Recording apparatus

Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Ejector mechanism

Reexamination Certificate

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Reexamination Certificate

active

06312105

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus having a detachable cartridge, and more particularly relates to the attachment and detachment mechanism of a cartridge.
2. Related Background Art
As attachment and detachment mechanisms of a head cartridge provided for an ink jet recording apparatus, a reference pad, a contact pad, and a shelf-shaped member have been provided on the side of a head cartridge, the rear thereof, and the upper section of the rear thereof, respectively, and the head cartridge is secured onto a given position of a carriage by Press-contacting the shelf-shaped member with a snap-spring, as described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 1-125238. According to these mechanisms, the head cartridge can be attached and detached and at the same time can be electrically connected.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional examples, there were the following problems.
When the head cartridge is attached or detached, it is rotated or pivoted around the reference pad. Therefore, the head cartridge easily interferes with a platen or a spur placed in the vicinity of the cartridge. When a concave relief portion is provided in the platen or the position of the spur is significantly relieved, to prevent this interference, waving of the recording paper is increased for example and a state of holding the recording paper is deteriorated, resulting in deterioration of images.
Thus, a device is known, which can attach and detach a head cartridge at the area other than the paper path, where a spur and the like are not provided. For this device, when a user carelessly moves a carriage during an operation of attachment or detachment of the head cartridge, an interfering portion is generated and a head cartridge or a spur is possibly broken.
Further, when an ink tank replaceable head cartridge is used, only the ink tank is replaced with the head cartridge being, of course, secured to the carriage. Then, when a force required for setting the ink tank is imparted, the snap-spring becomes dislodged. Therefore, the head cartridge must be secured again. To increase the snap-spring loading force to prevent this requires a very large operating force for securing the head cartridges.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In consideration of the foregoing problems, an object of the present invention is to provide head a cartridge attaching and detaching mechanisms with does not interfere with a platen or a carrying rotator in the vicinity of the cartridge and has an excellent operability when the head cartridge is attached or detached, and a recording apparatus provided with the mechanism.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a head cartridge attaching and detaching mechanism, in which when an ink tank replaceable head cartridge is used, the head cartridge is not dislodged during the replacement of the ink tank, and a recording apparatus provided with the mechanism.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a recording apparatus including a carriage, which detachably holds a cartridge, wherein the carriage has a positioning portion on both sides and an inclined surface on the upper section of the rear surface; the carriage has positioning portions which engage with the positioning portions on both sides of the cartridge, and has a locking lever which is rotatable on the upper portion of the cartridge and secures the cartridge within the carriage by pressing the inclined surface in accordance with one-directional rotation of the locking lever; a pushing member for detaching the cartridge by pushing the upper portion of the rear surface of the cartridge in accordance with the rotation of the locking lever for securing the cartridge and the opposite-directional rotation, is provided with the locking lever; and an auxiliary engagement portion for restricting the attachment and detachment paths of the cartridge by contacting the auxiliary engagement portion during only the attachment and detachment operations of the cartridge, is provided with both of the cartridge and the carriage.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording apparatus including a carriage which detachably holds a head cartridge for discharging ink liquid droplets to record, wherein the head carriage has a positioning portion on both sides and an inclined surface on the upper portion of the rear surface, and further possesses a detachable ink tank; the carriage has positioning portions which engage with the positioning portions on both sides of the head cartridge, and has a locking lever which is rotatable on the upper portion of the head cartridge and secures the head cartridge within the carriage by pressing the inclined surface in accordance with one-directional rotation of the locking lever; and an auxiliary engagement portion for preventing the head cartridge from being rotated by the operating force without limitation using the positioning portions as the fulcrum, is provided with both of the head cartridge and the carriage.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an ink tank-holding holder which is held within a carriage housing and is held under detachable conditions from the housing by engagement of the operating portion of the carriage, wherein the holder has an inclined surface for shifting the holder upwardly while sliding the carriage operating portion; an engagement surface which is at the edge of the inclined surface and engages by engagement with the carriage operating portion; and an operating portion which protrudes from the housing by inclination of the holder with respect to the housing with the carriage operating portion.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a carriage which can detach the above-mentioned holder, wherein the carriage operating portion has a pushing member for shifting the holder upwardly while being slided on the inclined surface of the holder; an engagement surface which is the end portion of the pressing member and engages with the engagement surface of the holder; and a pressing portion which imparts a pressing force to the receiving portion of the upper surface of the holder.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording apparatus including the above-mentioned carriage.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5552816 (1996-09-01), Oda et al.
patent: 5619239 (1997-04-01), Kotaki et al.
patent: 5748210 (1998-05-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 6102533 (2000-08-01), Nozawa et al.
patent: 0 710 568 (1996-05-01), None
patent: 0 846 560 (1998-06-01), None
patent: 1-125238 (1989-05-01), None

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