Patent Publication Number: US-2011048263-A1

Title: Sheet transfer system and duplex printer using same

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-199741, filed on Aug. 31, 2009, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a sheet transfer system to be installed in a duplex printer, and particularly, to a sheet transfer system having a region for confluence between one-side printed print sheet and non-printed print sheet. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     There are known transfer systems for print sheets employed in duplex printers. Japanese Patent Application Laying-Open Publication No. 2002-274731 has disclosed a duplex printer including a register roller, a first guide roller for transfer of non-printed print sheet to the register roller, and a second guide roller for reefed of one-side printed print sheet to the register roller. 
     In the duplex printer, there was a non-printed print sheet fed from a feed tray, to transfer to the register roller by the first guide roller. Afterward, the print sheet had images printed on one side, and was inverted. Next, the print sheet was transferred to the register roller by the second guide roller, to have images printed on the other side. Thereafter, the print sheet was discharged to complete a duplex printing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     However, in a transfer system in the duplex printer, one-side printed print sheets were subject to affects such as those of ink to have tendencies to curl along edges at both transverse ends of print sheet, substantially over length thereof in a transfer direction. In such situations, print sheets being transferred by the second guide roller tended to have deviated positions relative to the register roller, with a resultant tendency for print sheets to undergo troubles in transfer, as an issue. 
     The present invention has been devised with such points in view, it being an object of the present invention to provide a sheet transfer system for duplex printers with adaptation to suppress transfer troubles. 
     To achieve the object described, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is a sheet transfer system comprising a register configured for a one-side printed print sheet and a non-printed print sheet in travel to be placed in a position, a first guide portion configured with a first opening to guide the one-side printed print sheet to the register, and a second guide portion configured with a second opening to guide the non-printed print sheet to the register, the first opening having an opening angle greater than an opening angle of the second opening. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a printer according to a first embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic side view of a confluent portion. 
         FIG. 3  is an explanatory diagram of the confluent portion with guide members defining opening angles. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic side view of a confluent portion according to a second embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic side view of a confluent portion according to a third embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     First Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an aqueous ink addressing inkjet type duplex printer including a sheet transfer system according to a first embodiment. As used herein, the aqueous ink means a moisture containing ink encompassing an O/W (Oil in Water) type and a W/O (Water in Oil) type emulsion ink.  FIG. 2  is a schematic side view of a confluent portion.  FIG. 3  is an explanatory diagram of the confluent portion with guide members defining opening angles. 
     In  FIG. 1 , those paths depicted by bold lines are transfer routes adapted for transfer of print sheets. Among the transfer routes, those depicted by solid lines and dashed lines constitute a normal route RC. Among the transfer routes, those depicted by chain lines constitute an inversion route RR. Among the transfer routes, those depicted by two-dot chain lines constitute a system of feed routes RS. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the duplex printer  1  includes a feeding portion  2 , a printing portion  3 , a drying portion  4 , a discharging portion  5 , an inverting portion  6 , and a confluent portion  7 , as well as a controller  9  for controlling those portions, and a housing  8  for accommodating such portions. According to the first embodiment, the sheet transfer system is defined as a system comprising a combination of part of the printing portion  3  (with a later-described register roller  21  inclusive) and the confluent portion  7 . This definition is applied to second and third embodiments, as well. 
     The feeding portion  2  is configured to feed a print sheet PA. The feeding portion  2  constitutes an upstream end of the transfer system. The feeding portion  2  includes a side feed rack  11 , internal feed trays  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c , and  12   d , and pairs of feed rollers  13 . The side feed rack  11  and internal feed trays  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c , and  12   d  have print sheets PA stacked therein to be fed. Paired feed rollers  13  are controlled for transfer of a print sheet PA from the feed rack  11  or any one of feed trays  12   a  to  12   d  to the printing portion  3 . 
     The printing portion  3  is configured to transfer a fed print sheet PA, printing images on the print sheet PA. The printing portion  3  is disposed downstream of the feeding portion  2 . The printing portion  3  includes a register roller (as a register)  21 , a belt transfer section  22 , and an array of inkjet heads  23 K,  23 C,  23 M, and  23 Y. 
     The register roller  21  is configured to receive a non-printed print sheet PA fed from the feeding portion  2  through the confluent portion  7 , and set in position, before sending the positioned non-printed print sheet PA to the belt transfer section  22 . The register roller  21  is configured also to receive a one-side printed print sheet PA re-fed from the inverting portion  6  through the confluent portion  7 , and set in position, to send to the belt transfer section  22 . 
