JP7112972B2 - inkjet printer - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to inkjet printers.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known an inkjet printer (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as a printer) that includes a base member, a main body case attached to the base member, and a front cover that opens and closes an opening formed in the main body case. It is The base member is provided with a mounting table on which a recording medium is mounted and a carriage on which an ink head is mounted. In such a printer, an operator places a recording medium on a mounting table or performs maintenance of the ink head with the front cover open. Also, printing is performed by ejecting ink from the ink head onto a recording medium while the front cover is closed.

For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses an inkjet printer that includes an opening for performing maintenance of a printing unit and the like, and a cover that rotatably covers the opening. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses an inkjet printer having a front cover that opens and closes an opening formed between a main body case and a platen. The front cover is rotatable about the front end of the body case.

JP 2017-100412 A JP 2017-43057 A

For example, in the printer described in Patent Document 2, a support shaft is arranged at the rear end of the front cover to rotatably support the front cover. With such a configuration, when the front cover is rotated upward to open the opening, the front cover and the body case may interfere with each other. Therefore, it is necessary to restrict the upward rotation of the front cover in order to suppress interference between the front cover and the main body case. However, when the upward rotation of the front cover is restricted, the range of rotation of the front cover is narrowed. It would be arranged at the eye level of the operator, which could cause a problem of hindering the work.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and its object is to provide an ink jet printer capable of suppressing interference between the main body case and the front cover and further widening the rotation range of the front cover. is.

An inkjet printer according to the present invention includes a base member, a mounting table provided on the base member on which a recording medium is mounted, and a a movable carriage; an ink head mounted on the carriage and having nozzles for ejecting ink onto the recording medium conveyed in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction; a body case having an opening formed between it and a writing stand; a cover member for opening and closing the opening; and a frame member supporting the cover member rotatably with respect to the body case and extending in the sub-scanning direction. one end extending in the main scanning direction and connected to the base member or the main body case; and the other end connected to the center of the portion of the frame member extending in the sub-scanning direction. and a shaft, the support shaft rotatably supporting the front cover between a closed position in which the cover member closes the opening and an open position in which the cover member opens the opening.

In the inkjet printer of the present invention, the support shaft supports the front cover rotatably between the closed position and the open position. Here, the other end of the support shaft is connected to the center of the portion of the frame member extending in the sub-scanning direction. Therefore, compared to the case where the other end of the support shaft is connected to the sub-scanning direction end (for example, the rear end) of the frame member, the rotation area of the frame member can be made compact. That is, the distance between the portion of the frame member that is farthest from the support shaft and the support shaft becomes smaller. Thereby, the rotation angle of the front cover can be increased while suppressing interference between the main body case and the front cover. As a result, the opening can be opened by rotating the front cover upward so that the tip of the front cover (for example, the lower end of the cover member when the front cover is closed) is not positioned at the eye level of the operator. can.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an inkjet printer capable of suppressing interference between the main body case and the front cover and further widening the rotation range of the front cover.

1 is a perspective view of a printer according to one embodiment; FIG. 1 is a front view showing part of a printer according to one embodiment; FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the essential parts of the printer according to one embodiment, showing a state in which the front cover is in the closed position; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of the printer according to one embodiment, showing a state where the front cover is in the open position; It is a front view of a front cover according to one embodiment. It is a side view of the front cover concerning one embodiment. It is a rear view of the front cover according to one embodiment. 1 is a perspective view of a front cover according to one embodiment; FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing part of a printer according to one embodiment; FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of the printer according to one embodiment, showing a state where the front cover is just before the closed position; FIG. 11 is a side view of a front cover according to another embodiment; FIG. 11 is a rear view of a front cover according to another embodiment; FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a front cover according to another embodiment;

<First embodiment>
An inkjet printer (hereinafter simply referred to as "printer") according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments described herein are, of course, not intended to limit the invention in particular. Further, members and portions having the same action are denoted by the same reference numerals, and overlapping descriptions are appropriately omitted or simplified.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a printer 10 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 prints on the recording medium 5 . The recording medium 5 is, for example, recording paper. However, the recording medium 5 is not limited to recording paper. The recording medium 5 may be a sheet or film made of a resin such as polyvinyl chloride or polyester, a fabric such as a woven fabric or a nonwoven fabric, or other media other than paper such as plain paper and inkjet printing paper.

In the following description, left, right, top, and bottom refer to left, right, top, and bottom as seen from the operator in front of the printer 10, respectively. Also, the side nearer to the operator from the printer 10 is the front side, and the side farther from the printer 10 is the rear side. Symbols F, Rr, L, R, U, and D in the drawings represent front, rear, left, right, up, and down, respectively. An ink head unit 20 (see FIG. 2), which will be described later, is provided so as to be movable leftward and rightward. The recording medium 5 is conveyed forward and backward. In this embodiment, the moving direction of the ink head unit 20 is called the main scanning direction Y, and the conveying direction of the recording medium 5 is called the sub-scanning direction X. As shown in FIG. Here, the main scanning direction Y corresponds to the left-right direction, and the sub-scanning direction X corresponds to the front-rear direction. The main scanning direction Y and the sub-scanning direction X are orthogonal. Also, the rear side of the printer 10 is called the upstream side, and the front side of the printer 10 is called the downstream side. However, the main scanning direction Y and the sub-scanning direction X are not particularly limited, and can be appropriately set according to the form of the printer 10 and the like.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 includes a base member 40, a platen 15 on which the recording medium 5 is placed, a body case 50, a right leg portion 16R, a left leg portion 16L, and an ink head unit 20 ( See FIG. 2). The right leg portion 16R and the left leg portion 16L are attached to the lower portion of the base member 40. As shown in FIG. The right leg portion 16R and the left leg portion 16L support the base member 40 .

