JP6696556B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to the technical field of image forming apparatuses.

  In a serial-type inkjet image forming apparatus, an ink cartridge that is an ink storage unit is provided on the apparatus main body side, and ink is supplied from the ink cartridge to a recording head mounted on a carriage via a flexible ink tube. The scheme is used.

  In the above method, the recording head is arranged by arranging the middle part between the apparatus main body side of the ink tube and the connection part of the carriage so as to be movable as the carriage moves in the main scanning direction. A technology for downsizing is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  However, in the above-described related art, when the carriage moves to the end portion in the main scanning direction, in order to maintain the minimum bending radius of the ink tube, it is necessary to provide an arrangement space for the ink tube outside the carriage in the main scanning direction. is there. Then, it is necessary to enlarge the apparatus body in the main scanning direction (width direction) of the carriage, which leads to an increase in the size of the apparatus body.

  By the way, in recent years, in the ink jet type image forming apparatus, the density of the recording head has been increased, and the control board of the recording head has become large. However, contrary to the current situation, there is a demand from the market for a thinner device body in the vertical direction.

  For this reason, even if a large control board is mounted, there is a demand for a configuration in which the device main body can be made thinner in the vertical direction and the carriage can be made smaller in the main scanning direction, and the entire device can be made smaller. ..

  An object of one embodiment of the present invention is made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of downsizing the entire apparatus even when a large control board is mounted.

In view of the above problems, in one embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention,
A carriage that reciprocates in the main scanning direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the recording medium;
Is mounted on the carriage, and Symbol recording head for supplying liquid,
A flexible liquid supply pipe for supplying the liquid from the liquid cartridge to the recording head;
A substrate fixed to the carriage and electrically connected to the recording head ;
An image forming apparatus comprising: a flexible flat cable, the connecting controller in the image forming apparatus and the said substrate,
When at least the carriage is at one end of the main scanning direction, a part of the liquid supply pipe overlaps the substrate in the vertical direction .

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of downsizing the entire apparatus even when a large control board is mounted.

FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view illustrating an internal configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment. FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating an internal configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line I-I of FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing a state in which a carriage configuring the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment has moved to one end of a moving range in the main scanning direction. FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged plan view illustrating a state in which the carriage configuring the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment has moved to one end of a moving range in the main scanning direction. FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged plan view illustrating a state in which the carriage configuring the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment has moved to one end of a moving range in the main scanning direction. FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating a state in which the carriage forming the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment moves to the other end of the moving range in the main scanning direction. FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing a state in which the carriage configuring the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment moves to the other end of the moving range in the main scanning direction. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing an example of a mounting configuration of a flexible flat cable on a control board. FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating a configuration of an upper cover that constitutes the image forming apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment. FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating a different configuration of an upper cover that constitutes the image forming apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment.

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the examples described below. In the following description, the same or corresponding members or parts described in all the accompanying drawings will be denoted by the same or corresponding reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted. Moreover, the drawings are not intended to show relative ratios between members or components. Accordingly, the specific dimensions can be determined by one of ordinary skill in the art in light of the following non-limiting embodiments.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present invention is configured to effectively reduce the thickness of the main body of the apparatus in the vertical direction and shorten the main scanning direction of the carriage when mounting the large-sized control board for the recording head. .. Hereinafter, that point will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Overall structure>
First, the internal configuration of the image forming apparatus 100 according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view illustrating the internal configuration of the image forming apparatus 100 according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating the internal configuration of the image forming apparatus 100 according to this embodiment. For the sake of explanation, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a state in which an outer cover such as an upper cover of the image forming apparatus 100 and a mounting member are removed.

  The image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is a serial type inkjet recording system, and includes a sheet conveying unit inside.

  The sheet conveying means includes a conveying roller 2 that conveys the sheet in the conveying direction (arrow Y1-Y2 direction), a driven roller 3, a platen 1 that supports the sheet, a pressure plate 4 that presses the sheet against the platen 1, and a sheet machine. It is composed of a paper discharge roller 5 and a spur holder 6 which are conveyed to the discharge port. Of course, a drive source for driving the above rollers is also mounted.

