Patent Publication Number: US-9889678-B2

Title: Medium supporting unit and recording apparatus

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/051,469, filed Feb. 23, 2016, which claims priority to Japanese Application No. 2015-035015, filed Feb. 25, 2015, the entireties of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to a medium supporting unit, and a recording apparatus. 
     2. Related Art 
     In the related art, a medium supporting unit which includes a pressing unit which can press a medium supported by a supporting unit has been used. It is possible to set a medium by suppressing floating of the medium by pressing the medium using the pressing unit. 
     For example, in JP-A-2013-226657, a medium supporting unit which includes a setting tray as a supporting unit, and a frame as a pressing unit which can press the medium supported by the setting tray is disclosed. Here, an edge portion as a receiving unit for receiving the frame is formed over the entire periphery of the edge portion in the setting tray of the medium supporting unit. 
     In the medium supporting unit which includes the pressing unit which can press the medium supported by the supporting unit, it is desirable to make the supporting unit thin and light weight. 
     However, when the supporting unit is thin and light weight, the supporting unit is easily damaged. In general, in a medium supporting unit in the related art, a receiving unit for receiving the pressing unit is provided at an edge portion of the pressing unit, and is integrally formed with the pressing unit. Due to such a configuration, when the supporting unit is set to be thin, the receiving unit also becomes thin, and is thinly provided at the edge portion, and as a result, particularly, the receiving unit is easily damaged. For this reason, it has been difficult to make the supporting unit thin and light weight. 
     In addition, in JP-A-2013-226657, it is described that a reinforcing frame may be provided at the periphery of a main body of the supporting unit; however, there is no specific description about a configuration of the receiving unit. 
     SUMMARY 
     An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to make a supporting unit thin and light weight in a medium supporting unit which includes a pressing unit which can press a medium supported by the supporting unit. 
     According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a medium supporting unit which includes a supporting unit including a supporting face which supports a medium, and a receiving unit in which a receiving face which is recessed with respect to the supporting face is formed, and a pressing unit which can press the medium which is supported by the supporting unit by being received on the receiving face, in which the receiving unit is formed of a material of which rigidity is higher than a material which forms the supporting face. 
     In the medium supporting unit, the supporting unit may have a side face portion which is located between the supporting face and the receiving face, and forms a side face which connects the supporting face and the receiving face, and the side face portion may have a first side face which is formed of a material forming the receiving unit. 
     In the medium supporting unit, the side face portion may have a second side face which is formed of a material forming the supporting face. 
     In the medium supporting unit, the receiving unit may be formed of the receiving face and the first side face which are continuous. 
     In the medium supporting unit, the receiving face may be formed of a material of which a coefficient of static friction is larger than that of the supporting face. 
     In the medium supporting unit, unevenness may be formed on the receiving face. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a recording apparatus which includes the medium supporting unit according to the aspect, and a recording unit which can perform recording on the medium which is supported by the medium supporting unit. 
     According to the invention, it is possible to make a supporting unit thin and light weight in a medium supporting unit which includes a pressing unit which can press a medium supported by the supporting unit. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers reference like elements. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view which schematically illustrates a recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view which schematically illustrates the recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view which schematically illustrates the recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view which schematically illustrates a medium supporting unit according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view which schematically illustrates the medium supporting unit according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a side-sectional view which schematically illustrates the medium supporting unit according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
         FIGS. 7A and 7B  are side-sectional views which schematically illustrate the medium supporting unit according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a side-sectional view which schematically illustrates a medium supporting unit according to a second embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a side-sectional view which schematically illustrates a medium supporting unit according to a third embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, a medium supporting unit  2  according to an embodiment of the invention, and a recording apparatus  1  according to an embodiment which includes the medium supporting unit  2  will be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings. 
     First Embodiment ( FIGS. 1 to 6 ) 
     First, an outline of the recording apparatus  1  according to a first embodiment will be described. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  are perspective views which schematically illustrate the recording apparatus  1  according to the first embodiment of the invention, and in the figures,  FIG. 1  illustrates a state in which a tray  4  as a supporting unit of a medium M (refer to  FIG. 4 ) of the recording apparatus  1  according to the embodiment is located at a recording start position, and  FIG. 2  illustrates a state in which the tray  4  is located at a setting position of the medium M. 
     In addition,  FIG. 3  is a front view which schematically illustrates the recording apparatus  1  according to the embodiment. 
