IP Library Granted Patent US 8,141,971
Granted Patent B2
US 8,141,971 · App. 12/414,947 · Granted Mar 27, 2012

Image recording apparatus

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,141,971
App. No.
12/414,947
Granted
Mar 27, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image recording apparatus includes a recording section having a head holding member holding a plurality of head units ejecting ink, and a position adjusting mechanism including position adjusting members, each being provided for each head unit, for adjusting a position of the head unit relative to the head holding member according to movement thereof, a driving mechanism for generating a force moving the position adjusting member, and transmission mechanisms, each being provided for each position adjusting member, for transmitting the force generated by the driving mechanism to the position adjusting member, the driving mechanism selecting the transmission mechanism to be transmitted with the force from the plurality of transmission mechanisms to supply the force to only the selected transmission mechanism.

Claims (61)

1. An image recording apparatus comprising:

a recording section having a head holding member holding a plurality of head units ejecting inks; and

a position adjusting mechanism including position adjusting members, each being provided for each head unit, for adjusting a position of the head unit relative to the head holding member according to movement thereof, a driving mechanism for generating a force which moves the position adjusting member, and transmission mechanisms, each being provided for each position adjusting member, for transmitting the force generated by the driving mechanism to the position adjusting member,

the driving mechanism selecting the transmission mechanism to be transmitted with the force from the plurality of transmission mechanisms to supply the force to only the selected transmission mechanism.

2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the driving mechanism includes at least a shaft and moves the shaft in an axial direction of the shaft to select a transmission mechanism to be transmitted with the force from the plurality of the transmission mechanisms and rotate the shaft, thereby generating the force.

3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the recording section includes a head unit line configured by arranging the plurality of head units in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of the recording medium, and

the shaft is arranged so as to extend along the head unit line.

4. The image recording apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising positioning grooves formed on the shaft by the same number as the number of the transmission mechanisms, and

a positioning detecting section including fitting members fitted in the positioning grooves, wherein

when the shaft is moved in the axial direction, the transmission mechanism to be transmitted with the force is determined by selecting the positioning groove to be fitted with the fitting member.

5. The image recording apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein

at least one end of the shaft extends from the head holding member to the outside.

6. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the recording section includes at least a first head unit line and a second head unit line configured by arranging the plurality of head units in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of the recording medium, and

the shaft is arranged for each of the first head unit line and the second head unit line.

7. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the recording section includes at least a first head unit line and a second head unit line configured by arranging the plurality of head units in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of the recording medium, and

the shaft is arranged between the first head unit line and the second head unit line.

8. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising positioning grooves formed on the shaft in the same number as the number of the transmission mechanisms, and

a positioning detecting section including fitting members fitted in the positioning grooves, wherein

when the shaft is moved in the axial direction, the transmission mechanism to be transmitted with the force is determined by selecting the positioning groove to be fitted with the fitting member.

9. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

at least one end of the shaft extends from the head holding member to the outside.

10. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the driving mechanism further includes a gear, and

the transmission mechanism to be transmitted with the force is selected by moving the shaft in the axial direction, and the force genera-ted by rotating the shaft is supplied to the selected transmission mechanism via the gear.

11. The image recording apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein

the recording section includes a head unit line configured by arranging the plurality of head units in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of the recording medium, and

the shaft is arranged so as to extend along the head unit line.

12. The image recording apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein

the gear is fixed to the shaft, and

the position of the gear is caused to coincide with the position of the transmission mechanism for transmitting the force by moving the shaft in the axial direction of the shaft and the gear rotates the shaft at the position of the gear.

13. The image recording apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein

the gear is provided for each transmission gear.

14. The image recording apparatus according to claim 12 , further comprising positioning grooves formed on the shaft in the same number as the number of the transmission mechanisms, and

a positioning detecting section including fitting members fitted in the positioning grooves, wherein

when the shaft is moved in the axial direction, the transmission mechanism to be transmitted with the force is determined by selecting the positioning groove to be fitted with the fitting member.

15. The image recording apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein

at least one end of the shaft extends from the head holding member to the outside.

16. The image recording apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein

the shaft includes protruding portions, and

the gears are disposed at positions corresponding to the transmission mechanisms and the respective gears are formed with holes which allow movement of the shaft and the protruding portions in the axial direction, where the positions of the protruding portions are caused to coincide with the positions of the gears arranged corresponding to the transmission mechanisms for transmitting the force by moving the shaft in the axial direction of the shaft, and the shaft and the gear is integrally rotated by the protruding portion according to rotating of the shaft at the position of the gear.

17. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the position adjusting member includes

a first position adjusting member which abuts on an end portion of the head unit to press the head unit, thereby moving the head unit in a widthwise direction of the recording medium, and

a second position adjusting member which abuts on an end portion of the head unit to press the head unit, thereby moving the head unit in an oblique direction based upon the widthwise direction of the recording medium.

18. An image recording apparatus comprising:

a recording section including a head holding member having a plurality of head units ejecting ink arranged in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of a recording medium; and

a position adjusting mechanism including position adjusting members, each being provided for each head unit, for adjusting a position of the head unit relative to the head holding member according to movement thereof, a driving mechanism for generating a force which moves the position adjusting member, and transmission mechanisms, each being provided for each position adjusting member, for transmitting the force generated by the driving mechanism to the position adjusting member,

the driving mechanism selecting the transmission mechanism to be transmitted with the force from the plurality of transmission mechanisms according to movement in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the recording medium, thereby supplying the force to only the selected transmission mechanism.

19. The image recording apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein

the driving mechanism includes a shaft extending in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the recording medium and gears, and

the driving mechanism selecting the transmission mechanism to be transmitted with the force from the plurality of transmission mechanisms by moving the shaft in the axial direction of the shaft, the force is generated by rotating the shaft, and the generated force is supplied to the selected transmission mechanism via the gear.

20. An image recording apparatus comprising:

a recording section including a head holding member having a plurality of head units ejecting ink arranged in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of a recording medium;

a position adjusting mechanism including position adjusting members, each being provided for each head unit, for adjusting a position of the head unit relative to the head holding member according to movement thereof, a driving mechanism for generating a force which moves the position adjusting member, and transmission mechanisms, each being provided for each position adjusting member, for transmitting the force generated by the driving mechanism to the position adjusting member;

an imaging section which images an image recorded on the recording medium by the recording section; and

a control section calculating adjusting amounts of the head units from the image imaged by the imaging section to control the position adjusting mechanism based upon the calculated adjusting amounts, wherein

the driving mechanism selects the transmission mechanism to be transmitted with the force from the plurality of transmission mechanisms according to movement in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the recording medium based upon the adjusting amounts calculated by the control section, thereby supplying the force to only the selected transmission mechanism.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 7, 2011
From: ORTEK CORPORATION
To: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 027343/0269 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2011
From: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
To: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 026512/0638 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 31, 2011
From: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
To: ORTEK CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 026110/0639 →