JP6907067B2 - Recording device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a recording device that records an image on a recording medium using a head cartridge that can be attached to and detached from a carriage.

In a recording device in which a plurality of head cartridges are mounted on a carriage for recording, a device is devised to prevent a head cartridge that does not correspond to the accommodating portion of the carriage from being mounted. If a head cartridge that does not correspond to the carriage housing is installed, the head cartridge and carriage contact parts will electrically conduct in the wrong combination, and images may not be recorded correctly or the device may break down. This is because there is a risk of

Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a concave-convex shape is arranged on the top surface of a head cartridge, and ribs are arranged on the surface of a carriage facing the top surface. In Patent Document 1, if the head cartridge corresponding to the accommodating portion of the carriage is inserted, the concave-convex concave portion advances so as to surround the rib of the carriage, and the head cartridge can be mounted. On the other hand, when an attempt is made to insert a head cartridge that does not correspond to the accommodating portion of the carriage, the convex portion having an uneven shape abuts against the rib of the carriage and the insertion is restricted, so that the head cartridge cannot be inserted.

Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a configuration in which a member corresponding to a rib of Patent Document 1 is arranged on a headset cam for fixing a head cartridge to a carriage. In the case of Patent Document 2, when the head cartridge is mounted in the correct position of the carriage, the rib of the headset cam can be rotated so as to pass through the concave-convex concave portion, and the head cartridge is fixed to the carriage. On the other hand, if the head cartridge is mounted in the wrong position on the carriage, the ribs of the headset cam will not be able to rotate in contact with the concave-convex convex portion, and the head cartridge will not be fixed to the carriage.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-305808 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-36525

However, in both Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, depending on the insertion force and the insertion angle when the user tries to insert the head cartridge, the head cartridge that exceeds the contact portion between the convex portion and the rib and does not correspond to the accommodating portion. May be pushed in and attached. In particular, when the convex portion of the head cartridge is chamfered for the convenience of transportation, the above concern becomes even greater.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a recording device capable of reliably preventing the head cartridge from being erroneously mounted on the carriage.

Therefore, the present invention has a carriage having an accommodating portion for detachably mounting a head cartridge having a discharge portion for ejecting ink, and the accommodating portion so that the head cartridge can be attached and detached by rotating with respect to the carriage. A head cover that can move a first position for opening the head cover and a second position for fixing the head cartridge inserted into the carriage to the accommodating portion, and a guide formed on the head cover are engaged with the guide along the guide. It has a movable engaging portion and a rib that comes into contact with a pressing receiving portion formed on the head cartridge when the head cartridge that does not correspond to the accommodating portion is inserted because the head cover is in the first position. A recording device including a headset cam, the head cover can be moved from the first position to the second position by moving the engaging portion along the guide, and the guide is the accommodating device. When the head cartridge that does not correspond to the portion is inserted, it is characterized by having a surface that restricts the movement of the engaging portion.

According to the present invention, it is possible to reliably prevent the head cartridge from being erroneously mounted on the carriage.

It is a perspective view which shows the internal structure of a recording apparatus. It is an enlarged perspective view of a carriage. It is a figure which looked at the carriage from the mounting position side of the head cartridge 7A. It is an enlarged perspective view for demonstrating the detailed shape of a headset cam. (A) to (c) are external views of the head cartridge 7A. It is a figure which shows the state which two head cartridges are mounted in the correct position. It is a figure which shows the state of trying to insert a correct head cartridge. It is a figure which shows the state of trying to insert an erroneous head cartridge. (A) and (b) are enlarged views showing the engaged state of the first position and the second position. (A) and (b) are enlarged views showing the engaged state of the first position and the second position. (A) and (b) are diagrams showing the shape and effect of the guide of this embodiment. It is an engagement state diagram of the engagement part 531 and the guide 523 in the 2nd Embodiment.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an internal configuration of a recording device 1 that can be used in the present invention. The recording device 1 mainly includes a feeding unit 2, a transport unit 3, a discharging unit 4, a recording unit 5, and a recovery unit 6. The feeding unit 2 includes a paper feed tray 21 that holds a plurality of recording media (not shown), and when a recording command is input, the highest-level recording medium is fed to the recording unit 5. The fed recording medium is then transported in the y direction by the transport unit 3.

