JPH10258505A - Compact ink jet printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a portable compact ink jet printer from becoming large with a holding box for holding a spare head cartridge reserved for replacement for unused mode of printing either in color or monochrome attached to the outside of the apparatus, and also to prevent portability of the apparatus from being spoiled for. SOLUTION: A position to which a holding box 2 is fixed when a printer 1 is not in operation is provided at a carriage scanning space 9 at the inside of the printer main body while a sensor for detecting presence of the holding box 2 is provided at the inside of the carriage scanning space 9. When detection is made by the sensor, abnormality is informed by an LED to an operator and control is made so that a carriage 6 does not move from the position of a protective cap 19 of a printing head 17 and damage can be prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable, small-sized ink jet printer in which a head cartridge is set to be exchangeable and mountable on a carriage according to an operator's use such as color printing and monochrome printing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing an example of a conventional small ink-jet printer of this type and a storage box for a head cartridge thereof.

In the printer 1 shown in FIG. 4, a print medium (paper) (not shown) is inserted from an insertion slot 3, and the medium is transported by an internal media transport mechanism 4 in accordance with the progress of a printing operation. Is discharged from

A carriage 6, which is a printing means, is equipped with a head cartridge 7 in which ink and a print head are integrated, and reciprocally scans along a carriage scanning axis 8 in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the print medium, and scans the medium. The recording is performed by ejecting the ink from the print head 17 to the printer.

When the apparatus is not operating, the carriage 6
While the head cartridge 7 used for printing is mounted, the print head 17 that is fixed at one end 18 of the scanning space 9 and that discharges ink is sealed and protected by a protective cap 19. 9 is a space.

[0006] Two types of head cartridges 7 are set, one for monochrome printing and one for color printing. For monochrome printing, a head cartridge using only black ink is used, while for color printing, a head cartridge using black ink and multicolor ink for generating color is used.

When performing color printing, the user must
A head cartridge for color printing is mounted on the carriage 6 for use. For monochrome printing only, it is possible to use a head cartridge for color printing, but by replacing the head cartridge for monochrome printing with a large amount of black ink, it is possible to use a printable medium per head cartridge. The quantity can be increased and the printing processing speed can be increased.

When the operator uses two types of head cartridges in accordance with the situation in which the printer 1 is used, the spare head cartridge 7 which is not mounted on the carriage 6 can prevent the print head unit 17 from being damaged. In order to prevent evaporation and sticking of the ink, it is necessary to store the ink in a dedicated storage box 2 which can be sealed and protected.

Usually, the exclusive storage box 2 is separate from the printer main body 1 as shown in FIG. 4, and if it can be attached to and detached from the main body separately from the example of FIG. 4, an example is shown in FIG. Thus, it is configured to be attached to the outside of the device.

[0010]

However, the above-mentioned prior art has the following drawbacks. In other words, in the case of a product like the conventional example, even if the main body is miniaturized so that it is easy to carry around, a separate storage box for a head cartridge is required, and when it is integrated with the main body, it can be attached to the outside. Therefore, the size of the product, which should be originally provided to the user, has not been completely reduced.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described aspects, and has as its object to provide a means for improving the handleability without impairing the portability of this kind of product.

[0012]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the present invention aims at achieving the above object by providing a small-sized ink jet printer according to any one of the following items (1) to (6). is there.

(1) In a printing apparatus in which the recording means scans in a direction intersecting with the conveying direction of the recording material, when the printing apparatus is not operated, the recording means scan space in the main body of the printing apparatus is used. A small-sized inkjet printer characterized by comprising means for storing and fixing a part of a unit set detachably.

(2) An ink jet printer in which a carriage, which is a recording means, on which a head cartridge integrated with an ink tank is mounted, scans, and when the printer is not operated, the head cartridge is provided in the carriage scanning space inside the printer main body. The small-sized ink jet printer according to the above (1), further comprising means for storing and fixing the ink jet printer.

(3) In a small-sized ink jet printer in which the type of the head cartridge mounted on the carriage can be selected by an operator according to a recording method, when the printer is not operated, the head cartridge as a replacement mounting candidate is scanned by the carriage. The small ink jet printer according to the above (2), further comprising means for storing and fixing the space in a sealed and protected state.

(4) The small-sized ink jet printer according to the above (3), further comprising means for housing a storage box for hermetically protecting the head cartridge in the carriage scanning space inside the printer body.

(5) By detecting a state in which the head cartridge storage box is stored in the carriage scanning space, an operator is notified of the detection and a means for not performing the carriage operation is provided. (4) The small-sized inkjet printer according to the above (4).

(6) The carriage is moved from a non-operating fixed position by an external factor such as an impact or vibration applied to the printer body during transportation by the head cartridge storage box stored and fixed in the carriage scanning space. (4) The small-sized ink jet printer according to the above (4), further comprising means for preventing the ink jetting.

