JP2024018384A - Carrier and printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide means capable of stably carrying a sheet in accordance with a sheet width while suppressing the buckling of the sheet.

SOLUTION: An image recording apparatus 1 comprises: a transport roller 45; a sheet holder 13; a tensioner 14; a first side guide 145 having a first guide face 147; a front side guide 21 having a second guide face 155 opposed to the first guide face 147; and an interlock mechanism 50 for interlocking the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146. The interlock mechanism 50 has: first rack gears 52, 53 inwardly extending from the first and second side guides 145, 146; second rack gears 54, 55 movable to a first position identical in phase thereto and a second position deviated in phase therefrom; a pinion gear 51 being in mesh with the gears 52, 53, 54, 55; and a coil spring 58 urging the second rack gears 54, 55 toward the second position relatively to the first rack gears 52, 53.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

COPYRIGHT: (C)2024,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a conveyance device and a printing device that have a tensioner.

As an example of an image recording device, Patent Document 1 discloses a printer including a tension guide. The tension guide has a convex arc-shaped guide surface. The recording paper conveyed upward from the roll paper is conveyed toward the printing position by a paper feed roller while sliding on the guide surface of the tension guide. A removable guide is attached to the tension guide. The position of the recording paper in the width direction is regulated by the paper width guide piece of the removable guide.

Further, Patent Document 2 discloses an image forming apparatus including a horizontal guide. The transverse guide includes two racks and a gear that engages these racks.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-40735 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-5120

In Patent Document 1, a removable guide is provided with a roller, and the rotation of the roller reduces the sliding resistance of recording paper having a large coefficient of friction. However, even though the rollers can smoothly transport the recording paper in the transport direction, the rollers protrude outward from the guide surface that curves the recording paper, so the curvature of the recording paper becomes smaller when it comes into contact with the rollers. . As a result, the stiffness of the recording paper becomes weaker and the recording paper becomes more easily bent in the width direction, so that the recording paper is more likely to buckle when it comes into contact with the paper width guide piece.

Further, in Patent Document 1, the distance between the paper width guide pieces of the removable guide is constant, and recording papers of different sizes are not supported.

In the horizontal guide disclosed in Cited Document 2, backlash occurs between the rack and the gear, making it difficult to accurately and smoothly position the recording paper.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a means for stably conveying a sheet in accordance with the sheet width while suppressing sheet buckling.

(1) A conveyance device according to the present invention includes a conveyance section that conveys a sheet in a conveyance direction along a conveyance path, and a sheet that is rotatable around an axis extending in a first direction that intersects with the conveyance direction upstream of the conveyance direction. a holder; a tensioner that applies tension to the sheet while curving the sheet between the sheet holder and the conveyance section in the conveyance path; and a second tensioner that is attached to the tensioner and intersects with the first direction. a first side guide having a first guide surface that extends along the direction and the conveyance direction; and a second side guide that is attached to the tensioner and has a second guide surface that faces the first guide surface in the first direction. The device includes a side guide and an interlocking mechanism that interlocks movements of the first side guide and the second side guide in the first direction. The interlocking mechanism is connected to the first side guide and the second side guide, and includes a first rack gear that extends inwardly in the first direction, and a first rack gear that is overlapped with the first rack gear in the second direction. a second rack gear that is movable in the first direction between a first position that is in phase with the first rack gear and a second position that is out of phase with the first rack gear; and each of the first rack gear and the second rack gear. It has a pinion gear that meshes with the gear, and an elastic member that urges the second rack gear toward the second position relative to the first rack gear.

With the above configuration, since the sheet is sandwiched in the first direction by the first side guide and the second side guide that is linked to the first side guide, which enables accurate and smooth positioning, the first side guide and the second side guide are To prevent the sheet from meandering or slanting due to rattling of the side guides. Further, since the sheet is curved while being applied with tension by the tensioner, the sheet becomes stiff between the first guide surface and the second guide surface and is less likely to buckle.

(2) Preferably, the interlocking mechanism has a locking mechanism that restricts movement of the first side guide and the second side guide in the first direction, and the tensioner rotates around an axis and engages the seat. The first roller has a first roller in contact with the first roller, and the axis of the first roller approaches either the first guide surface or the second guide surface as a virtual plane perpendicular to the axis moves downstream in the transport direction. It intersects with the above-mentioned conveyance direction.

With the above configuration, even if the sheet comes into contact with the first guide surface or the second guide surface by the first roller, the first side guide and the second side guide are fixed to ensure that the sheet is skewed without rattling. It can be suppressed.

(3) The locking mechanism includes a disk rotatable around the axis of the pinion gear in synchronization with rotation of the pinion gear, a locking member having an abutment portion that abuts the outer peripheral surface of the disk; , the contact portion moves to a contact position where the contact portion contacts the outer circumferential surface, and a separated position where the contact portion separates from the outer circumferential surface.

With the above configuration, the movement of the first side guide and the second side guide can be restricted by stopping the rotation of the pinion gear.

(4) The locking mechanism includes a locking member having an abutting piece movable in a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction, and the locking member has an abutting piece that is movable in a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction. The contact piece moves to a contact position where it contacts the first rack gear, and a separated position where the contact piece separates from the first rack gear.

With the above configuration, the movement of the first side guide and the second side guide can be restricted by stopping the movement of the first rack gear.

(5) Further comprising a third side guide and a fourth side guide located downstream of the conveyance section in the conveyance direction, the third side guide having a third side guide extending along the second direction and the conveyance direction. The fourth side guide has a guide surface, and the fourth side guide extends along the second direction and the transport direction, and has a fourth guide surface that faces the third guide surface in the first direction.

With the above configuration, the third side guide and the fourth side guide are provided downstream of the conveyance section in the conveyance direction, and the sheet is stably conveyed even downstream of the conveyance section.

