JPH06297798A - Paper guide device of printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent paper from rising in its end surface by bring the end surface of paper being in the region except printing into close contact with the platen or paper transportation path, and disposing a guide member movable to the width direction of paper, and permitting the guide member to be moved in accordance with the size of paper. CONSTITUTION:The printing head 10 of an ink jet printer works to effect printing in a manner spouting ink onto the paper on the platen 12. A carriage 20 having the printing head 10 mounted thereon is permitted to reciprocate by a motor 24 via a belt 26. Furthermore, on the carriage 20, there is provided a paper width sensor 30 that acts to detect both the end positions of paper 13 delivered from a paper feed cassette 80. Also, between the platen 12 and the carriage 20, a paper guide device 52 is Installed. In this case, on the paper guide device 52, a pair of paper guides 60 are provided in a manner crossing over the platen 12. Then, each paper guide 60 is moved to the paper width direction by the use of a spline shaft 68 that rotates via a gear train 76 by a motor 74.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a paper guide device of a printer for guiding a paper from a print position or an upstream side of the print position to a downstream side of the print position.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, ink jet printers for printing characters and symbols on various recording media such as printing paper and film sheets for overhead projectors using liquid printing ink are well known. By the way, recently
A hot-melt ink jet printer has been proposed in which a solid ink that is solid at room temperature, for example, a hot-melt ink is heated and melted while being ejected onto a recording medium to print, thereby improving printing quality.

However, when printing is performed using this hot melt ink, the amount of hot melt ink ejected from the print nozzle of the print head is very small, so immediately after a very small amount of ink from this nozzle adheres to the recording medium. However, since a small amount of heat possessed by the ink itself is instantly taken away by the recording medium and air, the adhered ink immediately solidifies in a substantially hemispherical raised state due to its high viscosity. Therefore, conventionally, as shown in FIG. 7, a heater 118 is attached to a platen 116 arranged at a position facing a carriage 112 having a print head 110 mounted thereon, and a recording medium conveyed to the platen 116 is conveyed. The paper 114 is contacted and heated to heat and melt the hot melt ink on the paper 114.

Further, a plurality of suction holes 120 are provided on the sheet conveying path adjacent to the platen 116 so that the sheet 114 conveyed to the platen 116 surely contacts the platen 116. Also, platen 1
On the downstream side of 16, there is provided a cooling chute 124 having a plurality of suction holes 122 for quickly solidifying the hot melt ink printed on the paper 114. The purpose of the suction holes 122 is to ensure that the printed printed paper 114 is brought into contact with the cooling chute 124.

The internal structure of the suction holes 120, 122 is connected to the suction holes 120, 122, and the platen 11 includes a fan holder 126 made of synthetic resin or the like having excellent airtightness.
6 and the rear surface of the cooling chute 124, and the fan motor 12 is provided at the rear end of the fan holder 126.
A fan 130 driven by 8 is attached. Therefore, by driving the fan motor 128, the fan 1
Since the air in the fan holder 126 is exhausted to the outside of the machine by the rotation of the fan 30, negative pressure is generated in the fan holder 126, so that the paper 114 conveyed on the platen 116 is conveyed.
Is closely attached to the platen 116 and the cooling chute 124 via the suction holes 120 and 122.

[0006]

However, in the conventional ink jet printer described above, the paper 114 is conveyed while being in contact with the heated platen 116.
Since only the back surface of the paper 114 that contacts the platen 116 is rapidly heated, only the back surface of the paper 114 is rapidly dried, and due to the difference in water content between the printing surface and the back surface of the paper, The paper is floating. Depending on the size of the paper, the suction holes 120 and 122 may cause the paper 11
When the end surface of No. 4 is off, floating may occur on the end surface of the paper 114. Therefore, the paper 114 is caught by the carriage 112 having the print head 110 mounted thereon, and the paper 114 is torn or the print head 110 is damaged.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and a movable guide member that is movable in the width direction of a sheet is moved according to the sheet size to prevent the edge of the sheet from floating. It is an object to provide a paper guide device for a printer.