As shown in FIG. 1, the base member 40 extends in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the base member 40 includes a left side frame 41L and a right side frame 41R. The left side frame 41L and the right side frame 41R extend vertically.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the body case 50 is attached to the base member 40 . The body case 50 includes an upper wall 51, a front wall 52, a left front wall 53L, a right front wall 53R, a left front cover 54L, a right front cover 54R, a left wall 55L, a right wall 55R, and a rear wall 56. and As shown in FIG. 3, an opening 58 is formed between the body case 50 and the platen 15 . Here, the opening 58 is positioned downstream in the sub-scanning direction X from the ink head unit 20 .

As shown in FIG. 1, the upper wall 51 extends in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3 , the upper wall 51 is positioned above the base member 40 . The upper wall 51 is arranged above the ink head unit 20 . The upper wall 51 is inclined upward in the sub-scanning direction X from the upstream side to the downstream side. That is, the upper wall 51 is inclined upward from the rear to the front. The front wall 52 extends obliquely forward and downward from the front end of the upper wall 51 . The front wall 52 extends in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the left front wall 53L extends diagonally forward and downward from the front end of the left end region of the front wall 52 . The right front wall 53R extends obliquely forward and downward from the front end of the right end region of the front wall 52 . The right front wall 53R is configured to be openable and closable around the rear end of the right front wall 53R. An operation panel (not shown) is exposed to the outside by opening the right front wall 53R.

As shown in FIG. 1, the left front cover 54L extends downward from the front end of the left front wall 53L. The left front cover 54L is configured to be openable and closable around the front end of the left front wall 53L. The left front cover 54L is arranged to the left of the platen 15. As shown in FIG. The right front cover 54R extends downward from the front end of the right front wall 53R. The right front cover 54R is configured to be openable and closable around the front end of the right front wall 53R. The right front cover 54R is arranged to the right of the platen 15. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the left wall 55L connects the left end of the top wall 51, the left end of the front wall 52, the left end of the left front wall 53L, the left end of the left front cover 54L, and the left end of the rear wall 56. The right wall 55R connects the right end of the top wall 51, the right end of the front wall 52, the right end of the right front wall 53R, the right end of the right front cover 54R, and the right end of the rear wall 56.

As shown in FIG. 1, the rear wall 56 connects the rear end of the top wall 51, the rear end of the left wall 55L, and the rear end of the right wall 55R. The rear wall 56 is positioned above the platen 15 .

As shown in FIG. 2, the platen 15 supports the recording medium 5 during printing on the recording medium 5 . A recording medium 5 is placed on the platen 15 . The platen 15 is an example of a mounting table. The platen 15 extends in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. The platen 15 is provided on the base member 40 . The platen 15 is provided in the central portion of the base member 40 . The platen 15 is arranged in the main scanning direction Y between the left front cover 54L and the right front cover 54R. The platen 15 is arranged in the main scanning direction Y between the left side frame 41L and the right side frame 41R.

As shown in FIG. 2, the printer 10 has a central wall 17 extending in the main scanning direction Y and in the vertical direction. Central wall 17 is supported by base member 40 . A central wall 17 is positioned above the platen 15 . A gap through which the recording medium 5 can pass is formed between the central wall 17 and the platen 15 . The central wall 17 is housed in the body case 50 .

As shown in FIG. 2, the printer 10 has guide rails 18 . The guide rail 18 extends in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. A guide rail 18 is provided on the central wall 17 . The guide rail 18 is arranged above the platen 15 .

As shown in FIG. 2, the ink head unit 20 is provided on the base member 40. As shown in FIG. The ink head unit 20 is arranged inside the body case 50 . The ink head unit 20 is arranged above the platen 15 . As shown in FIG. 3, the ink head unit 20 has a carriage 22 and ink heads 24 . Carriage 22 is engaged with guide rail 18 . The carriage 22 is configured to be movable in the main scanning direction Y along the guide rails 18 . The ink head 24 has nozzles (not shown) that eject ink onto the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 15 . The ink head 24 prints a predetermined image on the recording medium 5 . The ink head 24 is mounted on the carriage 22 . The ink head 24 is configured to be movable in the main scanning direction Y as the carriage 22 moves.

