JP2017132222A - Image recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image recording device allowing a sub-unit to be easily removed from a guide rail and a frame without removing the guide rail from the frame.SOLUTION: A multi-function printer comprises: a frame 45; guide rails 43, 44 assembled to the frame 45; a carriage movable along the guide rails 43, 44; a recording head mounted on the carriage; a sub-frame 46; and a sub-unit 50 assembled to the guide rails 43, 44. The sub-unit 50 comprises a lever member which can change its position by contacting with the carriage, and the lever member is assembled to the guide rails 43, 44 in a state of being inserted into an opening 43B of the guide rail 43. The lever member can change its attitude by contacting with a periphery part partitioning the opening 43B during an operation that the sub-unit 50 is removed from the guide rails 43, 44.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 19

Description

  The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus in which a subunit is attached to a frame and a guide rail, and an image is formed by a recording head mounted on a carriage that moves along the guide rail.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image recording apparatus that performs image recording using a recording head mounted on a carriage that moves along a guide rail is known. Some image recording apparatuses are provided with a subunit such as a maintenance unit for performing maintenance of the recording head such as purging. There is also known an image recording apparatus having a switching mechanism for switching and transmitting a driving force from a driving source such as a motor to a plurality of driving parts such as a conveyance roller and a pump. The switching mechanism has a lever that protrudes from the surface of the guide rail through a through-hole formed in the guide rail, and the position of the switching gear moves in conjunction with the movement of the position of the lever by the contact of the carriage. By doing so, the transmission gear which meshes with the switching gear is determined, and the driving force is transmitted to the desired drive unit (Patent Document 1).

JP 2009-34832 A

  A maintenance unit and a switching mechanism are configured as sub-units and may be attached to the frame and the guide rail. For example, in the maintenance unit, the sub-unit is removed from the frame and the guide rail in order to replace the ink absorber that holds the waste ink or to eliminate the malfunction of the switching mechanism. If you try to remove the subunit from the frame without removing the frame from the device housing, the space to move the subunit to remove is limited due to the relationship with the device housing and other members. There are many. Further, the direction in which the lever of the switching mechanism is extracted from the through hole of the guide rail may not always match the direction in which the lever is moved to remove the subunit.

  On the other hand, when the guide rail is removed from the frame, the lever of the switching mechanism and the guide rail do not interfere with each other, and the space for moving the subunit increases due to the removal of the guide rail. It becomes easy to remove from. However, when the guide rail is removed from the frame, the positional relationship between the guide rail and the frame is different from the positional relationship between the guide rail and the frame before removal when the guide rail and the frame are assembled again after that. There are many. Since the frame is a reference member for the placement of the platen, transport rollers, etc., if the positional relationship between the guide rail and the frame is different, the positional relationship between the platen, transport roller, etc. and the carriage that moves based on the guide rail is also different. As a result, for example, the positional relationship between the recording head and the sheet, that is, the head gap is different. Then, it becomes necessary to readjust the timing for ejecting ink droplets from the recording head to the sheet.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide means for easily removing the subunit from the guide rail and the frame without removing the guide rail from the frame. is there.

  (1) An image recording apparatus according to the present invention has a frame and a support surface, is supported by a guide rail assembled to the frame, and a support surface of the guide rail, and the guide rail extends. A carriage movable in the first direction; a recording head mounted on the carriage; and a sub-frame having at least a sub-frame assembled to the guide rail. The subunit has a lever whose position can be switched by contact with the carriage, and the lever is assembled to the guide rail in a state of being inserted into a through hole formed in the guide rail. . The lever can be changed in posture by coming into contact with a peripheral edge that defines the through hole in the detaching operation in which the subunit is removed from the guide rail.

  Since the lever changes its posture when the subunit is removed from the guide rail, the direction in which the subunit is removed is not limited to the direction in which the lever is extracted from the through hole of the guide rail. Accordingly, the subunit can be removed while the guide rail is attached to the frame.

  (2) Preferably, the subunit includes a support shaft that supports the lever so as to be movable in the axial direction, and a slide gear that is supported by the support shaft so as to be movable in the axial direction. The lever rotates around the support shaft in the removing operation.

  According to the above configuration, the lever can change its posture while the pivot center of the lever and the support shaft are held coaxially, so that the change of the lever posture prevents the lever from rotating and moving along the support shaft. It is hard to be affected.

  (3) Preferably, the subunit includes a holding member extending along the support shaft and formed with a slit through which the lever is inserted, and an abutting portion capable of abutting on the tip of the lever. The lever guide has a fitting portion that fits with the holding member, and the holding member is in the state fitted with the fitting portion. It does not rotate around the support shaft but can rotate around the support shaft in a state where the fitting with the fitting portion is released.

  In a state where the fitting portion of the lever guide is fitted to the holding member, the movement of the lever is limited to the inside of the slit of the holding member, so that the lever can be prevented from changing its posture to the extent that drive switching is not necessary. .

  (4) Preferably, the frame has a support plate portion that intersects a support surface of the guide rail, and the support plate portion is a long hole that is long in a second direction orthogonal to the support surface of the guide rail. The support shaft is inserted through the long hole of the support plate portion.

  Since the support shaft can move in the second direction within the range of the long hole, the subunit can be removed from the guide rail while changing the posture of the subunit within the range in which the support shaft can move.

  (5) Preferably, the frame supports a first conveyance roller that conveys a sheet, and the first conveyance roller has a transmission gear that meshes with the slide gear and rotates coaxially.

  According to the above configuration, the positional relationship between the transmission gear and the slide gear is maintained.

  (6) Preferably, the sub-unit has a sub-frame assembled to at least the guide rail, and the image recording apparatus includes a feeding roller, a first bearing supported by the sub-frame, A feeding drive shaft that transmits a driving force to the feeding roller, is extendable in an axial direction, and is supported by the first bearing;

  According to the above configuration, the feed drive shaft is removed from the first bearing by contracting the feed drive shaft before the subunit is removed from the guide rail.

  (7) Preferably, the image recording apparatus is extendable in the axial direction and is supported by the second bearing that transmits the driving force to the second bearing supported by the subframe and the second conveying roller. And an interlocking member for interlocking expansion and contraction of the feeding drive shaft and expansion and contraction of the transport drive shaft.

  According to the above configuration, the transport drive shaft is retracted from the second bearing by contracting the transport drive shaft before the subunit is removed from the guide rail. Further, when the interlocking member is operated, both the feed drive shaft and the transport drive shaft are expanded and contracted.

  (8) Preferably, the image recording apparatus includes a motor supported by the subframe, a first drive transmission mechanism supported by the subframe, and configured to transmit drive from the motor to the slide gear; A second drive transmission mechanism supported by the subframe and configured to transmit drive from the slide gear to the feed drive shaft;

  According to the above configuration, the motor, the first drive transmission mechanism, and the second drive transmission mechanism are removed as a unit when the subunit is removed from the guide rail, so the drive state from the motor to the feed drive shaft is inspected. Easy to do. Further, since the motor, the first drive transmission mechanism, and the second drive transmission mechanism are supported by the sub-frame, the accuracy of the gear pitch is increased and the noise is reduced.

  (9) Preferably, the guide rail includes a first positioning hole that is long in the first direction, and a circular second positioning hole that is disposed away from the first positioning hole in the first direction. The sub-frame has a first convex portion inserted into the first positioning hole and a second convex portion inserted into the second positioning hole, and the first positioning hole is It is closer to the support plate than the second positioning hole.

  According to the above configuration, the second positioning hole, which is easy to come off due to the distance from the support plate portion, is circular, and the first direction and the third direction perpendicular to the first direction and along the surface of the flat plate portion The sub frame is positioned with respect to the guide plate, and the first positioning hole near the support plate portion is elongated in the first direction and positioned only in the third direction. When the second convex portion is removed from the second positioning hole when the subunit is removed from the guide rail, the first convex portion can move in the first direction in the first positioning hole. It becomes.

  (10) Preferably, the subunit has at least a first gear and a second gear, and the slide gear is moved in conjunction with the lever, whereby the first gear or the second gear is moved. Selectively engages with gear.

  (11) Preferably, the subunit includes a cap capable of covering the nozzle surface of the recording head, and a suction pressure for sucking liquid from the recording head in a state where the cap covers the nozzle surface. And a pump for generating

  (12) Preferably, the image recording apparatus further includes a platen supported by the frame and facing the recording head.

  (13) Preferably, the image recording apparatus further includes a housing that supports the frame.

