JP2024053938A - Ink jet printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily perform a fixing work to a base plate in a support member provided with a guide rail and accurately perform positioning of the guide rail with respect to the base plate.

SOLUTION: A printer 10 includes: a base plate 20; and a support wall 51 which is provided with a support member for supporting a guide rail 58 and is erected from the base plate 20. The support wall 51 has a mounting projection 92a projecting from a lower end of the support wall 51. In the base plate 20, a mounting hole 110 into which the mounting projection 92a is inserted is formed. The mounting hole 110 has an abutting edge 111a on which the mounting projection 92a is abutted and a pressing section 115 which presses the mounting projection 92a toward the abutting edge 111a and is deformable. A clearance D1 between the abutting edge 111a and the pressing section 115 is equal to or smaller than thickness D2 of the mounting projection 92a.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

COPYRIGHT: (C)2024,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to an inkjet printer.

Inkjet printers that use an inkjet system to print images on a substrate have been known for some time. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a printer that includes a guide rail extending in the main scanning direction, a carriage that is slidably mounted on the guide rail, an ink head mounted on the carriage, and a table unit that has a table on which the substrate is supported and that is movable in a sub-scanning direction that is perpendicular to the main scanning direction in a plan view.

In the printer disclosed in Patent Document 1, the ink head ejects ink onto a substrate supported on a table while moving in the main scanning direction. The table unit then moves in the sub-scanning direction, causing the substrate supported on the table to move in the sub-scanning direction. By repeating this process, an image is printed on the substrate.

The sub-scanning direction, which is the direction in which the table on which the print substrate is supported moves, is perpendicular to the main scanning direction, which is the direction in which the carriage on which the ink head is mounted moves. However, due to errors in the dimensions and positioning of each component when assembling the printer, the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction may not be perpendicular to each other. For example, the component supporting the guide rail is made of a plate-like component extending in the main scanning direction, and is fixed at multiple locations, for example, with screws, but there may be variations in the fixed positions. In this way, if there is variation in the fixed positions of the component supporting the guide rail, the guide rail on which the carriage is slidably mounted and the slide shaft on which the table unit is movably mounted may not be perpendicular to each other. In such a case, there is a risk that the landing position of the ink ejected on the print substrate will be misaligned, resulting in a decrease in print quality. In order to solve this problem, Patent Document 1 discloses an angle adjustment mechanism that adjusts the angle of the slide shaft relative to the guide rail by adjusting the angle of the slide shaft (more specifically, the base plate to which the slide shaft is fixed) on which the table is slidably mounted.

JP 2017-121712 A

In order to orthogonally intersect the guide rail on which the carriage is slidably mounted and the slide shaft on which the table unit is movably mounted, the position of the slide shaft is determined based on the guide rail, so it is important that the guide rail is accurately positioned relative to the base plate on which the slide shaft is mounted. On the other hand, since the guide rail itself is a long part, the member (e.g., the support member) that supports the guide rail is also long, and dimensional errors may occur in the support member due to bending or processing variations. In order to deal with this dimensional error, when fixing the support member to the base plate, it is necessary to ensure a tolerance that takes into account the dimensional error at the fixing point of the base plate. If this tolerance is large, the fixing work for fixing the support member is made easier, but the fixing position for fixing the support member varies, making it difficult to accurately position the guide rail. On the other hand, if the tolerance is small, the variation in the fixing position for fixing the support member can be suppressed, but the fixing work for fixing the support member becomes difficult. Therefore, it has been desired to achieve both simplification of the fixing work and accurate positioning of the guide rail.

The present invention was made in consideration of these points, and its purpose is to provide an inkjet printer that can easily fix the support member on which the guide rail is provided to the base plate, and can accurately position the guide rail relative to the base plate.

The inkjet printer according to the present invention includes a base plate, a support wall, a support member, a guide rail, and an ink head. The support wall is attached to the base plate and extends in the main scanning direction. The support member is supported by the support wall. The guide rail is provided on the support member and extends in the main scanning direction. The ink head is movable in the main scanning direction along the guide rail. The support wall includes a mounting protrusion protruding from a lower end of the support wall. The base plate includes a mounting hole into which the mounting protrusion of the support wall is inserted. The mounting hole extends in the main scanning direction and is partially formed by a pair of edges facing each other. One of the pair of edges is provided with a contact edge against which the mounting protrusion is contacted. The other of the pair of edges is provided with a deformable pressing portion that presses the mounting protrusion against the contact edge. The opposing distance between the pair of edges is set to be greater than the thickness of the mounting protrusion. The distance between the abutment edge and the pressing portion in the sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction is set to be less than or equal to the thickness of the mounting protrusion.

According to the inkjet printer, the guide rail is provided on the support member, and the support member is supported by the support wall. Therefore, the guide rail can be positioned by attaching the support wall to the base plate so that it extends in the main scanning direction. Here, when attaching the support wall to the base plate, the mounting protrusion of the support wall is inserted into the mounting hole of the base plate. Here, the mounting protrusion is pressed by the pressing portion and abuts against the abutment edge extending in the main scanning direction in the mounting hole, so that the support wall can be supported by the base plate in a state in which it extends in the main scanning direction. Here, even if the fixed position of the support wall varies due to bending of the support wall or variation in the thickness of the mounting protrusion of the support wall, the distance in the sub-scanning direction between the abutment edge of the mounting hole and the pressing portion is equal to or less than the thickness of the mounting protrusion, so that the pressing portion abuts against the mounting protrusion and deforms, so that the mounting protrusion of the support wall can be abutted against the abutment edge of the mounting hole without any gap. In this way, the pressing portion undergoes plastic deformation, making it possible to adjust for variations in the fixing position when fixing the support wall, and also to adjust for variations in the fixing position when fixing the support member on which the guide rail is provided.

The present invention provides an inkjet printer that can easily fix the support member on which the guide rail is provided to the base plate and can accurately position the guide rail relative to the base plate.

1 is a perspective view of an inkjet printer according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the printer with the cover body removed. 3 is a perspective view showing the printer in a state where a table unit is removed from the printer shown in FIG. 2. FIG. FIG. 4 is a right side view of the first side frame. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the first side frame. FIG. 4 is a right side view showing the side mounting protrusion. 13 is a plan view showing a side mounting hole of the base plate, illustrating a state in which a side mounting protrusion is inserted into the side mounting hole. FIG. FIG. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the first support wall. FIG. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a first mounting hole of the base plate. 11 is a plan view showing a first mounting hole of the base plate, illustrating a state in which a first mounting protrusion is inserted into the first mounting hole; FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a second mounting hole of the base plate, illustrating a state in which a second mounting protrusion is inserted into the second mounting hole; FIG.

Below, an embodiment of an inkjet printer according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiment described here is, of course, not intended to limit the present invention. Also, the same reference numerals are used for components and parts that perform the same function, and duplicate descriptions are omitted or simplified as appropriate.