The recording unit 5 records an image on a recording medium supported by the feeding unit 2 and the conveying unit 3. The recording unit 5 has a configuration in which the carriage 51 on which the two head cartridges 7A and 7B are mounted can be moved in the x direction. The head cartridges 7A and 7B eject ink according to the ejection signal while the carriage 51 is moving in the x direction, and record an image for one band on a recording medium. When the recording scan for one band is completed, the transport unit 3 transports the recording medium in the y direction by the amount corresponding to one band width of the recording scan. Then, by alternately repeating the recording scanning and the conveying operation as described above, an image is gradually formed on the recording medium. When all the recording scans are completed, the recording medium is discharged to the discharge tray 41 by the discharge rollers constituting the discharge unit 4.

At the end of the carriage 51 in the x direction, a recovery unit 6 for performing maintenance processing of the head cartridges 7A and 7B is provided. When the recording command is not received, the carriage 51 moves to the position of the recovery unit 6, and the discharge port surfaces of the head cartridges 7A and 7B are capped. Further, even when a predetermined maintenance process is required, the carriage 51 moves to the position of the recovery unit 6 and various maintenance processes such as a suction process and a preliminary discharge process are performed. Hereinafter, the side provided with the recovery unit 6 in the x direction is also referred to as a Home side, and the opposite side is also referred to as an Away side.

The type of recording medium is not particularly limited as long as it can form an image by landing ink droplets. For example, various materials and forms such as paper, cloth, optical disk label surface, plastic sheet, OHP sheet, and envelope can be used as the recording medium.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the carriage 51. The inside of the carriage 51 is divided into two accommodating portions for detachably mounting the two head cartridges 7A and 7B, respectively. On the right side (-x direction side) when viewed from the front, a black accommodating portion (first accommodating portion) 56A for accommodating a head cartridge 7A for discharging black ink is arranged. On the other hand, on the left side (+ x direction side), a color accommodating portion (second accommodating portion) 56B for accommodating the head cartridge 7B for ejecting color ink is arranged. The head cartridge 7B holds yellow ink, magenta ink, and cyan ink and discharges them. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the head cartridge 7B for discharging color ink is already installed and the head cartridge 7A for discharging black ink is not installed. Hereinafter, when these two head cartridges are referred to separately, they are referred to as a head cartridge 7A or a head cartridge 7B, and when they are referred to without distinction, they are simply referred to as a head cartridge 7.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the carriage 51 shown in FIG. 2 as viewed from the Home side. FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the carriage 51 around the black accommodating portion 56A on which the head cartridge 7A is mounted. The carriage 51 mainly includes a black accommodating portion 56A for accommodating the head cartridge 7A, a head cover 52 for covering the accommodating head cartridge 7A from above, and a headset that abuts and fixes the head cartridge 7A on the top surface. It has a cam 53. A coiled headset spring 54 is arranged between the head cover 52 and the headset cam 53.

A rail-shaped guide portion 512 is formed on the inner surface of the accommodating portion 56 to guide the head cartridge 7A at the time of mounting. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a contact portion 511 for electrically connecting to the head cartridge 7A is provided on the front surface of the head cartridge 7A in the insertion direction.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view for explaining the detailed shape of the headset cam 53. The headset cam 53 includes a first surface 533 having a width substantially equal to that of the head cover 52 in the x direction, and two second surfaces 534 extending in the depth direction from both ends of the first surface 533, and the second surface. The 534 is further formed with an engaging portion 531 protruding outward in the x direction. By fitting the two engaging portions 531 into the elongated hole-shaped guides 523 (see FIG. 10) formed at both ends of the head cover 52, the headset cam 53 and the head cover 52 can move in the direction in which the guide 523 extends. Is connected to. Further, an erroneous mounting prevention rib 532 protruding in the y direction is formed at a predetermined position in the x direction of the headset cam 53, and the headset is formed on the back surface of the first surface 533 (the surface not facing the head cartridge 7A). A spring 54 is arranged. The engaged state of the headset cam 53 and the head cover 52, and the erroneous mounting prevention rib 532 will be described in detail later.

