JP2009023169A - Clamp member and recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To form a flexible track/conduit assembly 302. <P>SOLUTION: The clamp member 300 integratedly includes a track holding part 303 which holds a flat cable 146 for transmitting an electrical signal, and a conduit holding part 305 which holds a flat tube 147 for circulating a liquid. One of the track holding part 303 and conduit holding part 305 holds the flat cable 146 or flat tube 147, and is fixed to the flat cable 146 or a conduit in the longitudinal direction of the flat cable 146 or flat tube 147. The other of the track holding part 303 and conduit holding part 305 holds the flat cable 146 or flat tube 147 and permits displacement of the flat cable 146 or flat tube 147 in the longitudinal direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a clamp member and a recording apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a clamp member that binds a line and a pipe in a recording apparatus that is coupled by a recording head that reciprocates and a line and pipe that bends a main body, and a recording apparatus that includes the clamp member.

  There is an ink jet recording apparatus in which a liquid such as ink is ejected from a recording head provided with fine nozzles to adhere to a recording medium. This type of recording apparatus includes a conveyance unit that reciprocates the recording head in a predetermined main scanning direction and moves a recording medium in a conveyance direction that intersects the main scanning direction, and combines main scanning and conveyance. Thus, an image is formed by attaching a liquid to an arbitrary area on the recording medium.

  In the recording apparatus having such a structure, the recording head operates while reciprocating in the main scanning direction. Therefore, it is preferable to reduce the weight of the structure that reciprocates with the recording head from the viewpoint of improving the operation speed and reducing vibration.

  Therefore, there is a case in which an ink cartridge containing ink is fixed to the recording apparatus main body side and the ink is supplied to the recording head via a flexible conduit that follows the reciprocating movement of the recording head. Further, since an electric signal for controlling the operation is supplied to the recording head, the recording apparatus main body and the recording head are also connected by a flexible line that follows the reciprocating movement of the recording head.

  In many recording apparatuses, a plurality of types of ink, for example, inks having different colors are supplied to the recording head. Further, accordingly, the recording head is provided with actuators that operate at different timings. Accordingly, each of the pipes and lines has a flat tube structure or a flat cable structure in which a plurality of pipes and lines are integrated.

  Each of the flat tube and the flat cable has a tape-like shape having a certain width. Therefore, the recording apparatus main body and the recording head can be combined with one member by stacking and integrating these to form a line / pipe assembly. Such a line / pipe assembly is bent and arranged in a U shape between the recording apparatus main body and the recording head, and the U-shaped portion moves as the recording head reciprocates. With such a structure, the load exerted by the track / pipe assembly on the reciprocating movement of the recording head can be reduced.

In Patent Document 1 below, in addition to an ink tube that supplies ink to a recording head, and a flat cable that transmits an electrical signal to the recording head, a side-by-side member formed of a tape-like metal is combined with a binding tool. Binding to form a line / pipe assembly is described. Thereby, the deformation | transformation of a track | line / pipeline assembly and the movement of a bending part can be stabilized.
JP 2001-171145 A

  As described above, it is preferable that the line / pipe assembly in which the flat tube, the flat cable, and the installed member are integrally bound is flexibly bent without preventing the recording head from reciprocating. However, for example, when the recording apparatus is increased in size and the pipe line is thickened, the thickness of the flat tube is also increased. When a thick flat tube is bent, the curvature differs between the front and back surfaces, so that a deviation occurs between the front and back surfaces with the binding member. For this reason, the line / pipe assembly is difficult to bend due to friction between the binding tool and the flat tube, and it is difficult to bend the line / pipe assembly to a small extent, which is an obstacle to downsizing the recording apparatus. Furthermore, the flat tube may be worn and damaged by sliding between the binding tool and the flat tube.

