Transportation apparatus and printing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10093505-B2
Application number	US-201615064399-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2016
Priority date	Mar 17, 2015
Publication date	Oct 9, 2018
Grant date	Oct 9, 2018

Abstract

A transportation apparatus transports a medium by using a transportation roller that includes plural rollers arranged in a rotation axis direction and a coupling portion for coupling an end portion of one of, among the plural rollers, two arranged adjacent to each other in the rotation axis direction to an end portion of the other. The coupling portion includes: a first bearing that supports the end portion of the first roller rotatably; a second bearing that supports the end portion of the second roller rotatably; a fixing member to which the first bearing and the second bearing are fixed; and a joint portion provided between the first bearing and the second bearing in the rotation axis direction for connecting the end portion of the first roller to the end portion of the second roller.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A transportation apparatus, comprising:
a transportation roller used for transporting a medium and includes plural rollers arranged in a rotation axis direction and a coupling portion for coupling an end portion of one of, among the plural rollers, two arranged adjacent to each other in the rotation axis direction to an end portion of the other, the adjacent two being defined as a first roller and a second roller, the coupling portion including,
a first bearing that supports the end portion of the first roller rotatably;
a second bearing that supports the end portion of the second roller rotatably;
a fixing member to which the first bearing and the second bearing are fixed; and
a joint portion provided between the first bearing and the second bearing in the rotation axis direction for connecting the end portion of the first roller to the end portion of the second roller.

2. The transportation apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the roller has a shaft portion located at its end in the rotation axis direction; and
wherein the joint portion can connect the shaft portion of the first roller and the shaft portion of the second roller together in a state in which deviation of the axial center of rotation of the shaft portion with respect to the axial center of the first bearing and the second bearing is tolerated.

3. The transportation apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the roller has a shaft portion located at its end in the rotation axis direction; and
wherein the shaft portion includes a large diameter portion that is able to be in contact with the joint portion when connected by the joint portion, and a small diameter portion, outside diameter of which is smaller than that of the large diameter portion.

4. The transportation apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the joint portion includes a cylindrical axial-hole-formed member that has an axial hole formed inside its inner cylindrical surface;
wherein the axial-hole-formed member has a slit, first screw holes, and a second screw hole;
wherein the slit is formed through a cylindrical portion in communication with the axial hole and extends in the rotation axis direction;
wherein the first screw holes making up a pair are formed in the cylindrical portion in such a way as to face each other, with the axial hole located therebetween, and extend in a direction intersecting with the rotation axis direction;
wherein the second screw hole is formed at a position closer to the slit than the first screw holes are;
wherein diameter of the axial hole can be reduced by tightening a bolt screw-driven into the second screw hole; and
wherein two screws driven into the respective first screw holes can be protruded into the axial hole.

5. A printing apparatus, comprising:
the transportation apparatus according to claim 1 ; and
a printing unit that performs printing on the medium transported by the transportation apparatus according to claim 1 .

6. A printing apparatus, comprising:
the transportation apparatus according to claim 2 ; and
a printing unit that performs printing on the medium transported by the transportation apparatus according to claim 2 .

7. A printing apparatus, comprising:
the transportation apparatus according to claim 3 ; and
a printing unit that performs printing on the medium transported by the transportation apparatus according to claim 3 .

8. A printing apparatus, comprising:
the transportation apparatus according to claim 4 ; and
a printing unit that performs printing on the medium transported by the transportation apparatus according to claim 4 .

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Ito Shun

Classifications

• B65H20/02 Primary

  by friction roller · CPC title

• B65H2402/63

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• F16D1/02

  for connecting two abutting shafts or the like · CPC title

• B65H2404/1431

  idler roller details · CPC title

• B65H2404/15

  Roller assembly, particular roller arrangement · CPC title