JP6083201B2 - Medium support apparatus and recording apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a medium support apparatus and a recording apparatus that support a medium.

Conventionally, a medium support device for supporting a medium has been used. Among these, a medium support device that has a medium support portion that supports a medium and is capable of moving the medium support portion in the height direction is used. Many of such medium support devices are configured to be able to move the medium support portion in the height direction according to the thickness of the medium supported by the medium support portion, but the types of media continue to increase. Therefore, it is desired to provide a media support device that can use media having various thicknesses more than ever.

In particular, in a recording apparatus that includes a medium support device and performs recording by supporting a recording medium such as a fabric on the medium support device, there are many demands for using media of various thicknesses. Therefore, it is desired to adjust the height of the medium support portion with high accuracy. That is, it is desired to provide a medium support apparatus and a recording apparatus that can adjust the height of the medium support portion with high accuracy, particularly when using a thin medium, while a thick medium can be used. .

As a technique related to a medium support apparatus capable of adjusting the height of the medium support part, for example,
Patent Document 1 discloses a recording apparatus provided with an elastic body as a support member of a platen that supports a recording medium, and having a medium support portion that can change the degree of compression of the elastic body.

JP 2006-240107 A

However, although the recording apparatus of Patent Document 1 can adjust the height of the medium support portion by changing the degree of compression of the elastic body, the adjustable range is narrow and the usable media is limited. As described above, there has been no medium support apparatus that can adjust the height of the medium support portion with high accuracy, particularly when using a thin medium, while a thick medium can be used.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a medium support device that can adjust the height of a medium support portion with high accuracy, particularly when using a thin medium, while a thick medium can be used. .

The medium support apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems supports a medium directly or via another member, and a pin is provided on the side opposite to the side that supports the medium. A support base;
A support mechanism that supports the support base via the pins and is capable of moving the support base in a vertical direction, a base that can support the movement mechanism, and a spacer that is detachable between the movement mechanism and the base. The spacer has a size including a portion corresponding to a position on an extension line in the vertical direction of the pin in a direction intersecting the vertical direction.

Here, “supporting the medium directly or via another member” means that the support base also serves as a medium support portion for directly supporting the medium, and a case where another medium such as a medium support tray is used. This includes both of the cases of supporting the medium. In addition, the “vertical direction” here is a direction in which gravity is applied to the moving mechanism from the support base, and in addition to the vertical direction in a strict sense, a direction slightly inclined from the vertical direction in a strict sense is also included. Including meaning.

According to this aspect, the moving mechanism and the spacer are provided as means for moving the support base in the vertical direction. Therefore, when using a thin medium, the position of the support base can be adjusted in the vertical direction with high accuracy by the moving mechanism. When using a thick medium, the moving mechanism is adjusted after removing the spacer. By doing so, the position of the support base can be adjusted in the vertical direction.

Further, depending on the size of the spacer, the moving mechanism may be deformed and damaged by the weight of the support base and the medium supported by the support base. However, according to this aspect, the spacer has a size including a portion corresponding to a position on the vertical extension line of the pin in a direction crossing the vertical direction, so that the spacer secures the moving mechanism. It can be supported. For this reason, deformation and breakage of the moving mechanism can be suppressed.
The “size including a portion corresponding to the position on the extension line in the vertical direction” naturally includes the size including the position on the extension line in the vertical direction. Further, even if the size does not strictly include the position on the extension line in the vertical direction, if the size includes the vicinity of the position and has an effect of suppressing deformation and breakage of the moving mechanism, the size is also sufficient. included.

The medium support device according to a second aspect of the present invention is the medium support device according to the first aspect, wherein the moving mechanism is rotatable with the vertical direction as the direction of the rotation axis, and the support base is rotated in the vertical direction corresponding to the rotation. A movable rotation lever, and a stopper provided on the rotation lever and limiting a rotation range of the rotation lever by contacting the base, and the stopper is disposed between the movement mechanism and the base. It is possible to contact with the base portion regardless of whether or not the spacer is installed.

According to this aspect, a highly accurate moving mechanism can be configured with a simple configuration of a rotary lever, and a stopper that limits the rotation range of the rotary lever can be provided with a simple configuration without providing a separate new component. it can. Further, since the base can be contacted regardless of whether the spacer is installed between the moving mechanism and the base, the stopper can have a function as a stopper regardless of whether the spacer is installed. it can.