1 is a perspective view of an inkjet printer (hereinafter, simply referred to as a "printer") 10 according to this embodiment. In the following description, when the printer 10 is viewed from the front, the side away from the printer 10 is the front, and the side approaching the printer 10 is the rear. The terms left, right, top, and bottom refer to the left, right, top, and bottom of the printer 10 when viewed from the front. The symbols F, Rr, L, R, U, and D in the drawings refer to the front, back, left, right, top, and bottom, respectively. The symbol Y in the drawings indicates the main scanning direction. Here, the main scanning direction Y is the left-right direction. The symbol X indicates the sub-scanning direction. Here, the sub-scanning direction X intersects (here, perpendicular to) the main scanning direction Y in a plan view. The sub-scanning direction X is, for example, the front-rear direction. The symbol Z indicates the height direction, which is the up-down direction here. However, these directions are merely defined for the convenience of explanation, and do not limit the installation form of the printer 10, nor do they limit the present invention in any way.

The printer 10 according to this embodiment is an inkjet printer. The printer 10 is a so-called large printer that is longer in the main scanning direction Y compared to home printers. For example, the printer 10 is a printer for commercial use. In this embodiment, the printer 10 prints an image on a printing substrate 5 (see FIG. 2).

The type of the printed material 5 is not particularly limited. For example, the printed material 5 may be a flat sheet such as recording paper or transfer paper, or may be a three-dimensional object such as various cases such as a mobile phone case, small electronic devices, small parts such as key holders, photo frames, and pens, daily necessities, and accessories. The material from which the printed material 5 is formed may be paper such as ordinary paper and inkjet printing paper, as well as resins such as polyvinyl chloride, acrylic resin, polycarbonate, polystyrene, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) copolymer, metals such as aluminum and stainless steel, carbon, pottery, ceramic, glass, rubber, leather, wood, etc.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the printer 10 with the cover body 30 removed. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the printer 10 with the table unit 70 removed from Figure 2. Figure 4 is a plan view of the base plate 20. The printer 10 includes the base plate 20 (see Figure 2) and the cover body 30 (see Figure 1). As shown in Figure 4, the base plate 20 is formed in a plate shape that spreads in the main scanning direction Y and the sub-scanning direction X. In this embodiment, the base plate 20 is composed of multiple members, but it may be composed of one member. Here, the base plate 20 has a central base member 25, a first side base member 21, and a second side base member 22. The central base member 25 constitutes the central portion of the base plate 20 in the main scanning direction Y. The central base member 25 is rectangular in plan view. In this embodiment, the central base member 25 is an example of a first base member.

The first side base member 21 is arranged side by side with the central base member 25 in the main scanning direction Y. Here, the first side base member 21 is arranged to the left of the central base member 25 and attached to the left end of the central base member 25. The first side base member 21 is rectangular in plan view, and the front end of the first side base member 21 is inclined from the left front end of the central base member 25 toward the left rear. The length of the first side base member 21 in the main scanning direction Y is shorter than the length of the central base member 25 in the main scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, the first side base member 21 is an example of the second base member of the present invention. The second side base member 22 is arranged side by side with the central base member 25 in the main scanning direction Y. Here, the second side base member 22 is arranged to the right of the central base member 25 and attached to the right end of the central base member 25. The second side base member 22 is rectangular in plan view, and the front end of the second side base member 22 is inclined from the right front end of the central base member 25 toward the right rear. The length of the second side base member 22 in the main scanning direction Y is shorter than the length of the central base member 25 in the main scanning direction Y, and is the same as the length of the first side base member 21 in the main scanning direction Y.

1 and 2, the cover body 30 covers the base plate 20 from above and has an internal space inside. The cover body 30 is supported by the base plate 20. As shown in FIG. 1, an opening 31 is formed in the cover body 30. The opening 31 opens obliquely toward the front and upward. The cover body 30 is provided with a door 33 that covers the opening 31 and can be opened and closed freely. The door 33 is supported by the cover body 30 so that it can rotate around its rear end. When the door 33 is opened upward around its rear end, the internal space of the cover body 30 communicates with the external space. The door 33 is provided with a window 35 formed of, for example, a transparent or semi-transparent acrylic plate. A user can see the inside of the cover body 30 through the window 35.

3, the printer 10 includes a first side frame 41, a second side frame 42, a front frame 43, a first side wall 46, and a second side wall 47. The first side frame 41, the second side frame 42, and the front frame 43 are attached to the base plate 20 and extend upward from the base plate 20. In this embodiment, the first side frame 41 extends upward from the left part of the central base member 25 and spreads in the sub-scanning direction X and the vertical direction Z. The second side frame 42 extends upward from the right part of the central base member 25 and spreads in the sub-scanning direction X and the vertical direction Z. The first side frame 41 and the second side frame 42 are paired on the left and right and are arranged so as to be parallel to each other. The mounting structure of the first side frame 41 and the second side frame 42 to the base plate 20 will be described later.

The front frame 43 extends upward from the front of the central base member 25 and spreads in the main scanning direction Y and the vertical direction Z. The left end of the front frame 43 is connected to the front end of the first side frame 41, and the right end of the front frame 43 is connected to the front end of the second side frame 42. The first side wall 46 and the second side wall 47 spread in the sub-scanning direction X and the vertical direction Z. The first side wall 46 is fixed to the first side frame 41 and supported by the first side frame 41. Here, the first side wall 46 is attached to the right surface of the first side frame 41 and extends upward from the first side frame 41. The second side wall 47 is fixed to the second side frame 42 and supported by the second side frame 42. Here, the second side wall 47 is attached to the left surface of the second side frame 42 and extends upward from the second side frame 42.

The printer 10 includes a first support wall 51, a second support wall 52, and a support member 55. The first support wall 51 and the second support wall 52 are attached to the base plate 20 and extend upward from the base plate 20. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the first support wall 51 is disposed to the left of the first side frame 41 and is provided so as to extend from the left part of the central base member 25 to the first side base member 21. The first support wall 51 stands upright from the base plate 20 and extends in the main scanning direction Y. The first support wall 51 spreads in the main scanning direction Y and the vertical direction Z. The second support wall 52 is disposed to the right of the second side frame 42 and is provided so as to extend from the right part of the central base member 25 to the second side base member 22. The second support wall 52 stands upright from the base plate 20 and extends in the main scanning direction Y. The second support wall 52 spreads in the main scanning direction Y and the vertical direction Z. The second support wall 52 is disposed to the right of the first support wall 51 so as to be separated from the first support wall 51 by a predetermined distance. In this embodiment, the first support wall 51 and the second support wall 52 are at the same position in the sub-scanning direction X. In other words, the first support wall 51 and the second support wall 52 are disposed on the same straight line extending in the main scanning direction Y. The mounting structure of the first support wall 51 and the second support wall 52 to the base plate 20 will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 2, the support member 55 is a member that extends in the primary scanning direction Y and the vertical direction Z, and is bridged between the first support wall 51 and the second support wall 52. The left end of the support member 55 is attached to and supported by the first support wall 51. The right end of the support member 55 is attached to and supported by the second support wall 52. The support member 55 is also supported by the upper ends of the first side wall 46 and the second side wall 47.

