JPH03238241A - A feeding device and a recording device equipped with the feeding device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To feed even a small-size recording medium by providing a feeding means, which feeds the recording medium separated by a separating means to a carrying means, on the downstream side in a feeding direction of the separating means, or at a position on a feeding passage on the upstream side of the carrying means. CONSTITUTION:A recording medium separated by separating means 11a2, 11b2 is fed through a feeding passage 11f to a carrying means 2 in a recording device by feeding means 11c, 11d. There is, therefore, no necessity to make the separating means 11a2, 11b2 approximate the carrying means 2 in the recording device, and some recording medium of shorter size than a distance between the separating means 11a2, 112 and the carrying means 2 can be fed. Also, the recording medium if apart from the separating means 11a2, 11b2 can be held by the feeding means 11c, 11d, resulting in no variation during recording.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a feeding device capable of feeding recording media of various sizes, and a recording device equipped with the feeding device.

<Prior Art> Conventionally, in the field of recording devices, especially serial printers, fan-hold paper, cut sheets, etc. have been available, and most of these devices have a built-in tractor for feeding the fan-hold paper. Therefore, cut sheets must be fed manually or fed using an automatic paper feeder (Auto 5sheet).
A method is used in which paper is continuously fed by attaching a paper feeder (hereinafter abbreviated as ASF) or the like.

When using both a tractor and an ASF, the user had to perform troublesome operations such as removing the fan hold paper from the tractor and inserting the ASF when using the ASF, but recently printers A device has been proposed that has a multipath installed inside so that it is not necessary to remove the fan hold paper each time.

In other words, a cut sheet manual feeding port is provided on the front of the printer, a push-type tractor is placed behind the printer, and an ASF is placed behind the printer and above the push-type tractor. Depending on the operation, fan hold paper, cut sheet manual feed, ASF
The paper feed is made selectable, and when switching from using fan-hold paper to using cut sheets, the fan-hold paper is made to stand by at a position where it does not interfere with the cut sheets.

The recording apparatus with the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG. 11. A recording sheet (cut sheet) fed by the separation roller 50a or 50b of the ASF 50.
The recording sheet passes between the guide plate 51 and the conveyance path separation plate 52, and is fed between the conveyance roller 53a and the rear pinch roller 53b, where the registration at the leading edge of the recording sheet is removed, and then the recording sheet is conveyed to the recording head 54. After recording, the paper is ejected by the ejection stun force 56 by the ejection rollers 55a and 55b.

Further, the fan hold paper is fed by the tractor 57 from between the lower guide plate 58 and the conveyance path separation plate 52 to between the conveyance roller 53a and the rear pinch roller 53b,
After being recorded by the recording head 54 in the same manner, the sheet is discharged.

Furthermore, the recording sheet that is manually fed from the manual feed port 60 between the upper guide 59 and the lower guide 58 provided at the front of the printer is transported between the conveying roller 53a and the front pinch roller 53.
The paper is fed into the space between c and is similarly recorded by the recording head 54, and then discharged.

If the fan-hold paper is placed in a position where it will not interfere with the conveyance path of other recording sheets, that is, between the conveyance path section III provisional 52 and the lower guide plate 58, the fan-hold paper can be removed from the tractor 57. This makes it possible to use other routes.

Also, even if you use fan hold paper again, ASF5
There is no need to remove 0.

<Problem to be solved by the invention> However, in the conventional example, the ASF50
A tractor 57 is placed below the AS.
The distance from the separation roller 50a of the F50 to the conveyance roller 53a is long, and recording sheets of a size shorter than this distance cannot be used, and the distance becomes even longer especially in the rear bin 50'. However, the size of recording sheets that can be fed is limited.

Therefore, the separation rollers 50a and 50b are replaced by the conveyance roller 5.
If the separation rollers 50a and 50b are brought close to the conveyance roller 53a, the conveyance path of the fan hold paper from the tractor 57 becomes narrow, and the It becomes necessary to lower the installation position of 57 further below than in the case shown in FIG.

This eliminates the installation space for the electrical component 61 provided below the tractor 57, and the bottom area of the recording device must be increased.

That is, the separation rollers 50a and 50b are replaced by the conveyance roller 5.
3a, the bottom area of the main body of the device will inevitably become larger, resulting in higher costs.Also, when loading the recording sheet into the ASF50, it will have to be dropped deeply, resulting in poor operability. Ta.

Further, after feeding the paper, the paper is fed by the conveyance roller 53a, and the separation rollers 50a and 50b
When approaching point a, pack tension is applied to the recording sheet while the trailing edge of the recording sheet is on the separation rollers 50a, 50b, and after the trailing edge of the recording sheet comes off the separation rollers 50a, 50b, This hack tension is released, causing fluctuations, and this fluctuation also has the disadvantage of causing distortion in the recorded image.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and to provide a feeding device and the feeding device capable of loading and feeding recording media of various sizes and preventing distortion of recorded images. The present invention provides a recording device equipped with the following.

