JP6142563B2 - Conveying apparatus and image recording apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a transport apparatus and an image recording apparatus that can reliably perform jam processing.

  Conventionally, an image recording apparatus that records an image on a sheet conveyed by a conveyance roller is known. A conventional image recording apparatus includes, for example, a conveyance roller pair that sandwiches and conveys a sheet, and a recording unit that records an image on the sheet conveyed by the conveyance roller pair.

  In the image recording apparatus having the above-described configuration, the recording paper held between the pair of transport rollers may be jammed on the transport path. In view of this, an image recording apparatus having a separation mechanism that separates a pair of rollers constituting a pair of conveyance rollers in order to remove recording paper jammed on the conveyance path (so-called jam processing) is known (Patent Document 1). reference). There is also known an image recording apparatus that can convey a thick sheet such as a CD by reducing the pressing force between a pair of rollers by a separation / contact mechanism.

JP 2003-94740 A

  However, with the recent demand for downsizing of the image recording apparatus, the space for separating the pair of rollers has been reduced, and the separation distance has to be reduced. Therefore, if the positioning accuracy of the pair of rollers by the separation / contact mechanism is low, there is a possibility that the pair of rollers cannot be reliably separated at the time of jam processing, or the pressing force between the pair of rollers cannot be appropriately reduced when a thick sheet is conveyed. is there.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a transport device that can reliably perform separation or pressure reduction of a pair of rollers constituting the transport roller, and such a transport device. An image recording apparatus is provided.

  (1) A conveying device according to the present invention is provided with a first roller that conveys a sheet, a first state that presses the first roller, and a first state that presses the first roller, and the first roller. A second roller capable of changing its state to a second state in which the pressing force is smaller than the first state or spaced apart from the first roller; a bearing that rotatably supports the shaft of the first roller; An urging member that urges the two rollers in the direction of pressing the first roller, and a long shape that extends along the axial direction of the first roller, and resists the urging force of the urging member. A long member that can move in a separating direction that changes the state of the second roller from the first state to the second state, a first position that sets the second roller to the first state, and the second roller And a movable member movable to the second position in the second state. That. The movable member is positioned between the bearing and the long member at the second position and contacts the outer surface of the bearing and the outer surface of the long member, so that the second roller is moved to the second position. A contact portion for moving the elongate member in the separation direction to a position to be in a state;

  According to the said structure, a 2nd roller can be moved on the basis of the outer surface of the bearing which supports the axis | shaft of a 1st roller. Thereby, since the 2nd roller in a 2nd state can be positioned with high precision, separation | spacing or pressure reduction of a 1st roller and a 2nd roller can be performed reliably. The elongate member in the above configuration may be a rotating shaft that is inserted into the second roller and integrally rotates, or a member that supports the second roller at a position separated from the second roller. .

  (2) Preferably, a plurality of the second rollers are provided apart from each other in the axial direction of the first roller. The transport device further includes a plurality of support members that each rotatably support at least one of the plurality of second rollers. In the process of moving in the separation direction, the long member abuts on each of the plurality of support members and moves in the separation direction, thereby moving the plurality of second rollers from the first state to the second state. Change state.

  According to the said structure, an elongate member can be moved to the separation direction which leaves | separates from the axis | shaft of a 1st roller by the contact part positioned by the outer surface of the bearing. Thereby, even if the moving distance of the long member is short, the first roller and the second roller can be reliably separated or depressurized.

  (3) Preferably, the elongate member is inserted into each of the plurality of support members at positions different in the sheet conveyance direction with respect to the plurality of second rollers.

  According to the said structure, a conveying apparatus can be reduced in size in the direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction.

  (4) Preferably, the contact portion is provided on a side opposite to the first contact portion of the contact portion, a first contact portion that contacts the bearing in the second position, And a second contact portion that contacts the outer surface of the long member. The second contact portion is provided at a first surface that contacts the outer surface of the long member at the first position, and at a position spaced from the first contact portion from the first surface in the separation direction. The second surface contacting the outer surface of the elongate member at the second position is connected to the first surface and the second surface, and moves between the first position and the second position. It is comprised with the connection surface contact | abutted in the process at the outer surface of the said elongate member.

  According to the said structure, a 2nd roller can be reliably changed in a state by moving a elongate member on a 2nd contact part in the state which positioned the 1st contact part on the outer surface of the bearing.

  (5) Preferably, the conveying device is provided to face in a first direction which is an axial direction of the first roller, and each of the conveying devices is a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and along the conveying direction. And a first metal frame and a second metal frame. The bearing is supported by the first metal frame, is supported by one end of the shaft of the first roller, is supported by the second metal frame, and is supported by the shaft of the first roller. And a second bearing that supports the other end side. The movable member moves in the second direction along the first metal frame, and contacts the outer surface of the first bearing and the outer surface of one end of the long member at the second position. A second movable member that moves in the second direction along the second metal frame and contacts the outer surface of the second bearing and the outer surface of the other end of the long member at the second position; Prepare.

  According to the said structure, a 2nd roller can be reliably changed in a state by moving a movable member along the metal frame with a positioning accuracy high compared with the resin frame.

  (6) Preferably, the transport device further includes a guide rail supported by the first metal frame and the second metal frame and extending in the first direction. The support member is supported by the guide rail.

  (7) An image recording apparatus according to the present invention includes the conveyance device described above and a recording unit that records an image on a sheet conveyed by the first roller and the second roller.

  According to the above configuration, an image recording apparatus that can easily perform jam processing can be obtained.