(6) a conveyance unit that conveys the sheet in the conveyance direction along the conveyance path; a recording head that records an image on the sheet sent by the conveyance unit; and a first recording head that is upstream in the conveyance direction and intersects with the conveyance direction. a sheet holder rotatable around an axis extending in the direction; a tensioner that applies tension to the sheet while curving the sheet between the sheet holder and the conveyance section in the conveyance path; and a tensioner attached to the tensioner. , a first side guide having a first guide surface extending along a second direction intersecting the first direction and the conveyance direction; The device includes a second side guide having opposing second guide surfaces, and an interlocking mechanism that interlocks movements of the first side guide and the second side guide in the first direction. The interlocking mechanism is connected to the first side guide and the second side guide, and includes a first rack gear that extends inwardly in the first direction, and a first rack gear that is overlapped with the first rack gear in the second direction. a second rack gear that is movable in the first direction between a first position that is in phase with the first rack gear and a second position that is out of phase with the first rack gear; and each of the first rack gear and the second rack gear. It has a pinion gear that meshes with the gear, and an elastic member that urges the second rack gear toward the second position relative to the first rack gear.

According to the present invention, it is an object of the present invention to provide a means for stably conveying a sheet according to the width of the sheet while suppressing buckling of the sheet.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an image recording apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a longitudinal section of the image recording device 1 along line II-II in FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the first side guide 145 viewed diagonally from the rear. FIG. 4 is a diagram of the interlocking mechanism 50 viewed from the front in the front-rear direction 7. As shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the interlocking mechanism 50 taken at the positions of the first left rack gear 52 and the first right rack gear 53 in the front-rear direction 7, and is a view showing the interlocking mechanism 50 together with the tensioner 14. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the interlocking mechanism 50 taken at a position between the second left rack gear 54 and the flange 56 in the front-rear direction 7, and is shown together with the tensioner 14. FIG. 7 is an enlarged view showing the vicinity of the pinion gear 51 in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view showing the vicinity of the pinion gear 51 in FIG. 6. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a state in which the locking member 71 is located at the separated position. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a locking mechanism 70A according to Modification 1, in which a locking member 71A is located at a contact position. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a locking mechanism 70A according to Modification 1, with the locking member 71A located at the separated position. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a locking mechanism 70B according to Modification 2, in which a locking member 71B is located at a contact position. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a locking mechanism 70B according to Modification Example 2, and is a diagram illustrating a state in which a locking member 71B is located at a separated position.

The image recording apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be explained in detail below. Note that the embodiments described below are merely examples of the present invention, and it goes without saying that the embodiments can be modified as appropriate without changing the gist of the present invention.

[Definition]
Hereinafter, the progress of the arrow from the starting point to the ending point will be expressed as the direction, and the movement on the line connecting the starting point and the ending point of the arrow will be expressed as the direction.

A vertical direction 7 is defined based on a state in which the image recording device 1 is installed so as to be usable (the state shown in FIG. 1). A front-rear direction 8 is defined with the direction in which the discharge port 111 is provided in the image recording device 1 as the front. A left-right direction 9 (an example of a first direction) is defined when the image recording device 1 is viewed from the front.

[Image recording device 1]
An image recording device 1 (an example of a conveyance device or a printing device) records an image on a sheet S using an inkjet recording method. The sheet S is, for example, roll paper. The image recording apparatus 1 can be loaded with a plurality of types of sheets S having different sheet widths.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the image recording device 1 includes a housing 11 . The housing 11 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape that is long from front to back, and is sized to be installed on a tabletop, floor, or rack. A discharge port 111 is located on the front wall of the housing 11 . The discharge port 111 is a through hole elongated from side to side. The sheet S on which the image has been recorded is discharged from the discharge port 111 . An operation panel 116 operated by a user is located on the front wall of the housing 11. A front cover 115 is located at the lower part of the front wall of the housing 11. By opening and closing the front cover 115, the tank 12 (see FIG. 2) is exposed or shielded. A right cover 114 is located at the rear of the right wall of the housing 11. By opening and closing the right cover 114, the seat holder 13 (see FIG. 2) is exposed or shielded.

The housing 11 has a main body 112 as a lower part and an upper cover 113 as an upper part. The main body 112 has a box shape with an upward opening. The upper cover 113 is connected to the main body 112 so as to be rotatable around an axis 101 that is located at the rear of the main body 112 and extends along the left-right direction 9 . As shown in FIG. 1, when the upper cover 113 is in the closed position, the opening of the main body 112 is closed. The image recording device 1 performs image recording in this state. When the upper cover 113 is rotated about the axis 101 so that the front wall is lifted upward, the opening of the main body 112 is exposed. When a user performs maintenance work such as replacing the seat S, the user lifts up the upper cover 113 and accesses the internal space of the housing 11.

As shown in FIG. 2, the internal space of the housing 11 includes a tank 12, a sheet holder 13, a tensioner 14, a rear side guide 15, a pair of transport rollers 16, a belt transport mechanism 19, a recording head 20, and a third side guide. 21A, a fourth side guide 21B, a lower guide 17, a pair of discharge rollers 23, and a cutter 26. It goes without saying that other members such as a reading sensor for reading the recorded image of the sheet S, various other sensors, a power source, a heater, a control board, a cooling device, etc. may be arranged in the internal space of the casing 11. .

As shown in FIG. 2, the tank 12 is located immediately behind the front cover 115 and stores ink therein. Ink in the tank 12 is supplied to the recording head 20 through an ink tube (not shown).

A roll storage space 105 is defined at the rear of the internal space of the casing 11 by the partition wall 104 and the outer wall of the casing. A space 106 through which the sheet S passes is formed between the rear end of the partition wall 104 and the rear wall of the housing 11. The sheet holder 13 is located in the roll accommodation space 105. The sheet S forming a roll body is supported by a sheet holder 13 that is rotatable around an axis extending in the left-right direction 9 . The seat holder 13 is rotated by being powered by a holder drive motor (not shown). The holder drive motor can rotate forward or backward.

Tensioner 14 is located above space 106. A sheet S pulled upward from the sheet holder 13 is hung on the tensioner 14. The seat S curves and extends forward along the tensioner 14. The upper surface of the tensioner 14 and the discharge port 111 are located at approximately the same position in the vertical direction 7. Between the tensioner 14 and the discharge port 111 in the front-rear direction 8, a conveyance path 10 through which the sheet S passes is defined by each member located in the up-down direction 7, as shown by a dashed line in FIG. The sheet S is conveyed upward between the sheet holder 13 and the tensioner 14 (an example of the conveyance direction), curved along the tensioner 14, and then forwarded along the conveyance path 10 from the top surface of the tensioner 14 toward the discharge port 111. (an example of the direction of transport).