<Means for Solving Problem 1> A typical means according to the present invention for solving the above problem includes a separating means for separating recording media one by one, and a feeding path passing through a conveying means of a recording apparatus. Then, the recording medium separated by the separating means is placed in the first position of the feeding path on the downstream side of the separating means in the feeding direction and on the upstream side of the conveying means.
It is characterized by comprising a feeding means for feeding the two conveying means.

<Operation> In the above means, the recording medium separated by the separating means is sent by the feeding means to the conveying means of the recording apparatus through the feeding path.

Therefore, there is no need to bring the separating means close to the conveying means of the recording means, and it is possible to feed a recording medium whose length is shorter than the distance between the separating means and the conveying means.

Further, even if the recording medium is separated from the separating means, it is held by the feeding means, and there is no risk of fluctuations occurring during recording.

<Embodiment> Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in which the above means is applied to a serial type bubble jet recording type recording apparatus.

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective explanatory view of the recording apparatus, and FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional explanatory view.

(Overall Configuration) First, the overall configuration of the apparatus will be described. A recording sheet 1 serving as a recording medium is conveyed by a sheet conveying means 2. At this time, the recording sheet 1 is pressed against the conveying roller 2a by the sheet pressing member 3, so that it does not float up from the platen 4.

When the recording sheet 1 is conveyed, the carriage 5 is moved back and forth along the guide rail 6, and the recording head 7 as a recording means is driven to record an image on the recording sheet 1, and the sheet 1 after recording is ejected. It is configured such that it is discharged by means 8.

Here, the sheet conveyance means 2, the conveyance means 8, etc. are driven by a drive motor 9a, which is the same drive source, and the drive means 9 having this drive motor 9a is located at one end of the recording apparatus (see FIG. located on the left).

Further, an ink cartridge 7f for supplying ink to the recording means 7 and a recovery device 10 for removing ink sticking to the recording head 7 are arranged at one end of the recording device.

Further, the carriage 5 receives the driving force of a carriage motor 5d (see FIG. 6), which is a driving source, through a transmission means (pulley, timing belt) (not shown).
It is transmitted to and moves back and forth.

Next, the configuration of each part of the recording apparatus will be specifically explained.

(Sheet Conveying Means) The sheet conveying means 2 is for conveying the recording sheet 1 to the recording position, and it is for conveying the recording sheet 1 to the recording position, and it can carry a recording sheet fed from ASFII as a feeding means, a recording sheet manually fed through the manual feed port 12, or a recording sheet fed from the ASFII as a feeding means. Tractor 1 for transporting fan hold paper
The fan-holed paper serving as the recording sheet 1 is conveyed from the paper sheet 1 to the recording sheet 1.

The sheet conveying means 2 in this embodiment is indicated by the arrow a in FIG.
A conveyance roller 2a that is driven to rotate in the direction, a front pinch roller 2b that is driven to rotate by the conveyance roller 2a, and a rear pinch roller 2 that is driven to rotate.
b2 to convey the recording sheet 1.

The transport roller 2a has a shaft 2 rotatably supported at both ends by the left and right side walls 14a and 14b of the device frame.
It is divided into multiple parts and attached to the a+.

The reason why the transport roller 2a is divided into parts as described above is to reduce the number of rubber members that constitute the roller 28 to reduce costs and to reduce the weight of the apparatus.

A conveyance gear 2az is provided at one axial end of the roller shaft 2a+.
is provided, and the driving force is transmitted from the forward bending drive motor 9a.

The pinch rollers 2b+, 2b2 are pivotable pinch roller holders 2b3. Supported by 2b*,
The springs 2c+ and 2Cm press against the surface of the conveyance roller 2a, respectively, and rotate as a result of the rotation of the conveyance roller 2a. Therefore, the recording sort 1 is nipped between the rotating conveyance roller 2a and the pinch roller 2b2bz, thereby applying conveyance force.

Further, below the conveyance roller 2a, as shown in FIG. 2, a paper pan 2d curved along the circumferential surface of the conveyance roller 2a is attached.

The paper pan 2d extends to the manual feed port 12 and is configured to serve as a lower guide for the manually fed recording sheet 1.

Further, upper guide plates 15 and 16 are attached above the paper pan 2d at a predetermined interval, and constitute a conveyance path for the recording sheet 1.

Further, a conveyance path separation plate 17 is provided between the paper pan 2d and the upper guide plate 16, and separates the conveyance path of the fan-hold paper fed from the tractor 13 and the recording sheet 1 fed from the ASFII. It is separated from the transport route.

In the above configuration, the conveyance roller 2a is driven by a drive motor 9.
When rotated in the direction of arrow a in Fig. 2 using a, the ASFI
The recording sheet 1 fed from the upper guide plate 16 and the transport path j! [Passing between the temporary 17 and the front pinch roller 2b
, and the conveyance roller 2a, and the conveyance roller 2
The paper is conveyed in a U-turn along the circumferential surface of a, and is further pinched by a rear pinch roller 2bz and a conveyance roller 2a and conveyed to a recording position located above.