  According to the present invention, the subunit can be easily detached from the guide rail without removing the guide rail from the frame.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the multifunction machine 10. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing the internal structure of the printer unit 11. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the carriage 23, the frame 45, the guide rails 43 and 44, the subunit 50, the lower cover 33, and the like. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the frame 45, the subframe 46, the lower cover 33, and the like. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the frame 45, the side portions 49A and 49B, the transport roller 60, the discharge roller 62, and the reverse roller 64. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the subunit 50. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the first transmission unit 181, the third transmission unit 183, the fourth transmission unit 184, and the switching mechanism 170. FIG. 8A is a schematic diagram of the second transmission unit 182, the fifth transmission unit 185, and the switching mechanism 170, and FIG. 8B shows the second transmission unit 182, the sixth transmission unit 186, and the switching unit. FIG. 8C is a schematic diagram of the mechanism 170, and FIG. 8C is a schematic diagram of the second transmission unit 182, the seventh transmission unit 187, and the switching mechanism 170. FIG. 9 is a perspective view around the switching mechanism 170 and the conveyance roller 60. FIG. 10 is a right side view of FIG. FIG. 11 is a plan view of the periphery of the switching mechanism 170 when the slide gear 160 is positioned at the left position LP. FIG. 12 is a plan view of the periphery of the switching mechanism 170 when the slide gear 160 is located at the center position MP. FIG. 13 is a plan view of the periphery of the switching mechanism 170 when the slide gear 160 is positioned at the right position RP. FIG. 14 is a perspective view around the subunit 50, the holding member 173, and the lever guide 176. FIG. FIG. 15 is an enlarged perspective view showing a state in which a part of FIG. 14 is enlarged and the feeding frame 108 is removed. FIG. 16 is a longitudinal sectional view around the feed drive shaft 94 and the transport drive shaft 95. FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the periphery of the frame 45, guide rails 43 and 44, and subunit 50. FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing a state in which the lever guide 176 is removed around the frame 45, the guide rails 43 and 44, and the subunit 50. FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing a process in which the subunit 50 is inclined and removed around the frame 45, the guide rails 43 and 44, and the subunit 50. FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. The embodiment described below is merely an example of the present invention, and it is needless to say that the embodiment of the present invention can be changed as appropriate without departing from the gist of the present invention. Further, in the following description, the progress from the starting point of the arrow to the ending point is expressed as “direction”, and the traffic on the line connecting the starting point and the ending point of the arrow is expressed as “direction”. Further, in the following description, the vertical direction 7 is defined with reference to the state where the multifunction machine 10 is installed (the state shown in FIG. 1), and the front-rear direction 8 is defined with the surface provided with the opening 13 as the front surface. Then, the left-right direction 9 is defined when the multifunction machine 10 is viewed from the front.

[Overall configuration of MFP 10]
The multifunction machine 10 (an example of an image recording apparatus) is generally formed in a rectangular parallelepiped as shown in FIG. The multifunction machine 10 has various functions such as a facsimile function and a print function. The multi-function device 10 has a printer unit 11 that records an image on one side of a sheet 12 (see FIG. 2) using an inkjet recording method at the bottom. The printer unit 11 may record images on both sides of the paper 12.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the printer unit 11 includes a first feeding unit 15, a second feeding unit 34, a feeding tray 20, and a multipurpose (abbreviation of multipurpose, hereinafter referred to as “MP”). .) A tray 31, a recording unit 24 that records an image on the paper 12, and a platen 42 that supports the paper 12. The printer unit 11 includes a feeding motor 101 (see FIG. 4, an example of a motor), a transport motor 102 (see FIG. 9), and a subunit 50 (see FIG. 3).

[Feed tray 20, discharge tray 21, MP tray 31]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the feeding tray 20 is inserted and removed in the front-rear direction 8 through an opening 13 formed in the front surface of the printer unit 11. The feeding tray 20 supports a plurality of stacked sheets 12. The discharge tray 21 is located above the feeding tray 20. The discharge tray 21 supports the paper 12 discharged by the discharge roller unit 55 through the opening 13. The MP tray 31 is configured to be inclined obliquely upward from the back of the printer unit 11 toward the rear. The MP tray 31 supports a plurality of stacked sheets 12.

[First feeding unit 15 and second feeding unit 34]
As shown in FIG. 2, the first feeding unit 15 includes a first feeding roller 25 (an example of a feeding roller), a feeding arm 26, and a shaft 27. The first feeding roller 25 is rotatably supported on the leading end side of the feeding arm 26. The first feeding roller 25 is configured to convey the sheet 12 supported by the feeding tray 20 in the conveying direction 16 toward the conveying path 65 described later (that is, by reverse rotation of the feeding motor 101 (see FIG. 4) (that is, , Forward rotation). The transmission of the driving force from the feeding motor 101 to the first feeding roller 25 will be described in detail later. The feeding arm 26 is rotatably supported on a shaft 27 supported by the frame of the printer unit 11.

  The second feeding unit 34 feeds the uppermost sheet 12 stacked on the MP tray 31 toward the conveyance path 65. The second feeding roller 35, the feeding arm 36, and the shaft 37 constituting the second feeding unit 34 are substantially common to the constituent elements of the first feeding unit 15. Further, the second feeding unit 34 includes a lifter 38 that is rotatably supported on the shaft 35 </ b> A of the second feeding roller 35. The lifter 38 is indicated by a broken line in FIG. 2 and is shown in a solid line in FIG. 2 and a non-feeding position where the lifter 38 is in contact with the MP tray 31 (paper if the paper is supported on the MP tray 31). It rotates between a feeding position separated from the MP tray 31 (or a sheet when the sheet is supported on the MP tray 31). Further, the rotation tip of the lifter 38 is located outward from the outer peripheral surface of the second feeding roller 35. As a result, the lifter 38 at the non-feed position separates the second feed roller 35 from the paper 12 on the MP tray 31. On the other hand, the lifter 38 at the feeding position brings the second feeding roller 35 into contact with the paper 12 on the MP tray 31.

  The lifter 38 is rotated from the feeding position to the non-feeding position by the forward rotation of the feeding motor 101 (see FIG. 9). On the other hand, the lifter 38 rotates from the non-feeding position to the feeding position by the reverse rotation of the feeding motor 101. The second feed roller 35 rotates in a direction (that is, forward rotation) in which the paper 12 supported by the MP tray 31 is transported in the first transport direction 16A by the reverse rotation of the feed motor 101. The transmission of driving force from the feed motor 101 to the lifter 38 and the second feed roller 35 will be described in detail later.

[First transport path 65, second transport path 66]
As shown in FIG. 2, a first conveyance path 65 and a second conveyance path 66 through which the paper 12 passes are formed inside the printer unit 11. The first conveyance path 65 indicates a space defined by the guide members 18 and 19 facing each other with a predetermined interval inside the printer unit 11. The first conveyance direction 16A of the paper 12 in the first conveyance path 65 is indicated by a dashed-dotted arrow in FIG.

  The first conveyance path 65 according to the present embodiment includes a curved conveyance path and a linear conveyance path that extends linearly. The curved conveyance path is a path that makes a U-turn while extending upward from below on the rear side of the printer unit 11. The straight conveyance path is a path from the conveyance roller unit 54 to the discharge tray 21 through the recording unit 24. In addition, the discharge roller unit 55 and the reverse roller unit 56 according to the present embodiment are arranged in a straight conveyance path of the first conveyance path 65.

  The second transport path 66 refers to a space defined by the guide members 29 and 30 facing each other with a predetermined interval inside the printer unit 11. The second conveyance path 66 is a path for reversing the front and back of the paper 12 on which an image has been recorded by the recording unit 24 to reach the conveyance roller unit 54 again. The second conveyance path 66 according to the present embodiment branches from the first conveyance path 65 at the first position 66A, and merges with the first conveyance path 65 at the second position 66B. The first position 66A is located between the discharge roller portion 55 and the reverse roller portion 56 in the first transport direction 16A. The second position 66B is located upstream of the transport roller portion 54 in the first transport direction 16A in the first transport direction 16A. Note that the second conveyance direction 16B of the paper 12 in the second conveyance path 66 is indicated by a two-dot chain arrow in FIG.

[Conveying roller unit 54]
As shown in FIG. 2, the transport roller unit 54 is disposed upstream of the recording unit 24 in the first transport direction 16A. The conveyance roller unit 54 includes a conveyance roller 60 (an example of a first conveyance roller) and a pinch roller 61 that face each other. The conveyance roller 60 is driven by the conveyance motor 102. The pinch roller 61 is rotated along with the rotation of the conveyance roller 60. The transport roller unit 54 rotates forward when the forward driving force of the transport motor 102 is transmitted. The forward rotation is rotation in a direction in which the sandwiched paper 12 is transported in the first transport direction 16A. That is, the conveyance roller 60 conveys the paper 12 by rotating in a state of being in contact with the paper 12 on the conveyance path 65. Further, the transport roller portion 54 can be rotated in the reverse direction opposite to the normal rotation when the reverse driving force of the transport motor 102 is transmitted.