  According to the present invention, since the second roller is moved with reference to the outer surface of the bearing that supports the shaft of the first roller, the second roller in the second state can be positioned with high accuracy. As a result, the first roller and the second roller can be reliably separated or depressurized.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multifunction machine 10 as an example of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing the internal structure of the printer unit 11. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the base member 100 and the side frames 120 and 130. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the guide rail 45, the conveyance roller pair 51, the platen 42, the discharge roller pair 61, the release rods 70 </ b> A and 70 </ b> B, and the side frames 120 and 130 supported by the side frames 120 and 130. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the multifunction machine 10 as viewed from the front side. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the release rod 70A. FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view showing a state of the transport roller pair 51 and the discharge roller pair 61 when the release rod 70B is located at the first position. FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view showing a state of the transport roller pair 51 and the discharge roller pair 61 when the release rod 70B is located at the second position. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state of the transport roller pair 51, the discharge roller pair 61, and the platen 42 when the release rod 70B is located at the first position. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state of the transport roller pair 51, the discharge roller pair 61, and the platen 42 when the release rod 70B is located at the second position.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings as appropriate. The embodiment described below is merely an example of the present invention, and it is needless to say that the embodiment of the present invention can be changed as appropriate without departing from the gist of the present invention. In the following description, the vertical direction 7 is defined with reference to a state in which the multifunction machine 10 is installed (the state of FIG. 1), and the side where the opening 13 is provided is the front side (front side). 8 is defined, and a left-right direction 9 is defined when the multifunction machine 10 is viewed from the front side (front side). In the present embodiment, the left-right direction 9 is an example of the first direction, and the front-rear direction 8 is an example of the second direction.

[Overall structure of MFP 10]
As shown in FIG. 1, a multifunction machine 10 (an example of an image recording apparatus of the present invention) is generally formed in a thin rectangular parallelepiped, and a printer unit 11 is provided at the lower part. The multifunction machine 10 has various functions such as a facsimile function and a print function. The multifunction device 10 has a function of recording an image on one side of the recording paper 12 (see FIG. 2) by an inkjet method as a printing function. The multifunction machine 10 may record images on both sides of the recording paper 12. The multifunction machine 10 is provided with a transport device. The conveyance device is a device that conveys the recording paper 12 inside the multifunction machine 10 and includes a conveyance roller unit and release rods 70A and 70B, which will be described later.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an opening 13 is formed in the front of the printer unit 11. A feeding tray 20 capable of storing various sizes of recording paper 12 can be inserted into and removed from the printer unit 11 in the front-rear direction 8 through the opening 13. A discharge tray 21 is stacked on the feeding tray 20. The discharge tray 21 moves integrally with the feeding tray 20. The discharge tray 21 supports the recording paper 12 on which an image is recorded by a recording unit 24 described later and discharged by a discharge roller pair 61 described later.

  The printer unit 11 includes a base member 100 (see FIG. 3) and an exterior cover 14 that covers the base member 100 from above. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a feeding unit 16, a conveyance roller pair 51, a recording unit 24, a discharge roller pair 61, a platen 42, and the like are provided inside the printer unit 11. The base member 100 supports the feeding unit 16, the conveyance roller pair 51, the recording unit 24, the discharge roller pair 61, the platen 42, the side frames 120 and 130, and is covered with the exterior cover 14.

  The feeding unit 16 picks up the recording paper 12 from the feeding tray 20 and feeds it to the conveyance path 35. The conveyance roller pair 51 conveys the recording paper 12 fed to the conveyance path 35 by the feeding unit 16 to the downstream side in the conveyance direction 15. The recording unit 24 records an image by ejecting ink droplets onto the recording paper 12 conveyed by the conveying roller pair 51. The discharge roller pair 61 discharges the recording paper 12 on which the image is recorded by the recording unit 24 to the discharge tray 21. The platen 42 supports the recording paper 12 conveyed by the conveying roller pair 51 from below.

[Conveyance path 35]
As shown in FIG. 2, a conveyance path 35 extends from the rear end portion of the feeding tray 20. The conveyance path 35 includes a curved conveyance path 33 and a straight conveyance path 34. The curved conveyance path 33 extends while being curved with the rear side of the printer unit 11 as the curved outer side and the front side as the curved inner side. The straight conveyance path 34 extends in the front-rear direction 8. The recording paper 12 supported by the feeding tray 20 is conveyed so as to make a U-turn from the lower side to the upper side of the curved conveyance path 33, and then conveyed forward in the front-rear direction 8 through the linear conveyance path 34 to the recording unit 24. Led. The recording paper 12 on which image recording has been performed by the recording unit 24 is transported further forward in the front-rear direction 8 through the linear transport path 34 and is discharged to the discharge tray 21. That is, the recording paper 12 is transported along a transport direction 15 indicated by a one-dot chain line arrow in FIG.

  The curved conveyance path 33 is formed by an outer guide member 18 and an inner guide member 19 that face each other with a predetermined interval therebetween. The outer guide member 18 forms the curved outer side of the curved conveyance path 33. The inner guide member 19 forms the curved inner side of the curved conveyance path 33. The straight conveyance path 34 is formed by the recording unit 24 and the platen 42 facing each other with a predetermined interval at a position where the recording unit 24 is disposed. That is, each guide member 18, 19 forms at least a part of the transport path 35.

  The outer guide member 18 is rotatably supported by a base member 100 described later. A shaft 48 extending in the left-right direction 9 is formed at both ends in the left-right direction 9 at the lower end of the outer guide member 18. In the present embodiment, the shaft 48 is a protrusion protruding from both ends of the outer guide member 18 toward the outer side in the left-right direction 9. The shaft 48 is inserted into a hole (not shown) formed in the base member 100. Thus, the outer guide member 18 is moved to a covering position (a position indicated by a solid line in FIG. 2) covering the curved conveyance path 33 and an exposed position (a position indicated by a broken line in FIG. 2) exposing the curved conveyance path 33. Rotate.

  The outer guide member 18 at the covering position forms a curved conveyance path 33 of the conveyance path 35 together with the opposed inner guide member 19. On the other hand, when the outer guide member 18 is in the exposed position, the outer surface of the inner guide member 19 is exposed to the outside of the printer unit 11. That is, the outer guide member 18 at the exposure position exposes the curved conveyance path 33 of the conveyance path 35 to the outside. Thereby, the user of the multifunction machine 10 can take out the recording paper 12 jammed in the curved conveyance path 33 (so-called jam processing).

