Inkjet recording apparatus

• US 9,290,021 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2012
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Samoto, Kenji, Koga, Yuji, Kawamata, Noriyuki, Sugiyama, Wataru, Ito, Tsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Valencia, Alejandro
• Application Number:
  US13/628,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20130135388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/005 Guides in the printing zone, e.g. guides for preventing contact of conveyed sheets with printhead
• 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

Abstract

An image forming device may include a contact member and a support member configured to support a recording portion. In one or more arrangements, the contact member may be disposed on the support member and include a contact portion configured to contact a sheet being conveyed. In some examples, the support member may include a carriage frame. Additionally or alternatively, the image forming device may include a platen having a plurality of ribs. In one or more examples, the ribs may be configured to form a corrugated shape in a sheet in conjunction with the contact member. Still further, one or more of the ribs and the contact member may be movable.

Claims

1. An inkjet recording apparatus, comprising:

a conveyor configured to convey a sheet along a conveying direction, the conveyor including a roller configured to contact a first surface of the sheet, and another conveyor part configured to contact a second surface of the sheet opposite to the first surface of the sheet, the roller and the other conveyor part configured to form a nip point therebetween;

a recording portion configured to eject ink droplets from nozzles onto the sheet;

a support member configured to support the recording portion to be movable along a scanning direction, the support member including a first surface and a second surface, the first surface being opposite to the second surface in a direction perpendicular to both the scanning direction and the conveying direction; and

a contact member disposed on the support member and comprising a first portion, a second portion and a contact portion configured to contact the first surface of the sheet between the nozzles and the conveyor with respect to the conveying direction, the second portion disposed between the first portion and the contact portion,

wherein the recording portion contacts the first surface of the support member,

wherein the first portion of the contact member contacts the second surface of the support member when the contact portion is in contact with the sheet, and

wherein the second portion of the contact member extends from a first position to a second position downstream of the roller and the other conveyor part of the conveyor in the conveying direction, a part of the second portion disposed at the first position being closer to the support member in the direction perpendicular to both the scanning direction and the conveying direction than a rotational axis of the roller, wherein the second portion does not overlap either the roller or the other conveyor part of the conveyor along any axis parallel to the scanning direction.

2. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the support member has an opening having a first size and extending from the first surface to the second surface, and

wherein the contact member further comprises:

a protruding portion having substantially the same size as the opening having the first size, wherein the protruding portion is configured to engage with the opening; and

an engaging portion disposed on the protruding portion and having a size that is larger than the opening having the first size, wherein the engaging portion is configured to engage with the support member.

3. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the protruding portion and the engaging portion form an attaching portion,

wherein the contact member further comprises a plurality of attaching portions,

wherein the support member has a plurality of openings of the first size, and

wherein the engaging portion is configured to engage with the support member in the direction perpendicular to both the scanning direction and the conveying direction.

4. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the contact member further comprises a projection, and

wherein the support member comprises a locating portion configured to receive the projection.

5. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of attaching portions are arranged on the contact member along the scanning direction,

wherein the projection is disposed between the plurality of attaching portions with respect to the scanning direction, and

wherein the plurality of openings are arranged on the support member along the scanning direction, wherein the locating portion is disposed between the plurality of openings with respect to the scanning direction.

6. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the support member further comprises:

an opening having a second size larger than the engaging portion,

wherein the opening having the first size extends to the opening having the second size.

7. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the opening of the first size extends from the opening of the second size in the scanning direction.

8. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a platen configured to support the sheet,

wherein the first portion of the contact member is disposed upstream of the conveyor with respect to the conveying direction, and

wherein the second portion of the contact member further comprises:

an arm having one end supporting the contact portion; and

a guide portion supported by the one end of the arm, wherein the guide portion is inclined toward the platen and extends toward the conveyor in a direction opposite to the conveying direction, and

wherein the guide portion is configured to guide the sheet conveyed by the conveyor to the contact portion.

9. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein an upstream end of the guide portion with respect to the conveying direction is located upstream of a downstream end of the conveyor with respect to the conveying direction.

10. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein first portion of the contact member further comprises a restricting portion configured to come into contact with the second surface of the support member, and wherein the contact member is configured to move between a first pressing position and a second pressing position with respect to a pressing direction in which the contact portion presses the sheet, and

wherein the engaging portion contacts the first surface of the support member and the restricting portion is not in contact with the second surface when the contact member is located in the first pressing position, and

wherein the restricting portion contacts the second surface of the support member when the contact member is located in the second pressing position.

11. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of contact members are disposed on the support member and wherein the plurality of contact members are spaced apart from each other with respect to the scanning direction.

12. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a platen, wherein the platen comprises a plurality of support ribs that protrude toward the recording portion, and

wherein the contact portion is disposed between a pair of support ribs of the plurality of support ribs with respect to the scanning direction, and

wherein a protruding edge of the pair of support ribs is located closer to the recording portion than an end of the contact portion, wherein the end of the contact portion is configured to come into contact with the sheet.

13. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a plurality of contact portions,

wherein each of the plurality of contact portions is disposed between a respective pair of support ribs of the plurality of support ribs.

14. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the contact portion overlaps the pair of support ribs with respect to the conveying direction.

15. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the platen is configured to move between a first platen position and a second platen position,

wherein a gap between the platen and the recording portion when the platen is located in the second platen position is greater than a gap between the platen and the recording portion when the platen is located in the first platen position, and

wherein the inkjet recording apparatus further comprises an urging member configured to urge the platen toward the recording portion.

16. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a platen movable between a first platen position and a second platen position, wherein the platen comprises a plurality of support ribs that protrude toward the recording portion,

wherein the contact portion is disposed between a pair of support ribs of the plurality of support ribs with respect to the scanning direction,

wherein when the platen is located in the first platen position, a protruding edge of the support rib is located closer to the recording portion than an end of the contact portion, and

when the platen is located in the second platen position, the end of contact portion is located closer to the recording portion than the protruding edge of the support rib.

17. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the contact member is configured to move between a first contact position and a second contact position,

wherein a gap between the contact portion and the platen when the contact member is located in the second contact position is greater than a gap between the contact portion and the platen when the contact member is located in the first contact position, and

wherein the inkjet recording apparatus further comprises an urging member configured to urge the contact member toward the platen.

18. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a platen comprising a plurality of support ribs that protrude toward the recording portion,

wherein the contact portion is disposed between a pair of support ribs of the plurality of support ribs with respect to the scanning direction,

wherein the contact member is movable between a first contact position and a second contact position,

wherein when the contact member is located in the first contact position, an end of the contact portion is located closer to the platen than a protruding edge of the support rib, and

when the contact member is located in the second contact position, the end of the contact portion is located closer to the recording portion than the protruding edge of the supporting rib.

19. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion is composed of elastic material.

20. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a platen configured to support the sheet, wherein the contact portion is inclined such that a downstream end of the contact portion is located closer to the platen than an upstream end of the contact portion with respect to the conveying direction.

21. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the contact portion decreases toward a downstream end with respect to the conveying direction and wherein a width of the contact portion, in the scanning direction, decreases toward the downstream end with respect to the conveying direction.

22. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a platen configured to support the sheet, wherein the contact portion comprises a contact rib that protrudes toward the platen and extends along the conveying direction.

24. The inkjet recording apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of physically distinct contact members,

wherein each of the plurality of physically distinct contact members is separately attached to the support member.

25. The inkjet recording apparatus of claim 1, wherein the contact member is movably disposed on the support member, and wherein the contact member is movable relative to the support member in the direction perpendicular to both the scanning direction and the conveying direction.

23. An inkjet recording apparatus comprising:

a conveyor configured to convey a sheet along a conveying direction, the conveyor including a roller configured to contact a first surface of the sheet, and another conveyor part configured to contact a second surface of the sheet opposite to the first surface of the sheet, the roller and the other conveyor part configured to form a nip point therebetween;

a platen disposed downstream of the conveyor with respect to the conveying direction and comprising a plurality of ribs;

a carriage disposed opposite to the platen and comprising a recording head configured to eject ink droplets from nozzles along a scanning direction;

a carriage frame configured to movably support the carriage, the carriage frame including a first surface and a second surface, the first surface being opposite to the second surface in a direction perpendicular to both the scanning direction and the conveying direction; and

a contact member comprising a first portion, a second portion and a contact portion configured to contact the sheet at a position between the conveyor and the nozzles with respect to the conveying direction, and wherein the contact portion is disposed between a pair of ribs of the plurality of ribs with respect to a moving direction of the carriage, the second portion disposed between the first portion and the contact portion,

wherein, when the platen is not supporting the sheet, a protruding edge of a support rib, of the plurality of ribs, is located closer to the carriage than an edge of the contact portion in a pressing direction in which the contact portion is configured to contact the sheet,

wherein the carriage contacts the first surface of the carriage frame,

wherein the contact member contacts the second surface of the carriage frame when the contact portion is in contact with the sheet, and

wherein the second portion of the contact member extends from a first position to a second position downstream of the roller and the other conveyor part of the conveyor in the conveying direction, a part of the second portion disposed at the first position being closer to the carriage frame in the direction perpendicular to both the scanning direction and the conveying direction than a rotational axis of the roller, wherein the second portion does not overlap either the roller or the other conveyor part of the conveyor along any axis parallel to the scanning direction.