     The belt transfer section  22  is configured to hold thereon by sucking a print sheet PA sent thereover from the register roller  21 , to transfer to the drying portion  4 . The belt transfer section  22  includes four pulleys  25 , a transfer belt  26 , and a suction fan  27 . The transfer belt  26  is applied over the four pulleys  25 . The transfer belt  26  has suction holes formed therethrough. The suction fan  27  causes downward airstreams, whereby the print sheet PA is sucked onto suction holes of the transfer belt  26 . 
     The array of inkjet heads  23 K,  23 C,  23 M, and  23 Y is configured to propel out droplets of aqueous inks onto a print sheet PA, thereby printing images thereon. Inkjet heads  23 K,  23 C,  23 M, and  23 Y are supplied with a black ink, a cyan ink, a magenta ink, and a yellow ink, respectively. 
     The drying portion  4  is configured to transfer a printed print sheet PA, while drying. The drying portion  4  is disposed downstream of the printing portion  3 . The drying portion  4  includes a drying duct  31 , three pairs of transfer rollers  32 , and a heating blower or fan  33 . 
     The drying duct  31  is configured to guide a printed print sheet PA, while holding heat of air sent from the heating blower or fan  33 . The drying duct  31  is built along the normal route RC. The drying duct  31  has a transfer space (non-depicted) defined therein as part of normal route RC for transfer of print sheet PA. The transfer rollers  32  are adapted to transfer the printed print sheet PA in the drying duct  31 . The heating blower or fan  33  is configured to send heating air inside the drying duct  31 , to thereby dry the printed print sheet PA being transferred in the drying duct  31 . 
     The discharging portion  5  is configured to discharge a printed print sheet PA in a stacking manner. The discharging portion  5  is disposed downstream of the drying portion  4 . The discharging portion  5  constitutes a downstream end of the normal route RC. The discharging portion  5  includes a route selector  41 , two pairs of discharge rollers  42 , and a stacking rack  43 . 
     The route selector  41  is configured to select a transfer route of print sheet PA between the normal route RC and the inversion route PA to be used in duplex printing. Print sheets PA are each transferred to the stacking rack  43  or the inverting portion  6 , whichever is selected by the route selector  41 . The paired discharge rollers  42  are configured to discharge a print sheet PA onto the stacking rack  43 . The stacking rack  43  is configured to stack thereon printed print sheets PA discharged by the discharge rollers  42 . The stacking rack  43  is inclined to afford an enhanced edge trimming of discharged sheets. 
     The inverting portion  6  is configured to invert a one-side printed print sheet PA, to transfer to the printing portion  3 . The inverting portion  6  includes a pair of outward rollers  61 , a flipper  62 , a pair of reciprocating rollers  63 , a switchback section  64 , and a pair of homeward rollers  65 . 
     The paired outward rollers  61  are configured to receive a one-side printed print sheet PA transferred from the drying portion  4  through the route selector  41 , and transfer to the paired reciprocating rollers  63 . The flipper  62  is configured to receive a print sheet PA transferred by the outward rollers  61 , and guide to the reciprocating rollers  63 . The flipper  62  works to guide the print sheet PA being transferred by the reciprocating rollers  63 , to the paired homeward rollers  65 . 
     The reciprocating rollers  63  are configured to carry a print sheet PA into the switchback section  64 . The reciprocating rollers  63  work to receive a print sheet PA carried out from the switchback section  64 , and transfer to the homeward rollers  65 . It is noted that the reciprocating rollers  63  have a direction of rotation in the carrying-in to the switchback section  64 , which is opposite to a direction of rotation the reciprocating rollers  63  have in the carrying-out from the switchback section  64 . The switchback section  64  works to receive a print sheet PA carried in by the reciprocating rollers  63 , and carry out to the reciprocating rollers  63 . The switchback section  64  is configured with an internal space defined inside the stacking rack  43 . The homeward rollers  65  are configured to receive a print sheet PA transferred from the reciprocating rollers  63 , and transfer to the register roller  21 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the confluent portion  7  is configured to guide a received print sheet PA, whether it is printed or non-printed, to the register roller  21 . The confluent portion  7  has five guide plates  71 ,  72 ,  73 ,  74 , and  75 . Among them, the guide plates  71  and  72  are adapted to cooperate with each other to work as a pair of specific constituent elements of a first guide portion according to the first embodiment. The guide plates  71  and  72  are configured as a first pair of guide plates tapered to define an opening (as a first opening) to be open to a printed print sheet PA carried out to re-feed from the switchback section  64 . Among the guide plates  72 ,  73 ,  74 , and  75 , the guide plates  72  and  73  are adapted to cooperate with each other to work as a pair of collateral constituent elements of a second guide portion according to the first embodiment, the guide plates  72  and  73  being configured as a second pair of guide plates tapered to define an opening (as a second opening) to be open to a non-printed print sheet PA carried out to feed from the side feed rack  11 . Further, the guide plates  74  and  75  are adapted to cooperate with each other to work as a pair of collateral constituent elements of the second guide portion according to the first embodiment, the guide plates  74  and  75  being configured as another second pair of guide plates tapered to define an opening (as another second opening) to be open to a non-printed print sheet PA carried out to feed from any one of the internal feed trays  12   a  to  12   d . Like configuration will be employed also in the second and third embodiments. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the first opening has an opening angle defined as a crossing angle (θ 1 ) between tangential lines at sheet carry-in ends of the first pair of guide plates. The second openings each have an opening angle defined as a crossing angle (θ 2  or θ 3 ) between tangential lines at sheet carry-in ends of a corresponding one of the second pairs of guide plates. Providing such definitions, guide plates used may be circular in profile, or bent or flexed to have intersecting planar surfaces. 