     The recording apparatus  1  according to the embodiment includes the medium supporting unit  2  which moves in a movement direction A in a state in which the medium M is supported on a supporting face  8  of the tray  4 . The medium supporting unit  2  includes the tray  4  which is a supporting unit of the medium M. The recording apparatus  1  includes a medium transport unit  3  which transports the medium M supported by the tray  4  in the movement direction A. The movement direction A is a direction which includes a direction A 1 , and a direction A 2  which is opposite to the direction A 1 . In addition, the tray  4  is mounted on a stage  5 . The tray  4  moves together with the stage  5  in a height direction C when a rotary lever  9  is rotated. As the medium M, it is possible to use various materials such as textile (woven stuff, cloth, or the like), paper, a polyvinyl chloride resin. 
     In addition, a recording head  7  which can perform recording on the medium M by ejecting ink is included in the inside of a main body of the recording apparatus  1 . In the embodiment, the recording head  7  corresponds to a recording unit which can perform recoding on the medium M. In addition, the recording apparatus  1  according to the embodiment forms a desired image by ejecting ink onto the medium M which is supported by the tray  4  from the recording head  7  while causing the recording head  7  to reciprocate in an intersecting direction B, by causing the carriage  6  in which the recording head  7  is provided to reciprocate in the intersecting direction B which intersects the movement direction A. 
     In the recording apparatus  1  according to the embodiment, a near side (lower left direction) in  FIGS. 1 and 2  is a setting position (corresponding to  FIG. 2 ) of the medium M with respect to the tray  4 . In addition, recording is performed while moving the tray  4  in the direction A 2  in the movement direction A, after moving the tray  4  in which the medium M is set in the direction A 1  in the movement direction A to a recording start position (corresponding to  FIG. 1 ) on a depth side (higher right direction) in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     The recording apparatus  1  according to the embodiment includes the recording head  7  which performs recording while reciprocating in the intersecting direction B; however, the recording apparatus may be a recording apparatus which includes a so-called line head in which a plurality of nozzles which eject ink are provided in the intersecting direction B which intersects the movement direction A. 
     Here, the “line head” is a recording head which is used in a recording apparatus in which a region of nozzles which are formed in the intersecting direction B which intersects the movement direction A of the medium M is provided so as to cover the entire intersecting direction B of the medium M, and which forms an image by relatively moving a recording head or a medium M. In addition, the region of the nozzle the intersecting direction B of the line head may not cover the entire intersecting direction B of all of the mediums M to which the recording apparatus  1  corresponds. 
     In addition, the recording head  7  according to the embodiment is a recording unit which can perform recording by ejecting ink on the medium M; however, it is not limited to such a recording unit, and for example, a transfer-type recording unit which performs recording by transferring a coloring material onto the medium M may be used. 
     The recording apparatus  1  according to the embodiment includes a sensor S as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , and it is possible for the sensor to detect whether or not an interval between the medium M supported by the tray  4  and the recording head  7  is abnormal (interval between medium M and recording head  7  is excessively small). 
     Here, the sensor S includes a light emitting unit Se and a light receiving unit Sr. In addition, the sensor S has a configuration in which whether or not the interval is abnormal is detected by determining whether or not light is received in the light receiving unit Sr, by radiating the light from the light emitting unit Se to the light receiving unit Sr. However, the configuration is not limited to this. 
     Subsequently, the medium supporting unit  2  according to the first embodiment of the invention will be described in detail. 
     Here,  FIG. 4  is a perspective view which schematically illustrates the medium supporting unit  2  according to the embodiment. In addition,  FIG. 5  is a plan view which schematically illustrates the medium supporting unit  2  according to the embodiment.  FIGS. 6 to 7B  are side-sectional views which schematically illustrate the medium supporting unit  2  according to the embodiment. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the medium supporting unit  2  according to the embodiment includes the tray  4  as the supporting unit, and a pressing unit  10  which can press the medium M supported by the tray  4 . 
     Here, the tray  4  includes a supporting face  8  which supports the medium M, and a receiving unit  13  in which a receiving face  12  which is recessed with respect to the supporting face  8  is formed. In addition, as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the pressing unit  10  has a configuration in which it is possible to suppress the medium M which is supported by the tray  4  by being received on the receiving face  12 . 
