JP2011156842A - Image recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image recording apparatus capable of feeding a recording medium in the width direction with a precise positional precision upon printing. <P>SOLUTION: The image recording apparatus includes: a medium feeding mechanism 31 for feeding a recording medium A along a medium feeding course L; a recording head 61 which faces the recording medium A being fed and performs printing on the recording medium A; a steering unit 13 which faces the medium feeding course L on the upstream side of the recording head 61 and mates the edge of the recording medium A being fed closely to the printing standard position of the recording head 61; a detection unit 23 which faces the medium feeding course L on the downstream side of the recording head and detects the edge position in the width direction of the recording head A; and a control device 4 which controls the steering unit 13 based on detection result of the detection unit 23. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus that performs printing with a recording head facing a recording medium to be sent.

Conventionally, as this type of image recording apparatus, an apparatus that positions and feeds the continuous paper (recording medium) in the width direction on the upstream side of the paper feed path and performs printing while facing the print unit is known (Patent Document). 1).
In this image recording apparatus, on the upstream side of the paper feed path, a continuous paper tube fixing shaft that fixes the continuous paper is inserted through a continuous paper tube wound in a roll, and the continuous paper is fixed. And an unwinder unit stand that rotatably supports the tube fixing shaft. The continuous paper tube fixing shaft positions and fixes the continuous paper in the width direction using screws or a so-called air chuck mechanism. The continuous paper fed from the continuous paper tube fixing shaft is delivered to the drum and sent to the printer unit, and printing is performed by the print head.

JP 2008-74051 A

  However, in such an image recording apparatus, since the printing is performed by feeding out to the printer unit while fixing (positioning) the width direction of the continuous paper on the upstream side of the printer unit, for example, if the drum is slightly distorted, The continuous paper delivered from the continuous paper tube fixing shaft to the drum is skewed slightly, and when it reaches the printer unit, the continuous paper is displaced in the width direction. For this reason, there has been a problem that the positional deviation of the continuous paper relative to the print head cannot be corrected, and printing cannot be performed with high positional accuracy in the width direction of the continuous paper. For example, when printing is performed in the entire width direction of continuous paper, or when printing is performed with the margin in the width direction being narrowed, printing failure occurs. Further, misregistration between colors occurs, resulting in printing failure.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an image recording apparatus capable of feeding a recording medium with high positional accuracy in the width direction during printing.

  An image recording apparatus according to the present invention includes a recording medium feeding unit that sends a recording medium along a recording medium feeding path, a recording head that faces the recording medium that is sent, and performs printing on the recording medium, and an upstream side of the recording head. Medium position adjusting means for aligning the edge of the recording medium to be sent to the recording medium feeding path and the printing reference position of the recording head, and the recording medium feeding path on the downstream side of the recording head, and the width direction of the recording medium Medium position detecting means for detecting the edge position of the medium and control means for controlling the medium position adjusting means based on the detection result of the medium position detecting means.

  According to this configuration, the edge of the recording medium detected by the medium position detecting unit on the downstream side of the recording head is aligned with the print reference position of the recording head by the medium position adjusting unit on the upstream side of the recording head. As a result, the positional deviation state of the recording medium on the downstream side of the recording head can be corrected by feeding back to the upstream side of the recording head, the recording medium can be fed with high accuracy, and the recording medium that has reached the recording head The position in the width direction can be accurately maintained. Therefore, printing can be performed with high accuracy in the width direction of continuous paper. Further, since the edge of the recording medium is aligned with the print reference position of the recording head, even a recording medium having a different width can be easily aligned with the print reference position of the recording head.

  In this case, it is preferable that image recognition means for recognizing landing dots ejected and ejected onto the recording medium by the ink jet head is further provided, and the image recognition means also serves as the medium position detection means.

  According to this configuration, the image recognition of the landing dots and the edge position detection in the width direction of the recording medium can be performed by a common means. That is, the number of parts of the apparatus can be reduced, the apparatus configuration can be simplified, and the image recording apparatus itself can be reduced in size and cost.

  In this case, it is preferable that the recording medium feeding means has a rotating drum that feeds the recording medium in close contact with the outer peripheral surface, and the recording head is disposed so as to face the outer peripheral surface.

  According to this configuration, a plurality of recording heads can be centrally arranged around the rotating drum, and the image recording apparatus itself can be reduced in size. Moreover, even if there is distortion in the rotating drum or the like, the recording medium can be fed with accuracy in the width direction, and high print quality can be ensured.