     The guide plate  71  and the guide plate  72  cooperate with each other to receive a one-side printed print sheet PA transferred from the inverting portion  6 , and guide to the register roller  21 . The guide plates  71  and  72  have a transverse width substantially equal to a maximum printable width of print sheet PA. The guide plate  71  is formed to be circular in shape at an inlet end thereof. This permits a print sheet PA to be smoothly carried in between guide plates  71  and  72 . The guide plate  72  is flexed at an intermediate part thereof. The guide plates  71  and  72  are disposed on opposite sides to each other with an end of the inversion route RR in between. The guide plate  71  and the guide plate  72  mutually cooperate to define an outlet opening in a vicinity of the register roller  21 . The guide plate  72  and the guide plate  73  cooperate with each other to receive a non-printed print sheet PA fed from the side feed track  11 , and guide to the register roller  21 . 
     The guide plates  72  and  73  have a transverse width substantially equal to a maximum printable width of print sheet PA. The guide plates  72  and  73  are disposed on opposite sides to each other, with an end of the feed route RS from the side feed track  11  in between. The guide plate  72  and the guide plate  73  mutually cooperate to define an outlet opening in a vicinity of the register roller  21 . 
     The guide plate  74  and the guide plate  75  cooperate with each other to receive a non-printed print sheet PA fed from any one of the internal feed trays  12   a  to  12   d , and guide to the register roller  21 . The guide plates  74  and  75  have a transverse width substantially equal to a maximum printable width of print sheet PA. The guide plate  75  is formed to be circular in shape. This permits a print sheet PA to be smoothly carried out to the register roller  21 . The guide plates  74  and  75  are disposed on opposite sides to each other with an end of the feed route RS from the system of internal feed trays  12   a  to  12   d  in between. The guide plate  74  and the guide plate  75  mutually cooperate to define an outlet opening in a vicinity of the register roller  21 . 
     Here, the print sheet PA re-fed from the inverting portion  6  is curled due to affects of aqueous inks printed on one side thereof. On the other hand, the print sheet PA fed from the feed rack  11  or any one of the feed trays  12   a  to  12   d  is non-printed, and remains substantially flat. Accordingly, between the inlet opening for a print sheet PA re-fed from the inverting portion  6  and the inlet openings for a print sheet fed from the feed rack  11  or any one of the feed trays  12   a  to  12   d , the former had better be greater than the latter. In the duplex printer  1  with this point in view, the opening angle θ 1  is set to be greater than the opening angles θ 2  and θ 3 . That is, the guide plates  71  to  75  are formed and arranged in compliance with θ 1 &gt;θ 2  and θ 1 &gt;θ 3 . 
     (Printing Actions) 
     Description is now made of printing actions of the duplex printer  1  according to the first embodiment. 
     First, description is made of actions in one-side printing. Initially, there is a non-printed print sheet PA being fed from the feed rack  11  or any one of the feed trays  12   a  to  12   d , by associated feed rollers  13 , along a feed route RS. If the print sheet PA is fed from the feed rack  11 , it is guided by the combination of guide plate  72  and guide plate  73  in the confluent portion  7 , to the register roller  21  in the printing portion  3 . Instead, if the print sheet PA is fed from any one of the feed trays  12   a  to  12   d , it is guided by the combination of guide plate  74  and guide plate  75  in the confluent portion  7 , to the register roller  21  in the printing portion  3 . 