[0019]

According to the construction of the present invention as described above, the head cartridge can be stored in the carriage scanning space which is not used when the printer is not in operation inside the printer, and the storage cartridge can be stored in the storage box. In addition, by detecting the presence or absence of the storage box at the start of the printing operation, by providing means for preventing the printer from starting operation while storing the storage box, it is possible to ensure the safety of the printer and achieve the above object. it can.

[0020]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings based on a plurality of examples.

[0021]

【Example】

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a first embodiment of a small ink jet printer and its head cartridge storage box according to the present invention. The same (corresponding) components as those in FIGS. 4 and 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

When the printer is not operating, the carriage 6
Are stopped and fixed to the end 18 of the carriage scanning space 9 with the head cartridge 7 mounted, and are in a state of protecting the surface of the print head 17.

The back side of the main body cover 10 is provided with a shape 12 which fits into the groove 11 provided in the head cartridge storage box 2. The head cartridge storage box 2 can be fixed to the back side of the main body cover 10. With the main body cover 10 closed, the main body 1 is stored inside the main body 1 as it is.

FIG. 2 is a simplified sectional view of the small ink jet printer 1 and the head cartridge storage box 2 shown in FIG. Inside the printer 1 in which the head cartridge storage box 2 is stored, the storage box 2 is located in a place close to the carriage 6. The carriage 6 is prevented from moving from the protection position 18 of the head cartridge 7 mounted on the carriage 6. The presence or absence of the storage of the head cartridge storage box 2 can be visually confirmed from the visible transmission window 13 provided in the cover 10.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 3 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 2 of a second embodiment different from the first embodiment. The cartridge storage box 2 stored in the carriage scanning space 9 inside the printer body 1 is configured so that the presence or absence of the cartridge storage box 2 is transmitted to the control board 15 by the sensor 14. Others are in Figure 2
The same as in.

When the presence of the storage box 2 is detected by the sensor 14, even if the power is turned on, the carriage 6 does not move from the protection position 18 of the print head 17, and the operator is notified by the LED.
An abnormality is notified by lighting 16. Further, it is also possible to notify the abnormality by an alarm sound or the like by a buzzer (not shown).

If the storage box 2 is stored when the power is turned on, the abnormality is immediately notified, and the printer body is not destroyed as it is.

Although the two embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the concept of the present invention is not limited to each of the above embodiments. It is included in the scope of the present invention.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Inside the small inkjet printer, the replacement cartridge head cartridge is stored in a storage box in a carriage scanning space that is not used when the printer is not operating, thereby improving the portability and handleability of the product. In addition, the stored head cartridge storage box also functions as a carriage stopper, and the sensor detects the presence or absence of the storage box, thereby preventing damage to the printer due to erroneous operation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a small-sized inkjet printer according to a first embodiment and a head cartridge storage box thereof.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the printer and its head cartridge storage box.

FIG. 3 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 2 of the second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an example of a conventional small ink jet printer and its head cartridge storage box.

FIG. 5 is an external perspective view of another conventional small-sized inkjet printer different from FIG. 4 and its head cartridge storage box.

[Description of Signs] 1 Inkjet printer 2 Head cartridge storage box 3 Print medium insertion port 4 Print medium transport mechanism 5 Print medium discharge port 6 Carriage 7 Head cartridge 8 Carriage scanning axis 9 Carriage scanning space 10 Cover 11 Fitting groove 12 Fitting Shape 13 Window 14 Sensor 15 Control board 16 LED 17 Print head 18 Non-operating carriage fixing position 19 Protective cap

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A printing apparatus in which a recording unit scans in a direction intersecting with a conveying direction of a recording material. When the printing unit is not operated, the recording unit scan space in the printing unit main body is used. A small-sized ink jet printer comprising means for storing and fixing a unit which is set in a detachable manner. 2. An ink jet printer in which a carriage serving as a recording unit having a head cartridge integrated with an ink tank scans, wherein the head cartridge is inserted into the carriage scanning space inside the printer body when the printer is not operated. 2. The small-sized ink jet printer according to claim 1, further comprising means for storing and fixing. 3. A small ink-jet printer in which an operator can select a type of the head cartridge mounted on the carriage according to a recording method. When the printer is not operated, the head cartridge as a replacement mounting candidate is moved to the carriage scanning space. 3. A small-sized ink jet printer according to claim 2, further comprising means for storing and fixing in a sealed and protected state. 4. A small-sized ink jet printer according to claim 3, further comprising means for storing a storage box for hermetically protecting said head cartridge in said carriage scanning space inside said printer body. 5. A means for detecting a state in which the head cartridge storage box is stored in the carriage scanning space to notify an operator of the state and not performing the carriage operation. The small-sized inkjet printer according to claim 4. 6. The carriage is moved from a non-operating fixed position by an external factor such as an impact or vibration applied to the printer body during transportation or the like by the head cartridge storage box stored and fixed in the carriage scanning space. 5. A small-sized ink jet printer according to claim 4, further comprising means for preventing the occurrence of the problem.