[Tensioner 14]
As shown in FIG. 3, the tensioner 14 is connected to a pair of left and right frames 27 and 28 fixed to the housing 11. The tensioner 14 is interlocked with a support member 42, a support plate 43 located below the support member 42, an urging member 18 (see FIG. 2), an arc member 140, a flat member 141, and a first roller 142. It has a mechanism 50 (see FIG. 4) and a lock mechanism 70.

The support member 42 has a support shaft 96, a rotation shaft 97, and a pair of connection members 44A, 44B. The support member 42 is located at the upper front of the arcuate member 140. Support member 42 supports tensioner 14 with respect to frames 27 and 28.

The support shaft 96 has a cylindrical shape with an axis extending in the left-right direction 9. The support shaft 96 is supported by a pair of frames 27 and 28. The support shaft 96 rotatably supports the pair of connecting members 44A, 44B. The connecting member 44A is located to the left of the first side guide 145. The connecting member 44B is located to the right of the second side guide 146. A rotation shaft 97 is inserted through the pair of connecting members 44A and 44B. The rotation shaft 97 rotatably supports the arcuate member 140 with respect to the pair of connecting members 44A and 44B.

The support plate 43 is a flat plate connected to the pair of frames 27 and 28, and its main surface extends in the vertical direction 7 and the horizontal direction 9. The biasing member 18 is a coil spring extending in the front-rear direction 8, and has one end fixed to the support plate 43 and the other end fixed to the flat member 141.

The arcuate member 140 is rotatably supported around the axis of the rotation shaft 97. The arcuate member 140 is movable in a direction intersecting the surface of the sheet S that is curved, that is, in a direction toward the outside of the curve and toward the inside of the curve. The arcuate member 140 faces the sheet S conveyed through the conveyance path 10 . The arc member 140 has a first curved surface 143 that curves outward. The first curved surface 143 is a curved surface that extends along the left-right direction 9 and has an arc shape when viewed from the left-right direction 9 .

The flat member 141 extends downward from the lower end of the arcuate member 140. The flat member 141 rotates around the axis of the rotation shaft 97 together with the arcuate member 140 . The flat member 141 is urged backward by the urging member 18. The flat member 141 has a first flat surface 144 . The first flat surface 144 is a rearward facing plane. The upper end of the first flat surface 144 is continuous with the lower end of the first curved surface 143.

A first side guide 145 and a second side guide 146 are attached to the tensioner 14. The first side guide 145 is located from the first flat surface 144 to the first curved surface 143. The first side guide 145 has a first guide surface 147 , a first extending piece 148 , and a second extending piece 149 .

The first guide surface 147 is a surface of the first side guide 145 that faces left. The first guide surface 147 extends in the up-down direction 7 and the front-back direction 8 (an example of the second direction), and also extends along the conveyance direction G (see FIG. 2).

The first extending piece 148 extends leftward from near the curved inward end of the first guide surface 147 . The dimension of the first extending piece 148 along the left-right direction 9 is smaller than half the width dimension of the sheet having the narrowest width along the left-right direction 9 among the sheets S to be conveyed. The first extending piece 148 has a second curved surface 150 that curves outward. The second curved surface 150 is curved along the first curved surface 143 of the arc member 140. Specifically, the second curved surface 150 has an arc shape when viewed from the left-right direction 9, and expands along the left-right direction 9. Since the second curved surface 150 is curved, the sheet S is conveyed in the conveying direction G in a curved state, so that the sheet S becomes stiff and the end of the sheet S comes into contact with the first guide surface 147. Does not easily buckle even when touched.

The second extending piece 149 extends downward from the lower end of the first extending piece 148. The second extending piece 149 extends leftward from near the curved inward end of the first guide surface 147 . The first extending piece 148 and the second extending piece 149 are an integral member. The dimension of the second extending piece 149 along the left-right direction 9 is smaller than the dimension of the first extending piece 148 along the left-right direction 9. The second extending piece 149 has a second flat surface 151. The second flat surface 151 is a plane facing rearward and extending along the vertical direction 7 and the horizontal direction 9.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the downstream edge of the first guide surface 147 in the transport direction G is the first downstream edge 152. As shown in FIGS. A first grip portion 153 is located at the upper end of the first guide surface 147 . The first grip portion 153 is held by the user when sliding the first side guide 145 in the left-right direction 9 . The first downstream edge 152 is located between the first grip portion 153 and the upper end of the second curved surface 150. The first downstream edge 152 extends forward as it goes upward. A first pressing surface 154 that is continuous with the first downstream edge 152 is located to the right of the first downstream edge 152 of the first guide surface 147 (see FIG. 4). The first pressing surface 154 is a surface extending rightward from the first downstream edge 152. When the sheet S conveyed in the conveyance direction G skews to the right, the right end of the sheet S may protrude to the right of the first guide surface 147 downstream of the first guide surface 147 in the conveyance direction G. At this time, the first pressing surface 154 is located above the right end portion of the sheet S.

The second side guide 146 has a shape that is symmetrical to the first side guide 145 with respect to the center of the tensioner 14 in the left-right direction 9 . The second side guide 146 is located from the first flat surface 144 to the first curved surface 143. The second side guide 146 has a second guide surface 155, a third extending piece 156, and a fourth extending piece 157.

The second guide surface 155 is a surface facing right in the second side guide 146. The second guide surface 155 faces the first guide surface 147 in the left-right direction 9. The second guide surface 155 extends in the up-down direction 7 and the front-back direction 8, and also extends along the conveyance direction G. The second guide surface 155 faces the first side guide 145 in the left-right direction 9.