  Therefore, for the purpose of solving the above problems, as a first embodiment of the present invention, a line holding unit for holding a line for propagating an electric signal and a pipe line holding unit for holding a pipe for flowing liquid are provided. A clamp member provided integrally, wherein one of the line holding part and the pipe line holding part grips the line or the pipe line and is fixed to the line or the pipe line in the longitudinal direction of the line or the pipe line, The other of the line holding part and the pipe line holding part is provided with a clamp member that allows displacement in the longitudinal direction of the line or the pipe line while holding the line or the pipe line. As a result, the clamp member grips the track and is positioned in the longitudinal direction, and allows displacement of the pipeline, so that it does not slide with the pipeline. Therefore, it becomes difficult to bend the track / pipe assembly or damage the pipeline by sliding.

  In the clamp member, the line holding unit holds and holds a flexible flat cable including a plurality of parallel wires integrally connected on a common plane by a pair of gripping surfaces parallel to the plane. Also good. Thereby, since the flexible flat cable which forms a track is grasped in a wide area, it can be surely grasped and fixed, without applying big pressure to a track.

  Moreover, in the clamp member, the line holding portion may hold the flexible flat cable and a side member extending parallel to the plane and reinforcing the bending rigidity of the flexible flat cable. Thereby, the curve to the width direction of an installation member can be controlled, and a track / pipe assembly can be bent smoothly.

  In the clamp member, the pipe line holding portion holds the flexible multi-tube including a plurality of parallel pipes integrally connected on a common plane with a pair of positioning surfaces parallel to the plane. May be. Thereby, the displacement in the longitudinal direction can be allowed while gripping the pipeline.

  Further, in the clamp member, the pipe line holding portion is rotatably mounted around a pair of axes parallel to the plane, and holds the flexible multi-tube via a roller rotated along the pipe line. May be. Thereby, since the friction with respect to the clamp member of a pipe line can be reduced, a track / pipe line assembly can be smoothly bent and assembled.

  In the clamp member, the roller may have a circumferential shape that draws a smooth curve in a cross section including the shaft, and may have a smaller diameter on the inner side in the extending direction of the shaft than on the outer side. This prevents the pipe line gripped via the roller from being displaced to the side of the clamp member.

  As a second embodiment of the present invention, a recording head that ejects ink while reciprocating, a guide member that guides reciprocation of the recording head, a main body that includes a frame that supports the guide member, and a main body and a recording head A line for propagating an electric signal between the main body and the recording head, and a clamp member for binding the line and the pipe, and the clamp member holds a line. And a pipe holding part that holds the pipe integrally, and one of the line holding part and the pipe holding part grips the line or the pipe, and the line or pipe in the longitudinal direction of the line or the pipe A recording device is provided that is fixed to the road and that allows the other of the track holding portion and the pipeline holding portion to be displaced in the longitudinal direction of the track or the pipeline while holding the track or the pipeline. As a result, the recording head can smoothly reciprocate even if the pipe / line assembly formed by the pipe, the line, and the clamp member is bent small, so that the recording apparatus can be downsized. Further, since sliding does not occur between the clamp member and the pipe line, the pipe line is also prevented from being worn.

  The summary of the invention does not enumerate all necessary features of the present invention. Further, a sub-combination of these feature groups can be an invention.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the invention. However, the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. In addition, not all the combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential for the solving means of the invention.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ink jet recording apparatus 100 according to an embodiment. As shown in the figure, the ink jet recording apparatus 100 includes a recording unit 140 whose longitudinal direction is horizontally arranged, a casing unit 110 attached to an end of the recording unit 140, and an upper side of the recording unit 140. The mounted loading unit 130 and the leg unit 170 that supports the recording unit 140 and the housing unit 110 from below are provided.

  The loading unit 130 is loaded with a roll assembly 190 (see FIG. 3) on which a long recording medium 191 is wound. In this figure, the roll assembly 190 is covered with a roll cover 132. The loading unit 130 includes a release lever 133 and can hold or release the loaded roll assembly 190.