Further, the fan hold paper as a recording sheet conveyed from the tractor 13 is transferred between the paper pan 2d and the conveyance path separating plate 17.
, is similarly nipped between the front pinch roller 2b+ and the conveyance roller 28, is conveyed in a U-turn along the circumferential surface of the conveyance roller 2a, and is further nipped between the rear pinch roller 2bt and the conveyance roller 2a. It is transported to the recording position located above.

On the other hand, the recording sheet 1 fed from the manual feed port 12 is nipped by the conveyance roller 2a and the rear pinch roller 2bt, and conveyed to the recording position.

After using the fan-hold paper, if the leading end of the fan-hold paper is kept waiting in the dark conveyance path between the paper pan 2d and the conveyance path separating plate 17, the recording sheet 1 fed from the entry 5FII can be It does not get in the way, so there is no need to remove the fan hold paper from the tractor 13 each time. That is, the ASFll feeding path and the fan-hold paper feeding path are separated, so that there is no need to remove the fan-hold paper or the AsFil.

(Sheet Pressing Member) The sheet pressing member 3 is used to prevent the recording sheet 1 from being lifted off the platen 4 by pressing the recording sheet 1 conveyed by the conveyance means 2 against the conveyance roller 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, this sheet pressing member 3 is composed of a single plate-like member wider than the moving range of the carriage 5 so as to hold down the entire width of the recording sheet l, and this sheet holding member 3 is made up of a plate-like member that is wider than the movement range of the carriage 5, and this is used to hold springs, etc. (not shown). Each conveyance roller 2 is
It is in pressure contact with a.

The tip of the sheet pressing member 3 is located below the recording position by the recording means 7, and the conveyed recording sheet l is pressed by the member 3 against the conveying roller 2a.

As a result, the recording sheet 1 at the recording position is placed on the platen 4.
It will no longer float up from the surface.

Further, the front end of the carriage 5 is always in contact with the sheet pressing member 3, as will be described later.

(Carriage) The carriage 5 is for moving the recording means 7 back and forth in the direction of the recording sheet 1.

The carriage 5 is slidably attached at both ends to a guide rail 6 having a circular cross section fixed to the left and right side walls 14a and 14b, and is reciprocated on the guide rail 6 by a carriage motor 5d.

The carriage 5 is rotatably mounted around a guide rail 6, and a springy portion 5a provided on the carriage 5 comes into pressure contact with a guide rail 15a provided on the upper guide 15, and the reaction force causes the seat to be seated. It is urged so as to be in constant contact with the holding member 3. carriage 5
The part where they collide is near the back side of the contact area between the sheet pressing member 3 and the conveying roller 2a, and when the sheet pressing member 3 retreats in the direction of the recording means 7 due to the passage of the recording sheet 1, the carriage 5 similarly retreats in the same direction. .

Therefore, the distance between the recording means 7 and the recording sheet 1 is always constant regardless of paper thickness, and stable printing quality can be maintained.

(Recording Means) The recording head 7 as a recording means is mounted on the carriage 5 as described above, and records an ink image on the recording sheet 1 conveyed by the sheet conveyance means 2. An inkjet recording method is preferably used as the recording head in this apparatus.

The inkjet recording method includes an ejection port for ejecting recording ink liquid as flying droplets, a liquid flow path communicating with the ejection port, and a part of this liquid flow path. and ejection energy generation means for providing ejection energy for forming flying droplets in the liquid. The ejection energy generating means is then driven in accordance with the image signal to eject ink droplets to create an image.

Examples of the ejection energy generating means include a method using a pressure energy generating means such as an electromechanical transducer such as a piezo element, and a magnetic energy generating means that generates flying droplets by irradiating and absorbing electromagnetic waves such as a laser into the ink liquid. There are a method using a thermal energy generating means such as an electrothermal converter, and a method using a thermal energy generating means such as an electrothermal converter. Among these methods, a method using a thermal energy generating means such as an electrothermal converter is preferable because it allows ejection ports to be arranged in high density and also enables the recording head to be made compact.

In this embodiment, a bubble jet recording method, which is one of the inkjet recording methods, is used as the recording means.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of the recording head 7 constituting the recording means, and FIGS. 9(a) to ((to)) are explanatory diagrams of the bubble jet recording method.

In FIG. 8, 7a is a heater board, and an electrothermal converter (discharge heater) 7b and an electrode 7c made of aluminum or the like for supplying power to this are formed and arranged on a silicon substrate. . A top plate 7e having a partition wall for partitioning a liquid path (nozzle) 7d for recording liquid is adhered to the heater board 7a. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the recording head 7 is located on the left side of the device.
An ink cartridge 7f for supplying ink to is replaceably attached.

The ink supplied from the ink cartridge 7f through a conduit (not shown) is filled into the common liquid chamber 7g in the recording head 7 from a supply lower e+ provided on the top plate 7e, and from this common liquid chamber 7g is supplied to each nozzle 7d. Guided within. Ink ejection lowers d are formed in these nozzles 7d, and the ejection lowers d face the recording sheet 1 of the recording head 7 at a predetermined pitch in the sheet conveyance direction (vertical direction in FIG. 1). It is formed of.

