JP5724365B2 - Image recording device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus capable of recording an image by inserting a medium to be transported from outside and transporting the medium to be transported inside.

  An image recording apparatus capable of recording an image by inserting a transport medium having high rigidity, for example, a thin transport medium that is thin and difficult to bend compared to a sheet, from the outside and transporting the transport medium to the inside. is there. As an example of such an image recording apparatus, a recording medium such as a CD or a DVD or a recording medium having a high rigidity such as a tray on which the recording medium can be placed is transported, and an image is recorded on the recording medium. There is an image recording apparatus for recording the image. A medium to be conveyed having high rigidity is inserted into an insertion port provided on the front side of the image recording apparatus, and is conveyed through the image recording apparatus.

  In the image recording apparatus described in Patent Document 1, a sheet fed from a sheet feeding tray on the back side of the apparatus is transported to a recording unit by a pair of transport rollers, and a pair of discharge rollers for driving the recorded sheet to rotate forward, It is described that the sheet is discharged onto a discharge stacker on the front side of the apparatus, below the sheet conveyance path. The discharge stacker is composed of a first discharge stacker on the back side of the apparatus and a second discharge stacker on the front side of the apparatus with respect to the first discharge stacker. Further, the first discharge stacker is provided with an insertion port penetrating along the depth direction in order to insert a tray on which the CD-R can be placed.

  In the image recording apparatus described in Patent Document 1, when a print start command is issued to the CD-R via the operation unit, the insertion slot of the first discharge stacker becomes a height that matches the sheet conveyance path. The first discharge stacker moves to the front side of the apparatus so as to get over the second discharge stacker. Then, the user inserts the tray through the insertion port of the first discharge stacker until it is sandwiched by the discharge roller pair disposed on the back side of the first discharge stacker. Thereafter, the tray is conveyed into the image recording apparatus by the reverse rotation of the discharge roller pair.

JP 2007-277002 A

  In many image recording apparatuses such as the image recording apparatus described in Patent Document 1, when inserting a tray into an insertion slot, a user usually confirms and inserts the insertion slot from above the image recording apparatus. In this case, since the user views the insertion port smaller than the original insertion port, it is difficult to confirm the insertion port. Furthermore, since there is no height positioning when the tray is inserted into the insertion slot, there is a concern that the operability of the user may deteriorate when the tray is inserted.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image recording apparatus capable of improving user operability when a highly rigid medium to be transported is inserted into the apparatus. There is.

  In order to achieve this object, an image recording apparatus according to claim 1 includes: a storage unit that can store a sheet-like first transport medium; the first transport medium; and the first transport medium. A recording means for recording an image on a second transport medium having high rigidity, a transport path for transporting the first transport medium and the second transport medium during recording by the recording means, and a transport path A transporting means capable of transporting the recorded first transported medium and the second transported medium in a discharge direction that is a direction of discharging the second transported medium and an insertion direction opposite to the discharge direction; An insertion port that is located upstream of the transport unit in the insertion direction and in which the second transport medium is inserted in the insertion direction toward the transport unit, and the second medium that is inserted in the insertion direction through the insertion port. Contact portion that contacts the lower surface in the vertical direction of the transported medium Provided, located at a position separated from the abutment portion to the upstream side in the insertion direction by a length equal to or more than the length of the first transported medium having the maximum size, and supports the second transported medium from below. And a supporting means having a supporting portion.

  The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the support means extends to the support portion so as to rise in the vertical direction from the upstream side toward the downstream side in the discharge direction, and the second transport medium is the And a guide portion that comes into contact with the leading end portion of the second transported medium in the discharge direction when transported in the discharge direction.

  The image recording apparatus according to claim 3 is characterized in that a position in the vertical direction of the contact portion is set between an upper end and a lower end of the guide portion.

  Furthermore, the image recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the support means includes a rotating body that is rotatable in a discharge direction and an insertion direction of the second transport medium, and the apex of the rotating body is a support portion. Features.

  Furthermore, the image recording apparatus according to claim 5 further includes a placement portion that is provided below the insertion port and on which the discharged first transported medium can be placed. Provided at the upstream side of the insertion direction of the portion, and the support means abuts the leading end portion of the first transport medium in the discharge direction when the discharged first transport medium is transported in the discharge direction. A receiving part is provided.

Further, in the image recording apparatus according to claim 6, the receiving unit and the guide unit are provided in parallel in the left-right direction perpendicular to the transport direction and the vertical direction of the first transport medium and the second transport medium. And
The downstream end of the second transport medium in the discharge direction is provided with a protrusion that is in contact with the guide and is longer than the length of the guide in the transport direction.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the second transport medium is inserted into the insertion port, the second transport medium is supported by the support means having the support portion on the upstream side in the second direction that is the insertion direction. Therefore, the support portion is positioned in the vertical direction of the insertion port. Therefore, the user can insert the second transported medium while being supported by the support portion that is the positioning, so that the operability can be improved.

  According to the second aspect of the invention, in addition to the effect of the first aspect of the invention, since the guide portion extends upward to the support portion, the tip of the second transported medium is the support portion when discharged. Even if it is located below, there is an effect that it operates smoothly without hindering the discharging operation.

  Further, according to the invention described in claim 3, in addition to the effect produced by the invention described in claim 2, the vertical position of the contact portion is set between the upper end and the lower end of the guide portion. 2 When discharging the transported medium, even if the second transported medium has its own weight and the leading end in the discharge direction hangs down by its own weight, the second transported medium operates smoothly without hindering the discharge operation of the second transported medium, When the second transported medium is completed, the second transported medium can be supported at a position higher than the contact portion, so that the second transported medium can be prevented from dropping. .

  According to the invention described in claim 4, in addition to the effects of the invention described in any of claims 1 to 3, the rotating body is in the discharging direction during the discharging operation and inserting operation of the second transported medium. And since it rotates to insertion direction, there exists an effect that it operate | moves more smoothly, without preventing both operation | movement of a 2nd conveyed medium.

