JP2015039773A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device enabled to retain a narrow gap between image forming means and a recording medium by holding a regulation member stably at a required position.SOLUTION: Between a recording head 1 and a platen member 3 forming a transportation passage for a recorded medium 10, there is arranged a regulation member 4 for holding the recorded medium 10, which is supported by an upstream support part 5 and a downstream support part 6. A portion 4a for vertically approaching the transport passage of the recorded medium 10 is interposed between a pair of a transfer roller 21 and a pressure roller 22, which is an upstream side rotor pair, and the recording head 1, and a portion 4b for leaving the transfer passage of the recording medium in a vertical direction is interposed between a pair of a paper discharge roller 23 and a spur roller 24 and the recording head 1.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

  As an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a facsimile, a copying machine, a plotter, or a complex machine of these, for example, a liquid discharge recording type image forming using a recording head composed of a liquid discharge head (droplet discharge head) that discharges ink droplets. As an apparatus, an ink jet recording apparatus or the like is known. The present invention is not limited to the liquid discharge recording type image forming apparatus, but will be described below using the liquid discharge recording type image forming apparatus.

  In such an image forming apparatus, for example, a recording medium is guided by a platen member so as to face the image forming unit, and a guide member or a sheet for guiding the recording medium conveyed on the platen member is pressed. There is known a sheet pressing member arranged so as to be movable in a direction perpendicular to the medium conveying direction (Patent Document 1).

JP-A-6-297798 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-197156

  In particular, when image formation is performed by the liquid discharge recording method, it is necessary to maintain the gap between the recording head composed of the liquid discharge head and the recording medium to be a narrow gap of about 1 mm. For this reason, in the case where a regulating member (the guide member or paper pressing unit) that presses the recording medium is disposed between the recording head and the platen member, it is necessary to make the regulating member thin.

  However, as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, in the configuration in which the restricting member is supported only on the upstream side in the medium conveyance direction, the position of the restricting member is not fixed, and the recording member comes into contact with the recording medium. There arise problems such as contact with the nozzle surface.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to stably hold a restricting member at a predetermined position so as to ensure a narrow gap between an image forming unit and a recording medium. To do.

In order to solve the above problems, an image forming apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention provides:
Image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium;
A conveying unit that conveys the recording medium facing the image forming unit,
The conveying means is
An upstream rotator disposed upstream of the image forming unit in the medium conveying direction;
A downstream rotating body disposed on the downstream side in the medium conveying direction of the image forming unit,
Between the image forming means and the conveyance path of the recording medium, a regulating member for pressing the recording medium is disposed,
An upstream support portion for supporting the regulating member on the upstream side in the medium conveyance direction from the image forming means;
A downstream support portion that supports the regulating member on the downstream side in the medium conveyance direction with respect to the image forming unit,
The restricting member is configured to have a portion that approaches a direction perpendicular to the conveyance path of the recording medium between the upstream rotating body and the image forming unit.

  According to the present invention, a narrow gap between the image forming unit and the recording medium can be secured by stably holding the restricting member at a required position.

It is side explanatory drawing with which it uses for description of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is side surface explanatory drawing which uses for description of 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is side surface explanatory drawing which uses for description of 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is side explanatory drawing with which it uses for description of 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a plane explanatory drawing similarly. It is side surface explanatory drawing which uses for description of 5th Embodiment of this invention. It is side surface explanatory drawing which uses for description of 6th Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 10 is a perspective explanatory view of an image forming apparatus according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention. It is a side explanatory view similarly. It is a perspective explanatory view of a recording part similarly. FIG. 3 is an explanatory plan view of the same recording unit. It is a perspective explanatory view of the guide member of the recording part. It is side surface explanatory drawing used for description of arrangement | positioning of the guide member. It is side surface explanatory drawing provided to description of 8th Embodiment of this invention. It is a plane explanatory drawing similarly. It is side surface explanatory drawing provided to description of 8th Embodiment of this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is an explanatory side view for explaining the embodiment.