     The printing portion  3  thus has a print sheet PA sent thereto by the register roller  21 , and sucked by the suction fan  27  onto the transfer belt  26 , to transfer therewith. Then, the inkjet heads  23 K to  23 Y propel out droplets of aqueous inks onto the print sheet PA being transferred, to print images thereon. Here, with aqueous inks being printed, the print sheet PA has tendencies to deform into a curled state. After the printing, the print sheet PA is still transferred at the belt transfer section  22 , to forward into the drying duct  31  of the drying portion  4 . 
     At the drying portion  4 , the print sheet PA is transferred by transfer rollers  32  through a transfer space defined inside the drying duct  31 , while being guided by wall of the drying duct  31 . In the transfer space in the drying duct  31  there are streams of heated air sent from the heating blower or fan  31 . Heated air is streaming along the transfer space in the drying duct  31 . The print sheet PA being transferred in the drying duct  31  thus travels in heated air. Therefore, the print sheet PA having been moist with aqueous inks is dried in the drying duct  31 , having moisture of aqueous inks promoted to permeate to the backside. As a result, the print sheet PA has reduced tendencies to curl. In due course, the print sheet PA is carried out from the drying duct  31 , and transferred to the discharging portion  5 . At the discharging portion  5 , the print sheet PA is guided by the route selector  41 , and carried by discharge rollers  42 , to discharge onto the stacking rack  43 . For any print sheet, the one-side printing is thus completed. 
     Next, description is made of actions in duplex (double side) printing. Initially there is a print sheet PA having images printed on one side thereof (referred herein to as a first print side), and transferred to the route selector  41 , like that in one-side printing. In the duplex printing, the print sheet PA is guided by the route selector  41  to the inversion route RR of the inverting portion  6 . At the inverting portion  6 , the print sheet PA is forwarded by the outward rollers  61  to the reciprocating rollers  63 , while being guided by the flipper  62 . Then, the print sheet PA is carried by the reciprocating rollers  63  into the switchback section  64  for a temporary inversion, and carried out thereof to the reciprocating rollers  63 . This print sheet PA is forwarded to the homeward rollers  65  by the reciprocating rollers  63  rotating in an opposite direction to the outward travel, while being guided by the flipper  62 . As a result, the print sheet PA is inverted to transfer to the confluent portion  7 . The print sheet PA undergoing affects of aqueous inks has tendencies to curl along edges at both transverse ends, substantially over length thereof in the transfer direction. To this point, between the guide plate  71  and the guide plate  72 , the opening angle θ 1  is set to be greater than the opening angles θ 2  and θ 3 . This permits the print sheet PA being curled, if any, to be smoothly carried in between the guide plate  71  and the guide plate  72 . Thereafter, the print sheet PA is re-fed by the homeward rollers  65  to the register roller  21  in the printing portion  3 , while being guided by the guide plates  71  and  72 . 
     At the printing portion  3 , the print sheet PA is transferred by the register roller  21  and the belt transfer section  22 . In this travel, the print sheet PA has the other side thereof (referred herein to as a second print side) facing the inkjet heads  23 K to  23 Y. In this situation, the inkjet heads  23 K to  23 Y are controlled to print images on the second print side. In due course, the both-side printed print sheet PA is dried in the drying section  4 , while being transferred therethrough. Then, the print sheet PA is guided by the route selector  41 , and transferred to the discharging portion  5 . Thereafter, the print sheet PA is discharged onto the stacking rack  43 . For any sheet, the duplex printing of images on both first and second print sides thus comes to an end. 
     (Advantageous Effects of Printer) 
     Description is now made of advantageous effects of the duplex printer  1  according to the first embodiment. 
     In the duplex printer  1  described, the confluent portion  7  is configured with a first opening for one-side printed print sheets PA to be carried in thereto, and second openings for non-printed print sheets PA to be carried in thereto, the first opening being set up with an opening angle θ 1  greater than opening angles θ 2  and θ 3  of the second openings. This configuration permits any print sheet PA as printed on one side and curled to be smoothly introduced between guide plates  71  and  72 , to guide to the register roller  21 . As a result, the duplex printer  1  has successfully suppressed troubles in transfer of print sheet PA from the confluent portion  7  to the register roller  21 . Further, for non-printed print sheets PA subjected to less transfer troubles at the confluent portion  7 , the duplex printer  1  has the second openings set up with reduced opening angles θ 2  and θ 3  thus affording to implement the confluent portion  7  in a minimized scale. Accordingly, the duplex printer  1  is adapted to suppress transfer troubles, allowing for a minimized scale. 