  Further, according to the invention described in claim 5, in addition to the effect produced by the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 4, the vertical position of the mounting portion is lower than the insertion port. Even if the second transport medium is left on the mounting portion, the second transport medium can be inserted and discharged.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect of the fifth aspect of the invention, the receiving portion and the guide portion are arranged in parallel in the left-right direction so that the receiving portion and the guide portion are vertically moved. Compared to the case where the guide portions are overlapped with each other, the height of the guide portion can be sufficiently obtained within a predetermined height. In addition, since the second transported medium is provided with the protrusion that contacts the guide unit, the contact of the first transported medium and the contact of the second transported medium can be realized within a predetermined height. There are effects such as.

1 is a perspective view of an external appearance of a multifunction machine 10. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the printer unit 11. 5 is a perspective view of a media tray 71. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a tray body 20. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the auxiliary tray 23 accommodated in the paper discharge tray 22 when it is in a support posture. (A) is a drawing showing a state in which the paper after image recording is directed to the paper discharge tray 22, and (b) is a state where the paper after image recording is released from the nipping by the second roller pair 59 and is placed on the paper discharge tray. It is a figure showing the state mounted. (A) is a drawing showing a state in which the media tray 71 is placed on the auxiliary roller 236 by the user, and (b) is a drawing showing a state in which the media tray 71 is inserted into the insertion port 81 by the user. FIG. 6C is a diagram illustrating a state in which the media tray 71 inserted into the insertion port 81 by the user is sandwiched between the second roller pair 59. (A) is a drawing showing a state in which the front end of the media tray 71 discharged by the second roller pair 59 in the discharge direction 70B is in contact with the auxiliary roller 236, and (b) is a state where the media tray 71 gets over the auxiliary roller 236. (C) is a drawing showing a state in which the discharge operation of the media tray 71 is completed, and (d) is a drawing using the media tray 71 when there is a sheet on the discharge tray 22. FIG. (A) is a diagram showing a perspective view of a stopper portion 233 having an inclined surface 242, (b) is a diagram showing a state in which the protruding portion 72 of the media tray 71 approaches the inclined surface 242, (c () Is a diagram showing a state in which the discharged paper abuts against the stopper portion 233, and (d) is a diagram in which the protrusion 72 of the media tray 71 ejected by the second roller pair 59 abuts against the inclined surface 242. FIG. 8E is a diagram illustrating a state in which the media tray 71 has passed over the support portion 240. (A) And (b) is drawing which shows the perspective view of the stopper part 233 which has the inclined surface 252, (c) is drawing which represents the state in which the discharged paper contacted the stopper part 233, ( FIG. 4D is a view showing a state in which the front end of the media tray 71 ejected by the second roller pair 59 in the ejection direction 70 </ b> B is in contact with the inclined surface 252, and FIG. It is drawing showing a state.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. The embodiment described below is merely an example of the present invention, and it is needless to say that the embodiment of the present invention can be changed as appropriate without departing from the gist of the present invention. In the following description, the vertical direction 7 is defined with reference to a state in which the multifunction machine 10 is installed (the state shown in FIG. 1), and the side in which the opening 12 is provided is the front side (front side). And the left-right direction 9 is defined when the multifunction machine 10 is viewed from the front side (front side).

[First Embodiment]
<Multifunction machine 10>
As shown in FIG. 1, a multifunction machine 10 as an example of an image recording apparatus of the present invention is formed in a generally thin rectangular parallelepiped, and is provided with a printer unit 11 of an ink jet recording system in the lower part. The multifunction machine 10 has various functions such as a facsimile function and a print function.

  The printer unit 11 has a housing 13. An opening 12 is formed on the front side of the housing 13, and a tray body 20 having a paper feed tray 21 (an example of a storage unit of the present invention) and a paper discharge tray 22 (an example of a mounting unit of the present invention) is formed. It is possible to insert and remove from the opening 12 in the front-rear direction 8. A sheet of a desired size (an example of a first transported medium of the present invention) is placed on the paper feed tray 21. Further, the paper on which the image has been recorded by the printer unit 11 is discharged to the paper discharge tray 22.

<Printer unit 11>
As shown in FIG. 2, the printer unit 11 picks up and feeds paper from a paper feed tray 21, and discharges ink droplets onto the paper fed by the feeding unit 14 to make paper And an ink jet recording type recording unit 24 (an example of the recording means of the present invention). In FIG. 2, the illustration of the front side (the right side of the drawing) of the tray body 20 is omitted. The recording unit 24 is not limited to the ink jet method, and various recording methods such as an electrophotographic method can be applied.

  The multifunction machine 10 is mainly used in a state where it is connected to an external device (not shown) such as a computer. The printer unit 11 records an image on a sheet based on print data received from an external device. The multifunction machine 10 also has a function of recording an image by the recording unit 24 on a disk surface of a recording medium such as a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM medium that is thicker and more rigid than paper.

  A separation inclined plate 211 is disposed on the back side of the paper feed tray 21 attached to the multifunction machine 10. The separation inclined plate 211 extends rearward and obliquely upward in the left-right direction 9 (direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 2) at the rear end portion in the front-rear direction 8 of the paper feed tray 21. The separation inclined plate 211 separates the paper fed from the paper feed tray 21 and guides it upward in the vertical direction 7.

  A conveyance path 65 is formed above the separation inclined plate 211. The conveyance path 65 is bent from the upper side of the separation inclined plate 211 to the front side of the multifunction machine 10 and extends from the rear side of the apparatus to the front side. Further, the conveyance path 65 is held between the first roller pair 58 and the recording unit 24. The sheet passes through the lower side and the nipping position of the second roller pair 59 and communicates with the sheet discharge tray 22.

