3, the paper feed arm 26 is rotated downward so as to come into contact with the paper feed tray 20 by its own weight or biased by a spring or the like. It is configured to be retractable upward. When the paper feed arm 26 is rotated downward, the paper feed roller 25 pivotally supported at the tip of the paper feed arm 26 comes into pressure contact with the recording paper on the paper feed tray 20. In this state, when the paper feeding roller 25 is rotated, the uppermost recording paper is sent to the separation inclined plate 22 by the frictional force between the roller surface of the paper feeding roller 25 and the recording paper. The leading edge of the recording sheet abuts against the separation inclined plate 22 and is guided upward, and is fed into the sheet conveyance path 23. When the uppermost recording paper is sent out by the paper feed roller 25, the recording paper immediately below it may be sent out together by friction or static electricity. However, the recording paper other than the uppermost recording paper is separated by the separating inclined plate 22. It is restrained by contact with.

  The sheet conveyance path 23 is configured by an outer guide surface and an inner guide surface that are opposed to each other at a predetermined interval, except for a portion where the image recording unit 24 and the like are disposed. For example, the curved portion 17 of the paper transport path 23 on the back side of the multifunction machine 1 is configured by fixing an outer guide member 18 and an inner guide member 19 to the apparatus frame. In the sheet conveyance path 23, particularly at a position where the sheet conveyance path 23 is bent, the roller surface is exposed to the outer guide surface so that the roller 16 is exposed to the outer guide surface, and the width direction of the sheet conveyance path 23 is axially rotatable. Is provided. The recording paper that is slidably in contact with the guide surface is smoothly transported by the rotatable rotary rollers 16 at locations where the paper transport path 23 is bent.

  A platen 42 on which recording paper (corresponding to a recording medium) is transported is disposed in the paper transport path 23, and an image recording unit 24 is provided at a position opposite to the platen 42 (see FIG. 2). . Although the detailed configuration of the image recording unit 24 will be described later, an ink jet recording head 39 (see FIG. 5) and a so-called main scanning direction (FIG. 3) mounted with the ink jet recording head 39 and orthogonal to the recording sheet conveyance direction. And a carriage 38 supported so as to be able to reciprocate in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface (left and right direction in FIG. 4). The ink jet recording head 39 includes cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (not shown) through an ink tube 41 (see FIG. 4) from an ink cartridge (not shown) disposed independently of the ink jet recording head 39 in the multifunction device 1. Y) and black (Bk) inks are supplied. While the carriage 38 is reciprocated, each color ink is selectively ejected as fine ink droplets from the ink jet recording head 39, whereby an image is recorded on a recording sheet conveyed on the platen 42. 3 and 4 do not show each ink cartridge filled with each color ink.

  FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a mechanism in the vicinity of the image recording unit 24. In FIG. 5, the ink tube 41, the flat cable 85, and the encoder strip 50 are omitted. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a pair of guide plates 43 and 44 (the present invention) are separated from each other by a predetermined distance in the recording paper conveyance direction (from the upper side to the lower side in FIG. 4) on the upper side of the paper conveyance path 23. 4) is extended in a direction (left-right direction in FIG. 4) perpendicular to the recording sheet conveyance direction. The guide plates 43 and 44 are provided in the housing of the printer unit 2 and constitute a part of a frame that supports each member constituting the printer unit 2. The carriage 38 is placed so as to be slidable in the extending direction of the guide plates 43, 44 (a direction orthogonal to the recording sheet conveyance direction) so as to straddle the guide plates 43, 44. In other words, the carriage 38 is supported on the guide plates 43 and 44 so as to be slidable in the same extending direction. As described above, the guide plates 43 and 44 are arranged almost horizontally in the recording paper conveyance direction, so that the height of the printer unit 2 can be reduced as compared with the conventional mechanism in which the carriage is supported by the guide shaft. As a result, the apparatus can be thinned.

  The guide plate 43 disposed on the upstream side of the recording paper transport direction is a flat plate having a length in the width direction (left-right direction in FIG. 4) of the paper transport path 23 longer than the reciprocating range of the carriage 38. The upper surface of the guide plate 43 on the downstream side in the conveyance direction is a guide surface 43A, and the guide surface 43A supports the end portion on the upstream side of the carriage 38 so as to be slidable. A sliding tape is affixed to the upper surface of the guide surface 43A along the edge on the downstream side in the transport direction. This sliding tape reduces sliding friction between the carriage 38 and the guide surface 43A.

  The guide plate 44 disposed on the downstream side in the recording paper conveyance direction is a flat plate having a width in the width direction of the paper conveyance path 23 that is substantially the same as the guide plate 43. The upper surface of the guide plate 44 on the downstream side in the transport direction is a guide surface 44A, and the guide surface 44A supports the end portion on the downstream side of the carriage 38 so as to be slidable. Similar to the upper surface of the guide surface 43A, a sliding tape is attached to the upper surface of the guide surface 44A along the edge on the downstream side in the transport direction. This sliding tape reduces sliding friction between the carriage 38 and the guide surface 44A. In place of the sliding tape, a lubricant such as grease may be applied to the guide surface 43A and the guide surface 44A. On the other hand, the edge 45 on the upstream side in the transport direction of the guide plate 44 is bent at a substantially right angle upward as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The carriage 38 supported by the guide plates 43 and 44 slidably holds the edge 45. As a result, the carriage 38 is positioned with respect to the recording paper conveyance direction and can slide in a direction perpendicular to the recording paper conveyance direction. That is, the carriage 38 is slidably supported on the guide plates 43 and 44 and reciprocates in a direction perpendicular to the recording sheet conveyance direction with the edge 45 of the guide plate 44 as a reference.

