Image forming apparatus capable of printing disc and disc-printing unit for the image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus that is capable of printing a disc and includes a disc-printing unit. The image forming apparatus includes a carrier having a print head, wherein the carrier is reciprocatingly set in a body of the image forming apparatus, a driving motor to provide a rotational driving force to at least one roller set in the body of the image forming apparatus to transfer a print paper, and a disc-printing unit, in which a disc is rotatably seated within a moving area of the carrier; wherein the disc-printing unit rotates the disc by a driving force of the driving motor during a printing operation.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korean patent Application No. 2003-29403, dated May 9, 2003, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus capable of printing a disc and a disc-printing unit for such an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus having a printing function for printing a title, a design, or the like on a surface of the disc and a disc-printing unit that is applied to such an image forming apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art

Recently, various types of storage media have appeared in the market, among which discs are largely used in general because they are inexpensive and conveniently portable. Descriptions, such as words, letters, characters, symbols, communications, etc., directly describing a title, an outline, or the like, are often written or formed on the surfaces of discs, so that the contents stored in the discs can be easily determined or known. However, these descriptions, usually made by hand using a pen or the like, are problem-some in that the descriptions may easily be erased, and in particular, the quality of external appearance of the discs may be compromised by the description.

Recently there has been proposed a disc-printing unit as shown inFIG. 1(see Japanese Patent Publication No. JP 9-265760), which can print contents or patterns designed by consumers on surfaces of discs. As can be seen fromFIG. 1, the conventional disc-printing unit100comprises a turntable110, on which a disc1is seated, a rotary motor115for rotating the turntable110, and a printing head120located above the turntable110. The printing head120is moved and guided in the radial direction of the turntable110by a guide rod121that is driven by a moving motor125. The disc-printing unit100further comprises an optical head130for illuminating a laser beam to the disc1in order to reproduce information stored in the disc1, an optical head driving motor135, and an optical head guide rod131.

With this conventional construction, if a signal corresponding to a print image is applied from the outside, a control section converts the print image into a dot image of a polar coordinate format about a rotational axis of the turntable110. Then, the moving motor125is controlled by the control section on the basis of the converted dot image, such that the printing head prints the contents or designs on the surface of the disc1while being moved in the radial direction of the disc1. Concurrently, the applied print image can be printed while the driving of the rotary motor115and the ink-jet through the print head120are intermitted relative to each other.

However, the conventional disc-printing unit100is complicated to construct. In particular, the optical head130for reading and writing information of a disc1and its driving means131,135, and a printing head120for performing printing on the disc1and its driving means121,125need to be installed together within a given space. In addition, a position-detecting sensor must be provided for detecting the position of the printing head120on the polar coordinate within a moving area of the printing head120, and a rotary motor115must also be provided. Furthermore, the moving motor125, the rotary motor115, and the driving motor135must be separately provided. Due to such a complicated construction, the manufacturing costs increase.

Although the conventional disc-printing unit100can both read and write information, it would be desirable if the conventional disc-printing unit could be applied to an inexpensive printer, one that prints on a print paper, while simplifying the construction thereof. It is possible to provide an inexpensive printer with a function for printing a disc being added beyond an original printer function, i.e. a function for printing a print paper.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the related art, and an aspect of the present invention provides an image forming apparatus of a simple construction with an additional function capable of printing desired contents or designs on a surface of a disc beyond a function capable of printing a print paper.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a disc-printing unit of a simple construction for an image forming apparatus, wherein the disc-printing unit is capable of being incorporated in an image forming apparatus and is inexpensive in manufacturing and maintenance.

In order to achieve the firstly mentioned aspect, according to the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising: a carrier having a print head and reciprocatingly set in a body of the image forming apparatus; a driving motor providing a rotational driving force to at least one roller set in the body of the image forming apparatus to transfer a print paper; and a disc-printing unit, in which a disc is rotatably seated within a moving area of the carrier, wherein the disc-printing unit rotates the disc by a driving force of the driving motor during a printing operation.

In here, the at least one roller includes a feeding roller located below the carrier for feeding the print paper

The disc-printing unit comprises: a revolvable platform having a vertical axis and positioned under the carrier at a lateral end area of the feeding roller, in which the disc is seated on the revolvable platform; a power transfer unit to transmit the rotational force of the feeding roller to the revolvable platform, wherein the power transfer unit comprises: a driven gear connected along a vertical axis of the revolvable platform; a driving gear connected to a rotational shaft of the feeding roller; and a clutch unit located between the driving gear and the driven gear to intermittently transmit the rotational force of the driving gear to the driven gear.

