Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Ejector mechanism
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-01
2001-03-06
Le, N. (Department: 2861)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Ejector mechanism
C347S032000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196653
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an ink jet printer.
Generally, an ink jet printer uses an ink which is solid at a room temperature and which is molten when heated. In such an ink jet printer, a print head has ink nozzles through which ink droplets are emerged to a recording media such as a paper. Further, the print head has a hopper for storing the solid ink in the shape of pellets therein. The hopper is provided with a heater for melting the ink pellets stored in the hopper. The print head is movable in a direction perpendicular to a feeding path of the recording media.
In order to supply ink pellets to the print head, a supply station is provided at one side of the feeding path of the recording media. On supplying ink pellets to the print head, the print head moves to the supply station, where the ink pellets are supplied to the print head by means of a supply mechanism.
In order to prevent the clogging of the ink nozzles and to remove contamination of the ink nozzles, a maintenance station is provided to the other side of the feeding path of the recording media. When the print head moves to the maintenance station, a maintenance mechanism feeds a dummy sheet, so that the print head is able to emerge ink droplets to the dummy sheet.
However, since the supply mechanism and the maintenance mechanism are actuated by separate actuators, the cost of the ink jet printer is relatively high. Since the supply mechanism and the maintenance mechanism are not used at the same time, there is a strong demand for an ink jet printer in which a supply mechanism and a maintenance mechanism are actuated by a common actuator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an ink jet printer in which a supply mechanism and a maintenance mechanism are actuated by a common actuator.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ink jet printer including a feeder which feeds a recording media along a feeding path, a print head (having ink nozzles) movable in a direction across the feeding path, a supply station in which the print head is provided with ink be means of a supply mechanism, a maintenance station in which a predetermined operation is performed on the print head by means of the maintenance mechanism, an actuator, a first clutch which transmits the power of the actuator to the supply mechanism only when the print head is located in the supply station, and a second clutch which transmits the power of the actuator to the maintenance mechanism only when the print head is located in the maintenance station.
As constructed above, the supply mechanism and the maintenance mechanism are actuated by the same actuator. Thus, the number of actuators can be reduced, so that the manufacturing cost of the ink jet printer can be reduced.
In a preferred embodiment, the supply station and the maintenance station are located outside of the feeding path of the recording media. Particularly, the supply station are provided at one side of the feeding path, while the maintenance station is provided at the other side of the feeding path.
In a particular arrangement, the first clutch is connected due to the movement of the print head when the print head moves into the supply station. Further, the first clutch is disconnected due to the movement of the print head when the print head moves out of the supply station. Since the first clutch is connected/disconnected by the movement of the print head, the control system becomes simple.
In a particular case, the first clutch includes a drive member linked to the actuator and a driven member linked to the supply mechanism. The drive member is moved with respect to the driven member in response to the movement of the print head, so that the drive member and the driven member selectively engage and disengage with each other. With this, the first clutch can be connected/disconnected in a simple manner.
Conveniently, the first clutch further includes a biasing member which biases the drive member in a direction toward the driven member, when the print head is located in the supply station. Thus, the engagement of the drive member and the driven member is maintained.
Advantageously, the biasing member biases the drive member in a direction away from the driven member, when the print head is located out of the supply station. With this, once the print head moves out of the supply station, the unintentional engagement of the drive member and the driven member is prevented.
In another particular arrangement, the second clutch is connected due to the movement of the print head when the print head moves into the maintenance station. Further, the second clutch is disconnected due to the movement of the print head when the print head moves out of the maintenance station. Since the second clutch is connected/disconnected by the movement of the print head, the control system becomes simple.
In a particular case, the second unit including a planetary gear unit (including a central gear, a pinion meshing with the central gear and a rotatable arm supporting the pinion), a drive gear linked to the actuator and meshing the central gear, a driven gear linked to the maintenance mechanism, and an urging mechanism which urges the rotatable arm. The urging mechanism urges the rotatable arm to disable a meshing of the pinion and the driven gear when the print head is located out of the maintenance station. The urging mechanism does not urge the rotatable arm when the print head is located in the maintenance station. Thus, the second clutch can be connected/disconnected in a simple manner. It is preferred to provide a contact lever which is to be pushed by the print head and which is linked to the urging mechanism.
In a development of the invention, the feeder is actuated by the actuator. Since the feeder is actuated by the actuator as well as the supply mechanism and the maintenance mechanism, the number of actuators can be further reduced. Accordingly, the manufacturing cost of the ink jet printer can be further reduced.
In one case, the actuator is able to rotate in two directions. The feeder is driven by a rotation of the actuator of one direction. The maintenance mechanism is driven by a rotation of the actuator of the other direction. Further, the supply mechanism is driven by a rotation of the actuator of one direction and by a rotation of the actuator of the other direction.
In a preferred embodiment, the ink is obtained by melting solid pellets. In such case, the supply mechanism is arranged to supply the solid pellets to the print head. Since the ink is supplied (to the print head) in the form of pellets, the arrangement for supplying the ink becomes simple.
Further, in the maintenance station, the maintenance mechanism feeds a sheet so that the print head is able to emerge ink droplets on the sheet. With this, it is possible to prevent the clogging of the nozzle and to remove contamination from the nozzle.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a feeder which feeds a recording media along a feeding path, a print head movable in a direction across the feeding path, a supply mechanism (provided at one side of the feeding path) which supplies ink to the print head, a maintenance mechanism (provided at the other side of the feeding path) which operates a predetermined operation, a first clutch which transmits the power of the actuator to the supply mechanism only when the print head is located in the above-mentioned one side, and a second clutch which transmits the power of the actuator to the maintenance mechanism only when the print head is located in the above-mentioned other side.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4870430 (1989-09-01), Daggett et al.
patent: 5148203 (1992-09-01), Hirano
patent: 5793399 (1998-08-01), Kawakami et al.
patent: 6030073 (2000-02-01), Coiner et al.
patent: 0714775A2 (1996-06-01), None
patent: 403151247A (1991-06-01), None
Igarashi Hiroshi
Ishii Makoto
Kimura Shinji
Nakata Takashi
Ogawa Hiroo
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Hsieh Shih-Wen
Le N.
Oliff & Beridge PLC
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