The medium support device according to a third aspect of the present invention is the medium support device according to the first or second aspect, wherein at least one of the spacer and the base has a display unit indicating a position in a vertical direction of the support base, and the movement The mechanism is provided on the rotary lever, which is rotatable on the vertical lever as the direction of the rotation axis and can move the support base in the vertical direction corresponding to the rotation. And a pointing unit for pointing the position of the support base in the vertical direction from the display unit at a position different from the vertical extension line.

Here, the “display unit indicating the position of the support base in the vertical direction” is not particularly limited as long as it displays information related to the position of the support base in the vertical direction. In addition to the name, numbers or alphabets may be displayed.
According to this aspect, the position of the support base in the vertical direction can be pointed out with a simple configuration and in a state that is easy for the user to see.

The medium supporting device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the medium supporting device according to the second or third aspect, wherein the spacer and the base have a rotation suppressing structure that suppresses rotation of the spacer relative to the base due to rotation of the rotating lever. It is characterized by having.

According to this aspect, it can suppress that the said spacer rotates with respect to the said base part with rotation of the said rotation lever. In particular, in the medium support device in which the display corresponding to the position in the vertical direction of the support base is the spacer, it is possible to prevent the user from mistaking the display as the spacer rotates.

In the medium supporting device according to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the spacer has a rotation fulcrum provided on the base, and the rotation fulcrum is supported on the rotation fulcrum. As described above, the spacer is made detachable between the moving mechanism and the base by rotating the spacer.

According to this aspect, the spacer can be detachably installed between the moving mechanism and the base portion with a simple configuration.

A recording apparatus according to a sixth aspect of the present invention includes any one of the first to fifth medium support devices, and a recording unit that performs recording on a medium supported by the medium support device. And

According to this aspect, while it is possible to use a thick recording medium, it is possible to adjust the height of the support base with high accuracy, particularly when using a thin recording medium.

1 is a schematic perspective view of a recording apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 1 is a schematic front view of a recording apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of a medium support device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 1 is a side view of a medium support device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 1 is a side view of a medium support device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The top view showing the positional relationship of the pin and rotation lever which concern on Example 1 of this invention. The top view showing the positional relationship of the pin and spacer which concern on Example 1 of this invention. The front view showing the position in the height direction of the stage which concerns on Example 1 of this invention. The front view showing the position in the height direction of the stage which concerns on Example 1 of this invention. The side view of the medium support apparatus which concerns on Example 2 of this invention.

Hereinafter, a recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Further, in the following embodiments, description is made using a recording apparatus provided with a medium support device. However, the medium support apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the medium support apparatus provided in the recording apparatus.
In the following embodiments, an ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording by ejecting ink from a recording head will be described as the recording apparatus. However, the recording apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the ink jet recording apparatus.

[Example 1] (FIGS. 1 to 9)
First, the recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention will be described.
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a recording apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the recording apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
The recording apparatus 1 of this embodiment includes a medium transport unit 3 that transports the medium supported by the medium support unit 2 in the transport direction A. The medium support unit 2 includes a tray 4 as a medium support tray that supports the medium, and a stage 5 as a support base that supports the tray 4. The tray 4 moves in the height direction C, which is also the vertical direction, by rotating a rotating lever 6 as a moving mechanism of the medium support unit 2. The height direction C is a direction in which gravity is applied from the medium support unit 2 to the rotary lever 6, and is a vertical direction in a strict sense in the recording apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, but is a vertical direction in a strict sense. The direction may be slightly inclined.
In the recording apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the stage 5 as a support base is configured to support the medium via the tray 4, but the support base may directly support the medium and also serve as the medium support unit. .

In addition, a recording head (not shown) as a recording unit is provided inside the main body of the recording apparatus 1. The recording apparatus 1 according to the present exemplary embodiment ejects ink from the recording head to the medium supported by the medium support unit 2 while reciprocating the recording head in the scanning direction B that intersects the conveyance direction A, thereby obtaining a desired image. Form. Note that the recording apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is on the front side in FIG. 1 (lower left direction).
Is the set position of the medium on the medium support 2. The recording apparatus 1 moves the medium support unit 2 on which the medium is set from the set position to the recording start position on the back side (upper right direction) in FIG. 1, and then moves the medium support unit 2 to the near side in FIG. 1. Record while. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the medium support unit 2 is at the recording start position.