In this embodiment, the printer 10 includes a guide rail 58, an ink head unit 60, a head movement mechanism 65, a table unit 70, and a table movement mechanism 75. As shown in FIG. 2, the guide rail 58 extends in the main scanning direction Y. The guide rail 58 is supported by a support member 55. Here, the guide rail 58 is attached to the front surface of the support member 55 and is arranged to protrude forward from the support member 55.

The ink head unit 60 includes a carriage 62 and an ink head 63. The carriage 62 is slidably engaged with the guide rail 58. The carriage 62 is configured to be movable in the main scanning direction Y along the guide rail 58. The ink head 63 ejects ink toward the substrate 5, in this case, downward. The ink head 63 is mounted on the carriage 62 and is movable in the main scanning direction Y along the guide rail 58. The number of ink heads 63 is not particularly limited, but is three here. The three ink heads 63 are arranged side by side in the main scanning direction Y. The ink ejected from the ink head 63 is, for example, a photocurable ink. An example of a photocurable ink is an ultraviolet-curable ink.

Although not shown in the figure, the carriage 62 may be provided with a light irradiation device. The light irradiation device is a device that irradiates light (e.g., ultraviolet light) onto the ink ejected onto the printing substrate 5. The light irradiation device is disposed, for example, to the right of the ink head 63. However, the light irradiation device may be disposed to the left of the ink head 63, or may be disposed on both the left and right sides of the ink head 63.

The head moving mechanism 65 is a mechanism that moves the carriage 62 and the ink head 63 in the main scanning direction Y. The configuration of the head moving mechanism 65 is not particularly limited. Although not shown in the figure, the head moving mechanism 65 has a pair of pulleys provided around both the left and right ends of the guide rail 58, a belt wound around the pair of pulleys, and a head motor connected to one of the pulleys. The carriage 62 is fixed to the belt. Here, when the head motor is driven, one of the pulleys rotates. This causes the belt to run between the pair of pulleys, and the carriage 62 and the ink head 63 to move in the main scanning direction Y.

The table unit 70 is disposed on the central base member 25 of the base plate 20, and is disposed between the first side frame 41 and the second side frame 42. The table unit 70 includes a table 71 that supports the printing material 5, and a table carriage 72 that supports the table 71 so as to be movable in the sub-scanning direction X. Here, the printing material 5 is placed on the table 71. The table 71 extends in the main scanning direction Y and the sub-scanning direction X. The table 71 is disposed between the first side frame 41 and the second side frame 42, below the support member 55 and the guide rail 58. The table carriage 72 supports the table 71 from below. The table carriage 72 is configured to be movable in the sub-scanning direction X. In addition, the table carriage 72 is configured to be able to move the table 71 in the up-down direction Z by a lifting mechanism (not shown).

The table moving mechanism 75 is a mechanism that moves the table 71 in the sub-scanning direction X. The table moving mechanism 75 includes a slide rail 76 and a moving device (not shown). The table unit 70 is slidably mounted on the slide rail 76. The slide rail 76 includes a first slide rail 76A and a second slide rail 76B. The first slide rail 76A and the second slide rail 76B extend in the sub-scanning direction X. The first slide rail 76A is provided on the first side frame 41, and more specifically, is attached to the right surface of the first side frame 41. The second slide rail 76B is provided on the second side frame 42, and more specifically, is attached to the left surface of the second side frame 42. The first slide rail 76A and the second slide rail 76B are arranged in parallel.

The moving device is disposed, for example, on the central base member 25 of the base plate 20. Although not shown, the moving device has a pair of front and rear table pulleys, a table belt wound around the pair of front and rear table pulleys, and a drive motor connected to the rear table pulley. Here, the drive motor is driven to rotate the rear table pulley, causing the table belt to run between the pair of front and rear table pulleys. The table carriage 72 is attached to the table belt. Therefore, when the table belt runs due to the drive of the drive motor, the table carriage 72 and table 71 move in the sub-scanning direction X along the first slide rail 76A and the second slide rail 76B.

Next, the configuration for attaching the first side frame 41, on which the first slide rail 76A is provided, and the second side frame 42, on which the second slide rail 76B is provided, to the base plate 20 will be described. In this embodiment, the configuration for attaching the first side frame 41 and the second side frame 42 to the base plate 20 is the same. Therefore, below, the structure for attaching the first side frame 41 to the base plate 20 will be described, and the description of the structure for attaching the second side frame 42 to the base plate 20 will be omitted as appropriate.

Figures 5A and 5B are a right side view and a plan view, respectively, of the first side frame 41. Figure 5C is a right side view showing the side mounting protrusion 82. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5A, the first side frame 41 has a side plate portion 80, a side flange 81, and a side mounting protrusion 82. The side plate portion 80 is a plate-like portion that extends in the sub-scanning direction X and the up-down direction Z. Here, as shown in Figure 2, a slide rail 76 is attached to the side plate portion 80.

The side flange 81 protrudes from the lower end of the side plate portion 80 of the first side frame 41 to one side in the main scanning direction Y. Here, the side flange 81 protrudes from the lower end of the first side frame 41 toward the second side frame 42, here toward the right. In the second side frame 42, the side flange 81 protrudes from the lower end of the second side frame 42 toward the first side frame 41, here toward the left. As shown in FIG. 5B, the side flange 81 extends in the main scanning direction Y and the sub-scanning direction X. The side flange 81 is a plate-like member that is longer in the sub-scanning direction X than in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. 2, the side flange 81 is disposed along the upper surface of the central base member 25 of the base plate 20.

As shown in FIG. 5B, the side flange 81 has a plurality of side fixing holes 84 formed therein. The number of side fixing holes 84 is not particularly limited. Here, FIG. 5B illustrates three side fixing holes 84, but in reality, the number of side fixing holes 84 is seven, which is the same as the number of base side fixing holes 26 (see FIG. 4) for the first side frame 41 described below. The multiple side fixing holes 84 are arranged so as to be aligned in the sub-scanning direction X. The shape of the side fixing holes 84 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a circular shape.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the side mounting protrusion 82 protrudes from the lower end of the side plate portion 80 toward the base plate 20 (see FIG. 3). Here, the side mounting protrusion 82 protrudes downward from the side plate portion 80. As shown in FIG. 5C, the side mounting protrusion 82 has a first side protrusion surface 85a and a second side protrusion surface 85b. The first side protrusion surface 85a and the second side protrusion surface 85b are surfaces that extend in the sub-scanning direction X and the up-down direction Z. The first side protrusion surface 85a constitutes the left surface of the side mounting protrusion 82. The second side protrusion surface 85b is the surface opposite to the first side protrusion surface 85a and constitutes the right surface of the side mounting protrusion 82. The shapes of the first side protrusion surface 85a and the second side protrusion surface 85b are not particularly limited, but here they are hexagonal with the two lower corners of a rectangle cut diagonally.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5A, the number of side mounting protrusions 82 on the first side frame 41 is multiple, three in this example. The three side mounting protrusions 82 are arranged side by side in the sub-scanning direction X.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the central base member 25 of the base plate 20 is formed with base side fixing holes 26. The base side fixing holes 26 correspond to the side fixing holes 84 (see FIG. 5B) formed in the first side frame 41 (or the second side frame 42), and are formed at positions that overlap with the side fixing holes 84 when the first side frame 41 or the second side frame 42 is attached to the central base member 25. The number of base side fixing holes 26 is the same as the number of side fixing holes 84, and seven are formed to fix the first side frame 41 and seven are formed to fix the second side frame 42. That is, here, the number of base side fixing holes 26 formed in the central base member 25 is 14. Here, for example, the seven base side fixing holes 26 for fixing the first side frame 41 are arranged side by side in the sub-scanning direction X. The seven base side fixing holes 26 for fixing the second side frame 42 are arranged side by side in the sub-scanning direction X.