[Conveying unit 80]
The conveyance unit 80 includes a feeding unit 16 disposed on the upstream side in the conveyance direction 15 with respect to the curved conveyance path 33 and a conveyance roller pair 51 disposed on the upstream side in the conveyance direction 15 with respect to the recording unit 24 in the linear conveyance path 34. And a discharge roller pair 61 disposed downstream of the recording direction 24 in the linear conveyance path 34 in the conveyance direction 15.

[Feeding unit 16]
As shown in FIG. 2, the feeding unit 16 is provided above the feeding tray 20 and below the recording unit 24 inside the printer unit 11. The feeding unit 16 includes a feeding roller 25, a feeding arm 26, and a drive transmission mechanism 27. The feed roller 25 is pivotally supported at the tip of the feed arm 26. The feeding arm 26 rotates in the direction of an arrow 29 about a support shaft 28 provided at the base end. Thereby, the feeding roller 25 can be brought into contact with and separated from the feeding tray 20 or the recording paper 12 supported by the feeding tray 20. The feeding roller 25 is rotated by a driving force of a conveying motor (not shown) transmitted by a driving transmission mechanism 27 in which a plurality of gears are engaged. The feeding roller 25 may be rotated by applying a driving force from a motor provided separately from the conveying motor.

[Conveying roller pair 51]
As shown in FIG. 2, the conveyance roller pair 51 includes a conveyance roller 52 and a pinch roller 53. The conveyance roller 52 in the present embodiment is formed, for example, by applying a ceramic coating to the outer peripheral surface of the roller shaft. In this embodiment, a metal cylindrical shaft (hollow shaft) is employed as the roller shaft. However, the specific configuration of the transport roller 52 is not limited to this, and the roller may be externally fitted to the roller shaft, or a solid shaft may be employed as the roller shaft.

  The conveyance roller 52 in the present embodiment is disposed below the linear conveyance path 34 and abuts on the lower surface of the recording paper 12 guided from the curved conveyance path 33 to the linear conveyance path 34. The transport roller 52 rotates with a driving force applied from a transport motor capable of forward rotation and reverse rotation. On the other hand, the pinch roller 53 is disposed on the upper side of the linear conveyance path 34 so as to face the conveyance roller 52, and contacts the upper surface of the recording paper 12. The pinch roller 53 is rotated along with the rotation of the conveying roller 52. The conveyance roller 52 and the pinch roller 53 cooperate to sandwich the recording paper 12 from the vertical direction 7 and convey it in the conveyance direction 15.

  The conveyance roller 52 is rotated forward by a driving force applied from a conveyance motor that is normally driven. Here, the normal rotation of the conveyance roller 52 is rotation in a direction in which the recording paper 12 is conveyed in the conveyance direction 15. That is, when the printer unit 11 is viewed from the direction of FIG. 2, the forward rotation of the transport roller 52 is a clockwise rotation, and the forward rotation of the pinch roller 53 is a counterclockwise rotation. On the other hand, the conveyance roller 52 is reversely rotated by a driving force applied from a conveyance motor that is driven to rotate in reverse. The reverse rotation of the transport roller 52 is rotation in a direction in which the recording paper 12 is transported in the direction opposite to the transport direction 15. That is, the reverse rotation of the conveying roller 52 viewed from the direction of FIG. 2 is a counterclockwise rotation, and the reverse rotation of the pinch roller 53 is a clockwise rotation.

[Discharge roller pair 61]
The discharge roller pair 61 includes a discharge roller 62 and a spur 63 as shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, the discharge roller 62 is disposed below the linear conveyance path 34 and abuts on the lower surface of the recording paper 12 conveyed along the linear conveyance path 34. The discharge roller 62 includes a shaft 64 that is rotated by a driving force applied from a conveyance motor, and a roller 65 that is externally fitted to the shaft 64 and rotates integrally. On the other hand, the spur 63 is disposed on the upper side of the straight conveyance path 34 so as to face the discharge roller 62, and comes into contact with the upper surface of the recording paper 12. The spur 63 is fitted on the shaft 66 and is rotated with the rotation of the discharge roller 62. The discharge roller 62 and the spur 63 cooperate to pinch the recording paper 12 from the vertical direction 7 and transport it in the transport direction 15. As a result, the recording paper 12 is conveyed toward the opening 13 located downstream of the conveying direction 15 from the discharge roller pair 61 and discharged to a discharge tray 21 inserted in a tray accommodating space 107 described later.

  The discharge roller 62 is rotated forward by a driving force applied from a conveying motor that is driven to rotate forward. Here, the normal rotation of the discharge roller 62 is rotation in a direction in which the recording paper 12 is conveyed in the conveyance direction 15. That is, the forward rotation of the discharge roller 62 viewed from the direction of FIG. 2 is a clockwise rotation, and the forward rotation of the spur 63 is a counterclockwise rotation. On the other hand, the discharge roller 62 is reversely rotated by being applied with a driving force from a conveying motor that is reversely driven. The reverse rotation of the discharge roller 62 is a rotation in a direction in which the recording paper 12 is conveyed in a direction opposite to the conveyance direction 15. That is, the reverse rotation of the discharge roller 62 viewed from the direction of FIG. 2 is a counterclockwise rotation, and the reverse rotation of the spur 63 is a clockwise rotation.

[Platen 42]
As shown in FIG. 2, the platen 42 is located below the straight conveyance path 34 and between the conveyance roller pair 51 and the discharge roller pair 61, that is, downstream of the conveyance roller pair 51 in the conveyance direction 15 and It is provided upstream of the discharge roller pair 61 in the conveyance direction 15. The platen 42 is a member that is disposed to face the recording unit 24 in the vertical direction 7 and supports the recording paper 12 that is conveyed along the linear conveyance path 34 from below.

