Printer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10369822-B2
Application number	US-201715592230-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2017
Priority date	May 12, 2016
Publication date	Aug 6, 2019
Grant date	Aug 6, 2019

Abstract

A printer includes a motor power supply line connecting a carriage motor with a power source, a sensor power supply line connecting a rotary encoder with the power source, a circuit breaker provided on the motor power supply line and interrupting electrical power if a cover sensor detects that a front cover is open and permit connection if the cover sensor detects that the front cover is closed, and a controller controlling the carriage motor and a recording head based on a position of a carriage detected by the rotary encoder.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A printer comprising:
a casing;
a guide rail disposed in the casing;
a carriage engaged with the guide rail;
a carriage motor coupled to the carriage and causing the carriage to move along the guide rail;
a recording head provided on the carriage so as to move with the carriage;
an openable/closable cover fitted to the casing;
a cover sensor detecting whether the cover is open or closed;
a position sensor detecting a position of the carriage;
a motor power supply line connecting the carriage motor with a power source;
a sensor power supply line connecting the position sensor with the power source;
a circuit breaker provided on the motor power supply line and opening if the cover sensor detects that the cover is open; and
a controller communicatively connected to the position sensor, the carriage motor, and the recording head, and controlling the carriage motor and the recording head based on the position of the carriage detected by the position sensor, wherein
the carriage motor is operated when a voltage equal to or higher than a predetermined minimum operating voltage is applied thereto;
the motor power supply line applies a voltage equal to or higher than the predetermined minimum operating voltage to the carriage motor; and
the sensor power supply line applies a voltage lower than the predetermined minimum operating voltage to the position sensor.

2. The printer according to claim 1 , wherein the position sensor includes a rotary encoder coupled to the carriage motor.

3. The printer according to claim 2 , wherein:
the recording head includes an inkjet head including a plurality of nozzles that eject ink; and
the printer further comprises:
a platen supporting a recording medium; and
a cap disposed closer to one end of the guide rail than the platen, and covering the nozzles by being fitted onto the inkjet head; wherein:
the guide rail includes a print area positioned above the platen and a home position area positioned above the cap; and
the controller causes the carriage to move from a position at which the carriage engages with the print area of the guide rail to the home position area, based on the position of the carriage that is detected by the rotary encoder.

4. The printer according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a platen supporting a recording medium; wherein
the cover includes a front cover at least a portion of which is positioned in front of or above the platen.

5. The printer according to claim 1 , further comprising a cutting head including a cutter, the cutting head being provided on the carriage so as to move with the carriage.

6. The printer according to claim 5 , wherein the controller is communicatively connected to the cutting head and controls the carriage motor and the cutting head based on the position of the carriage detected by the position sensor.

Assignees

• Roland Dg Corp

Inventors

• Yamamoto Shinya
• Igarashi Masakazu
• Imaizumi Kiyomasa
• Nakanishi Takeshi

Classifications

• B41J19/202

  Drive control means for carriage movement · CPC title

• B41J19/205

  Position or speed detectors therefor · CPC title

• B41J25/006 Primary

  for oscillating, e.g. page-width print heads provided with counter-balancing means or shock absorbers · CPC title

• B41J29/38

  Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism · CPC title

• B26F1/3806

  wherein relative movements of tool head and work during cutting have a component tangential to the work surface (B26F1/40 takes precedence) · CPC title