Printing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11235604-B2
Application number	US-202016804831-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2020
Priority date	Mar 1, 2019
Publication date	Feb 1, 2022
Grant date	Feb 1, 2022

Abstract

With a cover in a closed position, a first internal gear and a first spur gear do not mesh with each other, and a second internal gear and a second spur gear do not mesh with each other. When the cover rotates by a predetermined angle around a first support shaft from the closed position, the first internal gear and the first spur gear start to mesh with each other. When the cover rotates by a predetermined angle around a second support shaft from the closed position, the second internal gear and the second spur gear start to mesh with each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A printing apparatus, comprising:
a printing unit configured to perform printing on a recording medium;
a housing portion configured to house an article needed for printing;
a cover configured to open and close the housing portion; and
a support shaft portion configured to rotatably support the cover, wherein
the support shaft portion includes a first support shaft in a position farther than the housing portion from the printing unit, and a second support shaft in a position not farther than the housing portion from the printing unit,
a circumferential portion of the first support shaft is provided with a first spur gear configured to mesh with a first internal gear provided at the cover, and a circumferential portion of the second support shaft is provided with a second spur gear configured to mesh with a second internal gear provided at the cover,
when the cover is in a closed position, the first internal gear does not mesh with the first spur gear, and the second internal gear does not mesh with the second spur gear,
when the cover rotates by a predetermined angle around the first support shaft from the closed position, the first internal gear and the first spur gear start to mesh with each other, and
when the cover rotates by a predetermined angle around the second support shaft from the closed position, the second internal gear and the second spur gear start to mesh with each other.

2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
a transport unit is configured to transport an external recording medium to the printing unit,
in a first open position the cover forms, in the housing portion, an opening through which the recording medium is insertable to the housing portion, and also opens, at one end of the housing portion, an insertion opening that guides the external recording medium into a printing apparatus main body, and
in a second open position the cover forms, in the housing portion, an opening through which the recording medium and the external recording medium are loadable on the transport unit.

3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising:
a first engagement member provided at the cover, and configured to engage with the first support shaft such that the cover is rotatable from the closed position of the cover to a first open position, and disengage from the first support shaft by moving with respect to the first support shaft; and
a second engagement member provided at the cover, and configured to engage with the second support shaft such that the cover is rotatable from the closed position of the cover to a second open position, and disengage from the second support shaft by moving with respect to the second support shaft.

4. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising:
a first damper configured to apply a load to rotation of the first spur gear; and
a second damper configured to apply a load to rotation of the second spur gear.

5. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the second support shaft is located in a direction, opposite to a discharge direction of the recording medium, with respect to the first support shaft.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Hirabayashi Kenichi
• Maekawa Hironori

Classifications

• B65H2402/441

  movable for facilitating access to area inside the housing, e.g. pivoting or sliding · CPC title

• B65H2404/693

  Retractable guiding means, i.e. between guiding and non guiding position · CPC title

• B65H2403/42

  Spur gearing · CPC title

• B65H2404/631

  Juxtaposed diverting means with each an independant actuator · CPC title

• B65H2402/442

  with openings for introducing material to be handled, e.g. for inserting web rolls · CPC title