[Recording unit 24]
As shown in FIG. 2, the recording unit 24 is disposed above the linear conveyance path 34 and at a position facing the platen 42 in the vertical direction 7. The recording unit 24 includes a carriage 40 and a recording head 38. The carriage 40 is supported by two guide rails 45 and 46. The two guide rails 45 and 46 are arranged with a space in the front-rear direction 8, and each extend in the left-right direction 9. The carriage 40 is disposed so as to straddle the two guide rails 45, 46, and reciprocates in the left-right direction 9 that is the main scanning direction along the two guide rails 45, 46. The recording head 38 is mounted on the carriage 40. The recording head 38 ejects ink supplied from an ink cartridge (not shown) from a nozzle 39 provided on the lower surface. That is, in the process in which the carriage 40 moves in the left-right direction 9, the ink droplets are ejected from the nozzles 39 of the recording head 38 toward the platen 42, whereby the image is formed on the upper surface of the recording paper 12 supported by the platen 42. Is recorded.

[Base member 100]
As shown in FIG. 3, the base member 100 includes a center base 101 located at the center in the left-right direction 9 and side bases 102 and 103 adjacent to the center base 101 in the left-right direction 9. The side base 102 is provided adjacent to the right side of the center base 101. The side base 103 is provided adjacent to the left side of the center base 101. That is, the side bases 102 and 103 are provided at positions separated in the left-right direction 9. The center base 101 is positioned between the side bases 102 and 103 in the left-right direction 9. In addition, the base member 100 in this embodiment is integrally molded with a resin material.

  The center base 101 has a main wall 113 located on the rear side in the front-rear direction 8 and a main wall 114 located on the front side in the front-rear direction 8. The main walls 113 and 114 extend in the front-rear direction 8 and the left-right direction 9 between the side bases 102 and 103. On the other hand, the main walls 113 and 114 are separated from each other in the front-rear direction 8. The main wall 113 supports the feeding unit 16, the recording unit 24, the transport roller pair 51, the discharge roller pair 61, the platen 42, and the like. The main wall 114 supports a control board (not shown) that controls the operation of the multifunction machine 10.

  The center base 101 is provided with a tray accommodating space 107 (see FIG. 5) for accommodating the feeding tray 20 and the discharge tray 21. As shown in FIG. 5, the tray accommodating space 107 is formed below the main walls 113 and 114 of the center base 101 in the vertical direction 7. Further, the tray accommodating space 107 is provided in almost the entire region of the base member 100 in the front-rear direction 8. Further, the tray accommodating space 107 is provided at a position corresponding to the center base 101 in the left-right direction 9 (that is, the central portion of the base member 100).

  As shown in FIG. 3, protrusions 115 </ b> A, 115 </ b> B, 116 </ b> A, 116 </ b> B are provided at both ends of the upper surface of the main wall 113 in the left-right direction 9. The protrusions 115 </ b> A and 115 </ b> B are spaced apart in the front-rear direction 8 at the right end of the upper surface of the main wall 113. The protrusions 116 </ b> A and 116 </ b> B are spaced apart in the front-rear direction 8 at the left end of the upper surface of the main wall 113. In addition, a screw hole into which a screw (an example of a fastening member) is screwed is formed in the approximate center of each protrusion 115A, 115B, 116A, 116B.

  The inner guide member 19 is provided at an end portion on the rear side of the main wall 113 in the front-rear direction 8 (that is, an end portion on the upstream side in the transport direction 15). The recording paper 12 supported on the feeding tray 20 is guided from the lower surface of the main wall 113 to the upper surface side of the main wall 113 by the inner guide member 19. Further, the recording paper 12 is guided forward in the front-rear direction 8 along the upper surface of the main wall 113 and the lower surface of the main wall 114. That is, the curved conveyance path 33 is curved from the lower surface side of the main wall 113 to the upper surface side along the rear end portion of the main wall 113. Further, the straight conveyance path 34 is linearly provided in the front-rear direction 8 on a horizontal plane along the upper surface of the main wall 113 and the lower surface of the main wall 114.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a pair of side frames 120 and 130 (an example of the metal frame of the present invention) are attached to the upper surface of the main wall 113 at positions separated in the left-right direction 9. The side frames 120 and 130 are formed by processing a metal sheet metal. The side frame 120 is configured by combining a plate-like base portion 121 and a support wall 122 so that the cross-sectional shape in the short direction is substantially L-shaped. The side frame 130 is configured by combining a plate-like base portion 131 and a support wall 132 so that the cross-sectional shape in the short direction is substantially L-shaped.

  The base portion 121 is attached to the upper surface of the main wall 113 with the longitudinal direction directed in the front-rear direction 8. The base portion 121 is provided with through holes 123 </ b> A and 123 </ b> B at positions separated in the front-rear direction 8. When the side frame 120 is attached to the main wall 113, the protrusions 115A and 115B are inserted into the through holes 123A and 123B. That is, the protrusions 115A and 115B and the through holes 123A and 123B are provided at positions corresponding to each other, and the side frame 120 is positioned in the front-rear direction 8 and the left-right direction 9 with respect to the main wall 113. With the side frame 120 attached to the main wall 113, screws are screwed into the screw holes of the protrusions 115 </ b> A and 115 </ b> B, whereby the side frame 120 is fixed to the main wall 113.

  The support wall 122 protrudes from one end of the base portion 121 in the short direction. That is, the support wall 122 with the side frame 120 attached to the main wall 113 protrudes upward and extends in the front-rear direction 8. Protruding pieces 124 and 125 projecting further upward from the upper end and a first receiving portion 126 and a second receiving portion 127 penetrating in the thickness direction are provided on the support wall 122 so as to be spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the side frame 120. It has been. The support wall 122 with the side frame 120 attached to the main wall 113 has a protruding piece 124, a first receiving portion 126, a second receiving portion 127, and a protruding portion from the rear side in the front-rear direction 8 toward the front side. The pieces 125 are provided in this order.