  A belt drive mechanism 46 is disposed on the upper surface of the guide plate 44. In the belt driving mechanism 46, an endless annular timing belt 49 having teeth on the inside is stretched between a driving pulley 47 and a driven pulley 48 provided near both ends in the width direction of the paper conveyance path 23. It will be. A driving force is input to the shaft of the driving pulley 47 from a carriage motor (CR motor) 73 (see FIG. 5), and the timing belt 49 moves circumferentially as the driving pulley 47 rotates. In addition to the endless annular belt, the timing belt 49 may be one that fixes both ends of the endless belt to the carriage 38.

  The carriage 38 is fixed to the timing belt 49 on the bottom surface side. Therefore, based on the circumferential motion of the timing belt 49, the carriage 38 reciprocates on the guide plates 43 and 44 with the edge 45 as a reference. An ink jet recording head 39 is mounted on such a carriage 38, and the ink jet recording head 39 is mainly in the width direction of the paper transport path 23, that is, the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the recording paper transported through the paper transport path 23. It is reciprocated as the scanning direction.

  As shown in FIG. 4, an encoder strip 50 is disposed on the guide plate 44. The encoder strip 50 is a belt-shaped member made of a transparent resin, and has a pattern (scale) in which light transmitting portions that transmit light and light shielding portions that block light are alternately arranged in a longitudinal direction at a predetermined pitch. ing. The encoder strip 50 and the optical sensor 35 provided on the carriage 38 constitute a linear encoder that detects the position of the carriage 38. A pair of support portions 33 and 34 are formed at both ends in the extending direction of the guide plate 44 (reciprocating direction of the carriage 38) so as to stand up from the upper surface thereof. Both ends of the encoder strip 50 are engaged with the support portions 33 and 34, and are erected along the edge 45. Although not shown in the drawing, a leaf spring is provided on one of the support portions 33 and 34, and the end portion of the encoder strip 50 is locked by the leaf spring. This leaf spring prevents tension from acting on the encoder strip 50 in the longitudinal direction to cause slack, and when an external force acts on the encoder strip 50, the leaf spring elastically deforms, The encoder strip 50 is bent.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, a platen 42 is disposed below the sheet conveyance path 23 (see FIG. 3) so as to face the image recording unit 24. The platen 42 is disposed over the central portion of the reciprocating range of the carriage 38 through which the recording paper passes. The width of the platen 42 is sufficiently larger than the maximum width in the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the transportable recording paper, and both ends of the recording paper always pass over the platen 42.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, maintenance units such as a purge mechanism 51 and a waste ink tray 84 are disposed outside the range in which the recording paper does not pass, that is, outside the image recording range by the image recording unit 24. The purge mechanism 51 sucks and removes internal bubbles and foreign matters from the nozzle 53 (see FIG. 9) of the ink jet recording head 39. The purge mechanism 51 includes a cap 52 that covers the nozzle 53 of the ink jet recording head 39, a pump mechanism that is connected to the ink jet recording head 39 through the cap 52, and a movement for bringing the cap 52 into and out of contact with the nozzle 53 of the ink jet recording head 39. It consists of a mechanism. 4 and 5, the pump mechanism and the moving mechanism are below the guide plate 44 and are not shown in the drawings. When sucking and removing bubbles or the like from the inkjet recording head 39, the carriage 38 is moved so that the inkjet recording head 39 is positioned on the cap 52. In this state, the cap 52 is moved upward and is in close contact with the lower surface of the inkjet recording head 39 so as to seal the nozzle 53. Ink is sucked from the nozzle 53 of the inkjet recording head 39 by making the inside of the cap 52 negative pressure by the pump mechanism. Air bubbles and foreign matters in the nozzle 53 are removed by suction together with the ink. The sucked ink is stored in a waste ink tank (not shown).

  The waste ink tray 84 is for receiving idle ink discharge from the inkjet recording head 39 called flushing. The waste ink tray 84 is formed on the upper surface of the platen 42 and within the reciprocating range of the carriage 38 and outside the image recording range. A felt is laid in the waste ink tray 84, and the flushed ink is absorbed by the felt and further held in a waste ink tank (not shown). These maintenance units perform maintenance such as removal of air bubbles and mixed color ink in the ink jet recording head 39 and prevention of drying.

  As shown in FIG. 4, four ink tubes 41 corresponding to the respective color inks are routed from the ink cartridge (not shown) to the carriage 38. The ink jet recording head 39 mounted on the carriage 38 is supplied with each color ink from the ink cartridge through each ink tube 41. The ink tube 41 is a tube made of synthetic resin and has flexibility. Therefore, the ink tube 41 is bent following the reciprocation of the carriage 38. Each ink tube 41 led out from the ink cartridge is pulled out to the vicinity of the center along the width direction of the apparatus, and is temporarily fixed to the fixing clip 36 of the apparatus main body. The portions of the ink tubes 41 from the fixed clip 36 to the carriage 38 are not fixed to the apparatus main body or the like, and the portions change their postures following the reciprocation of the carriage 38. In FIG. 4, the ink tube 41 extending from the fixed clip 36 to the ink cartridge side is omitted.