Next, a medium support apparatus that is a main part of the recording apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the invention will be described.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the medium support device 7 that is a main part of the recording apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the invention.
The medium support device 7 of this embodiment includes a stage 5, a rotation lever 6, an arm 8 as a base that can support the rotation lever 6, and a lower tray 9 that serves as a skirt for the medium. In addition, a detachable spacer 10 is provided between the rotary lever 6 and the arm 8. The medium supporting device 7 further includes a tray 4 that supports the medium in a detachable manner, but FIG. 3 shows a state in which the tray 4 is removed.

The stage 5 that constitutes the medium support unit 2 is provided with three pins 11 that protrude to the lower side opposite to the upper side, which is the side that supports the medium. The pin 11 is supported by a stepped support portion 12 provided on the rotation lever 6. The user holds the handle portion 13 provided on the rotation lever 6 and rotates the rotation lever 6 in a direction crossing the height direction C. By doing so, the position in the height direction C of the pin 11 supported by the step-like support portion 12 varies, and accordingly, the position in the height direction C of the stage 5 (medium support portion 2) varies. In other words, the rotary lever 6 can rotate with the height direction C as the direction of the rotation axis, and can move the stage 5 in the height direction C corresponding to the rotation. The rotating lever 6 is provided with a stopper 14 that limits the rotation range of the rotating lever 6 by contacting the arm 8.
The stage 5 has columnar portions 21 and 22 and is positioned in the horizontal direction by passing the columnar portions 21 and 22 through holes provided in the arm 8.

Next, attachment / detachment of the spacer 10 in the recording apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the invention will be described.
FIG. 4 is a side view of the medium support device 7 that is a main part of the recording apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the invention, and shows a state in which the spacer 10 is attached to the medium support device 7.
The spacer 10 is mounted between the rotary lever 6 and the arm 8. In the recording apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the spacer 10 is mounted when a medium having a relatively small thickness in the height direction C is used as a recording medium. When recording on a thin recording medium, the user attaches the spacer 10 to the medium support device 7, holds the handle portion 13 of the rotation lever 6, and rotates the rotation lever 6 with high accuracy. It is possible to make adjustments.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the medium support apparatus 7 that is a main part of the recording apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the invention, and shows a state where the spacer 10 is removed from the medium support apparatus 7.
When recording on a recording medium having a relatively large thickness in the height direction C, the user removes the spacer 10 from the medium support device 7 and holds the handle portion 13 of the rotation lever 6 to rotate the rotation lever 6.
By rotating the, it is possible to adjust the height of the stage 5 with high accuracy. In the recording apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the spacer 10 is configured to be detachable from the medium support device 7 so that the spacer 10 can be removed and a thick medium can be used. Adjustment is possible.
An advantage of using the spacer is that, when a thick recording medium is used, it is possible to avoid damage to the recording head due to the recording medium contacting the recording head. Further, there is no need for a special mechanism for adjusting the height of the recording medium, and the structure can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

In the recording apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the stopper 14 can come into contact with the arm 8 in both the state where the spacer 10 is attached to the medium support device 7 and the state where the spacer 10 is removed from the medium support device 7. It has a configuration. That is, the stopper 14 can contact the arm 8 regardless of whether the spacer 10 is installed between the rotary lever 6 and the arm 8. With such a configuration, the stopper 14 has a function as a stopper regardless of whether the spacer 10 is installed.