As shown in FIG. 2, the printer 10 has a carriage movement mechanism 30. As shown in FIG. The carriage movement mechanism 30 is a mechanism that moves the carriage 22 of the ink head unit 20 in the main scanning direction Y relative to the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 15 . The carriage moving mechanism 30 moves the carriage 22 in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. Note that the configuration of the carriage moving mechanism 30 is not particularly limited. The carriage moving mechanism 30 includes a first pulley 31 , a second pulley 32 , an endless belt 33 and a carriage motor 34 . The first pulley 31 is provided on the left end side of the guide rail 18 . The second pulley 32 is provided on the right end side of the guide rail 18 . The belt 33 is wound around the first pulley 31 and the second pulley 32 . The belt 33 is fixed to the upper back surface of the carriage 22 . A carriage motor 34 is connected to the second pulley 32 . However, the carriage motor 34 may be connected to the first pulley 31 . Here, the belt 33 runs between the first pulley 31 and the second pulley 32 by driving the carriage motor 34 and rotating the second pulley 32 . As a result, the carriage 22 moves in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the printer 10 has a medium moving mechanism 35. As shown in FIG. The medium moving mechanism 35 relatively moves the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 15 in the sub-scanning direction X with respect to the ink head unit 20 . The medium moving mechanism 35 moves the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 15 in the sub-scanning direction X. As shown in FIG. The medium moving mechanism 35 includes multiple grit rollers 36 , multiple pinch rollers 37 and a holding shaft 38 .

As shown in FIG. 2, the grit roller 36 is provided on the platen 15. As shown in FIG. The grit roller 36 is embedded in the platen 15 so that the upper portion of the grit roller 36 is exposed to the outside. The grit rollers 36 are arranged in parallel in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. The grit roller 36 is arranged below the pinch roller 37 . The grit roller 36 sandwiches the recording medium 5 between itself and the pinch roller 37 . With the recording medium 5 sandwiched between the grit roller 36 and the pinch roller 37, when a feed motor (not shown) connected to the grit roller 36 is driven to rotate the grit roller 36, the recording medium 5 is It is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction X.

As shown in FIG. 2, the pinch rollers 37 are arranged above the platen 15 . The pinch rollers 37 are arranged below the guide rails 18 . The pinch roller 37 is arranged at a position facing the grit roller 36 . The pinch roller 37 presses the recording medium 5 placed on the platen 15 from above.

As shown in FIG. 2, the holding shaft 38 extends in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. A holding shaft 38 holds the pinch roller 37 . By rotating the holding shaft 38 about its axis, the pinch roller 37 can be brought closer to the grit roller 36 or moved away from the grit roller 36 . The holding shaft 38 is rotatably supported by the base member 40 .

As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 has a front cover 60 and a support shaft 90 (see FIG. 2). The front cover 60 is provided with an opening 58 (see FIG. 3) formed between the body case 50 and the platen 15 so as to be able to open and close. The front cover 60 rotates about the support shaft 90 between a closed position CP (see FIG. 3) and an open position OP (see FIG. 4). Here, the closed position CP is a position at which a later-described cover member 74 of the front cover 60 closes the opening 58 . The open position OP is a position where the cover member 74 of the front cover 60 opens the opening 58 . Note that "the cover member 74 closes the opening 58" means that there is a small gap (for example, a gap larger than the thickness of the recording medium 5 and into which the operator's finger cannot enter) between the lower end 74B of the cover member 74 and the platen 15, which will be described later. about 5 mm to about 20 mm, for example 10 mm).

As shown in FIG. 1, the front cover 60 is provided between the left front wall 53L and the right front wall 53R. The front cover 60 is provided in front of the front wall 52 . The front cover 60 is positioned to the right of the left front cover 54L. The front cover 60 is positioned to the left of the right front cover 54R. As shown in FIG. 3 , the front cover 60 is positioned above the platen 15 . The front cover 60 is positioned downstream (here, forward) in the sub-scanning direction X from the ink head unit 20 .

As shown in FIG. 5, the front cover 60 includes a frame member 62 and a cover member 74. As shown in FIG. The frame member 62 extends in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. The frame member 62 has a portion extending in the sub-scanning direction X. As shown in FIG. The frame member 62 is made of a metal material (sheet metal). The frame member 62 rotatably supports the cover member 74 with respect to the main body case 50 . As shown in FIG. 6, the frame member 62 includes a main frame member 64 and sub-frame members 70. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the main frame member 64 is a member that closes the gap between the main body case 50 and the front cover 60 . The main frame member 64 extends across the opening width of the main scanning direction Y of the main body case 50 . As shown in FIG. 6, the main frame member 64 is inclined downward from the upstream side to the downstream side in the sub-scanning direction X when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP (see also FIG. 3). is doing. The main frame member 64 is made of a metal material (sheet metal) subjected to multi-step bending. Specifically, a first portion 64A extending in the sub-scanning direction X, a second portion 64B extending downward from the front end of the first portion 64A through a bend, and a lower end of the second portion 64B through a bend It has a third portion 64C extending rearward and a fourth portion 64D extending downward from the rear end of the first portion 64A through a bend. The first portion 64A is inclined downward from the upstream side to the downstream side in the sub-scanning direction X when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP. As shown in FIG. 1, the upper surface of the first portion 64A is positioned flush with the upper surface of the left front wall 53L and the upper surface of the right front wall 53R when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP. As shown in FIG. 6, the second portion 64B is inclined downward from the downstream side to the upstream side in the sub-scanning direction X when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP. The third portion 64C is inclined downward from the downstream side to the upstream side in the sub-scanning direction X when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP. The third portion 64</b>C is positioned downstream in the sub-scanning direction X from the axis 90</b>C of the support shaft 90 . The fourth portion 64D is inclined downward from the downstream side to the upstream side in the sub-scanning direction X when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP.

