JP2022061286A - Circuit unit and recording device with circuit unit - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a circuit unit or a recording device to which a motor can be added.SOLUTION: A circuit unit of the present invention is a second circuit unit which is electrically connected with a first circuit unit having a first drive circuit for driving a first motor, and a first power supply line for supplying current to the first drive circuit, and comprises: a switch which switches electric connection and non-connection between the first drive circuit and the first power supply line; and a second drive circuit for driving a second motor, in which current is supplied to the second drive circuit via the first power supply line when the first drive circuit is electrically connected with the first power supply line by the switch.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to a circuit unit for driving a motor and a recording device including the circuit unit.

In recent inkjet recording devices, it is required to move the recording head at high speed in order to record an image at high speed. Patent Document 1 discloses that a carriage on which a recording head is mounted is driven by a stepping motor and a DC motor. In this recording device, the drive by the stepping motor can be supplemented by the drive of the DC motor. As a result, a conventional stepping motor can be used.

JP 2001-270180

However, if a new circuit unit for driving both a conventional stepping motor and a DC motor is manufactured, the cost will increase. Further, the current to the motor for driving the carriage may be switched between supply and stop by an interlock switch interlocking with the opening and closing of the cover to protect the user. Patent Document 1 does not disclose a circuit corresponding to such a case. It is an object of the present invention to provide a circuit unit or recording device to which a motor can be added.

The present invention is a second circuit unit electrically connected to a first circuit unit having a first drive circuit for driving the first motor and a first power supply line for supplying a current to the first drive circuit. The first drive circuit includes a switch for switching between electrical connection and non-connection between the first drive circuit and the first power supply line, and a second drive circuit for driving the second motor. When the first power supply line and the first power supply line are electrically connected by the switch, the second drive circuit is characterized in that a current is supplied through the first power supply line.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a circuit unit or a recording device to which a motor can be added.

It is a perspective view of a recording device. It is a figure which shows the structure of the main part of a recording apparatus. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the control system of a recording apparatus. It is a figure which shows the structure of the standard circuit unit and the expansion circuit unit. It is a figure which shows the standard circuit unit to which the interlock switch is connected. It is a figure which shows the operation of an interlock switch.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the following embodiments do not limit the present invention, and not all combinations of features described in the present embodiment are essential for the means for solving the present invention. The same configuration will be described with the same reference numerals. In addition, the relative arrangement, shape, and the like of the components described in the embodiments are merely examples, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to them.

In the following description of the embodiment, "recording" includes not only the case of forming significant information such as characters and figures, but also the case of forming an image, a pattern, a pattern, etc. on a wide sheet. Further, in the present embodiment, a roll sheet is assumed as the sheet, but cut paper, cloth, plastic film, or the like may be used.

[First Embodiment]
<Inkjet recording device>
The inkjet recording apparatus of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as a recording apparatus) will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the recording device 100. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a main part of the recording device 100. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control system of the recording device 100.

The main body 101 of the recording device 100 includes a recording unit for recording an image on a sheet and a transport unit for transporting the sheet to the recording unit. The main body 101 is generally covered with a cover except for the discharge port 107 that discharges the sheet on which the image is recorded. The cover on the front side of the main body 101 includes a display panel 103 for displaying recording information, setting results, and the like, and an operation panel 102 for setting a recording mode, a sheet, and the like. On the back side of the main body 101, ink tanks 104 for supplying ink to the recording unit are provided on both sides thereof. The accommodating portion 108 accommodating the sheet S on which the image is recorded is located on the front side of the recording device and below the discharge port 107. Further, a front cover 105 that can be opened and closed with respect to the main body 101 is arranged on the front surface of the recording device 100. When the front cover 105 is opened, the user can access the recording unit and the transport unit. Further, the main body 101 has an interlock switch 106 that interlocks with the opening and closing of the front cover 105. When the front cover 105 is opened and closed, the interlock switch 106 can switch between electrical connection and non-connection, which will be described later. The control unit 212 that controls the storage device 100 is arranged on the back side of the main body 101. As shown in FIG. 1, the X direction is the width direction of the sheet, the Y direction is the sheet transport direction, and the Z direction is the vertical direction.