Next, the positional relationship between the three pins 11 provided on the stage 5 in the recording apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the rotating lever 6 and the spacer 10 will be described.
FIG. 6 is a plan view of the main part of the recording apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and shows the positional relationship between the pin 11 and the rotating lever 6.
The three pins 11 are all supported by a stepped support 12 provided on the rotary lever 6. Since the support portion 12 has a stepped shape, the user can move the stage 5 in the height direction C corresponding to the rotation by rotating the rotary lever 6 while holding the handle portion 13. That is, the height of the stage 5 is determined according to the movement amount (rotation amount) of the handle portion 13.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the main part of the recording apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the invention, and shows the positional relationship between the pins 11 and the spacers 10.
The three pins 11 are all supported on the spacer 10 via the rotation lever 6. In other words, the spacer 10 has a pin 11 in a direction intersecting the height direction C.
It is a magnitude | size including the part corresponding to the position on the extension line | wire of the height direction C in FIG. For this reason, deformation and breakage of the rotating lever 6 can be suppressed. The size of the spacer 10 is the pin 11
If the size does not include a portion corresponding to the position on the extended line in the height direction C, a downward force is applied to the rotary lever 6 at a position where the spacer 10 is not supported. In this case, since the member supporting the rotating lever 6 is not on the lower side, the rotating lever 6 is likely to be deformed and damaged.

Note that the size of the pin 11 including the portion corresponding to the position on the extension line in the height direction C has the effect of suppressing deformation and breakage of the rotary lever 6, so that the position on the extension line in the height direction C is determined. Even if it is a size that does not include strictly, a size that includes the vicinity of the position is included.
Even if it is a size that does not strictly include the position on the extension line in the height direction C, it may be effective to suppress deformation and breakage of the rotating lever 6 as long as it includes a portion in the vicinity of the position. Because there is.

Further, the arm 8 of the recording apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is provided with a fitting portion 15 into which the rotary lever 6 and the spacer 10 can be fitted. And the fitting part 15 is provided with the flat part 16 in part, and the spacer 10 is also partly flat corresponding to this. The fitting portion 15 and a part of the spacer 10 are flattened, and the flat portions of both are fitted together to prevent the spacer 10 from rotating with respect to the arm 8 when the rotary lever 6 is rotated. That is, the spacer 10 and the arm 8 have a rotation suppression structure that suppresses the rotation of the spacer 10 relative to the arm 8 accompanying the rotation of the rotary lever 6.

With such a configuration, it is possible to suppress the spacer 10 from rotating with respect to the arm 8 as the rotary lever 6 rotates. In particular, the recording apparatus 1 of this embodiment includes a stage 5
The display unit 17 indicating the position in the height direction C is provided in the spacer 10. In such a configuration, the user can prevent the user from mistaking the display unit 17 by rotating the spacer 10. Can do. Although the recording apparatus 1 of the present embodiment has a structure in which the fitting portion 15 and the spacer 10 are provided with a flat portion as the rotation suppressing structure, the invention is not limited to such a structure. For example, the fitting portion 15 and the spacer 10 A structure in which a convex portion and a concave portion are provided on the surface may be used.

Next, the display unit 17 corresponding to the position in the height direction C of the stage 5 provided in the spacer 10 in the recording apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and the height direction of the stage 5 provided in the rotary lever 6. The instruction unit 18 that indicates the position in C from the display unit 17 will be described.

8 and 9 are main part front views of the recording apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the invention.
It is a figure showing the state which the instruction | indication part 18 points out the position in the height direction C from the display part 17. FIG.

In the recording apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the display unit 17 corresponding to the position in the height direction C of the stage 5 is provided on the spacer 10. Numbers 1 to 8 are displayed on the display unit 17 in the recording apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, and the larger the number, the thicker the medium (the larger the number, the lower the position in the height direction C of the stage 5 is. Become). In FIG. 8, the instruction unit 18
The numeral 1 is pointed to, which indicates a state corresponding to a thin medium. In addition, although the number is displayed on the display part 17 of a present Example, if this display is a display corresponding to the position in the height direction C of the stage 5, it will not specifically limit. That is, it is not particularly limited as long as it represents information on the position of the stage 5 in the height direction C. For example, in addition to the name of the medium to be used, an alphabet or the like may be displayed.

Further, in the recording apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the rotary lever 6 includes the handle portion 1 of the rotary lever 6.
3 is provided at a position different from the extension line in the height direction C in FIG. 3 to indicate the position in the height direction C of the stage 5 from the display unit 17. With such a configuration, the position of the stage 5 in the height direction C can be pointed out with a simple configuration and in a state that is easy for the user to see. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration.