  In this case, the recording head is preferably composed of an ink jet head.

  According to this configuration, printing by the ink jet head can be accurately performed in the width direction of the recording medium. For example, it is suitable when printing is performed in the entire width direction of the recording medium or when printing is performed with a narrow margin in the width direction.

It is a front view of the ink jet device concerning an embodiment. It is a back surface perspective view of an apparatus main body. It is a front view of a carriage unit. It is sectional drawing around a head unit. It is a perspective view of a recording head. It is a reverse view of a head unit. It is an external appearance perspective view of an inspection unit. It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an inspection unit. It is an external appearance perspective view of a steering unit.

  Hereinafter, an inkjet apparatus (image recording apparatus) according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. This inkjet apparatus is a center drum type printing apparatus in which a plurality of inkjet heads (recording heads) are arranged in the circumferential direction, and UV ink (ultraviolet curable ink) is applied to a long recording medium supplied reel-to-reel. To perform printing. The recording medium is, for example, a sheet-like material such as a label film or paper, and has various widths and thicknesses to be printed. First, the outline of the apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. In the following description, the direction penetrating the paper surface in FIG. 1 is front and rear, the front side is “front”, and the back side is “rear”. Specifically, the extending direction of a rotating shaft (drum shaft 47) of a rotating drum 45 described later is the front and rear, the direction from a drum motor 46 described later toward the rotating drum 45 is the front direction (front side), and from the rotating drum 45 The direction toward the drum motor 46 is the back direction (back side). In the recording medium transport path, the medium supply device 5 side described later is referred to as “upstream side”, and the medium recovery device 6 side described later is referred to as “downstream side”.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an inkjet apparatus 1 includes a center drum type apparatus main body 2 that performs printing on a recording medium A by an inkjet method, a recording medium A supplied to the apparatus main body 2, and a printed recording medium A. A reel-to-reel type medium supply / collection device 3 for recovery and a control device (control means: see FIG. 7) 4 for overall control of these components are provided. The medium supply / collection apparatus 3 includes a medium supply apparatus 5 that supplies the recording medium A to the apparatus main body 2 and a medium recovery apparatus 6 that recovers the recording medium A from the apparatus main body 2. On the other hand, the medium feed path (recording medium feed path) L of the recording medium A configured in the apparatus main body 2 and the medium supply / collection apparatus 3 is the same as the supply feed path L1 from the medium supply apparatus 5 to the apparatus main body 2 and the apparatus main body 2. The arc-shaped print feed path L2 close to the circle configured in FIG. 4 and the recovery feed path L3 from the apparatus main body 2 to the medium recovery apparatus 6 are provided.

  The recording medium A supplied from the medium supply device 5 through the supply feed path L1 is fed along the print feed path L2 in the apparatus main body 2, and is used for printing in this portion. In addition, the recording medium A that has been printed is collected by the medium collection device 6 through the collection feed path L3.

  The medium supply device 5 is disposed on the downstream side of the supply reel 11, a supply reel 11 for supplying the recording medium A wound in a roll shape, a supply motor (not shown) for supplying and rotating the supply reel 11, and a recording medium. A forward tension unit 12 that applies forward tension to A, and a steering unit (medium position adjusting means) that is disposed downstream of the forward tension unit 12 and that feeds the recording medium A into the apparatus main body 2 while positioning the recording medium A in the width direction. 13. The supply reel 11 and the supply motor are supported by the paper supply unit frame 14 and constitute an integral paper supply unit 15. Further, the forward tension unit 12 is supported by the forward tension frame 16 and unitized.

  The recording medium A is fed out from the feeding reel 11 by the control device 4 driving the feeding motor in synchronization with the apparatus main body 2. The fed recording medium A is fed along the supply feed path L1 while being given a predetermined tension by the forward tension unit 12, and finally the apparatus body 2 while the position in the width direction is corrected by the steering unit 13. Is sent to. Note that the steering unit 13 of the present embodiment is configured to send the recording medium A to the apparatus main body 2 with reference to the width end of one side (the back side). Accordingly, when the recording medium A having a different width is introduced, the width end on one side (the back side) is also the reference. However, it is also possible to introduce the recording medium A using the center in the width direction as a reference (center reference).