The third extending piece 156 extends to the right from near the curved inward end of the second guide surface 155 . The dimension of the third extending piece 156 along the left-right direction 9 is smaller than half the width dimension of the sheet having the narrowest width along the left-right direction 9 among the sheets S to be conveyed, and It's the same. The third extending piece 156 has a third curved surface 158 that curves outward. The third curved surface 158 is curved along the first curved surface 143 of the arc member 140. Specifically, the third curved surface 158 has an arc shape when viewed from the left-right direction 9, and expands along the left-right direction 9.

The fourth extending piece 157 extends downward from the lower end of the third extending piece 156. The fourth extending piece 157 extends leftward from near the curved inward end of the second guide surface 155 . The third extending piece 156 and the fourth extending piece 157 are an integral member. The dimension of the fourth extending piece 157 along the left-right direction 9 is smaller than the dimension of the third extending piece 156 along the left-right direction 9. The fourth extending piece 157 has a third flat surface 159. The third flat surface 159 is a plane facing rearward and extending along the vertical direction 7 and the horizontal direction 9.

Similar to the first side guide 145 , the second side guide 146 has a second downstream edge 160 at the downstream edge of the second guide surface 155 in the conveyance direction G. A second grip portion 161 is located at the upper end of the second guide surface 155 . The second downstream edge 160 is held by the user when sliding the second side guide 146 in the left-right direction 9 . The second downstream edge 160 is located between the second grip portion 161 and the upper end of the third curved surface 158. The second downstream edge 160, like the first downstream edge 152, extends forward in an upward direction. A second pressing surface 162 that is continuous with the second downstream edge 160 is located to the left of the second downstream edge 160 of the second guide surface 155 . The second pressing surface 162 is a surface extending leftward from the second downstream end edge 160. When the sheet S being conveyed in the conveying direction G skews leftward, the left end of the sheet S may protrude to the left of the second guide surface 155 downstream of the second guide surface 155 in the conveying direction G. At this time, the second pressing surface 162 is located above the left end portion of the sheet S.

[Interlocking mechanism 50]
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the interlocking mechanism 50 is located in front of the arcuate member 140 in the front-back direction 8. The interlocking mechanism 50 interlocks the movement of the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146 in the left-right direction 9. The interlocking mechanism 50 is a rack and pinion mechanism, and includes a pinion gear 51 (see FIG. 5), a first left rack gear 52, a first right rack gear 53, a second left rack gear 54, a second right rack gear 55, and a flange (an example of a disk). It has 56.

As shown in FIG. 5, the pinion gear 51 is rotatably fitted to a support shaft 57 extending in the front-rear direction 8 at the center of the arc member 140 in the left-right direction 9. The flange 56 is connected to a support shaft 57 in front of the pinion gear 51 and supports the pinion gear 51 from the front. The flange 56 is fitted onto the front end of the support shaft 57. The flange 56 has an outer circumferential surface 68 centered on an axis extending in the front-rear direction 8 .

The first left rack gear (an example of a first rack gear) 52 has upward teeth aligned along the left-right direction 9, and is fixed to the first side guide 145 at the left end with a screw 64. The first left rack gear 52 meshes with the pinion gear 51. The first left rack gear 52 is fitted onto a guide rail 66 extending along the left-right direction 9 and is movable along the guide rail 66 in the left-right direction. When the first left rack gear 52 moves in the left-right direction 9, the pinion gear 51 rotates around the support shaft 57.

The first right rack gear (an example of a first rack gear) 53 has downward teeth aligned along the left-right direction 9, and is fixed to the second side guide 146 at the right end with a screw 65. The first right rack gear 53 meshes with the pinion gear 51. Like the guide rail 66 of the first left rack gear 52, the first right rack gear 53 is fitted into a guide rail 67 extending in the left-right direction 9, and is movable in the left-right direction along the guide rail 67. When the first right rack gear 53 moves in the left-right direction 9, the pinion gear 51 rotates around the support shaft 57.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a second left rack gear (an example of a second rack gear) 54 is locked to the first left rack gear 52 in front of the first left rack gear 52. As shown in FIGS. The second left rack gear 54 is located between the first left rack gear 52 and the flange 56 in the front-rear direction 8, and is supported by the flange 56 from the front. The dimension of the second left rack gear 54 along the longitudinal direction 8 is smaller than the dimension of the first left rack gear 52 along the longitudinal direction 8. The second left rack gear 54 has upward teeth aligned along the left-right direction 9. The first left rack gear 52 and the second left rack gear 54 have the same tooth size, that is, the same module and number of teeth.

The left and right ends of the second left rack gear 54 are supported movably in the left-right direction 9 by being locked to the first left rack gear 52 . As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a coil spring 58 is compressed and interposed between the second left rack gear 54 and the first left rack gear 52 at the right end of the second left rack gear 54. As shown in FIGS. Due to the biasing force of the coil spring (an example of an elastic member) 58, the second left rack gear 54 is biased rightward (inward) with respect to the first left rack gear 52. As shown in FIG. 6, due to the biasing force of the coil spring 58, the teeth of the first left rack gear 52 and the teeth of the second left rack gear 54 are slightly out of phase with each other in the left-right direction 9. The position of the second left rack gear 54 with respect to the first left rack gear 52 whose teeth are out of phase is an example of the second position. The position of the second left rack gear 54 with respect to the first left rack gear 52 where the tooth phases match is an example of a first position (not shown).

A second right rack gear (an example of a second rack gear) 55 is locked to the first right rack gear 53 in front of the first right rack gear 53 . The second right rack gear 55 is located between the first right rack gear 53 and the flange 56 in the front-rear direction 8, and is supported by the flange 56 from the front. The dimension of the second right rack gear 55 along the longitudinal direction 8 is smaller than the dimension of the first right rack gear 53 along the longitudinal direction 8. The second right rack gear 55 has forward-facing teeth aligned along the left-right direction 9. The first right rack gear 53 and the second right rack gear 55 have the same tooth size, that is, the module and the number of teeth.