[Discharge roller section 55]
As shown in FIG. 2, the discharge roller unit 55 is disposed downstream of the recording unit 24 in the first transport direction 16A. The discharge roller portion 55 includes a discharge roller 62 and a spur 63 that face each other. The discharge roller 62 is driven by the transport motor 102. The spur 63 is rotated along with the rotation of the discharge roller 62. The discharge roller unit 55 is capable of forward rotation for transporting the nipped paper 12 in the first transport direction 16 </ b> A when the forward driving force of the transport motor 102 is transmitted. Further, the discharge roller portion 55 is capable of reverse rotation in the reverse direction to the normal rotation when the reverse driving force of the conveyance motor 102 is transmitted.

[Reverse roller section 56]
As shown in FIG. 2, the reversing roller unit 56 is disposed downstream of the first position 66A in the first transport direction 16A. The reverse roller unit 56 includes a reverse roller 64 and a spur 67 that face each other. The reverse roller 64 is driven by the transport motor 102. The spur 67 is rotated along with the rotation of the reverse roller 64. The reverse roller 64 is rotated in a direction in which the paper 12 sandwiched between the reverse roller 64 and the spur 67 is conveyed in the first conveyance direction 16 </ b> A when the forward driving force of the conveyance motor 102 is transmitted. Further, the reverse roller 64 is rotated in a rotational direction in which the paper 12 sandwiched between the reverse roller 64 and the spur 67 is conveyed in the second conveyance direction 16 </ b> B when the reverse driving force of the conveyance motor 102 is transmitted.

[Re-transport roller unit 57]
As shown in FIG. 2, the re-conveying roller unit 57 is disposed in the second conveying path 66 between the first position 66A and the second position 66B. The re-transport roller unit 57 includes a re-transport roller 68 (an example of a second transport roller) and a driven roller 69 that face each other. The re-transport roller 68 is rotatably supported by the arm 28. The re-conveying roller 68 is driven by the feeding motor 101. The driven roller 69 rotates with the rotation of the re-conveying roller 68. The re-conveying roller 68 is configured to convey the paper 12 sandwiched between the revolving roller 69 and the driven roller 69 in the second conveying direction 16B when one of the forward driving force and the reverse driving force of the feeding motor 101 is transmitted. Rotate.

[flame]
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the multi-function device 10 includes a lower cover 33, a frame 45, guide rails 43 and 44, a subunit 50, and a lower part of the casing 51 (see FIG. 1). Have. The lower cover 33 is a molded product made of a synthetic resin that constitutes the bottom surface of the casing 51, the opening 13, and the like. The frame 45 is obtained by punching and bending a flat metal plate, and is supported at a predetermined position of the lower cover 33.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the frame 45 includes a base portion 47 having front and back surfaces extending in the front-rear direction 8 and the left-right direction 9, and side portions 48 </ b> A and 48 </ b> B that stand upward from both ends of the base portion 47 in the left-right direction 9. (An example of a support plate portion). The frame 45 is connected with side portions 49A and 49B extending forward from the side portions 48A and 48B. The side portions 49A and 49B are obtained by punching and bending a flat metal plate. The frame 45 and the side portions 49A and 49B are connected by screwing.

  The side portions 48A, 48B, 49A, 49B are formed with U-shaped notches into which the bearings 58A, 58B, 58C can be fitted at predetermined positions, respectively. Bearings 58A, 58B, and 58C are fitted into the notches of the side portions 48A, 48B, 49A, and 49B, and the conveyance roller 60, the discharge roller 62, and the reverse roller 64 are rotatably supported by the bearings 58A, 58B, and 58C. ing. The transport roller 60, the discharge roller 62, and the reverse roller 64 supported by the side portions 48A, 48B, 49A, and 49B are held in parallel with each other. 3 and 4, the side portions 49A and 49B are omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the guide rails 43 and 44 are supported on the upper ends of the side portions 48A and 48B. The guide rails 43 and 44 are each formed by bending a flat metal plate that is long in the left-right direction 9. Although not shown in detail in each drawing, a plurality of projecting pieces projecting upward are formed at the upper ends of the side portions 48A and 48B, and the projecting pieces can be inserted into the guide rails 43 and 44. A through hole is formed. The guide rails 43 and 44 are supported on the upper end surfaces of the side portions 48A and 48B, whereby the guide rails 43 and 44 are positioned in the vertical direction 7, and the projecting pieces of the side portions 48A and 48B are positioned on the guide rail 43, The guide rails 43 and 44 are positioned in the front-rear direction 8 and the left-right direction 9 by being inserted into the through holes 44. The upper surfaces 43 </ b> A and 44 </ b> A of the guide rails 43 and 44 are support surfaces that support the carriage 23. The directions in which the upper surfaces 43A and 44B and the side portions 48A and 48B stand up, that is, the vertical direction 7 (an example of the second direction) are orthogonal to each other.

[Recording unit 24]
As shown in FIG. 2, the recording unit 24 is located between the transport roller unit 54 and the discharge roller unit 55 in the first transport direction 16 </ b> A. The recording unit 24 is disposed so as to face the platen 42 in the vertical direction 7. The recording unit 24 includes a carriage 23 and a recording head 39.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the carriage 23 is supported by upper surfaces 43 </ b> A and 44 </ b> A of guide rails 43 and 44 that extend in the left-right direction 9 at positions separated in the front-rear direction 8. The carriage 23 is connected to the belt mechanism 22 provided on the guide rail 44. The belt mechanism 22 is driven by the carriage motor 103. That is, the carriage 23 connected to the belt mechanism 22 that moves circumferentially by driving the carriage motor 103 reciprocates in the main scanning direction along the left-right direction 9 (an example of the first direction).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the recording head 39 is mounted on the carriage 23. A plurality of nozzles 40 are formed on the lower surface of the recording head 39. The recording head 39 ejects ink from the nozzle 40 as fine ink droplets. In the process of moving the carriage 23, the recording head 39 ejects ink droplets onto the paper 12 that is transported by the transport roller unit 54 and supported by the platen 42. As a result, an image is recorded on the paper 12.

  Although not shown in each drawing, an ink tube and a flexible flat cable are extended from the carriage 23. The ink tube supplies ink from the ink cartridge to the recording head 39. The flexible flat cable electrically connects the control board and the recording head 39.

  The carriage 23 reciprocates in a range in which the recording head 39 can eject ink droplets onto the paper 12 in the left-right direction 9 during image recording on the paper 12. Specifically, the carriage 23 reciprocates in a range where at least a part of the recording head 39 is directly above the first conveyance path 65 and the platen 42. Hereinafter, the range in which the carriage 23 reciprocates during image recording is referred to as a print area.

  The carriage 23 can move to the right of the printing area. In other words, the carriage 23 can move outside the printing area. Hereinafter, the position of the carriage 23 that has moved to the right of the printing area is referred to as a basic position. That is, the carriage 23 can move to the printing area and the basic position. The basic position may be on the left side of the print area. The subunit 50 is located below the carriage 23 at the basic position.

[Platen 42]
The platen 42 is supported by the frame 45 and is positioned between the transport roller unit 54 and the discharge roller unit 55 in the first transport direction 16A as shown in FIG. The platen 42 faces the recording unit 24 in the up-down direction 7 and supports the paper 12 conveyed by the conveyance roller unit 54 from below.

[Maintenance mechanism 110 and cap 114]
The maintenance mechanism 110 shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 performs maintenance of the recording head 39. In the present embodiment, the maintenance mechanism 110 sucks ink from the nozzles 40 of the recording head 39 and sends the sucked ink to a waste ink tank (not shown) through a tube.

  The maintenance mechanism 110 is disposed below the movement path of the carriage 23 and to the right of the right end of the platen 42. In other words, the maintenance mechanism 110 is positioned away from the first conveyance path 65 in the left-right direction 9 and is disposed to the right of the printing area. The maintenance mechanism 110 is disposed directly below the carriage 23 at the basic position.

  The maintenance mechanism 110 includes a cap 111 (see FIG. 6) and a pump 113 (see FIG. 3) that sucks ink. The cap 111 is movable in the vertical direction 7 when driving is transmitted from the feed motor 101, and covers the nozzle 40 on the lower surface of the recording head 39 by moving upward. By moving the cap 114 upward, the cap 114 comes into contact with the lower surface of the recording head 39 mounted on the carriage 23 at the basic position. At that time, the cap 114 covers the nozzle 40.

  The pump 113 is a rotary tube pump in the present embodiment. Although not shown in each drawing, the pump 113 includes a casing having an inner wall surface and a rolling roller that rolls along the inner wall surface. The pump 113 is driven by the transport motor 102.

[Driving force transmission mechanism 70]
The driving force transmission mechanism 70 is configured by combining all or part of a gear, a pulley, an endless annular belt, and the like. As shown in FIGS. 7 to 10, the driving force transmission mechanism 70 includes a first transmission unit 181, a second transmission unit 182, a third transmission unit 183, a fourth transmission unit 184, a fifth transmission unit 185, and a sixth transmission unit. A transmission unit 186, a seventh transmission unit 187, and a switching mechanism 170 are provided. The specific configuration (for example, the number of gears) of the driving force transmission mechanism 70 is not limited to the one described below.