As shown in FIG. 7 , the subframe member 70 is a member that supports the front cover 60 so as to be rotatable with respect to the main body case 50 . The sub-frame member 70 extends across the width of the main scanning direction Y opening of the main body case 50 . As shown in FIG. 6, the subframe member 70 is provided on the main frame member 64 . Specifically, the subframe member 70 is attached to the lower surface 64T of the main frame member 64 and extends downwardly from the attachment portion. A subframe member 70 extends downwardly from the mainframe member 64 . The subframe member 70 is formed in a substantially L shape when viewed from the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. The subframe member 70 is attached to the lower surface 64T of the main frame member 64. As shown in FIG. The subframe member 70 includes a first portion 70A connected to the lower surface 64T of the main frame member 64, a second portion 70B extending downward from the rear end of the first portion 70A, and a front portion extending forward from the lower end of the second portion 70B. and a third portion 70C extending toward. The first portion 70A is inclined downward from the upstream side to the downstream side in the sub-scanning direction X when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP (see also FIG. 3). The second portion 70B is inclined downward from the downstream side to the upstream side in the sub-scanning direction X when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP. The third portion 70C is inclined downward from the upstream side to the downstream side in the sub-scanning direction X when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP. The third portion 70C is located above the fourth portion 64C of the main frame member 64 when the front cover 60 is located at the closed position CP. The length in the sub-scanning direction X of the first portion 70A is longer than the length in the sub-scanning direction X of the third portion 70C.

As shown in FIG. 6, in this embodiment, when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP, the downstream end 70F of the sub-frame member 70 in the sub-scanning direction X is also located below. The end portion 70</b>F is positioned below the support shaft 90 when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP. Here, the end portion 70F corresponds to the front end of the first portion 70A of the sub-frame member 70. As shown in FIG. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP, the sub-frame member 70 is positioned downstream (here, forward) in the sub-scanning direction X with respect to the axis 90C of the support shaft 90. do. In this embodiment, the center of gravity of the front cover 60 is positioned downstream in the sub-scanning direction X with respect to the support shaft 90 when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP. Therefore, when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP, the weight of the front cover 60 urges the cover member 74 toward the upstream side in the sub-scanning direction X. As shown in FIG. This allows the front cover 60 to more reliably close the opening 58 .

As shown in FIG. 4 , when the front cover 60 is positioned at the open position OP, the sub-frame member 70 is positioned upstream (here, rearward) of the axis 90C of the support shaft 90 in the sub-scanning direction X. As shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the center of gravity of the front cover 60 is positioned upstream in the sub-scanning direction X relative to the support shaft 90 when the front cover 60 is positioned at the open position OP. Therefore, when the front cover 60 is positioned at the open position CP, the cover member 74 is biased toward the upstream side in the sub-scanning direction X by the weight of the front cover 60 itself. As a result, it is possible to prevent the front cover 60 from falling forward.

The cover member 74 opens and closes the opening 58 (see FIG. 3). As shown in FIG. 6, the cover member 74 is attached to the frame member 62 . More specifically, the cover member 74 is attached to the subframe member 70 . The cover member 74 is fixed to the second portion 70B of the sub-frame member 70 with fastening members 78 such as screws. The cover member 74 extends downward from the frame member 62 when the front cover 60 is in the closed position CP (see also FIG. 3). The cover member 74 extends from the frame member 62 toward the platen 15 when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP. The cover member 74 is inclined downward from the downstream side to the upstream side in the sub-scanning direction X when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP. That is, the cover member 74 is inclined downward from the front to the rear. The cover member 74 is made of, for example, a material that allows light to pass therethrough. In this embodiment, the cover member 74 is made of transparent acrylic resin. The operator can check the printing state and the like through the cover member 74 . A handle 75 is provided at the bottom of the cover member 74 . The front cover 60 is opened by the operator pulling up the handle 75 forward.

As shown in FIG. 2, the printer 10 has a pair of support shafts 90 and a pair of brackets 92 that hold the support shafts 90 . The left support shaft 90 and the right support shaft 90 extend in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. The left support shaft 90 and the right support shaft 90 are arranged at the same position when viewed from the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. The left support shaft 90 and the right support shaft 90 rotatably support the front cover 60 between the closed position CP (see FIG. 3) and the open position OP (see FIG. 4). As shown in FIG. 6, the support shaft 90 is located above 62F. The support shaft 90 is arranged below the end portion 62R (end portion 64R) and above the end portion 62F (end portion 64F) when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP (see also FIG. 3).

As shown in FIG. 7 , the left bracket 92 is attached to the left end of the subframe member 70 and the right bracket 92 is attached to the right end of the subframe member 70 . As shown in FIG. 6, the bracket 92 includes a first portion 92A attached to the second portion 70B of the subframe member 70, and a second portion 92B connected to the first portion 92A and to which the support shaft 90 is attached. there is The first portion 92A is inclined downward from the downstream side to the upstream side in the sub-scanning direction X when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP (see also FIG. 3). The second portion 92B is inclined upward in the sub-scanning direction X from the downstream side to the upstream side when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP. The bracket 92 is attached to the subframe member 70 by welding, for example. As shown in FIG. 8, the support shaft 90 is fixed to a bracket 92 with a fastening member 93 such as a screw. Thereby, the bracket 92 holds the support shaft 90 .