  The carriage 7 constituting the image forming means is provided with an upstream guide member 10 and a downstream guide member 11 suspended in the left and right side plates 8 and 9 of the apparatus main body in the transport direction, and in the paper transport direction (arrow Y1-Y2 direction). It is assembled so as to be slidably guided in the orthogonal main scanning direction (arrow X1-X2 direction). Further, the main scanning motor 12 moves and scans via a timing belt 13 stretched between a driving pulley and a driven pulley. By the way, the position of the carriage 7 in the paper transport direction (arrow Y1-Y2 direction) is positioned by the upstream guide member 10.

  The carriage 7 carries a recording head 14. The recording head 14 serves as a droplet discharge head as an image forming unit that discharges droplets of each color of yellow (Y), cyan (C), magenta (M), and black (K), and ink to the droplet discharge head. Includes supply head tank (equivalent to liquid tank). In the recording head 14 having the above-described configuration, a nozzle row including a plurality of nozzles is arranged in a sub-scanning direction (arrow Y1-Y2 direction) orthogonal to the main scanning direction, and the recording head 14 is mounted so that the droplet ejection direction faces downward. ..

  An ink tube holding material 17 is attached to the outer side surface (arrow X1 side) of the carriage 7. An end of the ink tube holding material 17 on the upstream side (arrow Y1 side) in the transport direction is connected to the above-described ink tank.

  The flexible ink tube 15 (corresponding to a liquid supply tube) for supplying ink to the recording head 14 is attached and fixed by a tube fixing portion 16 on the apparatus main body side and an ink tube holding member 17 on the carriage 7 side. An end portion of the ink tube 15 on the apparatus body side is connected to an ink storage unit provided on the apparatus body. With the ink tube 15 having the above structure, ink can be supplied to the recording head 14 from the ink storage section provided in the apparatus main body.

  The above-described ink tube 15 is arranged such that a midway portion 150 between the tube fixing portion 16 and the ink tube holding member 17 is bent so that it can be moved as the carriage 7 moves.

  The ink tube 15 of the illustrated example is configured such that four tubes for supplying liquids of respective colors of yellow (Y), cyan (C), magenta (M), and black (K) are set as one set.

  Conventionally, the four tubes are bundled in groups of two, divided into two sets, and connected to the right end and the left end of the carriage 7, respectively. Then, when a paper jam occurs on the platen 1, at least the ink tube connected to the left side surface of the carriage is arranged on the platen 1, which makes it difficult to remove the paper. In the case of the present embodiment, the ink tubes 15 are a set of four tubes and are gathered on one side (outer side) of the carriage 7. Therefore, the carriage 7 has the right end portion (the right end portion of the moving range in the main scanning direction). The ink tube 15 is not arranged on the platen 1 when the ink tube 15 is on the arrow X1 side). Therefore, when a paper jam occurs, the user can easily remove the paper from the upper part of the apparatus main body.

  Incidentally, the present embodiment has a configuration in which the midway portion 150 of the ink tube 15 can be arranged at a position avoiding from just above the platen 1 even on the left end side (arrow X2 side) of the movement range of the carriage 7 in the main scanning direction. The point will be described later.

  On the downstream side (arrow Y2 side) of the carriage 7 in the transport direction, a control board 18 for the print head, which is connected to the print head 14, is provided horizontally to the carriage 7. As the control board 18 of the present embodiment, a large densified control board is used.

  An end of the control board 18 on the upstream side in the carrying direction (arrow Y1 side) is connected to the recording head 14, while a end on the downstream side in the carrying direction (arrow Y2 side) is connected to the flexible flat cable 19. .. The flexible flat cable 19 has a function of transmitting an electric signal between the carriage 7 and the apparatus main body side.

  The flexible flat cable 19 includes an upper portion 19a extending horizontally from the control board 18 in the forward direction of the carriage 7 (direction of arrow X2), a folded portion 19b folded downward from the upper portion 19a in a U-shape, and the folded portion. 19b and a lower portion 19c that horizontally extends in the backward direction of the carriage 7 (direction of arrow X1). The lower portion 19c is connected via a cable fixing portion 20 to a control portion arranged inside the apparatus main body.