  A flat cable 85 is connected to the head control board of the ink jet recording head 39. The other end of the flat cable 85 is connected to a main board constituting a control unit that controls the multifunction device 1 in an integrated manner. A recording signal or the like is transmitted from the main substrate to the head control substrate of the ink jet recording head 39 through the flat cable 85. The main board is disposed on the front side of the apparatus (front side in FIG. 4), and is a circuit board composed of electronic devices such as a CPU, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, ASIC, and driver IC. Is not shown. The flat cable 85 is a strip-shaped cable in which a plurality of conductive wires for transmitting electrical signals are covered with a synthetic resin film such as a polyester film and insulated, and electrically connects a main board (not shown) and a head control board. is doing. The flat cable 85 is also flexible, and is bent following the reciprocation of the carriage 38 in the same manner as the ink tube 41.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a pair of conveying rollers 60 and a pinch roller are provided on the upstream side of the image recording unit 24. In FIG. 3, the pinch roller is not hidden behind other members, but is arranged in a press-contact state under the conveying roller 60. The transport roller 60 and the pinch roller sandwich the recording paper transported through the paper transport path 23 and transport it onto the platen 42. A pair of paper discharge rollers 62 and spur rollers 63 are provided on the downstream side of the image recording unit 24. The paper discharge roller 62 and the spur roller 63 sandwich the recorded recording paper and convey it to the paper discharge tray 21. The transport roller 60 and the paper discharge roller 62 are intermittently driven with a predetermined line feed width when a driving force is transmitted from a transport motor (not shown). The rotations of the transport roller 60 and the paper discharge roller 62 are synchronized. An encoder disk 61 is provided at the end of the transport roller 60 in the axial direction. The pattern of the encoder disk 61 that rotates with the transport roller 60 is detected by the optical sensor 64. Based on this detection signal, the rotational position and rotational speed of the transport roller 60 and the paper discharge roller 62 are detected, and the rotation of each roller is controlled. The encoder disk 61 and the optical sensor 64 constitute a rotary encoder.

  Since the spur roller 63 is in pressure contact with the recorded recording paper, the roller surface is uneven in a spur shape so as not to deteriorate the image recorded on the recording paper. The spur roller 63 is provided so as to be slidable in a direction in which the spur roller 63 is brought into contact with and separated from the paper discharge roller 62, and is urged so as to come into pressure contact with the paper discharge roller 62 by a coil spring. When the recording paper enters between the paper discharge roller 62 and the spur roller 63, the spur roller 63 retreats against the biasing force by the thickness of the recording paper, and presses the recording paper against the paper discharge roller 62. Hold it. Thereby, the rotational force of the paper discharge roller 62 is reliably transmitted to the recording paper. The pinch roller is also provided in the same manner with respect to the conveying roller 60, and holds the recording paper so as to be in pressure contact with the conveying roller 60 so that the rotational force of the conveying roller 60 is reliably transmitted to the recording paper.

  Hereinafter, the configuration of the image reading unit 24 and the support structure thereof will be described in detail. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the image reading unit 24. 7 is an arrow view from the arrow VII in FIG. 6 and shows a side configuration of the image reading unit 24. As shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is an arrow view from the arrow VIII in FIG. 7 and shows the bottom configuration of the image reading unit 24. In FIG. 8, the guide plates 43 and 44 are omitted.

  The image reading unit 24 is roughly configured to include an ink jet recording head 39 and a carriage 38. As shown in FIG. 6, the carriage 38 includes a carriage main body 101 that holds the inkjet recording head 39, and an upper cover 100 that covers the carriage main body 101. Both the carriage main body 101 and the upper cover 100 are obtained by molding a synthetic resin with a mold. The upper cover 100 has a substantially downward U-shaped cross section, and has an upper wall 102 that covers the upper surface of the carriage body 101 and side walls 103 and 104 that cover the side surfaces of the carriage body 101. A plurality of hook-shaped engaging claws 105 (see FIG. 8) are integrally formed at the lower ends of the side walls 103 and 104. The engaging claw 105 is hooked on the lower surface or the lower part of the side surface of the carriage body 101, so that the upper cover 100 is attached to the carriage body 101.

  A head control board for controlling the ink jet recording head 39 is appropriately disposed in the carriage body 101. A transmissive optical sensor 35 for reading the pattern of the encoder strip 50 (see FIG. 4) is mounted on the head control board. The optical sensor 35 is exposed on the upper surface of the upper cover 100 through an opening 107 formed in the upper wall 102. A substantially cylindrical rib 106 is erected on the edge of the opening 107, and the optical sensor 35 is surrounded and protected by the rib 106. A slit is formed in the rib 106, and the encoder strip 50 is disposed in a detection unit formed between the light emitting element and the light receiving element of the optical sensor 35 by passing through the slit.

  On the downstream side of the carriage 38 in the conveyance direction of the recording paper, a pipe connecting portion 110 for connecting an ink tube 41 (see FIG. 4) drawn from an ink cartridge (not shown) is provided. As shown in FIG. 7, the tube connection portion 110 is provided with a number corresponding to the number of the ink tubes 41, that is, four tube joints 111 in this embodiment. Inside the carriage body 101, an ink flow path is laid between the tube joint 111 and the inkjet recording head 39. The ink supplied from the ink tube 41 is supplied to the ink jet recording head 39 through the tube joint 111 and the ink flow path.