  The internal mechanism of the recording unit 140 is also covered with the top cover 142 and the front cover 144. A recording head 143, which will be described later, is disposed inside the recording unit 140, and ink is ejected from the loading unit 130 toward the recording medium 191 fed to the recording unit 140.

  The recording medium 191 that is fed from the loading unit 130 and on which an image is formed in the recording unit 140 is discharged to a discharge unit 160 formed below the recording unit 140. The leg portion 170 is attached for the purpose of forming a space for stacking the recording medium 191 discharged to the discharge portion 160.

  The housing unit 110 forms a space at the home position where the recording head 143 retracted from the recording unit 140 that has been stopped stands by, and has a cartridge holder 120 at a lower part thereof. The cartridge holder 120 stores an ink cartridge 124 that stores ink to be supplied to the recording head 143. Further, the holder 140 is covered with the recording unit 140 during operation.

  An operation panel 180 is disposed on the upper surface of the housing unit 110. In addition to the switch 182 operated by the user, the operation panel 180 also includes a display unit 184 that indicates the operation state of the ink jet recording apparatus 100.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the ink jet recording apparatus 100 with the front cover 144 removed and the inside of the recording unit 140 exposed. As shown in the figure, a plastic template 152 is arranged in the recording unit 140 over its entire width. As will be described later, a negative pressure is formed on the surface of the plastic template 152, and the recording medium 191 fed from the roll assembly 190 is adsorbed. Thereby, on the plastic template 152, the recording medium 191 is flattened and its position is determined.

  When the front cover 144 is removed, the recording unit frame 141 is exposed along the lower end of the opening. The recording unit frame 141 is a structural material that ensures the strength of the recording unit 140, and at the same time, is a member that supports a conduit / line assembly described later.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a feeding path of the recording medium 191 in the internal mechanism 200 of the ink jet recording apparatus 100. As shown in the figure, the feeding path extends from the roll assembly 190 in the loading unit 130 to the discharge unit 160 through the recording unit 140.

  In the loading unit 130, the roll assembly 190 is loaded inside the roll cover 132. The roll assembly 190 is formed by winding a long continuous recording medium 191 around the outer surface of a paper tube 192 serving as a core. This makes it easy to handle a large recording medium 191.

  Further, a metal spindle member 194 is inserted inside the paper tube 192. Both ends of the spindle member 194 are supported by a spindle support part 134 formed in the loading part 130. Note that the recording medium 191 may be a paper, a resin film, a textile product, or the like.

  The recording unit 140 includes a feeding unit 111 that feeds the recording medium 191, a recording head 143 that discharges ink to the recording medium 191, a carriage 148 on which the recording head 143 is mounted, and a plastic template that supports the recording medium 191. 152 etc. are arranged. The feeding unit 111 includes a feeding driving roller 112 that is rotationally driven by a feeding motor (not shown), and a feeding driven roller 114 that is rotated in contact with the feeding driving roller 112. The recording medium 191 is sandwiched between the feeding drive roller 112 and the feeding driven roller 114 and pressed against the feeding driving roller 112 by the feeding driven roller 114, so that the roll assembly is rotated according to the rotation of the feeding driving roller 112. It is pulled out from the solid 190.

  The recording medium 191 pulled out from the roll assembly 190 and passed through the feeding unit 111 passes through a position facing the recording head 143. At this time, the recording medium 191 is supported by the plastic template 152 on the side facing the recording head 143. As a result, the recording medium 191 on the plastic template 152 is positioned with a certain distance from the recording head 143.

  Here, a fan unit (not shown) is arranged behind the plastic template 152 (on the right side in the figure), that is, on the opposite side to the surface that supports the recording medium, and as shown by the arrow A in FIG. The air sucked from the template 152 is discharged from the discharge duct 159 to the outside. As a result, a negative pressure is formed on the surface of the plastic template 152, and the recording medium 191 is sucked onto the plastic template 152. Accordingly, the recording medium 191 with the curl in the roll assembly 190 is also flat on the plastic template 152.