Here, the principle of ink flying in the bubble jet recording method will be explained with reference to FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b).

In a steady state, as shown in FIG. 9(a), the surface tension and external pressure of the ink 7h filled in the nozzle 7d are balanced on the ejection port surface. If the ink 7h is to be ejected in this state, the i! 1t
This causes the ink 7h in the nozzle 7d to undergo a rapid temperature rise exceeding nucleate boiling. Then, as shown in FIG. 9(b), the ink 7h adjacent to the electrothermal converter 7b is heated to generate microbubbles, and the ink 7h in the heated portion is vaporized to cause film boiling. As shown in FIG. 9(C), the bubbles 7h grow rapidly.

When the bubbles 7h grow to the maximum as shown in FIG. 9(d), ink droplets are pushed out from the ejection opening in the nozzle 7d, and the ink droplets fly onto the recording sheet 1 at that speed, forming an ink image. It is to be recorded.

When the electricity supply to the electrothermal converter 7b is finished, the state shown in FIG. 9(e)
As shown in Figure 9, the grown bubbles 7hl are cooled and contracted by the ink 7h in the nozzle 7d, and further, as shown in Figure 9), the ink 7h comes into contact with the surface of the electrothermal converter 7b and is rapidly cooled. , the bubble 7hl disappears or shrinks to an almost negligible volume. When the bubble 71]1 contracts, the ink 7h is supplied from the common liquid chamber 7g into the nozzle 7d by capillary action, as shown in FIG. 9(2), in preparation for the next energization.

Therefore, an ink image is recorded on the recording sheet 1 by energizing the electrothermal transducer 7b in synchronization with the movement of the knife 5 in accordance with the image signal.

A recovery device 10 provided at one end of the moving range of the knife 5 (the left end in FIG. 1) covers the ink ejection surface of the recording head door during non-recording time, so that the recovery device 10 in the vicinity of the discharge port surface of the recording head door is covered. This prevents the ink from drying and the resulting solidification.

In addition, a pump is connected to the recovery device 10 as described later, and the pump is driven in order to prevent or remove defective ink ejection, and its suction force sucks ink from the ejection port surface to perform recovery processing. It is possible to do it.

(Discharging means) The discharging means 8 is the recording sheet 1 recorded by the recording means 7.
It is for discharging.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, this structure is composed of a discharge roller 8a and a discharge pinch roller 8b in contact with the discharge roller 8a. Roller shaft 8c of the discharge roller 8a
A discharge gear 8d is attached to the end of the discharge gear 8d, and when the driving force of the drive motor 9a is transmitted to the discharge gear 8d, the driving force is transmitted to the discharge roller 8a and the roller 8
a rotates, and the recording sheet 1 is ejected by the cooperative action of the ejection roller 8a and the ejection pinch roller 8b. The discharged recording sheet 1 is stacked on a discharge stacker 8e located above the discharge roller 8a.

Here, a discharge tray 8f is placed at the upper end position of the discharge stacker 8e.
is rotatably attached via the bin sfl, and is provided with a convex portion 8e.

When the ejected recording sheet 1 buckles, the convex portion 8e+ causes the lower end of the ejected recording sheet 1 to protrude toward the ejection roller 8a side to smoothly eject the sheet. The amount of protrusion t from the surface is preferably set to about 21 to 101.

Further, the discharge tray 8f is placed in a second position with the bin 8f+ as a fulcrum.
The ASF is designed to fall down in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure.
It is designed so that it does not get in the way when loading the recording sheet 1 into II.

(ASF) ASFII automatically transfers the recording sheet 1 to the conveyance roller 2a.
This embodiment has a double bin structure consisting of a front bin 11a and a rear bin Ilb.

Each bin 11a, 11b has a roller shaft 11a+, ll
Separation roller 11a supported by b! , 11b! and,
a pressure plate 11a3.1lbs on which the recording sheet 1 is loaded;
The pressure plates 11a3 and 11b are each equipped with pressing springs 1la4 and 11b for pressing the upper recording sheet 1 toward the separation rollers 118z and 11tlt.

The roller shafts 11a+, 11b+ are, for example, grooved shafts, and a clutch gear 11a3.11b having a built-in one-way transmission clutch is provided at one end in the axial direction, so that the driving force is transmitted from the drive motor 9a. It has become. Note that the roller shafts 11a+ and 11b may be shafts having an angular cross section.

Further, the separation roller 1182.11b2 rotates together with the roller shafts 11a+, 11b+, but is slidable in the axial direction with respect to the roller shafts 11a+, 11b+.

In addition, the front bin lla and the rear bin 1lb (separation roller 11
az, 1lbz) and the sheet conveying means 2 is provided with a feeding path 11f that communicates with the conveying path of the upper guide plate 16 and the conveying path separation 17, and this feeding path 1
1f predetermined position, i.e. separation roller 11a2.11
At a downstream position of b2 and an upstream position of the conveyance path, a registration roller 11c as a feeding means and an upper roller lid in pressure contact with the registration roller 11c are arranged, and at one end in the axial direction of the registration roller 11c. resist gear lle
is provided, and driving force is transmitted from the drive motor 9a.