  The configuration of the side frame 130 is the same as that of the side frame 120. That is, the base portion 131 is provided with through holes 133A and 133B. The support wall 132 is provided with protruding pieces 134 and 135, and a first receiving portion 136 and a second receiving portion 137. As a result, in the state where the side frames 120 and 130 are attached to the main wall 113, the support walls 122 and 132 face each other in the left-right direction 9. More specifically, in the front-rear direction 8, the protruding pieces 124 and 134 face each other, the protruding pieces 125 and 135 face each other, the first receiving parts 126 and 136 face each other, and the second receiving part 127 137 face each other.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the guide rail 45 is supported by the side frames 120 and 130. Specifically, the guide rail 45 is provided with through-holes 45A and 45B penetrating in the thickness direction (vertical direction 7 in FIG. 4) at positions spaced apart in the left-right direction 9. The through holes 45 </ b> A and 45 </ b> B are arranged at positions corresponding to the protruding pieces 124 and 134 of the side frames 120 and 130 and have shapes corresponding to the protruding pieces 124 and 134. That is, when the guide rail 45 is supported by the upper ends of the side frames 120 and 130, the protruding pieces 124 and 134 are inserted into the through holes 45A and 45B. Accordingly, the guide rail 45 is positioned in the front-rear direction 8 and the left-right direction 9 with respect to the side frames 120 and 130 (in other words, the base member 100).

  Although not shown, the guide rail 46 is supported by the upper ends of the side frames 120, 130 and is positioned in the front-rear direction 8 and the left-right direction 9 by the protruding pieces 125, 135, similarly to the guide rail 45. That is, the guide rails 45, 46 are supported by the side frames 120, 130 at positions separated in the front-rear direction 8, and each extend in the left-right direction 9.

  As shown in FIG. 4, bearings 54 and 55 are externally fitted to the transport roller 52 at positions separated in the axial direction (left and right direction 9 in FIG. 4). Specifically, the bearings 54 and 55 are externally fitted to the transport roller 52 at positions corresponding to the first receiving portions 126 and 136 of the side frames 120 and 130. The bearing 54 is supported by the first receiving portion 126 of the side frame 120, and the bearing 55 is supported by the first receiving portion 136 of the side frame 130.

  The conveyance roller pair 51 has a plurality (four in this embodiment) of pinch rollers 53 that are spaced apart in the axial direction of the conveyance roller 52. Each pinch roller 53 is rotatably supported by each of a plurality (four in this embodiment) of roller holders 56. Each roller holder 56 has a locking portion 56A. The locking portion 56 </ b> A passes through the through hole 45 </ b> C penetrating the guide rail 45 in the thickness direction and is locked to the upper surface of the guide rail 45. That is, each roller holder 56 is supported by the guide rail 45.

  Further, between the guide rail 45 and each roller holder 56, a coil spring 58 that biases each roller holder 56 (in other words, each pinch roller 53) in a direction to press the transport roller 52 (the bias of the present invention). An example of the member (see FIG. 9B) is provided. The coil spring 58 urges the roller holder 56 in a direction in which each pinch roller 53 is pressed against the conveyance roller 52 (that is, downward). That is, the coil spring 58 urges each pinch roller 53 downward.

  Further, a release shaft 57 (an example of a long member of the present invention) is inserted into a hole 56C (see FIG. 9B) provided in each roller holder 56. The release shaft 57 extends along the axis of the transport roller 52 and is configured to be movable in the radial direction. Further, the release shaft 57 is disposed at a position different from the pinch roller 53 in the front-rear direction 8. Specifically, the release shaft 57 is positioned upstream of the pinch roller 53 in the conveying direction 15. In other words, the pinch roller 53 is located downstream of the release shaft 57 in the conveying direction 15. The release shaft 57 abuts against the wall surface of the roller holder 56 defining the hole 56C in the process of moving upward (an example of the separation direction of the present invention), and moves the roller holder 56 upward against the urging force of the coil spring 58. Move to. That is, each pinch roller 53 is configured to be movable in the radial direction.

  The discharge roller 62 includes a shaft 64 and a plurality of rollers 65 that are externally fitted to the shaft 64 at positions spaced apart in the axial direction. The shaft 64 is rotatably supported by the side frames 120 and 130 via bearings (not shown) that are externally fitted at positions separated in the axial direction. More specifically, the bearing externally fitted to the shaft 64 is supported by the second receiving portions 127 and 137 of the side frames 120 and 130. The shaft 64 is biased upward by a coil spring 67 (an example of a biasing member, see FIG. 9A). That is, the discharge roller 62 is configured to be movable in the radial direction. The spur 63 is provided at a plurality of positions corresponding to the rollers 65 of the discharge roller 62. The spur 63 is rotatably supported by a shaft 66. The plurality of spurs 63 are supported by a support plate 68 (see FIG. 9). The support plate 68 is supported by the guide rail 46.

  As described above, the guide rails 45 and 46, the conveyance roller pair 51, and the discharge roller pair 61 are all supported by the side frames 120 and 130. The carriage 40 (in other words, the recording unit 24) is supported by the side frames 120 and 130 via the guide rails 45 and 46. That is, the guide rails 45 and 46, the conveying roller pair 51, the recording unit 24, and the discharge roller pair 61 are supported on the main wall 113 of the base member 100 via the side frames 120 and 130. On the other hand, the feeding unit 16 is directly supported by the main wall 113.

  Locking portions 42 </ b> A and 42 </ b> B are provided at the end of the platen 42 on the front side (that is, the downstream side in the transport direction 15). The locking portions 42A and 42B are provided apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the platen 42 (that is, the left-right direction 9). More specifically, the locking portion 42 </ b> A protrudes forward at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the platen 42. On the other hand, the locking portion 42 </ b> B protrudes forward at the center of the platen 42 in the longitudinal direction. The locking portion 42 </ b> A contacts the outer surface of the shaft 64 of the discharge roller 62 from above. The locking portion 42B comes into contact with the outer surface of the shaft 64 of the discharge roller 62 from below. That is, the locking portions 42 </ b> A and 42 </ b> B sandwich the shaft 64 of the discharge roller 62 from the vertical direction 7. In other words, the platen 42 is supported by the shaft 64 of the discharge roller 62.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 9A, a projecting piece 42 </ b> C that projects rearward is provided at an end of the platen 42 on the rear side (that is, upstream side in the transport direction 15). More specifically, the protruding pieces 42 </ b> C protrude rearward at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the platen 42. The projecting piece 42 </ b> C abuts on the outer surface of the bearing 55 of the transport roller 52 on the upper surface and receives a biasing force from the coil spring 49 on the lower surface. That is, the protruding piece 42 </ b> C is urged upward by the coil spring 49 in a state where upward movement is restricted by the bearing 55.