  This image forming apparatus is opposed to a recording head 1 composed of a liquid discharge head as an image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium (hereinafter also referred to as “paper”) 10 and a recording head 1 as an image forming means. Transporting means 2 for transporting the recording medium 10.

  The conveying means 2 includes a pair of a conveying roller 21 and a pressure roller 22 that are a pair of upstream rotating bodies arranged on the upstream side of the recording head 1 in the medium conveying direction, and a downstream side arranged on the downstream side of the recording head 1 in the medium conveying direction. A paper discharge roller 23 which is a rotating body and a pair of spur rollers 24 are provided.

  Between the pair of the transport roller 21 and the pressure roller 22 and the pair of the paper discharge roller 23 and the spur roller 24, the platen member 3 that opposes the recording head 1 and guides the recording medium 10 is disposed. Yes. The guide surface side of the platen member 3 forms a conveyance path for the recording medium 10.

  Between the recording head 1 and the platen member 3 that forms the conveyance path of the recording medium 10, a regulating member 4 that presses the recording medium 10 (means to regulate lifting) is disposed. The regulating member 4 is formed of, for example, a thread-like member such as Tegs yarn or a thin layer member such as a PET film.

  An upstream support portion 5 that supports the restriction member 4 on the upstream side in the medium conveyance direction from the recording head 1 and a downstream support portion 6 that supports the restriction member 4 on the downstream side in the medium conveyance direction from the recording head 1 are provided. doing.

  The regulating member 4 has a portion 4 a that approaches the vertical direction with respect to the conveyance path of the recording medium 10 between the pair of conveyance rollers 21 and pressure rollers 22 that are the upstream rotating body pair and the recording head 1. doing.

  In addition, the regulating member 4 has a portion 4b that is vertically away from the recording medium conveyance path between the recording head 1 and the pair of the discharge roller 23 and the spur roller 24 that are the downstream rotating body pair. Have.

  In the present application, “approaching in the vertical direction” means to approach the conveyance path from a portion facing the conveyance path, and does not necessarily need to be perpendicular to the conveyance path. For example, in this embodiment, the “part approaching the vertical direction” may be a part from the upper side to the lower side of the transport path, and is not limited to the part arranged in the vertical direction with respect to the transport path. The part arrange | positioned diagonally with respect to it is also contained. The same applies to “go away in the vertical direction”.

  The regulating member 4 is disposed between the recording head 1 and the platen member 3 from the lowermost end of the portion 4a to the lowermost end of the portion 4b.

  As described above, since both ends of the regulating member 4 in the medium conveying direction are supported by the upstream support portion 5 and the downstream support portion 6, the regulating member 4 is interposed between the recording head 1 and the platen member 3. It can be stably and reliably held at a required position.

  As a result, since the regulating member 4 can be a thin member or a thread-like member, the lifting of the recording medium from the conveyance path can be reduced, the gap between the image forming unit and the recording medium can be reduced, and the image formation can be performed. A narrow gap between the means and the recording medium can be secured.

  Here, as described above, the regulating member 4 has a portion 4 a that approaches the perpendicular direction with respect to the recording medium conveyance path between the pair of conveyance roller 21 and pressure roller 22 and the recording head 1. doing. Thereby, it is not necessary to widen the space between the pair of the conveying roller 21 and the pressure roller 22 and the recording head 1 in order to arrange the restricting member 4, and the size can be reduced.

  In addition, the regulating member 4 has a portion 4 b that is spaced in the vertical direction with respect to the recording medium conveyance path between the recording head 1 and the pair of paper discharge roller 23 and spur roller 24. Accordingly, it is not necessary to widen the gap between the pair of the discharge roller 23 and the spur roller 24 and the recording head 1 in order to arrange the restricting member 4, and the size can be reduced.

  A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is an explanatory side view for explaining the embodiment.