  FIG. 9 is a bottom view showing the nozzle forming surface of the ink jet recording head 39. As shown in the figure, the inkjet recording head 39 has a nozzle 53 on its lower surface, and the recording paper transport direction for each color ink of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (Bk). Are lined up. In the drawing, the vertical direction is the recording paper conveyance direction, and the horizontal direction is the reciprocating direction of the carriage 38. The CMYBk color ink nozzles 53 form a line in the recording sheet conveyance direction, and the color ink nozzles 53 line up in the reciprocating direction of the carriage 38.

  FIG. 10 is a schematic partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the ink jet recording head 39. As shown in the figure, a cavity 55 having a piezoelectric element 54 is formed on the upstream side of the nozzle 53 formed on the lower surface of the ink jet recording head 39. The piezoelectric element 54 is deformed by applying a predetermined voltage to reduce the volume of the cavity 55. Due to the change in the capacity of the cavity 55, the ink in the cavity 55 is ejected from the nozzle 53 as an ink droplet.

  A cavity 55 is provided for each nozzle 53, and a manifold 56 is formed across the plurality of cavities 55. The manifold 56 is provided for each color ink of CMYBk. A buffer tank 57 is disposed on the upstream side of the manifold 55. The buffer tank 57 is also provided for each color ink of CMYBk. Each buffer tank 57 is provided with an ink supply port 58. The ink flowing through the ink tube 41 and fed into the tube joint 111 is supplied into the ink jet recording head 39 from the ink supply port 58. Once the ink is stored in the buffer tank 57, bubbles generated in the ink are captured by the ink tube 41 and the like, and the bubbles are prevented from entering the cavity 55 and the manifold 56. Bubbles captured in the buffer tank 57 are sucked and removed from the bubble discharge port 59 by a pump mechanism. The ink supplied from the buffer tank 57 to the manifold 56 is distributed to each cavity 55 by the manifold 56.

  An ink flow path is configured such that each color ink supplied from the ink cartridge through the ink tube 41 flows to the cavity 55 via the tube joint 111, the ink supply port 58, the buffer tank 57, and the manifold 56. The CMYBk color inks supplied through such an ink flow path are ejected as ink droplets from the nozzle 53 onto the recording paper due to the deformation of the piezoelectric element 54.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the carriage main body 101 is provided with one sliding contact piece 112 that contacts the guide surface 43 </ b> A of the guide plate 43. This sliding contact piece 112 is provided so as to protrude downward from the bottom surface of the carriage main body 101 at the upstream end of the carriage main body 101 in the recording sheet conveyance direction (hereinafter simply referred to as “upstream end”). ing. The contact point between the sliding contact piece 112 and the guide surface 43A serves as a support point, and the upstream end of the carriage 38 is slidably supported on the guide surface 43A.

  On the other hand, the carriage body 101 facing the guide surface 44A of the guide plate 44 is provided with two sliding contact pieces 113 that come into contact with the guide surface 44A. The sliding contact piece 113 is provided so as to protrude downward from the bottom surface of the carriage main body 101 at the downstream end of the carriage main body 101 in the recording sheet conveyance direction (hereinafter simply referred to as “downstream end”). Yes. These sliding contact pieces 113 are arranged at a predetermined distance in the extending direction of the guide plate 44, in other words, in the reciprocating direction of the carriage 38. Each of the two sliding contact pieces 113 comes into contact with the guide surface 44A, so that the contact point serves as a support point, and the downstream end of the carriage 38 is slidably supported between the guide surface 44A. In this way, the upstream end portion of the carriage 38 is supported by one sliding contact piece 112 and the downstream end portion is supported by the two sliding contact pieces 113, thereby straddling the guide plate 43 and the guide plate 44. In this way, the carriage 38 is supported at three points. The arrangement and number of the sliding pieces 112 and 113 that slidably support the carriage 38 can be changed as appropriate according to the form of the carriage 38 and the operating environment.

  The sliding contact pieces 112 and 113 are provided as members different from the carriage main body 101. In the present embodiment, the carriage main body 101 is formed of a synthetic resin that is inexpensive and excellent in moldability, such as PP (polypropylene), PE (polyethylene), and ABS resin (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin). Each of the pieces 112 and 113 is formed of a synthetic resin such as POM (polyacetal) which is excellent in strength, elastic modulus and impact resistance, and has excellent sliding characteristics. Thus, by forming the sliding contact pieces 112 and 113 with a material having excellent sliding characteristics, the carriage 38 can be smoothly reciprocated.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the carriage body 101 is provided with a holding portion 115 that sandwiches the edge portion 45 of the guide plate 44. The sandwiching portion 115 has an upstream surface (hereinafter referred to as “upstream side surface”) 45A of the edge 45 in the recording paper conveyance direction and a downstream surface (hereinafter referred to as “downstream side surface”) 45B in the recording paper conveyance direction. And slidably contact with each other. The position of the carriage 38 with respect to the recording sheet conveyance direction is determined by the holding portion 115, and the vertical posture of the carriage 38 with respect to the guide plate 43 and the guide plate 44 is determined. As a result, the carriage 38 reciprocates in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the recording paper with the edge 45 of the guide plate 44 as a reference.