[0008]

In order to achieve this object, a paper guide device for a printer of the present invention is a paper guide device for guiding a paper from a print position or an upstream side of the print position to a downstream side of the print position. In addition, the end surface of the paper outside the printing area is brought into close contact with the platen or the paper transport path, and a movable guide member that is movable in the width direction of the paper is provided.

[0009]

In the paper guide device of the printer of the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, the movable guide member is adjusted to the size of the paper and moved in the width direction of the paper so that the end surface of the paper outside the printing area is placed on the platen or the paper conveyance path. While closely contacting each other, the paper is guided from the printing position or the upstream side of the printing position to the downstream side of the printing position.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment in which the paper guide device of the present invention is mounted on an ink jet printer will be described below with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 1, an ink jet head (print head) 10 has a plurality of main color inks 11 melted therein, and ejects the necessary color inks 11 onto a paper 13 on a platen 12 to form a paper. 13 is recorded. As shown in FIG. 4A, the inkjet head 10 includes a nozzle 14 filled with the ink 11, a head heater 15 for heating the ink 11, and a piezoelectric element 16 arranged on the wall surface of the nozzle 14. Further, the ink 11 on the surface of the inkjet head 10 does not go out of the inkjet head 10 due to surface tension.

In order to control the ink jet printer, when the head control circuit 18 applies a voltage to the piezoelectric element 16 by a print command from the control unit 17 including a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., the piezoelectric element 1
6 deforms and presses the ink 11 in the nozzle 14. Figure 4
As shown in (b), the compressed ink 11 jumps out of the inkjet head 10 and adheres to the paper 13 to form dots on the paper 13. Further, the deformation amount of the piezoelectric element 16 changes depending on the applied voltage amount. Therefore, if the voltage amount is lowered, the deformation amount of the piezoelectric element 16 is small and the ink amount ejected to the outside of the inkjet head 10 is small.
Further, the ink amount can be increased by increasing the voltage amount.

Further, as a means for judging whether the ejected dot is the main color or the mixed color, the control unit 17 has print image data, and the ink of the main color required for each dot is printed. Select and send a print command to the inkjet head 10.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a carriage 20 having the ink jet head 10 mounted thereon is supported by two guide shafts 22 and is carried by a carriage motor 24 via a timing belt 26. Paper 13
It is arranged so as to be able to reciprocate in the direction perpendicular to the carrying direction.

The carriage 20 has a paper feed cassette 8 which will be described later.
A paper width sensor 30 is provided to detect the positions of both ends of the paper 13 conveyed from 0. The paper width sensor 30 is an optical sensor that combines a light emitting diode and a phototransistor. A pair of black felts 34 are provided on the paper conveyance path at a position facing the paper width sensor 30 on the upstream side of the platen 12, and are arranged so as to straddle both ends of the paper 13. Paper 13
Passes on the paper conveyance path between the paper width sensor 30 and the felt 34. By moving the carriage 20 having the paper width sensor 30 back and forth by the carriage motor 24 in the direction perpendicular to the paper conveyance direction, the paper width sensors 30 on the carriage 20 detect the positions of both ends of the paper 13. It The paper width sensor 30 detects the difference in light reflectance between the paper 13 and the felt 34, and the control unit 17 determines the positions of both ends of the paper 13 to be printed.

A heater 36 is attached to the platen 12 arranged at a position facing the ink-jet head 10, and a thermistor 38 is attached to the platen 12 to detect the heating temperature of the heater 36. It is installed. The platen 12 contacts and heats the paper 13 conveyed to the platen 12, and heats and fixes the ink 11 on the paper 13.

Further, a plurality of suction holes 40 are provided on the sheet conveying path adjacent to the platen 12 so that the sheet 13 conveyed to the platen 12 surely contacts the platen 12. A cooling chute 44 having a plurality of suction holes 42 is provided on the downstream side of the platen 12 in order to quickly solidify the ink 11 printed on the paper 13. The purpose of the suction holes 42 is to ensure that the printed printed sheet 13 is brought into contact with the cooling chute 44.