  The medium recovery device 6 includes a winding reel 21 that winds the printed recording medium A in a roll shape, a winding motor (not shown) that winds and rotates the winding reel 21, and an upstream side of the winding reel 21. A back tension unit 22 that applies back tension to the recording medium A, and is disposed upstream of the back tension unit 22 and faces the printed recording medium A. Etc.) and a recording medium A which is disposed upstream of the inspection unit 23 and sent out from the apparatus main body 2 is sent in a U-turn. As described above, a return unit 24 for changing the route of the collection feed path L3 is provided. Also in this case, the take-up reel 21 and the take-up motor are supported by the paper discharge unit frame 25 and constitute an integrated paper discharge unit 26. The inspection unit 23 and the back tension unit 22 are supported by the back tension frame 27 and unitized. Furthermore, a UV irradiation unit 34 of the apparatus main body 2 to be described later is disposed between the apparatus main body 2 and the folding unit 24 so as to face the recovery feed path L3.

  When the winding motor is driven in synchronization with the apparatus main body 2 by the control device 4, the recording medium A is fed out from the apparatus main body 2 while being given a predetermined tension by the back tension unit 22, and along the recovery feed path L3. Will be sent. The recording medium A sent out from the apparatus main body 2 first passes through the UV irradiation unit 34. In this passing process, the UV ink is cured. Subsequently, the recording medium A that has been U-turned by the turn-back unit 24 is wound around the take-up reel 21 via an inspection unit 23 and a back tension unit 22 described later. The recording medium A taken up on the take-up reel 21 is introduced into another apparatus and cut as a label or a half cut is applied to the label portion.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the apparatus main body 2 has a large-diameter rotating drum 45, and a medium feeding mechanism (recording medium feeding means) 31 for feeding the recording medium A along the print feeding path L2, respectively. Has a plurality of recording heads 61 and is arranged radially with respect to the rotary drum 45 so as to face the print feed path L2, and corresponds to the plurality of carriage units 32 on the back side thereof. A plurality of maintenance units 33 arranged, and a UV irradiation unit 34 that faces the above-described recovery feed path L3 and cures the UV ink of the recording medium A are provided. The apparatus body 2 is entirely covered with a chamber (not shown). The plurality of carriage units 32 are units for different colors of UV ink to be supplied, and constitute printing means 37.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the apparatus frame 36 includes a base frame 41 as a machine base, a main frame 42 erected on the rear half of the base frame 41, and a plate-like subframe widely provided on the front surface of the main frame 42. 43 and a chamber frame 44 disposed in front of the main frame 42 with the subframe 43 interposed therebetween.

  The main frame 42 supports each component device via the sub frame 43 and also supports the medium feeding mechanism 31 having the rotating drum 45 as a main component. The subframe 43 supports a plurality of carriage units 32, UV irradiation units 34 and the like on the front side, and supports a plurality of maintenance units 33 and the like on the rear side. The chamber frame 44 is formed so as to cover each component device at the front portion of the main frame 42. Walls (not shown) are respectively attached to the surfaces constituting the main frame 42 and the chamber frame 44, thereby constituting a chamber that covers the entire apparatus main body 2. That is, the apparatus main body 2 manages the internal temperature, cleanliness, and the like by this chamber. The recording medium A is fed and discharged to the apparatus main body 2 in a gap provided between the chamber frame 44 and the base frame 41.

  The medium feeding mechanism 31 has a rotating drum 45 formed in a sideways crown shape, a bearing that can rotatably support the rotating drum 45 via a drum shaft 47, and a rotating drum 45 that rotates at a low speed in one direction. A drum motor 46 and a power transmission mechanism (not shown) interposed between the drum shaft 47 and the drum motor 46 are provided. The drum motor 46 is composed of, for example, a servo motor, and rotates the rotating drum 45 so that the peripheral speed (printing speed) on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating drum 45 is constant.

  The rotary drum 45 includes a cylindrical drum body, the drum body has a width corresponding to the maximum width of the recording medium A, and an outer peripheral surface is baked to prevent slipping. The recording medium A is fed in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the non-slip processed drum body and draws a circle (arc) by the rotating drum body. That is, the recording medium A sent from the medium supply device 5 is sent along the print feed path L2 by the rotary drum 45. Then, the printing unit 37 is appropriately driven in synchronism with this feed, whereby printing is performed on the recording medium A.

