IP Library › Granted Patent US 12668073

Granted Patent B2

US 12668073 · App. 18/465,617 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Printing apparatus

Inventors: Hiroaki Takahashi (Nagoya, JP); Yasuo Nishikawa (Nagoya, JP); Yoshimitsu Taniguchi (Tajimi, JP); Kosuke Inuzuka (Nagoya, JP)

Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA

B41J29/13 B41J11/0045 B41J11/706 B41J13/10

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12668073
App. No.: 18/465,617
Granted: Jun 30, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

There is provided a printing apparatus including: a casing, an opening/closing part, a printing part, a processing unit and a shielding part. The casing has an opening. The opening/closing part is movable to a first position to a second position. The printing part has an installment part and prints an image on a print medium. The processing unit is arranged on a downstream side in a conveyance direction, of the print medium, with respect to the printing part and processes the print medium. The shielding part shields at least a part of the processing unit. When the opening/closing part is at the second position, the opening is capable of releasing a location above the installment part or a part, of the installment part. When the opening/closing part is at the second position, the shielding part shields at least the part of the processing unit.

Claims (134)

1 . A printing apparatus comprising:

a casing in which an opening is defined;

an opening/closing part configured to be movable to a first position at which the opening/closing part covers the opening and to a second position at which the opening/closing part releases the opening;

a printing part including an installment part in which a cartridge is installable, and configured to print an image on a print medium;

a processing unit arranged on a downstream side in a conveying direction, of the print medium, with respect to the printing part, and configured to process the print medium having the image printed thereon by the printing part, the processing unit being configured to perform at least one of cutting the print medium, imparting a creasing to the print medium, or imparting a perforation to the print medium; and

a shielding part configured to shield at least a part of the processing unit, wherein

in a case that the opening/closing part is located at the second position, the opening is located at a position at which the opening releases a location above the installment part or a part, of the installment part, on the downstream side in the conveying direction to an outside of the casing,

in a case that the opening/closing part is located at the second position, the shielding part is configured to shield at least the part of the processing unit from the outside of the casing, and

the shielding part is configured to move, accompanying with a first action in which the opening/closing part is moved from the first position to the second position, so that the shielding part shields at least the part of the processing unit from the outside of the casing.

2 . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the shielding part is rotatable in an inside of the casing, and configured to make contact with a first contact part, which is provided on the opening/closing part, and to rotate accompanying with the first action, to thereby move from a contact position at which the shielding part is capable of making contact with the first contact part to a shielding position at which the shielding part shields at least the part of the processing unit from the outside of the casing.

3 . The printing apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a second contact part located on a rotation shaft, which is configured to rotate the shielding part, and configured to rotate accompanying with a rotation of the shielding part, wherein

the second contact part makes contact with the first contact part and rotates, accompanying with a second action in which the opening/closing part is moved from the second position to the first position, thereby causing the shielding part to move from the shielding position to the contact position.

4 . A printing apparatus comprising:

a casing in which an opening is defined;

a printing part including an installment part in which a cartridge is installable, and configured to print an image on a print medium;

a shielding part configured to shield at least a part of the processing unit, wherein

in a case that the opening/closing part is located at the second position, the shielding part is configured to shield at least the part of the processing unit from the outside of the casing, and

the printing part includes a head carriage configured to hold a liquid discharging head including a nozzle for discharging a liquid, and

the shielding part is a supporting frame configured to movably support the head carriage.

5 . The printing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein

the printing part further includes a head carriage and a platen.

6 . The printing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein

the processing unit is a cutter unit having a cutter carriage, a plurality of blades, and a cutter supporting part.

7 . The printing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein

in a case that the opening/closing part is located at the second position, the installment part is exposed from the opening of the casing.

8 . The printing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein

the shielding part is configured to shield at least the part of the cutter unit from the outside of the casing as the installment part is viewed through the opening.

9 . A printing apparatus comprising:

a casing in which an opening is defined;

a printing part including an installment part in which a cartridge is installable, and configured to print an image on a print medium;

a shielding part configured to shield at least a part of the processing unit, wherein

in a case that the opening/closing part is located at the second position, the shielding part is configured to shield at least the part of the processing unit from the outside of the casing, and

the printing apparatus further comprises a substrate configured to control the printing part, wherein

the shielding part is a partitioning part configured to partition the processing unit from a wiring electrically connecting the printing part and the substrate.

10 . The printing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein

the partitioning part is configured to support the wiring.

11 . The printing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein

the printing part further includes a head carriage and a platen.

12 . The printing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein

the processing unit is a cutter unit having a cutter carriage, a plurality of blades, and a cutter supporting part.

13 . The printing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein

in a case that the opening/closing part is located at the second position, the installment part is exposed from the opening of the casing.

14 . The printing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein

the shielding part is configured to shield at least the part of the cutter unit from the outside of the casing as the installment part is viewed through the opening.