  The first transmission unit 181 transmits the driving force of the conveyance motor 102 to the conveyance roller 60 and the switching mechanism 170. The second transmission unit 182 transmits the driving force of the feeding motor 101 to the switching mechanism 170. The third transmission unit 183 transmits the driving force of the conveyance motor 102 from the conveyance roller 60 to the discharge roller 62 and the reverse roller 64. The fourth transmission unit 184 transmits the driving force of the transport motor 102 from the switching mechanism 170 to the pump 113. The fifth transmission unit 185 transmits the driving force of the feeding motor 101 from the switching mechanism 170 to the cap 111. The sixth transmission unit 186 transmits the driving force of the feeding motor 101 from the switching mechanism 170 to the first feeding roller 25 or the re-conveying roller 68. The seventh transmission unit 187 transmits the driving force of the feeding motor 101 from the switching mechanism 170 to the second feeding roller 35. The switching mechanism 170 switches the transmission destination of the driving force of the feeding motor 101 and the conveyance motor 102.

[First transmission unit 181]
7 and 9, the first transmission unit 181 includes a pulley 71 that rotates integrally with the shaft of the transport motor 102, a pulley 72 that rotates integrally with the shaft 60A of the transport roller 60, and pulleys 71 and 72. An endless annular belt 73 is provided. As a result, the transport roller 60 rotates in the forward direction when the forward driving force of the transport motor 102 is transmitted, and rotates in the reverse direction when the reverse drive force of the transport motor 102 is transmitted. As the transport roller 60 rotates, a roller gear 180 (an example of a transmission gear) of the switching mechanism 170 that rotates integrally with the shaft 60A of the transport roller 60 rotates. As described above, the first transmission unit 181 transmits the driving force of the transport motor 102 to the transport roller 60 and the switching mechanism 170.

[Second transmission unit 182 (an example of a first drive transmission mechanism)]
As shown in FIGS. 8 and 10, the second transmission unit 182 includes a pulley 79 that rotates integrally with the shaft of the feed motor 101, a pulley 80, and an endless annular belt 82 that is stretched over the pulleys 79, 80. And a gear 83 that rotates integrally with the shaft of the pulley 80, and a gear 84 that meshes with the gear 83. The gear 84 meshes with the second gear 192 </ b> B of the second clutch gear 192 of the switching mechanism 170. As a result, the feeding motor 101 applies a driving force to the second clutch gear 192. Specifically, the second clutch gear 192 rotates in the forward direction when the forward driving force of the feeding motor 101 is transmitted, and rotates in the reverse direction when the reverse driving force of the feeding motor 101 is transmitted. As described above, the second transmission unit 182 transmits the driving force of the feeding motor 101 to the switching mechanism 170.

[Third transmission unit 183]
As shown in FIG. 7, the third transmission portion 183 includes gears 75 and 76 that mesh with each other, pulleys 77 and 78, and an endless annular belt 81. The gear 75 meshes with the gear 76 and rotates integrally with the shaft 60 </ b> A of the transport roller 60. The gear 76 and the pulley 77 rotate coaxially and integrally. The pulley 78 is attached to the shaft 62A of the discharge roller 62 and rotates integrally. The belt 81 is stretched around pulleys 77 and 78. As a result, the discharge roller 62 rotates in the forward direction when the forward driving force of the transport motor 102 is transmitted, and rotates reversely when the reverse drive force of the transport motor 102 is transmitted.

  The third transmission unit 183 includes pulleys 105 and 106 and an endless annular belt 107. The pulley 105 rotates integrally with the shaft 62 </ b> A of the discharge roller 62. The pulley 106 is attached to the shaft 64A of the reverse roller 64 and rotates integrally. The belt 107 is stretched around the pulleys 105 and 106. As a result, the reverse roller 64 rotates in the forward direction when the forward driving force of the transport motor 102 is transmitted, and rotates reversely when the reverse drive force of the transport motor 102 is transmitted. As described above, the third transmission unit 183 transmits the driving force of the conveyance motor 102 from the conveyance roller 60 to the discharge roller 62 and the reverse roller 64.

[Fourth Transmission Unit 184]
As shown in FIG. 7, the fourth transmission portion 184 includes a gear 85 that meshes with the second gear 191 </ b> B of the first clutch gear 191 of the switching mechanism 170, and a rolling roller of the pump 113 that meshes with the gear 85. And a gear 86 that rotates integrally with the shaft. Thus, the pump 113 is driven by the driving force transmitted from the second gear 191B of the first clutch gear 191. The second gear 191 </ b> B receives driving force from the transport motor 102 via the roller gear 180, the first slide gear 160 </ b> A, and the first gear 191 </ b> A of the first clutch gear 191. Specifically, the roller gear 180 meshes with the first slide gear 160A. The first slide gear 160A can mesh with the first gear 191A. The second gear 191B can rotate integrally with the first gear 191A. Details of the first slide gear 160A and the first clutch gear 191 will be described later. From the above, the fourth transmission unit 184 transmits the driving force of the conveyance motor 102 from the switching mechanism 170 to the pump 113.

[Fifth transmission unit 185]
As shown in FIG. 8A, the fifth transmission portion 185 is provided in a gear 87 that meshes with the receiving gear 165 of the switching mechanism 170 and a cam mechanism (not shown) connected to the cap 111. A gear 88 that meshes with the gear 87 is provided. The receiving gear 165 receives a driving force from the feeding motor 101 via the second clutch gear 192 and the second slide gear 160B. More specifically, the first gear 192A of the second clutch gear 192 can rotate integrally with the second gear 192B to which the driving force of the feeding motor 101 is transmitted by the second transmission portion 182. The first gear 192A meshes with the second slide gear 160B. The second slide gear 160B can mesh with the receiving gear 165. Details of the second slide gear 160B and the second clutch gear 192 will be described later. As the gear 88 rotates, the cam mechanism is driven, and the cap 111 connected to the cam mechanism moves up and down. As described above, the fifth transmission unit 185 transmits the driving force of the feeding motor 101 (reverse driving force in the present embodiment) from the switching mechanism 170 to the cam mechanism that drives the cap 111.

[Sixth transmission unit 186 (an example of a second drive transmission mechanism)]
As shown in FIG. 8B, the sixth transmission unit 186 includes gears 89 to 92, a sun gear 98, a pendulum gear 99, and an arm 100.

  The gear 89 meshes with the receiving gear 167 of the switching mechanism 170. The receiving gear 167 receives the driving force from the feeding motor 101 via the second clutch gear 192 and the second slide gear 160B, similarly to the receiving gear 165 described above. The sun gear 98 rotates integrally with the gear 89 coaxially. The pendulum gear 99 meshes with the sun gear 98 and contacts and separates from the gear 90 or the gear 92. One end of the arm 100 is rotatably supported by the sun gear 98, and the other end supports the pendulum gear 99 so that it can rotate and revolve. The gear 90 meshes with the gear 91. The gear 91 is a part of a bearing 96 (an example of a first bearing), and rotates integrally with the feeding drive shaft 94 supported by the bearing 96. The gear 92 is a part of a bearing 97 (an example of a second bearing), and rotates integrally with the transport driving shaft 95 supported by the bearing 97.

  As the sun gear 98 rotates, the pendulum gear 99 revolves around the sun gear 98 while rotating. Then, as indicated by a solid line in FIG. 8B, the pendulum gear 99 is separated from the gear 90 and meshed with the gear 92 when the forward driving force of the feeding motor 101 is transmitted to the sun gear 98. To do. As a result, the sixth transmission unit 186 transmits the normal driving force of the feeding motor 101 to the re-conveying roller 68 via the conveying drive shaft 95.

  On the other hand, the pendulum gear 99 is separated from the gear 92 and meshes with the gear 90 when the reverse driving force of the feeding motor 101 is transmitted to the sun gear 98 as indicated by a broken line in FIG. . As a result, the sixth transmission unit 186 transmits the reverse driving force of the feed motor 101 to the first feed roller 25 via the feed drive shaft 94. As described above, the sixth transmission unit 186 transmits the driving force of the feeding motor 101 from the switching mechanism 170 to the first feeding roller 25 or the re-conveying roller 68.

[Seventh transmission unit 187]
As shown in FIG. 8C, the seventh transmission unit 187 includes a gear 156 and a gear train 157. The gear train 157 includes a plurality of gears 157A to 157C in which adjacent gears mesh with each other.

  The gear 156 meshes with the receiving gear 166 of the switching mechanism 170. The receiving gear 166 receives the driving force from the feeding motor 101 via the second clutch gear 192 and the second slide gear 160B, similarly to the receiving gear 165 described above. The gears 156 and 157A rotate integrally with the shaft 37. The gear 157 </ b> C rotates integrally with the shaft 35 </ b> A of the second feeding roller 35. A torque limiter is disposed between the shaft 35 </ b> A of the second feed roller 35 and the lifter 38. As a result, the lifter 38 does not rotate clockwise beyond the non-feeding position indicated by the broken line in FIG. 8C, and counterclockwise beyond the feeding position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 8C. Does not rotate around. In other words, the lifter 38 rotates between the feeding position and the non-feeding position.