  As described above, the printing unit 37 includes a plurality of carriage units 32 arranged radially with respect to the rotating drum 45 (see FIG. 1). The plurality of carriage units 32 are units for different colors of ink to be supplied, and cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) from the start end side to the end side of the print feed path L2. , Black (Bk) in this order, and are arranged at substantially equal intervals in the circumferential direction. As will be described in detail later, a plurality of recording heads 61 mounted on each carriage unit 32 constitute a head 67 corresponding to the recording medium A having the maximum width. For this reason, the heads 67 of the respective colors sequentially face the recording medium A that is printed and fed along the print feeding path L2, and desired color printing based on the print data is performed on the recording medium A.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each carriage unit 32 is slidably supported on the carriage base 51 in the normal direction of the carriage base 51 fixed to the subframe 43 and the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum 45. A box-shaped frame type carriage 52, a head unit 53 mounted on the carriage 52 and mounted with a plurality of recording heads 61, and a Y-axis for moving the head unit 53 in the width direction of the recording medium A via the carriage 52. A moving mechanism (not shown), a Z-axis moving mechanism 54 that moves the head unit 53 forward and backward in the normal direction of the outer peripheral surface of the rotary drum 45 via the carriage 52, and a carriage 52 are mounted on the carriage 52 and discharged to a plurality of recording heads 61. A head control board module (not shown) for applying a waveform. Each carriage unit 32 is mounted on the carriage 52 and is supported on the outer surface of the carriage 52 via a pinning unit 55 for temporarily curing the UV ink of the recording medium A and a support fitting. And a sub tank unit (not shown) for supplying ink.

As shown in FIG. 5, each recording head 61 is constituted by a 2-inch ink jet head, and has two nozzle rows 64 composed of a plurality of ejection nozzles 63 parallel to each other on the nozzle surface 62. Yes. In this case, the two nozzle rows 64 are arranged with a 1/2 nozzle pitch position shift in the nozzle row direction.
On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the head unit 53 is detachably attached to the carriage 52 from the front. The head unit 53 is supported by the head plate 65, a pair of sub-plates 66 that are supported by the head plate 65 and are connected in a mountain shape so as to be parallel to the tangent line of the rotary drum 45, and the pair of sub-plates 66. A plurality of recording heads 61 (7 + 7 in the embodiment) mounted in half. A head 67 as a line head extending in the front-rear direction (the width direction of the recording medium A) by all the recording heads 61 mounted on the head plate 65, that is, a 1/4 nozzle pitch corresponding to the recording medium A having the maximum width. The head 67 is configured. Thereby, high-resolution printing becomes possible.

  Next, the inspection unit 23 and the steering unit 13 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. The inspection unit 23 is disposed on the back tension frame 27. The back tension frame 27 is configured by standing upright four support columns 105 on the base plate 104, and is bent in a complicated manner by a plurality of rollers supported between the support plates 105 and side plates (not shown) or between the support columns 105. The collection feeding path L3 is configured, and the back tension unit 22 is disposed inside the four columns 105, and the inspection unit 23 is disposed on the upper surface. The inspection unit 23 of the embodiment has three functions of ejection performance inspection of each recording head 61, measurement of the width of the recording medium A, and position detection of the recording medium A. Further, the control device 4 displays and evaluates the result of the ejection performance inspection, and controls the steering unit 13 based on the position detection result of the recording medium A performed together with the width measurement to adjust the position of the recording medium A. (Details will be described later).

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the inspection unit 23 is mounted on the upper surface of the back tension frame 27 so as to be close to the support plate 71 disposed adjacent to the recovery feed path L3 and the recovery feed path L3 side of the support plate 71. The gantry-type camera moving mechanism 72, the recognition camera 73 attached to the camera moving mechanism 72 so as to face the recording medium A on the recovery feed path L3, and both edges in the width direction of the recording medium A from below are illuminated. Auxiliary lighting 74 to be used. On the other hand, the recording medium A facing the inspection unit 23 is fed horizontally by a pair of guide rollers 75 arranged before and after the medium feeding direction. That is, the portion of the recording medium A that the inspection unit 23 faces is used for ejection performance inspection, width measurement, and the like while being horizontally stretched between the pair of guide rollers 75.

  The recognition camera 73 includes a camera main body 76 disposed downward, an epi-illumination 77 provided coaxially with the camera main body 76, and the camera main body 76 and the epi-illumination 77 in the vertical direction and in the width direction of the recording medium A. And a camera micro-movement mechanism 78 for micro-movement. The camera body 76 calibrated by the camera fine movement mechanism 78 performs image recognition of the landing dots illuminated by the epi-illumination 77.