  The sheet is guided along the conveyance path 65 in the conveyance direction 65A (direction indicated by a two-dot chain line with an arrow in FIG. 2). That is, the sheet fed from the sheet feeding tray 21 is guided to make a U-turn from the lower side to the upper side by the conveyance path 65 and reaches the recording unit 24. The sheet is discharged to the discharge tray 22 after image recording is performed by the recording unit 24. The transport path 65 is defined by an outer guide member 18 and an inner guide member 19 that face each other at a predetermined interval.

<Feeding unit 14>
A paper feed roller 15 is provided above the paper feed tray 21. The paper feed roller 15 is pivotally supported at the front end of a paper feed arm 16 that moves up and down detachably from the paper feed tray 21. The sheet feeding roller 15 is rotated by a driving force transmitted from a sheet feeding motor (not shown) by a drive transmission mechanism 17 in which a plurality of gears are engaged. The sheet feed roller 15 separates the sheets stacked on the sheet feed tray 21 one by one and passes through a U-turn path 64 (one-dot chain line in FIG. 2) to form a straight conveyance path 65 (two points in FIG. 2). It is a chain line and is supplied to an example of the transport path of the present invention. Specifically, when the paper feed roller 15 is pressed against the paper on the paper feed tray 21 and the paper feed roller 15 rotates in this state, a frictional force between the roller surface of the paper feed roller 15 and the paper is obtained. Then, the uppermost sheet is sent to the separation inclined plate 211. The front end of the sheet comes into contact with the separation inclined plate 211 and is guided upward, and is fed into the conveyance path 65.

<Recording unit 24>
The recording unit 24 includes a carriage 40 that mounts the recording head 38 and reciprocates in the main scanning direction (direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 2). The recording head 38 is supplied with each color ink of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (Bk) from an ink cartridge (not shown). The recording head 38 ejects each ink as a minute ink droplet from a nozzle 39 provided on the lower surface thereof. When the carriage 40 reciprocates in the main scanning direction, the recording head 38 is scanned with respect to the sheet, and the sheet is conveyed on a platen 42 provided below the recording unit 24 and facing the recording unit 24. An image is recorded. The platen 42 supports the paper and defines an interval between the paper and the recording unit 24.

<First roller pair 58 and second roller pair 59>
A first roller pair 58 including a first conveying roller 60 and a pinch roller 61 is provided on the upstream side of the recording unit 24 in the conveying direction 65A. The pinch roller 61 is pressed against the roller surface of the first transport roller 60 by an elastic member such as a spring (not shown). The first roller pair 58 sandwiches the paper fed from the paper feed tray 21 and transported through the transport path 65 and feeds it onto the platen 42.

  Further, a second roller pair 59 (an example of the conveying unit of the present invention) including a second conveying roller 62 and a spur roller 63 is provided on the downstream side of the recording unit 24 in the conveying direction 65A. Similar to the pinch roller 61, the spur roller 63 is in pressure contact with the roller surface of the second transport roller 62. The second roller pair 59 sandwiches the sheet on which the image is recorded by the recording unit 24, and is downstream (the discharge tray 22 side) along the conveyance direction 65A (an arrow indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 2). Transport to.

  The first conveyance roller 60 and the second conveyance roller 62 are rotated by a rotational driving force transmitted from a conveyance motor (not shown) via a drive transmission mechanism. The drive transmission mechanism is composed of a planetary gear or the like. When the transport motor is rotated in one of forward rotation and reverse rotation (in this embodiment, normal rotation), the sheet and the media tray 71 described later are moved. When the conveyance motor is rotated in the conveyance direction 65A and the conveyance motor is rotated in the other direction (reverse rotation in this embodiment), the sheet and the media tray 71 are conveyed in the direction opposite to the conveyance direction 65A.

<Change in posture of first roller pair 58, second roller pair 59 and platen 42>
The first roller pair 58 and the second roller pair 59 can be changed in posture between a contact posture in which the pair of rollers are in contact with each other and a separation posture in which the pair of rollers are separated from each other. When the first roller pair 58 and the second roller pair 59 are in contact with each other, the sheet can be held and the sheet is conveyed along the conveyance path 65. On the other hand, when the first roller pair 58 and the second roller pair 59 are separated, the distance between the pair of rollers of each roller pair is an appropriate distance for sandwiching the media tray 71. Therefore, the first roller pair 58 and the second roller pair 59 can sandwich the media tray 71 when in the separated posture, and transport the media tray 71 along the transport path 65. In this embodiment, the pinch roller 61 and the second transport roller 62 which are lower rollers of the first roller pair 58 and the second roller pair 59 move downward, so that the first roller pair 58 and the second roller The pair 59 is changed in posture from the contact posture to the separated posture.

  The platen 42 can also move downward. When the platen 42 does not move downward, the interval between the platen 42 and the recording unit 24 is an interval through which the sheet can pass below the recording unit 24. On the other hand, when the platen 42 moves downward, the interval is an interval at which the media tray 71 can pass below the recording unit 24.

  The downward movement of the pinch roller 61, the second conveyance roller 62, and the platen 42 is, for example, the eccentric cam 140 and the support member 141 provided below each of the pinch roller 61, the second conveyance roller 62, and the platen 42. Executed by. The eccentric cam 140 is rotatably supported by a frame (not shown) constituting the housing 13 of the multifunction machine 10 with the left-right direction 9 as an axial direction. The eccentric cam 140 is a disk whose diameter from the shaft 142 changes periodically.

  In the present embodiment, the eccentric cam 140 is rotated by driving transmission from a motor (not shown). When the eccentric cam 140 is rotated, its peripheral surface is slid with respect to the support member 141. Since the diameter from the shaft 142 periodically changes on the peripheral surface of the eccentric cam 140, the support member 141 moves in the vertical direction 7 due to this change. As the support member 141 moves in the vertical direction 7, the pinch roller 61, the second conveyance roller 62, and the platen 42 are moved in the vertical direction 7.