Here, the configuration of the main part of the recording device will be described. FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a main part of the recording device, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the recording device. The roll sheet R around which the sheet S is wound is held by the holding portion below the recording portion. The sheet S supplied from the roll sheet R is conveyed to the recording unit in the transfer direction (Y direction) by the transfer roller 211 driven by the transfer motor 214 constituting the transfer unit. The recording unit includes a recording head 201 that ejects ink, and a platen 210 that faces the recording head 201 and supports the sheet S. The recording head 201 is mounted on the carriage 202, and the carriage 202 is supported by the main rail 203. The carriage 202 can be moved in the width direction of the seat via the carriage transfer belt 204 by driving the carriage motors 205 and 206. The width direction of the sheet S is a direction intersecting with the transport direction of the sheet S. The high-speed recording device for recording at high speed uses two carriage motors, but in the recording device for recording at standard speed, the portion of the carriage motor 206 is replaced with a rotating body such as a pulley. That is, one carriage motor is used.

The recording of the image on the sheet S is executed by alternately performing a transport operation of transporting the sheet S in a predetermined amount in the transport direction and a ejection operation of scanning the recording head 201 while ejecting ink. The carriage 202 is equipped with an encoder sensor 208 for detecting a linear scale 207 provided parallel to the width direction of the seat. Therefore, the encoder sensor 208 can detect the position of the carriage 202. A cutting device (not shown) for cutting the sheet S is provided downstream of the platen 210 in the transport direction. The sheet S on which the image is recorded is cut by a cutting device (not shown) and then discharged from the discharge port 107 to the accommodating portion 108. The cutting device can cut the sheet by moving the cutter in the width direction of the sheet by a motor. If the front cover 105 is opened when the image is recorded on the sheet S, the interlock switch 106 cuts off the supply of current to the carriage motors 205 and 206.

The control unit 212 is electrically connected to the carriage 202 by a flexible flat cable (FFC) 213. The control unit 212 supplies a current to the recording head 201 via the FFC 213 and controls the recording head 201. Further, the control unit 212 is connected to the carriage motor (205, 206) and the transfer motor 214 to control the carriage motor (205, 206) and the transfer motor 214. Further, the control unit 212 detects the position of the carriage by the encoder sensor 208 via the FFC unit.

<Control unit>
The control unit 212 has a configuration including a standard circuit unit 301, an expansion circuit unit 302, and a device information storage unit 309. The standard circuit unit 301 includes a CPU 303 (control unit) that controls the entire device, and a memory 304 that stores various information and various control programs. The standard circuit unit 301 is commonly used by both high speed recording devices and standard speed recording devices. On the other hand, the expansion circuit unit 302 is used in a high-speed recording device. Therefore, it is not connected for standard speed recorders. The device information storage unit 309 has a memory 310 in which device information is stored in advance. The device information is the number of connected motors, the standard circuit unit, and the configuration of the expansion circuit unit. In the case of a high-speed recording device, the number of carriage motors is two. For a standard speed recorder, the number of carriage motors would be one. The standard circuit unit and the expansion circuit unit are not each composed of one circuit board, but may be composed of a plurality of circuit boards.

The CPU 303, which is a control unit, selectively executes a control program according to the device information stored in the memory 304 according to the device information stored in the memory 310. That is, the control can be changed according to the device information. In the present embodiment, in addition to the carriage motor 205 and the standard circuit unit 301, the carriage motor 206 and the expansion circuit unit 302 are stored in the memory 310 as device information. If the carriage motor 206 and the expansion circuit unit 302 are not stored in the memory 310, the CPU 303 executes a control program that controls only the carriage motor 205 and the standard circuit unit 301.

The standard circuit unit 301 includes a head control circuit 305 that controls the recording head 201, a carriage motor drive circuit 306 that controls the carriage motor 205, and a transfer motor drive circuit 311 that controls the transfer motor 214. Further, the standard circuit unit 301 includes a drive circuit (not shown) for driving the motor of the cutting device and a roller drive circuit (not shown) for rotating the roll sheet R. Further, the standard circuit unit 301 includes a power supply line 401 that supplies a current to the carriage motor drive circuit 306. On the other hand, the expansion circuit unit 302 includes a carriage motor drive circuit 307 that controls the carriage motor 206. It also includes a relay switch 404, which will be described later.