  The camera moving mechanism 72 includes a recognition camera 73, a width direction moving mechanism 81 that moves the mounted recognition camera 73 in the width direction of the recording medium A, and the recognition camera 73 via the width direction moving mechanism 81. The feed direction moving mechanism 82 moves in the feed direction A, and the fixing plate 83 fixes the feed direction moving mechanism 82 to the support plate 71. In the ejection performance inspection, the image recognition is performed by moving the recognition camera 73 in the width direction and the feed direction by the width direction moving mechanism 81 and the feed direction moving mechanism 82 for the landing dots discharged and landed for each color. In width measurement and position detection, both ends of the recording medium A in the width direction are moved in the width direction by the width direction moving mechanism 81 to perform image recognition.

  The feed direction moving mechanism 82 is supported on and fixed to the fixed plate 83 and extends to the feed guide rail 84 that extends in the feed direction of the recording medium A, the feed direction slider 85 that supports the width direction moving mechanism 81, and the feed guide rail 84. The feed motor 86 is configured to guide and move the feed direction slider 85 in the reverse direction and the reverse direction of the recording medium A. That is, the feed direction moving mechanism 82 moves the recognition camera 73 in the feed direction of the recording medium A via the width direction moving mechanism 81.

  On the other hand, the width direction moving mechanism 81 is fixed to the feed direction slider 85 of the feed direction moving mechanism 82, and is a recognition camera through a cantilever width guide rail 87 extending in the width direction of the recording medium A and the mounting plate 90. 73, and a width motor 89 that guides the width guide rail 87 to reciprocate the width direction slider 88 in the width direction of the recording medium A. That is, the width direction moving mechanism 81 moves the recognition camera 73 in the width direction of the recording medium A.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the auxiliary illumination 74 includes a first auxiliary illumination 79 that illuminates the front side of the recording medium A from an obliquely lower side, and a second auxiliary illumination 80 that illuminates the rear side of the recording medium A from an obliquely lower side. And are fixed to the back tension frame 27, respectively. The first auxiliary illumination 79 is fixed obliquely with respect to the recording medium A so as to illuminate, for example, the front end of the recording medium A from the back side, and the second auxiliary illumination 80 is, for example, from the front side. Is fixed obliquely with respect to the recording medium A so as to illuminate the back end of the recording medium A. That is, by driving the auxiliary illumination 74, illumination light is irradiated toward the edge of the recording medium A, and a shadow is generated on the end surface (edge) of the recording medium A to emphasize the edge. Then, the recognition camera 73 recognizes the edge of the recording medium A whose edge is enhanced by the illumination light from above. The first auxiliary illumination 79 and the second auxiliary illumination 80 may be arranged obliquely with respect to the recording medium A so as to be directed from the outer side to the inner side in the width direction of the recording medium A (not shown). .

  As shown in FIG. 9, the steering unit 13 adjusts the position in the width direction of the recording medium A based on the detection result of the position detection by the inspection unit 23, and includes a fixed frame 91 including a base 98, An introduction roller 92 that is rotatably supported by the fixed frame 91 and located upstream in the feed direction, a second adjustment roller 94 located downstream in the feed direction, and an introduction roller 92 and a second adjustment roller 94 in the feed direction A first adjustment roller 93 positioned between the first adjustment roller 93, a movable frame 95 that rotatably supports the first adjustment roller 93 and the second adjustment roller 94, and the first adjustment roller 93 and the second adjustment via the movable frame 95. A width direction adjusting mechanism 96 that rotates (swings) the roller 94 in the axial direction, and a stepping motor that adjusts and drives the width direction adjusting mechanism 96. An adjustment motor 97 composed of a coater or servo motor, and a.

  The surface contact portion between the fixed frame 91 and the movable frame 95 is provided with an arcuate guide groove that guides the rotation on one side and a slide protrusion that slidably engages with the guide groove on the other side ( The movable frame 95 is configured to be movable in a circular arc with respect to the fixed frame 91 (circular movement about the vicinity of the upper side of the first adjustment roller 93). On the other hand, a lead screw mechanism 101 is connected to the adjustment motor 97, and a female screw block 102 of the lead screw mechanism 101 and an intermediate lower portion of the movable frame 95 are connected by a connecting member 103. When the adjustment motor 97 is rotated forward and backward, the movable frame 95 rotates through the lead screw mechanism 101 and the connecting member 103 and along the guide groove, and the first adjustment roller 93 and the second adjustment roller 93 supported by the movable frame 95 are rotated. The adjustment roller 94 rotates. That is, the width direction adjusting mechanism 96 is configured by the guide groove, the slide protrusion, the movable frame 95, the lead screw mechanism 101, and the connecting member 103. As a result, while the first adjustment roller 93 and the second adjustment roller 94 maintain the parallel posture, the second adjustment roller 94 is largely shaken to the left and right, and the second adjustment roller 94 of the recording medium A that is stretched over the left and right. The position in the width direction is adjusted by the side.