  In FIG. 2, the positions of the pinch roller 61, the second transport roller 62, the platen 42, the eccentric cam 140, and the support member 141 in the separated posture are indicated by broken lines.

  The multi-function device 10 may be configured such that the interval between the platen 42 and the recording unit 24 can be changed by moving the recording unit 24 upward instead of the platen 42 moving downward. Further, the posture change of the first roller pair 58 and the second roller pair 59 is not limited to the method by the downward movement of the pinch roller 61 and the second transport roller 62. For example, the posture change may be performed by moving the first conveying roller 60 and the spur roller 63 upward.

<Media tray 71>
As described above, the multifunction machine 10 has a function of recording an image on the surface of a recording medium such as a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM medium. When an image is recorded on the surface of the recording medium, the recording medium is placed on the media tray 71 (in the present invention, the recording medium placed on the media tray 71 is the second transported medium). . In this embodiment, a case where a recording medium is placed on the media tray 71 will be described. However, a medium other than the recording medium, for example, a sheet, may be placed on the media tray 71.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the media tray 71 is made of resin and has a thickness of several millimeters (for example, 2 mm to 3 mm) in the vertical direction 7. Further, the media tray 71 has a length in the transport direction (front-rear direction 8) and a width direction (left-right direction 9) longer than the thickness (vertical direction 7), and the length in the transport direction is longer than the length in the width direction. . That is, the media tray 71 is a thin rectangular parallelepiped resin plate. On the upper surface 68 of the media tray 71, there is provided a media placing portion 69 which is a circular recess and on which a recording medium is placed. As shown in FIG. 3B, in the media tray 71, a protrusion 72 (an example of the protrusion of the present invention) may be provided at the front end in the front-rear direction 8 and at the center in the left-right direction 9. Further, the lower surface of the protrusion 72 in the vertical direction 7 and the lower surface of the media tray 71 are set to at least the same height. An embodiment for providing the protrusion 72 will be described later (see the second embodiment).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the media tray 71 is moved by the user of the multifunction machine 10 from the insertion opening 81 of the opening 12 of the multifunction machine 10 (an example of the insertion opening of the present invention) along the conveyance path 65 in the conveyance direction 65A. It is inserted in the insertion direction 70A which is the reverse direction. The insertion port 81 is a space between the second conveyance roller 62 and the spur roller 63 in the separated posture. In this case, the media tray 71 is directly inserted between the second transport roller 62 and the spur roller 63, and the lower surface of the media tray 71 is in contact with the second transport roller 62 (an example of a contact portion of the present invention). Touch. The insertion port 81 may be configured by a tray guide provided in the opening 12 for guiding the insertion of the media tray 71 when the media tray 71 is inserted. In this case, when inserting the media tray 71, the lower surface of the media tray 71 is inserted while sliding the upper surface of the tray guide.

<Recording Operation when Media Tray 71 is Used>
When the insertion of the media tray 71 is detected by a sensor (not shown), the first conveyance roller 60 and the second conveyance roller 62 are driven in reverse, and the pinch roller 61, the second conveyance roller 62, and the platen 42 move downward. Is done. Thereby, the posture of the first roller pair 58 and the second roller pair 59 is changed from the contact posture to the separation posture.

  When the inserted media tray 71 is sandwiched between the second roller pair 59, the media tray 71 is transported by the second roller pair 59 in the direction opposite to the transport direction 65A. As a result, the media tray 71 is sandwiched between the first roller pair 58 from the downstream side in the transport direction 65 </ b> A via the recording unit 24. The media tray 71 sandwiched between the first roller pair 58 and the second roller pair 59 is guided further upstream in the paper transport direction 65A.

  As a result, the recording medium placed on the media tray 71 is positioned upstream of the recording unit 24 in the sheet conveyance direction 65A. Then, the drive of the 1st conveyance roller 60 and the 2nd conveyance roller 62 is stopped once, and the rotation direction of the 1st conveyance roller 60 and the 2nd conveyance roller 62 is switched from reverse rotation to normal rotation. As a result, the media tray 71 is transported in the transport direction 65A, and the recording medium placed on the media tray 71 passes over the platen 42. Ink droplets are ejected from the recording head 38 onto the recording medium conveyed on the platen 42. As a result, an image is recorded on the surface of the recording medium. Thereafter, the media tray 71 is discharged out of the apparatus in the transport direction 65A.

<Paper Tray 21>
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the paper feed tray 21 includes a rectangular plate-like bottom 210 on which paper can be placed, a separation inclined plate 211, a front wall 212, and left and right side walls 213. It is formed in a box shape with the top opened.

  In the vicinity of the rear end portion of the left and right side walls 213 in the front-rear direction 8, the separation inclined plate 211 extending in the left-right direction 9 causes the paper feeding unit 14 to feed the paper placed on the paper feed tray 21 as described above (see FIG. 2). It has a function of guiding to the conveyance path 65 when feeding.

<Discharge tray 22>
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the paper discharge tray 22 includes a rectangular plate-shaped base portion 220 that can support the paper discharged from the second roller pair 59, and the paper tray 21 side from the front end of the base portion 220. And a front wall 222 that contacts the front wall 212 of the paper feed tray 21, and left and right side walls 223. The front wall 222 is supported from below by the front wall 212 of the paper feed tray 21, and is formed with substantially the same width dimension in the left-right direction 9 as the front wall 212 of the paper feed tray 21.

  The paper discharge tray 22 supports the image-recorded paper discharged by the second roller pair 59 on the paper discharge mounting surface 221 that is the upper surface of the base 220 in FIG. The paper discharge tray 22 functions as a lid for the paper feed tray 21. The paper discharge tray 22 can prevent dust from entering the paper feed tray 21 and damage of the paper, the loading surface, and the like when the paper feed tray 21 or the multifunction machine 10 is transported.