The left and right ends of the second right rack gear 55 are supported movably in the left-right direction 9 by being locked to the first right rack gear 53 . At the left end of the second right rack gear 55, a coil spring 58 is compressed and interposed between the second right rack gear 55 and the first right rack gear 53. Due to the biasing force of the coil spring 58, the second right rack gear 55 is biased leftward (inward) with respect to the first right rack gear 53. As shown in FIG. 8, due to the biasing force of the coil spring 58, the teeth of the first right rack gear 53 and the teeth of the second right rack gear 55 are slightly out of phase in the left-right direction 9. The position of the second right rack gear 55 with respect to the first right rack gear 53 whose teeth are out of phase is an example of the second position. The position of the second right rack gear 55 with respect to the first right rack gear 53 where the tooth phases match is an example of a first position (not shown).

When one of the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146 is moved in one of the left and right directions 9 by the interlocking mechanism 50, the other is also interlocked and moved in the opposite direction of the left and right directions 9. . The first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146 move toward each other (inward) and move away from each other (outward) in conjunction with each other.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146 are moved away from each other, that is, outward in the left-right direction 9, the first left rack gear 52 The outward tooth surface 60 of is in contact with the tooth surface 59 of the pinion gear 51, and the inward tooth surface 61 is not in contact with the tooth surface 59 of the pinion gear 51. The gap between the tooth surface 59 and the tooth surface 61 is so-called backlash. When the pinion gear 51 is not rotating, the first left rack gear 52 can move leftward (inward) by the amount of backlash. In other words, it rattles. Similarly, in the first right rack gear 53, the outward tooth surface 60 is in contact with the tooth surface 59 of the pinion gear 51, and the inward tooth surface 61 is not in contact with the tooth surface 59 of the pinion gear 51.

As shown in FIG. 8, in the teeth of the first left rack gear 52 and the teeth of the second left rack gear 54 that are in the same phase at the first position, the leftward (outward) tooth surface 60 of the first left rack gear 52 is It is located to the left (outward) of the leftward (outward) tooth surface 62 of the second left rack gear 54 in the second position. Similarly, in the teeth of the first right rack gear 53 and the teeth of the second right rack gear 55 that are in the same phase at the first position, the rightward (outward facing) tooth surface 60 of the first right rack gear 53 is in the same phase as the teeth of the second right rack gear 55. 2. It is located to the right (outward) of the rightward (outward) tooth surface 62 of the right rack gear 55.

In the teeth where the pinion gear 51 and the second left rack gear 54 mesh with each other, the outward facing tooth surface 62 of the second left rack gear 54 does not contact the tooth surface 59 of the pinion gear 51, and the inward facing tooth surface 63 does not contact the tooth surface 59 of the pinion gear 51. It is in contact with the tooth surface 59. Similarly, in the second right rack gear 55, the outward tooth surface 62 is not in contact with the tooth surface 59 of the pinion gear 51, and the inward tooth surface 63 is in contact with the tooth surface 59.

When the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146 are moved toward each other from the state shown in FIG. 6, that is, inward in the left-right direction 9, the coil spring 58 is compressed and deformed to the second position. The second left rack gear 54 and the second right rack gear 55 move to the first position. As a result, the teeth of the first left rack gear 52 and the teeth of the second left rack gear 54 are in the same phase, and the teeth of the first right rack gear 53 and the teeth of the second right rack gear 55 are in the same phase. Then, the inward tooth surface 61 of the first left rack gear 52 and the inward tooth surface 63 of the second left rack gear 54 simultaneously abut against the tooth surface 59 of the pinion gear 51. Similarly, the inward tooth surface 61 of the first right rack gear 53 and the inward tooth surface 63 of the second right rack gear 55 simultaneously contact the tooth surface 59 of the pinion gear 51. As a result, the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146 move inward in the left-right direction 9 in conjunction with each other.

When the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146 are moved away from each other, that is, outward in the left-right direction 9, the coil spring 58 is not compressed and deformed, and the second left rack gear 54 and the second The right rack gear 55 moves while remaining in the second position. As a result, while the outward tooth surface 60 of the first left rack gear 52 and the outward tooth surface 60 of the first right rack gear 53 are in contact with the tooth surface 59 of the pinion gear 51, the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146 move outward in the left-right direction 9 in conjunction with each other.

[Lock mechanism 70]
As shown in FIG. 4, the lock mechanism 70 includes a lock member 71 and a lever 72. A user of the image recording apparatus 1 can move the lock member 71 between a contact position and a separation position by rotating the lever 72. When the locking member 71 is in the contact position, the movement of the interlocking mechanism 50 is locked, and when the locking member 71 is in the separated position, the movement of the interlocking mechanism 50 is unlocked.

The locking member 71 has a flat plate shape that extends in the vertical direction 7 and the horizontal direction 9, and is located in front of the flange 56. The locking member 71 is connected to the flat member 141 by a screw 73 at the central portion. The locking member 71 is rotatably supported by the flat member 141 around the screw 73 . The locking member 71 has an abutting piece 76 , a first bent piece 77 , and a second bent piece 78 .

The contact piece 76 is located to the left of the center of the locking member 71 in the left-right direction 9 . The contact piece 76 extends rearward from the lock member 71 (see FIG. 4). The first bent piece 77 is a piece that is located to the right of the center of the locking member 71 in the left-right direction 9 and extends rearward. The first bending piece 77 is biased counterclockwise in FIG. 4 by a spring member 79.

The second bent piece 78 extends rearward at the right end of the locking member 71. The second bent piece 78 is located to the right of the first bent piece 77. The second bent piece 78 is a piece that extends rearward at the left end of the locking member 71. The second bending piece 78 is positioned below the lever 72 at a distance when the first bending piece 77 is biased by the spring member 79 and the locking member 71 is in the separated position.

A lever 72 is located above the second bending piece 78 and is rotatably supported around a support shaft 84 (see FIG. 5) along the front-rear direction 8. The lever 72 has a handle 80 that rotates the lever 72 and a protrusion 81 that contacts the second bending piece 78 and rotates the locking member 71. The lever 72 is located at the right end of the flat member 141, and has two positions: a released position (see FIG. 9) where the protrusion 81 abuts the second bent piece 78, and a locked position (see FIG. 9) where the protrusion 81 is separated from the second bent piece 78. 4)).