     In addition, the receiving unit  13  is formed of a material of which rigidity is higher than that of a material which forms the supporting face  8 . In this manner, since the receiving unit  13  is configured as a separate member from a forming member of the supporting face  8  in the medium supporting unit  2  according to the embodiment, it is possible to easily configure the tray  4  which has characteristics which are needed in each of the receiving unit  13  and the supporting face  8 , compared to the tray  4  in which the receiving unit  13  is integrally configured with the supporting face  8 . Here, when the receiving unit  13  is configured integrally with the supporting face  8 , in order to make the receiving unit  13  which is easily damaged, in general, hard to be damaged, it is necessary to configure the receiving unit  13  and the supporting face  8  using a high rigidity material, or to configure the receiving unit  13  and the supporting face  8  so as to be thick. However, in many cases, a high rigidity material is heavy, and when the supporting face  8  is configured using the high rigidity material, there is a tendency that the tray  4  becomes heavy. In addition, when the receiving unit  13  and the supporting face  8  are configured so as to be thick, as a matter of course, there is a tendency that the tray  4  becomes heavy. Meanwhile, in the medium supporting unit  2  according to the embodiment, it is possible to make the tray  4  thin and light weight, since the receiving unit  13  which is easily damaged in general, is configured as a unit which is hard to be damaged using a high rigidity material, as a separate member from the forming member of the supporting face  8 . 
     That is, in other words, the recording apparatus  1  according to the embodiment is configured so as to perform recording by supporting the medium M using the tray  4  configured as a tray which is thin and light weight. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the receiving unit  13  is configured of four receiving units of  13   a ,  13   b ,  13   c , and  13   d  which are made of metal, respectively. For this reason, it is possible to simply configure each of the receiving units  13 . However, the receiving unit  13  is not limited to such a configuration, and may be configured as one constituent element. 
     In addition, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the receiving units  13   a ,  13   b ,  13   c , and  13   d  corresponding to each side of the tray  4  have a configuration of having a gap therebetween, respectively, when planarly viewed (when viewed in direction orthogonal to supporting face  8 ). Specifically, when planarly viewed, there are gaps between the receiving units  13   a  and  13   b , between the receiving units  13   b  and  13   c , between the receiving units  13   c  and  13   d , and between receiving units  13   d  and  13   a . In other words, the receiving unit  13  is not formed at portions corresponding to four corners of the supporting face  8  which is approximately rectangular. By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to make the tray  4  light weight by reducing a volume thereof. 
     A portion other than the receiving unit  13  in the tray  4  such as the supporting face  8 , or the like, is configured of an acrylic resin. Here, a material of the receiving unit  13 , and a material of the portion other than the receiving unit  13  in the tray  4  such as the supporting face  8  are not limited. However, it is preferable that the receiving unit  13  is made of metal, and the supporting face  8  is made of a hard polymeric substance when considering strength, weight, a cost, or the like. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 6 , the tray  4  according to the embodiment includes a side face portion  11  which is located between the supporting face  8  and the receiving face  12 , and forms a side face which connects the supporting face  8  and the receiving face  12 . The side face portion  11  includes a first side face  11   a  which is formed of a material forming the receiving unit  13 . 
     For this reason, since it is also possible to make the side face portion  11  hard to be damaged, the tray  4  can be set to be thin and light weight, particularly. 
     Here, in the receiving unit  13 , the receiving face  12  and the first side face  11   a  are continuously formed. For this reason, it is possible to simply form a configuration in which the side face portion  11  is hard to be damaged. That is, the tray  4  is set to be thin and light weight, simply, and particularly. 
     The first side face  11   a  according to the embodiment is configured integrally with the receiving unit  13 ; however, the first side face may be formed as a separate member from the receiving unit  13 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 6 , the side face portion  11  in the tray  4  according to the embodiment includes a second side face  11   b  which is formed of a material forming the supporting face  8 . In detail, in the tray  4  according to the embodiment, a top face  16  of the receiving unit  13  is attached to a face  17  on a side opposite to the supporting face  8  at an end portion of the forming member of the plate-shaped supporting face  8 . In addition, a side face of the supporting face  8  in the forming member of the plate-shaped supporting face  8  forms the second side face  11   b . By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to make a configuration of the tray  4  simple. 
     In addition, as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the side face portion  11  is configured so as to remarkably protrude toward a higher side with respect to the pressing unit  10 . By adopting such a configuration, the pressing unit  10  is hardly detached from the tray  4  even when the pressing unit  10  is inclined due to an external force, or the like. Specifically, 50% or more of the side face portion  11  in the height direction protrudes toward the higher side compared to the pressing unit  10 . At this time, a part of the first side face  11   a  in the side face portion  11  is located below the pressing unit  10 , and a part other than that protrudes upward compared to the pressing unit  10 . In addition, the entire second side face  11   b  in the side face portion  11  protrudes upward compared to the pressing unit  10 . By adopting such a configuration, a border portion between the first side face  11   a  and the second side face  11   b  does not face the pressing unit  10 , and it is possible to suppress a load which is applied to the border portion between the first side face  11   a  and the second side face  11   b.    