The base side fixing holes 26 are the same size as the side fixing holes 84, and have the same circular shape as the side fixing holes 84. In this embodiment, the first side frame 41 and the second side frame 42 can be fixed to the central base member 25 by overlapping the side fixing holes 84 with the base side fixing holes 26 and inserting screws 29 (see FIG. 3) into the base side fixing holes 26 and the side fixing holes 84.

4, the central base member 25 is formed with a side mounting hole 27. The side mounting hole 27 is a hole formed in a crank shape. The side mounting protrusion 82 (see FIG. 5C) of the first side frame 41 (or the second side frame 42) is inserted into the side mounting hole 27. FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the side mounting hole 27, and shows the state in which the side mounting protrusion 82 is inserted into the side mounting hole 27. As shown in FIG. 6, the edge of the side mounting hole 27 has the first side edge 28a to the eighth side edge 28h. Here, the first side edge 28a, the second side edge 28b, the third side edge 28c, and the fourth side edge 28d are arranged so as to be parallel to the first side protrusion surface 85a and the second side protrusion surface 85b of the side mounting protrusion 82, and here extend in the sub-scanning direction X. In this embodiment, the side mounting protrusion 82 is inserted and fitted between the first side edge 28a and the second side edge 28b. Here, the first side edge 28a and the second side edge 28b are arranged to be offset in the sub-scanning direction X. The third side edge 28c faces the first side edge 28a and is arranged at a position farther away from the first side edge 28a in the main scanning direction Y than the second side edge 28b. The fourth side edge 28d faces the second side edge 28b and is arranged at a position farther away from the second side edge 28b in the main scanning direction Y than the first side edge 28a. The distance in the main scanning direction Y between the first side edge 28a and the second side edge 28b of the side mounting hole 27 is set to be approximately the same as the thickness of the side mounting protrusion 82 (here, the length in the main scanning direction Y).

The fifth side edge 28e, the sixth side edge 28f, the seventh side edge 28g, and the eighth side edge 28h are edges extending in the primary scanning direction Y. Here, the fifth side edge 28e is connected to the first side edge 28a and the third side edge 28c. The sixth side edge 28f is connected to the second side edge 28b and the fourth side edge 28d. The seventh side edge 28g is connected to the first side edge 28a and the fourth side edge 28d. The eighth side edge 28h is connected to the second side edge 28b and the third side edge 28c.

In this embodiment, the number of side mounting holes 27 is the same as the number of side mounting protrusions 82, and as shown in FIG. 4, three side mounting holes 27 are formed for mounting the first side frame 41 to the central base member 25, and three side mounting holes 27 are formed for mounting the second side frame 42 to the central base member 25. That is, a total of six side mounting holes 27 are formed in the central base member 25. Here, the three side mounting holes 27 for mounting the first side frame 41 are arranged in a straight line in the sub-scanning direction X, and the three side mounting holes 27 for mounting the second side frame 42 are also arranged in a straight line in the sub-scanning direction X. As described above, the distance in the main scanning direction Y between the first side edge 28a and the second side edge 28b of the side mounting hole 27 is set to be approximately the same as the thickness of the side mounting protrusion 82. Therefore, the three side mounting protrusions 82 inserted into the three side mounting holes 27 for mounting the first side frame 41 are also arranged in a straight line in the sub-scanning direction X. This makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of variation in the fixing position of the first side frame 41. The same is true for the three side mounting protrusions 82 that are inserted into the three side mounting holes 27 for mounting the second side frame 42. Therefore, the first side frame 41 and the second side frame 42 can be arranged to be parallel to the sub-scanning direction X.

For example, when attaching the first side frame 41 to the central base member 25, the side mounting protrusion 82 of the first side frame 41 is first inserted into the side mounting hole 27 formed in the central base member 25 as shown in FIG. 6. At this time, the side mounting protrusion 82 is disposed between the first side edge 28a and the second side edge 28b of the side mounting hole 27, and the first side protrusion surface 85a of the side mounting protrusion 82 is disposed along the first side edge 28a or contacts the first side edge 28a. The second side protrusion surface 85b of the side mounting protrusion 82 is disposed along the second side edge 28b or contacts the second side edge 28b. This allows the first side frame 41 to be disposed along the sub-scanning direction X with respect to the base plate 20 as shown in FIG. 4.

When inserting the side mounting protrusion 82 into the side mounting hole 27, the corner portion of the side mounting protrusion 82 is inserted into the side mounting hole 27 using the gap between the first side edge 28a and the third side edge 28c (or the second side edge 28b and the fourth side edge 28d). In this case, since the above gap is larger than the thickness of the side mounting protrusion 82, the corner portion of the side mounting protrusion 82 can be easily inserted. After inserting the corner portion of the side mounting protrusion 82 into the side mounting hole 27 in this way, the entire side mounting protrusion 82 is inserted into the side mounting hole 27 while abutting the side mounting protrusion 82 against the second side edge 28b (or the first side edge 28a). In this case, too, since the gap between the second side edge 28b and the fourth side edge 28d (or the first side edge 28a and the third side edge 28c) is larger than the thickness of the side mounting protrusion 82, the entire side mounting protrusion 82 can be easily inserted without interfering with the side mounting hole 27. On the other hand, the distance in the main scanning direction Y between the first side edge 28a and the second side edge 28b of the side mounting hole 27 is set to be approximately the same as the thickness of the side mounting protrusion 82, so that the first side frame 41 can be accurately positioned relative to the base plate 20.

When the side mounting projections 82 are inserted into the side mounting holes 27 in this way, the side fixing holes 84 (see FIG. 5B) formed in the side flanges 81 of the first side frame 41 overlap with the base side fixing holes 26 (see FIG. 4) formed in the central base member 25. Then, the screws 29 (see FIG. 3) are inserted into the overlapping side fixing holes 84 and base side fixing holes 26, and the screws 29 are tightened. This allows the first side frame 41 to be fixed to the central base member 25 of the base plate 20. The second side frame 42 can also be fixed to the central base member 25 in the same manner as the first side frame 41.