  The seventh transmission unit 187 configured as described above rotates the second feeding roller 35 reversely by the forward driving force of the feeding motor 101 and rotates the lifter 38 toward the non-feeding position. As a result, the sheet 12 supported by the MP tray 31 is not fed to the transport path 65 by the forward rotation driving of the feeding motor 101. On the other hand, the seventh transmission unit 187 rotates the second feeding roller 35 forward by the reverse driving force of the feeding motor 101 and rotates the lifter 38 toward the feeding position. As a result, the sheet 12 supported by the MP tray 31 is fed to the transport path 65 by the reverse rotation driving of the feeding motor 101. As described above, the seventh transmission unit 187 transmits the driving force of the feeding motor 101 from the switching mechanism 170 to the second feeding roller 35.

[Switching mechanism 170]
The switching mechanism 170 can switch the transmission state of the driving force of the conveyance motor 102 and the feeding motor 101 to the first state, the second state, and the third state. The first state is a state in which the driving force of the conveyance motor 102 is transmitted to the pump 113 and the driving force of the feeding motor 101 is transmitted to the cap 111 via the cam mechanism. The second state is a state in which the driving force of the conveyance motor 102 is not transmitted to the pump 113 and the driving force of the feeding motor 101 is transmitted to the second feeding roller 35 and the lifter 38. The third state is a state in which the driving force of the conveyance motor 102 is not transmitted to the pump 113 and the driving force of the feeding motor 101 is transmitted to the first feeding roller 25.

  The switching mechanism 170 is provided on the right side of the platen 42. As shown in FIG. 9, the switching mechanism 170 includes a slide gear 160, a roller gear 180, three receiving gears 165, 166, and 167 (an example of a first gear and a second gear), a slide mechanism 150, a clutch And a gear 190.

[Slide gear 160, roller gear 180, and receiving gears 165, 166, 167]
As shown in FIGS. 9 and 11 to 13, the slide gear 160 is supported by a support shaft 174 extending in the left-right direction 9. The slide gear 160 can rotate around the support shaft 174. Further, the slide gear 160 is located to the left of the right position RP and the right position RP shown in FIG. 13 along the left-right direction 9 that is the axial direction of the support shaft 174, and to the center position MP and center shown in FIG. It is to the left of the position MP and is movable (slidable) to the left position LP shown in FIG.

  The slide gear 160 includes a first slide gear 160A and a second slide gear 160B. Each of the slide gears 160A and 160B can rotate about the support shaft 174 and can move along the axial direction (left-right direction 9) of the support shaft 174.

  The second slide gear 160B is disposed on the left side of the first slide gear 160A. The first slide gear 160A and the second slide gear 160B are disposed in contact with each other.

  The second slide gear 160B includes a gear main body 161 having teeth formed on the outer periphery, and a convex portion 162 extending rightward from the gear main body 161 toward the first slide gear 160A. The diameter of the convex portion 162 is smaller than the diameter of the gear body 161. The protruding tip of the convex portion 162 and the first slide gear 160A are in contact with each other by a biasing force of a first coil spring 168 and a second coil spring 169 described later. As a result, the tooth portion of the first slide gear 160A and the tooth portion (gear body 161) of the second slide gear 160B are arranged at an interval in the left-right direction 9.

  The first slide gear 160A meshes with the roller gear 180 regardless of whether the slide gear 160 is in the right position RP, the center position MP, or the left position LP. The roller gear 180 is fixed to the shaft 60 </ b> A of the transport roller 60 at the right end of the transport roller 60. As a result, the roller gear 180 rotates integrally with the transport roller 60. As described above, the driving force of the transport motor 102 is transmitted to the first slide gear 160A via the roller gear 180.

  The first slide gear 160A meshes with or separates from the first gear 191A of the first clutch gear 191 of the clutch gear 190 depending on the position of the slide gear 160.

  The second slide gear 160B meshes with the first gear 192A of the second clutch gear 192 of the clutch gear 190 regardless of the position of the slide gear 160. That is, the second slide gear 160B meshes with the first gear 192A regardless of whether the slide gear 160 is in the right position RP, the center position MP, or the left position LP.

  The second slide gear 160B meshes with one of the three receiving gears 165, 166, and 167 depending on the position of the slide gear 160. That is, each of the three receiving gears 165, 166, and 167 can mesh with the second slide gear 160B.

  The receiving gears 165, 166, and 167 are arranged in a state of being spaced apart along the left-right direction 9. The receiving gear 166 is disposed on the left side of the receiving gear 165. The receiving gear 167 is disposed on the left side of the receiving gear 166.

  The distance between the receiving gears 165 and 166 in the left-right direction 9 and the distance between the receiving gears 166 and 167 in the left-right direction 9 are longer than the length in the axial direction (left-right direction 9) of the gear body 161 of the second slide gear 160B.

  As shown in FIG. 13, when the slide gear 160 is positioned at the right position RP, the first slide gear 160 </ b> A meshes with the roller gear 180 and the first gear 191 </ b> A of the first clutch gear 191. Thereby, the driving force of the transport motor 102 is transmitted to the pump 113 via the first slide gear 160A and the first clutch gear 191 (see FIG. 7).

  When the slide gear 160 is positioned at the right position RP, the second slide gear 160B meshes with the first gear 192A and the receiving gear 165 of the second clutch gear 192. Accordingly, the driving force of the feeding motor 101 is transmitted to the cam mechanism that moves the cap 114 up and down via the second slide gear 160B and the receiving gear 165 (see FIG. 8A).

  As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, when the slide gear 160 is located at the left position LP or the center position MP, the first slide gear 160A meshes with the roller gear 180, but the first clutch gear 191 It is separated from one gear 191A. Thereby, the driving force of the conveyance motor 102 is not transmitted to the first clutch gear 191.

  As shown in FIG. 12, when the slide gear 160 is located at the center position MP, the second slide gear 160B meshes with the first gear 192A and the receiving gear 166 of the second clutch gear 192. Thereby, the driving force of the feeding motor 101 is transmitted to the second feeding roller 35 and the lifter 38 via the second slide gear 160B and the receiving gear 166 (see FIG. 8C).

  As shown in FIG. 11, when the slide gear 160 is positioned at the left position LP, the second slide gear 160 </ b> B meshes with the first gear 192 </ b> A of the second clutch gear 192 and the receiving gear 167. Thereby, the driving force of the feeding motor 101 is transmitted to the first feeding roller 25 via the second slide gear 160B and the receiving gear 167 (see FIG. 8B).

  In the present embodiment, three receiving gears are provided, but the number of receiving gears is not limited to three. The receiving gear includes at least a gear that transmits driving force to the cam mechanism that moves the cap 111 up and down, and a gear that transmits driving force to the feeding roller (the first feeding roller 25 or the second feeding roller 35). Two or four or more may be provided on condition that it is provided. For example, when the multifunction machine 10 does not include the MP tray 31 and the second feeding roller 35, two receiving gears are provided. Further, for example, the multifunction machine 10 includes two upper and lower feed trays that are inserted and removed in the front-rear direction 8 through the opening 13, and feed rollers are provided corresponding to the upper and lower two feed trays. In this case, four receiving gears are provided.

  Further, the slide gear 160 may be movable to a position other than the positions described above in addition to the positions described above (right position RP, center position MP, left position LP) according to the number of receiving gears. .

[Slide mechanism 150]
As shown in FIG. 6, the slide mechanism 150 is a mechanism that moves the slide gear 160 in the left-right direction 9. The slide mechanism 150 includes a carriage 23 (see FIG. 3), a lever member 175 (see FIG. 6), a first coil spring 168 (see FIG. 6), a second coil spring 169 (see FIG. 6), and a holding member 173 (see FIG. 6). 13) and a lever guide 176.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 11, the lever member 175 is disposed on the right side of the first slide gear 160A in contact with the first slide gear 160A.

  The lever member 175 includes a main body portion 175A that is in contact with the first slide gear 160A, and a protruding portion 175B that protrudes upward from the main body portion 175A. A support shaft 174 is inserted through the main body 175A. Thus, the main body 175A is supported by the support shaft 174 so as to be movable in the left-right direction 9 and rotatable. The protrusion 175 </ b> B extends to a movement area outside the printing area in the movement area of the carriage 23. As a result, the protrusion 175B can be pressed to the right by contacting the carriage 23 that moves to the right.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 11, the first coil spring 168 is disposed on the right side of the lever member 175. A support shaft 174 is inserted through the first coil spring 168. One end of the first coil spring 168 is in contact with the lever member 175. The other end of the first coil spring 168 is in contact with the holding member 173. Thus, the first coil spring 168 can bias the lever member 175 leftward.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the second coil spring 169 is disposed on the left side of the second slide gear 160B. A support shaft 174 is inserted through the second coil spring 169. One end of the second coil spring 169 is in contact with the gear body 161 of the second slide gear 160B. The other end of the second coil spring 169 is in contact with the holding member 173. Accordingly, the second coil spring 169 can bias the second slide gear 160B to the right.