  In the present embodiment, in the first embodiment, the regulating member 4 approaches the perpendicular direction with respect to the conveyance path of the recording medium between the pair of the conveyance roller 21 and the pressure roller 22 and the recording head 1. Although it has the part 4a, it does not have the part 4b which goes away in the downstream vertical direction.

  Even with such a configuration, it is not necessary to widen the space between the pair of the conveying roller 21 and the pressure roller 22 and the recording head 1 in order to arrange the regulating member 4, and the size can be reduced.

  A third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is an explanatory side view for explaining the embodiment.

  In the present embodiment, in the first embodiment, the regulating member 4 moves away from the pair of paper discharge roller 23 and spur roller 24 and the recording head 1 in the vertical direction with respect to the recording medium conveyance path. Although it has the part 4b, it does not have the part 4a which approaches the upstream vertical direction.

  Even in such a configuration, it is not necessary to widen the space between the pair of the discharge roller 23 and the spur roller 24 and the recording head 1 in order to arrange the restricting member 4, and the size can be reduced.

  Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is an explanatory side view for explaining the embodiment, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory plan view.

  In the present embodiment, drive mechanisms 8 that are drive means for moving the upstream support portion 5 and the downstream support portion 6 in a direction orthogonal to the medium transport direction are provided.

  The drive mechanism 8 includes a guide rail 81 that guides the upstream support portion 5 and the downstream support portion 6, a timing belt 84 that is wound around the pulleys 82 and 83, and a drive source (not shown) that rotationally drives the pulley 82. The upstream support portion 5 or the downstream support portion 6 is connected to the timing belt 84.

  Here, two upstream support portions 5 and two downstream support portions 6 are arranged in order to regulate the width direction (main scanning direction) end of the recording medium 10. The two upstream support portions 5 and 5 are connected to different surfaces of the loop-shaped timing belt 84. Similarly, the two upstream support portions 5 and 5 are connected to different surfaces of the loop-shaped timing belt 84.

  Thereby, the two upstream side support parts 5 and 5 move in the direction away | separated by rotation to the one direction (for example, arrow A direction) of the timing belt 84. FIG. Further, the two upstream support portions 5 and 5 move in the approaching direction due to the rotation of the timing belt 84 in the other direction (for example, the arrow B direction). The movement of the two downstream support portions 6 and 6 is the same.

  Since the driving mechanism 8 moves the upstream support portion 5 and the downstream support portion 6, the regulating members 4 and 4 are moved to a required position according to the width of the recording medium 10. Can do.

  In addition, a feed screw, a ball screw, etc. can also be used for a drive mechanism. When these screws are used, the rotation of the support portions 5 and 6 is restricted. Also, a drive source that directly moves the support portions 5 and 6 such as a linear motor can be used.

  Here, processing when a paper jam (JAM) occurs will be described.

  As described above, when the regulating member 4 is arranged between the conveyance path and the recording head 1, when the paper JAM is generated, the user jams because the paper 10 exists between the regulating member 4 and the platen member 3. When the JAM process for removing the generated paper 10 is performed, it is an obstacle (interferes), and the regulation member 4 may be further damaged.

  Therefore, the occurrence of the paper JAM is detected, and when the paper JAM is generated, the recording head 1 is moved in the direction opposite to the time when the JAM is generated or away from the paper 10, but the regulating member 4 is also moved in the same direction as the recording head 1. Let

  Thereby, it is possible to prevent the restricting member 4 from interfering with the JAM processing.

  Note that jam detection can be performed by detecting a change in voltage value of a moving unit that moves the recording head 1, a change in speed of the recording head 1, detection by an optical sensor, or the like.

  Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is an explanatory side view for explaining the embodiment.

  In the present embodiment, the downstream support portion 6 is provided with tension applying means 61 that applies tension to the regulating member 4. In addition, it can replace with the downstream side support part 6, or can also provide the tension | tensile_strength provision means 61 in the upstream side support part 5 with the downstream side support part 6. FIG.