5 (a) to 5 (c) are external views of the head cartridge 7A. FIG. 5A is a perspective view seen from the front side in the insertion direction of the head cartridge 7A, and FIG. 5B is a perspective view seen from the back side in the insertion direction of the head cartridge 7A. FIG. 5C is a side view of the head cartridge 7A, and the right side in the drawing is the insertion direction. A clue portion 77 is arranged in front of the upper surface of the head cartridge 7A in the insertion direction to make it easier for the user to grasp. On the other hand, at the lower end of the head cartridge 7A in the insertion direction, a protruding portion 72 that can come into contact with the guide portion 512 formed on the inner wall of the carriage 51 is formed. The user inserts the head cartridge 7A into the carriage 51 along the guide portion 512 while holding the clue portion 77 and bringing the protruding portion 72 into contact with the guide portion 512. When the head cartridge 7A is inserted to the normal position, the contact portion 76 of the head cartridge 7A is received by a receiving portion (not shown) formed on the carriage, and the head cartridge 7A is positioned in the black accommodating portion 56A. ..

A pressing receiving portion 73 is formed on the upper surface (top surface) of the head cartridge 7A. The pressing portion 73 of the present embodiment has a role of fixing the head cartridge 7A to the carriage by receiving the pressing force from the headset cam 53. Further, the pressing receiving portion 73 has a role of abutting with the erroneous mounting prevention rib 532 to prevent the insertion when the head cartridge 7 which does not correspond to the black accommodating portion 56A is inserted. For convenience of transportation of the head cartridge 7A, the upper end of the pressing receiving portion 73 of the present embodiment is chamfered as shown in FIG. 5 (c).

On the bottom surface of the head cartridge 7A, a discharge unit 71 in which a plurality of discharge elements for discharging black ink are arranged is arranged. The discharge unit 71 is surrounded by a sheet-shaped flexible wiring board 78, and is supplied with power and a discharge signal required for discharge. The flexible wiring board 78 extends from the bottom surface of the head cartridge 7A to the back surface in the mounting direction, and a contact portion 74 in which power terminals are arranged is formed on the back surface. When the head cartridge 7A is mounted on the carriage 51, the contact portion 74 electrically conducts with the contact portion 511 on the carriage 51 side, and supplies the electric power and the discharge signal received from the substrate of the apparatus main body to the discharge portion 71. .. At this time, the positioning portion 75 formed above the contact portion 74 comes into contact with the positioning portion on the carriage 51 side, so that the contact portion 74 on the head cartridge 7A side and the contact portion 511 on the carriage 51 side are aligned and electrically operated. The continuity is ensured.

See FIG. 3 again. The head cover 52 is rotatable about a rotation shaft 521. With the head cartridge 7A housed in the black housing portion 56A, the user rotates the head cover 52 counterclockwise in FIG. 3 to engage the elastic portion 522 of the head cover 52 with the front surface of the black housing portion 56A. As a result, the head cartridge 7A is fixed to the carriage 51. At this time, the first surface 533 of the headset cam 53 abuts on the pressing receiving portion 73 of the head cartridge 7A, and the headset spring 54 arranged on the back surface of the first surface 533 is compressed and presses the first surface 533. It is urged in the direction of the receiving portion 73. As a result, the head cartridge 7A is securely fixed to the carriage 51.

