Patent ID: 8651603
Filing Date: 2014-02-18
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. A platen gap adjustment mechanism, comprising: a carriage guide shaft configured to extend perpendicularly to a media conveyance direction that passes over a platen; a carriage drive unit that is supported on the carriage guide shaft and pivotable around an axis of the carriage guide shaft; and a main carriage that is supported on the carriage drive unit, pivotable around a parallel axis that is parallel to the axis of the carriage guide shaft, and configured to carry a printhead for printing on a print medium conveyed along the media conveyance path past the platen; wherein the main carriage is moveable toward and away from the platen according to a thickness of the print medium while being slidable in sliding contact with the print medium conveyed over the platen to maintain a constant gap between the printhead and the print medium.