  By providing the tension applying means 61, it is possible to reliably apply tension to the restricting member 4 and to place and hold the restricting member 4 at a required position.

  Next, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is an explanatory side view for explaining the embodiment.

  In the present embodiment, the restricting member 4A is formed of an elastic member.

  As a result, the tension can be obtained by the regulating member 4 </ b> A itself without providing a separate tension applying means as in the fifth embodiment.

  Next, an image forming apparatus according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 8 is an explanatory perspective view of the image forming apparatus, and FIG. 9 is an explanatory side view.

  This image forming apparatus is a serial type image forming apparatus, and a carriage 104 is orthogonal to the medium conveying direction by a rodless type guide mechanism using a guide member 103 made of a plate-like member spanned between left and right side plates. It is supported so as to be movable in the main scanning direction.

  In addition, the carriage 104 includes a recording head 111 including a liquid discharge head as an image forming unit that discharges droplets of each color of yellow (Y), cyan (C), magenta (M), and black (K), for example. doing.

  Ink (liquid) is supplied to the recording head 111 via a supply tube 114 from an ink cartridge 113 which is a liquid cartridge (main tank) detachably mounted on the apparatus main body side.

  On the other hand, a paper feed cassette 101 loaded with paper 210 (see FIG. 10), which is a recording medium, is mounted on the bottom side of the apparatus main body. The sheets 210 in the sheet cassette 101 are separated one by one by a sheet feeding roller 143 and sent out.

  The sheet 210 fed from the sheet cassette 101 is fed between the transport roller 151 and the pressure roller 152 via the relay roller 144 and the transport guide plate 145. Then, the sheet is intermittently conveyed while being guided by the rib 153 a of the platen member 153 by the conveying force of the conveying roller 151 and the pressure roller 152.

  At this time, by driving the recording head 111 according to the image signal while moving the carriage 104, ink droplets are ejected onto the stopped paper 210 to record one line, and the paper 210 is conveyed by a predetermined amount. Record the next line. Upon receiving a recording end signal or a signal that the trailing edge of the sheet 210 has reached the recording area, the recording operation is ended.

  A sheet discharge roller 154 and a spur 155 are arranged on the downstream side of the platen member 153, and the sheet 210 on which an image is formed is discharged onto the sheet discharge tray 102.

  Next, details of the recording unit in the image forming apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 10 is an explanatory perspective view of the recording unit, and FIG. 11 is an explanatory plan view of the same.

  Above the platen member 153, two guide members 201 are arranged in the main scanning direction (carriage movement direction) for restricting the floating of the sheet 210 to be guided. The guide member 201 includes a thread-like restricting member 204 that contacts the paper 210 and prevents the paper 210 from floating, and holding members 205 and 206 that hold the restricting member 204, and both ends of the restricting member 204 are held by the holding members 205 and 206. Is held by.

  The regulating member 204 is a thin thread-like member having flexibility, and is held in a state where tension is applied by the two holding members 205 and 206.

  The platen member 153 has a plurality of ribs 153a for contacting and guiding the sheet 210, and the regulating member 204 is held at a position higher than the ribs 153a.

  The guide member 201 is held so as to be positioned outside the scanning area of the carriage 104 and the recording head 111. Even if the carriage 104 scans the platen member 153 to perform printing, the guide member 201 and the carriage 104 are scanned. And the recording head 111 are not in contact with each other.

  Here, the holding members 205 and 206 of the guide member 201 are held by a guide rail 281 so as to be movable in a direction parallel to the scanning direction of the carriage 104. Then, it is moved by a motor (not shown) via a timing belt 284 wound around the pulleys 282 and 283.

  The timing belt 284 is provided on the upstream side and the downstream side in the transport direction of the platen member 153, the upstream timing belt 284 transmits power to the upstream holding member 205, and the downstream timing belt 284 is disposed on the downstream side. Power is transmitted to the holding member 206.