  Next, the ejection performance inspection (hereinafter simply referred to as “ejection performance inspection”) of the recording head 61 by the inspection unit 23, the width measurement in the width direction of the recording medium A (hereinafter simply referred to as “width measurement”), and The position detection (hereinafter simply referred to as “position detection”) of the recording medium A performed at the time of width measurement will be described, and the position adjustment (in the width direction of the recording medium A by the steering unit 13 based on the position detection result). Hereinafter, simply referred to as “position adjustment”) will be described in detail.

  In the ejection performance inspection, inspection ejection is performed from the heads 67 of the respective colors as the line head, and the recording medium A is sent so that the landed dot portion reaches the position of the inspection unit 23. Here, the feed direction moving mechanism 82 and the width direction moving mechanism 81 are driven, and the recognition dot 73 is image-recognized by scanning the recognition camera 73. First, several dots from the front side (back side) are sequentially recognized in the width direction of the recording medium A for the landing dots in the front row in the feed direction. Next, the image is moved upstream by one row (several dots) in the feed direction, and images are continuously recognized from the back side (front side) toward the front side (back side). By repeating this until the last row, all the landing dots are recognized as an image. The recognized image is sent to the control device 4 to inspect for missing dots or flying bends.

  In the width measurement, first, the auxiliary illumination 74 is turned on, the width direction moving mechanism 81 is driven, and both ends (edges) of the recording medium A are detected by the recognition camera 73. Then, the control device 4 calculates the width of the recording medium A from the amount of deviation between the center of the visual field of the recognition camera 73 and both edges and the amount of movement of the recognition camera 73 by the width direction moving mechanism 81. However, the width of the recording medium A may be calculated from the amount of movement of the recognition camera 73 by aligning the center of the visual field of the recognition camera 73 with both edges.

  In the position detection, in the width measurement described above, the recognition data of the image recognition at the rear edge portion of the recording medium A and the reference of the width edge of one (back side) of the recording medium A stored in the control device 4. The position (reference position when the recording medium A is fed into the apparatus main body 2) data is compared, and the amount of deviation is used as a detection result. The reference position and the position of the recording head 61 (position in the nozzle row direction) are consistent.

  In the position adjustment based on the detection result of the position detection, a target value (a rotation direction and a rotation angle of the adjustment motor 97) is set based on the above-described deviation amount, and the control device 4 controls the adjustment motor 97 of the steering unit 13. Control. Thereby, the first adjusting roller 93 and the second adjusting roller 94 are shaken (rotated), and the position in the width direction of the recording medium A fed from the second adjusting roller 94 toward the rotating drum 45 is adjusted. The position adjustment is preferably performed when the recording medium A is loaded or periodically.

  According to the above configuration, the recording medium A is adjusted to the position by the steering unit 13 upstream of the apparatus main body 2 based on the position detection result of the recording medium A detected by the inspection unit 23 downstream from the apparatus main body 2. Therefore, the recording medium A can be appropriately aligned and printed with respect to the recording head 61. Further, since the position of the recording medium A is detected using the inspection unit 23, the structure of the apparatus can be simplified.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 4 ... Control apparatus 13 ... Steering unit 23 ... Inspection unit 31 ... Medium feeding mechanism 45 ... Rotating drum 61 ... Recording head A ... Recording medium L ... Medium feeding path

Claims (4)

Recording medium feeding means for feeding the recording medium along the recording medium feeding path;
A recording head that faces the recording medium being sent and performs printing on the recording medium;
Medium position adjusting means that faces the recording medium feed path upstream of the recording head and aligns the edge of the recording medium that is fed to the print reference position of the recording head;
Medium position detection means for detecting the edge position in the width direction of the recording medium facing the recording medium feed path downstream of the recording head;
An image recording apparatus comprising: control means for controlling the medium position adjusting means based on a detection result of the medium position detecting means. Further comprising image recognition means for recognizing the landing dots ejected by the recording head onto the recording medium,
The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image recognition unit also serves as the medium position detection unit.   2. The recording medium feeding unit according to claim 1, wherein the recording medium feeding unit includes a rotating drum that feeds the recording medium in close contact with an outer peripheral surface, and the recording head is disposed so as to face the outer peripheral surface. 2. The image recording apparatus according to 2.   The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording head is an inkjet head.

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