The 1/sis roller 11c is the separation roller 11
The registration of the recording sheet 1 separated from the recording sheets 1, 1, and 1 lbz and fed from the feeding path 11'' is taken, and the registration is sent to the feeding roller 2a of the sheet feeding means 2.

The circumferential speed of the registration roller 11c is set approximately 0.2% to 5% faster than the circumferential speed of the conveyance roller 2a, and slack in the recording sheet is prevented between the registration roller 11c and the conveyance roller 2a. Due to the loosening, the rear end of the recording sheet 1 is attached to the separation roller 1182.11b.
This absorbs the change in tension that occurs when the recording position deviates from the position 2 and prevents distortion of the image at the recording position.

The recording sheets 1 stored in the front bin lla and the rear bin llb are pressed against the separation rollers 11az and 11b2 by pressure plates 11ai and 1lbz, and when the separation roller 1182 rotates forward by the roller shaft 11a1,
One recording sheet 1 in the front bin lla is separated and fed from the feeding path 11f to the nip between the downstream register I roller 11c and the upper roller lid, and comes into contact with the roller shaft 11b1. The separation roller 11b! When reversely rotates, one of the recording sheets 1 in the rear bin Ilb is separated and similarly fed from the feeding path 11f to the nip portion between the downstream registration roller 11c and the upper roller lid and comes into contact with it. When the registration roller 11c rotates normally, the recording sheet 1 is nipped between the registration roller 11c and the upper roller 11d that rotates following the registration roller 11c, and is fed to the sheet conveying means 2.

In this way, the registration I roller 11c,
When the upper roller lid is provided, the separation roller 11a
2. Even if the distance between the separation roller 11b2 and the conveyance roller 2a becomes long, there is no problem, and it becomes possible to feed the recording sheet 1 whose length is shorter than the distance, and the separation roller 11a2.11b2 There is no need to approach the conveyance roller 2a.

Therefore, by bringing the separation rollers 11a2 and 11a close to the conveyance roller 2a, there is no possibility that the bottom area of the recording apparatus will increase.

Note that the separation roller 11 is separated by the roller shaft 11a.
When A2 is rotated in the normal direction (when the clutch gear 1las is rotated in the direction of arrow C3 shown in FIG. 5), the recording sheet 1 is fed from the front bin 11a, and the separation roller 11b2 is rotated in the reverse direction by the roller shaft 11b. (when the clutch gear 11b is rotated in the direction of arrow c2 shown in FIG. 5), the recording sheet 1 is fed from the rear bin Ilb, and the sheet feeding can be switched.

Furthermore, the pressure plate 11az is attached to the bins 11a and 1.1b.
.

Side guides 1laa and 1lb6 are provided that slide on the bins 11b3 in the width direction of the bins Ila and Ilb. These side guides lla,..., 1lbb correspond to the separation roller 11ax.

It can slide in synchronization with 11b2, and can accommodate recording sheets 1 of various sizes.

(Recovery Device) The recovery device 10 includes a cap 10a that camps the ink ejection surface of the recording head 7, a cap carriage 10c that supports the cap 10a and moves on a guide shaft 10b parallel to the guide rail 6, and cap 10
It is composed of a pump 10d, etc., which generates negative pressure in the interior of the ink tank 10a and sucks ink stuck to the ink ejection surface, etc.

When the carriage 5 moves out of the recordable range on one end side of the recording device, the protrusion 5b provided on the carriage 5 slidably holds the cap 10a and engages with the protrusion 10c protruding from the cap carriage 10c. As a result, the carriage 5 and the cap carriage 10c
move as one.

A cap 10 is located behind the cap carriage 10c.
A rail 10e on which the rear part of the cap 10a slides is provided, and as the camp carriage 10c moves, the cap 10a
It is designed so that it protrudes forward. As a result, when the carriage 5 moves toward one end of the recording apparatus, the cap 10a protrudes forward and camps the ink ejection surface of the gutter 7 toward recording.

Further, although not shown, a spring is provided between the lower part of the cap carriage 10c and the left side wall 14a of the recording apparatus, and the cap carriage 10c is always biased in the right direction in FIG.

A fixed shutter 10g is provided on the upper surface of the cartridge device 71 into which the ink cartridge 7f is loaded, and when the transmissive sensor 5c mounted on the carriage 5 passes therethrough, the position of the carriage 5 is determined. It is designed to be detected.

Whether or not the camp 10a caps the ink ejection surface is determined by the number of steps of the carriage motor (not shown) from the detection position.

The pump 10d and the cap 10a are connected by a tube (not shown), and the pump 10d is operated by a pump cam 10h, which will be described later.

(Drive means) The drive means 9 is arranged at a rear position of the recovery device 10,
It transmits the driving force of the drive motor 9a to the sheet conveyance means 2, the discharge means 8, the ASFII, and the recovery device 10, and is constituted by the drive motor 9a and a gear transmission mechanism.