Next, the configuration for attaching the first support wall 51 and the second support wall 52 shown in FIG. 4 to the base plate 20 will be described. In this embodiment, the configuration for attaching the first support wall 51 and the second support wall 52 to the base plate 20 is the same. Below, the configuration for attaching the first support wall 51 to the base plate 20 will be described, and the description of the configuration for attaching the second support wall 52 to the base plate 20 will be omitted as appropriate.

7A and 7B are respectively a front view and a plan view of the first support wall 51. FIG. 7C is a front view showing the mounting protrusion 92 of the first support wall 51. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7A, the first support wall 51 includes a plate-shaped portion 90, a flange 91, and a mounting protrusion 92. The plate-shaped portion 90 is a plate-shaped portion that spreads in the main scanning direction Y and the vertical direction Z. Here, the plate-shaped portion 90 has a first leg portion 93a and a second leg portion 93b that extend downward. The first leg portion 93a extends toward the central base member 25 (see FIG. 4) of the base plate 20 and is connected to the central base member 25. In the first support wall 51, the second leg portion 93b extends toward the first side base member 21 (see FIG. 4) of the base plate 20 and is connected to the first side base member 21. In the second support wall 52, the second leg 93b extends toward the second side base member 22 (see FIG. 4) of the base plate 20 and is connected to the second side base member 22. Here, as shown in FIG. 7A, the first leg 93a and the second leg 93b are arranged to be spaced apart in the primary scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, a support member 55 is provided to span the upper end of the plate portion 90 of the first support wall 51 and the upper end of the plate portion 90 of the second support wall 52.

The flange 91 protrudes from the lower end of the plate-shaped portion 90 to one side in the sub-scanning direction X (here, the forward side). More specifically, as shown in FIG. 7A, the flange 91 is provided at the lower end of each of the first leg portion 93a and the second leg portion 93b of the plate-shaped portion 90, and extends forward from the lower end of the first leg portion 93a and the lower end of the second leg portion 93b. As shown in FIG. 7B, the flange 91 spreads in the main scanning direction Y and the sub-scanning direction X. The flange 91 is a plate-shaped member that is longer in the main scanning direction Y than in the sub-scanning direction X. As shown in FIG. 3, the flange 91 is disposed along the upper surface of the first side base member 21 or the second side base member 22.

As shown in FIG. 7B, the flange 91 has a plurality of fixing holes 94 formed therein. The number of fixing holes 94 is not particularly limited, but is four here. Specifically, one fixing hole 94 is formed in the flange 91 provided on the first leg 93a of the plate-shaped portion 90, and three fixing holes 94 are formed in the flange 91 provided on the second leg 93b. The multiple fixing holes 94 are arranged side by side in the main scanning direction Y. The shape of the fixing hole 94 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, circular.

As shown in FIG. 7A, the mounting protrusion 92 protrudes from the lower end of the first support wall 51. In this embodiment, the mounting protrusion 92 protrudes downward from the lower end of the plate-shaped portion 90 toward the base plate 20 (see FIG. 3). As shown in FIG. 7C, the mounting protrusion 92 has a lower end surface 95c, a first protrusion surface 95a, and a second protrusion surface 95b. The lower end surface 95c constitutes the lower end of the mounting protrusion 92 and is a surface that spreads in the main scanning direction Y and the sub-scanning direction X. Here, the lower end surface 95c is a surface that is longer in the main scanning direction Y than in the sub-scanning direction X. The first protrusion surface 95a and the second protrusion surface 95b extend upward from the lower end surface 95c. The first protrusion surface 95a and the second protrusion surface 95b are surfaces that spread in the main scanning direction Y and the vertical direction Z. The first protrusion surface 95a constitutes the front surface of the mounting protrusion 92. The second protrusion surface 95b is the surface opposite to the first protrusion surface 95a and constitutes the rear surface of the mounting protrusion 92. Here, the first protrusion surface 95a is connected to the end of one side (here, the front side) of the lower end surface 95c in the sub-scanning direction X. The second protrusion surface 95b is connected to the end of the other side (here, the rear side) of the lower end surface 95c in the sub-scanning direction X. The lower end surface 95c is sandwiched between the first protrusion surface 95a and the second protrusion surface 95b in the sub-scanning direction X. The shapes of the first protrusion surface 95a and the second protrusion surface 95b are not particularly limited, but here they are the same shape as the first side protrusion surface 85a (see FIG. 5C) and the second side protrusion surface 85b (see FIG. 5C) of the side mounting protrusion 82 described above, and are hexagonal with the two lower corners of the rectangle cut diagonally.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7A, the number of mounting protrusions 92 on the first support wall 51 is multiple, three in this example. Here, one mounting protrusion 92 is provided on the first leg 93a of the plate-shaped portion 90, and two mounting protrusions 92 are provided on the second leg 93b. The three mounting protrusions 92 are arranged side by side in the main scanning direction Y. In the following description, the mounting protrusion 92 provided on the first leg 93a is also referred to as the first mounting protrusion 92a. The mounting protrusion 92 provided on the second leg 93b is also referred to as the second mounting protrusion 92b.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, base fixing holes 101 are formed in the base plate 20. The base fixing holes 101 correspond to the fixing holes 94 (see FIG. 7B) formed in the first support wall 51 (or the second support wall 52), and are formed at positions that overlap with the fixing holes 94 when the first support wall 51 or the second support wall 52 is attached to the base plate 20. The number of base fixing holes 101 is the same as the number of fixing holes 94, and four are formed to fix the first support wall 51 and four are formed to fix the second support wall 52. That is, the number of fixing holes 94 formed in the base plate 20 is eight. Here, for example, the four base fixing holes 101 for fixing the first support wall 51 and the four base fixing holes 101 for fixing the second support wall 52 are arranged side by side in the main scanning direction Y.

In this embodiment, one of the four base fixing holes 101 for fixing the first support wall 51 is formed in the central base member 25, and the remaining three base fixing holes 101 are formed in the first side base member 21. One of the four base fixing holes 101 for fixing the second support wall 52 is formed in the central base member 25, and the remaining three base fixing holes 101 are formed in the second side base member 22. The base fixing hole 101 is the same size as the fixing hole 94, and has the same circular shape as the fixing hole 94. In this embodiment, the first support wall 51 and the second support wall 52 can be fixed to the base plate 20 by overlapping the base fixing hole 101 with the fixing hole 94 and inserting a screw 102 (see FIG. 3) into the base fixing hole 101 and the fixing hole 94.

As shown in FIG. 4, the base plate 20 is formed with a first mounting hole 110 and a second mounting hole 120. A first mounting protrusion 92a (see FIG. 7A) provided on the first leg 93a of the first support wall 51 (or the second support wall 52) is inserted into the first mounting hole 110. A second mounting protrusion 92b (see FIG. 7B) provided on the second leg 93b of the first support wall 51 (or the second support wall 52) is inserted into the second mounting hole 120.