The internal structure of the suction holes 40 and 42 communicates with the suction holes 40 and 42, and a fan holder 46 made of synthetic resin or the like having excellent airtightness is provided on the platen 12 and the rear surface of the cooling chute 44. Provided with this fan holder 4
A fan 50 driven by a fan motor 48 is attached to the rear end of the fan 6. Therefore, the fan motor 4
The fan 50 is rotated by the drive of 8 and the fan holder 4
Since the negative pressure is generated in the fan holder 46 by exhausting the air inside 6 to the outside of the machine, the sheet 13 conveyed onto the platen 12 is sucked through the suction holes 40 and 42 to the platen 1.
2, and is closely attached to the cooling chute 44.

Platen 12 and inkjet head 10
The paper guide device 52 of the present invention is disposed between the carriage 20 and the carriage 20 so as to straddle the platen 12 vertically.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in the paper guide device 52 of the present invention, a front chute 54 made of an iron plate is provided between the platen 12 and the carriage 20 on which the ink jet head 10 is mounted. Front shoot 54
A plate spring 56 for closely contacting the sheet 13 to the platen 12 is attached to the sheet by spot welding. Further, a guide plate 58 is attached to the front chute 54 by spot welding in order to guide the lower end of a paper guide 60 described later. The lower end of the sheet guide 60, which will be described later, is moved to the left and right by a driving means, which will be described later, using a gap formed between the leaf spring 56 and the guide plate 58 as a rail.

A pair of sheet guides 60 made of an iron plate are provided so as to straddle the platen 12 vertically. A bearing plate 62 is attached to the upper end of the paper guide 60 by spot welding in order to guide the upper end of the paper guide 60. The bearing plate 62 is a U-shaped iron plate, and has round holes 64 and 66 formed on both side surfaces, and one round hole 64 has a protrusion 64a.

A guide means at the upper end of the paper guide 60 and a spline shaft 68 which is a drive means of the paper guide 60 pass through the round holes 64 and 66. The protrusion 64a provided in the round hole 64 is a spiral groove 68a of the spline shaft 68,
It is fitted in 68b. The spiral grooves 68 a and 68 b of the spline shaft 68 are formed in the central portion 68 of the spline shaft 68.
The direction of the groove is opposite to that of c. The spline shaft 68 is rotated via a gear train 76 and a gear 72 that are rotated by a paper guide drive motor 74, which is a drive unit described later, and moves the pair of paper guides 60 in the paper width direction. A spiral groove 68a provided on the spline shaft 68,
Since the direction of 68b is opposite, the pair of paper guides 60 move in the same direction. For example, when one of the paper guides 60 moves toward the central portion 68c of the spline shaft 68, the other paper guide 60 also moves toward the central portion 68c of the spline shaft 68. Further, one of the paper guides 60 has a central portion 68c of the spline shaft 68.
When moving further away, the other paper guide 60 also moves away from the central portion 68c of the spline shaft 68.

The spline shaft 68 rotates using the holes 70a and 70b on both sides provided in the paper guide wafer 70 as bearings. At the right end of the spline shaft 68, the gear 72
Is attached, and the spline shaft 68 is rotated via a gear train 76 rotated by the paper guide drive motor 74. A leaf switch 78 is arranged on the paper guide wafer 70 in order to detect the origin position of the paper guide 60. The control of the paper guide drive motor 74 is performed by the control unit 17.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the sheet 13 conveyed by the sheet feeding roller 82 from the sheet feeding cassette 80 disposed upstream of the platen 12 is rotated by the sheet conveying motor 83 (the driving means is The sheet is nipped by a driving roller 84 and a nip roller 86 (not shown), and the paper feeding during printing is controlled by the control unit 17. Paper 13
Are fed from the paper feed cassette 80 so that the positions of both ends of the paper are sorted with respect to the center of the platen 12.

Downstream of the platen 12, a driving roller 88 that moves in conjunction with the driving roller 84 (driving means is not shown).
And a nip roller 90 are provided.

Further, a diverter 92 for branching the conveying path is arranged downstream of the platen 12, and normally the printed sheet 13 is sent to a sheet discharge tray 94, and the solenoid 96 operates to print on the conveying path B. The paper 13 is sent out.

Further, a media sensor 98 is provided as a recording medium detecting means. The media sensor 98 includes a light emitting diode 98a and a phototransistor 98.
b is an optical sensor which is arranged so as to face each other, and is arranged upstream of the platen 12 so that the paper passes between the light emitting diode 98a and the phototransistor 98b, and whether the paper to be printed is plain paper. Determine if it is OHP paper.