  The recording head 143 is mounted on the carriage 148, and the carriage 148 is suspended from the guide rail 145. The guide rail 145 extends substantially over the entire width of the recording unit 140 perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 3 and guides the carriage 148 to reciprocate. The ink ejected from the recording head 143 is supplied from the ink cartridge 124 through a pipe (not shown). Accordingly, the ink cartridge 124 is not mounted on the carriage 148, and the assembly of the carriage 148 and the recording head 143 that reciprocates is light.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a part of the internal mechanism 200 of the recording unit 140 in the ink jet recording apparatus 100. As shown in the figure, a carriage encoder scale 150 and a guide rail 145 are arranged over the entire width of the recording unit 140. The carriage 148 on which the recording head 143 is mounted reciprocates along the guide rail 145 and detects the amount of movement using the carriage encoder scale 150.

  Here, ink and driving signals are supplied to the recording head 143 mounted on the carriage 148. Therefore, one end of the flat tube 147 and the flat cable 146 is coupled to the recording head 143.

  On the other hand, the flat tube 147 and the flat cable 146 that have come out of the carriage 148 are bent downward, then extend along the recording unit frame 141, and eventually enter under the recording unit frame 141. The other end of the flat tube 147 communicates with the ink cartridge 124 accommodated in the cartridge holder 120. The other end of the flat cable 146 is coupled to an internal circuit (not shown) of the ink jet recording apparatus 100.

  Further, on the recording unit frame 141, the flat tube 147 and the flat cable 146 are bound by the clamp member 300 to form an assembly. This assembly is not fixed with respect to the recording unit frame 141 but is merely mounted. Therefore, when the carriage 148 moves, the bent portion moves and follows the carriage 148. In FIG. 4, the carriage 148 is located at the home position on the right end of the guide rail 145.

  FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged view showing the flat tube 147 and the flat cable 146 attached to the recording unit 140. As shown in the figure, the flat tube 147 and the flat cable 146 are bundled by a large number of clamp members 300 arranged at substantially equal intervals to form an assembly. Moreover, in this embodiment, the installation member 149 sandwiched between the flat tube 147 and the flat cable 146 is also integrated.

  Note that the along-side member 149 is formed of a band-shaped member that is easily bent and is formed of a metal material such as stainless steel that is less plastically deformed. By integrating the extending members 149 along with each other, breakage of the flat tube 147 and the flat cable 146 can be prevented, and unnecessary deformation and vibration caused thereby can be prevented.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating one of the clamp members 300 that grips the flat tube 147. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the clamp member 300 is viewed from the front. As shown in these drawings, the clamp member 300 is formed by integrating a line holding portion 303 that holds a flat cable 146 and a conduit holding portion 305 that holds a flat tube 147.

  The track holding part 303 is a rectangular frame formed by connecting a common crosspiece 320, which will be described later, with a common crosspiece 320, and a lower crosspiece 310 parallel to the middle crosspiece 320, at each side end. Make. Here, a fitting portion 351 having a shape complementary to a part of the middle rail 320 is formed at one end (left end in FIG. 6, right end in FIG. 7) on the side of the lower rail 310. A latch portion 314 that engages with a lower engagement portion 354 that extends downward from the middle rail 320 is formed at the other side end of the lower rail 310. As a result, the lower beam 310 and the middle beam 320 which are initially separate bodies are combined and integrated with each other.

  The pipe line holding unit 305 is a rectangular frame formed by a middle rail 320 common to the track holding unit 303, a pair of columns 330 rising from both side ends thereof, and an upper beam 332 that joins the upper ends of the columns 330. Eggplant. Here, a fitting portion 353 having a shape complementary to a part of the column 330 is formed at one end (the right end in FIG. 7) on the side of the middle rail 320. In addition, a hook portion (not shown) that engages with an upper engagement portion 352 that extends downward from the lower end of the support post 330 is formed on the other side end portion of the intermediate rail 320. Thereby, the intermediate beam 320 and the support | pillar 330 which are the separate bodies at the beginning are mutually combined and integrated.