  Hereinafter, the holding portion 115 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 11 is a partial enlarged view of the XI portion surrounded by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 8, and mainly shows the configuration of the holding portion 115. FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the holding portion 115. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the first slidable contact member 120 constituting the holding portion 115, and FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of the second slidable contact member 121 constituting the holding portion 115. In FIG. 11, each element constituting the holding portion 115 is indicated by a thick solid line, and the other elements are indicated by broken lines.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the holding portion 115 includes a first sliding contact member 120 and a second sliding contact member 121 arranged so that the contact surfaces to the edge 45 face each other, and the width direction of the carriage 38. A third slidable contact member 122 provided at one end of the carriage 38 and a fourth slidable contact member 123 provided at the other end in the width direction of the carriage 38 so as to be movable in the same direction as the recording paper conveyance direction. It is prepared for. Each of these members is disposed in a substantially groove-shaped recess 124 formed in the width direction on the bottom surface of the carriage body 101.

  The first sliding contact member 120 is provided on the upstream side of the recessed portion 124 in the recording paper conveyance direction. As shown in FIG. 13, the first sliding contact member 120 includes a base 127, coil springs 130 and 131 (corresponding to the urging means of the present invention), and absorbers 132 and 133 (which absorb and hold liquid). Equivalent to the lubricant-impregnated member of the present invention) and fixtures 134 and 135 for fixing the absorbers 132 and 133 to the base 127.

  The base 127 has a base portion 136 formed in a substantially elongated rectangular parallelepiped shape. In the base portion 136, mounting seats 140 and 141 to which the absorbers 132 and 133 are attached are formed on the side surface 139 that is in sliding contact with the upstream side surface 45 </ b> A of the edge portion 45. These mounting seats 140 and 141 are provided side by side in the longitudinal direction of the base portion 136 (that is, the same direction as the extending direction of the edge portion 45). As shown in FIG. 13, the absorbers 140 and 141 have a narrow, substantially rectangular shape. Any absorbers 132 and 133 can be used as long as they can hold a lubricant. For example, sponges, nonwoven fabrics, porous ceramics, or the like that absorb (penetrate) a liquid or semi-liquid (gel) lubricant and hold it inside can be used as the absorbers 132 and 133. As the lubricant, lubricating oil or grease can be applied. The mounting seats 140 and 141 are formed corresponding to the shape of the absorbers 132 and 133, and have four ribs 142, 143, 144, and 145 provided on the top, bottom, left, and right. The separation distance between the ribs 142 and 143 separated in the vertical direction and the separation distance between the ribs 144 and 145 separated in the width direction are set slightly smaller than the vertical and horizontal lengths of the absorbers 132 and 133. Therefore, the absorbers 132 and 133 are supported by the mounting seats 140 and 141 by fitting the contracted absorbers 132 and 133 into the mounting seats 140 and 141. Thereby, the absorbers 132 and 133 are temporarily fixed to the base part 136.

  The absorbers 132 and 133 have, on one surface thereof, a convex portion 146 whose center portion in the width direction is raised from the end portion in the width direction. The absorbers 132 and 133 are fitted into the mounting seats 140 and 141 so that the surface provided with the convex portions 146 is exposed. The absorbers 132 and 133 temporarily fixed by the mounting seats 140 and 141 are fixed to the base portion 136 by the fixtures 134 and 135. The fixtures 134 and 135 are formed of a metal plate, and fix the absorbers 132 and 133 to the base portion 136 using the elasticity of the metal plate. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 13, in a substantially square metal plate in which an opening 147 is formed by cutting out the central portion into a substantially rectangular shape, a pair of opposing opposite sides are bent substantially vertically by a predetermined width. It is formed by. By bending the pair of opposite sides, substantially hook-shaped claw portions 148 and 149 are formed. The ends of the opening 147 extend to the claw portions 148 and 149, and the end portions constitute notches 148 </ b> A and 149 </ b> A that are hooked to the base portion 136 at the claw portions 148 and 149.

  Protruding pieces 150 and 151 protruding outward are formed on the ribs 142 and 143 formed on the base portion 136. The fixtures 134 and 135 are fitted into the base portion 136 so as to straddle the ribs 142 and 143 while the separation distance between the claw portions 148 and 149 is increased. Then, the fixtures 134 and 135 are attached to the base portion 136 from above the absorbers 132 and 133 by the cutouts 150 and 151 being stopped so that the notches 148A and 149A are hooked. Thereby, the absorbers 132 and 133 are fixed to the base portion 136 by the fixing tools 134 and 135. As shown in FIG. 11, the absorbers 132 and 133 fixed to the base portion 136 by the fixtures 134 and 135 have their convex portions 146 protruding from the openings 147 and exposed. In addition, the protrusion amount of the convex part 146 is appropriately set according to the material of the absorbers 132 and 133, the retention amount of the lubricant, and the like.

  Spring receiving portions 137 and 138 are provided at both ends of the base portion 136 in the longitudinal direction. The spring receiving portions 137 and 138 are provided on the surface opposite to the side surface 139 to which the absorbers 132 and 133 are attached. The spring receiving portions 137 and 138 include a concave portion 161 (see FIG. 14) recessed in a deep dish shape that can accommodate the coil springs 130 and 131 and a columnar support portion 162 (see FIG. 14) standing on the bottom surface thereof. Have. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the configuration of the second sliding contact member 121. Since the configuration of the spring receiving portion is common, the spring receiving portions 137 and 138 will be described with reference to FIG. The coil springs 130 and 131 are inserted into the spring receiving portions 137 and 138, and the inner holes of the coil springs 130 and 131 enter the support portion 162, so that the coil springs 130 and 131 are attached to the spring receiving portions 137 and 138.