The first mounting hole 110 is formed in the central base member 25 of the base plate 20. The first mounting hole 110 for mounting the first support wall 51 is located to the left of the first side frame 41. The first mounting hole 110 for mounting the second support wall 52 is located to the right of the second side frame 42. The central base member 25 has one first mounting hole 110 for mounting the first support wall 51, and one first mounting hole 110 for mounting the second support wall 52. The two first mounting holes 110 are arranged side by side in the main scanning direction Y.

Figures 8A and 8B are plan views showing the first mounting hole 110. Figure 8B shows the state in which the first mounting protrusion 92a is inserted into the first mounting hole 110. As shown in Figure 8A, the first mounting hole 110 has a first abutting edge 111a, a second abutting edge 111b, an opposing edge 111c, a separating edge 111d, a first connecting edge 112a, a second connecting edge 112b, a third connecting edge 112c, a fourth connecting edge 112d, and a pressing portion 115.

The first mounting hole 110 extends in the main scanning direction Y, and is partially formed by a pair of edges that face each other. In this embodiment, one of the pair of edges is the first abutment edge 111a and the second abutment edge 111b. The other of the pair of edges is the opposing edge 111c. Here, the first abutment edge 111a, the second abutment edge 111b, the opposing edge 111c, and the separating edge 111d extend in the main scanning direction Y. Here, the first abutment edge 111a and the second abutment edge 111b are arranged side by side in the main scanning direction Y so as to be separated from each other. The first abutment edge 111a is arranged to the left of the second abutment edge 111b. Here, the first abutment edge 111a and the second abutment edge 111b have the same length, but may be different. In this embodiment, the first contact edge 111a and the second contact edge 111b are examples of contact edges of the present invention.

The facing edge 111c is disposed at a position facing the first abutment edge 111a and facing the second abutment edge 111b. Here, the facing edge 111c is disposed behind the first abutment edge 111a and behind the second abutment edge 111b. In the main scanning direction Y, the facing edge 111c has a length from the first abutment edge 111a to the second abutment edge 111b. The separating edge 111d is disposed at a position separated from the first abutment edge 111a and the second abutment edge 111b in the sub-scanning direction X. Here, the separating edge 111d is disposed forward of the first abutment edge 111a and the second abutment edge 111b and disposed at a position separated from the facing edge 111c. The separating edge 111d is disposed between the first abutment edge 111a and the second abutment edge 111b in the main scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, the sum of the lengths of the first abutting edge 111a, the second abutting edge 111b, and the separating edge 111d in the main scanning direction Y is the length of the opposing edge 111c in the main scanning direction Y.

In this embodiment, the first connecting edge 112a, the second connecting edge 112b, the third connecting edge 112c, and the fourth connecting edge 112d extend in the sub-scanning direction X. The first connecting edge 112a is connected to the first abutment edge 111a and the opposing edge 111c, and connects the first abutment edge 111a and the opposing edge 111c. The second connecting edge 112b is connected to the second abutment edge 111b and the opposing edge 111c, and connects the second abutment edge 111b and the opposing edge 111c. The third connecting edge 112c is connected to the first abutment edge 111a and the separating edge 111d, and connects the first abutment edge 111a and the separating edge 111d. The fourth connecting edge 112d is connected to the second contact edge 111b and the separating edge 111d, and connects the second contact edge 111b and the separating edge 111d.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8B, the first mounting protrusion 92a is inserted between the first abutment edge 111a and the second abutment edge 111b of the first mounting hole 110 and the opposing edge 111c. Here, the pressing portion 115 is provided on the other of the pair of edges of the mounting hole 110 (the opposing edge 111c in this embodiment) and is deformable. The pressing portion 115 extends from the other of the pair of edges of the mounting hole 110 and is integrally provided with the base plate 20. When the first mounting protrusion 92a is inserted into the first mounting hole 110, the pressing portion 115 presses the first protrusion surface 95a of the first mounting protrusion 92a against the first abutment edge 111a and the second abutment edge 111b. Here, as shown in FIG. 8A, the pressing portion 115 protrudes from the edge of the first mounting hole 110 toward the inside of the first mounting hole 110. The pressing portion 115 is provided at the center of the first mounting hole 110 in the main scanning direction Y. More specifically, the pressing portion 115 is provided on the opposing edge 111c and is a protrusion that protrudes from the opposing edge 111c toward the first abutting edge 111a side (or the second abutting edge 111b side). Here, the pressing portion 115 is provided at the center of the opposing edge 111c and is disposed between the first abutting edge 111a and the second abutting edge 111b in the main scanning direction Y. The pressing portion 115 is configured so that its width (here, its length in the main scanning direction Y) decreases toward its tip (here, its front end). That is, the pressing portion 115 has a tapered shape. The tip of the pressing portion 115 is pointed.

In this embodiment, the pressing portion 115 is formed of a plastically deformable member, for example, metal. Here, the base plate 20 is formed of metal, for example, iron, and the pressing portion 115 is also made of iron. In the first mounting hole 110, the opposing distance D3 (see FIG. 8A) between the pair of edges is set to be larger than the thickness (i.e., the length in the sub-scanning direction X) D2 (see FIG. 8B) of the first mounting protrusion 92a. Here, the opposing distance D3 refers to the distance in the sub-scanning direction X between the first abutment edge 111a (or the second abutment edge 111b) and the opposing edge 111c. In addition, in the first mounting hole 110, a separation distance D1 (see FIG. 8A) between the first abutting edge 111a (or the second abutting edge 111b) and the pressing portion 115 (specifically, the tip (here, the front end) of the pressing portion 115) in the sub-scanning direction X is set to be equal to or less than the thickness (i.e., the length in the sub-scanning direction X) D2 (see FIG. 8B) of the first mounting protrusion 92a. Here, the separation distance D1 is slightly smaller than the thickness D2 of the first mounting protrusion 92a. Therefore, when the first mounting protrusion 92a is inserted into the first mounting hole 110, the pressing portion 115 plastically deforms and presses the central portion of the first mounting protrusion 92a toward the separation edge 111d. As a result, both end portions of the first mounting protrusion 92a in the main scanning direction Y are pressed toward the first abutting edge 111a and the second abutting edge 111b. Here, a gap is provided between the separating edge 111d and the center portion of the first mounting protrusion 92a. Therefore, even if the center portion of the first mounting protrusion 92a is deformed toward the separating edge 111d, the deformation amount can be released into the gap, making it easy to insert the first mounting protrusion 92a into the first mounting hole 110.

As shown in FIG. 4, the second mounting holes 120 are formed in the first side base member 21 and the second side base member 22 of the base plate 20. The first side base member 21 has two second mounting holes 120 for mounting the first support wall 51, and the second side base member 22 has two second mounting holes 120 for mounting the second support wall 52. The two second mounting holes 120 formed in the first side base member 21 and the two second mounting holes 120 formed in the second side base member 22 are arranged side by side in the main scanning direction Y (in other words, parallel to the guide rail 58).

