JP2015051828A - Sucking transportation device and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem of degradation in flatness because a transportation guide member is deformed toward a sucking chamber side by air sucking.SOLUTION: A transportation guide member 25 is provided with a plurality of sucking holes 125. On a lower surface of the transportation guide member 25, a sucking mechanism part 26 is disposed. The sucking mechanism part 26 contains a sucking chamber formation member 127 which forms a sucking chamber 126. A counter surface that faces a wall surface part 126a of the sucking chamber 126 of the transportation guide member 25 is provided with a regulation member 141 that constitutes regulation means. The regulation member 141 is fixed to a holding part 140 that is provided at the transportation guide member 25. The regulation member 141 faces the wall surface part 126a of the sucking chamber 126 across a predetermined gap G.

Description

  The present invention relates to a suction conveyance device and an image forming apparatus.

  As an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a facsimile, a copying machine, a plotter, or a complex machine of these, for example, a liquid discharge recording type image forming apparatus using a liquid discharge head (droplet discharge head) for discharging droplets as a recording head An ink jet recording apparatus is known.

  In such an image forming apparatus, there is known an image forming apparatus that uses a suction conveyance device that adsorbs and conveys a sheet as a recording medium to a conveyance guide member (also referred to as a platen member) that guides the sheet by air suction. ing.

  Conventionally, a platen member, an air chamber through which a plurality of air suction holes of the platen member communicate, and a sealing member provided so as to seal the air chamber and formed with a plurality of connection holes connected to the plurality of air chambers A suction part that sucks the space on the sealing member connected to the air chamber, a covering member that is provided in the air chamber and covers the connection hole and a part of the sealing member, and the connection hole is closed An urging member for urging the covering member toward the sealing member, a pressing portion capable of pressing the covering member in a direction away from the sealing member so as to open the connection hole, and a support member and a sealing substrate in the air chamber There is known a recording medium support device that includes an urging member support portion that is provided between them and is held in a portion different from the support member and supports the urging member (Patent Document 1).

JP 2012-061813 A

  By the way, in a suction conveyance device that conveys a recording medium by air suction, if the area of the conveyance guide member in contact with the hollow suction chamber becomes wide, the conveyance guide member is deformed by air suction and performs stable conveyance. Image quality is also degraded.

  On the other hand, in order to suppress the deformation of the conveyance guide member, it is effective to divide the suction chamber finely by partition walls and reduce the area of each suction chamber. Since the holes cannot be formed, the non-suckable area increases, the suction force decreases, and fluctuates depending on the transport position.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to suppress deformation of the transport guide member while maintaining a suction force by air suction.

In order to solve the above-described problem, a suction conveyance device according to the present invention includes:
A conveyance guide member for guiding a recording medium;
A suction chamber through which a plurality of suction holes formed in the transport guide member communicate;
A suction means for sucking air in the suction chamber,
In the suction chamber, a restricting member that restricts deformation of the transport guide member toward the suction chamber is provided.

  According to the present invention, deformation of the conveyance guide member due to air suction can be suppressed.

1 is an external perspective view illustrating an example of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. It is typical side surface explanatory drawing of the apparatus. FIG. 3 is an explanatory plan view of a main part of a printing mechanism unit of the apparatus. It is side explanatory drawing with which it uses for description of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a principal part side surface explanatory drawing similarly provided for an effect | action description. It is an isometric view explanatory drawing which similarly shows an example of a conveyance guide member. It is explanatory drawing of the attachment structure of a conveyance guide member similarly. It is principal part sectional side explanatory drawing with which it uses for description of 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a principal part side sectional explanatory drawing similarly provided for an effect | action description. It is principal part side sectional explanatory drawing which uses for description of 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a principal part side sectional explanatory drawing similarly provided for an effect | action description. It is principal part side sectional explanatory drawing which uses for description of 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a principal part side sectional explanatory drawing similarly provided for an effect | action description.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. An example of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the appearance of the image forming apparatus, FIG. 2 is a schematic side view illustrating the apparatus, and FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating a main part of a printing mechanism of the apparatus.