When the lever 72 is in the lock position, the handle 80 is located below the support shaft 84 in the vertical direction 7, and the convex 81 projects leftward in the left-right direction 9 from the support shaft 84 of the lever 72. At this time, the protrusion 81 is in a state separated from the second bent piece 78. When the protrusion 81 separates from the second bending piece 78, the locking member 71 rotates counterclockwise around the screw 73 in FIG. At this time, the contact piece 76 moves in a cross direction (an example of a third direction) E intersecting the front-rear direction 8 and the left-right direction 9. When the contact piece 76 moves in the cross direction E, it comes into contact with the lower end extending piece 52a extending forward from the lower end of the first left rack gear 52. That is, the locking member 71 is rotatable counterclockwise in FIG. 4 to a position where the abutting piece 76 abuts the lower end extending piece 52a. When the abutting piece 76 abuts the first left rack gear 52, that is, when the locking member 71 is located at the abutting position, the first left rack gear 52 is sandwiched between the abutting piece 76 and the circular arc member 140. The first left rack gear 52 is sandwiched between the abutment piece 76 and the arc member 140, and its movement in the left-right direction 9 is restricted.

As shown in FIG. 9, when the lever 72 is in the release position, the handle 80 extends leftward in the left-right direction 9 from the support shaft 84, and the convex 81 projects downward in the up-down direction 7 from the rotation center. When the protrusion 81 projects downward, it comes into contact with the second bent piece 78 . At this time, the lock member 71 rotates clockwise in FIG. 9 against the biasing force of the spring member 79, and the abutting piece 76 moves in the cross direction E and separates from the lower end extending piece 52a. When the contact piece 76 separates from the first left rack gear 52, that is, when the lock member 71 is located at the separated position, the interlocking mechanism 50 is unlocked.

When the movement of the interlocking mechanism 50 is locked by the locking mechanism 70, the first side guide 145 does not move outward even if it receives an outward external force. It also does not move when subjected to an external force directed inward. Specifically, when the first side guide 145 is locked by the locking mechanism 70, the movement of the lower end extending piece 52a in the left-right direction 9 is restricted by the abutting piece 76.

Therefore, even if the first side guide 145 is pushed outward due to the sheet S being skewed, the first side guide 145 does not wobble. Further, the first side guide 145 is accurately positioned outward in the left-right direction 9 in accordance with the width of the sheet S.

Note that when the second side guide 146 receives an outward external force while the lower end extending piece 52a is restricted from moving in the left-right direction 9 by the abutting piece 76, the second left rack gear 54 is moved by the coil spring 58. It moves from the second position to the first position with respect to the first left rack gear 52 against the force. Further, when the second side guide 146 receives an inward external force in a state where the lower end extending piece 52a is restricted from moving in the left-right direction 9 by the abutting piece 76, the second right rack gear 55 is moved by the coil spring 58. It moves from the second position to the first position with respect to the first right rack gear 53 against the force. In other words, the second side guide 146 is in a state where it moves slightly in the left-right direction 9.

[First roller 142]
The first roller 142 comes into contact with the sheet S being conveyed through the conveyance path 10 and is driven. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the first roller 142 is located at the center of the flat member 141 in the left-right direction 9. As shown in FIGS. The first roller 142 rotates around an axis that is inclined in the up-down direction 7 with respect to the left-right direction 9 . A virtual plane P perpendicular to the axis of the first roller 142 intersects the conveying direction G so as to approach the first guide surface 147 as it goes downstream in the conveying direction G.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rear side guide 15 has the same configuration as the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146 attached to the tensioner 14, except that the position within the housing 11 is different. Detailed explanation will be omitted.

A conveying roller pair 16 is located in front of the rear side guide 15. The conveying roller pair 16 includes a conveying roller 45 (an example of a conveying section) and a pinch roller 46. The conveyance roller 45 and the pinch roller 46 rotate around an axis along the left-right direction 9. The transport roller 45 and the pinch roller 46 face each other in the vertical direction 7, and their roller surfaces abut against each other. The sheet S is nipped between the roller surfaces of the conveyance roller 45 and the pinch roller 46. The conveyance roller 45 is rotated by being powered by a conveyance motor (not shown). The transport motor rotates forward or backward based on a command from a controller (not shown). The pinch roller 46 rotates following the conveyance roller 45. Thereby, the transport roller pair 16 transports the sheet S fed out from the roll body forward.

A third side guide 21A and a fourth side guide 21B are located in front of the transport roller pair 16. The third side guide 21A and the fourth side guide 21B are located above the lower guide 17. The shapes of the third side guide 21A and the fourth side guide 21B are generally symmetrical with respect to the center of the lower guide 17 in the left-right direction 9. The third side guide 21A has a third guide surface 22A that extends along the up-down direction 7 and the front-back direction 8. The fourth side guide 21B has a fourth guide surface 22B that extends along the up-down direction and the front-back direction 8. The third guide surface 22A and the fourth guide surface 22B extend along the conveyance direction G and face the third guide surface 22A in the left-right direction 9.

The upper surface of the lower guide 17 is a plane along the front-rear direction 8 and the left-right direction 9, and supports the seat S. The mechanism for interlockingly moving the third side guide 21A and the fourth side guide 21B in the left-right direction 9 has the same structure as the interlocking mechanism 50 of the first side guide 145 and second side guide 146, so a detailed explanation will be given. Omitted. The rear side guide 15 also has the same configuration as the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146 attached to the tensioner 14, except for a different position within the housing 11, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

A belt conveyance mechanism 19 is located in front of the lower guide 17. The belt conveyance mechanism 19 has an endless belt 192 wound around a rear pulley 191A and a front pulley 191B, which are separated in the front-rear direction 8 and whose axes extend in the left-right direction 9. The endless belt 192 rotates by applying power to the front pulley 191B from a motor (not shown) driven based on a command from the controller and rotating the front pulley 191B clockwise in FIG. 2 . The sheet S supported by the endless belt 192 is conveyed forward by the rotation of the endless belt 192.

A recording head 20 is located above the belt conveyance mechanism 19. On a nozzle surface 201, which is the lower surface of the recording head 20, a plurality of nozzles 202 are arranged in the front, rear, left and right directions. The recording head 20 ejects ink supplied from the tank 12 from nozzles 202 . An image is recorded on the sheet S by the ink ejected from the nozzle 202 adhering to the sheet S.

