JP2006231820A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a flat cable drawn out from a recording carriage from pushing up the recording carriage to float from guide rails, without causing a great increase of a sliding resistance of the recording carriage. <P>SOLUTION: The combination machine 1 is equipped with the recording carriage 40 which moves back and forth while held by the guide rails 45 and 46, the flat cable 69 which has a bending part 70 formed to be drawn out from the recording carriage 40 to bend in a reciprocative movement direction and has a curving part 71 formed to turn upside down in the reciprocative movement direction, a partition plate 72 and an upper cover 81 which cover an up-down space of a movable region of the flat cable 69, a supporting member 75 set rotatably to an upper face of the recording carriage 40 to support the vicinity of the bending part 70 of the flat cable 69, and a regulating member 80 set at an upper face of the supporting member 75 to prohibit the supporting member 75 from rotating in an upward direction from a predetermined position by connecting with the upper cover 81. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus in which a recording cable that discharges ink droplets is mounted on a recording medium and a flat cable that transmits a recording signal is connected to a recording carriage that reciprocates in one direction. .

  Conventionally, as an image recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium by ejecting ink based on an input signal, the ink is guided to an actuator of a recording head, and an actuator such as a piezoelectric element or an electrostrictive element corresponding to the input signal is used. There is known a technique in which ink is pressurized and ejected by utilizing bending or local boiling of ink by a heating element.

  For example, in an image recording apparatus called a serial printer, the recording head is mounted on a recording carriage that reciprocates in a direction perpendicular to the recording sheet conveyance direction. Each time the recording paper is conveyed with a predetermined line feed width, the recording carriage is scanned to record an image. In order to control the recording carriage, a flexible cable called a flat cable is connected to the recording carriage. The flat cable has a length sufficient to follow the reciprocating movement of the recording carriage so as not to hinder the reciprocating movement of the recording carriage, and is substantially U-shaped between the recording carriage and the main substrate. It bends and is arrange | positioned (for example, refer patent document 1).

  FIG. 12 shows a recording carriage 90 and a flat cable 91 in a conventional image recording apparatus. The recording carriage 90 reciprocates in a direction (left and right direction in the figure) orthogonal to the recording sheet conveyance direction, and records an image on the recording sheet by ejecting ink from a recording head (not shown). Connected to the recording carriage 90 is a flat cable 91 for transmitting and receiving electrical signals to and from the main board. An end portion 92 of the flat cable 91 is fixed to a device frame (not shown) or the like, and the end portion 92 is electrically connected to the main board. Although not shown in the figure, the recording carriage 90 is supported by a guide rail, and a driving force is applied from a belt driving mechanism or the like. The flat cable 91 is disposed on a horizontal plane such as a device frame.

  As shown in the figure, the flat cable 91 is led out from the recording carriage 90 and is bent in a substantially U shape in the vertical direction. When the recording carriage 90 reciprocates, the flat cable 91 also follows and the center position of the substantially U-shaped curved portion also moves. As indicated by the two-dot chain line in the figure, if the recording carriage 90 moves to the left side of the figure, the diameter of the substantially U-shaped curved portion increases, and if the recording carriage 90 moves to the right side of the figure, the substantially U-shaped form. The flat cable 91 is deformed so that the diameter of the curved portion becomes smaller.

JP-A-6-320835

  As the recording carriage 90 moves to the right in the figure and the diameter of the curved portion of the flat cable 91 decreases, the elastic recovery force due to the bending rigidity of the flat cable 91 increases. This elastic recovery force acts on the recording carriage 90, and the recording carriage 90 may be pushed up and lifted from a guide rail (not shown). On the other hand, if the recording carriage 90 moves to the left and the diameter of the curved portion of the flat cable 91 increases, the elastic recovery force due to the bending rigidity of the flat cable 91 decreases, so that the recording carriage 90 does not rise. . When floating occurs at one end side (right side in the figure) of the recording carriage 90 as described above, the distance from the ink ejection surface of the recording head mounted on the recording carriage 90 to the recording paper, that is, the head gap is the same as the recording carriage 90. There is a problem in that it does not become constant in the reciprocating movement range and adversely affects the recorded image.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, for example, as shown in FIG. 13, a sponge that is in pressure contact with the upper cover 94 that covers the upper side of the flat cable 91 on the upper surface of the support member 93 that supports the flat cable 91 in the vicinity of the recording carriage 90. It has been proposed by the present inventors to arrange an elastic member 95 such as the above. According to such a configuration, even if a force F1 that pushes the support member 93 upward is generated by the elastic recovery force of the flat cable 90, a force F2 that pushes the support member 93 downward by the elastic member 95 is generated. Therefore, the force F1 is canceled out. Therefore, the recording carriage 90 does not float up.

  However, the sliding load of the recording carriage 90 is increased by bringing the elastic member 95 into pressure contact with the upper cover 94. Such an increase in load becomes a load on a drive source such as a motor for reciprocating the recording carriage 90, and there is a problem that the motor becomes large in order to increase the motor output.

  Further, when an excessive force F2 is applied to a position away from the driving center of gravity of the recording carriage 90, the force F2 acts on the recording carriage 90 as a rotational moment, and the sliding posture of the recording carriage 90 becomes unstable. is there.

  Further, the elastic recovery force of the flat cable 91 does not push up the recording carriage 90 in the entire range of the reciprocating movement of the recording carriage 90, but the elastic member 95 is pressed against the upper cover 94 in the entire range of reciprocating movement of the recording carriage 90. Therefore, there is a problem that an unnecessary sliding load is applied to the recording carriage 90 in a part of the reciprocating movement range.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and the flat cable led out from the recording carriage pushes up the recording carriage and floats up from the guide rail without significantly increasing the sliding resistance of the recording carriage. It aims to provide a means to prevent.

  An image recording apparatus according to the present invention includes a recording head for recording an image on a recording medium by ejecting ink droplets, and the recording head mounted thereon, and at least one end in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction is a guide. A recording carriage that is reciprocated in one direction while being supported by a rail, and a bent portion that is led out from the one end of the recording carriage in a direction perpendicular to the reciprocating direction of the recording carriage and bends in the reciprocating direction. A flat cable for forming a curved portion so as to be turned upside down in the reciprocating direction and being fixed to the fixing portion of the apparatus main body, and transmitting a recording signal to the recording carriage; and the movable of the flat cable A base portion and an upper cover that cover the upper and lower spaces of the area and a top surface of the recording carriage are rotatably provided. A support member that extends in the direction in which the cable is led out and supports the bent portion of the flat cable or its periphery in a portion that is led out from the recording carriage in a direction perpendicular to the reciprocating direction. A regulating member that is provided on the upper surface of the support member and that restricts the support member from rotating upward from a position where the slackness is tensioned by contacting the upper cover. It is.