  This image forming apparatus is a serial type image forming apparatus, and includes an apparatus main body 101 and a paper feeding device 102 disposed below the apparatus main body 101. The sheet feeding device 102 is disposed separately from the apparatus main body 101 and is disposed below the apparatus main body 101, but may be provided integrally with the apparatus main body 101 as shown in FIG.

  Inside the apparatus main body 101, a printing mechanism unit 103 that forms an image on a roll paper 120 that is a roll-shaped medium fed from the paper feeding device 102 is disposed.

  In addition, an openable / closable cover 104 that opens the internal printing mechanism 103 is provided on the front side of the apparatus main body 101 (the front side from which the printed and cut roll paper 120 is discharged). . Further, a discharge guide member 105 that guides the discharged roll paper 120 is provided on the front side of the apparatus main body 101.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the printing mechanism 103 has a guide rod 1 and a guide stay 2, which are guide members, hung on both side plates (not shown). The guide rod 1 and the guide stay 2 hold the carriage 5 so as to be movable in the main scanning direction (carriage movement direction) in FIG.

  The carriage 5 is moved via a driving pulley 7, a driven pulley 8, and a timing belt 9 by a main scanning motor 6 that is a driving source disposed on one side in the main scanning direction.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of (here, five) recording heads 11 a to 11 e (referred to as “recording head 11” when not distinguished from each other; the same applies to other terms) are mounted on the carriage 5. doing. The recording head 11 is formed by integrating a liquid discharge head and a head tank that supplies liquid to the liquid discharge head.

  The plurality of recording heads 11 eject ink droplets of, for example, black (K), yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C). The recording head 11 is mounted with a nozzle row composed of a plurality of nozzles arranged in the sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction and the droplet discharge direction facing downward.

  Here, the recording head 11a and the recording heads 11b to 11e are arranged by shifting the position of one head (one nozzle row) in the sub-scanning direction that is a direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction. Each of the recording heads 11a to 11e has two nozzle rows. The recording heads 11a and 11b eject black droplets having the same color, and the recording heads 11c to 11e eject magenta (M), cyan (C), and yellow (Y) droplets, respectively.

  Thereby, an image can be formed with a width (printing width) of two heads in one scan (main scanning) using the recording heads 11a and 11b for a monochrome image, and the recording heads 11b to 11e are used for a color image, for example. Can be formed.

  That is, in this embodiment, the recording heads 11c to 11e constitute the first recording head, and the two recording heads 11a and 11b constitute a second recording head having a printing width wider than that of the first recording head.

  Note that the second recording head having a wide print width for forming a monochrome image may be composed of one head instead of the two recording heads 11a and 11b as described above.

  Ink of each color is supplied to the head tank of the recording head 11 through the supply tube 16 from the ink cartridges 10k, 10c, 10m, and 10y which are main tanks. The ink cartridge 10 is replaceably mounted on a cartridge mounting portion 107 provided on the front side of the apparatus main body 101 shown in FIG. At this time, ink is supplied from one ink cartridge 10k to the two recording heads 11a and 11b that discharge droplets of the same color.

  On the other hand, in the recording area of the main scanning area of the carriage 5, a roll paper 120 is fed from a paper feeding device 102 to be described later, and a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction of the carriage 5 (sub-scanning direction, paper It is transported intermittently in the transport direction).

  The transport unit 21 includes a transport roller 23 that transports the roll paper 120 that is a roll-shaped medium fed from the paper feeder 102, and a pressure roller 24 that is disposed opposite the transport roller 23. As will be described later, a conveyance guide member 25 that is a guide member in which a plurality of concave-shaped portions and suction holes are formed, and a suction mechanism portion 26 that performs suction from the suction holes of the conveyance guide member 25 are provided. .

  As shown in FIG. 2, a cutter 27 serving as a cutting means for cutting the roll paper 120 on which the image is formed by the recording head 11 at a predetermined length is disposed on the downstream side of the conveying means 21.

  The cutter 27 is attached to a wire or a timing belt 28, for example. The timing belt 28 is wound around a driving pulley driven by a driving motor (not shown) and a driven pulley, and the timing belt 28 is moved in the main scanning direction by the driving motor via the driving pulley. Then, the roll paper 120 is cut into a predetermined length.