  Further, the pipe line holding portion 305 includes a pair of shaft support portions 341 suspended from the upper rail 332, a pair of shaft support portions 343 rising upward from the upper surface of the middle rail 320, and a pair supported by the shaft support portions 341 and 343. The roller member 340 is provided. The pair of roller members 340 are parallel to each other and are rotatably attached to the shaft support portions 341 and 343. Each of the roller members 340 includes a shaft portion 342 extending in the longitudinal direction and large-diameter flange portions 344 formed at both ends of the shaft portion 342.

  In the pipe line holding part 305 having the above structure, the flat tube 147 is inserted into a substantially rectangular gap defined by the shaft part 342 and the flange part 344 of the roller member 340. In this state, when the flat tube 147 moves in the longitudinal direction, the roller member 340 is rotated along with the flat tube 147, so that the displacement of the flat tube 147 in the longitudinal direction is prevented by being held by the pipe line holding portion 305. It will never be done. On the other hand, in the pipe line holding portion 305, each side surface of the flat tube 147 is surrounded by the shaft portion 342 and the flange portion 344 of the roller member 340, so that displacement in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the flat tube 147 is reliably regulated. Is done.

  In contrast to the pipe line holding unit 305 having the above function, in the line holding unit 303, as described below, the lower surface of the middle rail 320 and the upper surface of the lower rail 310 are in contact with the flat cable 146 and the like. Hold this in contact.

  FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the structure of the line / pipe assembly 301 formed by holding the flat cable 146 and the flat tube 147 on the clamp member 300 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. As shown in the figure, a flat tube 147 is sandwiched between shaft portions 342 of the pair of roller members 340 in the pipe line holding portion 305.

  Since the roller member 340 is rotatably mounted as already described, the flat tube 147 is easily displaced in the length direction. Therefore, the clamp member 300 does not generate resistance against the displacement of the flat tube 147. Further, since sliding does not occur between the pipe line holding portion 305 and the flat tube 147, the surface thereof is not worn by the displacement of the flat tube 147.

  On the other hand, in the track holding portion 303, the lower rail 310 and the middle rail 320 firmly hold the flat cable 146 and the installed member 149. Therefore, the line holding portion 303 is not displaced in the longitudinal direction with respect to the flat cable 146.

  Thus, the clamp member 300 integrates the pipe line holding part 305 that allows displacement in the longitudinal direction with respect to the flat tube 147 and the line holding part 303 fixed in the longitudinal direction with respect to the flat cable 146. . Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, when the long flat tube 147 and the flat cable 146 are bundled by the clamp member 300, each of the clamp members 300 is fixed to the flat cable 146 and continues to maintain the original distance. . On the other hand, when the flat tube 147 is deformed along with the movement of the carriage 148, the pipe line holding portion 305 allows the flat tube 147 to move in the longitudinal direction, so that the deformation of the track / pipe assembly 301 is prevented. There is no.

  FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the structure of another line / pipe assembly 302. As shown in the figure, in the track / pipe assembly 302, the installation member 149 is omitted. Even in such a structure, the line holding portion 303 is fixed to the flat cable 146, while the conduit holding portion 305 allows the flat tube 147 to be displaced.

  In the above embodiment, the specific configuration has been described by taking the ink jet recording apparatus 100 as an example. However, this recording apparatus may be, for example, a color material ejecting apparatus, an organic EL display, or an FED in manufacturing a color filter for a liquid crystal display. (Surface emitting display), etc., can be implemented as an electrode forming device, a sample ejecting head used for biochip manufacturing, a sample ejecting head as a precision pipette, a device for drawing pictures, characters, etc. It is not limited to.