A remelt platen 100 for carrying out a reheating treatment is provided on the conveying path B. A remelt platen heater 102 is attached to the remelt platen 100, and a thermistor 104 used for controlling to keep the heating temperature constant is attached.

Next, the block configuration of the control unit of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

The control of the ink jet printer of this embodiment is performed by the control unit 17 having a CPU, ROM, RAM and the like. Control unit 1
7, a paper width sensor 30, thermistors 38, 104,
The leaf switch 78 and the media sensor 98 are connected, and further, the head heater 15 and the piezoelectric element 16 are connected via the head control circuit 18, and the heater control circuit 3 is connected.
5, heater 36, remelt platen heater 10
2 is connected, and the carriage motor 24, the fan motor 48, the paper guide drive motor 74,
The paper transport motor 83 and the solenoid 96 are connected.

The flow chart of FIG. 6 through FIG.
The operation of the inkjet printer will be described with reference to FIGS. Step 1 by the print command (hereinafter, simply abbreviated as S1; the same applies to other steps)
Then, the paper 13 in the paper feed cassette 80 is conveyed by the paper feed roller 82 which is rotated by the driving means (not shown), and is conveyed to the drive roller 84. In the meantime, in S2, the media sensor 9 as the recording medium detecting means.
8 determines whether it is plain paper or OHP paper based on the amount of transmitted light of the conveyed paper 13. The control unit 17 controls transfer path switching, which will be described later, according to the type of paper detected by the media sensor 98.

The sheet 13 that has passed S2 is driven by the drive roller 8
4, the sheet is conveyed to the sheet width detection position. At this position, the sheet conveyance is temporarily stopped and the carriage 20 is moved by the carriage motor 24 in the direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction.
Move back and forth. As the carriage 20 reciprocates once, the positions of both ends of the paper 13 are detected by the paper width sensor 30 on the carriage 20 (S3).

The control unit 17 moves the paper guide 60 in accordance with the positions of both ends of the paper 13 detected in S3. In this operation, the spline shaft 68 rotates via the gear train 76 and the gear 72 rotated by the paper guide drive motor 74, and the left paper guide 60 detects the origin position of the paper guide 60. It moves in the direction of contacting the leaf switch 78 on the paper guide weight 70. After the origin position of the paper guide 60 is detected by the leaf switch 78, the paper guide 60 moves in a direction away from the leaf switch 78, and is moved to the left end of the paper 13 by 3 mm.
Stop at the hanging position. At this time, the right side paper guide 60
Is also stopped at a position where the right end of the sheet 13 extends 3 mm.
The paper 13 is fed from the paper feed cassette 80 so that the positions of both ends of the paper are sorted with respect to the center of the platen 12. The paper guide 60 is also the platen 12
The paper guide 60 is attached to the spline shaft 68 so as to be distributed to the center of the paper guide 60.
It stops at the position where it is evenly applied to both ends of the paper 13 (S
4).

After the operation of S4 is completed, the sheet conveyance is restarted, the sheet 13 is conveyed between the platen 12 and the ink jet head 10 facing the platen 12, and the fan 50 moves to the platen 12 through the suction holes 40. To be in close contact. Further, at both ends of the sheet 13, the sheet guide 60 regulates the floating of the end surface of the sheet. The paper guide 60 is
From the upstream side of the platen 12 which is the printing position to the surface of the cooling chute 44 which will be described below which is the printing end position, the paper 1
Since it is hooked at both ends of the sheet 3, the sheet guide 60 regulates the floating of the end surface of the sheet, and even if the carriage 20 moves to the left and right, it does not come into contact with both ends of the sheet 13. At this time, the platen 12 is heated by the heater 36 attached to the platen 12 to a set temperature (60 ° C. or higher) that melts the ink 11 ejected from the inkjet head 10 on the carriage 20 onto the paper 13. The paper 13 that is in close contact with the platen 12 is heated by the platen 12.
The inkjet head 10 on the carriage 20
The ejected ink 11 is heated to a temperature at which it melts (S5).