  The operations of the upstream timing belt 284 and the downstream timing belt 284 are synchronized by another timing belt (not shown), whereby the upstream holding member 205 and the downstream holding member 206 also move in synchronization. To do.

  As described above, when the guide member 201 including the restricting member 204 moves in the main scanning direction, the upstream and downstream holding members 205 and 206 operate in synchronization with each other, so that the guide member 201 moves in the scanning direction of the carriage 104 without tilting. can do.

  The two holding members 205 connected to the timing belt 284 on the upstream side are fixed and held by different fixing portions 288 on different surfaces of the timing belt 284 having a loop shape. Similarly, the two holding members 206 connected to the timing belt 284 on the downstream side are fixed and held by fixing portions 288 on different surfaces of the timing belt 284 having a loop shape.

  Therefore, when the timing belt 284 rotates, the two guide members 201 move in the opposite directions in the scanning direction of the carriage 104, respectively. As a result, the two guide members 201 move so as to be always located symmetrically about the center of the platen member 153 in the width direction.

  When performing printing, the control unit reads the size of the paper 210 in the print information sent from the host side, and moves the positions of the guide members 201 and 201 according to the size in the width direction of the paper 210.

  The guide members 201 and 201 are moved so as to be located on the inner side from the end portions on both sides in the width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the sheet 210 conveyed on the platen member 153. As a result, when the sheet 210 is conveyed onto the platen member 153, the end of the sheet 210 is sandwiched between the platen member 153 and the regulating members 204 and 204 of the guide members 201 and 201.

  The regulating member 204 of the guide member 201 can suppress the lifting of the end portion of the sheet 210. That is, for example, even when the sheet 210 whose end portion is likely to be lifted due to breakage, breakage, or the like of the sheet 210 is conveyed, the sheet is regulated to a position where the carriage 104 and the recording head 111 are not in contact by the regulating member 204 of the guide member 201. As a result, problems (for example, rubbing, jamming, etc.) due to contact between the sheet 210 and the carriage 104 and the recording head 111 can be prevented.

  Next, the guide member 201 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 12 is an explanatory perspective view of the guide member.

  A plate spring 211 is provided inside the holding member 205 on the upstream side, and one end portion of the regulating member 204 is held by the holding member 205 via the plate spring 211. One end of the restricting member 204 has a loop shape and is hooked and held by a notch provided in the leaf spring 211.

  The holding member 206 on the downstream side is provided with a fixing member 212, and the other end of the regulating member 204 is held by the holding member 206 via the fixing member 212. The other end of the restricting member 204 is held by hooking a loop-shaped end on a claw provided on the fixing member 212.

  Here, since one end of the regulating member 204 is held by the holding member 205 via the leaf spring 211, the regulating member 204 is held in a tensioned state. For this reason, the restricting member 204 is made of a flexible material, but is always held in a tensioned state, and has a shape that follows the shape of the holding members 205 and 206 as shown in FIG. Retained.

  Further, by holding one end portion of the regulating member 204 with the leaf spring 211, the regulating member 204 is allowed to be deformed to some extent.

  Here, for example, when the sheet 210 stops on the platen member 153 for some reason during the printing operation, the user needs to remove the sheet 210 on the platen member 153. At this time, as described above, the restriction member 104 is made of a flexible material and a certain amount of deformation is allowed, so that the restriction member 204 and the holding members 205 and 206 are not damaged during these processes. In addition, the sheet 210 stopped on the platen member 153 can be removed.

  Next, the arrangement of the guide member 201 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 13 is an explanatory side view for explaining the same.

  On the upstream side of the platen member 153 in the medium conveyance direction, a conveyance roller 151 and a pressure roller 152 for feeding the paper 210 onto the platen member 153 are provided. On the downstream side of the platen member 153 in the medium conveyance direction, a paper discharge roller 154 and a spur 155 for sending the paper 210 sent from the platen member 153 to the paper discharge tray 102 are provided.