  The second roller pair 59 for discharging the sheet after image recording is disposed above the central portion of the tray body 20 in the front-rear direction 8, and the rear end of the base 220 is connected to the rear end portions of the left and right side walls 213. It is provided between the central portion in the direction 8. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, the rear end portion of the base 220 of the paper discharge tray 22 is positioned below the second roller pair 59 in a state where the tray body 20 is mounted on the multifunction machine 10. The paper after image recording discharged from the second roller pair 59 can be received by the paper discharge tray 22.

  The front wall 222 of the paper discharge tray 22 is in contact with the upper end of the front wall 212 of the paper feed tray 21 at the lower end in the vertical direction 7. The paper discharge tray 22 is held by the front wall 222 being supported by the front wall 212 of the paper feed tray 21.

<Auxiliary tray 23>
The auxiliary tray 23 includes a base portion 230 and a stopper portion 233 (an example of the support means of the present invention). The auxiliary tray 23 is accommodated in the discharge posture of the discharge tray 22 in FIG. The base 230 is moved from the front tip by sliding to the support posture shown in FIG. The auxiliary tray 23 supports the paper after image recording discharged from the second roller pair 59 together with the paper discharge tray 22 in the support posture. The auxiliary tray 23 is accommodated below the central portion in the left-right direction 9 of the base 220 of the paper discharge tray 22 in the accommodation posture.

  The base 230 has a support surface 231 that supports the paper discharged in the support posture as shown in FIG. An accommodation recess 232 for accommodating the stopper portion 233 is provided in front of the support surface 231 in the front-rear direction 8.

  The stopper portion 233 changes its posture depending on the housing posture housed in the housing recess 232 and the standing posture which is a posture standing up from the base 230 in the vertical direction 7 and the front-rear direction 8. Note that the stopper portion 233 is rotatably attached in the vicinity of the distal end of the base portion 230 in the front-rear direction 8, and rotates in the rotation direction 233A when the posture changes between the accommodation posture and the standing posture.

  Furthermore, the stopper portion 233 includes a support member 234 and an auxiliary roller 236 (an example of the rotating body of the present invention). Of the stopper portion 233, the support member 234 is rotatably attached to the base portion 230. The support member 234 supports the auxiliary roller 236 in a rotatable manner at the rotation tip in the rotation direction 233A.

  In the standing posture of the stopper portion 233, the leading end in the conveyance direction 65 </ b> A of the paper after image recording discharged from the second roller pair 59 comes into contact with the auxiliary roller 236, so that the paper from the paper discharge tray 22 and the auxiliary tray 23 can be removed. Prevent falling out.

  Further, in the state where the auxiliary tray 23 is in the support posture, even when the maximum length of the sheet in the front-rear direction 8 accommodated in the sheet feeding tray 21 is discharged, the sheet does not get over the top of the auxiliary roller 236. As described above, the length of the auxiliary tray 23 is set.

<Auxiliary roller 236>
An auxiliary roller that can rotate forward and backward (see FIGS. 7 and 8) around the rotation center 236C (intersection of two alternate long and short dash lines shown in FIG. 6) at the rotation tip of the support member 234 in the rotation direction 233A. 236 is installed. The auxiliary roller 236 is provided with a shaft hole 237 having a predetermined depth in the left-right direction 9. Further, the support member 234 is provided with a shaft 235 in the vicinity of its rotating tip. By inserting the shaft 235 into the shaft hole 237, the auxiliary roller 236 is supported at the rotating tip of the support member 234. Further, the auxiliary roller 236 has a function of supporting the media tray 71 in the support portion 236T (an example of the support portion of the present invention) (see FIG. 7) (this function will be described later). In the first embodiment, the support portion 236T is the apex of the auxiliary roller 236.

  Further, the auxiliary roller 236 has a guide portion 236X (an example of the guide portion of the present invention) that guides the media tray 71 in the discharge direction 70B when the media tray 71 is discharged, above the rotation center 236C in the vertical direction 7 (FIG. 8). And a sheet receiving portion 236Y (an example of the receiving portion of the present invention) (see FIG. 6) that comes into contact with the sheet on the lower side in the vertical direction 7 of the rotation center 236C. 7 and 8, the height of the auxiliary roller 236 in the vertical direction 7 is the same as the height of the top of the second transport roller 62 in the vertical direction of the support portion 236T (the auxiliary roller 236). The positioning range is set to be lower than the vertex) and higher than the rotation center 236C of the auxiliary roller 236. This positioning range is also a range between the upper end and the lower end of the guide portion 236X.

<Paper ejection operation>
Hereinafter, the operation of the paper discharge tray 22 and the auxiliary tray 23 when the image-recorded paper is transported in the transport direction 65A by the multifunction machine 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6A and 6B.

  As shown in FIG. 6A, the paper recorded by the recording unit 24 is conveyed by rotating each roller pair while being sandwiched between the first roller pair 58 or the second roller pair 59. It is conveyed in the direction 65A. As shown in FIG. 6B, the sheet released from the nipping by the second roller pair 59 is further downstream in the transport direction 65A due to the inertia of the direction of proceeding to the transport direction 65A due to the rotation of the second roller pair. It is conveyed. Eventually, the leading end of the sheet in the conveying direction 65A comes into contact with the sheet receiving portion 236Y of the auxiliary roller 236, and the inertia force is reduced. Then, due to its own weight, the paper falls to a position below the top of the second transport roller 62 in the vertical direction 7 and is stacked on the paper discharge tray 22.