In FIG. 9, numeral 8 is indicated by the instruction unit 18, and a state corresponding to a medium thicker than the medium used in the state of FIG. 8 is shown. Further, the recording apparatus 1 of this embodiment can cope with a medium thicker than the medium used in the state of FIG. 9 by removing the spacer 10. In the recording apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the display unit 17 is provided on the spacer 10, but the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the display unit 17 may be provided on the arm 8. Good.

[Example 2] (FIG. 10)
Next, a recording apparatus according to the second embodiment of the invention will be described.
FIG. 10 is a side view of the medium support device 7 that is a main part of the recording apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment of the invention. In addition, the structural member which is common in Example 1 is shown with the same code | symbol, and abbreviate | omits detailed description.

The arm 8 of the medium support device 7 of the present embodiment is provided with a rotation fulcrum 19, and the spacer 1
0 and the rotation fulcrum part 19 are connected via a connection part 20. Medium support device 7 of this embodiment
Can rotate the connecting portion 20 and the spacer 10 with the rotation fulcrum 19 as a rotation axis (fulcrum) and the height direction C as the direction of the rotation axis. Specifically, the spacer 10 can be rotated via the connecting portion 20 by once removing the stage 5 and the rotation lever 6. With such a configuration, the spacer 10 can be detachably installed between the rotary lever 6 and the arm 8 with a simple configuration.

1 recording device, 2 medium support section, 3 medium transport section, 4 tray (medium support tray),
5 stage (support), 6 rotation lever (movement mechanism), 7 medium support device,
8 arms, 9 lower tray, 10 spacers, 11 pins, 12 support parts,
13 handle part, 14 stopper, 15 fitting part, 16 flat part,
17 display part, 18 indicating part, 19 rotation fulcrum part, 20 connecting part, 21 columnar part,
22 Columnar part

Claims (5)

A support base that supports the medium directly or via another member, and a pin is provided on the side opposite to the side that supports the medium;
A support mechanism for supporting the support base via the pins, and a movement mechanism capable of moving the support base in a vertical direction;
A base capable of supporting the moving mechanism;
A removable spacer between the moving mechanism and the base,
The spacer is in the direction intersecting the vertical direction, Ri magnitude der including a portion corresponding to a position on an extension line of the vertical direction in the pin,
The moving mechanism is
A rotation lever that can rotate with the vertical direction as the direction of the rotation axis, and can move the support base in the vertical direction in response to the rotation;
A stopper provided on the rotating lever and limiting a rotation range of the rotating lever by contacting the base,
The medium support device according to claim 1, wherein the stopper can contact the base portion regardless of whether the spacer is installed between the moving mechanism and the base portion . A support base that supports the medium directly or via another member, and a pin is provided on the side opposite to the side that supports the medium;
A support mechanism for supporting the support base via the pins, and a movement mechanism capable of moving the support base in a vertical direction;
A base capable of supporting the moving mechanism;
A removable spacer between the moving mechanism and the base,
The spacer is a size including a portion corresponding to a position on an extension line in the vertical direction of the pin in a direction intersecting the vertical direction,
At least one of the spacer and the base has a display unit indicating a position in the vertical direction of the support base,
The moving mechanism is
A rotation lever that is rotatable with the vertical direction as the direction of the rotation axis and is capable of moving the support base in the vertical direction corresponding to the rotation;
An indicator that is provided on the rotary lever and points at a position in the vertical direction of the support base from the display unit at a position different from a vertical extension line of a handle portion of the rotary lever. Media support device. The medium support device according to claim 1 or 2 ,
The medium support device according to claim 1, wherein the spacer and the base have a rotation suppression structure that suppresses rotation of the spacer relative to the base due to rotation of the rotating lever. A support base that supports the medium directly or via another member, and a pin is provided on the side opposite to the side that supports the medium;
A support mechanism for supporting the support base via the pins, and a movement mechanism capable of moving the support base in a vertical direction;
A base capable of supporting the moving mechanism;
A removable spacer between the moving mechanism and the base,
The spacer has a size that includes a portion corresponding to a position on an extension line in the vertical direction of the pin in a direction intersecting the vertical direction , and has a rotation fulcrum portion provided on the base, and the rotation fulcrum portion By rotating the spacer about the fulcrum, the medium supporting device can be attached and detached between the moving mechanism and the base. The medium support device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 ,
And a recording unit that performs recording on a medium supported by the medium support device.

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