  When the recording carriage on which the recording head is mounted reciprocates, the flat cable follows the recording carriage, changes the diameter of the curved portion, and moves the center position of the curved portion along the reciprocating direction of the recording carriage. Try to transform to move. In such deformation of the flat cable, the elastic recovery force due to the bending rigidity of the flat cable increases as the diameter of the curved portion decreases, and the elastic recovery force acts on the recording carriage to push the recording carriage upward. The bent portion of the flat cable rises and the support member that supports the bent portion also rotates upward so that the restricting member comes into contact with the upper cover. A force acts to push down the recording carriage. As a result, the recording carriage does not float from the guide rail.

  Further, the regulating member does not cancel the elastic recovery force of the flat cable by abutting with the upper cover, but serves as a fulcrum for transmitting the elastic recovery force as a force for pushing down the recording carriage. The abutting force can be minimized. As a result, the rotational moment and sliding resistance acting on the recording carriage are reduced.

  In addition, the regulating member does not always need to be brought into contact with the upper cover, and may be brought into contact with the upper cover when the support member is rotated upward to a predetermined position, so that the regulating member comes into contact with the upper cover. As a result, the sliding resistance acting on the recording carriage can be further reduced.

  In addition, since a predetermined slack is formed in the portion from the flat cable led out from the recording carriage in the direction orthogonal to the reciprocating direction to the bent portion, the bent portion or the Even if the supporting member that supports the periphery rotates slightly upward, the movement of the bent portion due to the rotation is absorbed by the slack and is not transmitted as a force for pushing up the recording carriage.

  In the image recording apparatus according to the present invention, the support member supports the bent portion of the flat cable or the periphery thereof so as to be movable in a direction perpendicular to the reciprocating direction of the recording carriage. As a result, the bent portion that moves up and down following the rotation of the support member can have an appropriate play, and as described above, the support member must be supported before the support member rotates upward to the position where the flat cable is tensioned. Since rotation of the member is restricted, it is possible to prevent an excessive load from being generated in the bent portion.

  According to the present invention, in the image recording apparatus, the positioning film in which a long hole in a direction orthogonal to the reciprocating direction of the recording carriage is formed has a portion where the long hole is formed from a bent portion of the flat cable. A locking piece that is provided so as to protrude in a substantially horizontal direction and is formed on the rotating front end side of the support member is inserted into the elongated hole, so that the support member can bend the flat cable bent portion or its periphery. It is something to support. As described above, the supporting member does not directly support the bent portion of the flat cable, but supports it through the positioning film, thereby preventing an excessive burden from being generated on the bent portion of the flat cable.

  According to the present invention, in the image recording apparatus, the flat cable extends in a reciprocating direction opposite to an ink supply pipe that supplies ink to the recording head. The ink supply pipe also extends from the recording head in the reciprocating direction of the recording head, and a flat cable that follows the reciprocating movement of the recording head by extending the flat cable in a direction opposite to the ink supply pipe, The ink supply pipe does not interfere with each other. In addition, since the flat cable and the ink supply pipe can be arranged at substantially the same height, the necessary space above the recording head can be reduced. Therefore, the image recording apparatus is thinned.

  According to the present invention, in the image recording apparatus, the flat cable is led out from an upper part of the recording carriage. As a result, the minimum diameter of the curved portion of the flat cable that changes as the recording carriage reciprocates increases, and the elastic recovery force due to the bending rigidity of the flat cable acting on the recording carriage decreases.

  Thus, according to the image recording apparatus of the present invention, when the bent portion of the flat cable rises due to the elastic recovery force of the flat cable, the support member that supports the bent portion or its periphery also rotates upward. Then, the regulating member comes into contact with the upper cover, and the force to push down the recording carriage acts on the rotating shaft side of the support member with the regulating member as a fulcrum, so that the recording carriage is lifted from the guide rail when reciprocating. Can be prevented. Further, since the force with which the restricting member comes into contact with the upper cover is reduced, sliding resistance and rotational moment acting on the recording carriage can be reduced. This stabilizes the load and posture when the recording carriage reciprocates and improves the accuracy of the image recorded on the recording medium.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings as appropriate.
FIG. 1 shows an external configuration of a multifunction machine 1 (image recording apparatus) according to an embodiment of the present invention. The multifunction machine 1 is a multi-function device (MFD) having a printer unit 2 at the bottom and a scanner unit 3 at the top, and has a printer function, a scanner function, and a copy function. The printer unit 2 of the multifunction machine 1 corresponds to the image recording apparatus according to the present invention, and functions other than the printer function are arbitrary. Accordingly, a single-function printer without the scanner unit 3 and having no scanner function or copy function may be used. Further, a communication unit may be provided to have a facsimile function or the like.

  Further, when the image recording apparatus according to the present invention is implemented as a multi-function apparatus, a plurality of paper feed cassettes and automatic document feeders can be used even if the image recording apparatus is a small one such as the multifunction machine 1 shown in the present embodiment. Although it may be a large one provided with (ADF: Auto Document Feeder), the present invention is particularly useful in a thinned image recording apparatus. The multifunction device 1 is mainly connected to a computer (not shown) and records images and documents on recording paper based on image data and document data transmitted from the computer. Image data output from a digital camera connected to an external device such as a camera is recorded on a recording sheet, or various recording media such as a memory card are loaded, and the image data recorded on the recording medium is recorded on the recording sheet. It is also possible to record in

  As shown in FIG. 1, the multifunction device 1 has a wide, thin, rectangular parallelepiped outer shape whose width and depth are larger than the height, and a lower portion of the multifunction device 1 is a printer unit 2. The printer unit 2 has an opening 2a formed in the front, and a paper feed tray 20 and a paper discharge tray 21 are provided in two upper and lower stages so that a part of the opening 2a is exposed. The paper feed tray 20 is for storing recording paper, which is a recording medium, and can accommodate recording papers of various sizes such as B5 size and postcard size, which are A4 size or smaller. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the sheet feeding tray 20 can expand the tray surface by pulling out the slide tray 20a as necessary. A recording sheet (not shown) stored in the sheet feeding tray 20 is fed into the printer unit 2 to record a desired image and is discharged to a sheet discharge tray 21.