A pair of discharge rollers 23 is located in front of the belt conveyance mechanism 19. The discharge roller pair 23 includes a drive roller 47 and a pinch roller 48. The drive roller 47 and the pinch roller 48 rotate around an axis along the left-right direction 9. The drive roller 47 and the pinch roller 48 face each other in the vertical direction 7, and their roller surfaces abut against each other. The sheet S is nipped between the roller surfaces of the drive roller 47 and the pinch roller 48. The drive roller 47 is rotated by being powered by the conveyance motor. The pinch roller 48 rotates following the conveyance roller 45. As a result, the discharge roller pair 23 transports the sheet S on which the image has been recorded forward.

The cutter 26 is located in front of the discharge roller pair 23. The cutter 26 cuts the sheet S conveyed through the conveyance path 10 along the left-right direction 9 under the control of the controller 130 . The cut sheet S is discharged to the outside of the casing 11 from the discharge port 111.

[Operations and effects of embodiment]
According to this embodiment, since the sheet S is sandwiched in the left-right direction 9 by the first side guide 145 that can accurately and smoothly position the sheet and the second side guide 146 that is interlocked with the first side guide 145, the sheet The sheet S is prevented from meandering or obliquely traveling due to rattling of the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146. Further, since the sheet S is curved while being applied with tension by the tensioner 14, the sheet S is stiffened between the first guide surface 147 and the second guide surface 155 and is less likely to buckle.

Further, even if the sheet S comes into contact with the first guide surface 147 or the second guide surface 155 by the first roller 142, skewing of the sheet S can be prevented by fixing the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146. It can be suppressed reliably without sagging.

Further, by stopping the movement of the first left rack gear 52 and the first right rack gear 53 in the left-right direction 9, the movement of the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146 can be restricted.

Further, the third side guide 21A and the fourth side guide 21B are provided downstream of the conveyance roller 45 in the conveyance direction, so that the sheet S is stably conveyed even downstream of the conveyance roller 45.

[Modification 1]
In the above-described embodiment, the case where the contact piece 76 of the lock mechanism 70 comes into contact with the first left rack gear 52 to lock or unlock the movement of the interlocking mechanism 50 has been described as an example. Not exclusively. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the lock mechanism 70A may lock the rotation of the pinion gear 51 of the interlocking mechanism 50A. Specifically, the locking mechanism 70A includes a flange 56A, a locking member 71A, and a lever 72A.

The flange 56A is fitted onto the front end of the support shaft 57. The flange 56A has an outer circumferential surface 68A centered on an axis extending in the front-rear direction 8. The locking member 71A has a flat plate shape that extends in the vertical direction 7 and the horizontal direction 9, and is located to the right of the flange 56A. The locking member 71A is connected by a screw 73A near the upper end of the flat member 141 at a position to the right of the center in the left-right direction 9. The locking member 71A is rotatably supported by the flat member 141. The locking member 71A has a contact portion 76A, a first bent piece 77A, and a second bent piece 78A.

The contact portion 76A extends rearward at the upper left end of the locking member 71A. The contact portion 76A contacts the outer circumferential surface 68A of the flange 56A from the right side when the lock member 71A rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 10. The first bending piece 77A, the second bending piece 78A, and the lever 72A have the same configuration as the first bending piece 77, the second bending piece 78, and the lever 72 described above, so the description of these structures will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 10, when the lever 72A is operated to the lock position, the lock member 71A rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 10 according to the biasing force of the spring member 79A, and the contact portion 76A comes into contact with. When the contact portion 76A contacts the outer peripheral surface 68A, the interlocking mechanism 50A is locked. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 11, when the lever 72A is operated to the separated position, the locking member 71A rotates clockwise in FIG. 11 against the biasing force of the spring member 79A, and the contact portion 76A It is spaced apart from the outer peripheral surface 68A. When the contact portion 76A separates from the outer peripheral surface 68A, the interlocking mechanism 50A is unlocked.

When the movement of the interlocking mechanism 50A is locked by the locking mechanism 70A, the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146 do not move away from each other even if they receive an outward external force. It also moves slightly when it receives an inward external force. Specifically, when the flange 56A is locked by the contact portion 76A, rotation of the flange 56A is restricted. In this state, when the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146 receive an outward external force, the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146 move the first left rack gear 52 outward in the same manner as described in FIG. 8 of the above embodiment. The tooth surface 60 of the first right rack gear 53 and the outward tooth surface 60 of the first right rack gear 53 are in contact with the tooth surface (not shown) of the pinion gear. Therefore, the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146 do not move away from each other.

When the flange 56A is locked by the contact portion 76A, the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146 receive an inward external force, and the second left rack gear 54 moves against the first left rack gear 52. It is movable from the second position to the first position. The second right rack gear 55 is also movable from the second position to the first position relative to the first right rack gear 53. Therefore, when receiving an inward external force, the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146 move slightly toward each other against the biasing force of the coil spring.

Even if the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146 are pushed outward due to the sheet S being skewed, the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146 do not wobble. Further, the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146 are accurately positioned outward in the left-right direction 9 in accordance with the width of the sheet S.

When the contact portion 76A contacts the outer peripheral surface 68A, rotation of the pinion gear 51 can be stopped and movement of the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146 can be restricted. Note that the case is not limited to the case where the contact portion 76A and the outer circumferential surface 68A simply contact each other. A gear may be formed on each contact surface so that the contact portion 76A and the outer peripheral surface 68A mesh with each other, and gears may be formed on each contact surface so that the contact portion 76A and the outer circumferential surface 68A mesh with each other. The contact surface may be a rough surface.

[Modification 2]
Further, as a configuration other than Modification 1, for example, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the locking mechanism 70B of the interlocking mechanism 50B includes a flange 56B, a locking member 71B, and a lever 72B. It may be.