  Further, release rods 70A and 70B (an example of the movable member of the present invention) are provided along the side frames 120 and 130. Specifically, the release rod 70 </ b> A extends in the front-rear direction 8 on the upper surface of the base portion 131 of the side frame 130 and along the right surface of the support wall 132 of the side frame 130. The release rod 70 </ b> B extends in the front-rear direction 8 along the upper surface of the base portion 121 of the side frame 120 and along the left surface of the support wall 122 of the side frame 120. The release rods 70 </ b> A and 70 </ b> B are configured to be movable in the front-rear direction 8 along the side frames 120 and 130.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the release rod 70 </ b> A includes a base portion 71, a conveyance roller contact portion 72, a discharge roller contact portion 73, and a grip portion 74. The release rods 70A and 70B have the same configuration except that the mounting positions of the transport roller contact portion 72, the discharge roller contact portion 73, and the grip portion 74 with respect to the base portion 71 are opposite. The release rod 70A will be described. The following description of each part of the release rod 70A will be made using directions (vertical direction 7, longitudinal direction 8, and lateral direction 9) in a state where the release rod 70A is attached to the multifunction machine 10.

  The base portion 71 is a plate-like member that extends in the front-rear direction 8 and the left-right direction 9. The base portion 71 is a long member whose length in the front-rear direction 8 is longer than the length in the left-right direction 9, and is disposed substantially parallel to the base portion 131 of the side frame 130. That is, when the release rod 70 </ b> A moves in the front-rear direction 8, the base portion 71 moves along the upper surface of the base portion 131 of the side frame 130.

  The transport roller contact portion 72 is a plate-like member that extends in the up-down direction 7 and the front-rear direction 8. The conveyance roller contact portion 72 is at one end in the longitudinal direction of the base portion 71 (that is, the rear end in the front-rear direction 8) and at one end in the lateral direction (that is, the left end in the left-right direction 9). (That is, upright in the vertical direction 7). That is, the base portion 71 and the conveyance roller contact portion 72 are extended in a direction intersecting with each other.

  The conveyance roller contact portion 72 includes a base end portion 75 that protrudes upward from the base portion 71 and a front end portion 76 that protrudes forward from the upper end of the base end portion 75. Further, the front end portion 76 abuts on a bearing abutment portion 77 (an example of a first abutment portion of the present invention) that abuts on the outer surface of the bearing 55 that supports the shaft of the transport roller 52 and an outer surface of the release shaft 57. And a shaft contact portion 78 (an example of a second contact portion of the present invention). The bearing contact portion 77 and the shaft contact portion 78 are provided on the opposite side of the tip portion 76 in the vertical direction 7. More specifically, a bearing contact portion 77 is provided below the tip portion 76, and a shaft contact portion 78 is provided above the tip portion 76.

  The upper surface of the shaft contact portion 78 includes a first surface 78A, a second surface 78B, and an inclined surface 78C. The first surface 78A and the second surface 78B are provided to be separated in the vertical direction 7 and the front-rear direction 8, and each extend substantially on a horizontal plane. Specifically, the first surface 78A is disposed in front of and below the second surface 78B. In other words, the second surface 78B is disposed behind and above the first surface 78A. As a result, in the up-down direction 7, the second surface 78B is separated from the bearing contact portion 77 from the first surface 78A. The inclined surface 78C connects the rear end of the first surface 78A and the front end of the second surface 78B. The inclined surface 78C is inclined upward from the first surface 78A side to the second surface 78B side (that is, toward the rear).

  The discharge roller contact portion 73 is a plate-like member extending in the vertical direction 7 and the front-rear direction 8. The discharge roller abutting portion 73 is in the thickness direction of the base portion 71 at the other end in the longitudinal direction of the base portion 71 (ie, the front end in the front-rear direction 8) and at one end in the short direction (ie, the left end in the left-right direction 9). (That is, upright in the vertical direction 7). That is, the base portion 71 and the discharge roller abutting portion 73 are extended in a direction intersecting with each other. Further, the transport roller contact portion 72 and the discharge roller contact portion 73 are extended substantially in parallel (more specifically, generally on the same plane).

  The discharge roller contact portion 73 is provided with a through hole 79 that penetrates in the thickness direction (that is, the left-right direction 9). The shaft 64 of the discharge roller 62 is inserted into the through hole 79. The wall surface that defines the upper edge of the through hole 79 includes a holding surface 79A and a guide surface 79B. The holding surface 79A is located at the front end of the upper edge of the through hole 79 and is generally horizontal (or the rear side is located slightly above the front side). The guide surface 79B is connected to the front end of the holding surface 79A, and is inclined so that the rear side is positioned below the front side.

  The gripping portion 74 is a plate-like member that extends in the vertical direction 7 and the horizontal direction 9. The grip portion 74 is provided so as to protrude rightward at the other end in the longitudinal direction of the base portion 71 (ie, the front end in the front-rear direction 8) and at the other end in the short-side direction (ie, the right end in the left-right direction 9). That is, the gripping portion 74 extends in a direction intersecting with the base portion 71, the conveyance roller contact portion 72, and the discharge roller contact portion 73. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the grip portion 74 is exposed in the tray accommodating space 107.

  That is, by pulling out the feeding tray 20 and the discharge tray 21 from the tray accommodating space 107, the user can grip the grip portion 74 through the opening 13. More specifically, the user pulls the release rod 70A forward (that is, in a direction approaching the opening 13) by pulling the hand into the tray accommodating space 107 through the opening 13 and gripping the gripping portion 74, or backward (that is, , In a direction away from the opening). Further, when the feed tray 20 and the discharge tray 21 are inserted into the tray accommodating space 107 in a state where the release rod 70A is pulled out, the rear end of the feed tray 20 or the discharge tray 21 and the grip 74 are brought into contact with each other. The release rod 70A is pushed backward.