  The upper part of the multifunction device 1 is a scanner unit 3, which is configured as a so-called flat bed scanner. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a platen glass 31 and an image sensor 32 are provided below a document cover 30 that can be opened and closed as a top plate of the multifunction machine 1. The platen glass 31 is used to place a document for image reading. Below the platen glass 31, an image sensor 32 whose main scanning direction is the depth direction of the multifunction device 1 is provided so as to be able to scan in the width direction of the multifunction device 1.

  An operation panel 4 for operating the printer unit 2 and the scanner unit 3 is provided in the upper front portion of the multifunction machine 1. The operation panel 4 includes various operation buttons and a liquid crystal display unit. The multifunction device 1 operates based on an operation instruction from the operation panel 4, and also operates based on an instruction transmitted from the computer via a printer driver when connected to the computer. In addition, a slot portion 5 in which various small memory cards as recording media can be loaded is provided in the upper left portion of the front surface of the multifunction device 1. The image data recorded on the small memory card loaded in the slot unit 5 is read out and displayed on the liquid crystal display unit, and an input for recording an arbitrary image on the recording sheet by the printer unit 2 is input from the operation panel 4. It can be carried out.

  Hereinafter, the internal configuration of the multifunction device 1, particularly the configuration of the printer unit 2, will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 11. As shown in FIG. 2, on the back side of the paper feed tray 20 provided on the bottom side of the multifunction machine 1, a separation inclined plate for separating and guiding the recording paper loaded on the paper feed tray 20 upward 22 is disposed. Further, the conveyance path 23 is directed upward from the separation inclined plate 22, then bends to the front side, extends from the back side to the front side of the multifunction machine 1, passes through the image recording unit 24, and passes through the paper discharge tray 21. Leads to Accordingly, the recording paper stored in the paper feed tray 20 is guided by the conveyance path 23 so as to make a U-turn from the bottom to the top, reaches the image recording unit 24, and after the image recording is performed by the image recording unit 24. The paper is discharged to the paper discharge tray 21.

  As shown in FIG. 3, on the upper side of the paper feed tray 20, a paper feed roller 25 is provided for separating the recording papers stacked on the paper feed tray 20 one by one and feeding them to the transport path 23. . The paper feed roller 25 is pivotally supported at the front end of a paper feed arm 26 that moves up and down detachably with respect to the paper feed tray 20, and a motor (not shown) is driven by a drive transmission mechanism 27 in which a plurality of gears are engaged. ) Is transmitted to rotate.

  The paper feed arm 26 is disposed so as to be swingable in the vertical direction with the base end side as an axis. In the standby state, the paper feed arm 26 is flipped upward as shown in the figure by a paper feed clutch, a spring, etc. (not shown), and swings downward when supplying recording paper. As the paper feeding arm 26 swings downward, the paper feeding roller 25 pivotally supported at the tip of the paper feeding arm 26 comes into pressure contact with the surface of the recording paper on the paper feeding tray 20. In this state, when the paper feed roller 25 rotates, the uppermost recording paper is sent out to the separation inclined plate 22 by the frictional force between the roller surface of the paper feeding roller 25 and the recording paper. The leading edge of the recording sheet comes into contact with the separation inclined plate 22 and is guided upward, and is fed into the conveyance path 23. Further, when the uppermost recording paper is sent out by the paper feed roller 25, the recording paper immediately below it may be sent out together due to friction or static electricity. However, the recording paper abuts against the separation inclined plate 22. Be stopped by.

  The conveyance path 23 includes an outer guide surface and an inner guide surface that are opposed to each other at a predetermined interval except for a portion where the image recording unit 24 and the like are disposed. For example, the conveyance path 23 on the back side of the multifunction device 1 is configured such that the outer guide surface is formed integrally with the frame of the multifunction device 1 and the inner guide surface is fixed to the guide member 28 in the frame. In addition, in the conveyance path 23, particularly in a portion where the conveyance path 23 is bent, the width direction of the conveyance path 23 is set in the axial direction so that each conveyance roller 29 exposes the roller surface to the outer guide surface or the inner guide surface. It is provided as freely rotatable. Each of these transport rollers 29 facilitates transport of the recording paper that contacts the guide surface at a portion where the transport path 23 is bent.

  As shown in FIG. 3, an image recording unit 24 is provided on the downstream side after the conveyance path 23 makes a U-turn from below to above. The image recording unit 24 includes a recording carriage 40 that mounts a recording head 41 and reciprocates in the main scanning direction. The recording head 41 includes cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black through an ink supply pipe 43 from an ink tank 42 (see FIG. 4) installed separately from the recording head 41 in the multi-function device 1. Each color ink of (Bk) is supplied, and each ink is ejected as a minute ink droplet. By scanning the recording carriage 40 on which the recording head 41 is mounted, image recording is performed on a recording sheet conveyed on the platen 44.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, a pair of guide rails 45 and 46 extend in the width direction of the conveyance path 23 at a predetermined interval in the conveyance direction of the recording paper on the upper side of the conveyance path 23. The recording carriage 40 is slidably provided across the guide rails 45 and 46. The guide rail 45 disposed on the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the recording paper is a flat plate whose length in the width direction of the conveyance path 23 is longer than the scanning width of the recording carriage 40, and the upper surface of the guide rail 45 is The upstream end of the recording carriage 40 is slidably supported.

  The guide rail 46 disposed on the downstream side in the recording paper conveyance direction is a flat plate having the same length as the guide rail 45 in the width direction of the conveyance path 23, as shown in FIG. Further, an edge portion 46a that supports the downstream end of the recording carriage 40 is bent upward at a substantially right angle. The recording carriage 40 is slidably supported on the upper surface of the guide rail 46, and the edge 46a is held between rollers (not shown). Accordingly, the recording carriage 40 is slidably supported on the guide rails 45 and 46 and reciprocates in the width direction of the transport path 23 with the edge 46 a of the guide rail 46 as a reference. Although not shown in the drawing, a sliding member for reducing friction is appropriately provided at a portion where the recording carriage 40 contacts the upper surfaces of the guide rails 45 and 46.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a belt drive mechanism 47 is disposed on the upper surface of the guide rail 46. The belt driving mechanism 47 is formed by stretching an endless annular timing belt 50 having teeth on the inside between a driving roller 48 and a driven roller 49 provided near both ends in the width direction of the conveying path 23. Is. A driving force is input from a CR motor (not shown) to the shaft of the driving roller 48, and the timing belt 50 moves circumferentially by the rotation of the driving roller 48. In addition to the endless annular belt, the timing belt 50 may be one in which both ends of the endless belt are fixed to the recording carriage 40.