With respect to the conveyed paper 13, the ink jet head 10 on the carriage 20 is moved by the carriage motor 24.
By ejecting the ink 11 from the ink jet head 10 while moving in the direction perpendicular to the paper conveyance direction, a dot image for one line is formed (S
6).

The sheet 13 printed in S6 is conveyed onto the cooling chute 44, and is brought into close contact with the cooling chute 44 through the suction holes 42 by the fan 50, and the melted ink 11 on the sheet 13 is cooled. The chute 44 cools and solidifies (S7). Next, the paper 13 is fed by one line (S8).

Further, the operations of S6, S7, and S8 are repeated until the printing of one page is completed, and an image is formed on the paper 13 (when S9 is NO).

When printing of one page is completed (when S9 is YES) and the printed paper 13 is plain paper, it is conveyed to the conveyance path A by the diverter 92 provided on the downstream side of the platen 12 and ejected. It is sent to the tray 94 (S1
0). Further, the paper 13 is OH by the media sensor 98.
When it is determined that the sheet is the P sheet, after printing by the inkjet head 10, the deverter 92 provided on the downstream side of the platen 12 selects the transport path B by the operation of the solenoid 96 and sends out the printed sheet 13. In the transport path B, the printed paper 13 is reheated (OHP processing,
After S11), it is sent to the paper discharge tray 94 (S
12).

As a second embodiment, a modification of the paper guide device 52 of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. Since the second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except for the paper guide device 52 of the first embodiment, the parts other than the paper guide device will not be described.

Platen 12 and inkjet head 10
A paper guide device 152 of the present invention is arranged between the carriage 20 and the carriage 20 so as to straddle the platen 12 vertically.

In the paper guide device 152 of the present invention, a front chute 54 made of an iron plate is provided between the platen 12 and the carriage 20 on which the ink jet head 10 is mounted. To the front chute 54, a leaf spring 56 for closely contacting the sheet 13 with the platen 12 is attached by spot welding. Further, paper guides 60, 1 described later
A guide plate 58 is attached to the front chute 54 by spot welding to guide the lower end of 61. The lower end of the sheet guide 60, which will be described later, is moved to the left and right by a driving means, which will be described later, using a gap formed between the leaf spring 56 and the guide plate 58 as a rail. Also the lower end of the paper guide 161 described later,
It is fitted in a gap formed between the leaf spring 56 and the guide plate 58.

Sheet guides 60, 161 made of iron plates are provided so as to straddle the platen 12 vertically. A bearing plate 62 is attached to the upper end of the paper guide 60 by spot welding in order to guide the upper end of the paper guide 60. The bearing plate 62 is a U-shaped iron plate, and has round holes 64 and 66 formed on both side surfaces.
One round hole 64 has a protrusion 64a. Round hole 6
4 and 66, a guide means at the upper end of the paper guide 60, and a spline shaft 16 that is a drive means of the paper guide 60.
8 goes through. The protrusion 64a provided in the round hole 64 is
The spline shaft 168 is fitted in the spiral groove 168a. The spline shaft 168 is rotated via a gear train 76 and a gear 72 that are rotated by a paper guide drive motor 74, which is a drive unit described later, and moves the paper guide 60 in the paper width direction.

The spline shaft 168 rotates using the holes 170a and 170b on both sides provided in the paper guide wafer 170 as bearings. At the right end of the spline shaft 168,
Gear 72 is attached, and paper guide drive motor 74
Via the gear train 76 rotated by the spline shaft 168.
Rotate. A leaf switch 78 is arranged on the paper guide wafer 170 in order to detect the origin position of the paper guide 60. The control of the paper guide drive motor 74 is performed by the control unit 17.

Similar to the paper guide 60, the paper guide 161 has a bearing plate 182 at the upper end of the paper guide 161 for guiding the upper end of the paper guide 161.
It is attached to No. 1 by spot welding. The bearing plate 182 is
It is a U-shaped iron plate, with round holes 184,
186 is opened. In the round holes 184 and 186, the spline shaft 1 serving as a guide means for the upper end of the paper guide 161 is provided.
68 is passing. Round holes 184, 186 in the bearing plate 182
Since there is no protrusion 64a like the bearing plate 62, the paper guide 161 does not move even if the spline shaft 168 rotates. Further, the paper guide 161 is fixed by a step screw 188 at a position where the left end of the paper 13 hangs by 3 mm.

