JPH0753091A - Recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect the existence of a recording medium, its size, and the like securely in a simple structure, by providing a means to detect the existence of a recording medium at a recording head. CONSTITUTION:A transfer paper detecting means 30 is provided to a recording head 10 in order to detect the data as to the existence and the like of a transfer paper 1. The recording head 10 is moved along a groove hole 11 for guiding the recording head by a holding member 17. A light emitting element and a light receiving element are provided to the transfer paper detecting means 30, and the part in the recording device having a possibility to receive the light from at least the light emitting element is formed in a color to ansorb the light such as a black color. In this case, it is allowable to provide only the light emitting element to the transfer paper detecting means 30, and to provide light receiving members 13 at the desired plural positions opposing to the recording head on the conveying route, so as to detect the existence, the size, and the like of the transfer paper. Furthermore, the detecting means 30 is installed movable to function as a cover of the recording head 10 when the recording is not carried out on the transfer paper 1, and to allow the recording by the recording head 10 when the recording is carried out.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording device for recording on a recording medium using a recording head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional recording apparatus, in order to detect the presence / absence of a recording medium set in the recording apparatus, a detecting means provided other than the recording head portion is used.

[0003]

However, if it is attempted to detect the presence / absence of the recording medium, the size, etc. by using the detecting means provided in the portion other than the recording head portion as in the conventional case,
However, there are disadvantages that the number of detecting means is inevitably increased, or the presence or absence of the recording medium, the size, etc. cannot be detected accurately, and a recording error occurs.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to reliably detect the presence or absence of a recording medium, the size, and the like with a simple configuration.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has a recording head portion having a recording head for recording on a recording medium, and a conveying means for conveying the recording medium to a recording area. The present invention proposes a configuration in which a detecting device for detecting information regarding the presence or absence of the recording medium and the like is provided in the recording head portion in a recording apparatus having the above.

It is to be noted that the recording head is covered when it is not recorded on the recording medium, and the recording head is movable when recording is performed by the recording head. It is even more effective if the lid is provided with the detection means.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the information regarding the presence or absence of the recording medium can be detected by the detecting means provided in the recording head portion.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an apparatus equipped with the detecting means of the present invention from the side of the paper feed port,
1 is a transfer sheet, 2 is a recording device, 3 is a sheet feeding side supporting member, 4 is a sheet feeding port, 5 is a sheet discharging side supporting member, 14 is a main body case member,
Reference numeral 15 is an operation panel, and 16 is a device supporting member.

The recording device 2 has an outer shell formed by a body case member 14. The main casing member 14 of the recording apparatus 2 has a paper feed port 4 for feeding the transfer paper 1 and a paper ejection port for ejecting the transfer paper 1 (on the side opposite to the paper feed port 4 in FIG. (Not shown) is open. Further, a paper feed side support member 3 for supporting the transfer paper 1 to be fed is provided along the paper feed port 4 on the paper feed port side of the main body case member 14. Similarly, a paper discharge side support member 5 for supporting the discharged transfer paper 1 is provided on the paper discharge port side. Operation panel 1
5 can be rotated according to the installation method of the recording device 2.

In order to perform recording on the transfer paper 1, the transfer paper 1 is placed on the support member 3 so as to match the shape of the paper feed port 4, and manually inserted into the paper feed port 4. The transfer paper 1 is manually inserted into the recording device 2 to some extent and then conveyed by the rollers 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9 (shown in FIG. 2) in the device and the recording head portion 1 is also conveyed.
0 (listed in FIG. 2). After that, the transfer paper 1 is ejected from the paper ejection port while maintaining the shape when fed, and is ejected while being supported by the paper ejection side support member 5.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the recording apparatus of FIG. 1 as seen from the side of the paper feed port. 6 is a transfer paper conveying motor, 7a is a transfer paper conveying drive roller, and 7b is a transfer paper conveying motor. Driven follower
La, 8a, 8b and 9 are rollers for transferring a transfer sheet, 10 is a recording head portion, 11 is a slot for a recording head guide, 12 is a belt, 13 is a light receiving section, and 30 is a transfer sheet detecting means.

The transfer paper 1 is driven by a transfer paper transfer motor 6 to transfer roller transfer roller pairs 7a, 7b and 8a, 8b.
Both sides of the transfer paper are pinched and conveyed. These rollers 7
The sheets a, 7b, 8a, 8b, and 9 are installed at appropriate places on the transport path in consideration of the size of the transfer sheet so that the skew and jam of the sheet do not occur. The transfer paper fed from the paper feed port 4 is conveyed to the paper ejection port while maintaining the shape when fed.

The transfer paper detecting means 30 is provided with a light emitting element and a light receiving element (not shown). At least a portion of the recording device that may be exposed to light from the light emitting element is formed in a color that absorbs light, such as black, and generally, since the transfer paper is formed in white that reflects light,
The presence or absence of the transfer sheet can be detected only by the transfer sheet detecting means 30. As shown in FIG. 2, the transfer paper detecting means 30 is provided with only a light emitting portion, and the light receiving portions 13 are provided at arbitrary positions on the conveying path facing the recording head.
The presence or absence of transfer paper, the size, etc. may be detected.