  The recording carriage 40 is fixed to the timing belt 50, and the recording carriage 40 reciprocates on the guide rails 45 and 46 with the edge 46a as a reference by the circumferential movement of the timing belt 50. A recording head 41 is mounted on such a recording carriage 40, and the recording head 41 can reciprocate with the width direction of the transport path 23 as the main scanning direction. Although not shown in the figure, a strip-shaped recording carriage encoder is disposed along the edge 46a, and the reciprocating movement of the recording carriage 40 is controlled by using the recording carriage encoder as a positioning mark. .

  As shown in FIG. 3, a platen 44 is disposed below the conveyance path 23 so as to face the recording head 41. The platen 44 is disposed over the central portion of the reciprocating range of the recording carriage 40 through which the recording paper passes. As shown in FIG. 4, maintenance units such as a purge mechanism 51 and a waste ink tray (not shown) are disposed outside the range in which the recording paper does not pass, that is, outside the image recording range by the recording head 41.

  The purge mechanism 51 is for sucking and removing bubbles and foreign matters from the nozzles 53 and the like of the recording head 41. The purge mechanism 51 includes a cap 52 that covers the nozzle surface of the recording head 41, a pump mechanism (not shown) that is connected to the recording head 41 through the cap 52, and the cap 52 that is in contact with and away from the nozzle surface of the recording head 41. And a moving mechanism (not shown). When performing suction removal of bubbles or the like of the recording head 41, the recording carriage 40 is moved so that the recording head 41 is positioned on the cap 52, and the cap 52 moves upward in this state, and the lower surface of the recording head 41. The ink discharge ports 53a (see FIG. 6) are in close contact with each other, and ink is sucked from the nozzles 53 of the recording head 41 by a pump connected to the cap 52.

  On the other hand, although not shown in the drawing, a waste ink tray for receiving idle ink discharge from the recording head 41 called flushing is also provided within the reciprocating movement range of the recording carriage 40 and outside the image recording range. By these maintenance units, maintenance such as removal of bubbles and mixed color ink in the recording head 41 is performed. It should be noted that maintenance units such as the purge mechanism 51 and the waste ink tray are optional in the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the ink tank 42 is accommodated in an ink tank accommodating portion 6 provided in a housing on the front side of the printer unit 2 and on the left side (right side in the drawing). As shown in FIG. 4, the ink tank 42 is provided in the apparatus separately from the recording carriage 40 on which the recording head 41 is mounted, and ink is supplied to the recording carriage 40 through an ink supply pipe 43. It has become so. Since the recording carriage 40 and the ink tank 42 are separately arranged in this way, the recording carriage 40 is reduced in size, and the CR motor that applies driving force to the recording carriage 40 is also reduced in size, so that the entire apparatus Downsizing is realized.

  The ink tank 42 includes four ink tanks 42C, 42M, 42Y, and 42K that store inks of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (Bk), and is provided in the apparatus casing. The ink storage unit 6 is loaded at predetermined positions. Although not shown in detail in the drawing, each of the ink tanks 42C, 42M, 42Y, and 42K is a cartridge type in which each color ink is filled in a synthetic resin casing, and can be attached and detached from above the ink containing portion 6. It is possible. At the bottom of the casing of each ink tank 42C, 42M, 42Y, 42K, an opening for supplying each color ink stored therein is formed, and the opening is sealed by a check valve. The ink container 6 is provided with a joint for opening the check valve. When the ink tanks 42C, 42M, 42Y, and 42K are loaded in the ink container 6, the check valve of the opening is formed. Is opened, and ink can be supplied from the opening.

  In the present embodiment, the multifunction device 1 that performs image recording with four colors of ink is described. However, the number of ink colors in the image recording apparatus according to the present invention is not particularly limited. Of course, when performing image recording with eight-color ink, it is possible to increase the ink tank. Further, the ink tank 42 is not limited to the cartridge type, and may be installed in the apparatus housing and replenished with ink as appropriate.

  Each color ink is supplied from the ink tanks 42C, 42M, 42Y, and 42K loaded in the ink storage unit 6 to the recording head 41 through the ink supply pipe 43 independent for each color. That is, in the ink containing section 6, four ink supply pipes 43C, 43M, 43Y, 43K are arranged independently of each other corresponding to the respective ink tanks 42C, 42M, 42Y, 42K. Supply pipes 43 </ b> C, 43 </ b> M, 43 </ b> Y, and 43 </ b> K are connected to the recording carriage 40.

  Each of the ink supply tubes 43C, 43M, 43Y, and 43K is a tube made of synthetic resin, and has such flexibility that it bends according to the scanning of the recording head 41. Although not shown in detail in the drawing, each of the ink supply pipes 43C, 43M, 43Y, and 43K has an opening on one end side thereof at each joint portion provided at each ink tank housing position of the ink housing portion 6. Each is connected. The ink supply pipe 43C corresponds to the ink tank 42C and supplies cyan (C) ink. Similarly, the ink supply pipes 43M, 43Y, and 43K correspond to the ink tanks 42M, 42Y, and 42K, respectively, and supply magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (Bk) inks, respectively. Is.

  Each of the ink supply pipes 43C, 43M, 43Y, 43K led out from the ink containing portion 6 is pulled out to the vicinity of the center along the width direction of the apparatus, and is temporarily fixed to an appropriate member such as an apparatus frame. The fixing means is not particularly limited, and may be fixed by providing a locking portion on the apparatus frame or the like, or may be fixed by being held by a fixing member. This fixed portion is called an intermediate fixing portion 43a. In each of the ink supply pipes 43C, 43M, 43Y, and 43K, the portion from the ink containing portion 6 to the intermediate fixing portion 43a is locked and fixed to the apparatus frame or the like at an appropriate position, and the recording carriage 40 is reciprocated. Regardless of the situation, he maintains a certain posture.

  On the other hand, in each of the ink supply tubes 43C, 43M, 43Y, and 43K, the portion from the intermediate fixing portion 43a to the recording carriage 40 is not fixed to the apparatus frame or the like, and the posture changes following the reciprocating movement of the recording carriage 40. To do. The position of the intermediate fixing portion 43a is such that the recording carriage 40 is at one end in the reciprocating direction, and the bending radii of the ink supply pipes 43C, 43M, 43Y, and 43K extending from the recording carriage 40 are minimized. When the ink supply pipes 43C, 43M, 43Y, and 43K are not bent, the ink supply pipes 43C, 43M, 43Y, and 43K are within a range of positions that maintain a curved posture. What is necessary is just to set suitably in consideration of a route.