A position where the ink cartridge performs printing on the disc may be determined on the basis of an encoding unit for sensing the position of the carrier.

The image forming apparatus having the aforementioned construction is additionally provided with a function for printing desired contents or design on a surface of a disc beyond a function for performing printing on a paper. Therefore, it is possible to design the surface of the disc as desired by a user.

In order to achieve the above aspect, according to the present invention, there is provided a disc-printing unit mounted in an image forming apparatus comprising a carrier capable of being moved and loaded with at least one ink cartridge, at least one feeding roller located below the carrier for feeding a print paper, and a driving motor for rotating the feeding roller, wherein the disc-printing unit comprises: a revolvable platform having a vertical axis and positioned under the carrier at a lateral end area of the feeding roller, in which a disc to be printed is seated on the revolvable platform; and a power transfer unit for transmitting the rotational force of the feeding roller to the revolvable platform.

In one aspect of the invention, the power transfer unit may be simply constructed by comprising: a driven gear connected along the vertical axis of the revolvable platform; a driving gear connected to a rotational shaft of the feeding roller; and a clutch unit intermediated between the driving gear and the driven gear to intermittently transfer the rotational force of the driving gear to the driven gear.

In addition, a position where the ink cartridge performs printing on the disc may be determined on the basis of an encoding unit for detecting the position of the carrier.

The disc-printing unit having the aforementioned construction is very simple in construction. Therefore, it is possible to inexpensively manufacture and incorporate the disc-printing unit into an image forming apparatus. Furthermore, the costs for maintaining and repairing disc-printing unit are very low.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 2is a perspective view of a printer10provided with a disc-printing unit40according to the present invention.FIG. 3is an enlarged view of the disc-printing unit40shown inFIG. 2. As can be seen fromFIGS. 2 and 3, the image forming apparatus, i.e. the printer10, includes a carrier14, at least one feeding roller21for feeding a print paper, at least one feeding roller21being installed in a central area below the carrier14, a driving motor25for rotating the feeding roller21, and a disc-printing unit40operated by the rotational force of the feeding roller21. Here, the disc-printing unit40is positioned below the carrier14and opposite to a maintenance station17, with the feeding roller positioned between the disc-printing unit40and the maintenance station17.

As in a conventional ink-jet printer, the carrier14has a print head19positioned at a lower end thereof, and an ink cartridge13removably mounted on the carrier14. The carrier14is moved and guided by a guide rod15horizontally fixed on a body frame11and a time belt16installed parallel to the guide rod15. The guide rod15is extended from a position above the disc-printing unit40to a position above the maintenance station17. The time belt16reciprocates the carrier14within a distance between the position above the disc-printing unit40and the position above the maintenance station17and is driven by a carrier motor (not shown). In this embodiment, the print head19is attached or integrally formed with a lower end of the ink cartridge13SO that, when the ink cartridge13is mounted in the carrier14, the print head19is exposed from the lower end of the carrier14. However, this is not limiting. The print head19can be integrally formed with the carrier14and the ink cartridge13can be removably mounted on the carrier14.

The feeding roller21is spaced apart from the ink cartridge13, loaded in the carrier14, with a paper-feeding space between the feeding roller21and the ink cartridge13. A paper guide plate6is placed within the paper-feeding space to guide the feeding of a print paper. The paper guide plate6comprises at least one roller opening to partially expose the feeding roller21, and at least one pinch roller7is provided above the roller openings. The paper guide plate6contains at least one roller hole to partially expose at least one paper-discharging roller8.

A paper cassette (not shown), for stacking and receiving print papers is located underneath the feeding roller21. The print papers in the paper cassette are picked up by the pickup rollers (not shown) and fed individually to the feeding roller21. The pickup rollers are driven by the driving force of the driving motor25rotating the feeding roller21. In addition, the print paper fed by the feeding roller21is printed with ink ejected from the print head19, which moves in unison with the carrier14.

The position of the ink cartridge13is determined by an encoding unit70and a motor controller73that controls the operation of the carrier motor18on the basis of the detecting signal from the encoding unit70, as shown inFIG. 4. The encoding unit70may consist of an encoder reader71formed at a perimeter surface of the carrier14, and an encoder strip bar72provided along the moving direction of the carrier14. The encoder strip bar72is recorded with information relating to the position and moving distance of the carrier14.