As shown in FIG. 7, the left support shaft 90 and the right support shaft 90 are connected to the first end 90A connected to the base member 40 (see FIG. 2) and the front cover 60 (see FIG. 2). and a second end 90B. The first end portion 90A of the support shaft 90 is an example of one end of the support shaft. The second end portion 90B of the support shaft 90 is an example of the other end of the support shaft. In this embodiment, the first end 90A of the left support shaft 90 is connected to the left side frame 41L (see FIG. 2), and the first end 90A of the right support shaft 90 is connected to the right side frame 41R (see FIG. 2). 2). Note that the first end portion 90A of the support shaft 90 may be connected to the body case 50 (for example, the left front wall 53L and the right front wall 53R). In this embodiment, the diameter of the first end 90A of the support shaft 90 is smaller than the diameter of the second end 90B.

As shown in FIG. 6, the second end 90B of the left support shaft 90 and the second end 90B of the right support shaft 90 are located at the center of the portion of the frame member 62 extending in the sub-scanning direction X (for example, the frame member 62 is connected to the center line CF (see FIG. 5) extending in the main scanning direction Y through the center point in the sub-scanning direction X. The second end portion 90B passes through the center of the portion (here, the first portion 64A) of the main frame member 64 extending in the sub-scanning direction X (for example, the center point of the first portion 64A in the sub-scanning direction X) and extends in the main scanning direction Y. It is connected to the sub-frame member 70 so as to be positioned on the center line CF extending to the center line CF. The second end 90B is connected to the subframe member 70 via a bracket 92. As shown in FIG. The downstream end 62F in the sub-scanning direction X of the frame member 62 viewed from the main scanning direction Y when the front cover 60 rotates about the support shaft 90 (here, the front end of the first portion 64A of the main frame member 64). 64F) and a circular locus H2 drawn by the upstream end 62R of the frame member 62 in the sub-scanning direction X (here, the rear end 64R of the first portion 64A of the main frame member 64). The second end 90B may be connected to the front cover 60 so as to match. That is, when viewed from the main scanning direction Y, the distance L1 from the axis 90C of the support shaft 90 to the end 62F (end 64F) and the distance from the axis 90C of the support shaft 90 to the end 62R (end 64R) The second end 90B is preferably connected to the front cover 60 (eg, the sub-frame member 70) so that the distance L2 is the same. The second end portion 90B is arranged below the end portion 62R (end portion 64R) and above the end portion 62F (end portion 64F) when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP (see also FIG. 3). Good. In addition, in the present embodiment, the second end portion 90B is arranged on the center line CF extending in the main scanning direction Y, but this is not a limitation, and the rotational region of the frame member 62 can be made compact. If possible, it may be arranged at a position off the center line CF. That is, it may be arranged at a position other than the downstream end 62F and the upstream end 62R of the frame member 62 in the sub-scanning direction X. FIG. The position excluding the end 62F and the end 62R of the frame member 62 refers to the position in the sub-scanning direction X where the support shaft 90 can be mounted when the support shaft 90 is mounted on the end 62F and the end 62R of the frame member 62. is a position excluding a predetermined length of (for example, the diameter of the support shaft 90).

As shown in FIG. 9, the printer 10 has a cover sensor 45. As shown in FIG. The cover sensor 45 can detect an open state in which the opening 58 (see also FIG. 3) is open and a closed state in which the opening 58 is closed. The cover sensor 45 can detect whether the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP. The cover sensor 45 is provided on the left side frame 41L. As shown in FIG. 4, a groove 45A is formed in the cover sensor 45, and a switch (not shown) is arranged in the groove 45A. When the front cover 60 is closed, the cover sensor 45 detects that the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP by pressing the above-described switch by a pressing plate 80 provided on the front cover 60, which will be described later. can do. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 10, when the front cover 60 is opened, the cover sensor 45 detects that the switch is not pressed by the pressing plate 80 provided on the front cover 60, and the front cover 60 is at the closed position. It can be detected that it is not located at the CP. 2, illustration of the cover sensor 45 is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 7 , the front cover 60 is provided with a pressing plate 80 that presses the cover sensor 45 . The pressing plate 80 is attached to the subframe member 70 . The pressing plate 80 is arranged below the left support shaft 90 . The pressing plate 80 has a first portion 80A attached to the subframe member 70 and a second portion 80B extending rearward from the right end of the first portion 80A. As shown in FIG. 4, the second portion 80B presses a switch (not shown) of the cover sensor 45 when the front cover 60 is closed. At this time, the first portion 80A locks onto the locking surface 45F of the cover sensor 45 . That is, the cover sensor 45 also functions as a stopper for the front cover 60 . The locking surface 45F is a surface of the cover sensor 45 that faces the cover member 74 when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP.

As described above, in the printer 10 of this embodiment, the support shaft 90 rotatably supports the front cover 60 between the closed position CP and the open position OP. Here, the second end portion 90B of the support shaft 90 is connected to the center of the first portion 64A extending in the sub-scanning direction X of the frame member 62. As shown in FIG. Therefore, compared to the case where the second end portion 90B of the support shaft 90 is connected to the end portion (for example, the rear end 62R) of the frame member 62 in the sub-scanning direction X, the rotation area of the frame member 62 can be made compact. can be That is, the distance between the portion of the frame member 62 farthest from the support shaft 90 and the support shaft 90 becomes smaller. As a result, interference between the body case 50 (for example, the front wall 52) and the front cover 60 can be suppressed, and the rotation angle of the front cover 60 can be increased. As a result, the front cover 60 is rotated upward so that the front end portion of the front cover 60 (for example, the lower end 74B of the cover member 74 when the front cover 60 is closed) is not positioned at the eye level of the operator. Aperture 58 can be opened.