<Media Tray 71 Insertion Operation>
7A, 7B and 7C, an image is recorded on a board surface such as a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM placed on the media tray 71 by the multi-function device 10. At this time, an operation of inserting the media tray 71 by the user will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 7A, when the media tray 71 is inserted into the multi-function device 10 through the insertion port 81, first, the media tray 71 is inserted into the support portion 236T of the auxiliary roller 236 provided in front of the apparatus in the front-rear direction 8. Once placed on top. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7B, the media tray 71 placed on the auxiliary roller 236 provided in front of the apparatus is inserted in the insertion direction 70A with the insertion port 81 as a target. The insertion direction 70A is a direction from the support portion 236T of the auxiliary roller 236 toward the insertion port 81, and is opposite to the conveyance direction 65A. At this time, since the auxiliary roller 236 is rotatably supported by the shaft 235, the auxiliary roller 236 is rotated in a direction 236A that assists the insertion of the media tray 71. Further, since the height of the auxiliary roller 236 in the vertical direction 7 is set in the positioning range, the height in the vertical direction 7 when the support portion 236T inserts the media tray 71 into the insertion port 81 is determined. .

  Then, as shown in FIG. 7C, when the media tray 71 is further inserted in the insertion direction 70A through the insertion port 81 and is sandwiched between the second roller pair 59, the insertion of the media tray 71 is completed. .

  As described above, when the media tray 71 is inserted into the insertion port 81 of the multifunction machine 10, the media tray 71 is supported by the support portion 236 </ b> T on the front side in the insertion direction 70 </ b> A (front in the front-rear direction 8). The support portion 236 </ b> T is a height positioning in the vertical direction 7 when the media tray 71 is inserted into the insertion port 81. Thereby, since the height of the insertion slot 81 can be easily grasped, it is easy for the user to insert the media tray 71, and the operability for the user is improved.

  Further, when the media tray 71 is inserted into the insertion port 81 of the multifunction machine 10, the auxiliary roller 236 rotates in the insertion direction, so that the insertion operation becomes smooth.

<Discharging operation of the media tray 71>
8A, 8B, and 8C, an image is displayed on the surface of a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or the like placed on the media tray 71 by the multi-function device 10 below. The operation of ejecting the media tray 71 by the multi-function device 10 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 8A, when the media tray 71 after image recording is sandwiched only by the second roller pair 59 and conveyed in the discharge direction 70B, the leading end of the media tray 71 in the discharge direction 70B (the present invention). An example of the front end portion of the auxiliary roller 236 abuts on the guide portion 236X. The discharge direction 70B is the opposite direction to the insertion direction 70A and the same direction as the transport direction 65A.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 8B, when the media tray 71 is further conveyed by the second roller pair 59, the leading end of the media tray in the discharge direction 70 </ b> B is supported via the guide portion 236 </ b> X of the auxiliary roller 236. Get over the part 236T. At this time, since the auxiliary roller 236 is rotatably supported by the shaft 235, the auxiliary roller 236 is rotated in a direction 236B that assists in ejecting the media tray 71.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 8 (c), the second roller until the media tray 71 gets over the support portion 236T via the guide portion 236X and further reaches the position when the insertion of the media tray 71 is completed. When the pair 59 rotates by a predetermined amount, the second roller pair finishes rotating and completes the ejection operation of the media tray 71. When the discharging operation is completed, the media tray 71 is supported by the second roller pair 59 and the support portion 236T.

  As described above, even when the media tray 71 is ejected, the auxiliary roller 236 rotates so as to assist in ejecting the media tray 71, so that an effect of smoothly performing the eject operation is achieved.

  Further, the height of the auxiliary roller 236 in the vertical direction 7 is such that the height of the vertex of the second transport roller 62 in the vertical direction 7 is lower than the support portion 236T (the vertex of the auxiliary roller 236). The positioning range is set to be above the rotation center 236C. This positioning range is the same as the height in the vertical direction of the guide portion 236X. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8A, even when the media tray 71 is ejected, even if the second transported medium comes into contact with the guide portion 236X in a state where the leading end in the ejection direction 70B hangs downward due to its own weight. The support unit 236T (guide) having a height higher in the vertical direction 7 than the top of the second transport roller 62 as well as the second roller pair 59 without interrupting the discharge operation and when the discharge operation of the media tray 71 is completed. Since the media tray 71 is supported by the upper end of the portion 236X, it is possible to prevent the media tray 71 from being dropped when the ejection operation is completed.

  Further, by providing the support portion 236T for supporting the media tray 71 at the apex of the auxiliary roller 236, even when a sheet exists on the paper discharge tray 22, printing of the recording medium using the media tray 71 is possible. This is possible (see FIG. 8C). This is because the discharged paper is below the path through which the media tray 71 passes during the insertion operation and the discharging operation (the path connecting the support portion 236T and the apex of the second transport roller 62 in the contact posture). This is because it is placed. Note that even if the maximum length of paper in the front-rear direction 8 accommodated in the paper feed tray 21 is discharged to the paper discharge tray 22, the length of the auxiliary tray 23 is set so that the paper does not get over the stopper portion 233. Is set.

  Therefore, since the path through which the media tray 71 passes is positioned above the placement position of the discharged paper, the media tray 71 is used even when the paper is being discharged onto the paper discharge tray 22. It is possible to record on a board surface such as a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM.

  In this embodiment, the auxiliary roller 236 is rotatably supported by the shaft 235. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The auxiliary roller 236 has the shaft 235, and the stopper portion 233 has the shaft hole 237. It may be provided. Further, the auxiliary roller 236 may not be rotatable.

  In this embodiment, the paper feed tray 21 and the paper discharge tray 22 are integrated to form the tray body 20. However, the paper feed tray 21 and the paper discharge tray 22 are not integrated and are separate from each other. It may be configured as.

  In the present embodiment, the recording medium placed on the media tray 71 is described as an example of the recording medium that is recorded by being inserted from the insertion port 81 into the insertion direction 70A. However, the present invention is not limited to this. A recording medium having a high rigidity with respect to the paper such as a cardboard or a card may be used. When using a recording medium having a high rigidity for recording, the recording medium is directly inserted into the insertion slot 81. Also good.