The gear transmission mechanism is configured to transmit the carriage 5 when the carriage 5 moves outside the recordable range on one end side of the recording device.
The switching operation is performed by

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the gear transmission mechanism in detail, including a drive gear 9b that transmits the driving force of the drive motor 9a, and a transfer output that is a transmission gear that selectively meshes with the drive gear 9b. It is composed of a gear 9c, an ASF output gear 9d, a pump gear 9e, etc.

The drive gear 9b is attached to a slide shaft 9b+, which serves as a drive shaft, and is movable only in the axial direction, and the drive motor 9a is attached to the end of the slide shaft 9b.
Gear 9 to which driving force is transmitted from through intermediate gear 9bt
b3 is fixed. Therefore, the drive motor 9a
When the gear 9b3 operates, the drive gear 9b rotates together with the slide shaft 9b+.

Further, a slide holder 9bn is slidably and rotatably supported on the slide shaft 9b so as to sandwich the drive gear 9b. A bifurcated projection 9bs is provided at the bottom of the slide holder 9ba.
b is engaged with the guide rail 9f of the frame 9f supporting the gear transmission mechanism to prevent rotation, while the free end of the connecting plate spring 10c2 provided at the rear of the cap carriage 10c is engaged with the guide rail 9f of the frame 9f supporting the gear transmission mechanism. There is.

Therefore, when the carriage 5 moves in the left-right direction in FIG. 1 at one end of the recording apparatus, the cap carriage lOc
The slide holder 9ba is interlocked and moved in the same direction via.

That is, the driving gear 9b is slid by the carriage 5 and the conveyance output gears 9c and A are transmission gears.
It selectively meshes with the SF output gear 9d and the pump gear 9C.

The conveyance output gear 9c, the ASF output gear 9d, and the pump gear 9e are set to have the same number of teeth and pitch diameter, and are rotatable on the support shaft 9g provided on the frame 9f in parallel with the slide shaft 9b+. It is pivoted on.

Here, the conveyance output gear 9c is composed of a large-diameter gear portion 9cl that meshes with the drive gear 9b, and a small-diameter gear portion 9cz that meshes with an intermediate gear 9h rotatably attached to the left side wall 14a. .

The intermediate gear 9h meshes with the transport gear 28z fixed to the same axial end of the transport roller 2a and the ejection gear 8d, and the small diameter gear portion 9CZ meshes with the registration gear li.
When the drive motor 9a is operated at the time when the drive gear 9b is engaged with the gear portion 9C+, the conveyance roller 2a, the ejection roller 8a, and the registration roller 11
Further, the ASF output gear 9d is engaged with the ASF input insert gear 91 provided on the ASFII side, and when the drive gear 9b meshes with the 1AsF output gear 9d, the drive motor 9a The ASF input gear 91
rotates forward/reverse.

and the ASF input insert gear and the clutch gear l1.
As shown in FIG. 5, a transmission gear train consisting of intermediate gears 9j, 9 and 91 is provided between as and l1bs.

When the ASF output gear 9d is rotated normally (in the direction of arrow C1 shown in FIG. 5) by the drive motor 9a, this rotation is caused by the AS
The information is transmitted to the clutch gear 11a through the gear 9j between the F input gears 91, and the clutch gear 11a5 rotates in the direction of arrow C1, causing the separation roller 1182 to rotate forward, thereby separating the recording sheets 1 from the front bin lla. will be delivered. At this time, the gear 91 in the ASF driver is the rear bin II.
It is also transmitted to the clutch gear llb on the b side, but the arrow C
The separation roller 11 rotates in eight directions, and the separation roller 11 is rotated in eight directions by a one-way transmission clutch built in the clutch gear 11b.
It is not transmitted to b2.

When the drive motor 9a rotates the ASF output gear 9d in the reverse direction (in the direction of arrow C2 shown in FIG. The separation roller 11b2 is rotated in the reverse direction by the clutch gear 11b5, which is transmitted to the clutch gear 11b and rotates in the direction of arrow C2, and the recording sheet 1 is fed from the rear bin Ilb. At this time, the rotation is also transmitted to the ASF input gear 90 gear 11a, but the rotation is in the direction of arrow C2, and is not transmitted to the separation roller 11a2 by the one-way transmission clutch built in the clutch gear 11a. .

Further, the pump gear 9e meshes with a gear portion 1ohl of the pump cam 10h (see FIG. 1), and when the drive gear 9b meshes with the pump gear 9e, the pump cam loh is operated by the drive motor 9a, thereby causing the pump cam loh to operate. Pump] Od operates to perform pumping, etc.

(Control Means) The control means 18 that controls the driving means 9 includes a CPU 18a that controls the entire recording apparatus as shown in FIG. ROM18b storing data etc. and CPU1
It is composed of a RAM 18c, which is used as a work area for the computer 8a, and temporarily stores various data such as the number of sheets to be recorded, and an interface 18d. The drive motor 9a is connected to the interface 18d via a driver 18e, and the driver 18
The recording head 7 is connected via the driver 18g, the Kirinji motor 5d is connected via the driver 18g, and the transmission type sensor 5c is further connected.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing control details when the recording sheet 1 is fed, recorded, and discharged from the ASFII.