  The portions of the ink supply pipes 43C, 43M, 43Y, and 43K from the intermediate fixing portion 43a to the recording carriage 40 extend substantially horizontally from the recording carriage 40 in one direction of the reciprocating movement. An intermediate portion 43b corresponding to a substantially intermediate position with respect to the intermediate fixing portion 43a is curved and extends in a direction opposite to the one direction to reach the intermediate fixing portion 43a. Accordingly, the portions from the intermediate fixing portion 43a of each ink supply tube 43C, 43M, 43Y, 43K to the recording carriage 40 are curved in a substantially U shape in the horizontal direction. The direction in which the ink supply tubes 43C, 43M, 43Y, and 43K extend from the recording carriage 40 may be any of the reciprocating directions of the recording carriage 40, but a flat cable connected to the recording carriage 40. If the direction is opposite to the extending direction of 69, the ink supply pipes 43C, 43M, 43Y, 43K and the flat cable 69 do not interfere with each other, and the space around the recording carriage 40 is lowered to make the multifunction device. 1 can be made thin, which is preferable.

  A tube coupling portion (not shown) is provided at the downstream end of the recording carriage 40 in the recording paper conveyance direction so as to protrude downstream, and each of the ink supply tubes 43C, 43M, 43Y, and 43K are arrayed and coupled in a substantially horizontal direction. In this way, the color inks are supplied from the ink tanks 42C, 42Y, 42M, and 42K to the recording head 41 mounted on the recording carriage 40 through the ink supply tubes 43C, 43M, 43Y, and 43K.

  Further, when the recording carriage 40 is reciprocated, the portion on the recording carriage 40 side follows the recording carriage 40 from the intermediate fixing portion 43a of each ink supply tube 43C, 43M, 43Y, 43K. Then, as the recording carriage 40 moves to one end (left side in the figure) in the reciprocating direction, each ink supply tube 43C, 43M, 43Y, 43K is bent so that the bending radius of the curved intermediate portion 43b becomes smaller. The recording carriage 40 moves in the moving direction. On the other hand, as the recording head 41 moves to the other end (the right side in the figure) in the reciprocating direction, each ink supply tube 43C, 43M, 43Y, 43K bends so that the bending radius of the curved intermediate portion 43b increases. However, the recording carriage 40 moves in the moving direction.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the recording head 41 has ink discharge ports 53a arranged on the lower surface thereof in the recording paper transport direction for each color ink of CMYBk. In the figure, the left-right direction is the recording paper conveyance direction. The pitch and number of the ink discharge ports 53a in the transport direction are appropriately set in consideration of the resolution of the recorded image. It is also possible to increase or decrease the number of columns of the ink discharge ports 53a according to the number of types of color ink.

  As shown in the drawing, the lower ends of the nozzles 53 arranged in the lower part of the recording head 41 are opened in the lower surface of the recording head 41 to form the ink discharge ports 53a. On the upper end side of the nozzle 53, a manifold 54 is formed across a plurality of nozzles 53 for each color ink. The manifold 54 includes a supply pipe 55 formed on one end side of the arranged nozzles 53 and a manifold chamber 56 formed over the upper ends of the nozzles 53, and is supplied from the supply pipe 55. Ink is distributed to each nozzle 53 through the manifold chamber 56.

  The surface of the manifold chamber 56 facing the nozzles 53 is inclined so as to descend toward the downstream side where the ink flows, and the sectional area of the manifold chamber 56 is configured to decrease toward the downstream side. Yes. The mechanism in which each nozzle 53 ejects the ink distributed by the manifold 54 as an ink droplet from the ink ejection port 53a is, for example, a structure in which the side wall of the nozzle 53 is made of a piezoelectric material and the ink droplet is ejected by deformation of the piezoelectric material. Alternatively, other known mechanisms can be employed.

  Further, a buffer tank 57 is disposed above the manifold 54. The buffer tank 57 is provided for each color ink of CMYBk similarly to the nozzle 53 and the manifold 54. Each buffer tank 57 is supplied with ink from an ink supply port 58 through an ink supply pipe 43 from an ink tank 42 (not shown). As described above, the ink is not supplied directly from the ink tank 42 to the nozzle 53 but is temporarily stored in the buffer tank 57, whereby bubbles generated in the ink can be captured by the ink supply pipe 43 or the like. Air bubbles can be prevented from entering the wall. Air bubbles trapped in the buffer tank 57 are sucked and removed from the air bubble outlet 59 by a pump mechanism (not shown).

  The buffer tank 57 communicates with the manifold chamber 56 through the supply pipe 55. As a result, the flow path is configured such that each color ink supplied from the ink tank 42 flows to the nozzle 53 via the buffer tank 57 and the manifold 54. CMYBk color inks supplied through such a flow path are ejected as ink droplets from the ink ejection port 53a onto the recording paper.

  As shown in FIG. 3, on the upstream side of the image recording unit 24, there are a pair of transport rollers 60 and a pressing roller 61 that sandwich the recording paper transported in the transport path 23 and transport it onto the platen 44. Is provided. On the other hand, on the downstream side of the image recording unit 24, a pair of paper discharge rollers 62 and a spur roller 63 are provided for nipping and transporting recorded recording paper. The conveying roller 60 and the paper discharge roller 62 are intermittently driven with a predetermined line feed width when a driving force is transmitted from an LF motor (not shown).

  On the other hand, the pressing roller 61 is urged so as to be pressed against the conveying roller 60 with a predetermined pressing force and is rotatably provided. When a recording sheet enters between the conveying roller 60 and the pressing roller 61, the pressing roller 61 retreats by the thickness of the recording sheet and holds the recording sheet together with the conveying roller 60. Thereby, the rotational force of the conveyance roller 60 is reliably transmitted to the recording paper. The spur roller 63 is also provided in the same manner as the paper discharge roller 62. However, since the spur roller 63 is in pressure contact with the recorded recording paper, the roller surface is uneven in a spur shape so as not to deteriorate the image recorded on the recording paper. It has become.

  The recording sheet held between the transport roller 60 and the pressing roller 61 is intermittently transported on the platen 44 with a predetermined line feed width. The recording head 41 is scanned for each line feed, and image recording is performed from the leading end side of the recording paper. Thereafter, the leading end side of the recording sheet on which image recording has been performed is held between the paper discharge roller 62 and the spur roller 63. Therefore, the recording sheet is intermittently conveyed with a predetermined line feed width with the leading end side sandwiched between the paper discharge roller 62 and the spur roller 63 and the trailing end side sandwiched between the conveying roller 60 and the pressing roller 61. Similarly, image recording is performed by the recording head 41. When the recording sheet is further conveyed, the trailing end of the recording sheet passes through the conveying roller 60 and the pressing roller 61, and the nipping by these is released. Accordingly, the recording sheet is sandwiched between the discharge roller 62 and the spur roller 63 and is intermittently conveyed with a predetermined line feed width, and image recording is performed by the recording head 41 in the same manner. After image recording is performed on a predetermined area of the recording paper, the paper discharge roller 62 is continuously rotated. As a result, the recording paper held by the paper discharge roller 62 and the spur roller 63 is discharged to the paper discharge tray 21.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the control unit 64 of the multifunction machine 1.
As shown in the figure, a central processing unit 65 composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory) is connected via a bus 66 and an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) 67. The printer unit 2 is connected to various motors and sensors, the scanner unit 3, the operation panel 4, and the like so as to be able to transmit and receive data.