On the other hand, when removing the head cartridge 7A, the elastic portion 522 is removed from the front surface of the black accommodating portion 56A, and the head cover 52 is rotated clockwise in FIG. At this time, the extrusion lever 55 attached to the lower end of the head cover 52 pushes out the head cartridge 7A housed in the black housing portion 56A, making it easier for the user to take out the head cartridge 7A.

Although the head cartridge 7A for ejecting black ink has been described as an example in FIGS. 3 to 5, the basic configuration is the same for the head cartridge 7B for ejecting color ink. FIG. 6 shows a state in which the head cartridge 7A and the head cartridge 7B are mounted at the correct positions of the carriage 51, respectively. However, in the head cartridge 7A and the head cartridge 7B of the present embodiment, in order to prevent erroneous mounting of each other, the layout of the pressing receiving portion 73 on the head cartridge side and the erroneous mounting prevention rib 532 on the carriage 51 side are different. There is.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state in which the head cartridge 7A is to be inserted into the black accommodating portion 56A of the carriage 51. In this case, the pressure receiving portion 73 formed on the upper surface of the head cartridge 7A can advance along the side thereof in the insertion direction without abutting on the erroneous mounting prevention rib 532 formed on the carriage 51.

On the other hand, FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which the head cartridge 7B for color is to be inserted into the black accommodating portion 56A of the carriage 51. The pressing portion 73 of the color head cartridge 7B is formed at a position different from that of the black head cartridge 7A in the x direction. Therefore, at the time of insertion, the pressure receiving portion 73 of the head cartridge 7B comes into contact with the erroneous mounting prevention rib 532 formed on the carriage 51, and the progress in the insertion direction is hindered.

Such a configuration is the same for the color accommodating portion 56B. When the head cartridge 7B is to be mounted, the pressing receiving portion 73 can proceed without contacting the erroneous mounting prevention rib 532, but when the head cartridge 7A is to be mounted, the pressing receiving portion 73 is erroneously mounted. It comes into contact with the prevention rib 532 and the progress is hindered. That is, except when the correct head cartridge 7 is mounted on the accommodating portion 56, the pressure receiving portion 73 and the erroneously mounted prevention rib of the head cartridges 7A and 7B are brought into contact with the erroneous mounting prevention rib 532. The 532s are laid out in association with each other.

9 (a) and 9 (b), 10 (a) and (b) show the engagement state at the open position (first position) shown in FIG. 2 and the mounting position (second position) shown in FIG. It is an enlarged view. 9 (a) and 9 (b) show a state in which the head cover 52 is included, and FIGS. 10 (a) and 10 (b) show a state in which the head cover 52 is removed. In FIGS. 10A and 10B, the guide 523 of the head cover 52 is shown by a broken line.

9 (a) and 10 (a) show a state in which the correct head cartridge 7 is inserted at the first position and the head cover 52 is rotated to move to the second position. In this state, the headset spring 54 interposed between the headset cover 52 and the headset cam 53 is compressed, and the first surface 533 of the headset cam 53 is pressed by the urging force of the headset spring 54 to receive the pressing portion 73 of the head cartridge 7. Press. As a result, the head cartridge 7 is fixed in the accommodating portion 56. At this time, the engaging portion 531 of the headset cam 53 is in a position shifted (floated) from the endmost portion 5231 of the guide 523. That is, the engaging portion 531 moves along the path of the guide 523 as the head cover 52 rotates from the first position to the second position, and is separated from the endmost portion 5231 of the guide 523.

On the other hand, at the first position shown in FIGS. 9 (b) and 10 (b), the engaging portion 531 is located at the end end portion 5231 of the guide 523. As shown by the broken line in FIGS. 10 (a) and 10 (b), the guide 523 of the present embodiment has its path slightly refracted at the end end. When the head cover 52 is in the first position, the end portion of the engaging portion 531 enters the refracted portion as shown in FIG. 10B, and is surrounded by the inner wall of the refracted portion with almost no gap. ing.