  Thereby, in the front-rear direction 8, the release rods 70A and 70B are moved to the first position shown in FIG. 7 (that is, the position pushed into the rear side) and the second position shown in FIG. It is possible to move to the extracted position). When the release rods 70A and 70B are positioned at the first position, the conveying roller 52 and the pinch roller 53 are in contact with each other (an example of the first state of the present invention), and the roller 65 and the spur 63 of the discharge roller 62 are Abut each other. On the other hand, when the release rods 70A and 70B are located at the second position, the conveying roller 52 and the pinch roller 53 are separated from each other (an example of the second state of the present invention), and the roller 65 and the spur 63 of the discharge roller 62 are separated from each other. Separate from each other. 7 to 10 referred to in the following description, only the release rod 70B is illustrated, but the release rod 70A is also in the same state.

  When the release rods 70 </ b> A and 70 </ b> B are located at the first position, the release shaft 57 is supported by the first surface 78 </ b> A of the shaft contact portion 78, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 9A. That is, the first surface 78A of the release rod 70A in the first position abuts on the outer surface (more specifically, the outer peripheral surface) on one end side in the axial direction of the release shaft 57 (that is, the right side in the left-right direction 9). On the other hand, the first surface 78A of the release rod 70B in the first position is in contact with the outer surface on the other end side in the axial direction of the release shaft 57 (that is, the left side in the left-right direction 9). Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the shaft 64 of the discharge roller 62 is not in contact with the holding surface 79A and the guide surface 79B in the through holes 79 of the release rods 70A and 70B. As a result, as shown in FIG. 9B, the conveyance roller 52 and the pinch roller 53 are in contact with each other, and the roller 65 of the discharge roller 62 and the spur 63 are in contact with each other. Further, the platen 42 is maintained substantially horizontal.

  Next, when the release rods 70 </ b> A and 70 </ b> B are pulled out to the second position, the conveyance roller contact portion 72 enters between the bearing 55 of the conveyance roller 52 and the release shaft 57 in the vertical direction 7. In other words, the bearing 55 enters a space defined by the base portion 71, the base end portion 75, and the tip end portion 76. 8 and 10A, the bearing contact portion 77 contacts the outer surface (more specifically, the outer peripheral surface) of the bearing 55 from above. That is, the bearing contact portion 77 of the release rod 70 </ b> A in the second position contacts the outer surface of the bearing 55 that supports one end side of the shaft of the transport roller 52. On the other hand, the bearing contact portion 77 of the release rod 70 </ b> B in the second position contacts the outer surface of the bearing 54 that supports the other end side of the shaft of the transport roller 52.

  In the process in which the release rods 70A and 70B are pulled out to the second position, the release shaft 57 moves on the inclined surface 78C from the first surface 78A side toward the second surface 78B side. When the release rods 70A and 70B reach the second position, the release shaft 57 is supported by the second surface 78B as shown in FIGS. 8 and 10A. That is, the second surface 78 </ b> B of the release rod 70 </ b> A in the second position is in contact with the outer surface on one end side in the axial direction of the release shaft 57. On the other hand, the second surface 78B of the release rod 70B in the second position is in contact with the outer surface on the other end side in the axial direction of the release shaft 57.

  Here, in the process in which the release shaft 57 moves upward along the inclined surface 78C, the release shaft 57 abuts against the wall surface defining the hole 56C of each roller holder 56 and resists the biasing force of the coil spring 58. The roller holder 56 is moved upward. As a result, the pinch roller 53 moves upward together with the roller holder 56, and is separated from the conveying roller 52 when the release rods 70A and 70B reach the second position as shown in FIG. . That is, the conveyance roller pair 51 changes from the first state to the second state when the release rods 70A and 70B move from the first position to the second position.

  Further, in the process in which the release rods 70A and 70B are pulled out to the second position, the shaft 64 of the discharge roller 62 moves rearward inside the through hole 79 and contacts the guide surface 79B. The shaft 64 of the discharge roller 62 is guided by the guide surface 79 </ b> B and moves downward against the urging force of the coil spring 67. When the release rods 70A and 70B reach the second position, the shaft 64 of the discharge roller 62 is held by the holding surface 79A (that is, upward movement by the biasing force of the coil spring 67 is restricted). As a result, the roller 65 of the discharge roller 62 is separated from the spur 63 as shown in FIG.

  Furthermore, in the process in which the release rods 70A and 70B are pulled out to the second position, the platen 42 has an end on the upstream side in the transport direction 15 (that is, an end near the transport roller pair 51) as a rotation base point. With the downstream end of the conveying direction 15 supported by the shaft 64 of the discharge roller 62 as a rotation tip, the rotation tip moves downward together with the shaft 64 of the discharge roller 62. When the release rods 70A and 70B reach the second position, the downstream end of the platen 42 in the transport direction 15 is positioned below the upstream end, as shown in FIG. 10B. It will be. In other words, the platen 42 is inclined downward toward the conveyance direction 15.

[Operational effects of this embodiment]
According to the present embodiment, the position of the release rods 70 </ b> A and 70 </ b> B in the second position in the vertical direction 7 is positioned at the upper ends of the bearings 54 and 55 by the bearing contact portion 77. That is, the release shaft 57 in the second state can be positioned with high accuracy using the upper ends of the bearings 54 and 55 as a reference. As a result, even if the movable range in the radial direction of the release shaft 57 is small, the conveyance roller 52 and the pinch roller 53 can be reliably separated.

  In addition, according to the present embodiment, since the conveyance roller pair 51 is supported by the metal side frames 120 and 130 that are less deformed than the resin base member 100, the conveyance roller 52 and the pinch roller 53 are highly accurate. Can be positioned. As a result, the pinch roller 53 can be reliably separated from the transport roller 52.

  Further, according to this embodiment, since the pinch roller 53 and the release shaft 57 are arranged at different positions in the front-rear direction 8 (in other words, the conveyance direction 15), the multifunction machine 10 can be downsized in the up-down direction 7. .

  In this embodiment, the example in which the shaft contact portion 78 of the release rods 70A and 70B is brought into contact with the release shaft 57 has been described. However, the long member of the present invention is not limited to the release shaft 57. For example, it is good also considering the rotating shaft which penetrates the pinch roller 53 and rotates integrally as a long member.