The recording head portion 10 reciprocates on the transfer paper 1 along the recording head guide groove 11 by the recording head support member 17. The recording head support member 17 is fixed to a belt (or wire) 12 so that the recording head portion 10 reciprocates on the transfer paper 1, and the recording head portion 10 is interlocked by driving the belt (or wire) 12. It has a simple structure.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a driving unit for moving the recording head portion 10 of FIG. 2 along the guide groove 11, and 18 is a recording head supporting side plate and 19 is a recording head supporting side plate.
Is a motor for driving the recording head, 20 is a motor shaft for driving the recording head, and 21a and 21b are pulleys.

The recording head portion 10 can be moved by a supporting member 17 along a recording head guide slot 11 provided on a recording head driving side plate 18. The recording head drive motor 19 includes a shaft 20 and a pulley 21.
The recording head support member 17 is driven by a and 21b and the belt (or wire) 12 to move the recording head portion 10 along the recording head guide slot 11.

4a and 4b show the recording head portion 10
5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of FIG. 5, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a driving unit for moving the recording head 110. 110 is a recording head of the recording head portion 10, 31 is a recording head outer cover. , 32 is a detecting means moving spring, 33 is a shaft, 34 is a recording head moving spring, 35 is a recording head driving arm, 36 is a recording head arm driving section, and 37 is a recording head control section.

When the recording device 2 is in standby or when the power is off,
The recording head 110 is housed inside the recording head outer cover 31, and the entrance / exit of the recording head on the outer cover 31 is closed by the transfer paper detecting means 30.
When an operator prints an image or the like on a recording sheet using the recording apparatus of the present invention, when a print command is sent from the device such as a word processor to the recording apparatus, the recording apparatus first causes the recording head 110.
Transfer paper detection means 3 with the paper stored in the outer cover 31
The recording head portion 10 is moved along the recording head guide slot 11 on the recording head drive side plate 18 in a state where 0 is operated. The transfer paper detecting means 30 detects the presence or absence and the size of the recording paper 1 while the recording head portion 10 makes one reciprocation on the recording head guide slot 11.

When the recording head portion 10 reciprocates once and the transfer sheet detecting means 30 finishes detecting the information on the recording sheet 1,
The leading end of the recording head 110 comes out of the outer cover 31 to start printing. At this time, since the transfer paper detecting means 30 is assembled to the outer cover 31 by the spring 32 and the shaft 33, the recording head 110 is covered with the outer cover.
As it is pushed out from 31, the shaft 33 moves so that the lid opens with the shaft 33 as a fulcrum (Fig. 4b). During printing of the recording apparatus, the recording head portion 10 reciprocates along the recording head guide groove 11 in this state.

When the printing is completed, the recording head 110 is pulled back into the outer cover 31. At this time, the transfer paper detecting means 30 is automatically moved to cover the outer cover 31 by the action of the spring 32 ( Return to the state of FIG. 4a). The movement of the recording head 110 is performed by the recording head drive arm 35, the recording head arm drive unit 36, and the recording head control unit 37.

The present invention can be applied to various recording heads. However, when the transfer paper detecting means is provided with a function as a cover, especially when the recording head is an ink jet head, recording is performed. It is even more effective because it is possible to prevent the ink from drying in the head portion.

[0023]

According to the recording apparatus of the first aspect, the presence / absence of the recording medium, the size, and the like can be reliably detected with a simple configuration.

According to the recording apparatus of the second aspect, since the recording head can be used as a recording head cover when recording on the recording medium is not performed, dust in the air or a printer when waiting for a printing operation or left for a long time. It is possible to prevent dust and the like inside from adhering to the surface of the recording head, and to prevent the influence of these on the image and the failure of the recording head.

[0025]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an apparatus equipped with a detection means of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the recording apparatus of FIG. 1 as viewed from the side of a paper feed port, which is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows the recording head portion 10 of FIG.
It is a perspective view showing the drive part for moving along with.

4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the recording head portion 10 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is an embodiment of the present invention in which a recording head 110 is provided.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a driving unit for moving the.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 recording head portion 110 recording head 11 recording head guide groove 30 transfer paper detecting means 35 recording head drive arm 36 arm drive control section 37 main control section

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A recording apparatus comprising a recording head portion having a recording head for recording on a recording medium and a conveying means for conveying the recording medium to a recording area, wherein information on the presence or absence of the recording medium, etc. A recording apparatus, wherein a detecting means for detecting the above is provided in the recording head portion. 2. The recording head is movably provided such that the recording head is covered when recording on the recording medium is not performed and the recording head is recordable when recording is performed by the recording head. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit is provided as a lid portion.