The CPU 303 converts the recorded data from the host device (not shown) into a head control signal. Then, the carriage motor drive circuits 306 and 307 can be controlled by the motor control signal 308 based on the position information detected by the encoder sensor 208 to move the carriage 202 at high speed.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration in which a current is supplied to the motor drive circuit. The expansion circuit unit 302 is electrically connected to the standard circuit unit 301. The current of the carriage motor drive circuit (306, 307) is supplied from a power supply unit (not shown). In the standard circuit unit 301, the power supply unit is connected to the power supply line 401, and the power supply line 401 is connected to the terminal 402 (b) of the connector 402 which is a connection portion. The power supply line 401 is a wiring member for supplying an electric current. The power supply unit may be provided in the standard circuit unit 301 or may be supplied from the outside. The terminal 402 (a) of the connector 402, which is a connection portion, can be electrically connected to the carriage motor drive circuit 306 via wiring to supply a current for driving the motor.

On the other hand, the terminal 403 (b) of the connector 403, which is the connection portion of the expansion circuit unit 302, is connected to the terminal 402 (b) of the standard circuit unit 301 via wiring. In the expansion circuit unit 302, the terminal 403 (b) of the connector 403 is connected to the terminal 403 (a) of the connector 403 via the relay switch 404. Further, the carriage motor drive circuit 307 is supplied with power via the terminal 403 (b) of the expansion circuit unit 302. The terminal 403 (a) of the connector 403 is connected to the terminal 402 (a) of the connector 402 via wiring. The connections in the connectors 402 and 403 are electrically connected by connecting the convex male connector and the concave female connector, respectively. The motor control signal 308 may be connected via the terminals of the connectors 402 and 403, or may be connected via another connector.

The relay switch 404 of the expansion circuit unit 302 switches between electrical connection and disconnection between the power supply line 401 and the carriage motor drive circuit (306, 307). The power supply line 405 for the relay switch for driving the relay switch 404 is connected to the driving coil inside the relay switch 404, and further connected to the terminal 406 (b) of the connector 406. The terminal 406 (b) of the connector 406 is connected to the terminal 702 of the interlock switch 106. The terminal 703 of the interlock switch 106 is connected to the terminal 406 (a) of the connector 406. Terminal 406 (a) is grounded to the ground via the wiring of the expansion circuit unit 302. The power line 405 for the relay switch is supplied with a current from the standard circuit unit 301. The expansion circuit unit 302 may be provided with a power supply unit (not shown) for supplying a current to the power supply line 405. Further, the current for the power supply line 405 may be supplied from the power supply line 401 for the motor drive circuit.

Here, the operation of the interlock switch 106 will be described with reference to FIG. The front cover 105 includes a protrusion 704, and the interlock switch 106 has a switch portion 701. The switch unit 701 switches between electrical connection and non-connection between terminal 702 and terminal 703. When the front cover 105 is closed by the user, the protrusion 704 of the front cover 105 presses the switch portion 701 (FIG. 6A). As a result, the interlock switch 106 is turned on, and the terminal portion 702 and the terminal portion 703 are electrically connected. On the other hand, when the front cover 105 is opened by the user, the protrusion 704 of the front cover 105 is separated from the switch portion 701. As a result, the interlock switch 106 is turned off, and the terminal portion 702 and the terminal portion 703 are electrically disconnected.

When the front cover 105 is closed by the user, a current flows through the drive coil inside the relay switch 404. When a current flows through the drive coil, the relay switch 404 is turned on, and the terminal 403 (b) and the terminal 403 (a) are electrically connected. As a result, current is supplied from the power supply line 401 to the carriage motor drive circuits 307 and 306. On the other hand, when the front cover 105 is opened by the user, the interlock switch 106 is turned off, and the terminal 406 (b) and the terminal 406 (a) are electrically disconnected. In this case, no current flows through the drive coil inside the relay switch 404, and the relay switch 404 is turned off. When the relay switch 404 is turned off, the terminal 403 (b) and the terminal 403 (a) are electrically disconnected. As a result, the supply of the current for the motor drive circuit from the power supply line 401 to the carriage motor drive circuits 306 and 307 is stopped. Although the carriage motor drive circuit 306 is connected to the terminal 402 (a) of the standard circuit unit 301 in the present embodiment, it may be further connected to the transfer motor drive circuit 311 and the cutting device. Further, an expansion circuit unit for controlling the cutting device may be added in a configuration in which the standard circuit unit does not have a cutting device. Further, the relay switch may be a semiconductor relay using a semiconductor element.