  Here, the pressure roller 152 is held by the apparatus main body via the pressure plate 221. The spur 155 is held by the apparatus main body via a spur holder 222.

  Both end portions of the regulating member 204 are held by an upstream holding member 205 provided on the upper side of the pressure plate 221 and a downstream holding member 206 provided on the upper side of the spur holder 222, respectively.

  Here, the holding member 205 at the upstream end is movably held by a guide rail 281 held by the apparatus main body. The holding member 206 on the downstream side is movably held on a guide rail 281 (rail portion) provided on a spur holder 222 held on the apparatus main body.

  The front ends of the holding members 205 and 206 extend from the upper surfaces of the pressure plate 221 and the spur holder 222 to the vicinity of the platen member 153 so as to cover the end on the platen member 153 side. The flexible regulating member 204 is arranged along the shape of the holding members 205 and 206 so as to pass through the gap between the recording head 111 and the platen member 153 on the platen member 153.

  As described above, since the restriction member 204 and the holding members 205 and 206 are configured, the restriction member 204 and the holding members 205 and 206 can be moved to arbitrary positions in the main scanning direction. At this time, it can be arranged outside the scanning range of the recording head 111 and does not hinder the operation of the recording head 111 during printing.

  Further, only the restricting member 204 is arranged between the platen member 153 and the recording head 111. However, by using a thread-like member for the restricting member 204, for example, a sheet metal sheet or the like is used as a material. The thickness can be reduced as compared with a regulating member having a function. Accordingly, an increase in the distance between the platen member and the recording head due to the addition of the regulating member can be suppressed, and a good image can be obtained by the liquid discharge recording method.

  Next, an eighth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 14 is an explanatory side view for explaining the embodiment, and FIG. 15 is an explanatory plan view.

  In the present embodiment, in the configuration of the fifth embodiment, the upstream support portion 5 is provided with a tension releasing member 62 that releases the tension on the regulating member 4. The tension release member 62 is configured to be released when a certain force or more is applied to the regulating member 4. For example, the tension release member 62 is fixed to the support portion 205 with a claw-shaped portion (not shown) or the like, and is configured such that the claw-shaped portion is detached with a force of a certain level or more.

  Further, a tension return means 63 for returning the tension released by the tension release member 62 is provided.

  With this configuration, when a large force is applied to the regulating member 4 by the paper when JAM is generated, the tension is applied when the paper collides (interferences) with the recording head 1 by lifting the regulating member 4 when JAM occurs. The tension of the regulating member 4 is released by the release member 62. When the tension of the regulating member 4 is released, the play length of the regulating member 4 also increases.

  By increasing the play (length) of the regulating member 4 due to the release of the tension, it is possible to prevent the regulating member 4 from being damaged and the operability of the JAM processing from being lowered.

  Further, once the tension release member 62 that has been released moves the regulating member 4 to the position of the tension return means 63, the tension return means 63 guides the protruding portion of the tension release member 62 to the position where the tension is generated. Can be returned.

  The tension return means 63 is not limited to the guide system, but may use actuator power such as a motor or a solenoid. Further, the tension releasing member 62 may be held not by the claw-shaped portion but by another holding configuration such as a magnet.

  Next, a ninth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 16 is an explanatory side view for explaining the embodiment.

  In this embodiment, an image forming unit 502 as an image forming unit, a transport mechanism unit 505 as a transport unit, and the like are provided inside the apparatus main body, and sheets 510 as recording media can be stacked on the lower side of the apparatus main body. A sheet feed tray 504 is provided. The paper feed tray 504 includes a paper feed cassette and is used to mean a paper feed unit.