     In addition, unevenness using blast processing is formed on the receiving face  12  in the receiving unit  13  according to the embodiment. By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to make the tray  4  thin and light weight, and to suppress floating of the medium M when the medium M is supported by the supporting face  8 , and is pressed by the pressing unit  10  since the receiving face  12  has a coefficient of static friction which is larger than that of the supporting face  8 . 
     A forming method of the “unevenness” is not particularly limited. 
     In addition, the receiving face  12  in the receiving unit  13  may be formed of a material of which a coefficient of static friction is larger than that of the supporting face  8 . By adopting such a configuration as well, it is possible to not only make the tray  4  thin and light weight, but also to suppress floating of the medium M when the medium M is supported by the supporting face  8 , and is pressed by the pressing unit  10 . 
     Here,  FIG. 7A  illustrates a state in which, in the medium supporting unit  2  according to the embodiment, the pressing unit  10  is combined with the tray  4  on which medium M is mounted from a state illustrated in  FIG. 4  (state in which medium M is going to be set in tray  4 ), and a state in which a floatation W occurs on the upstream side in the direction A 2  at this time. 
     In addition,  FIG. 7B  illustrates a state in which a worker pulls the medium M toward a direction F 1  at a position on the downstream side in the direction A 2  (position on near side (lower left direction) in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ) from the state illustrated in  FIG. 7A , and the floatation W is eliminated. 
     In this manner, in the medium supporting unit  2  according to the embodiment, the floatation W is eliminated when the medium M on the supporting face  8  moves in a direction F 2 , along with pulling of the medium M in the direction F 1 . The reason for this is that, by setting the coefficient of static friction on the receiving face  12  to be large, the medium M on the supporting face  8  moves in the direction F 2  while being firmly pressed on the upstream side in the direction A 2  by being pulled in a state of being firmly pressed by the pressing unit  10  at a position of the receiving face  12  on the upstream side in the direction A 2 . 
     In addition, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the tray  4  according to the embodiment includes an installation unit  14  which is used when the tray is installed on a floor, or the like, by being detached from the stage  5 , and a positioning unit  15  with which it is possible for the tray to be positioned with respect to the stage  5 . However, the configuration of the tray  4  is not particularly limited. 
     Second Embodiment ( FIG. 8 ) 
     Subsequently, a medium supporting unit according to a second embodiment of the invention will be described. 
       FIG. 8  is a side-sectional view which schematically illustrates a medium supporting unit  2  according to the second embodiment of the invention, and is a diagram corresponding to  FIG. 6  in the first embodiment. In addition, constituent elements which are common to those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted. 
     In the medium supporting unit  2  according to the embodiment, only a configuration of the receiving unit  13  is different from the medium supporting unit  2  in the first embodiment. 
     In the medium supporting unit  2  according to the first embodiment, the receiving unit  13  configures the first side face  11   a  in the side face portion  11 . 
     Meanwhile, in the medium supporting unit  2  according to the embodiment, only a side face of an end portion of the forming member of the plate-shaped supporting face  8  configures the side face portion  11 . 
     In addition, the medium supporting unit  2  according to the embodiment can be used in the recording apparatus  1  according to the first embodiment. 
     Third Embodiment ( FIG. 9 ) 
     Subsequently, a medium supporting unit according to a third embodiment of the invention will be described. 
       FIG. 9  is a side-sectional view which schematically illustrates a medium supporting unit  2  according to the third embodiment of the invention, and is a diagram corresponding to  FIG. 6  in the first embodiment, and  FIG. 8  in the second embodiment. In addition, constituent elements which are common to those in the first and second embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted. 
     In the medium supporting unit  2  according to the embodiment, only a configuration in which a side face portion constituent member  18  which configures the side face portion  11  is included, in addition to the receiving unit  13 , is different from the medium supporting unit  2  in the first and second embodiments. 
     In the medium supporting unit  2  according to the first embodiment, the receiving unit  13  configures the first side face  11   a  in the side face portion  11 . In addition, in the medium supporting unit  2  according to the second embodiment, only the side face of an end portion of the plate-shaped forming member of the supporting face  8  configures the side face portion  11 . 
     Meanwhile, the medium supporting unit  2  according to the embodiment includes a receiving unit  13  with a configuration which is the same as that of the receiving unit  13  according to the second embodiment, and includes the side face portion constituent member  18  which configures the side face portion  11  between the receiving unit  13  and the forming member of the plate-shaped supporting face  8 . Here, the side face portion constituent member  18  according to the embodiment is configured using the same material as that of the receiving unit  13 ; however, the constituent member is not particularly limited, may be configured using the same material as that of the forming member of the plate-shaped supporting face  8 , and may be configured using a material which is completely different from materials of both the receiving unit and the forming member of the plate-shaped supporting face. 
