Recording appartus with support unit supporting medium transport belt

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10059125-B2
Application number	US-201715430836-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2017
Priority date	Feb 19, 2016
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

Provided is a recording apparatus that includes a transport belt for transporting a medium, a pressing roller configured to press the medium against the transport belt, and a support portion capable of supporting the transport belt. In the stated recording apparatus, the transport belt and the support portion make contact with each other when the pressing roller is pressed against the medium. By making the recording apparatus have the constitution as described above, it is possible to make the transport belt support the medium with certainty and suppress an increase in friction force between the transport belt and the support portion capable of supporting the transport belt.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A recording apparatus comprising:
a transport belt configured to transport a medium;
a driving roller configured to support the transport belt;
a slave roller configured to support the transport belt;
a pressing roller configured to press the medium against the transport belt; and
a support unit configured to support the transport belt between the driving roller and the slave roller,
wherein the support unit is provided in a region opposing the pressing roller with the transport belt being interposed between the support unit and the pressing roller,
the transport belt and the support unit make contact with each other when the pressing roller is pressed against the medium, and
the transport belt and the support unit are separated from each other when the pressing roller is released from the medium.

2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the pressing roller is pressed against the medium under its own weight.

3. The recording apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein a force of equal to or less than half the own weight of the pressing roller is applied to the support unit when the pressing roller is pressed against the medium.

4. The recording apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the pressing roller is further configured to move along a movement direction intersecting with a direction in which the pressing roller is pressed against the medium.

5. The recording apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein the support unit has a support range equal to or larger than a movement range of the pressing roller in the movement direction.

6. The recording apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein the pressing roller is configured to move linearly along the movement direction, with the movement direction being a direction along a transport direction in which the medium is transported by the transport belt.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Okumura Naoyuki

Classifications

• B41J15/04 Primary

  Supporting, feeding, or guiding devices; Mountings for web rolls or spindles · CPC title

• B65H2404/2614

  Means for engaging or disengaging belts into or out of contact with opposite belts, rollers or balls · CPC title

• B41J11/04 Primary

  Roller platens · CPC title

• B65H20/06 Primary

  by friction band · CPC title

• B65H5/025

  between belts and rotary means, e.g. rollers, drums, cylinders or balls, forming a transport nip · CPC title