  Further, the first state and the second state of the conveying roller pair 51 in the present embodiment are not limited to the above-described example. For example, the conveyance roller 52 and the pinch roller 53 in the first state may be pressed against each other with a predetermined pressing force. In addition, the conveyance roller 52 and the pinch roller 53 in the second state may be pressed against each other with a pressing force weaker than that in the first state. That is, the conveyance roller 52 and the pinch roller 53 in the second state may not be completely separated from each other.

  In this embodiment, the example in which the front-rear direction 8 is the first direction, the up-down direction 7 is the second direction, and the left-right direction 9 is the third direction is described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the left-right direction 9 may be the first direction, the front-rear direction 8 may be the third direction, and other combinations are possible.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the example of the multifunction machine 10 including the ink jet recording type printer unit 11 has been described as an example of the transport device, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the present invention may be applied to a laser recording type printer, or may be applied to a feeder that conveys a document in an image reading apparatus.

10 ... Machine 24 ... Recording section 45,46 ... Guide rail 52 ... Conveying roller 53 ... Pinch roller 54,55 ... Bearing 56 ... Roller holder 57 ... Release Shaft 70A, 70B ... Release rod 72 ... Conveying roller contact portion 77 ... Bearing contact portion 78 ... Shaft contact portion 78A ... First surface 78B ... Second surface 78C ..Inclined surfaces 120, 130 ... side frames

Claims (6)

A first roller for conveying the sheet;
A first state in which the first roller is pressed against the first roller; and a pressing force applied to the first roller is smaller than the first state or spaced apart from the first roller. A second roller capable of changing state to two states;
A bearing rotatably supporting the shaft of the first roller;
A biasing member that biases the second roller in a direction in which the second roller is pressed against the first roller;
A long shape extending along the axial direction of the first roller, and changes the state of the second roller from the first state to the second state against the urging force of the urging member. A long member movable in a separating direction;
A movable member movable to a first position where the second roller is in the first state and a second position where the second roller is in the second state;
The movable member is positioned between the bearing and the elongate member at the second position and abuts against the outer surface of the bearing and the outer surface of the elongate member, so that the second roller is brought into the second state. the elongated member have a contact portion that moves in the spacing direction until position,
The contact portion is
A first contact portion that contacts the bearing in the second position;
A second abutting portion that is provided on the opposite side of the abutting portion from the first abutting portion and abuts against an outer surface of the elongate member;
The second contact portion is
A first surface that contacts the outer surface of the elongate member at the first position;
A second surface that is provided at a position separated from the first contact portion from the first surface in the separation direction, and that contacts the outer surface of the elongated member at the second position;
And a connecting surface that contacts the outer surface of the elongate member in a process of connecting the first surface and the second surface and moving between the first position and the second position . A plurality of the second rollers are provided apart from each other in the axial direction of the first roller,
The transport device further includes a plurality of support members that each rotatably support at least one of the plurality of second rollers.
In the process of moving in the separation direction, the elongate member contacts the plurality of support members and moves in the separation direction, thereby moving the plurality of second rollers from the first state to the second state. The conveying device according to claim 1 to be changed. The conveyance device according to claim 2, wherein the long member is inserted into each of the plurality of support members at a position different from a sheet conveyance direction with respect to the plurality of second rollers. A first metal frame provided oppositely in a first direction which is an axial direction of the first roller, each extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and along a sheet conveying direction; A second metal frame,
The bearing
A first bearing supported by the first metal frame and supporting one end of the shaft of the first roller;
A second bearing supported by the second metal frame and supporting the other end of the shaft of the first roller;
The movable member is
A first movable member that moves in the second direction along the first metal frame and contacts the outer surface of the first bearing and the outer surface of one end of the elongated member at the second position;
A second movable member that moves in the second direction along the second metal frame and contacts the outer surface of the second bearing and the outer surface of the other end of the elongated member at the second position; The conveying apparatus in any one of Claim 1 to 3 . A first roller for conveying the sheet;
A first state in which the first roller is pressed against the first roller; and a pressing force applied to the first roller is smaller than the first state or spaced apart from the first roller. A second roller capable of changing state to two states;
A bearing rotatably supporting the shaft of the first roller;
A biasing member that biases the second roller in a direction in which the second roller is pressed against the first roller;
A long shape extending along the axial direction of the first roller, and changes the state of the second roller from the first state to the second state against the urging force of the urging member. A long member movable in a separating direction;
A movable member movable to a first position where the second roller is in the first state and a second position where the second roller is in the second state;
The movable member is positioned between the bearing and the elongate member at the second position and abuts against the outer surface of the bearing and the outer surface of the elongate member, so that the second roller is brought into the second state. the elongated member have a contact portion that moves in the spacing direction until position,
A plurality of the second rollers are provided apart from each other in the axial direction of the first roller,
The transport device further includes a plurality of support members that each rotatably support at least one of the plurality of second rollers.
In the process of moving in the separation direction, the elongate member contacts the plurality of support members and moves in the separation direction, thereby moving the plurality of second rollers from the first state to the second state. Change
A first metal frame provided oppositely in a first direction which is an axial direction of the first roller, each extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and along a sheet conveying direction; A second metal frame,
The bearing
A first bearing supported by the first metal frame and supporting one end of the shaft of the first roller;
A second bearing supported by the second metal frame and supporting the other end of the shaft of the first roller;
The movable member is
A first movable member that moves in the second direction along the first metal frame and contacts the outer surface of the first bearing and the outer surface of one end of the elongated member at the second position;
A second movable member that moves in the second direction along the second metal frame and that contacts the outer surface of the second bearing and the outer surface of the other end of the elongated member at the second position; ,
The transport device further includes a guide rail supported by the first metal frame and the second metal frame and extending in the first direction,
The support member is a transport device supported by the guide rail . A transport apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ;
An image recording apparatus comprising: a recording unit that records an image on a sheet conveyed by the first roller and the second roller.

Images