The encoder reader71reads and transmits current information of the carrier14, recorded in the encoder strip bar72, to the motor controller73. The motor controller73then calculates, or determines, the position, moving velocity or the like of the carrier14on the basis of the signal received from the encoder reader71. Thereafter, the motor controller73controls the position, moving velocity, and moving direction of the carrier14through the carrier motor18.

The operational control of the carrier14on the basis of the encoding unit70may be applied to the ink cartridge loaded in the carrier14. Because the ink cartridge13is loaded in the carrier14and the position thereof is fixed in relation to the carrier14, its position can be easily determined in relation to the position of the carrier14. Therefore, because the position control of the ink cartridge13can be achieved in the same manner as controlling the operation of the carrier14, a separate position-detecting sensor is not necessary.

Meanwhile, the driving motor25for driving the feeding roller21is attached to a bracket26fixed on the rear side of the feeding roller21, as described inFIG. 5, side. The bracket26can be fixed on the bottom side of the printer body11by using separate fixing members. It is preferable that the driving motor25attached to the bracket26consists of a line feed (LF) motor. In addition, a gear train31intermediates between the driving motor25and the feeding roller21to convert the driving force of the driving motor25into the rotational force of the feeding roller21. The driving motor25may provide a rotational driving force to the other rollers, such as the paper-discharging rollers driven to transfer the paper, in addition to the feeding roller21. Since such a driving force transfer is well known to those skilled in the art, a detailed description is omitted.

The gear train31comprises a fixed gear33connected to the driving shaft of the driving motor25, a driving gear51connected to the rotational shaft22of the feeding roller21, and first and second idle gears35and37are engaged between the driving motor25and the driving gear51. The idle gears35and37are rotatably connected to the bracket26of the driving motor26and a flange extended from the bracket, respectively. With this construction, the driving force of the driving motor25is properly decelerated and transmitted to the feeding roller21.

The gear train31further comprises a time belt39as shown inFIG. 6, and additional gears for intermitting the operations of pickup rollers. The pickup rollers are for supplying papers loaded in the paper cassette to the feed roller21one by one wherein the pickup rollers are operated by the driving force of the driving motor25. Since constructions of the gear train31for driving the feeding roller and pickup rollers are well known to those skilled in the art, a detailed description is omitted.

The maintenance station17is a device for protecting and cleaning the print head19, wherein the print head19is loaded in and carried by the carrier14. When the operation of the printer is interrupted or stopped, the carrier14stands by at the position above the maintenance station17, in which event the maintenance station17wipes and caps the print head19of the ink cartridge13, thereby preventing the solidification and adherence of remaining ink or foreign matters. Since the technique related to such a maintenance station17is well known to those skilled in the art, a detailed description is omitted.

FIG. 5is a perspective view of the bottom side of a disc-printing unit according to the present invention, i.e., a disc-printing unit mounted within an image forming apparatus, andFIG. 6is a bottom view ofFIG. 3. The disc-printing unit40comprises a revolvable platform5, such as a rotatable turntable, on which a disc is set, and a power transfer unit50for transferring the rotational force of the feeding roller21to the revolvable platform5.

The revolvable platform5is horizontally located below the carrier14and is capable of rotating about its vertical axis. Between the revolvable platform5and the ink cartridge13loaded in the carrier14, there is a disc-receiving space that corresponds to the paper-feeding space provided between the feeding roller21and the ink cartridge13. The disc1is introduced into the disc-receiving space and set on the top of the revolvable platform5. As such, printing is performed on the surface of the disc with ink released from the print head19loaded in the carrier14.

Preferably, a base41is provided within the disc-receiving space to support the revolvable platform5. More preferably, a guide groove42for guiding the insertion and removal of the disc1is formed on the base41in which the guide groove42is recessed from the surface of the base41. Such a base41may be simply integrated with the paper guide plate6.

The power transfer unit50includes a driving gear51connected to the rotational shaft22of the feeding roller21, a driven gear53downwardly connected to the vertical rotation axis of the revolvable platform5, and a clutch unit60intermittently transmitting the rotational force of the driving gear51to the driven gear53. Here, the driven gear53may be simply formed of a worm wheel. And, the driving gear51is connected to be rotatable integrally with the rotational shaft22of the feeding roller21and the driving gear51is provided with a plurality of projections52externally projected in the direction opposite to the feeding roller21.