  The central processing unit 65 performs rotation control of a CR motor that scans the recording carriage 40 based on detection signals of various sensors, rotation control of an LF motor that is a driving source of the conveyance roller 60, the purge mechanism 51, the scanner unit 3, and the like. Control over all. For example, in the scanning of the recording carriage 40, the recording carriage encoder strip is detected by a sensor, and the detection signal is transmitted to the central processing unit 65. The central processing unit 65 controls the rotation of the CR motor based on the detection signal. As a result, the recording carriage 40 is moved to a desired position.

  A recording signal or the like is transmitted from the control unit 64 to the recording carriage 40 through the flat cable 69. The flat cable 69 is a thin ribbon having a conductor for transmitting an electric signal covered with a synthetic resin film such as a polyester film for insulation. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 9, the flat cable 69 is led out from the downstream end of the recording carriage 40 in the recording sheet conveying direction to the downstream side in the recording sheet conveying direction with the wide surface thereof being substantially horizontal. ing. The flat cable 69 is electrically connected to the control board 79 of the recording carriage 40.

  The flat cable 69 is formed with a bent portion 70 that is bent at a substantially right angle so that the wide surface thereof is in a substantially horizontal direction on the downstream side of the recording carriage 40. By the bent portion 70, the flat cable 69 is extended in one direction in the reciprocating direction of the recording carriage 40 and in the direction opposite to the extending direction of the ink supply pipe 43. And the curved part 71 is formed so that it may reverse to a substantially U shape up and down, making a wide surface into the substantially horizontal direction, it is extended in the direction opposite to the said one direction (refer FIG. 8), and the partition plate 72 The base portion is locked at substantially the center in the width direction. This fixed portion is referred to as an intermediate locking portion 73 (fixed portion). Although not shown in detail in the drawing, the intermediate locking portion 73 is realized by a clip-like member or the like that holds the flat cable 69.

  Further, the flat cable 69 is folded at a substantially right angle at the intermediate locking portion 73, is extended again to the downstream side in the recording paper conveyance direction, and is connected to the main board 74 constituting the control portion 64. In addition, the part from the intermediate | middle latching | locking part 73 of the flat cable 69 to the main board | substrate 74 is suitably fixed to the partition board 72 with the clip-shaped member etc. similarly to the middle latching | locking part 73. In this manner, the flat cable 69 electrically connects the control board 79 and the main board 74 of the recording carriage 40 and transmits a recording signal to the recording carriage 40.

  The flat cable 69 is led out from the recording carriage 40 in the reciprocating direction, and is supported by the support member 75 around the bent portion 70. A portion from the bent portion 70 to being locked to the partition plate 72 by the intermediate locking portion 73 is not fixed to another member, and changes its posture following the reciprocating movement of the recording carriage 40. . That is, as shown in FIG. 8, as the recording carriage 40 is reciprocated, the flat cable 69 is bent on the upper surface of the partition plate 72 while bending so that the bending center of the bending portion 71 moves along the reciprocating direction. It follows the recording carriage 40 so as to expand and contract along the reciprocating direction.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the support member 75 is a flat plate member, and is rotatably provided on the upper surface of the recording carriage 40. The rotation base end 75 a of the support member 75 is disposed near the driving center of gravity of the recording carriage 40. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the recording carriage 40 is supported by guide rails 45 and 46 at both ends in the recording sheet conveyance direction, and a driving force is applied by a belt driving mechanism 47. The driving center of gravity of the recording carriage 40 is determined by the carrying position of the recording carriage 40, the position where the driving force is applied, and the center of gravity of the recording carriage 40.

  Here, if any sliding load is applied to the recording carriage 40, a rotational moment is generated around the driving center of gravity in the recording carriage 40. In order to reduce the generation of such a rotational moment, the support member 75 is used. It is preferable that the rotation base end 75a, which is the position where the force is transmitted from the recording carriage 40 to the recording carriage 40, is near the driving center of gravity. The driving center of gravity is determined by the configuration in the vicinity of the recording carriage 40 and the like, but as shown in the figure, the driving center of gravity may be set inside the positions where the recording carriage 40 is carried on the guide rails 45 and 46, respectively. In the present embodiment, since the driving force is applied from the belt driving mechanism 47 on the side where the flat cable 69 is led out, the carrying position of the guide rail 46 on the downstream side in the recording paper transport direction and the recording carriage 40 What is necessary is just to position the rotation base end 75a between the center of gravity.

  If the support member 75 is configured to be rotatable with respect to the recording carriage 40 with the reciprocating direction of the recording carriage 40 as an axis, the structure for attaching the rotation base end 75 a to the upper surface of the recording carriage 40 is not limited. Therefore, for example, the rotation base end 75a of the support member 75 may be disposed in a hinge structure on the upper surface of the recording carriage 40, or may be disposed through a shaft member.

  The rotating tip 75b of the support member 75 protrudes toward the side where the flat cable 69 of the recording carriage 40 is led out, that is, toward the downstream side in the recording sheet conveyance direction. The projecting portion supports the bent portion 70 of the flat cable 69. In detail, a positioning film 76 such as a synthetic resin film is attached to the bent portion 70, and a part of the positioning film 76 extends from the bent portion 70 to the side opposite to the extending direction of the flat cable 69. It protrudes. A long hole 77 in the direction perpendicular to the reciprocating direction of the recording carriage 40 is formed in the protruding portion.

  On the other hand, a locking piece 78 that engages with the elongated hole 77 of the positioning film 76 is provided on the rotating tip 75 b side of the support member 75. As shown in the drawing, the locking piece 78 has a hook-like shape protruding from the periphery of the support member 75 on the rotating tip 75 b side in the same direction as the positioning film 76, and the width of the locking piece 78 is that of the long hole 77. It is sufficiently shorter than the length. When the locking piece 78 is engaged with the elongated hole 77, the support member 75 supports the flat cable 69 so that the vicinity of the bent portion 70 of the flat cable 69 is located on the lower surface thereof. As described above, the support member 75 does not directly support the bent portion 70 of the flat cable 69 but supports it through the positioning film 76, so that the flat cable 69 is moved up and down so that an excessive load is applied in the vicinity of the bent portion 70. It is prevented from occurring.