According to the printer 10 of this embodiment, the frame member 62 includes a main frame member 64 extending in the sub-scanning direction X, and a sub-frame member 70 attached to the lower surface 64T of the main frame member 64 and extending downward from the main frame member 64. , is equipped with Here, the cover member 74 is attached to the subframe member 70 . Therefore, by adjusting the attachment position and shape of the sub-frame member 70, the position of the cover member 74 can be easily changed. In this embodiment, since the support shaft 90 and the cover member 74 are attached to the second portion 70B of the sub-frame member 70, the accuracy of the attachment position of the cover member 74 can be easily adjusted. That is, in a second embodiment, which will be described later, the cover member 74 is directly attached to the lower end of the frame member 162 made of a metal material subjected to multi-step bending. Therefore, in order to close the opening 58 of the main body case 50 without any gap, the support shaft 90, which is a support point for the main body case 50, and the mounting position of the cover member 74 on the frame member 162 (that is, the position of the fastening member 78) must be aligned. It is necessary to adjust the distance consistently. However, since the frame member 162 is formed of a metal material subjected to multi-step bending, intersections occur for the number of times of bending. position) must be adjusted. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the cover member 74 is attached to the sub-frame member 70 attached to the lower surface 64T of the main frame member 64 and extending downward. That is, the cover member 74 is attached to the sub-frame member 70 attached to the flat plate portion (here, the first portion 64A) of the main frame member 64 so that the bending crossing of the main frame member 64 does not affect the cover member. There is no need to consider bend crossings of the main frame member 64 with respect to the mounting position of 74 . Moreover, since the sub-frame member 70 is provided with the support shaft 90 serving as a support point of the cover member 74 with respect to the main body case 50, the adjustment of the mounting position of the cover member 74 with respect to the main body case 50 can be performed by providing separate members. This can be easily performed in comparison with the case where the bending work is carried out or the case where a large number of bending processes are interposed therebetween as in the second embodiment.

A second end portion 90B of the support shaft 90 is connected to the sub-frame member 70 so that the support shaft 90 is positioned at the center of the first portion 64A extending in the sub-scanning direction X of the main frame member 64. As shown in FIG. Therefore, compared to the case where the second end portion 90B of the support shaft 90 is connected to the rear end 64R of the main frame member 64 in the sub-scanning direction X, the rotation area of the front cover 60 can be made compact. can. As a result, interference between the main body case 50 and the main frame member 64 can be suppressed, and the rotation angle of the front cover 60 can be increased.

According to the printer 10 of this embodiment, when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP, the main frame member 64 is inclined downward in the sub-scanning direction X from the upstream side toward the downstream side. Here, since the sub-frame member 70 is located downstream of the axis 90C of the support shaft 90 in the sub-scanning direction X, the center of gravity of the front cover 60 is supported when the front cover 60 is located at the closed position CP. It can be set downstream in the sub-scanning direction X from the axis 90</b>C of the shaft 90 . Thereby, the opening 58 can be reliably closed when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP. Further, when the front cover 60 is positioned at the open position OP, the sub-frame member 70 is positioned upstream in the sub-scanning direction X with respect to the axis 90C of the support shaft 90 . Therefore, when the front cover 60 is positioned at the open position OP, the center of gravity of the front cover 60 can be set upstream in the sub-scanning direction X with respect to the axis 90C of the support shaft 90 . As a result, when the front cover 60 is positioned at the open position OP, the opening 58 can be reliably opened, and the front cover 60 can be prevented from rotating in the closing direction (downward in this case) due to its own weight. . By changing the material, size, etc. of the sub-frame member 70, the center of gravity of the front cover 60 can be easily changed to the position described above.

According to the printer 10 of the present embodiment, the downstream end 70</b>F of the sub-frame member 70 in the sub-scanning direction X is positioned below the support shaft 90 when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP. Thereby, when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP, the center of gravity of the front cover 60 can be set downstream in the sub-scanning direction X from the axis 90C of the support shaft 90 .

According to the printer 10 of this embodiment, when viewed from the main scanning direction Y, the distance L1 from the axial center 90C of the support shaft 90 to the downstream end 64F of the main frame member 64 in the sub-scanning direction X, and the support shaft 90 The second end 90B of the support shaft 90 is connected to the sub-frame member 70 so that the distance L2 from the axis 90C of the main frame member 64 to the upstream end 64R of the main frame member 64 in the sub-scanning direction X is the same. It is As a result, the rotation area of the front cover 60 can be made more compact.

According to the printer 10 of the present embodiment, the second end portion 90B of the support shaft 90 is arranged such that the axis 90C of the support shaft 90 extends in the sub-scanning direction X of the main frame member 64 when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP. It is connected to the sub-frame member 70 so as to be positioned above the downstream end 62F and below the upstream end 62R in the sub-scanning direction X. As a result, the rotation area of the front cover 60 can be made more compact.