  Arms 128 and 129 extend in the direction perpendicular to the base portion 136 from both ends in the longitudinal direction of the base portion 136. A hook-shaped engagement claw 125, 126 is formed at the tip of each of the arms 128, 129. A hole penetrating the upper surface of the carriage body 101 is formed in the bottom surface of the recessed portion 124, and the tips of the arms 128 and 129 are inserted into the hole, and the engaging claws 125 and 126 are latched on the edges of the holes. Is done. As a result, the first sliding contact member 120 is attached to the carriage body 101 in a state where the movement of the first sliding contact member 120 in the vertical direction is restricted (see FIG. 12).

  As shown in FIG. 11, when the first sliding contact member 120 is attached to the carriage body 101, movement in the longitudinal direction is restricted at both longitudinal ends of the base portion 136 by the regulation ribs 175 formed on the carriage body 101. The The regulation rib 175 includes a straight portion 177 extending a predetermined width from the wall surface on the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the recording paper to the downstream side in the conveyance direction, and the central portion of the base portion 136 from the end portion on the edge 45 side of the straight portion 177. And an L-shaped portion 176 bent into an L-shape. The predetermined width is determined in consideration of the stroke of the coil springs 130 and 131 and the width of the base portion 136. Accordingly, the first sliding contact member 120 can move in the recording sheet conveyance direction by a distance corresponding to the spring stroke of the coil springs 130 and 131. On the other hand, the movement of the first sliding contact member 120 toward the edge 45 is limited by the L-shaped portion 176. Thereby, the excessive protrusion to the edge part 45 side is prevented.

  On the same surface of the side surface 139 to which the absorbers 132 and 133 are attached, sliding contact portions 152 and 153 that are in sliding contact with the upstream side surface 45A of the edge portion 45 are formed. The sliding contact portions 152 and 153 are provided at both ends of the base portion 136 in the longitudinal direction, and are disposed on the back side of the spring receiving portions 137 and 138. The slidable contact surfaces of these slidable contact portions 152, 153 are formed in an arc shape, and the top portions thereof are in contact with the upstream side surface 45 </ b> A of the edge 45. The slidable contact portions 152 and 153 are dimensioned so that the top portions in contact with the upstream side surface 45A are lower than the top portions of the convex portions 146 of the absorbers 132 and 133 protruding from the opening 147. Therefore, when the first sliding member is pressed toward the upstream side surface 45A by the coil springs 130 and 131, the convex portions 146 of the absorbers 132 and 133 come into contact with the upstream side surface 45A. In addition, when the absorbers 132 and 133 are brought into contact with the upstream side surface 45A and contracted, the sliding contact portions 152 and 153 are brought into contact with the upstream side surface 45A, and excessive shrinkage of the absorbers 132 and 133 is prevented.

  The second sliding contact member 121 is provided on the downstream side of the recessed portion 124 in the recording paper conveyance direction. As shown in FIG. 14, the second sliding contact member 121 includes a base 157 having a base portion 164 and arms 165 and 166. The base 157 of the second slidable contact member 121 is slightly different from the base 127 of the first slidable contact member 120, but is common in that it has a base portion and an arm, and has the same structure in other details. Yes. Here, about the structure of the 2nd sliding contact member 121, the detailed description is abbreviate | omitted by attaching | subjecting the same code | symbol as the component of a 1st sliding contact member.

  The gap formed between the first sliding contact member 120 and the second sliding contact member 121 is set to such an extent that the edge 45 can be inserted in consideration of the spring stroke of the coil springs 130 and 131. In a state in which the edge 45 is not inserted, the first sliding contact member 120 and the second sliding contact member 121 are elastically urged toward each other by the coil springs 130 and 131, so that the gap is It is narrower than the thickness. On the other hand, when the carriage 38 is placed on the guide plates 43 and 44 and the holding portion 115 is pressed against the edge portion 45, the coil springs 130 and 131 are compressed, so that the gap is widened. The insertion of the edge 45 is allowed. At this time, the edge portion 14 is held by the first sliding contact member 120 and the second sliding contact member 121 with the urging force of the coil springs 130 and 131.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the third sliding contact member 122 is provided in the recessed portion 124 at the end in the width direction on the downstream side in the recording paper conveyance direction. The third sliding contact member 122 is arranged side by side with the second sliding contact member 121. The third sliding contact member 122 has a sliding contact surface 164 that is in sliding contact with the downstream side surface 45B of the edge 45. The third sliding contact member 122 is different from the first sliding contact member 120 and the second sliding contact member 121 described above, in a state where the sliding contact surface 164 is opposed to the side surface 139 of the first sliding contact member 120. 139 is fixed to the carriage body 101 at a predetermined distance. The third sliding contact member 122 is also made of a synthetic resin such as POM having excellent sliding characteristics.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the fourth slidable contact member 123 is provided at the end of the recessed portion 124 in the width direction opposite to the third slidable contact member 122. The fourth sliding contact member 123 is arranged so as to cross the recessed portion 124 from the upstream side to the downstream side in the recording paper conveyance direction. The fourth sliding contact member 123 is also made of a synthetic resin such as POM having excellent sliding characteristics. As shown in FIG. 11, the fourth sliding contact member 123 has a groove portion 166 having a downward U-shaped cross section. The groove 166 extends in the width direction of the carriage body 101. The edge 45 of the guide plate 44 is inserted into the groove 166. The groove width of the groove portion 166 is dimensionally designed so that the edge portion 45 can be inserted with a margin, and moderate play occurs when the edge portion 45 is inserted.