     Second Embodiment 
     Description is now made of a second embodiment including a confluent portion modified from the embodiment described.  FIG. 4  is a schematic side view of the confluent portion according to the second embodiment. It is noted that with respect to the embodiment described, like elements are designated by like reference signs, omitting redundancy. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , according to the second embodiment, there is a confluent portion  7 A provided with an upper draw-in roller (as a draw-in member)  81  for a service to draw in a re-fed sheet. The upper draw-in roller  81  is configured to draw in a one-side printed print sheet PA, aiding the transfer to a register roller  21 . The upper draw-in roller  81  is disposed between an inlet end of a guide plate  71  and the register roller  21 . The upper draw-in roller  81  is partially inserted in a window  71   a  formed through the guide plate  71 . At the confluent portion  7   a , the one-side printed print sheet PA to be carried in has an upside as a non-printed side (i.e., a second print side) thereof facing upward. That is, the upper draw-in roller  81  is arranged to confront the non-printed side of one-side printed print sheet PA. 
     The upper draw-in roller  81  is driven to rotate by drive forces of a draw-in motor (non-depicted) controlled from a controller  9  (see  FIG. 1 ). The controller  9  is adapted to control the upper draw-in roller  81  to make a transfer speed of a print sheet PA by the upper draw-in roller  81  faster than a transfer speed that might have been set to simply carry in the print sheet PA between the guide plate  71  and a guide plate  72 . That is, the controller  9  is adapted for control to make the transfer speed by the upper draw-in roller  81  faster than a transfer speed by homeward rollers  65 . 
     According to the second embodiment described, there is a one-side printed print sheet PA transferred by homeward rollers  65  of an inverting portion  6  to carry in between the guide plate  71  and the guide plate  72 . The print sheet PA is pulled forward by the upper draw-in roller  81 , while being guided by the guide plates  71  and  72 , so even if the print sheet had an edge fold (as an occasionally folded edge or corner part) PAa, this part would have been unfolded by an increased transfer speed. According to the second embodiment, the confluent portion  7 A is thus adapted to use an accelerated speed to draw in an edge fold or edge folds PAa of a one-side printed print sheet PA, affording to unfold or reduce the edge fold or edge folds PAa of print sheet PA. Further, the confluent portion  7 A has the upper draw-in roller  81  facing a non-printed side of print sheet, allowing for suppressed image degradation, as well as enhanced smooth transfer of print sheet PA to the register roller  21 . 
     It is noted that the second embodiment has similar advantageous effects to the first embodiment. 
     Third Embodiment 
     Description is now made of a third embodiment including a confluent portion modified from the embodiments described.  FIG. 5  is a schematic side view of the confluent portion according to the third embodiment. It is noted that with respect to the embodiments described, like elements are designated by like reference signs, omitting redundancy. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , according to the third embodiment, there is a confluent portion  7 B provided with a lower draw-in roller  82  for a service to draw in a re-fed sheet. The lower draw-in roller  82  is disposed between an inlet end of a guide plate  72  and a register roller  21  composed of a pair of rollers. The lower draw-in roller  82  is partially inserted in a window  72   a  formed through the guide plate  72 . Accordingly, the lower draw-in roller  82  is cooperative with an upper draw-in roller  81  to nip a print sheet PA to transfer. 
     Preferably, the draw-in rollers  81  and  82  should have a coefficient of roller skin friction smaller than that of the register roller  21 . For instance, there may be a combination of draw-in rollers  81  and  82  having roller skins made of a POM (polyoxymethylene), and a register roller  21  having roller skins made of an NBR (acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber). 
     The draw-in rollers  81  and  82  may thus have a smaller coefficient of friction than the register roller  21 , permitting the register roller  21  to exert greater nip pressures. As a result, there may be suppressed troubles in transfer of print sheet from the draw-in rollers  81  and  82  to the register  21 . 
     Although illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described. The scope of the invention should be construed in accordance with appended claims in consideration of their equivalent scopes. The embodiments may be modified in part, as will be described below. 
     The embodiments described may have their constituent members modified in shape, arrangement, number, material, or the like, as necessary. 
     For instance, guide plates may be modified in shape, arrangement, or number, as necessary. In each embodiment described, although the guide plate  72  is configured as a single member doubled in use, the guide plate  72  may be configured as a combination of double members. Further, the guide plate  73  and the guide plate  74  may be integrated as a single member. 
     The drying duct has a measure for heating an inside thereof, which measure is not limited to the heating blower or fan, and may be implemented in any form capable of heating a print sheet. For instance, the drying duct may have a simple heating heater or heaters disposed in a transfer space therein. 
     Rollers may be replaced by other measures for transfer. For instance, the register roller as well as each draw-in roller may be may be substituted by a belt transfer measure disposed in a corresponding position.