The sheet 13 conveyed by the sheet feeding roller 82 from the sheet feeding cassette 190 arranged upstream of the platen 12 is nipped by the driving roller 84 and the nip roller 86 which are rotated by the sheet conveying motor 83, and is being printed. The paper feeding is controlled by the control unit 17. The paper 13 is fed from the paper feed cassette 190 so that the left end of the paper comes to a position 5 mm from the left end of the platen 12.

The carriage 20 is provided with a paper width sensor 30 for detecting the position of the right end of the paper 13 conveyed from the paper feed cassette 190. The paper width sensor 30 is an optical sensor that combines a light emitting diode and a phototransistor. A black felt 34 (only on the right side) is provided on the paper conveyance path at a position facing the paper width sensor 30 on the upstream side of the platen 12, and is arranged so as to straddle the right end surface of the paper 13. . The sheet 13 passes on the sheet conveyance path between the sheet width sensor 30 and the felt 34. By moving the carriage 20 having the paper width sensor 30 back and forth by the carriage motor 24 in the direction perpendicular to the paper conveyance direction, the paper width sensor 30 on the carriage 20 detects the position of the right end of the paper 13. It The paper width sensor 30 is used for the paper 13
The difference in the light reflectance between the felt and the felt 34 is detected, and the control unit 17 determines the position of the right end of the paper 13 to be printed.

Since the operation of the present ink jet printer is the same as that of the first embodiment, it will be described below with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 1 to FIG.

In S1 according to the print command, the paper 13 in the paper feed cassette 190 is conveyed by the paper feed roller 82 rotated by the driving means and is conveyed to the drive roller 84. In the meantime, in S2, the media sensor 98 as the recording medium detection means determines whether the paper is plain paper or OHP paper based on the amount of transmitted light of the conveyed paper 13. The control unit 17 controls transfer path switching, which will be described later, according to the type of paper detected by the media sensor 98. The sheet 13 that has passed S2 is conveyed to the sheet width detection position by the drive roller 84. At this position, the sheet conveyance is temporarily stopped, and the carriage 20 is reciprocated by the carriage motor 24 in the direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction. When the carriage 20 reciprocates once, the position of the right end of the paper 13 is detected by the paper width sensor 30 on the carriage 20 (S3).

The control unit 17 moves the paper guide 60 in accordance with the position of the right end of the paper 13 detected in S3. In the operation, the spline shaft 168 is rotated via the gear train 76 and the gear 72 rotated by the paper guide drive motor 74, and the paper guide 60 is moved by the paper guide 6.
In order to detect the origin position of 0, paper guide wafer 1
It moves in the direction of contacting the leaf switch 78 on 70. After the origin position of the paper guide 60 is detected by the leaf switch 78, the paper guide 60 moves in a direction away from the leaf switch 78, and is moved to the right end of the paper 13 by 3 mm.
Stop at the hanging position. At this time, 3m on the left edge of the paper 13
The paper guide 161 is fixed by a step screw 188 at a position where it is taken m (S4).

After the operation of S4 is completed, the sheet conveyance is restarted, the sheet 13 is conveyed between the platen 12 and the ink jet head 10 facing the platen 12, and the fan 50 advances to the platen 12 through the suction hole 40. To be in close contact. Further, the both ends of the paper 13 have paper guides 60, 1
The floating of the end surface of the sheet is regulated by 61. Since the paper guides 60 and 161 are hooked on both ends of the paper 13 from immediately upstream of the platen 12 which is the print position to the surface of the cooling chute 44 which will be described later which is the print end position, the paper guides 60 and 161 are used to form the paper guides 60 and 161. Even if the carriage 20 moves to the left or right, the end surface of the sheet 13 is prevented from coming into contact with both ends of the sheet 13. At this time, the platen 12 is heated by the heater 36 attached to the platen 12 to a set temperature (60 ° C. or higher) that melts the ink 11 ejected from the inkjet head 10 on the carriage 20 onto the paper 13. Paper 1 closely attached to platen 12
3 is the carriage 20 by the heated platen 12.
Ink 1 ejected from the upper inkjet head 10
1 is heated to a melting temperature (S5).