  The fourth sliding contact member 123 is provided so as to be movable in the recording sheet conveyance direction, that is, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the edge 45. Therefore, the vertical posture of the carriage 38 with respect to the edge 45 is adjusted by moving the fourth sliding contact member 123 in the same direction. The fourth sliding contact member 123 is coupled to a dial type moving mechanism 200 described later, and is configured such that the fourth sliding contact member 123 moves when the moving mechanism 200 is operated. Note that the fourth sliding contact member 123 and the moving mechanism 200 constitute the posture adjusting means of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, the moving mechanism 200 and the fourth sliding contact member 123 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 15 to 17. FIG. 15 is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the moving mechanism 200 and the fourth sliding contact member 123, and FIG. 16 is an enlarged side view thereof. FIGS. 17A and 17B are partially enlarged views showing the configuration of the moving mechanism 200, where FIG. 17A is a view of the moving mechanism 200 viewed from the outside, and FIG. 17B is a view of the moving mechanism 200 viewed from the inside.

  As shown in FIG. 17, the fourth sliding contact member 123 includes a connection block body 167 extending to the upstream side in the transport direction. The connecting block body 167 is accommodated in a recessed holding case 172 (see FIG. 15) formed on the side wall 104 of the carriage body 101. The holding case 172 is moderately open in the width direction, and an upper guide and a lower guide that are in sliding contact with the upper and lower surfaces of the holding case 172 are provided in the vertical direction. The bottom surface of the holding case 172 is in sliding contact with one side surface of the connecting block body 167.

  The connection block body 167 is formed with a rectangular opening 168 through which an eccentric shaft 202 of the dial plate 201 described later is inserted. A pair of abutting portions 169 and 170 that face each other are formed at the edge of the opening 168. The contact portion 169 protrudes from the edge of the opening 168 to the inner diameter side, and is provided upstream of the opening 168 in the recording paper conveyance direction. On the other hand, the opposing side that faces the contact portion 170 constitutes the contact surface 170. On the downstream side of the contact surface 170 in the conveying direction, an elongated opening 171 extending in the vertical direction with a predetermined distance is formed. Thereby, the contact part 170 is formed in the shape of an elongated rib separating the opening 168 and the opening 171. Since the contact portion 170 is formed in this way, the contact portion 170 bends when an external force is applied, and exhibits a spring action that restores the original shape when the external force is released.

  The moving mechanism 200 is embodied by a dial plate 201 having a knob 203 on the outside and an eccentric shaft 202 formed on the back surface of the dial plate 201. The knob 203 and the eccentric shaft 202 are formed integrally with the dial plate 201. A support shaft that protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the side surface of the carriage body 101 from the back is provided at the back of the holding case 172. On the other hand, the eccentric shaft 202 has a shaft hole 204 formed in the same direction as the axial direction. The dial plate 201 is rotatably attached to the carriage body 101 by inserting the shaft hole 204 of the eccentric shaft 202 into the support shaft. At this time, the outer peripheral surface of the eccentric shaft 202 is always in contact with the contact portions 169 and 170. The dial plate 201 attached to the carriage body 101 is elastically fixed by a fixture 206 made of a U-shaped metal plate.

  Concave groove-shaped notches 205 are formed on the outer surface of the dial plate 201 in the radial direction with appropriate intervals in the circumferential direction. The notch 205 also serves as a scale serving as a guide for the moving distance of the fourth sliding contact member 123. The fixing tool 206 is cut out at the center, and the knob 203 is exposed from the cutout opening 207. As shown in FIG. 15, the elastic piece 208 at the left and right ends of the opening 207 is bent and formed with a pressing portion 209 having a V-shaped cross section in a substantially central portion in the vertical direction. This pressing portion 209 is pressed against the surface of the dial plate 201. Accordingly, when the pressing portion 209 is moved onto the notch 205 due to the rotation of the dial plate 201, the pressing portion 209 is immersed in the concave groove of the notch 205, and is further rotated, so that the dial is removed from the notch 205. It rides on the surface of the plate 201. Thereby, since a click feeling is transmitted from the knob 203 to the operator, the number of notches can be easily grasped.

  The upper and lower mounting pieces 210 of the fixture 206 are formed with mounting holes 212 that engage with engaging claws 211 that protrude from the upper and lower guides of the holding case 172 to the outer surface. The fixing tool 206 is fixed to the carriage body 101 by being hooked on the carriage body 101. Note that the engaging claw of the upper guide of the holding case 172 and the corresponding mounting hole are hidden by the upper cover 101 and are not shown in the figure.

