Media conveyor mechanism for printing apparatus and method of mounting conveyor belt

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10059544-B2
Application number	US-201715671149-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2017
Priority date	Aug 8, 2016
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

A media conveyor mechanism for a printing apparatus includes an endless conveyor belt (BT) conveying a medium (M) in a Y direction; a belt driving unit having a first roller and a second roller which are arranged at an interval in the Y direction and parallel to an X direction, on which the conveyor belt (BT) is wrapped, and at least one of which drives the conveyor belt (BT), the first roller being fixed at a predetermined position in the Y direction, and second roller being switchable between a movable state and a fixed state; and an applying unit which applies constant equal force to both ends of the second roller in the X direction in a −Y direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A media conveyor mechanism for a printing apparatus comprising:
an endless conveyor belt conveying a medium in a first direction;
a belt driving unit having a first roller and a second roller which are arranged at an interval in the first direction and parallel to a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, on which the conveyor belt is wrapped, and at least one of which drives the conveyor belt, the first roller being fixed at a predetermined position in the first direction, and the second roller being switchable between a movable state in which the second roller is movable in the first direction and a fixed state in which a position of the second roller in the first direction is fixed; and
an applying unit which applies a force which is a constant equal force to both ends of the second roller in a direction opposite to the first direction,
wherein the applying unit includes an air cylinder mechanism applying the force to the second roller and a regulator adjusting an air pressure of the air cylinder mechanism to a constant pressure, and the applying unit further includes a detecting unit detecting a magnitude of the force applied to the second roller.

2. The media conveyor mechanism for a printing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a third roller which is in contact with a portion of the conveyor belt between the first roller and the second roller and variably applies a tension to the conveyor belt.

3. A method of mounting the conveyor belt which mounts the conveyor belt on the media conveyor mechanism for a printing apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising:
wrapping the conveyor belt in a loose state between the first roller and the second roller;
applying the force to both ends of the second roller in the second direction in a direction away from the first roller in the first direction by the applying unit in a state in which the second roller is set in the movable state and the conveyor belt is driven;
switching the second roller from the movable state to the fixed state while a state in which the force is applied by the applying unit is maintained when a predetermined tension is applied to the conveyor belt; and
canceling the state in which the force is applied to the second roller by the applying unit after the second roller is switched to the fixed state.

Assignees

• Mimaki Eng Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ito Shin
• Takano Tomohiro

Classifications

• B65H2404/251

  Details of drive roller · CPC title

• B65H7/02

  by feelers or detectors · CPC title

• B65H5/025 Primary

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

• B65H2404/256

  Arrangement of endless belt · CPC title

• B65G23/44

  Belt or chain tensioning arrangements · CPC title