  Therefore, the flexible flat cable 19 allows an electric signal relating to the operation of the carriage 7 and the recording head 14 to be transmitted from the control unit, and thus image formation can be performed. The flexible flat cable 19 having the above-described configuration has only one simple U-shaped folded-back portion and is laid around in the apparatus main body, so that there is an advantage that cost reduction can be achieved.

  The image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is characterized by a configuration that effectively realizes thinning of the apparatus main body in the vertical direction and reduction of the carriage 7 in the main scanning direction. The point will be specifically described below. First, a configuration for realizing vertical thinning of the apparatus body will be described.

(Vertical thinning)
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the carriage 7 that constitutes the image forming apparatus 100 according to this embodiment, and is a cross-sectional view taken along the line I-I of FIG. 2 in detail. The present embodiment is particularly characterized by the installation position of the large control board 18.

  The conventional large-sized control board is arranged horizontally on the upper surface of the recording head 14 or vertically on the side surface of the recording head 14. Therefore, the thickness of the main body of the apparatus in the up-down direction has become extra thick by the amount of the control board.

  The control board 18 of the present embodiment is horizontally connected to a position on the downstream side (arrow Y2 side) of the carriage 7 in the transport direction. That is, the control board 18 and the carriage 7 are arranged at positions displaced in the carrying direction, and the control device 18 is arranged in parallel with the carriage 7 in the horizontal direction.

  Therefore, the thickness of the main body of the apparatus in the vertical direction can be reduced by the height of the control board 18 as compared with the conventional case, so that the thickness can be reduced.

  The control board 18 of the present embodiment is arranged so that the upper surface position of the control board 18 is lower than the upper surface position of the recording head 14. Therefore, the height of the carriage 7 can be minimized to contribute to further reduction in thickness.

  In the illustrated example, the control device 18 is arranged on the downstream side (arrow Y2 side) in the carrying direction of the carriage 7, but may be arranged on the upstream side (arrow Y1 side) in the carrying direction.

(Reduction in main scanning direction)
Next, a configuration for reducing the apparatus main body in the main scanning direction of the carriage 7 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing a state where the carriage 7 has moved to the right end portion (arrow X1 side) of the movement range in the main scanning direction. FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged plan view illustrating a state where the carriage 7 has moved to the right end portion (arrow X1 side) of the movement range in the main scanning direction. FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged plan view illustrating a state in which the carriage 7 has moved to the right end portion (arrow X1 side) of the movement range in the main scanning direction.

  In the image forming apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the ink tube 15 is fixed to the carriage 7 by the ink tube holding material 17 provided on the outer side surface of the carriage 7, and the ink inlet 21 of the recording head 14 is provided. Connect to. At the end of the ink tube holding member 17 opposite to the ink inlet 21, a connecting portion 17a for connecting the end of the ink tube 15 on the carriage 7 side is provided.

  The mounting height position of the connecting portion 17a on the right side surface of the carriage 7 in the up-down direction (arrow Z1-Z2 direction) is below the lower end position of the control board 18 (arrow Z2 side).

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, when the carriage 7 is at the right end portion (the end portion on the arrow X1 side) of the movement range in the main scanning direction, the connecting portion 17a side of the ink tube 15 is located in the sheet conveying direction. It is configured to extend toward the downstream side (direction of arrow Y2), and the midway portion 150 is arranged at a position to sink under the control board 18. The midway portion 150 is gradually curved toward the central portion of the apparatus main body.