     In addition, the medium supporting unit  2  according to the embodiment can be used in the recording apparatus  1  according to the first embodiment. 
     The invention is not limited to the above described embodiments, can be variously modified in the scope of the invention which is described in claims, and it is needless to say that those modification examples are also included in the scope of the invention. 
     Hitherto, the invention has been described based on specific embodiments. Here, the invention will be collectively described again. 
     The medium supporting unit  2  according to an aspect of the invention includes the supporting unit  4  including the supporting face  8  which supports the medium M, and the receiving unit  13  in which the receiving face  12  which is recessed with respect to the supporting face  8  is formed, and the pressing unit  10  which can press the medium supported by the supporting unit  4  by being received on the receiving face  12 , in which the receiving unit  13  is formed of a material of which rigidity is higher than that of the material which forms the supporting face  8 . 
     According to the aspect, the receiving unit  13  is formed of a material of which rigidity is higher than that of the material which forms the supporting face  8 . For this reason, by configuring the receiving unit  13  using a member separate from the forming member of the supporting face  8 , it is possible to easily configure a tray  4  having characteristics which are needed in each of the receiving unit  13  and the supporting face  8 , compared to the tray  4  in which the receiving unit  13  is configured integrally with the supporting face  8 . In addition, it is possible to make the tray  4  thin and light weight by making the receiving unit  13  which is easily damaged, in general, hard to be damaged using a high rigidity material as a separate member from the forming member of the supporting face  8 . 
     In the medium supporting unit  2  according to the aspect of the invention, the supporting unit  4  includes the side face portion  11  which is located between the supporting face  8  and the receiving face  12 , and forms the side face which connects the supporting face  8  and the receiving face  12 , and the side face portion  11  includes the first side face  11   a  which is formed using the material which forms the receiving unit  13 . 
     According to the aspect, the side face portion  11  includes the first side face  11   a  which is formed using the material which forms the receiving unit  13 . For this reason, it is possible to make the tray  4  thin and light weight particularly, since the side face portion  11  can also be configured as a portion which is hard to be damaged. 
     In the medium supporting unit  2  according to the aspect of the invention, the side face portion  11  includes the second side face  11   b  which is formed using the material which forms the supporting face  8 . 
     According to the aspect, the side face portion  11  includes the second side face  11   b  which is formed using the material which forms the supporting face  8 . For this reason, it is possible to make the configuration of the supporting unit  4  simple, for example, by attaching the receiving unit to the face  17  on the side opposite to the supporting face  8  at an end portion of the forming member of the plate-shaped supporting face  8 . 
     In the medium supporting unit  2  according to the aspect of the invention, the receiving unit  13  is formed of the receiving face  12  and the first side face  11   a  which are continuous. 
     According to the aspect, the receiving unit  13  is formed of the receiving face  12  and the first side face  11   a  which are continuous. For this reason, particularly, it is possible to simply make the supporting unit  4  thin and light weight, since it is possible to simply make a configuration in which the side face portion  11  is not easily damaged. 
     In the medium supporting unit  2  according to the aspect of the invention, the receiving face  12  is formed of a material of which a coefficient of static friction is larger than that of the supporting face  8 . 
     According to the aspect, the receiving face  12  is formed of a material of which a coefficient of static friction is larger than that of the supporting face  8 . By adopting such a configuration, it is possible not only to make the supporting unit  4  thin and light weight, but also to suppress floating of the medium M when the medium M is supported by the supporting face  8 , and is pressed by the pressing unit. 
     In the medium supporting unit  2  according to the aspect of the invention, the receiving face  12  is formed with unevenness. 
     According to the aspect, the receiving face  12  is formed with unevenness. By adopting such a configuration, it is possible not only to make the supporting unit  4  thin and light weight, but also to suppress floating of the medium M when the medium M is supported by the supporting face  8 , and is pressed by the pressing unit  10 . 
     In addition, a forming method of the “unevenness” is not particularly limited; however, for example, it is possible to form the unevenness in the contact faces  11   a  and  11   b  with the medium M in the pressing unit  10  by performing blast processing, or the like. 
     The recording apparatus  1  according to another aspect of the invention includes the medium supporting unit  2  according to the aspect, and the recording unit  7  which can perform recording on the medium M which is supported by medium supporting unit  2 . 
     According to the aspect, it is possible to perform recording by supporting the medium M using the supporting unit  4  which is thin and light weight. 
     The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2015-035015, filed Feb. 25, 2015 is expressly incorporated reference herein.