  Further, on one side of the carriage 5 in the main scanning direction, a maintenance / recovery mechanism 30 that performs maintenance / recovery of the recording head 11 is disposed on the side of the conveyance guide member 25. Further, on the other side of the carriage 5 in the main scanning direction, an empty discharge receiver 34 that performs empty discharge for discharging droplets that do not contribute to image formation from the recording head 11 is disposed on the side of the conveyance guide member 25. .

  The maintenance / recovery mechanism 30 includes a first maintenance / recovery unit 31 held by the frame member of the apparatus main body 101, and a second maintenance / recovery unit 32 held by the frame member of the maintenance / recovery mechanism 30 so as to be capable of reciprocating in the sub-scanning direction. have. The second maintenance / recovery unit 32 is at the position shown in FIG. 3 when performing the maintenance / recovery of the recording head 11a, and moves to the same sub-scanning direction position as the first maintenance / recovery unit 31 when performing the maintenance / recovery of the recording heads 11b to 11e.

  The maintenance / recovery mechanism 30 includes, for example, a suction cap 41 and a moisture retention cap 42 for capping the nozzle surface (surface on which the nozzle is formed) of the recording head 11. Further, a wiper member 43 for wiping the nozzle surface, an empty discharge receiver 44 for receiving droplets (empty discharge droplets) that do not contribute to image formation, and the like are provided.

  The sheet feeding device 102 is distinguished by roll bodies 112A and 112B in the upper and lower stages (hereinafter, the upper members are denoted by “A” and the lower members are denoted by “B”). The same shall apply to the member.

  The roll body 112 is obtained by winding a sheet 120 (which is referred to as “roll paper” as described above) 120 in a roll shape around a tube 114 which is a core member. Note that the roll body is a general term for members including the tube 114 and the roll paper 120.

  On the apparatus main body 101 side, a guide member 130 that guides the lower surface of the roll paper drawn from the roll body 112 of the paper supply device 102, and a conveyance roller pair 131 that curves and feeds the roll paper 120 upward. Has been placed.

  By rotating the conveyance roller pair 131, the roll paper 120 fed out from the roll body 112 is conveyed in a stretched state between the conveyance roller pair 131 and the roll body 112. Then, the roll paper 120 is fed between the conveyance roller 23 and the pressure roller 24 of the conveyance unit 21 through the conveyance roller pair 131.

  In this image forming apparatus configured as described above, the recording head 11 is driven in accordance with image information (printing information) to discharge the droplets and move the carriage 5 in the main scanning direction to form an image. When the movement of the carriage is completed, the roll paper 120 fed from the paper feeding device 102 is sent by the transport unit 21. Then, by repeating the image formation by moving the carriage (recording head) and the feeding by the conveying unit, the required image formation is completed on the roll paper 120. The roll paper 120 after image formation is cut to a predetermined length by the cutter 27 and is guided and discharged by the paper discharge guide member 105 on the front side of the apparatus main body 101.

  Next, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 is an explanatory side view for explaining the embodiment, FIG. 5 is an explanatory side view of the main part for explaining the operation, FIG. 6 is a perspective explanatory view showing an example of the conveyance guide member, and FIG. 7 is an attachment of the conveyance guide member. It is explanatory drawing of a structure.

  As shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of suction holes 125 are formed in the transport guide member 25. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the conveyance guide member 25 has four points (or three points) using a flatness adjusting member 28 such as a parallel bar disposed outside the suction mechanism unit 26. A support point 25a is supported and attached.

  The conveyance guide member 25 and the suction mechanism unit 26 arranged on the opposite side (lower surface) of the conveyance guide member 25 to the recording head 11 constitute a suction conveyance device.

  The suction mechanism unit 26 is connected to a suction chamber forming member 127 that forms a suction chamber 126 through which the suction hole 125 communicates, and a suction means that is connected to the suction chamber 126 via a connection path 128 and sucks air in the suction chamber 126. And a fan 129.

  In the suction chamber 126, an elastic member 131 such as a compression spring is provided as a restricting means for restricting deformation of a predetermined amount or more when the transport guide member 25 is deformed in the direction toward the inside of the suction chamber 126. .

  A rod member 152 disposed inside the elastic member 151 is fixed to the transport guide member 25.