  The flat cable 69 supported by the support member 75 is led out from the recording carriage 40 in the direction perpendicular to the reciprocating direction and reaches the bent portion 70 in the extending direction of the flat cable 69. A predetermined slack is formed. As shown in the figure, a control board 79 for controlling the operation of the recording carriage 40 is disposed in the upper part of the recording carriage 40, and a flat cable 69 connected to the control board 79 is connected to the recording carriage 40. 40, and is bent in the reciprocating direction of the recording carriage 40 at the bent portion 70. The length of the flat cable 69 from the lead position of the recording carriage 40 to the bent portion 70 is recorded by the support member 75. It is sufficiently longer than the length protruding from the carriage 40.

  Therefore, as described above, when the support member 75 supports the bent portion 70 via the positioning film 76, the flat cable 69 is slackened. As will be described later, when the support member 75 is rotated upward as described later, the vicinity of the bent portion 70 supported by the support member 75 is also moved upward, but at this time, the slack is derived from the recording carriage 40. When the portion up to the bent portion 70 is strained, the portion tries to lift the recording carriage 40, so that the upward rotation of the support member 75 is absorbed.

  Further, the long hole 77 of the positioning film 76 is sufficiently long in the direction perpendicular to the reciprocating direction of the recording carriage 40 with respect to the locking piece 78 of the support member 75, so that the support member is interposed via the positioning film 76. The flat cable 69 supported by 75 has a play that can move within the length range of the long hole 77. Thereby, an appropriate play can be made in the bent portion 70 that moves up and down following the rotation of the support member 75, and an excessive load is prevented from being generated in the bent portion 70. In the present embodiment, the positioning film 76 is projected from the bent portion 70 to the opposite side to the direction in which the flat cable 69 is produced, but the direction in which the positioning film 76 is projected is arbitrary, for example, recording The direction orthogonal to the reciprocating direction of the carriage 40 may be used.

  A regulating member 80 is provided on the upper surface of the support member 75 in a region where the support member 75 protrudes from the recording carriage 40. The restricting member 80 protrudes upward from the upper surface of the support member 75 and contacts the upper cover 81 to restrict the rotation of the support member 75 within a predetermined range, as will be described later. Such a regulating member 80 can be realized by, for example, expanding the upper surface of the support member 75 or fixing another member on the upper surface of the support member 75. The protruding height of the restricting member 80 is set in consideration of the positional relationship with the upper cover 81 and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the upper and lower spaces of the movable region where the flat cable 69 changes into a posture so as to expand and contract in the reciprocating direction are covered with a partition plate 72 and an upper cover 81. As shown in FIG. 2, the partition plate 72 is disposed above the paper discharge tray 21 with an appropriate space and partitions the paper discharge tray 21 and the inside of the printer unit 2. The upper surface of the partition plate 72 is a substantially horizontal plane. As shown in FIG. 4, the ink supply pipe 43 is routed on the partition plate 72, and the main substrate 74 is disposed.

  Needless to say, the partition plate 72 can be provided with other members (not shown) such as a USB connector for connecting to the slot 5 and the computer, for example. In the present embodiment, the main board 74 and the like are disposed on the partition plate 72 that covers the lower side of the movable region of the flat cable 69. However, the base portion according to the present invention is at least movable of the flat cable 69. What is necessary is just to cover the lower side of the area, and it is not necessary to have an area for disposing other members such as the main board 74.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 and 10, the upper cover 81 covers a portion of the flat cable 69 from the recording carriage 40 to the intermediate locking portion 73, that is, a portion disposed along the reciprocating direction of the recording carriage 40. In this way, a predetermined space is disposed above the partition plate 72. In the present embodiment, the upper cover 81 covers the flat cable 69 and the guide rail 46 as shown in the figure, but the upper cover according to the present invention is at least above the movable region of the flat cable 69. The size of the cover can be changed as appropriate. Therefore, for example, an upper cover that covers the upper part of the recording carriage 40 can also be used. However, considering the paper jam in the vicinity of the recording carriage 40, the upper part of the recording carriage 40 is opened as shown in the figure. It is preferable that the recording paper near the platen 44 (not shown) can be taken out from the upper side.

  The upper cover 81 is formed with a substantially U-shaped guide groove 82 that opens downward along the movable region of the flat cable 69, that is, along the reciprocating direction of the recording carriage 40. The groove width of the guide groove 82 is slightly larger than the width of the flat cable 69.

  As shown in FIG. 8, as the recording carriage 40 reciprocates, the flat cable 69 follows the recording carriage 40 and moves the center position of the curved portion 71 along the reciprocating direction of the recording carriage 40. Deform to move. The diameter of the curved portion 71 of the flat cable 69 changes so as to bulge upward as the recording carriage 40 reciprocates. That is, as the recording carriage 40 moves to the opposite side (left side in the drawing) of the flat cable 69 and the upper portion of the flat cable 69 increases, the diameter of the curved portion 71 increases, and the carriage 40 leads out of the flat cable 69. The diameter of the curved portion 71 becomes smaller as the upper portion of the flat cable 69 decreases as it moves to (right side of the figure).

  In such a deformation of the flat cable 69, as the diameter of the curved portion 71 becomes smaller, the elastic recovery force due to the bending rigidity of the flat cable 69 becomes larger, and the bent portion so that the diameter of the curved portion 71 becomes larger by the elastic recovery force. Around 70 tries to move upward. If the vicinity of the bent portion 70 moves upward from a predetermined position, the recording carriage 40 is lifted upward. As described above, the end of the recording carriage 40 on the downstream side in the recording sheet conveyance direction is carried by the guide rail 46, so that the recording carriage 40 is lifted from the guide rail 46 when an external force against its weight is applied. It will be.

  However, as shown in FIG. 11, when the bent portion 70 of the flat cable 69 moves upward, the support member 75 that supports the periphery of the bent portion 70 from above also rotates upward. Then, a regulating member 80 projecting above the support member 75 comes into contact with the lower surface of the upper cover 81. Thus, the force f1 for rotating the support member 75 upward by the elastic recovery force of the flat cable 69 is a force f2 for pushing the recording carriage 40 down to the rotation base end 75a of the support member 80 with the regulating member 80 as a fulcrum. As transmitted. Therefore, the recording carriage 40 is lifted by the force f1 and does not lift from the guide rail 46.