For the conveyed paper 13, the ink jet head 10 on the carriage 20 is moved by the carriage motor 24.
By ejecting the ink 11 from the ink jet head 10 while moving in the direction perpendicular to the paper conveyance direction, a dot image for one line is formed (S
6).

The sheet 13 printed in S6 is conveyed onto the cooling chute 44, and is brought into close contact with the cooling chute 44 through the suction holes 42 by the fan 50, and the melted ink 11 on the sheet 13 is cooled. The chute 44 cools and solidifies (S7). Next, the paper 13 is fed by one line (S8).

Further, the operations of S6 and S7 are repeated until the printing of one page is completed (when S9 is NO), and the image is formed on the paper 13.

When the printing for one page is completed (when S9 is YES) and the printed paper 13 is plain paper, it is conveyed to the conveyance path A by the deverter 92 provided on the downstream side of the platen 12 and ejected. It is sent to the tray 94 (S1
0). Further, the paper 13 is OH by the media sensor 98.
When it is determined that the paper is P paper, after printing by the inkjet head 10, the deverter 92 provided on the downstream side of the platen 12 selects the transport path B by the operation of the solenoid 96 and sends the printed paper 13. In the transport path B, the printed paper 13 is reheated (OHP processing,
After S11), it is sent to the paper discharge tray 94 (S
12).

As is clear from the above detailed description, the paper guide is adjusted to the paper size and moved in the width direction of the paper, and both ends of the paper are moved from the print position or the upstream side of the print position to the downstream side of the print position. Since it even protects the edges of the paper from floating. As a result, even if the carriage equipped with the print head moves to the left and right, it does not come into contact with both ends of the paper, so it is possible to prevent the paper from being broken and the print head from being damaged.

Although the method of driving the paper guide 60 by the motor has been described in the second embodiment, a solenoid, a motor and the like and a crank are mounted on the carriage 20, and the solenoid,
The crank is operated by a motor or the like, the paper guide 60 is caught, the carriage 20 is moved, and the paper guide 60 is moved.
May be moved to the right end position of the paper.

As a means for detecting the positions of both ends of the paper 13, the paper width sensor 30 on the carriage 20 is used for detection, and the control for moving the paper guide 60 has been described, but a switch is used instead of this detection means. The size of the paper 13 is designated by key input on the panel, and the paper guide 60
May be controlled to move. Also, the paper cassette 80
The size of the paper 13 may be detected based on the size of No. 1 and the paper guide 60 may be moved.

Hereinafter, although not illustrated,
The present invention can be implemented in various modified and improved modes based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[0059]

As is clear from the above description,
According to the paper guide device for a printer of the present invention, the paper guide is adjusted to the paper size and moved in the width direction of the paper, and both ends of the paper are guarded from the printing position or from the upstream side of the printing position to the downstream side of the printing position. Therefore, the floating of the end surface of the paper can be prevented. As a result, even if the carriage equipped with the print head moves to the left and right, it does not come into contact with both ends of the paper, so it is possible to prevent the paper from being broken and the print head from being damaged.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an inkjet printer equipped with a paper guide device that is a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an internal perspective view showing a recording mechanism and a suction mechanism of the printer.

3 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 2 showing a structure of a paper guide of the printer.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of an inkjet head of the printer.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control unit of the printer.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the printer.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of a conventional inkjet printer.

FIG. 8 is an internal perspective view showing a recording mechanism and a suction mechanism of an inkjet printer equipped with a paper guide device according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Inkjet Head 12 Platen 20 Carriage 52 Paper Guide Device 54 Front Chute 56 Leaf Spring 58 Guide Plate 60 Paper Guide 62 Bearing Plate 68 Spline Shaft 70 Paper Guide Wafer 72 Gear 74 Paper Guide Drive Motor 78 Leaf Switch

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A printer having a print head mounted on a carriage movable opposite to a platen, wherein a paper guide of a printer for guiding a paper from a print position or an upstream side of the print position to a downstream side of the print position. A paper guide device for a printer, characterized in that an end surface of the paper outside the printing area is brought into close contact with a platen or a paper conveyance path and a movable guide member movable in the width direction of the paper is provided.