The clutch unit60comprises a clutch gear61connected to the rotational shaft22opposite to the driving gear51, a solenoid device68for moving the clutch gear61between an engagement position, where the clutch gear61is engaged with the driving gear51, and a disengagement position, where the clutch gear61is released from the engagement with the driving gear51, and an intermediate gear63, one end of which is engaged with the clutch gear61and the other end of which is engaged with the driven gear53of the revolvable platform5. The clutch gear61is provided with a plurality of second projections62to be engaged with a first projections52of the driving gear51.

The intermediate gear63is rotatably attached to a fixed rib69installed on the bottom surface of the base41and downwardly projected from the bottom surface. The intermediate gear63is divided into a worm part64that is parallel to the rotational shaft22of the feeding roller21, and a gear part65outwardly extended in the radial direction from one end of the worm part64. The worm part64is engaged with the driven gear53, i.e., a worm wheel of the revolvable platform5, and the gear part65is engaged with the clutch gear61. With this construction, if the clutch gear61and the driving gear51are engaged with each other, the driving force of the driving gear51is transmitted to the driven gear53through the clutch gear61and the intermediate gear63.

Meanwhile, the solenoid device68is attached to the bottom surface of the base41, between the driven gear53and the driving motor25. An actuating rod of the solenoid device68moves the clutch gear61between the engagement position and disengagement position with respect to the driving gear51. The operation of the solenoid device68is controlled by a control section, which is not shown in the drawings.

In order to perform printing using the disc-printing unit40, a disc1is set in the disc-receiving space, oriented so that the surface to be printed is faced toward the printing head of the ink cartridge13. If a signal related to a print image is applied, the control section positions the carrier14above the disc-printing unit40. At this time, the position of the carrier14is detected through the encoder strip bar72and the encoder reader71of the encoding unit70.

If the position of the carrier14is established, the control section operates the solenoid device68and causes the clutch gear61to be engaged with the driving gear51. When the driving gear25is driven, the driving force transmitted through the gear train31rotates the feeding roller21. Concurrently, the rotational force of the feeding roller21is transmitted to the driven gear54, i.e., the worm wheel through the driving gear51, the clutch gear61, and the intermediate gear63, and thus the revolvable platform5rotates about its vertical axis. At this time, the disc1set on top of the revolvable platform5is rotates in unison with the revolvable platform5.

Then, the control section causes ink to be ejected through the print head15of the ink cartridge13loaded in the carrier14, so that the surface of the disc is printed with a print image. The position of the ink cartridge13for printing is capable of being detected by the encoding unit70that detected the position of the carrier14. Therefore, the motor controller73controls the operation of the carrier motor18.

Following this, once the position of the ink cartridge13is detected, the control section causes the ink ejected from the print head19to be properly intermitted while rotating the disc1. The print image is printed on the surface of the disc1, in a circumferential direction.

The printing of the print image can be performed while moving the ink cartridge13concurrently with rotating the disc1. Because the encoding unit70can detect the displacement of the ink cartridge13, it is possible to control the position of the ink cartridge13through the encoding unit70and the motor controller73. Such a printing method is advantageous in that the printing can be rapidly performed along the circumferential and radial directions of the surface of the disc1.

Although a disc-printing unit40is illustrated in the embodiments described above, as having a clutch unit60capable of controlling the rotational force of feeding roller21, the clutch unit may be omitted.

FIG. 7describes a disc-printing unit80according to another embodiment of the present, in which the clutch unit is omitted. The disc-printing unit80is constructed in such a manner that a driving gear51′ mounted on the rotational shaft22of the feeding roller21is substituted with the intermediate gear of the aforementioned embodiment.

That is, the driving gear51′ according to the present embodiment consists of a worm part64and a gear part65. Here, the gear part65is connected to the second idle gear37that transmits the driving force of the driving motor25. In addition, the worm part64is engaged with a worm wheel which is a driven gear53′ connected to the rotary axis of the revolvable platform5. With this construction, if the feeding roller21rotates, the rotational force is transmitted to the revolvable platform5through the driving gear51′ and the driven gear53′.

In the disc-printing unit80with this construction, the revolvable platform5always rotates when the feeding roller21rotates. However, because the construction is simplified as compared to the aforementioned embodiment, the manufacturing cost is reduced.

As described above, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention functions beyond printing on a print paper. It is also capable of printing desired contents or designs on a surface of a disc on.

Because the disc-printing unit is simple in construction and can be incorporated in the image forming apparatus, manufacturing costs and maintenance costs are reduced.

While the present invention is shown and described in connection with a printer and a disc-printing unit mounted in the printer, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is possible to provide various types of image forming apparatuses and disc-printing units to be mounted in such image forming apparatuses.