15 . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the opening is located at a position at which the opening is capable of releasing, to the outside of the casing, the part of the installment part on the downstream side in the conveying direction and in a front wall on the downstream side in conveying direction of the casing, and

the shielding part is a part of the front wall on the downstream side in a conveyance direction of the casing.

16 . A printing apparatus comprising:

a casing in which an opening is defined;

a printing part including an installment part in which a cartridge is installable, and configured to print an image on a print medium;

a shielding part configured to shield at least a part of the processing unit, wherein

in a case that the opening/closing part is located at the second position, the shielding part is configured to shield at least the part of the processing unit from the outside of the casing,

the opening is located at the location above the installment part and in an upper wall of the casing, and

the shielding part is a part of the upper wall of the casing.

17 . The printing apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein

the printing part further includes a head carriage and a platen.

18 . The printing apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein

the processing unit is a cutter unit having a cutter carriage, a plurality of blades, and a cutter supporting part.

19 . The printing apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein

in a case that the opening/closing part is located at the second position, the installment part is exposed from the opening of the casing.

20 . The printing apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein

the shielding part is configured to shield at least the part of the cutter unit from the outside of the casing as the installment part is viewed through the opening.

21 . A printing apparatus comprising:

a casing in which an opening is defined;

a printing part including an installment part in which a cartridge is installable, and configured to print an image on a print medium;

a shielding part configured to shield at least a part of the processing unit, wherein

in a case that the opening/closing part is located at the second position, the shielding part is configured to shield at least the part of the processing unit from the outside of the casing,

the printing part includes a head carriage configured to hold a liquid discharging head including a nozzle, and

the processing unit is located below the head carriage.

22 . The printing apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein

the shielding part is the head carriage configured to cover a location above the processing unit.

23 . The printing apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein

the printing part further includes a head carriage and a platen.

24 . The printing apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein

the processing unit is a cutter unit having a cutter carriage, a plurality of blades, and a cutter supporting part.

25 . The printing apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein

in a case that the opening/closing part is located at the second position, the installment part is exposed from the opening of the casing.

26 . The printing apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein

the shielding part is configured to shield at least the part of the cutter unit from the outside of the casing as the installment part is viewed through the opening.

27 . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the printing part further includes a head carriage and a platen.

28 . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the processing unit is a cutter unit having a cutter carriage, a plurality of blades, and a cutter supporting part.

29 . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

in a case that the opening/closing part is located at the second position, the installment part is exposed from the opening of the casing.

30 . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the shielding part is configured to shield at least the part of the cutter unit from the outside of the casing as the installment part is viewed through the opening.

31 . A printing apparatus comprising:

a casing in which an opening is defined;

a printing part including an installment part in which a cartridge is installable, and configured to print an image on a print medium;

a shielding part configured to shield at least a part of the processing unit, wherein

in a case that the opening/closing part is located at the second position, the shielding part is configured to shield at least the part of the processing unit from the outside of the casing, and

the processing unit is configured to move, accompanying with a first action in which the opening/closing part is moved from the first position to the second position, so that the shielding part shields at least the part of the processing unit from the outside of the casing.

32 . The printing apparatus according to claim 31 , wherein

the printing part further includes a head carriage and a platen.

33 . The printing apparatus according to claim 31 , wherein

the processing unit is a cutter unit having a cutter carriage, a plurality of blades, and a cutter supporting part.

34 . The printing apparatus according to claim 31 , wherein

in a case that the opening/closing part is located at the second position, the installment part is exposed from the opening of the casing.

35 . The printing apparatus according to claim 31 , wherein

the shielding part is configured to shield at least the part of the cutter unit from the outside of the casing as the installment part is viewed through the opening.

36 . A printing apparatus comprising:

a casing in which an opening is defined;

a printing part including an installment part in which a cartridge is installable, and configured to print an image on a print medium;

a shielding part configured to shield at least a part of the processing unit, wherein

in a case that the opening/closing part is located at the second position, the shielding part is configured to shield at least the part of the processing unit from the outside of the casing, and

the shielding part is a holder configured to hold a guide member which is configured to guide, to the conveying direction, the printing medium having the image printed thereon by the printing part.

37 . The printing apparatus according to claim 36 , wherein

the printing part further includes a head carriage and a platen.

38 . The printing apparatus according to claim 36 , wherein

the processing unit is a cutter unit having a cutter carriage, a plurality of blades, and a cutter supporting part.

39 . The printing apparatus according to claim 36 , wherein

in a case that the opening/closing part is located at the second position, the installment part is exposed from the opening of the casing.

40 . The printing apparatus according to claim 36 , wherein

the shielding part is configured to shield at least the part of the cutter unit from the outside of the casing as the installment part is viewed through the opening.