When the head cartridge 7 that does not correspond to the accommodating portion 56 is to be inserted in such a state, as shown in FIGS. 9 (b) and 10 (b), the erroneous mounting prevention rib 532 is the pressing receiving portion of the head cartridge 7. It abuts on 73 and hinders its progress. At the same time, the engaging portion 531 of the headset cam 53 also receives drag from the inner wall of the guide 523. That is, in the present embodiment, when the user tries to insert the wrong head cartridge 7 into the accommodating portion 56, the engaging portion 531 and the guide 523 are added to the contact portion between the pressing receiving portion 73 and the erroneously mounted prevention rib 532. It also receives a drag force that opposes the insertion force from the contact part of.

11 (a) and 11 (b) are views showing the shapes and effects of the guide 523 and the engaging portion 531 in the present embodiment in comparison with the conventional configuration. FIG. 11A shows the conventional configuration, and FIG. 11B shows the configuration of the present embodiment. In both cases, the wrong head cartridge 7 is inserted into the accommodating portion 56, and the pressing receiving portion 73 of the incorrect head cartridge 7 is brought into contact with the erroneous mounting prevention rib 532 of the headset cam 53 by the pressing force F. Shown.

In the case of the conventional configuration shown in FIG. 11A, when the direction in which the guide 523 guides the engaging portion 531 is α and the direction perpendicular to α is β, the pressing force received by the headset cam 53 due to the pushing of the head cartridge 7 F can be decomposed into Fα and Fβ. Here, for Fβ, a normal force of the same magnitude and in the opposite direction is received from the inner wall of the guide 523, but for Fα, there is no opposing inner wall. Therefore, when Fα becomes larger than the urging force P of the headset spring 54 and the frictional force between the headset spring 54 and the inner wall, the engaging portion 531 and the headset cam 53 move in the α direction, and the head cartridge 7 enters in the F direction. I will allow that.

In the case of the engaging portion 531 of the present embodiment, it is the both ends having a circular shape (hereinafter, referred to as circular ends) that come into contact with the inner wall of the guide 523. When the erroneous mounting prevention rib 532 receives the pressing force F, the force of Fβ acts on the lower circular end and receives the normal force of N1 from the inner wall, and the entire headset cam 53 is slightly counterclockwise in the figure. Rotate to. Therefore, at the upper circular end, the left side of the figure contacts the inner wall of the guide 523 and receives drag N2 from the left side. That is, when the engaging portion 531 tries to move in the α direction, a frictional force acts on the lower end of the engaging portion 531 on the right side of the drawing, and a frictional force acts on the upper end on the left side of the drawing. Works. Therefore, the urging force of the headset spring 54 is P, the friction coefficient of the inner wall of the guide 523 is μ, the lower circular end of the engaging portion 531 is N1, and the upper end is the drag received from the inner wall. When N2, the headset cam 53 moves in the α direction when the following equation is satisfied.
Fy> P + μN1 + μN2

Here, since the value of Fy changes depending on various factors such as the magnitude of the pressing force F, the insertion direction of the head cartridge 7, and the chamfering angle of the pressing receiving portion 73, the situation where the above equation is satisfied is sufficient. Conceivable. Then, when the above formula is satisfied, the head cartridge 7 may be inserted beyond the erroneous mounting prevention rib 532, and the contact portions 511 and 74 may come into contact with each other.

On the other hand, in the case of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 11B, the inner wall of the guide 523 faces the pressing force F at the lower circular end portion of the engaging portion 531 and has the same size as the pressing force F. Now a normal force N in the opposite direction is generated. Even if the direction of the pressing force F generated by the contact with the erroneous mounting prevention rib 532 changes depending on the chamfering angle of the pressing receiving portion 73, the inner wall of the engaging portion guide 523 has the same size as the pressing force F. The shape is such that a normal force N in the opposite direction is generated. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably prevent the pressing receiving portion 73 portion and the head cartridge 7 from being inserted in the F direction beyond the erroneous mounting prevention rib 532, as compared with the conventional configuration.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when an erroneous head cartridge 7 is inserted, in addition to the contact points between the pressing receiving portion 73 and the erroneously mounted prevention rib 532, 2 at both ends of the headset cam 53. At one engaging portion 531 a drag force against insertion is generated. As described above, it is possible to reliably prevent the head cartridge 7 from being erroneously inserted as compared with the conventional case.