  The rod member 152 movably penetrates the wall surface 126a of the suction chamber 126, and a stopper 153 is provided at the tip of the rod member 152 that protrudes outside the suction chamber 126. For example, a screw can be formed at the tip of the rod member 152 and the stopper 153 can be a nut.

  Here, it is preferable that the elastic member 151 is disposed at the center of the area of the conveyance guide member 25 corresponding to the suction chamber 126 in the medium conveyance direction. Further, when arranging the plurality of elastic members 151, it is preferable to arrange them at equal intervals in the transport direction so as to be symmetrical from the center in the medium transport direction.

  With this configuration, when the conveyance guide member 25 is deformed in the direction toward the inside of the suction chamber 126 by air suction, as shown in FIG. 5, if the deformation amount of the conveyance guide member 25 exceeds a predetermined amount, the elastic member The restoring force 151 is greater than the suction force.

  Accordingly, the conveyance guide member 25 is prevented from being deformed by a predetermined amount or more.

  In this way, deformation of the transport guide member 25 due to air suction can be suppressed, and deterioration in image quality can be suppressed.

  In the present embodiment, the restoring force of the elastic member 151 is constantly acting on the transport guide member 25. However, the distance between the conveyance guide member 25 and the wall surface portion 126a of the suction chamber 126 is regulated by the rod member 152 and the stopper 153 in the expanding direction. Therefore, the conveyance surface of the conveyance guide member 25 is not distorted in the convex direction (to the recording head 11 side).

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 8 is an explanatory side sectional view for explaining the embodiment, and FIG. 9 is an explanatory side sectional view for explaining the operation.

  In the present embodiment, a regulating member 141 that constitutes a regulating means is provided on the opposite surface of the conveyance guide member 25 that faces the wall surface 126a of the suction chamber 126. Here, the regulating member 141 is fixed to a holding part 140 provided on the transport guide member 25.

  The regulating member 141 is opposed to the wall surface 126 a of the suction chamber 126 with a predetermined gap G. The gap G is 0.1 mm, for example.

  The arrangement position of the regulating member 141 is the same as the arrangement position of the elastic member 151 in the first embodiment.

  Since it comprised in this way, when the conveyance guide member 25 deform | transforms in the direction which goes to the inside of the suction chamber 126 by air attraction | suction, if the deformation | transformation amount exceeds predetermined amount (gap G), as shown in FIG. Abuts against the wall surface 126 a of the suction chamber 126.

  Thereby, the deformation of the transport guide member 25 is suppressed. Further, unlike the first embodiment, since there is no force to press the recording head 11 from the inside of the suction chamber 126 to the conveyance guide member 25, the conveyance surface of the conveyance guide member 25 is in a convex direction (recording head). 11 side), it is not necessary to prevent distortion, and the configuration is simplified.

  Further, even when the negative pressure of the suction chamber 126 changes due to the change in the number of rotations of the suction fan 129 or the change in the number of closed suction holes 125 due to the use of roll paper 120 having different widths, Unlike the first embodiment, the deformation amount of the transport guide member 25 does not change. Therefore, stable image quality can be maintained regardless of negative pressure fluctuations.

  Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 10 is an explanatory side sectional view for explaining the embodiment, and FIG. 11 is an explanatory side sectional view for explaining the operation.

  In the present embodiment, a regulating member 141 that constitutes a regulating means is provided on the wall surface portion 126 a of the suction chamber 126 facing the transport guide member 25. Here, nuts 143 and 143 are screwed into the regulating member 141 and fixed to the wall surface portion 126a.

  The regulating member 141 is opposed to the conveying guide member 25 with a predetermined gap G on the opposed surface.

  Since it comprised in this way, when the conveyance guide member 25 deform | transforms in the direction which goes to the inside of the suction chamber 126 by air attraction | suction, if a deformation | transformation amount exceeds predetermined amount (gap G), as shown in FIG. 25 hits the regulating member 141.

  Thereby, the deformation of the transport guide member 25 is suppressed. Also in this embodiment, since there is no force to press the recording head 11 from the inside of the suction chamber 126 to the conveyance guide member 25, the conveyance surface of the conveyance guide member 25 is in a convex direction (to the recording head 11 side). ) It is not necessary to prevent distortion, the structure becomes simple, and the deformation amount of the transport guide member 25 does not change due to negative pressure fluctuation, so that stable image quality can be maintained.