  The image forming unit 502 takes in the paper 510 fed from the paper feed tray 504 and intermittently transports the paper 510 in the vertical direction (direction along the vertical direction) by the transport mechanism unit 505 serving as a transport unit. To eject a droplet in the horizontal direction to record a required image. The sheet 510 on which an image is formed is further conveyed upward through a sheet discharge conveyance unit 506 and discharged onto a sheet discharge tray 507 which is a sheet discharge unit provided on the upper side of the apparatus main body.

  Here, in the image forming unit 502, a main guide member 521 and a secondary guide member 522 hold a carriage 523 on which a recording head 524 is mounted in a movable manner. The carriage 523 is moved and scanned in the main scanning direction by a main scanning motor of a carriage moving mechanism (not shown) via a timing belt spanned between the driving pulley and the driven pulley.

  The carriage 523 is mounted with a recording head 524 including a liquid discharge head for discharging ink droplets of each color of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K).

  The recording head 524 is mounted with a nozzle row composed of a plurality of nozzles arranged in the sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction and the droplet discharge direction oriented in the horizontal direction. That is, a horizontal driving method is employed in which a nozzle surface on which nozzles for discharging droplets are formed is arranged in the vertical direction and includes a recording head 524 that discharges droplets in the horizontal direction.

  The sheets 510 in the sheet feeding tray 504 are separated one by one by a sheet feeding roller (half moon roller) 543 and a separation pad 544 and fed into the apparatus main body. The fed paper 510 is fed between the transport belt 551 and the presser roller 548 of the transport mechanism unit 505 and is sucked and transported by the transport belt 551.

  The transport mechanism unit 505 includes an endless transport belt 551 that is stretched between a transport roller 552 that is a driving roller and a driven roller 553, and a charging roller 554 that charges the transport belt 551. Further, the presser roller 548 is held by the tip pressure plate 555. Further, a spur 558 facing the driven roller 553 is provided.

  The paper discharge conveyance unit 506 includes a paper discharge conveyance roller 561, a conveyance roller 562 and a spur 563, a paper discharge roller 564 and a spur 565, a guide member 566, and the like.

  In this image forming apparatus, a front cover 601 that is an open / close cover is provided on the front side of the apparatus main body so as to be openable and closable around a support shaft 602 at the lower end. Further, the transport belt 551, the transport roller 552, the driven roller 553, and the paper discharge transport roller 561 are integrated as a transport unit 700 which is a transport unit. The transport unit 700 is provided so that it can be opened and closed with the shaft of the transport roller 552 as a fulcrum.

  Thereby, the conveyance path can be opened by opening the front cover 601 and the conveyance unit 700.

  Also in the image forming apparatus having such a configuration, a regulating member as described in the first to eighth embodiments can be provided.

  Thus, in the case of a configuration in which the conveyance path is opened when JAM occurs, the sheet pressure by JAM is achieved by opening the conveyance unit 700, so that the operation of the regulating member is not necessary.

  However, in the case of JAM in which the sheet is entangled with the regulating member, it is preferable to move the sheet in the direction in which the sheet collides with the regulating member by JAM (that is, the moving direction of the recording head).

  At this time, when the strength of the restricting member is not strong, the restricting member may be damaged if it is moved before the transport unit is opened.

  In the present application, the “paper” is not limited to paper, but includes OHP, cloth, glass, a substrate, etc., and means a material to which ink droplets or other liquids can be attached. , Recording media, recording paper, recording paper, and the like. In addition, image formation, recording, printing, printing, and printing are all synonymous.

  The “image forming apparatus” means an apparatus that forms an image by discharging a liquid onto a medium such as paper, thread, fiber, fabric, leather, metal, plastic, glass, wood, ceramics or the like. In addition, “image formation” not only applies an image having a meaning such as a character or a figure to a medium but also applies an image having no meaning such as a pattern to the medium (simply applying a droplet to the medium). It also means to land on.

  The “ink” is not limited to an ink unless otherwise specified, but includes any liquid that can form an image, such as a recording liquid, a fixing processing liquid, or a liquid. Used generically. For example, DNA samples, resists, pattern materials, resins and the like are also included.