(Other embodiments)
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an engaged state of the engaging portion 531 and the guide 523 in the present embodiment. The difference from the above embodiment is that the convex portion formed on the inner wall of the guide 523 engages with the concave portion formed on the lower circular end portion.

Also in this embodiment as described above, the inner wall of the guide 523 faces the direction of the pressing force F regardless of the direction in which the pressing force F acts, and the size is the same as that of the pressing force F but the direction is opposite. The normal force N is generated. Therefore, the pressing receiving portion 73 and the head cartridge 7 are not inserted in the F direction beyond the erroneous mounting prevention rib 532, and the erroneous mounting of the head cartridge 7 can be reliably prevented.

1 Recording device 7 Head cartridge 51 Carriage 52 Head cover 53 Headset cam 73 Press receiving part 71 Discharging part 523 Guide 531 Engaging part 532 Misinstallation prevention rib

Claims (12)

A carriage having a housing part for detachably mounting a head cartridge having a discharge part for ejecting ink, and a carriage
A first position for opening the accommodating portion so that the head cartridge can be attached and detached by rotating with respect to the carriage, and a second position for fixing the head cartridge inserted in the carriage to the accommodating portion. With a movable head cover,
When an engaging portion that engages with a guide formed on the head cover and can move along the guide and a head cartridge that is in the first position and does not correspond to the accommodating portion are inserted, the head is inserted. A headset cam with ribs that come into contact with the press receiver formed on the cartridge.
A recording device in which the head cover can be moved from the first position to the second position by moving the engaging portion along the guide.
The guide is a recording device having a surface that restricts the movement of the engaging portion when the head cartridge that does not correspond to the accommodating portion is inserted. The recording device according to claim 1, wherein the restricting surface restricts the movement of the engaging portion against the pressing force generated by the contact between the pressing receiving portion and the rib. The recording device according to claim 2, wherein the regulating surface comes into contact with the engaging portion in the direction of the pressing force to exert a normal force. The engaging portion is located at the end of the guide when the head cover is in the first position, and is located at a position away from the end of the guide when the head cover is in the second position. The recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. One of claims 1 to 4, wherein the headset cam abuts on the pressure receiving portion and urges the head cartridge in the direction of the carriage when the head cover is in the second position. The recording device according to item 1. The recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the head cartridge and the carriage have a contact portion that is electrically conductive when the head cartridge is mounted on the carriage. A plurality of head cartridges of different types can be mounted on the carriage, and the head cover and the headset cam are provided for each of the plurality of head cartridges. Item 6. The recording apparatus according to any one of Items 1 to 6. When the correct type of head cartridge is inserted, the pressing portion and the rib do not abut, and when the wrong type of head cartridge is inserted, the pressing portion and the rib come into contact with each other. The recording device according to claim 7, wherein the positions of the rib and the pressure receiving portion are different for each of the plurality of head cartridges. The recording device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the plurality of head cartridges are a head cartridge for ejecting black ink and a head cartridge for ejecting color ink. From claim 1, the guide has a shape that surrounds a circular end of the engaging portion at the first position at a position where the engaging portion is bent with respect to a movable direction. 9. The recording device according to any one of 9. Claims 1 to 9 are characterized in that the guide has a convex portion that engages with a concave portion of the engaging portion at the first position at a position where the engaging portion is bent with respect to a movable direction. The recording device according to any one of the above. The recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the pressing receiving portion is chamfered.

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