  In this embodiment, when the media tray 71 is ejected from the insertion port 81 in the ejection direction 70B, the stopper portion 233 is fixed as a support posture, but the tip of the media tray 71 in the ejection direction 70B is ejected. Sometimes, the stopper portion 233 may be further rotated in the discharge direction 70B by abutting and pushing the stopper portion 233. In this case, the stopper portion 233 falls in the discharge direction 70B, and the media tray 71 is supported from below by the auxiliary roller 236.

[Other embodiments]
In the first embodiment described above, the case where the auxiliary roller 236 is provided as an example for supporting the media tray 71 in the stopper portion 233 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various improvements can be made within the scope of the present invention. It is. Hereinafter, the second embodiment and the third embodiment will be described.

[Second Embodiment]
Below, the case where the stopper part 233 which has the inclined surface 242 is used as 2nd Embodiment is demonstrated using FIG. In addition, the same code | symbol is used for the same member. In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3B, the media tray 71 is provided with a protrusion 72 at the front end in the front-rear direction 8 and at the center in the left-right direction 9. As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the stopper portion 233 of this embodiment includes a support member 234, a sheet receiving portion 241, an inclined surface 242, and a support portion 240. .

  The sheet receiving unit 241 is supported from below in the vertical direction 7 by the support member 234, and two paper receiving units 241 are provided at intervals in the horizontal direction 9. In addition, the paper receiving unit 241 reduces the inertia of the paper by abutting on the leading end of the transported direction 65A of the discharged paper.

  The inclined surface 242 is provided between the two sheet receiving portions 241 in the left-right direction 9 and inclines from the front to the rear in the front-rear direction 8 as it is positioned from the lower side to the upper side in the vertical direction 7. Yes. Further, the width of the inclined surface 242 in the left-right direction 9 is set to be larger than the width of the protrusion 72 of the media tray 71 in the left-right direction 9. In addition, the length in the front-rear direction 8 between the tilt start point 242A that is the lower end portion of the tilted surface 242 in the up-down direction 7 and the tilt end point 242B that is the upper end portion is the length before and after the protrusion 72 of the media tray 71. It is set shorter than the length in the direction 8. In addition, an inclination end point 242B, which is an upper end portion of the inclined surface 242, is located rearward in the front-rear direction 8 with respect to the surface of the sheet receiving unit 241 that contacts the sheet, and has the same height as the sheet receiving unit 241. is there.

  Note that the height of the inclined surface 242 in the up-down direction 7 is such that the height of the apex of the second transport roller 62 in the up-down direction 7 is above the tilt start point 242A and below the tilt end point 242B. The positioning range is set (see dotted lines in FIGS. 9D and 9E). Further, the height of the tilt start point 242A in the up-down direction 7 is lower than the position where the tip of the discharge direction 70B hangs down due to the weight of the media tray 71 when the media tray 71 is not supported by the support portion 240 described later. There is a need.

  The support unit 240 is the upper surface of the sheet receiving unit 241 in the up-down direction 7 and supports the lower surface of the media tray 71 during the insertion operation and the ejection operation of the media tray 71.

  As shown in FIG. 9C, the sheet discharged by the second roller pair 59 proceeds in the transport direction 65A even after being released from the nipping by the second roller pair 59 by inertia. Then, the leading edge of the sheet in the sheet conveyance direction 65 </ b> A contacts the sheet receiving unit 241, so that the inertial force is reduced, the sheet falls by its own weight, and is stacked on the sheet discharge tray 22. .

  As shown in FIG. 9D, when the media tray 71 after image recording is sandwiched only by the second roller pair 59 and conveyed in the discharge direction 70B, the protrusion 72 in the discharge direction 70B of the media tray 71 is formed. It abuts on the inclined surface 242.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 9 (e), when the media tray 71 is further conveyed by the second roller pair 59, the protrusion 72 and the inclined surface 242 in the discharge direction 70B of the media tray come into contact with each other. The protruding portion 72 rises to the support portion 240 in the vertical direction 7, and the media tray 71 gets over the stopper portion 233 while being supported from the lower surface by the support portion 240. During the insertion operation, the media tray 71 is inserted in the insertion direction 70A while the lower surface of the media tray 71 is placed on the support portion 236T.

  As described above, the stopper portion 233 is provided at the center portion in the left-right direction 9, and is inclined from the front to the rear in the front-rear direction 8 as it is positioned from the lower side to the upper side in the vertical direction 7. An inclined surface 242 that contacts the protrusion 72 is provided. Further, the sheet receiving portion 241 is provided in parallel on the left and right of the inclined surface. By doing in this way, compared with the case where the paper receiving part 241 and the inclined surface 242 are provided in the state where they overlap each other, the height of the inclined surface 242 can be sufficiently obtained within a predetermined height. I can do it. In addition, since the media tray 71 is provided with a protrusion that contacts the inclined surface 242, it is possible to more reliably realize the contact of the paper and the contact of the media tray 71 within a predetermined height. Play.

  In 2nd Embodiment, although the case where only one inclined surface 242 was provided in the stopper 233 part was demonstrated, not only this but a plurality may be provided. Further, a plurality of protrusions 72 of the media tray 71 may be prepared according to the number of inclined surfaces 242.

  In the second embodiment, the inclined surface 242 is provided at the central portion in the left-right direction 9 of the stopper portion 233. However, the inclined surface 242 is not limited thereto, and may be disposed at a position deviated from the central portion in the left-right direction 9. Good.

  In the second embodiment, the support portion 240 is a flat surface. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the support portion 240 may be processed into a curved surface, or an auxiliary roller may be provided on the support portion 240.

[Third embodiment]
Below, the case where the stopper part 233 which has the inclined surface 252 is used as 3rd Embodiment is demonstrated using FIG. In addition, the same code | symbol is used for the thing of the same member. The third embodiment is different from the second embodiment in that the inclined surface 252 of the second embodiment is provided in the entire width of the stopper portion 233 in the left-right direction 9, and the groove portion is provided between the paper receiving portion 251 and the support member 234. The main point is that 251A is provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the stopper portion 233 of the third embodiment includes a support member 234, a sheet receiving portion 251, an inclined surface 252, and a support portion 250. ing.