  Further, since the restricting member 141 is not fixed to the suction surface of the transport guide member 25, the formation position of the suction hole 125 is not restricted, and the suction hole 125 is formed on the entire surface so that the position of the roll paper 120 is reached. Stable suction is possible regardless.

  Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 12 is an explanatory side sectional view for explaining the embodiment, and FIG. 13 is an explanatory side sectional view for explaining the operation.

  In the present embodiment, the regulating member 141 is movably disposed between the conveyance guide member 25 and the wall surface portion 126a of the suction chamber 126 facing the conveyance guide member 25. Here, the end of the restricting member 141 is movably held by a holding portion 144 provided on the conveyance guide member 25.

  At this time, a gap G is formed between the end face of the regulating member 141 and the transport guide member 25.

  Since it comprised in this way, when the conveyance guide member 25 deform | transforms in the direction which goes to the inside of the suction chamber 126 by air attraction | suction, if a deformation | transformation exceeds predetermined amount (gap G), as shown in FIG. Abuts against the regulating member 141.

  Thereby, the deformation of the transport guide member 25 is suppressed.

  That is, by arranging a member shorter than the distance between the conveyance guide member 25 and the wall surface portion 126a of the suction chamber 126 facing the conveyance guide member 25 and the wall surface portion 126a of the suction chamber 126 facing the conveyance guide member 25. Further, the conveyance guide member 25 can be prevented from being deformed by a predetermined amount or more.

  In the present application, “paper” is not limited to paper, but includes OHP, cloth, glass, a substrate, and the like, and can be attached to ink droplets and other liquids. Moreover, what is called a recording medium, a recording medium, a recording paper, a recording paper, etc. are included. In addition, image formation, recording, printing, printing, and printing are all synonymous.

  The “image forming apparatus” means an apparatus that forms an image by discharging liquid onto a medium such as paper, thread, fiber, fabric, leather, metal, plastic, glass, wood, ceramics, etc. “Formation” means not only giving an image having a meaning such as a character or a figure to a medium but also giving an image having no meaning such as a pattern to the medium (simply causing a droplet to land on the medium). ) Also means.

  The “ink” is not limited to an ink unless otherwise specified, but includes any liquid that can form an image, such as a recording liquid, a fixing processing liquid, or a liquid. Used generically, for example, includes DNA samples, resists, pattern materials, resins, and the like.

  In addition, the “image” is not limited to a planar image, and includes an image given to a three-dimensionally formed image and an image formed by three-dimensionally modeling a solid itself.

  Further, the image forming apparatus includes both a serial type image forming apparatus and a line type image forming apparatus, unless otherwise limited.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the image forming apparatus using roll paper is described, but the present invention can be similarly applied to an image forming apparatus using a sheet.

5 Carriage 11, 11a to 11e Recording head 10, 10k, 10c, 10m, 10y Ink cartridge 25 Conveyance guide member (guide member)
26 Suction mechanism 51, 51A, 51B Head holder 101 Main body 102 Paper feeder 103 Image forming unit 125 Suction hole 126 Suction chamber 129 Suction fan 131 Elastic member 132 Rod member 133 Stopper 141 Restriction member G Gap

Claims (4)

A conveyance guide member for guiding a recording medium;
A suction chamber through which a plurality of suction holes formed in the transport guide member communicate;
A suction means for sucking air in the suction chamber,
In the suction chamber, there is provided a restricting means for restricting deformation of a predetermined amount or more when the transport guide member is deformed in the direction toward the suction chamber. The restricting means has a restricting member provided on the facing surface of the transport guide member facing the wall surface of the suction chamber,
The suction conveyance device according to claim 1, wherein the regulating member is opposed to the wall surface of the suction chamber with a predetermined gap. The regulating member has a regulating member provided on a wall surface of the suction chamber facing the transport guide member,
The suction conveyance device according to claim 1, wherein the regulating member is opposed to the conveyance guide member with a predetermined gap.   An image forming apparatus comprising the suction conveyance device according to claim 1.

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