<Second embodiment>
FIG. 11 is a side view showing the front cover 160 according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 11, the front cover 160 includes a frame member 162, a cover member 74, and a plate member 165. As shown in FIG. The frame member 162 is made of a metal material (sheet metal) subjected to multi-step bending.

As shown in FIG. 12, the frame member 162 extends in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 11, the frame member 162 is inclined downward from the upstream side to the downstream side in the sub-scanning direction X when the front cover 160 is positioned at the closed position CP (see also FIG. 3). ing. The frame member 162 includes a first portion 162A extending in the sub-scanning direction X, a second portion 162B extending downward from the front end of the first portion 162A through a bend, and a lower end of the second portion 162B through a bend. A third portion 162C extending rearward, a fourth portion 162D extending upward through a bend from the rear end of the third portion 162C, and a fourth portion 162D extending downward through a bend from the rear end of the first portion 162A. 5 parts 162E. The first portion 162A is inclined downward from the upstream side to the downstream side in the sub-scanning direction X when the front cover 160 is positioned at the closed position CP. The upper surface of the first portion 162A is positioned flush with the upper surface of the left front wall 53L and the upper surface of the right front wall 53R when the front cover 160 is positioned at the closed position CP. The second portion 162B is inclined downward from the downstream side to the upstream side in the sub-scanning direction X when the front cover 160 is positioned at the closed position CP. The third portion 162C is inclined downward from the downstream side to the upstream side in the sub-scanning direction X when the front cover 160 is positioned at the closed position CP. The fourth portion 162D is inclined upward from the upstream side to the downstream side in the sub-scanning direction X when the front cover 160 is positioned at the closed position CP. The fifth portion 162D is inclined downward from the downstream side to the upstream side in the sub-scanning direction X when the front cover 60 is positioned at the closed position CP.

As shown in FIG. 11, cover member 74 is attached to frame member 162 . More specifically, cover member 74 is attached to fourth portion 162</b>D of frame member 162 . The cover member 74 is fixed to the fourth portion 162D with a fastening member 78 such as a screw.

As shown in FIG. 12, the plate member 165 extends in the main scanning direction Y. As shown in FIG. The plate member 165 is formed in a flat plate shape. The plate member 165 is attached to the frame member 162 . The plate member 165 is attached to the second portion 162B of the frame member 162 (see FIG. 11). As shown in FIG. 11, when the front cover 160 is positioned at the closed position CP, the plate member 165 is positioned downstream (here, forward) of the axis 90C of the support shaft 90 in the sub-scanning direction X. As shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the center of gravity of the front cover 160 is positioned downstream in the sub-scanning direction X relative to the support shaft 90 when the front cover 160 is positioned at the closed position CP (see FIG. 3). Further, when the front cover 160 is positioned at the open position OP (see FIG. 4), the plate member 165 is positioned upstream (here, rearward) of the axis 90C of the support shaft 90 in the sub-scanning direction X. The center of gravity of the front cover 160 is positioned downstream in the sub-scanning direction X relative to the support shaft 90 when the front cover 160 is positioned at the open position OP.

As shown in FIG. 12, the printer 10 has a pair of support shafts 90 and a pair of brackets 192 that hold the support shafts 90 . The left bracket 192 is attached to the left end of the frame member 162 and the right bracket 192 is attached to the right end of the frame member 162 . As shown in FIG. 13, the bracket 192 has a first portion 192A attached to the first portion 162A of the frame member 162, and a second portion 192B positioned laterally of the first portion 192A. The first portion 192A includes an attachment portion 192AA to which the frame member 162 is attached to the first portion 162A, and a bearing portion 192AB that supports the support shaft 90. As shown in FIG. The second portion 192B is a member that reinforces the frame member 162 subjected to multi-step bending. The second portion 192B extends downward from the outer end (the left end in the example shown in FIG. 13) of the first portion 192A through bending, and the extended lower end is attached to the third portion 162C by a bolt (see FIG. 11). is fixed to The first portion 192A and the second portion 192B may be formed integrally or may be formed separately. Bracket 192 is attached to frame member 162 by, for example, welding. The support shaft 90 is fixed to the first portion 192A of the bracket 192 with a fastening member 93 such as a screw. The bracket 192 thereby holds the support shaft 90 .

As shown in FIG. 11, when the front cover 160 rotates about the support shaft 90, a locus H3 of a circle drawn by an end portion 162F on the downstream side in the sub-scanning direction X of the frame member 162 viewed from the main scanning direction Y and , the second end 90B is preferably connected to the front cover 160 so that the locus H4 of the circle drawn by the upstream end 162R of the frame member 162 in the sub-scanning direction X coincides with the second end 90B. That is, when viewed from the main scanning direction Y, the distance L3 from the axis 90C of the support shaft 90 to the end 162F and the distance L4 from the axis 90C of the support shaft 90 to the end 162R are the same. The second end 90B may be connected to the front cover 160 (eg, frame member 162).

