Head device, head position adjustment mechanism, and image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10994561-B2
Application number	US-201916585127-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2019
Priority date	Sep 28, 2018
Publication date	May 4, 2021
Grant date	May 4, 2021

Abstract

A head device includes a head and a holder. The head has a discharge port to discharge droplets to a medium. The holder is configured to hold the head and be rotatable about a first rotation shaft extending in a discharge direction of the droplets and rotatable about a second rotation shaft extending in a longitudinal direction of the head.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A head device comprising:
a head having a discharge port to discharge droplets to a medium;
a holder configured to hold the head and be rotatable about a first rotation shaft extending in a discharge direction of the droplets and rotatable about a second rotation shaft extending in a longitudinal direction of the head; and
an adjuster including:
a first eccentric shaft configured to apply a rotational force about the first rotation shaft to the holder; and
a second eccentric shaft configured to apply a rotational force about the second rotation shaft to the holder.

2. The head device according to claim 1 ,
wherein rotation of the holder about the first rotation shaft and rotation of the holder about the second rotation shaft are independent of each other.

3. The head device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second eccentric shaft does not interfere with a rotational movement of the holder when the holder rotates about the first eccentric shaft.

4. The head device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the adjuster includes:
a first eccentric member having a first eccentricity with respect to a rotation center axis of the adjuster, and
a second eccentric member having a second eccentricity lower than the first eccentricity of the first eccentric member with respect to the rotation center axis.

5. The head device according to claim 1 ,
wherein a distance between the second eccentric shaft and a nozzle surface of the head including the discharge port is shorter than a distance between the first eccentric shaft and the nozzle surface.

6. The head device according to claim 1 ,
wherein a distance between a nozzle surface of the head including the discharge port and the second rotation shaft is longer than a distance between the second rotation shaft and the adjuster.

7. The head device according to claim 1 , further comprising an operation portion configured to operate the first eccentric shaft and the second eccentric shaft,
wherein the operation portion is disposed on a side of the head device from which the head device is to be pulled out from a member holding the head device.

8. The head device according to claim 1 , further comprising a display device configured to display information indicating that one or both of rotation of the holder by the first rotation shaft and rotation of the holder by the second rotation shaft are executable.

9. An image forming apparatus comprising:
the head device according to claim 1 ; and
a conveyor configured to convey a medium.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 , comprising a plurality of head devices including the head device,
wherein positions of heads of the plurality of head devices are adjustable independently of each other.

11. A head device comprising:
a head having a discharge port to discharge droplets to a medium;
a first holder configured to hold the head;
a second holder configured to hold the first holder; and
a third holder configured to hold the second holder,
wherein the second holder is rotatable, with respect to the third holder, about a first rotation shaft extending in a first direction, and the first holder is rotatable, with respect to the second holder, about a second rotation shaft extending in a second direction different from the first direction.

12. The head device according to claim 11 ,
wherein the first direction and the second direction are orthogonal to each other.

13. The head device according to claim 11 ,
wherein the first direction is a discharge direction of the droplets.

14. The head device according to claim 11 ,
wherein the second direction is a longitudinal direction of the head.

15. A head position adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a position of a head device including a head, the head including discharge ports to discharge droplets onto a medium, the head position adjustment mechanism comprising:
a first rotation shaft serving as a fulcrum of rotation to alter, with respect to the medium, a direction in which the discharge ports are arrayed;
a second rotation shaft serving as a fulcrum of rotation to incline, with respect to the medium, a nozzle surface in which the discharge ports are arrayed;
an adjuster including:
a first eccentric shaft configured to apply a rotational force about the first rotation shaft; and

a second eccentric shaft configured to apply a rotational force about the second rotation shaft.

Assignees

• Suzuki Isamu
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Suzuki Isamu

Classifications

• B41J25/003

  for changing the angle between a print element array axis and the printing line, e.g. for dot density changes · CPC title

• B41J25/001 Primary

  Mechanisms for bodily moving print heads or carriages parallel to the paper surface · CPC title

• B41J25/006 Primary

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

• B41J2202/21

  Line printing · CPC title

• B41J2025/008

  comprising a plurality of print heads placed around a drum · CPC title