In this embodiment, the second mounting hole 120 has a shape similar to that of the side mounting hole 27 (see FIG. 6). The second mounting hole 120 is a hole formed to penetrate in a crank shape. FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the second mounting hole 120, and shows the state in which the second mounting protrusion 92b is inserted into the second mounting hole 120. Here, as shown in FIG. 9, the edge of the second mounting hole 120 has a first edge 121a to an eighth edge 121h. By forming the second mounting hole 120 to penetrate in a crank shape, the second support wall 52 can be accurately positioned while correcting any bending or distortion of the second mounting protrusion 92b (in other words, the second support wall 52 formed integrally with the second mounting protrusion 92b).

The first edge 121a, the second edge 121b, the third edge 121c, and the fourth edge 121d are arranged so as to be parallel to the first protrusion surface 95a and the second protrusion surface 95b of the second mounting protrusion 92b, and here extend in the main scanning direction Y. In this embodiment, the second mounting protrusion 92b is inserted between the first edge 121a and the second edge 121b. The first edge 121a and the second edge 121b are arranged offset in the main scanning direction Y. The third edge 121c faces the first edge 121a and is arranged at a position farther away from the first edge 121a in the sub-scanning direction X than the second edge 121b. The fourth edge 121d faces the second edge 121b and is arranged at a position farther away from the second edge 121b in the sub-scanning direction X than the first edge 121a.

The fifth edge 121e, the sixth edge 121f, the seventh edge 121g, and the eighth edge 121h are edges extending in the sub-scanning direction X. Here, the fifth edge 121e is connected to the first edge 121a and the third edge 121c. The sixth edge 121f is connected to the second edge 121b and the fourth edge 121d. The seventh edge 121g is connected to the first edge 121a and the fourth edge 121d. The eighth edge 121h is connected to the second edge 121b and the third edge 121c.

In this embodiment, for example, when attaching the first support wall 51 to the base plate 20, as shown in FIG. 8B, the first attachment protrusion 92a of the first support wall 51 is first inserted into the first attachment hole 110 formed in the central base member 25, and as shown in FIG. 9, the second attachment protrusion 92b is inserted into the second attachment hole 120 formed in the first side base member 21. Here, as shown in FIG. 8B, when the first attachment protrusion 92a is inserted into the first attachment hole 110, the first attachment protrusion 92a (more specifically, the first protrusion surface 95a of the first attachment protrusion 92a) is pressed against the first abutment edge 111a and the second abutment edge 111b by the pressing portion 115 of the first attachment hole 110. As a result, the first protrusion surface 95a of the first attachment protrusion 92a is abutted against the first abutment edge 111a and the second abutment edge 111b. The pressing portion 115 presses the first mounting protrusion 92a while abutting against the second protrusion surface 95b of the first mounting protrusion 92a and plastically deforming, so that the movement of the first mounting protrusion 92a in the sub-scanning direction X within the first mounting hole 110 is restricted and the first mounting protrusion 92a is accurately positioned relative to the base plate 20. Therefore, the first protrusion surface 95a and the second protrusion surface 95b are fixed in position in a state where they extend along the main scanning direction Y (i.e., in a state parallel to the guide rail 58).

9, when the second mounting protrusion 92b of the first support wall 51 is inserted into the second mounting hole 120, the second mounting protrusion 92b is disposed between the first edge 121a and the second edge 121b of the second mounting hole 120, and the first protrusion surface 95a of the second mounting protrusion 92b is disposed along the first edge 121a or contacts the first edge 121a. The second protrusion surface 95b of the second mounting protrusion 92b is disposed along the second edge 121b or contacts the second edge 121b. This allows the first support wall 51 to be accurately positioned relative to the base plate 20, and therefore the first support wall 51 can be disposed along the main scanning direction Y (i.e., parallel to the guide rail 58).

In this way, when the first mounting protrusion 92a is inserted into the first mounting hole 110 and the second mounting protrusion 92b is inserted into the second mounting hole 120, the fixing hole 94 (FIG. 7B) formed in the flange 91 of the first support wall 51 overlaps with the base fixing hole 101 (see FIG. 4) formed in the base plate 20. Here, the screw 102 (see FIG. 3) is inserted into the overlapping fixing hole 94 and base fixing hole 101, and the screw 102 is tightened. This allows the first support wall 51 to be fixed to the base plate 20. The second support wall 52 can also be fixed to the base plate 20 in the same manner as the first support wall 52. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the support member 55 provided with the guide rail 58 is attached to the fixed first support wall 51 and second support wall 52. This allows the guide rail 58 to be arranged along the main scanning direction Y.

As described above, in this embodiment, the printer 10 includes a base plate 20, a slide rail 76 provided on the base plate 20 and extending in the sub-scanning direction X, and a table 71 that supports the printing material 5 and can move in the sub-scanning direction X along the slide rail 76, as shown in FIG. 2. Furthermore, the printer 10 includes a first support wall 51 attached to the base plate 20 and extending in the main scanning direction Y, a support member 55 arranged above the table 71 and supported by the first support wall 51, a guide rail 58 provided on the support member 55 and extending in the main scanning direction Y, and an ink head 63 that can move in the main scanning direction Y along the guide rail 58. As shown in FIG. 7C, the first support wall 51 includes a first mounting protrusion 92a protruding from the lower end of the first support wall 51. As shown in FIG. 8B, the base plate 20 includes a first mounting hole 110 into which the first mounting protrusion 92a of the first support wall 51 is inserted. The first mounting hole 110 extends in the primary scanning direction Y, and is partially formed by a pair of edges facing each other. A first abutting edge 111a and a second abutting edge 111b against which the first mounting protrusion 92a abuts are provided on one of the pair of edges of the first mounting hole 110. A deformable pressing portion 115 is provided on the other of the pair of edges of the first mounting hole 110, which presses the first mounting protrusion 92a against the first abutting edge 111a and the second abutting edge 111b. Here, the opposing distance D3 (see FIG. 8A) between the pair of edges (here, the first abutting edge 111a (or the second abutting edge 111b) and the opposing edge 111c) is set to be larger than the thickness D2 (see FIG. 8B) of the first mounting protrusion 92a. The distance D1 (see FIG. 8A) between the first abutment edge 111a (or the second abutment edge 111b) and the pressing portion 115 in the sub-scanning direction X is set to be equal to or less than the thickness D2 (see FIG. 8B) of the first mounting protrusion 92a. Therefore, when the first mounting protrusion 92a is inserted into the first mounting hole 110, the first protrusion surface 95a of the first mounting protrusion 92a is pressed against the pressing portion 115 provided on the other of the pair of edges (opposing edge 111c) while being abutted against the first abutment edge 111a and the second abutment edge 111b extending in the main scanning direction Y. At this time, the pressing portion 115 is deformed, and the first mounting protrusion 92a is fixed to the first mounting hole 110.