According to the printer 10 of this embodiment, the front cover 160 has a plate member 165 attached to the frame member 162 and extending in the sub-scanning direction X. As shown in FIG. When the front cover 160 is positioned at the closed position CP, the frame member 162 is inclined downward in the sub-scanning direction X from the upstream side toward the downstream side. Here, since the plate member 165 is positioned downstream of the axis 90C of the support shaft 90 in the sub-scanning direction X, when the front cover 160 is positioned at the closed position CP, the center of gravity of the front cover 160 is aligned with the support axis. 90 can be set downstream in the sub-scanning direction X from the axis 90C. As a result, the opening 58 can be reliably closed when the front cover 160 is positioned at the closed position CP. Further, when the front cover 160 is positioned at the open position OP, the plate member 165 is positioned upstream in the sub-scanning direction X with respect to the axis 90C of the support shaft 90 . Therefore, when the front cover 160 is positioned at the open position OP, the center of gravity of the front cover 160 can be set upstream in the sub-scanning direction X with respect to the axis 90C of the support shaft 90 . As a result, when the front cover 160 is positioned at the open position OP, the opening 58 can be reliably opened, and the front cover 160 can be prevented from rotating in the closing direction (downward in this case) due to its own weight. . By changing the material, size, etc. of the plate member 165, the center of gravity of the front cover 160 can be easily changed to the position described above.

According to the printer 10 of this embodiment, when viewed from the main scanning direction Y, the distance L3 from the axis 90C of the support shaft 90 to the downstream end 162F of the frame member 162 in the sub-scanning direction X and the distance L3 of the support shaft 90 The second end 90B of the support shaft 90 is connected to the frame member 162 so that the distance L4 from the axis 90C to the upstream end 162R of the frame member 162 in the sub-scanning direction X is the same. . As a result, the rotational area of the front cover 160 can be made more compact.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the above-described embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention can be implemented in various other forms.

In the embodiment described above, the platen 15 has been described as an example of the mounting table, but the present invention is not limited to this. A table on which the recording medium 5 is placed may be used as the placement table. Such a table is configured to be movable in, for example, the sub-scanning direction X and the vertical direction.

10 Printer (inkjet printer)
15 Platen (mounting table)
22 Carriage 24 Ink head 40 Base member 50 Body case 60 Front cover 62 Frame member 64 Main frame member 70 Sub-frame member 74 Cover member 90 Support shaft 90A First end 90B Second end

Claims (8)

a base member;
a mounting table provided on the base member and on which a recording medium is mounted;
a carriage provided on the base member, positioned above the mounting table, and movable in a main scanning direction;
an ink head mounted on the carriage and having nozzles for ejecting ink onto the recording medium conveyed in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction;
a body case attached to the base member and having an opening formed between itself and the mounting table;
a front cover having a cover member that opens and closes the opening, and a frame member that supports the cover member rotatably with respect to the main body case and extends in the sub-scanning direction;
a support shaft extending in the main scanning direction and having one end connected to the base member or the main body case and the other end connected to the center of the portion of the frame member extending in the sub-scanning direction;
The support shaft supports the front cover rotatably between a closed position where the cover member closes the opening and an open position where the cover member opens the opening. The frame member includes a main frame member extending in the sub-scanning direction and a sub-frame member provided on the main frame member and extending downward from the main frame member,
The cover member is attached to the subframe member,
2. The inkjet printer according to claim 1, wherein said other end of said support shaft is connected to said sub-frame member so that said support shaft is positioned at the center of the portion of said main frame member extending in said sub-scanning direction. . When the front cover is positioned at the closed position, the main frame member is inclined downward from the upstream side toward the downstream side in the sub-scanning direction, and the sub-frame member is positioned along the support shaft. positioned downstream in the sub-scanning direction from the axis of
3. The inkjet printer according to claim 2, wherein when the front cover is positioned at the open position, the subframe member is positioned upstream in the sub-scanning direction with respect to the axial center of the support shaft. 4. The inkjet printer according to claim 3, wherein when the front cover is positioned at the closed position, a downstream end of the sub-frame member in the sub-scanning direction is positioned below the support shaft. Seen from the main scanning direction, the distance from the axial center of the support shaft to the downstream end of the main frame member in the sub-scanning direction, and the distance from the axial center of the support shaft to the main frame member. 5. The inkjet printer according to claim 3, wherein said other end of said support shaft is connected to said sub-frame member so as to have the same distance to an end on the upstream side in the sub-scanning direction. When the front cover is positioned at the closed position, the axial center of the support shaft is above the downstream end of the main frame member in the sub-scanning direction and upstream of the main frame member in the sub-scanning direction. 6. The inkjet printer according to claim 5, wherein said other end of said support shaft is connected to said sub-frame member so as to be located below said end of said side. the front cover includes a plate member attached to the frame member and extending in the sub-scanning direction;
When the front cover is positioned at the closed position, the frame member is inclined downward from the upstream side to the downstream side in the sub-scanning direction, and the plate member is the axis of the support shaft. located downstream of the center in the sub-scanning direction,
2. The inkjet printer according to claim 1, wherein when the front cover is positioned at the open position, the plate member is positioned upstream of the axial center of the support shaft in the sub-scanning direction. Seen from the main scanning direction, the distance from the axial center of the support shaft to the downstream end of the frame member in the sub-scanning direction, and the sub-scanning of the frame member from the axial center of the support shaft. 8. The inkjet printer according to claim 7, wherein the other end of the support shaft is connected to the frame member so that the distance to the end on the upstream side in the direction is the same.

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