When there is a recording command, the drive gear 9b is set to A in step SIO.
A switching operation is performed by meshing with the SF output gear 9d.

Next, in step Sll, it is determined whether the paper is fed from the front bin lla or the rear bin llb.

If the paper is fed from the front bin lla, the process moves to step S12 and the ASF output gear 9d is rotated in the C9 direction, and if the paper is fed from the rear bin llb, the process moves to step S13 and the ASF output gear 9d is rotated. Rotate in the 02 direction.

At this time, the recording sheet 1-1 is transferred from the front bin lla or the rear bin llb to the registration roller 11c and the upper roller ll.
AS until it comes into contact with the nip with c and a loop is formed.
The separation roller 1]a2 or the separation roller 11b2 is rotated by the F output gear 9d.

By forming the loop of the recording sheet I in this way, the skew that occurs when the recording sheet 1 is separated is absorbed.

Next, the process moves from step S12 or step S13 to step S14, and the drive gear 9b is changed to the conveyance output gear 9c.
and transfer roller 2a and registration roller 1.
1c is rotated in the normal direction to convey the recording sheet 1 to the recording position which is the front position of the recording head door.

Next, in step S15, the recording head 7 is operated and the carriage motor 5d is operated to perform recording.

After recording, the carriage 5 is returned to the left end position shown in FIG. 1 by the carriage motor 5d, and in step 516, the drive gear 9b is engaged with the conveyance output gear 9c, and the discharge roller 8a is rotated to perform the recording sort 1 after recording. It is discharged to the discharge stacker 8e.

At this time, the convex portion 8e1 causes the lower end of the discharged recording notebook 1 to protrude toward the discharge roller 8a side, thereby smoothly discharging the paper, and aligning the recording sheets 1 on the discharge stacker 8e.

Next, the process moves to step S17, where it is determined whether there is a recording command, and if there is a recording command (YES), the process returns to step SIO and the same operation is repeated. Furthermore, if there is no recording command (in the case of No), recording ends.

[Other Examples]

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

(Recording Means) In addition to the above-mentioned combination of the ejection port and the liquid path electrothermal converter, the recording means is configured as described in US Pat. Showa 5
What is disclosed in 9-123670 etc. can also be adopted.

Further, the above-mentioned recording means has shown an example in which ink is supplied to the recording head from an ink cartridge shifter f attached to the recording apparatus, but an ink storage chamber is provided in the recording head, and the ink in the ink storage chamber is It is also possible to use a disposable type recording head whose recording head is replaced when the recording head runs out.

Furthermore, although the above-described embodiments have exemplified a serial type recording system, the present invention is not limited to the serial type, and can also be applied to a line type recording system.

Here, a line-type no-full-color printing method capable of full-color printing will be briefly explained.

In FIG. 10, the recording sheet 1 is conveyed by an upstream conveyance roller 19a which is driven and rotated, pinch rollers 19b and 19c which are in pressure contact with this and driven to rotate, and a downstream conveyance roller 20a which is driven and rotated and which are in pressure contact and driven by the pinch rollers 19b and 19c. It is configured to be able to be conveyed in the direction of arrow d by rotating pinch rollers 20b.

Between the upstream and downstream transport rollers 19a and 20a, there are four recording heads 21a, facing the recording sheet 1.
21b, 21c, and 21d are arranged in order from the upstream side to the downstream side in the sheet conveyance direction. The recording heads 21a to 21d are line-type bubble jet recording heads capable of recording over the entire width of the recording sheet l, and each recording head 21a to 21d is configured such that ink is supplied from an ink cartridge (not shown). has been done. Black ink is supplied to the recording head 21a, yellow ink is supplied to the recording head 21b, magenta ink is supplied to the recording head 21c, and cyan ink is supplied to the recording head 21d.
is configured to be driven based on a color signal corresponding to the supplied ink color, and to eject ink droplets from the nozzle.

Therefore, while conveying the recording sheet 1 in the direction of arrow d,
By driving each of the recording heads 21a to 21d in synchronization with the conveyance, full color recording can be performed on the recording sheet 1.

In addition, in FIG. 11, below the recording head 21a,
A recovery system 22 is provided which performs ink ejection recovery processing by removing thickened ink, fixed ink, etc. from the ink ejection ports when recording is not performed or when there are nozzles that are not in use.

This recovery system 22 uses the recording sheet 1 when performing recovery processing.
Alternatively, the nozzles of each of the recording heads 21a to 21d can be opposed to each other. Note that the recording heads 21a~
21d performs preheating at an appropriate timing, so the number of activations of the ejection recovery process is reduced.

Furthermore, the recording means of the present invention need not be limited to the bubble jet recording method described above. For example, a so-called thermal transfer recording method in which an ink sheet coated with heat-melting ink is heated in accordance with an image signal and the molten ink is transferred to a recording sheet 1, and a recording sheet 1 that develops color by heat is heated in accordance with an image signal. Various recording methods can be employed, such as a so-called thermal recording method in which recording is performed, and a so-called wire tod recording method in which recording is performed by striking an ink ribbon with a wire in response to an image signal.