  Further, the regulating member 80 becomes a fulcrum for transmitting the force f1 as a force f2 for pushing down the recording carriage 40, instead of canceling out the force f1 due to the elastic recovery force of the flat cable 69 by contacting the upper cover 81. It is. Therefore, the force with which the restricting member 80 comes into contact with the upper cover 81 can be minimized. The force f2 acting on the recording carriage 40 is applied at the rotation base end 75a of the support member 75. As described above, the rotation base end 75a is set near the driving center of gravity of the recording carriage 40. Rotational moment is also reduced. Accordingly, the sliding load and the rotational moment acting on the recording carriage 40 are reduced.

  Further, when the bent portion 70 of the flat cable 69 does not move upward as shown in FIG. 11, for example, as shown in FIG. When the diameter of the curved portion 71 is increased by moving to the opposite side (left side in the figure) and the distance between the recording carriage 40 and the bent portion 70 is increased, the elastic recovery force acting on the bent portion 70 is reduced. The bent portion 70 does not rotate the support member 75 upward. Accordingly, the support member 75 is in a state where it is depressed on the upper surface of the recording carriage 40, and the regulating member 80 is not in contact with the upper cover 81 in this state.

  In other words, the restricting member 80 restricts the support member 75 from rotating upward from a predetermined range. Therefore, when the support member 75 is below the predetermined range, Does not touch. Accordingly, no frictional force is generated between the regulating member 80 and the upper cover 81, and no force f2 for pushing down the recording carriage 40 is generated. As described above, when the support member 75 is not rotated upward so that the bent portion 70 lifts the recording carriage 40, the regulating member 80 does not come into contact with the upper cover 81. The load does not work. Note that the rotation range of the support member 75 is below the position where the recording carriage 40 is lifted by the elastic recovery force of the flat cable 69, but the bent portion 70 and the periphery of the flat cable 69 are moved along with the reciprocating movement of the recording carriage 40. It is preferable that the support member 75 can be rotated in the range where the fluttering occurs.

  Further, as described above, since the flat cable 69 is led out from the upper portion of the recording carriage 40, the minimum diameter of the curved portion 71 of the flat cable 69 that changes as the recording carriage 40 reciprocates increases. As a result, the elastic recovery force due to the bending rigidity of the flat cable 69 can be reduced, so that the reciprocating range of the recording carriage 40 in which the support member 75 rotates upward and the regulating member 80 contacts the upper cover 81 is as narrow as possible. can do. As a result, the sliding load acting on the recording carriage 40 can be reduced.

  Further, as described above, the support member 75 is allowed to rotate until the regulating member 80 comes into contact with the upper cover 81 at a portion where the flat cable 69 is led out from the recording carriage 40 and reaches the bent portion 70. A degree of slack is formed. Therefore, even if the support member 75 rotates upward as the bent portion 70 moves, the lead-out portion of the recording carriage 40 is not strained. In other words, the movement of the bent portion 70 is absorbed by the slack and is not transmitted as a force for pushing up the recording carriage 40.

  As described above, according to the multi function device 1 according to the present embodiment, when the bent portion 70 of the flat cable 69 rises and the support member 75 rotates upward due to the elastic recovery force of the flat cable 69, the predetermined position is reached. Then, the regulating member 80 comes into contact with the upper cover 81, and the force f2 that pushes down the recording carriage 40 with the regulating member 80 as a fulcrum acts on the recording carriage 40, so that the recording carriage 40 is prevented from floating from the guide rail 46. it can. This stabilizes the load and posture when the recording carriage 40 reciprocates and improves the accuracy of the recorded image.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of a multifunction machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the internal configuration of the multifunction machine 1. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the main configuration of the printer unit 2. FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration around the recording carriage 40 and the flat cable 69. FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line AA showing the configuration around the recording carriage 40. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating an outline of a cross-sectional configuration of the recording head 41. FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the control unit 64 of the multifunction machine 1. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a state of the flat cable 69 that follows the reciprocating movement of the recording carriage 40. FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view showing a configuration in the vicinity of the support member 75. FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of the upper cover 81. FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the rotating state of the support member 75. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a recording carriage 90 and a flat cable 91 in a conventional image recording apparatus. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a floating prevention unit for the recording carriage 90 by the elastic member 95.

Explanation of symbols

1 ... Multifunction machine (image recording device)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 40 ... Recording carriage 41 ... Recording head 45, 46 ... Guide rail 69 ... Flat cable 70 ... Bending part 71 ... Bending part 72 ... Partition plate (base part)
73 ... Intermediate locking part (fixing part)
75 ... Supporting member 76 ... Positioning film 77 ... Long hole 78 ... Locking piece 80 ... Restricting member 81 ... Upper cover

Claims (5)

A recording head for recording an image on a recording medium by discharging ink droplets;
A recording carriage mounted with the recording head and reciprocating in one direction while being guided and supported by a guide rail at least one end in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction;
A bent portion that is led out from the one end portion of the recording carriage in a direction perpendicular to the reciprocating direction of the recording carriage and bent in the reciprocating direction is formed, and the bending portion is turned upside down in the reciprocating direction. A flat cable that is formed and fixed to a fixing portion of the apparatus main body and transmits a recording signal to the recording carriage;
A base portion and an upper cover that cover the upper and lower spaces of the movable region of the flat cable;
The recording carriage is rotatably provided on the upper surface of the recording carriage, and the leading end of the recording carriage extends in the direction in which the flat cable is led out. The bent portion of the flat cable or its periphery is orthogonal to the reciprocating direction from the recording carriage. A support member that forms and supports a predetermined slack in the portion led in the direction;
An image recording provided on the upper surface of the support member and comprising a regulating member that abuts on the upper cover and regulates the support member from rotating upward at least from a position where the slack is tensioned. apparatus.   The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support member supports the bent portion of the flat cable or the periphery thereof so as to be movable in a direction orthogonal to a reciprocating direction of the recording carriage.   A positioning film having a long hole formed in a direction orthogonal to the reciprocating direction of the recording carriage is provided so that a portion where the long hole is formed protrudes from a bent portion of the flat cable in a substantially horizontal direction. The image according to claim 2, wherein the support member supports the bent portion of the flat cable or the periphery thereof by engaging a locking piece formed on the rotating front end side of the support member into the elongated hole. Recording device.   4. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flat cable extends in the reciprocating direction opposite to an ink supply pipe that supplies ink to the recording head. 5. 4. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flat cable is led out from an upper part of the recording carriage.

Images