The power supply line 401 electrically connected by the relay switch 404 supplies current to the carriage motor drive circuit 307 of the expansion circuit unit 302 and the carriage motor drive circuit 306 of the standard circuit unit 301. Even when the current load of the motor drive circuit increases, the wiring can be shortened by using the relay switch 404, so that the voltage drop of the motor drive circuit can be reduced.

Here, FIG. 5 shows the connection between the standard circuit unit 301 and the interlock 106 when the expansion unit 307 is not used. This configuration is a standard speed recorder. In the standard circuit unit 301, the terminal 402 (a) of the connector 402 to which the power supply line 401 is connected is connected to the terminal 702 of the interlock switch 106. The terminal 703 of the interlock switch 106 is connected to the terminal 402 (b) of the connector 402. The interlock switch 106 is turned on and off according to the opening and closing of the front cover 105. When the interlock switch 106 is on, the terminal 402 (a) and the terminal 402 (b) of the connector 402 are electrically connected. As a result, a current is supplied to the carriage motor drive circuit 306. On the other hand, when the interlock switch is off, the terminal 402 (a) and the terminal 402 (b) of the connector 402 are electrically disconnected. As a result, the supply of current to the carriage motor drive circuit 306 is stopped.

Generally, it is costly to newly manufacture a circuit unit of a high-speed recording device in which two motors and two motor drive circuits are mounted to improve the recording speed. Costs can be reduced by using a conventional standard circuit unit equipped with one motor and one motor drive circuit as in the present embodiment and enabling connection with the expansion circuit unit. Further, since the interlock switch can be connected to the expansion circuit unit, the movement of the carriage can be reliably stopped even if the front cover is opened while the carriage is moving. Therefore, the user can be protected.

Further, the motor drive circuit for driving the carriage has a large current of about 8 A. When two motor drive circuits are driven simultaneously in a high-speed recording device, the current doubles to about 16 A. When the current is supplied to each motor drive circuit through the interlock switch without using the relay switch, the wiring becomes long and the voltage drop of the power supply becomes large. If the expansion circuit unit is provided with a relay switch and the relay switch is controlled by the interlock switch as in the present embodiment, the voltage drop can be reduced.

As described above, it is possible to provide a circuit unit and a recording device to which a motor can be added.

301 Standard circuit unit 302 Expansion circuit unit 306 Carriage motor drive circuit 307 Carriage motor drive circuit 401 Power supply line 404 Relay switch

Claims (11)

A second circuit unit that is electrically connected to a first circuit unit having a first drive circuit for driving a first motor and a first power supply line for supplying a current to the first drive circuit.
A switch that switches between electrical connection and disconnection between the first drive circuit and the first power supply line,
It is equipped with a second drive circuit that drives the second motor.
When the first drive circuit and the first power supply line are electrically connected by the switch, the second drive circuit is characterized in that a current is supplied by the first power supply line. Circuit unit. The second circuit unit according to claim 1, wherein the switch can be connected to an interlock switch that switches between electrical connection and non-connection. The first power supply line is connected to the first connection portion of the first circuit unit, and the first drive circuit is connected to the second connection portion of the first circuit unit.
A third connection portion connected to the first connection portion and a fourth connection portion connected to the second connection portion are further provided.
The second circuit unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the switch switches between electrical connection and non-connection between the third connection portion and the fourth connection portion. The second circuit unit according to claim 3, wherein the first connection portion and the second connection portion can be connected to an interlock switch for switching between electrical connection and non-connection. The switch is a relay switch.
Any of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a second power supply line connected to an interlock switch that supplies a current for driving the relay switch and switches between supply and stop of the current when the cover is opened and closed. The second circuit unit according to item 1. The second circuit unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first circuit unit includes a control unit that controls the first drive circuit and the second drive circuit. The second circuit unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6 and the second circuit unit.
With the first circuit unit
A transport means for transporting the sheet in the transport direction and
A recording device including a recording head for recording an image on a sheet conveyed by the conveying means. The recording device according to claim 7, further comprising a carriage for moving the recording head in the width direction of the seat. The recording device according to claim 8, wherein the carriage is moved in the width direction by the first motor and the second motor. The recording device according to any one of claims 7 to 9, further comprising a control unit that changes control based on device information that the second circuit unit is connected to the first circuit unit. The recording device according to any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein the switch can be connected to an interlock switch that switches between electrical connection and non-connection according to opening and closing of a front cover covering the recording unit. ..

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