  Since such a moving mechanism 200 is connected to the fourth sliding contact member 123, the fourth sliding contact member 123 is moved substantially perpendicular to the edge 45 by moving the moving mechanism 200. Can be moved in the direction. Specifically, when the knob 203 is rotated rightward from the position illustrated in FIG. 17, the outer peripheral surface of the eccentric shaft 202 is slid while being in contact with the contact portion 169 and the contact portion 170. Thereby, according to the eccentricity of the eccentric shaft 202, the fourth sliding contact member 123 moves to the downstream side in the recording paper conveyance direction. When the eccentric shaft 202 is further rotated, the fourth sliding contact member 123 moves to the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the recording paper and returns to the original position. Move upstream in the conveyance direction of the recording paper. The vertical posture of the carriage 38 is adjusted by moving the fourth sliding contact member 123 in this way. Accordingly, it is possible to adjust the posture of the carriage 38 so that the arrangement direction of the nozzles 53 coincides with the conveyance direction of the recording paper.

  In the present embodiment, as described above, the first slidable contact member 120 and the second slidable contact member 121 are configured to be movable in the same direction as the recording paper conveyance direction by the coil springs 130 and 131. Therefore, even if the posture of the carriage 38 is adjusted by the moving mechanism 200, the first sliding contact member 120 and the second sliding contact member 121 always slide on the upstream side surface 45A and the downstream side surface 45B of the edge 45 following the change in posture. Touch. Since the absorbers 132 and 133 holding the lubricant are provided on the side surface 139 that is always in sliding contact with the edge 45 as described above, even when the posture of the carriage 38 is adjusted, the upstream side surface 45A of the edge 45 and A lubricant can always be applied while wiping off deposits adhering to the downstream side surface 45B. Thereby, smooth movement of the carriage 38 is realized. Even if excessive lubricant is applied, it is absorbed by the absorbers 132 and 133, so that dripping of the lubricant and landing on other members are prevented.

  In the above-described embodiment, the first sliding contact member 120 and the second sliding contact member 121 are disposed in the recessed portion 124 of the carriage main body 101. However, the second sliding contact member 121 is removed, and Only the first sliding contact member 120 may be provided on the upstream side in the transport direction. Thereby, even when the posture of the carriage 38 is adjusted, the lubricant is always applied to the upstream side surface 45A of the edge 45.

  The above-described embodiment is merely an example of the present invention, and it is needless to say that the embodiment can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the present invention.

1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of a multifunction machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an internal configuration of a multifunction machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view showing a main configuration of a printer unit 2. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a main configuration of a printer unit 2. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a mechanism in the vicinity of an image recording unit 24. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the image reading unit 24. The arrow view of arrow VII in FIG. The arrow view of arrow view VIII in FIG. FIG. 4 is a bottom view showing a nozzle forming surface of the inkjet recording head 39. FIG. 3 is a schematic partial enlarged cross-sectional view showing an internal configuration of the inkjet recording head 39. The elements on larger scale of the XI part enclosed with the dashed-two dotted line in FIG. The disassembled perspective view of the holding part 115. FIG. The disassembled perspective view of the 1st sliding contact member 120 which comprises the clamping part 115. FIG. The disassembled perspective view of the 2nd sliding contact member 121 which comprises the clamping part 115. FIG. The expansion perspective view near the moving mechanism 200 and the 4th sliding contact member 123. FIG. The enlarged side view near the moving mechanism 200 and the 4th sliding contact member 123. FIG. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view showing a configuration of a moving mechanism 200.

Explanation of symbols

1... MFP (an example of an image recording device)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 ... Printer part 3 ... Scanner part 4 ... Operation panel 5 ... Slot part 38 ... Carriage 39 ... Inkjet recording head 43 ... Guide plate 44 ... Guide plate 120 .... First sliding contact member 121 ... Second sliding contact member 122 ... Third sliding contact member 123 ... Fourth sliding contact member 200 ... Moving mechanism (posture adjusting means)

Claims (7)

A guide member having a guide rail extending in a predetermined direction;
A recording head that discharges ink droplets on a recording medium, and a carriage that reciprocates in the extending direction along the guide rail.
The carriage is
A sliding contact member that slidably contacts the guide rail while holding the guide rail as the carriage moves;
A posture adjusting means for adjusting a holding posture of the carriage with respect to the guide rail by holding the sliding contact member;
An image recording apparatus comprising: a lubricant-impregnated member impregnated with a lubricant and provided at a sliding contact position of the sliding contact member with the guide rail.   The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of lubricant-impregnated members are juxtaposed in the extending direction of the guide rail. The sliding contact member has a first sliding contact portion that is in sliding contact with the guide rail, and a second sliding contact portion that is separated from the first sliding contact portion in the extending direction of the guide rail,
The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant-impregnated member is provided between the first sliding contact portion and the second sliding contact portion.   4. The carriage according to claim 1, further comprising urging means for elastically urging the sliding contact member toward the guide rail in accordance with a change in the carriage holding posture by the attitude adjusting means. The image recording apparatus described in 1.   The said sliding contact member has a pair of sliding contact surface which pinches | interposes the said guide rail, The said lubrication agent impregnation member is provided in any one or both of said pair of sliding contact surfaces. An image recording apparatus according to claim 1. The guide member includes a first guide member disposed on the upstream side in the transport direction and a second guide member disposed on the downstream side in the transport direction, the first guide member being separated in the transport direction of the recording medium. Each of the second guide members supports the carrier.
The image recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the guide rail is provided on one or both of the first guide member and the second guide member. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the posture adjusting unit adjusts a vertical posture of the carriage with respect to a sliding contact surface of the guide rail with which the sliding contact member is slidably contacted.

Images