  The biasing force of the second coil spring 169 is smaller than the biasing force of the first coil spring 168. As a result, the slide gear 160 (the first slide gear 160A and the second slide gear 160B) and the lever member 175 are urged leftward.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the holding member 173 is disposed above the main body 175 </ b> A of the lever member 175. The holding member 173 includes a flat plate-shaped guide portion 173A in which an opening 177 (an example of a slit) is formed, and side walls 173B extending downward from both ends in the left-right direction 9 of the guide portion 173A. Each side wall 173B is formed with a through hole, and a support shaft 174 is inserted through the through hole of the side wall 173B. Accordingly, the holding member 173 can rotate around the support shaft 174.

  The opening 177 of the guide portion 173A is positioned inward of the opening 43B (see FIG. 18) formed in the upper surface 43A of the guide rail 43. In the opening 177, the protruding portion 175B of the lever member 175 is inserted from below to above. A first stopper 178, a second stopper 179 provided to the right of the first stopper 178, and an inclined surface 172 provided to the right of the second stopper 179 are formed at the edge of the opening 177. Has been.

  A screw hole 135 into which the screw 139 can be screwed is formed in the guide portion 173A. The guide portion 173A has a pair of through holes 136 on the left and right sides of the opening 177. The screw hole 135 and the through hole 136 are used for connection with a lever guide 176 described later.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 14, the lever guide 176 is located above the guide rail 43. As shown in FIG. 18, the lever guide 176 is formed with a through hole 132 through which the screw 139 is inserted. The lever guide 176 has a pair of pins 133 (an example of a fitting portion) that protrudes from the lower surface while being spaced apart in the left-right direction 9. Each pin 133 is inserted into a through hole 134 formed around the opening 43 </ b> B of the guide rail 43, and further inserted into a through hole 136 (see FIG. 6) of the holding member 173 located below the guide rail 43. . Further, the screw 139 inserted into the through hole 132 of the lever guide 176 is inserted into the through hole 137 formed around the opening 43B of the guide rail 43, and further, the screw hole 135 of the holding member 173 (see FIG. 6). Screwed onto. Accordingly, the lever guide 176 is positioned in the left-right direction 9 and the front-rear direction 8 with respect to the guide rail 43, and the lever guide 176 and the holding member 173 are connected with the guide rail 43 interposed therebetween. By connecting the lever guide 176 to the holding member 173, the holding member 173 that can rotate around the support shaft 174 is held at a predetermined position. In other words, the rotation of the holding member 173 is restricted by connecting the lever guide 176. In FIG. 3, the holding member 173 is omitted, and in FIG. 14, the guide rail 43 is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 18, the lever guide 176 guides the tip of the protrusion 175 </ b> B of the lever member 175 above the opening 177 of the holding member 173. The lever guide 176 includes a guide wall 176 </ b> A that extends downward between the first stopper 178 of the holding member 173 and the inclined surface 172. The protrusion 175B that moves to the left from the right end of the inclined surface 172 is held behind the first stopper 178 and the second stopper 179 by the guide wall 176A.

  Although not shown in detail in each drawing, the first stopper 178 abuts on the protrusion 175B in a state where the slide gear 160 is located at the left position LP. Thereby, the lever member 175 is restricted from moving leftward from the left position LP by the urging force of the first coil spring 168. On the other hand, the first stopper 178 does not restrict the movement of the lever member 175 to the right.

  The second stopper 179 engages with the protrusion 175B in a state where the slide gear 160 is located at the center position MP. As a result, the lever member 175 is restricted from moving leftward from the central position MP by the urging force of the first coil spring 168. On the other hand, the second stopper 179 does not restrict the movement of the lever member 175 to the right.

  In a state in which the slide gear 160 is held at the left position LP (a state in which the protruding portion 175B is engaged with the first stopper 178), the protruding portion 175B is brought into contact with and pushed by the carriage 23 that moves to the right. Then, the lever member 175 moves to the right against the urging force of the first coil spring 168. At this time, the second slide gear 160B urged to the right by the second coil spring 169 moves to the right as the lever member 175 moves. The first slide gear 160A moves to the right when pushed by the moving second slide gear 160B. The slide gear 160 is held at the central position MP by the protrusion 175B engaging with the second stopper 179.

  In a state where the slide gear 160 is held at the center position MP (a state where the protruding portion 175B is engaged with the second stopper 179), the protruding portion 175B is brought into contact with and pushed by the carriage 23 that moves to the right. Then, the lever member 175 moves to the right against the urging force of the first coil spring 168. At this time, the second slide gear 160B urged to the right by the second coil spring 169 moves to the right as the lever member 175 moves. The first slide gear 160A moves to the right when pushed by the moving second slide gear 160B.

  At this time, the protrusion 175 </ b> B moves rightward and backward along the inclined surface 172. As a result, the lever member 175 rotates so that the protruding portion 175B moves rearward, and the upper end of the protruding portion 175B is positioned rearward of the guide wall 176A of the lever guide 176.

  In a state in which the protruding portion 175B is positioned to the right of the second stopper 179, the carriage 23 is kept in contact with the protruding portion 175B, whereby the slide gear 160 is held at the right position RP. The position of the carriage 23 at this time is a basic position. That is, the slide gear 160 is held at the right position RP against the urging force of the first coil spring 168 when the carriage 23 at the basic position comes into contact with the protruding portion 175B.

  When the carriage 23 moves to the left and is separated from the protrusion 175B while the slide gear 160 is held at the right position RP, the lever member 175 moves to the left by the urging force of the first coil spring 168. At this time, as described above, the projecting portion 175B moves rearward from the guide wall 176A of the lever guide 176, and therefore is engaged with the second stopper 179 and the first stopper 178 by being guided by the guide wall 176A. Without matching, the first stopper 178 moves to the left. At this time, the slide gear 160 is pushed by the lever member 175 and moves from the right position RP to the left position LP. That is, the slide gear 160 is moved to the left position LP by the urging force of the first coil spring 168 when the carriage 23 is separated from the protrusion 175B.

  The protrusion 175B moves along the inclined surface 171 formed at the left end at the edge of the opening 177 when the lever member 175 moves to the left. Thereby, the lever member 175 rotates so that the protrusion 175B moves forward.

[Subunit 50]
As shown in FIG. 6, the driving force transmission mechanism 70, the feeding motor 101, the maintenance mechanism 110, the slide mechanism 150, and the switching mechanism 170 described above are configured as an integrally assembled subunit 50. The subunit 50 can be attached to and detached from the frame 45.

  The sub unit 50 includes a resin frame 41 and a sub frame 46. The resin frame 41 supports the maintenance mechanism 110, the slide mechanism 150, and the switching mechanism 170, respectively. Pins 121, 122 projecting leftward from the side surface of the resin frame 41 are inserted into the through holes 126 A, 126 B of the sub frame 46, and a plurality of screws 123 inserted into the through holes of the sub frame 46 are attached to the resin frame 41. By being screwed together, the resin frame 41 is positioned and connected to the subframe 46. Further, the support shaft 174 of the switching mechanism 170 is positioned with respect to the vertical direction 7 and the front-rear direction 8 by being inserted through a through hole 125 formed in the subframe 46.

  On the upper surface 41A of the resin frame 41, four pins 117 to 120 (an example of a first convex portion and a second convex portion) projecting upward and four screw holes 126 to 129 concave downward are formed. The pins 117 to 120 are arranged so as to be separated in the front-rear direction 8 and the left-right direction 9. The screw holes 126 to 129 are arranged to be separated in the front-rear direction 8 and the left-right direction 9. The pins 117 to 120 and the screw holes 126 to 129 are for assembling the subunits to the guide rails 43 and 44.

  As shown in FIGS. 4, 6, and 10, the sub-frame 46 is obtained by punching and bending a single flat metal plate. The subframe 46 supports the shafts and bearings 96 and 97 of each gear constituting at least the second transmission portion 182 and the sixth transmission portion 186 of the driving force transmission mechanism 70. That is, as shown in FIG. 10, the shafts of the gear 83, the gear 84, and the second clutch gear 192 configuring the second transmission portion 182 are supported by the subframe 46. As shown in FIG. 4, the shafts of the gears 89 to 92, the sun gear 98, and the pendulum gear 99 constituting the sixth transmission unit 186 are supported by the subframe 46. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, bearings 96 and 97 are supported by the subframe 46.