By arranging the ink tubes 15 as described above, it is possible to reduce the size of the apparatus main body in the main scanning direction (width direction). This point will be described with reference to FIGS.
That is, when the midway portion 150 of the ink tube 15 cannot be submerged under the control board 18 mounted on the carriage 7, the curved shape of the ink tube 15 becomes 15b as shown in FIG. 5, which is the outer side in the main scanning direction. It jumps out (on the side of arrow X1). On the other hand, when the ink tube 15 is arranged at a position under the control board 18, the curved shape of the ink tube 15 becomes the shape of 15a and does not bulge outward in the main scanning direction (arrow X1 side), so that the main body in the main scanning direction of the apparatus main body is not affected. It is possible to reduce the size.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6, when the connection end of the ink tube 15 is extended toward the outside (arrow X1 side) in the main scanning direction, the curved shape of the ink tube 15 becomes 15c, and the main scanning is performed. It approaches the outside of the direction greatly. On the other hand, when the connecting end portion of the ink tube 15 on the side of the connecting portion 17a is extended toward the downstream side in the transport direction (the arrow Y2 direction) along the right side surface of the carriage 7, the curved shape of the ink tube 15 is 15a. It becomes a shape. Then, it does not swell to the outside in the main scanning direction (arrow X1 side), and it is possible to reduce the size of the apparatus main body in the main scanning direction.

  Incidentally, the ink tube 15 needs to have a suitable thickness in order to prevent evaporation of water in the ink. Therefore, when the connection end portion of the ink tube 15 on the side of the connection portion 17a is bent, the reaction force from the ink tube twists the carriage 7, and an excessive reaction force may affect the accuracy of the reciprocating movement of the carriage 7. .. Further, the smaller the bending radius of the ink tube 15, the lower the bending durability of the ink tube.

  In the case of the present embodiment, when the ink tube 15 having the curved shape 15a is extended in the sheet conveying direction, the ink tube 15 is extended to the outer side in the main scanning direction with the curved shape of 15c. The bending radius of the ink tube near the holding material 17 can be increased. Therefore, there is an advantage that the carriage movement accuracy can be secured and the bending durability of the ink tube 15 can be improved.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment described above has been described in the state of being located at the right end of the moving range of the carriage 7 in the main scanning direction. Next, a state in which the carriage 7 is located at the left end of the moving range in the main scanning direction will be described.

  FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating a state in which the carriage 7 has moved to the left end portion (arrow X2 side) of the movement range in the main scanning direction. FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing a state where the carriage 7 has moved to the left end portion (arrow X2 side) of the movement range in the main scanning direction.

  As shown in the figure, when the carriage 7 is at the left end (arrow X2 side) of the movement range in the main scanning direction, the midway portion 150 of the ink tube 15 is arranged in a substantially S-shaped curve, and the position directly above the platen 1 is set. It is arranged to avoid it.

  This is because the position of the tip of the connecting portion 17a of the ink tube holding material 17 is at the position of the center line J (corresponding to the center position) of the platen 1 in the transport direction (arrow Y1-Y2 direction) or from the center line J. One of the factors is that it is arranged at the side position (arrow Y2 side). In the illustrated example, the example is shown in which the central line J is arranged.

  In the specific setting of the tip position of the connecting portion 17a, parameters such as the thickness and length of the ink tube 15 and the elastic force are taken into consideration so that the midway portion 150 can be arranged at a position avoiding the platen 1.

  Therefore, when the carriage 7 moves to the left end portion, the midway portion 150 can be reliably arranged at a position avoiding the platen 1.

  As described above, in the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, even if the carriage 7 moves to either the right end side (arrow X1 side) or the left end side (arrow X2 side) in the scanning direction, the ink tube is moved. The midway portion 150 of 15 can be arranged at a position avoiding from just above the platen 1. Therefore, when a paper jam occurs, the user can easily remove the paper from the upper part of the apparatus main body.

  Next, the moving range (space) when the flexible flat cable 19 and the ink tube 15 move in accordance with the reciprocating movement of the carriage 7 in the main scanning direction will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 8. FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing a state in which the carriage 7 has moved to the left end of the movement range.

  The conventional flexible flat cable is arranged on the upstream side (arrow Y1 side) of the upstream guide member 10 shown in FIG. 7, and is not arranged in the space on the moving range of the ink tube 15. Therefore, there is a problem that the entire device becomes large.

