MEDIUM SUPPORT UNIT, PRINTING APPARATUS, HEATING APPARATUS, AND PRINTING METHOD

• US 20180056675A1
• Filed: 08/25/2017
• Published: 03/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: WATANABE, Yusuke
• Granted Patent: US 10,449,787 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/0015 for treating before, during or after printing or for uniform coating or laminating the copy material before or after printing selective coating B41J2/2114
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/00216 using infrared [IR] radiation or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/06 Flat page-size platens or smaller flat platens having a greater size than line-size platens B41J11/0085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/58 Supply holders for sheets or fan-folded webs, e.g. shelves, tables, scrolls, pile holders
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/00 Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, specially adapted for supporting or handling copy material in short lengths, e.g. sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4078 Printing on textile
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/60 for printing on both faces of the printing material

Abstract

A medium support unit that supports a medium to be printed on by a printing apparatus includes a support section and a frame section. The support section has a first support face and a second support face that are capable of supporting the medium. The frame section retains the support section. The frame section includes a first placement portion that is placed on a base of the printing apparatus when the first support face is set as a printing face on which the medium is printed, and a second placement portion that is placed on the base when the second support face is set as the printing face.

Claims

1. A medium support unit that supports a medium to be printed on by a printing apparatus, the medium support unit comprising:

a support section having a first support face and a second support face that are capable of supporting the medium; and

a frame section that retains the support section, the frame section including

a first placement portion that is placed on a base of the printing apparatus when the first support face is set as a printing face on which the medium is printed, and

a second placement portion that is placed on the base when the second support face is set as the printing face.

2. The medium support unit according to claim 1, wherein the frame section is inserted between the first support face and the second support face to retain the support section.

3. The medium support unit according to claim 1, wherein the frame section pinches the support section from the first support face-side and the second support face-side to retain the support section.

4. The medium support unit according to claim 1, wherein

an inclined portion is provided at an outer peripheral portion of at least one of the first support face or the second support face, and

the inclined portion is inclined such that in a state in which the frame section is placed on the base, positions where the medium is supported at the printing face approach the base toward the outer edge of the outer peripheral portion.

5. The medium support unit according to claim 1, wherein the frame section is provided with a mark to indicate the orientation of the medium support unit when the medium support unit is placed on the base.

6. A printing apparatus comprising:

the medium support unit according to claim 1;

the base; and

a printing section that prints on the medium being supported by the support section of the medium support unit placed on the base.

7. A printing apparatus comprising:

the medium support unit according to claim 2;

the base; and

a printing section that prints on the medium being supported by the support section of the medium support unit placed on the base.

8. A printing apparatus comprising:

the medium support unit according to claim 3;

the base; and

a printing section that prints on the medium being supported by the support section of the medium support unit placed on the base.

9. A printing apparatus comprising:

the medium support unit according to claim 4;

the base; and

a printing section that prints on the medium being supported by the support section of the medium support unit placed on the base.

10. A printing apparatus comprising:

the medium support unit according to claim 5;

the base; and

a printing section that prints on the medium being supported by the support section of the medium support unit placed on the base.

11. The printing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein in a state in which the frame section is placed on the base, an open space is provided between the support section and the base.

12. A heating apparatus comprising:

a mounting portion mountable with the medium support unit according to claim 1; and

a heating section capable of heating both the first support face and the second support face of the support section of the medium support unit mounted to the mounting portion.

13. A heating apparatus comprising:

an mounting portion mountable with the medium support unit according to claim 2; and

a heating section capable of heating both the first support face and the second support face of the support section of the medium support unit mounted to the mounting portion.

14. A heating apparatus comprising:

an mounting portion mountable with the medium support unit according to claim 3; and

a heating section capable of heating both the first support face and the second support face of the support section of the medium support unit mounted to the mounting portion.

15. A heating apparatus comprising:

an mounting portion mountable with the medium support unit according to claim 4; and

a heating section capable of heating both the first support face and the second support face of the support section of the medium support unit mounted to the mounting portion.

16. A heating apparatus comprising:

an mounting portion mountable with the medium support unit according to claim 5; and

a heating section capable of heating both the first support face and the second support face of the support section of the medium support unit mounted to the mounting portion.

17. A printing method employing a medium support unit including

a support section having a first support face and a second support face that are capable of supporting a medium to be printed on by a printing apparatus, and

a frame section that is capable of retaining the support section, the frame section including

a first placement portion that is placed on a base of the printing apparatus when the first support face is set as a printing face on which the medium is printed, and

a second placement portion that is placed on the base when the second support face is set as the printing face, the printing method comprising:

placing the first placement portion on the base and printing on the medium on the first support face; and

placing the second placement portion on the base and printing on the medium on the second support face.