  The paper receiving portion 251 is supported by a support member 234 and is provided so as to protrude rearward in the front-rear direction 8. Further, the paper receiving unit 251 is provided in order to reduce the inertia of the paper by causing the leading end of the discharged paper conveyance direction 65 </ b> A to contact the paper receiving unit 251. Further, since the sheet receiving portion 251 protrudes rearward, a groove portion 251A is formed at a portion where the sheet receiving portion 251 and the support member 234 intersect. In the groove portion 251A, for example, the discharged paper falls on the support member 234 without coming into contact with the paper receiving portion 251 and advances in the front-rear direction 8 while sliding on the support member 234 and enters the groove portion 251A. It is provided to reduce the inertia of the paper by making contact with it.

  The inclined surface 252 is provided to be inclined so as to rise from the upper end portion (inclination start point 252A) in the vertical direction 7 of the sheet receiving portion 251 toward the front in the front-rear direction 8. Further, the height of the inclined surface 252 in the vertical direction 7 is a positioning range in which the vertical height of the apex of the second transport roller 62 is above the inclination start point 252A and below the inclination end point 252B. (See dotted lines in FIGS. 10D and 10E). Further, the height of the tilt start point 252A in the up-down direction 7 is lower than the position where the leading end of the discharge direction 70B hangs down due to the weight of the media tray 71 when the media tray 71 is not supported by the support portion 250 described later. There is a need.

  The support portion 250 is provided as a plane at the same height in the vertical direction 7 as the inclined end point 252B behind the inclined end point 252B of the inclined surface 252. During the insertion operation and the discharging operation of the media tray 71, the media tray 71 is provided. Is supported from below.

  As shown in FIG. 10C, the sheet discharged by the second roller pair 59 advances in the conveying direction 65A even after it is removed from the nipping by the second roller pair 59 due to inertia. Then, the leading edge of the sheet in the sheet conveyance direction 65A abuts on the sheet receiving portion 251 and advances in the front-rear direction 8 while sliding on the support member 234, and enters and contacts the groove portion 251A, thereby reducing inertial force. However, the sheets are stacked on the paper discharge tray 22 by their own weight. In addition, the height in the up-down direction 7 of the inclined surface 252 and the height of the inclination start point 252A are the same as in the second embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 10D, when the media tray 71 after image recording is sandwiched only by the second roller pair 59 and conveyed in the discharge direction 70B, the leading end of the media tray 71 in the discharge direction 70B is inclined. It abuts at 252.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 10E, when the media tray 71 is further transported by the second roller pair 59, the leading end of the ejection direction 70B of the media tray 71 and the inclined surface 252 come into contact with each other. The tip of the discharge direction 70 </ b> B of the tray 71 rises up to the support portion 250 via the inclined surface 252 in the up-down direction 7, and the media tray 71 is supported from the lower surface by the support portion 250 so as to get over the support portion 250. Go. During the insertion operation, the media tray 71 is inserted in the insertion direction 70 </ b> A while the lower surface of the media tray 71 is placed on the support portion 250.

  In the third embodiment, the support portion 250 is a plane, but this is not restrictive. You may process into a curved surface, and you may provide an auxiliary roller in the support part 250. FIG.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Multifunction machine 11 Printer part 12 Opening 20 Tray body 21 Paper feed tray 22 Paper discharge tray 23 Auxiliary tray 233 Stopper part 236 Auxiliary roller 236C Rotation center 236T Support part 236X Guide part 236Y Paper receiving part 240 Support part 241 Paper receiving part 242 Inclination Surface 250 Support portion 251 Paper receiving portion 252 Inclined surface 59 Second roller pair 62 Second transport roller 71 Media tray 72 Projection portion 81 Insertion slot

Claims (4)

An accommodating portion capable of accommodating a sheet-like first transport medium;
Recording means for recording an image on the first transport medium and a second transport medium having a rigidity higher than that of the first transport medium;
A transport path through which the first transport medium and the second transport medium are transported during recording by the recording means;
In the transport path, the first transported medium and the second transported medium that have been recorded can be transported in a discharge direction that is a discharge direction, and the second transported medium can be transported in an insertion direction opposite to the discharge direction. Conveying means;
An insertion port that is located upstream of the transport unit in the insertion direction, and into which the second transport medium is inserted in the insertion direction toward the transport unit;
An abutting portion is provided to abut against the lower surface in the vertical direction of the second transport medium inserted in the insertion direction through the insertion port;
A support portion that is located at a position separated from the abutment portion to the upstream side in the insertion direction by a length equal to or longer than the length of the first transport medium having the maximum size accommodated in the housing portion and supports the second transport medium from below. When the second transport medium is transported in the discharge direction, the second transport medium is extended to the support portion so as to rise in the vertical direction from the upstream side toward the downstream side in the discharge direction. And a support means having a guide portion that comes into contact with the distal end portion of the discharge direction ,
An image recording apparatus characterized in that a position in the vertical direction of the contact portion is set between an upper end and a lower end of the guide portion . The support means is
A rotating body that is rotatable in a discharge direction and an insertion direction of the second transport medium;
The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an apex of the rotating body is a support portion. A mounting portion provided below the insertion port and capable of mounting the discharged first transported medium;
The support means is provided on the upstream side of the mounting portion in the insertion direction,
The support means further comprises a receiving portion with which a leading end portion of the first transport medium in the discharge direction abuts when the discharged first transport medium is transported in the discharge direction. 1
The image recording apparatus according to The receiving portion and the guide portion are provided in parallel in the left-right direction orthogonal to the up-down direction and the transport direction of the first transport medium and the second transport medium,
The protruding portion that is in contact with the guide portion and is longer than the length in the transport direction of the guide portion is provided at a downstream end portion in the discharge direction of the second transport medium. 4. The image recording apparatus according to 3 .

Images