[Feeding drive shaft 94 and transport drive shaft 95]
As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, a feed driving shaft 94 is supported by the bearing 96. Although not shown in the figure, the conveyance drive shaft 95 is supported by the bearing 97. The feed drive shaft 94 extends leftward from the bearing 96 and reaches the feed arm 26. The feed arm 26 is provided with a gear train 32 that transmits the drive of the feed drive shaft 94 to the first feed roller 25. The transport drive shaft 95 extends leftward from the bearing 97 and reaches the arm 28 that supports the re-transport roller 68. The transport drive shaft 95 is provided with a gear that rotates integrally, and the gear meshes with a gear that rotates integrally with the re-transport roller 68. The feed arm 26, the feed drive shaft 94, and the transport drive shaft 95 are supported by the feed frame 108, respectively.

  As shown in FIG. 16, the feed drive shaft 94 includes a first shaft 141 that serves as a shaft of one of the gear trains 32, and a second shaft 142 that is supported by the bearing 96. The second shaft 142 is inserted with respect to the first shaft 141 and is slidable in the axial direction. Therefore, the second drive shaft 142 slides in the axial direction relative to the first drive shaft 141, so that the feed drive shaft 94 expands and contracts between the state supported by the bearing 96 and the state removed from the bearing 96. To do. Although not shown in detail in each drawing, the transport drive shaft 95 is configured such that the first shaft 143 and the second shaft 144 are slidable in the axial direction in the same manner as the feed drive shaft 94. The transport drive shaft 95 expands and contracts in a state where 143 is supported by the bearing 97 and a state where it is removed from the bearing 97.

  As shown in FIG. 15, an interlocking member 140 connected to the first shaft 141 of the feed drive shaft 94 and the first shaft 143 of the transport drive shaft 95 is provided. The interlocking member 140 is in contact with the first shaft 141 and the first shaft 143 on a surface orthogonal to the axial direction. When the sub-unit 50 is assembled or removed, the operator operates the interlocking member 140 so that the first shaft 141 of the feed drive shaft 94 and the first shaft 143 of the transport drive shaft 95 are aligned with each other. It operates integrally in a direction along the direction (left-right direction 9).

[Assembly of frame 45 and subunit 50]
As shown in FIG. 19, the side portion 48 </ b> A of the frame 45 is formed with a long hole 138 having a dimension along the vertical direction 7 longer than the dimension along the front-rear direction 8 below the guide rail 43. As shown in FIG. 17, a part of a support shaft 174 that protrudes leftward from the subframe 46 in the subunit 50 is inserted into the long hole 138. When a part of the support shaft 174 is inserted into the long hole 138 of the side portion 48A, the support shaft 174 is positioned in the front-rear direction 8 with respect to the frame 45, and the length of the long hole 138 is increased in the vertical direction 7. Movement is allowed. Thereby, the subunit 50 is positioned in the front-rear direction 8 with respect to the side portion 48 </ b> A of the frame 45.

  As shown in FIG. 18, the guide rail 43 has a positioning hole 145 (an example of a first positioning hole) formed at a position close to the side portion 48A, and a right side of the positioning hole 145 from the side portion 48A. A positioning hole 146 formed at a distant position is formed. The positioning hole 145 is a long hole whose dimension along the left-right direction 9 is longer than the dimension along the front-rear direction 8 (an example of the third direction). The positioning hole 146 is circular. Of the pins 117 to 120 formed in the resin frame 41 of the subunit 50, the pin 117 positioned rearward and to the left (closer to the sub frame 46) is inserted into the positioning hole 145. Of the pins 117 to 120 formed in the resin frame 41 of the subunit 50, a pin 118 located rearward and rightward (away from the subframe 46) is inserted into the positioning hole 146.

  As shown in FIG. 18, the guide rail 44 has a positioning hole 147 formed at a position close to the side portion 48A, and a positioning hole formed at a position to the right of the positioning hole 147 and far from the side portion 48A. 148 is formed. The positioning hole 147 is a long hole whose dimension along the front-rear direction 8 is longer than that along the left-right direction 9. The positioning hole 148 is a long hole whose dimension along the left-right direction 9 is longer than the dimension along the front-rear direction 8. Of the pins 117 to 120 formed in the resin frame 41 of the subunit 50, a pin 119 positioned forward and to the left (closer to the subframe 46) is inserted into the positioning hole 147. Of the pins 117 to 120 formed in the resin frame 41 of the subunit 50, the pin 120 located forward and to the right (the far side from the sub frame 46) is inserted into the positioning hole 148.

  By inserting the pins 117 to 120 of the resin frame 41 through the corresponding positioning holes 145 to 148, the subunit 50 is positioned in the front-rear direction 8 and the left-right direction 9 with respect to the guide rails 43 and 44. Further, the upper surface 41A of the resin frame 41 is brought into contact with the lower surfaces of the guide rails 43 and 44, and four screws 130 are inserted into the respective through holes 149 formed in the guide rails 43 and 44. The subunit 50 is positioned in the vertical direction 7 with respect to the guide rails 43 and 44 by being screwed into the screw holes 126 to 129. In this way, the subunit 50 is assembled to the frame 45.

[Removing the subunit 50 from the frame 45]
In the sub unit 50, the driving force transmission mechanism 70, the feeding motor 101, the maintenance mechanism 110, the slide mechanism 150, and the switching mechanism 170 are integrally assembled. Therefore, when only the subunit 50 can be removed from the multi-function device 10 when the maintenance mechanism 110 is damaged or consumed, or when the driving force transmission mechanism 70, the slide mechanism 150, and the switching mechanism 170 are damaged or consumed. Convenient.

  As shown in FIG. 3, when the subunit 50 is assembled below the guide rails 43 and 44, and the lower cover 33 is located at a relatively close position below the subunit 50, the frame 45 is formed on the lower cover 33. In the state in which the subunit 50 is fixed, the direction in which the subunit 50 is removed is limited. In the present embodiment, the subunit 50 is removed to the right and rear and obliquely downward. Since the subunit 50 is positioned in the up-down direction 7, the front-rear direction 8, and the left-right direction 9 with respect to the frame 45, it is necessary to sequentially cancel the positioning.

  Specifically, first, as described above, the interlocking member 140 is operated to move the first shaft 141 of the feeding drive shaft 94 and the first shaft 143 of the transport drive shaft 95 from the bearings 96 and 97. Extract each one. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 17, the lever guide 176 and the holding member 173 are connected as shown in FIG. 18 in a state in which the subunit 50 is assembled below the guide rails 43 and 44. Remove the screw 139. As a result, the lever guide 176 can be removed upward from the guide rail 43. When the connection between the lever guide 176 and the holding member 173 is released, the holding member 173 can rotate around the support shaft 174.

  Further, the four screws 130 connecting the guide rails 43 and 44 and the resin frame 41 are removed. As a result, the pins 117 to 120 of the resin frame 41 can move downward, but the support shaft 174 is inserted through the long hole 138 of the side portion 48 </ b> A of the frame 45. Therefore, the subframe 50 can move in the vertical direction 7 within a range in which the support shaft 174 can move with respect to the long hole 138. While the subunit 50 is moved downward with respect to the frame 45 until the support shaft 174 contacts the lower end of the long hole 138, the right side far from the side portion 48A of the frame 45 is moved to the side portion 48A. The subunit 50 is tilted so as to be lowered from the near left side. The support shaft 174 cannot move downward from the lower end of the long hole 138. However, the support shaft 174 is rotated so that the distal end far from the side portion 48A is lower than the proximal end with the long hole 138 as a fulcrum. Is possible. Due to the inclination of the subunit 50, the pins 118 and 120 of the resin frame 41 located far from the side portion 48A come out of the positioning holes 146 and 148 of the guide rails 43 and 44, respectively.

  As a result of the above-described removal work, the support shaft 174 of the frame 45 and the subunit 50 is inserted into the elongated hole 138 of the side portion 48A, and the pins 117 and 119 of the resin frame 41 are positioned in the positioning holes 147 of the guide rails 43 and 44. , 149 is inserted. Further, the protrusion 175 </ b> B of the lever member 175 of the subunit 50 is in a state of being inserted through the opening 43 </ b> B of the guide rail 43.

  Since the positioning holes 147, 149 of the guide rails 43, 44 are long holes in the left-right direction 9, as shown in FIG. 18, the subunit 174 is further inclined with the long hole 138 as described above as a fulcrum. By tilting 50, the pins 117, 119 of the resin frame 41 located relatively close to the side portion 48A move downward while moving the positioning holes 147, 148 in the left-right direction 9, and the positioning holes 147, Exit from 148 respectively.

  As a result of the above-described removal work, the support shaft 174 is inserted into the elongated hole 138 of the side portion 48A of the frame 45 and the subunit 50, and the protruding portion 175B of the lever member 175 is inserted into the opening 43B of the guide rail 43. It will be inserted. In this state, as shown in FIG. 19, when the subunit 50 is moved to the right and rearward and obliquely downward, the support shaft 174 is removed from the elongated hole 138 of the side portion 48A.