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

1 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of an ink jet recording apparatus 100. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the ink jet recording apparatus 100 with a recording unit 140 exposed. 3 is a diagram illustrating a feeding path of a recording medium 191 in an internal mechanism 200 of the recording medium 191. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an internal mechanism 200 around a recording head 143 in the ink jet recording apparatus 100. FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing a line / pipe assembly in the internal mechanism 200. It is the figure which extracts and shows one of the clamp members 300 which hold | gripped the flat tube 147. FIG. It is a figure which shows a mode that the clamp member 300 was seen from the front. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a structure of a track / pipe assembly 301. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the structure of a track / pipe assembly 302. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Inkjet recording device, 110 Housing | casing part, 111 Feeding part, 112 Feeding drive roller, 114 Feeding driven roller, 120 Cartridge holder, 122 Holder cover, 124 Ink cartridge, 130 Loading part, 132 Roll cover, 133 Release Lever, 134 Spindle support section, 140 recording section, 141 recording section frame, 142 top cover, 143 recording head, 144 front cover, 145 guide rail, 146 flat cable, 147 flat tube, 148 carriage, 149 alongside member, 150 carriage Encoder scale, 152 plastic template, 159 discharge duct, 160 discharge section, 170 leg section, 180 operation panel, 182 switch, 184 display section, 190 roll assembly 191 Recording medium, 192 Paper tube, 194 Spindle member, 200 Internal mechanism, 300 Clamp member, 301, 302 Line / pipe assembly, 303 Line holder, 305 Pipe holder, 310 Lower rail, 320 Middle rail, 330 pillars, 332 upper bars, 340 roller members, 341, 343 shaft support parts, 342 shaft parts, 344 flange parts, 351, 353 fitting parts, 352 upper engagement parts, 354 lower engagement parts

Claims (7)

A line holding unit for holding a line for propagating an electric signal;
A clamp member integrally provided with a pipe line holding part for holding a pipe line through which liquid flows,
One of the line holding part and the pipe line holding part holds the line or the pipe line, and is fixed to the line or the pipe line in the longitudinal direction of the line or the pipe line,
The other of the said track | line holding | maintenance part and the said pipe line holding | maintenance part is a clamp member which accept | permits the displacement about the longitudinal direction of the said line | wire or the said pipe line, holding the said line or the said pipe line.   The said track | line holding | maintenance part hold | maintains and hold | maintains the flexible flat cable containing the mutually parallel several wire integrally couple | bonded on the common plane with a pair of holding surface parallel to the said plane. Clamp member.   The clamp member according to claim 2, wherein the line holding unit holds the flexible flat cable together with a side member that extends parallel to the plane and reinforces the bending rigidity of the flexible flat cable.   The said pipe line holding | maintenance part is hold | maintained by pinching | interposing the flexible multitube containing the mutually parallel several pipe | tube integrally couple | bonded on the common plane with a pair of positioning surface parallel to the said plane. Clamp member.   5. The pipe line holding part is rotatably mounted around a pair of axes parallel to the plane, and holds the flexible multi-tube via a roller rotated along the pipe line. The clamp member as described in.   The clamp member according to claim 5, wherein the roller has a peripheral surface shape that draws a smooth curve in a cross section including the shaft, and has a smaller diameter than the outside on the inner side in the extending direction of the shaft. A recording head that ejects ink while reciprocating; and
A guide member for guiding the reciprocation of the recording head;
A main body including a frame for supporting the guide member;
A line for propagating an electric signal between the main body and the recording head;
A conduit for flowing liquid between the main body and the recording head;
A clamp member that binds the line and the pipeline,
The clamp member integrally includes a line holding part that holds the line, and a pipe line holding part that holds the pipe line,
One of the line holding part and the pipe line holding part holds the line or the pipe line, and is fixed to the line or the pipe line in the longitudinal direction of the line or the pipe line,
The recording apparatus in which the other of the line holding part and the pipe line holding part permits displacement in the longitudinal direction of the line or the pipe line while holding the line or the pipe line.

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