  In this embodiment, it is clear from the state of the right end (arrow X1 side) of the carriage 7 in the main scanning direction shown in FIG. 4 and the left end (arrow X2 side) of the carriage 7 in the main scanning direction shown in FIG. As described above, the flexible flat cable 19 having a U-shaped return shape is configured to horizontally move the vertical position of the ink tube 15. That is, the moving range of the flexible flat cable 19 that moves with the reciprocating movement of the carriage 7 is formed so as to sandwich the upper and lower sides of the ink tube 15. Therefore, the moving range of the flexible flat cable 19 partially overlaps the moving range of the ink tube 15 and shares the same space.

  Therefore, it is possible to contribute to downsizing of the main body of the image forming apparatus 100. In particular, it can contribute to shortening of the sheet transport direction (arrow Y1-Y2 direction).

  In the flexible flat cable 19 shown in FIG. 7, when the carriage 7 moves to the left end (arrow X2 side), the folded-back portion 19b slightly bends outward from the left end of the apparatus body. The flexible flat cable 19 may be attached to the control board 18 in a form as shown in FIG. 9 in order to solve the above-mentioned bending point. The point will be described below.

  FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a mounting configuration of the flexible flat cable 19 to the control board 18, showing a state in which the carriage 7 has moved to the left end portion (direction of arrow X2) of the movement range in the main scanning direction. FIG.

That is, the upper portion 19 a of the flexible flat cable 19 extends from the connection portion of the control board 18 along the upper surface 181 of the control board 18 in the outward direction of the carriage 7 (the direction of arrow X2) and the side surface of the control board 18. It is folded back along 182.
A cable holding member is provided along the lower surface 183 of the control board 18 in the backward direction of the carriage 7 (direction of arrow X1) and provided on the inner side (closer to the arrow X1) of the lower surface 183 of the control board 18. The portion 26 causes the carriage 7 to be bent again in the outward direction (arrow X2 direction).

  Then, when the carriage 7 moves to the left end of the moving range in the main scanning direction, the folded portion 19b formed on the flexible flat cable 19 is arranged in the lower area of the control board 18, and the control board 18 is provided. Does not bend outward in the main scanning direction. The “region under the control substrate” described in the claims and the specification is a region in the width direction of the control substrate 18, which is present under the control substrate 18.

  With the above-described configuration, the movable range of the flexible cable 19 can be further reduced, which can contribute to downsizing of the device body.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes a supply pipe guide integrally formed with an upper cover 22 (corresponding to an exterior component) at an upper portion of a moving region of the ink tube 15 in the main scanning direction. It is preferable that the portion 23 (corresponding to the guide portion) is provided. Further, it is preferable that a cable guide portion 24 (corresponding to a guide portion) integrally formed with the upper cover 22 is provided above the moving region of the flexible flat cable 19 in the main scanning direction. The supply pipe guide portion 23 and the cable guide portion 24 may be rail materials or rib materials. In short, any member may be used as long as it suppresses the upper surfaces of the ink tube 15 and the flexible flat cable 19.

  Since the supply tube guide portion 23 and the cable guide portion 24 are integrally formed with the upper cover 22, the running stability of the ink tube 15 and the flexible cable 19 during movement of the carriage can be secured at low cost. Further, in the illustrated example, the supply pipe guide portion 23 and the cable guide portion 24 are separate members, but they may be formed integrally.

  The supply pipe guide portion 23 and the cable guide portion 24 are not limited to the above, and as shown in FIG. 11, cushioning members 25 made of a foam material may be provided on the upper surfaces of the supply pipe guide portion 23 and the cable guide portion 24, respectively. . Then, it is possible to prevent an impact and an abnormal noise generated when the ink tube 15 and the flexible cable 19 come into contact with the supply tube guide portion 23 and the cable guide portion 24 when the carriage 7 reciprocates in the main scanning direction. Further, if a buffer member having a small friction coefficient is used, it is possible to prevent wear due to contact with the upper cover 22.

(Summary)
As described above, in the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, the large control board 18 is arranged in parallel at the position displaced in the transport direction with respect to the carriage 7. Therefore, as compared with the conventional example in which the control board 18 is arranged horizontally on the recording head 14 or vertically on the side surface of the recording head, the thickness of the apparatus main body in the vertical direction can be reduced by the height of the control board 18, so that it is thin. Can be realized.