  On the other hand, the protruding portion 175B of the lever member 175 protrudes upward from the upper surface 44A of the guide rail 43 to such an extent that the protruding portion 175B can sufficiently come into contact with the carriage 23. Therefore, the vertical direction 7 of the space between the subunit 50 and the lower cover 33 Is shorter than the length of the protrusion 175B protruding from the upper surface 43A of the guide rail 43, the protrusion 175B contacts the peripheral edge of the opening 43B of the guide rail 43 by the movement of the subunit 50. As described above, by removing the lever guide 176, the holding member 173 can be rotated around the support shaft 174, so that the protrusion 175B is the peripheral portion of the opening 43B of the guide rail 43 as shown in FIG. When it comes into contact, the lever member 175 and the holding member 173 rotate with respect to the support shaft 174 so as to fall forward. Accordingly, the subunit 50 can be removed from the frame 45 rightward and rearward and obliquely downward while rotating the lever member 175 and the holding member 173 around the support shaft 174.

[Operational effects of this embodiment]
According to the present embodiment, when the subunit 50 is removed from the guide rails 43 and 44, the lever member 175 changes its posture, so the direction in which the subunit 50 is removed is from the opening 43B of the guide rail 43 to the lever member 175. It is not limited to the direction in which is extracted. Accordingly, the subunit 50 can be removed while the guide rails 43 and 44 are attached to the frame 45.

  Further, since the lever member 175 is rotatable around the support shaft 174, the subunit 50 is removed while the rotation center of the lever member 175 and the support shaft 174 are held coaxially. Therefore, the change in the posture of the lever member 175 accompanying the removal of the subunit 50 hardly affects the normal rotation of the lever member 175 or the movement along the support shaft 174.

  Further, the holding member 173 does not rotate around the support shaft 174 when fitted to the pins 121 and 122 of the lever guide 176, and around the support shaft 174 when the fitting with the pins 121 and 122 is released. Since the movement of the lever member 175 is limited within the opening 177 of the holding member 173 in a state where the lever guide 176 and the holding member 173 are connected, the lever is moved to a range where the drive switching is not necessary. It is suppressed that the member 175 changes its posture.

  Further, the support shaft 174 is inserted into the long hole 138 of the side portion 48A of the frame 45, and the support shaft 174 can move in the vertical direction 7 within the range of the long hole 138, so that the support shaft 174 can move. Thus, the subunit 50 can be detached from the guide rails 43 and 44 while changing the posture of the subunit 50.

  Further, since the transport roller 60 is supported by the frame 45 and the roller gear 180 that meshes with the slide gear 160 is provided coaxially, the positional relationship between the roller gear 180 and the slide gear 160 is maintained.

  Further, since the feed drive shaft 94 and the transport drive shaft 95 can be expanded and contracted in the axial direction, the feed drive shaft 94 and the transport drive shaft 95 are contracted before the subunit 50 is removed from the guide rails 43 and 44. , Removed from the bearings 96, 97. Further, when the interlocking member 140 is operated, both the feed drive shaft 94 and the transport drive shaft 95 are expanded and contracted.

  Further, by removing the sub unit 50 from the guide rails 43 and 44, the feeding motor 101, the second transmission unit 182 and the sixth transmission unit 186 can be detached from the frame 45 as a unit. It is easy to inspect the drive state up to the drive shaft 94. Further, since the feeding motor 101, the second transmission unit 182 and the sixth transmission unit 186 are supported by the subframe 46, the accuracy of the gear pitch is increased and the noise is reduced.

  In addition, the positioning holes 146 that are easily disengaged due to being far from the side portion 48A of the frame 45 are circular, the subunit 50 is positioned in the left-right direction 9 and the front-rear direction 8, and the positioning holes 145 close to the side portion 48A are formed. Since it is long in the left-right direction 9 and is positioned only in the front-rear direction 8, the subunit 50 is positioned in the left-right direction 9 and the front-rear direction 8 with respect to the guide rails 43, 44, and the subunit 50 is guided. When the pin 118 is removed from the circular positioning hole 146 when being removed from the rails 43 and 44, the pin 117 can be moved in the left-right direction 9 in the long positioning hole 145.

[Modification]
In the above embodiment, the maintenance mechanism 110, the feeding motor 101, the second transmission unit 182 and the sixth transmission unit 186 are integrally assembled with the subunit 50. However, the subunit 50 is integrally assembled with the subunit 50. It is not limited to what was given. Further, the drive switching realized by the switching mechanism 170 is not limited to the driven part described in the present embodiment. Further, the slide gear 160 is not necessarily limited to one having two slide gears, that is, the first slide gear 160A and the second slide gear 160B, and may have only one slide gear.

10. Multifunction machine (image recording device)
23... Carriage 25... First feeding roller (feeding roller)
33 ... Lower cover (housing)
39 ... Recording head 42 ... Platens 43, 44 ... Guide rail 43B ... Opening (through hole)
43A, 44A ... Upper surface (support surface)
45 ... Frame 46 ... Subframe 48A, 48B ... Side part (support plate part)
50... Subunit 60... Transport roller (first transport roller)
68 .. Re-conveying roller (second conveying roller)
94: Feeding drive shaft 95 ... Conveyance drive shaft 96 ... Bearing (first bearing)
97 ··· Bearing (second bearing)
101 ... Feed motor (motor)
111 ... Cap 113 ... Pump 117 ... Pin (first convex part)
118 ... pin (second convex part)
121, 122 ... Pin (fitting part)
138 ... long hole 140 ... interlocking member 145 ... positioning hole (first positioning hole)
146 ... Positioning hole (second positioning hole)
160... Slide gears 165, 166, 167... Receiving gear (first gear, second gear)
173 ... Holding member 174 ... Spindle 175 ... Lever member (lever)
176 ... Lever guide 177 ... Opening (slit)
180 ... roller gear (transmission gear)
182 ... 2nd transmission part (1st drive transmission mechanism)
186 ... sixth transmission section (second drive transmission mechanism)

Claims (13)

Frame,
A guide rail having a support surface and assembled to the frame;
A carriage supported by a support surface of the guide rail and movable along a first direction in which the guide rail extends;
A recording head mounted on the carriage;
Comprising at least a subunit assembled to the guide rail,
The sub-unit has a lever whose position can be switched by contact with the carriage, and the lever is assembled to the guide rail in a state where the lever is inserted into a through hole formed in the guide rail. ,
The lever is an image recording apparatus capable of changing an attitude by coming into contact with a peripheral edge that defines the through-hole in a removing operation in which the subunit is removed from the guide rail. The subunit includes a support shaft that supports the lever so as to be movable in the axial direction, and a slide gear that is supported on the support shaft so as to be movable in the axial direction.
The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lever rotates around the support shaft in the detaching operation. The sub-unit extends along the support shaft and has a holding member formed with a slit through which the lever is inserted; a lever guide having an abutting portion capable of abutting on the tip of the lever; It has
The lever guide has a fitting portion for fitting with the holding member,
The holding member does not rotate around the support shaft when fitted to the fitting portion, and can rotate around the support shaft when the fitting with the fitting portion is released. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2. The frame has a support plate that intersects the support surface of the guide rail,
The support plate portion has a long hole that is long in a second direction orthogonal to the support surface of the guide rail,
The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the support shaft is inserted into a long hole of the support plate portion. The frame supports a first conveying roller that conveys a sheet,
The image recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first transport roller has a transmission gear that meshes with the slide gear and rotates coaxially. The sub-unit has a sub-frame that is assembled to at least the guide rail,
The image recording apparatus
A feeding roller;
A first bearing supported by the subframe;
The image recording apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: a feeding drive shaft that transmits a driving force to the feeding roller and that can extend and contract in an axial direction and is supported by the first bearing. A second bearing supported by the subframe;
A transport drive shaft that transmits driving force to the second transport roller, is extendable in the axial direction, and is supported by the second bearing;
The image recording apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising an interlocking member that interlocks expansion and contraction of the feeding drive shaft and expansion and contraction of the transport drive shaft. A motor supported by the subframe;
A first drive transmission mechanism that is supported by the subframe and transmits drive from the motor to the slide gear;
The image recording apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising: a second drive transmission mechanism that is supported by the subframe and that transmits drive from the slide gear to the feed drive shaft. The guide rail has a first positioning hole that is long in the first direction, and a circular second positioning hole that is disposed away from the first positioning hole in the first direction.
The sub-frame has a first convex portion inserted into the first positioning hole and a second convex portion inserted into the second positioning hole,
The image recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first positioning hole is closer to the support plate portion than the second positioning hole. The subunit has at least a first gear and a second gear,
The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the slide gear is selectively engaged with the first gear or the second gear by being moved in conjunction with the lever.   The subunit includes a cap capable of covering the nozzle surface of the recording head, and a pump for generating suction pressure for sucking liquid from the recording head in a state where the cap covers the nozzle surface; The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:   The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a platen supported by the frame and facing the recording head. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a housing that supports the frame.

Images