  In addition, the “image” is not limited to a planar image, and includes an image given to a three-dimensionally formed image and an image formed by three-dimensionally modeling a solid itself.

  Further, the direction of the droplet discharge direction is not limited to the lower side in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, but may be configured to be oblique or upper in the vertical direction.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Recording head 2 Conveyance means 3 Platen member 4 Control member 5 Support part 6 Support part 8 Drive mechanism 10 Recording medium (paper)
61 Tension applying means 62 Tension releasing means 104 Carriage 111 Recording head 153 Platen member 204 Restricting member 205 Holding member (supporting portion)
206 Holding member (supporting part)
208 Drive mechanism 210 Recording medium (paper)

Claims (10)

Image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium;
A conveying unit that conveys the recording medium facing the image forming unit,
The conveying means is
An upstream rotating body pair disposed upstream of the image forming unit in the medium conveying direction;
A downstream rotating body pair disposed downstream of the image forming unit in the medium conveying direction,
Between the image forming means and the conveyance path of the recording medium, a regulating member for pressing the recording medium is disposed,
An upstream support portion for supporting the regulating member on the upstream side in the medium conveyance direction from the image forming means;
A downstream support portion that supports the regulating member on the downstream side in the medium conveyance direction with respect to the image forming unit,
The regulating member has a portion that approaches a vertical direction with respect to a conveyance path of the recording medium between the pair of upstream rotating bodies and the image forming unit. . Image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium;
A conveying unit that conveys the recording medium facing the image forming unit,
The conveying means is
An upstream rotating body pair disposed upstream of the image forming unit in the medium conveying direction;
A downstream rotating body pair disposed downstream of the image forming unit in the medium conveying direction,
Between the image forming means and the conveyance path of the recording medium, a regulating member for pressing the recording medium is disposed,
An upstream support portion for supporting the regulating member on the upstream side in the medium conveyance direction from the image forming means;
A downstream support portion that supports the regulating member on the downstream side in the medium conveyance direction with respect to the image forming unit,
The image forming apparatus, wherein the restricting member has a portion that moves away from the recording medium conveyance path between the image forming unit and the downstream rotating body pair in a vertical direction. . Image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium;
A conveying unit that conveys the recording medium facing the image forming unit,
The conveying means is
An upstream rotating body pair disposed upstream of the image forming unit in the medium conveying direction;
A downstream rotating body pair disposed downstream of the image forming unit in the medium conveying direction,
Between the image forming means and the conveyance path of the recording medium, a regulating member for pressing the recording medium is disposed,
An upstream support portion for supporting the regulating member on the upstream side in the medium conveyance direction from the image forming means;
A downstream support portion that supports the regulating member on the downstream side in the medium conveyance direction with respect to the image forming unit,
The regulating member has a portion that approaches a vertical direction with respect to the conveyance path of the recording medium between the pair of upstream rotating bodies and the image forming unit, and the image forming unit and the downstream rotation Between the body pair, there is a portion that is perpendicular to the conveyance path of the recording medium and passes between the image forming unit and the conveyance path of the recording medium. An image forming apparatus. A drive mechanism for moving the regulating member in a direction perpendicular to the medium conveying direction;
4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism is disposed on a side where the image forming unit is disposed with respect to a conveyance path of the recording medium.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a tension applying unit that applies tension to the regulating member.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a unit that releases tension applied by the tension applying unit.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the regulating member is a thread-like member.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the regulating member is an elastic member. A platen member for guiding the recording medium is disposed between the upstream rotating body pair and the downstream rotating body pair so as to face the image forming unit,
9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a conveyance path for the recording medium is formed by the platen member. A drive mechanism for moving the regulating member in a direction perpendicular to the medium conveying direction;
4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the occurrence of a jam in the recording medium is detected, the regulating member is retracted.

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