  Further, the upper surface position of the control board 18 is arranged to be lower than the upper surface position of the recording head 14. Therefore, the height of the entire carriage 7 can be suppressed to the minimum, which can contribute to further reduction in thickness.

  In the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, when the carriage 7 is at the right end of the moving range in the main scanning direction, the connecting portion 17a side of the ink tube 15 extends toward the downstream side in the transport direction, and the middle portion. The configuration is such that 150 is arranged at a position passing under the control board 18. Therefore, when the carriage 7 is at the right end portion in the main scanning direction, the ink tube 15 does not bulge outward (right side) in the main scanning direction, so that the main body of the apparatus can be reduced in the main scanning direction.

  In the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, the tip end position of the connecting portion 17a of the ink tube holding material 17 is arranged at the center position of the platen 1 in the transport direction, or at the position closer to the control board 18 than the center position. . Then, when the carriage 7 is at the left end portion in the main scanning direction, the bending radius of the connection end portion of the ink tube 15 on the connection portion 17a side can be obtained to some extent, so that the intermediate portion 150 is arranged at a position avoiding the platen 1. it can. Therefore, when a paper jam occurs, the user can easily remove the paper from the upper part of the apparatus main body.

  In short, it is possible to realize an image forming apparatus in which the entire apparatus can be downsized even when a large control board is mounted, and the paper can be easily removed when the paper is jammed.

  Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. The present invention can be variously modified or changed in light of the appended claims. It should be added that the present invention can be implemented even when a small control board is mounted as the control board for the recording head.

1 Platen 2 Conveying Roller 3 Driven Roller 4 Pressurizing Plate 5 Paper Ejecting Roller 6 Spur Holder 7 Carriage 8 Left Side Plate 9 Right Side Plate 10 Carriage Upstream Side Guide Member 11 Carriage Downstream Side Guide Member 12 Main Scan Motor 13 Timing Belt 14 Recording Head 15 Ink tube (liquid supply tube)
16 Tube fixing part 17 Ink tube holding material (liquid supply pipe holding material)
18 Control board 19 Flexible flat cable 20 Cable fixing part 21 Ink inlet 22 Upper cover 23 Supply pipe guide part (guide part)
24 Cable guide part (guide part)
25 cushioning material 26 cable holding material 100 image forming apparatus

JP, 2009-83510, A

Claims (5)

A carriage that reciprocates in the main scanning direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the recording medium;
A recording head mounted on the carriage for supplying a liquid;
A flexible liquid supply pipe for supplying the liquid from the liquid cartridge to the recording head;
A substrate fixed to the carriage and electrically connected to the recording head;
An image forming apparatus comprising a flexible flat cable for connecting a control unit in the image forming apparatus and the substrate ,
An image forming apparatus, wherein a part of the liquid supply pipe overlaps the substrate in the vertical direction when at least the carriage is at one end in the main scanning direction. A carriage that reciprocates in the main scanning direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the recording medium;
A recording head mounted on the carriage for supplying a liquid;
A liquid supply pipe that deforms with the movement of the carriage and supplies the liquid from the liquid cartridge to the recording head;
A substrate fixed to the carriage and electrically connected to the recording head;
An image forming apparatus comprising a flexible flat cable for connecting a control unit in the image forming apparatus and the substrate,
At least when the carriage is at one end of the main scanning direction, the liquid supply pipe
Partly overlaps the substrate in the vertical direction
An image forming apparatus characterized by the above. It has four liquid supply pipes corresponding to each of yellow, cyan, magenta, and black liquids,
When at least the carriage is at one end in the main scanning direction, a part of each of the four liquid supply pipes overlaps the substrate in the vertical direction.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus. The lower surface of the substrate, an image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it is arranged above the nozzle surface of the recording head in the vertical direction. The substrate, the image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1, characterized in that the upper surface of the substrate are arranged in parallel with the conveying direction and the main scanning direction 4.

Images