The flange 56B is similar to the flange 56A, and is fitted onto the front end of the support shaft 57. The flange 56B has an outer circumferential surface 68B centered on an axis extending in the front-rear direction 8. The locking member 71B has a flat plate shape that extends in the vertical direction 7 and the horizontal direction 9, and is located to the right of the flange 56B. The locking member 71B is connected by a screw 73B near the lower end of the flat member 141 at a position to the right of the center in the left-right direction 9. The lock member 71B is rotatably supported by the flat member 141. The locking member 71B includes a contact portion 76B, a first bent piece (not shown), and a second bent piece 78B.

The contact portion 76B is located at the left end of the upper end of the locking member 71B. The contact portion 76B contacts the outer circumferential surface 68B of the flange 56B from the right side when the lock member 71B rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 12. The first bending piece 77B, the second bending piece 78B, and the lever 72B have the same configuration as the first bending piece 77, the second bending piece 78B, and the lever 72, so a description thereof will be omitted.

When the lever 72B is operated to the lock position, the locking member 71B rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 12 according to the urging force of the spring member 79B indicated by the broken line in FIGS. 12 and 13, and the abutting portion 76B 68B. When the contact portion 76B contacts the outer peripheral surface 68B, the interlocking mechanism 50B is locked. On the other hand, when the lever 72B is operated to the release position, the lock member 71B rotates clockwise in FIG. 13 against the biasing force of the spring member 79B, and the contact portion 76B separates from the outer peripheral surface 68B. When the contact portion 76B separates from the outer circumferential surface 68B, the interlocking mechanism 50B is unlocked.

Similar to the first modification, when the movement of the interlocking mechanism 50B of the image recording device 1 according to the second modification is locked by the lock mechanism 70B, the first side guide 145 and the second side guide 146 move outward. Even if they receive an external force, they do not move away from each other.

[Other variations]
In the above-described embodiment, the tensioner 14 has a configuration in which the flat member 141 is located at the lower end of the circular arc member 140, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the tensioner 14 may not have the flat member 141 but only the arcuate member 140. In this case, the first roller 142 may be located on the arc member 140, and a portion of the outer circumferential surface 167 may protrude outward from the second curved surface 150.

1... Image recording device (transport device, printing device)
10... Conveyance path 13... Sheet holder 14... Tensioner 21A... Third side guide 21B... Fourth side guide 22A... Third guide surface 22B... Fourth guide surface 45 ...Conveyance roller (conveyance section)
50, 50A, 50B... Interlocking mechanism 51... Pinion gear 52, 53... First left rack gear, first right rack gear (first rack gear)
54, 55... Second left rack gear, second right rack gear (second rack gear)
56, 56A, 56B...flange (disc)
58...Elastic member 68, 68A, 68B...Outer peripheral surface 70, 70A, 70B...Lock mechanism 71, 71A, 71B...Lock member 76...Abutting piece 76A, 76B...Abutment Contact portion 142...first roller 145...first side guide 146...second side guide 147...first guide surface 155...second guide surface

Claims (6)

a conveyance unit that conveys the sheet in the conveyance direction along the conveyance path;
a sheet holder that is rotatable around an axis extending in a first direction that intersects the conveyance direction upstream in the conveyance direction;
a tensioner that applies tension to the sheet while curving the sheet between the sheet holder and the conveyance section in the conveyance path;
a first side guide that is attached to the tensioner and has a first guide surface that extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction and in the conveyance direction;
a second side guide attached to the tensioner and having a second guide surface facing the first guide surface in the first direction;
an interlocking mechanism that interlocks movements of the first side guide and the second side guide in the first direction,
The above interlocking mechanism is
a first rack gear connected to the first side guide and the second side guide, each extending inward in the first direction;
a second rack gear overlaid on the first rack gear in the second direction and movable in the first direction between a first position in the same phase as the first rack gear and a second position out of phase with the first rack gear; ,
a pinion gear meshing with each of the first rack gear and the second rack gear;
and an elastic member that urges the second rack gear toward the second position relative to the first rack gear. The interlocking mechanism has a locking mechanism that restricts movement of the first side guide and the second side guide in the first direction,
The tensioner has a first roller that contacts the sheet while rotating around an axis,
The axis of the first roller intersects with the conveyance direction so that a virtual plane perpendicular to the axis approaches either the first guide surface or the second guide surface as it goes downstream in the conveyance direction. Item 1. The conveyance device according to item 1. The above locking mechanism is
a disk rotatable around the axis of the pinion gear in synchronization with rotation of the pinion gear;
a locking member having a contact portion that contacts the outer peripheral surface of the disk;
3. The conveyance device according to claim 2, wherein the locking member moves between a contact position where the contact portion contacts the outer circumferential surface and a separated position where the contact portion separates from the outer circumferential surface. The above locking mechanism is
It has a locking member having an abutment piece movable in a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction,
3. The conveyance device according to claim 2, wherein the locking member moves between a contact position where the contact piece contacts the first rack gear and a separated position where the contact piece separates from the first rack gear. further comprising a third side guide and a fourth side guide located downstream of the conveyance section in the conveyance direction,
The third side guide has a third guide surface that extends along the second direction and the conveyance direction,
5. The fourth side guide extends along the second direction and the transport direction, and has a fourth guide surface that faces the third guide surface in the first direction. conveyance device. a conveyance unit that conveys the sheet in the conveyance direction along the conveyance path;
a recording head that records an image on the sheet fed by the conveyance section;
a sheet holder that is rotatable around an axis extending in a first direction that intersects the conveyance direction upstream in the conveyance direction;
a tensioner that applies tension to the sheet while curving the sheet between the sheet holder and the conveyance section in the conveyance path;
a first side guide that is attached to the tensioner and has a first guide surface that extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction and in the conveyance direction;
a second side guide attached to the tensioner and having a second guide surface facing the first guide surface in the first direction;
an interlocking mechanism that interlocks movements of the first side guide and the second side guide in the first direction;
The above interlocking mechanism is
a first rack gear connected to the first side guide and the second side guide, each extending inward in the first direction;
a second rack gear overlaid on the first rack gear in the second direction and movable in the first direction between a first position in the same phase as the first rack gear and a second position out of phase with the first rack gear; ,
a pinion gear meshing with each of the first rack gear and the second rack gear;
A printing device comprising: an elastic member that urges the second rack gear toward the second position relative to the first rack gear.

Images