Here, the first mounting protrusion 92a is pressed by the pressing portion 115 and abuts against the first abutment edge 111a and the second abutment edge 111b extending in the main scanning direction Y in the first mounting hole 110, so that the first support wall 51 is attached to the base plate 20 in an accurately positioned state. Here, even if the first support wall 51 is bent or the thickness of the first mounting protrusion 92a of the first support wall 51 varies, the separation distance D1 (see FIG. 8A) between the first abutting edge 111a (or the second abutting edge 111b) of the first mounting hole 110 and the pressing portion 115 in the sub-scanning direction X is equal to or less than the thickness D2 (see FIG. 8B) of the first mounting protrusion 92a, so that the pressing portion 115 abuts against the first mounting protrusion 92a and plastically deforms, so that the first mounting protrusion 92a of the first support wall 51 can be abutted against the first abutting edge 111a and the second abutting edge 111b of the first mounting hole 110 without any gap. In this way, the pressing portion 115 plastically deforms, so that the first support wall 51 can be positioned on the base plate 20 in a state where the variation in the fixing position when the first support wall 51 is fixed is adjusted. This allows the support member 55 on which the guide rail 58 is provided to be accurately positioned. On the other hand, the separation distance D1 (see FIG. 8A) in the sub-scanning direction X between the first abutment edge 111a (or the second abutment edge 111b) and the pressing portion 115 is set to be equal to or less than the thickness D2 (see FIG. 8B) of the first mounting protrusion 92a. Therefore, when the first mounting protrusion 92a is inserted into the first mounting hole 110, it is unlikely that the first mounting protrusion 92a will interfere with the edge of the first mounting hole 110, making it difficult to insert the first mounting protrusion 92a. This makes it easy to attach the support member 55 to the base plate 20.

8A, in this embodiment, the pressing portion 115 is integral with the base plate 20, is configured to be plastically deformable, and protrudes toward the first pressing edge 111a side and the second pressing edge 111b side. This makes the protruding pressing portion 115 more susceptible to plastic deformation, making it easier to insert the first mounting protrusion 92a into the first mounting hole 110 compared to when the pressing portion 115 is the entire edge that forms the first mounting hole 110. On the other hand, if the pressing portion 115 is made of an elastically deformable material, the insertion workability is improved, but a separate member is required, which may cause inconveniences such as an increase in the number of parts and an increase in the installation work, such as attaching the separate member to the edge of the first mounting hole 110. In contrast, in this embodiment, the pressing portion 115 is integral with the base plate 20, so that the above-mentioned inconveniences do not occur, and it is possible to achieve both accurate positioning and improved installation workability.

In this embodiment, the pressing portion 115 is configured so that its width decreases toward the tip. As a result, when the first mounting protrusion 92a starts to be inserted into the first mounting hole 110, the contact area between the first mounting protrusion 92a and the pressing portion 115 is smallest, so that the tip of the pressing portion 115 that comes into contact with the first mounting protrusion 92a is easily plastically deformed. This further improves the ease of insertion when inserting the first mounting protrusion 92a into the first mounting hole 110.

In this embodiment, the pressing portion 115 is provided at the center of the first mounting hole 110 in the main scanning direction Y. This allows the pressing portion 115 to press the center of the first mounting protrusion 92a in the main scanning direction Y, and therefore allows the pressing portion 115 to press the entire first mounting protrusion 92a in the main scanning direction Y evenly.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the base plate 20 has a central base member 25, which is an example of a first base member, and a first side base member 21, which is an example of a second base member and is arranged alongside the central base member 25 in the primary scanning direction Y. The first support wall 51 is provided from the central base member 25 to the first side base member 21. The first mounting hole 110 is formed in the central base member 25. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8B, in the central base member 25, the first protrusion surface 95a of the first mounting protrusion 92a is pressed by the pressing portion 115 and abuts against the first abutment edge 111a and the second abutment edge 111b extending in the primary scanning direction Y at the first mounting hole 110, so that the first support wall 51 can be supported by the central base member 25 in a state in which it extends in the primary scanning direction Y. Therefore, the first support wall 51 can be attached to the central base member 25 in an accurate position so that it extends in the main scanning direction Y, allowing the guide rail 58 to be positioned in an accurate position.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the first side base member 21 has a second mounting hole 120, which is an example of another mounting hole, formed at a position aligned with the first mounting hole 110 in the main scanning direction Y. The first support wall 51 has a second mounting protrusion 92b (see FIG. 9), which is an example of another mounting protrusion that protrudes toward the first side base member 21 and is inserted into the second mounting hole 120. By inserting the second mounting protrusion 92b into the second mounting hole 120 formed in the first side base member 21, the first support wall 51 can be attached in an accurately positioned state so as to extend in the main scanning direction Y while straddling the central base member 25 and the first side base member 21.

5. Printing material 10. Printer (inkjet printer)
20 Base plate 21 First side base member (second base member)
25 Central base member (first base member)
51 First support wall (support wall)
55 Support member 58 Guide rail 63 Ink head 71 Table 76 Slide rail 92a First mounting protrusion (mounting protrusion)
92b Second mounting protrusion (another mounting protrusion)
95a First protruding surface (protruding surface)
110 First mounting hole (mounting hole)
111a First fitting edge (fitting edge)
111b Second abutment edge (abutment edge)
115 Pressing portion 120 Second mounting hole (another mounting hole)

Claims (6)

A base plate;
a support wall attached to the base plate and extending in a main scanning direction;
A support member supported by the support wall;
a guide rail provided on the support member and extending in the main scanning direction;
an ink head movable in the main scanning direction along the guide rail;
Equipped with
The support wall includes a mounting protrusion protruding from a lower end of the support wall,
The base plate is formed with a mounting hole into which the mounting protrusion of the support wall is inserted,
The mounting hole extends in the main scanning direction and is partially formed by a pair of edges facing each other,
One of the pair of edges is provided with a contact edge against which the mounting projection is contacted,
The other of the pair of edges is provided with a deformable pressing portion that presses the mounting projection against the abutment edge,
The distance between the pair of edges is set to be greater than a thickness of the mounting projection,
a distance between the contact edge and the pressing portion in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction is set to be equal to or smaller than a thickness of the mounting projection. The inkjet printer according to claim 1, wherein the pressing portion extends from the other of the pair of edges, is integral with the base plate, and is configured to be plastically deformable. The inkjet printer according to claim 1, wherein the pressing portion is configured so that its width decreases toward the tip. The inkjet printer according to claim 1, wherein the pressing portion is provided at the center of the mounting hole in the main scanning direction. The base plate is
A first base member;
a second base member arranged next to the first base member in the main scanning direction;
having
The support wall is provided across the first base member and the second base member,
5. The inkjet printer according to claim 1, wherein the mounting hole is formed in the first base member. The second base member has another mounting hole formed at a position aligned with the mounting hole in the main scanning direction,
6. The ink jet printer according to claim 5, wherein the support wall is provided with another mounting protrusion that protrudes toward the second base member and is inserted into the other mounting hole.

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