Therefore, the recording head is not limited to the above-mentioned bubble jet head, and for example, a thermal hend, a wire don't hend, a daisy-wheel head, etc. can be used.

The recording device may be used as an image output terminal for information processing equipment such as a computer, and may also be applied to a copying device combined with a reader or the like, or even a facsimile device having a sending/receiving function. It is possible.

<Effects of the Invention> As described above, the feeding device of the present invention stores the recording medium separated by the separating means at a position on the feeding path downstream of the separating means in the feeding direction and upstream of the conveying means. Since the apparatus is equipped with a feeding means for feeding the recording medium to the conveying means, it is possible to feed even small recording media, and it is possible to handle recording media of various sizes.

Further, according to the recording apparatus of the present invention, in addition to being able to downsize the recording apparatus, it is also possible to prevent disturbances in recorded images that occur when the recording medium is removed from the separation means.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a serial type hubrgent recording device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory side cross-sectional view,
Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the gear transmission mechanism portion of the drive means, Fig. 4 is a perspective view with the same part omitted, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the ASF output gear and the ASF output gear.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the control unit, FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing control details, FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of the recording hand, and FIG. 9 (a) ~(
g) is an explanatory diagram of the baffle jet recording principle, FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of the recording means, and FIG. 11 is a side sectional explanatory diagram showing the conventional technique. 1 is a recording sheet, 2 is a sheet conveyance means, 2a is a conveyance roller, 2a is a roller shaft, 21] is a front pinch roller, 12bz is a rear pinch roller, 13 is a sheet pressing member, 4 is a platen, 5 is a carriage, 6 is a guide rail,
7 is a recording means, 7a is a heater board, 7b is an electrothermal converter, 7C is an electrode, 7d is a nozzle, 7d+ is a discharge port, 7e
is the top plate, 7e+ is the supply port, 7f is the ink cartridge,
7g is a common liquid chamber, 8 is a discharge means, 8a is a discharge roller,
8b is a discharge pinch roller - 18C is a roller 19.8d
9 is a discharge gear, 9 is a drive means, 9a is a drive motor 9b is a drive gear, 9b+ is a slide shaft, 9bz is an intermediate gear, 9
b3 is gear, 9ba is slide holder, 91) S is projection, 9C is conveyance output gear, 9d is ASF output gear, 9e
is the pump gear, 9f is the frame, 9g is the support shaft, 9h is the intermediate gear, 91 is the ASF input gear, 93.9, 942
is intermediate gear, 10 is recovery device, 10a is camp, 10
b is the guide shaft, 10c is the camp carriage, 10C1
is a projection, 10d is a pump, 10e is a rail, 10f is a spring, 10g is a fixed shutter, 10h is a pump cam, and Yu1
is ASF, lla is front pin, llb is rear pin, 11a1
．． 1lbl is a roller shaft, 11a2.11b2 is a separation roller, 11a3.11b3 is a pressure plate, 11a4.11b
4 is a pressure spring, 11a2.11b is a clutch gear, llc is a registration roller, lld is an upper roller,
Ile is a registration gear, llf is a feeding path, 12 is a manual feed port, 13 is a tractor, 14a, 14b are left and right side walls, 15
．． 16 is an upper guide plate, 17 is a conveyance path separating plate, 18 is a control means, 18a is a CPU, 18b is a ROM, and 18c is an RA
M, , 18d is an interface, 19a is an upstream conveyance roller, 19b1 pinch roller 120a is a downstream conveyance roller, 20b is a pinch roller 121a to 21
d is a recording head, and 22 is a recovery system.

Claims (7)

[Claims] (1) Separating means for separating recording media one by one; a feeding path leading to the conveying means of the recording apparatus; and the feeding path on the downstream side of the separating means in the feeding direction and upstream of the conveying means. A feeding device comprising: a feeding device that feeds the recording medium separated by the separating device to the conveying device at a position along the separation path. (2) The feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the feeding means is a registration roller. (3) The feeding means is a registration roller, the conveyance means is a conveyance roller, and the circumferential speed of the registration roller is set higher than the circumferential speed of the conveyance roller. 1) The feeding device described. (4) the feeding device; a conveying means for conveying the recording medium fed by the feeding device to a recording position; and recording for recording an image on the recording medium conveyed to the recording position by the conveying means. A recording device comprising a means and the following. (5) The recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the recording apparatus employs an inkjet recording method in which the recording means records an image by ejecting ink according to a signal. (6) The recording means of the inkjet recording method discharges ink using thermal energy, and is characterized in that it includes an electrothermal converter for generating the thermal energy. (4) Recording device as described. (7) In the recording device, the recording means energizes the electrothermal transducer in response to a signal, and the ink is ejected and an image is recorded by the growth of bubbles generated by heating exceeding film boiling by the electrothermal transducer. 5. The recording apparatus according to claim 4, which uses a bubble jet recording method.