Processing system and relay unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12174580-B2
Application number	US-202318181266-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2023
Priority date	Mar 11, 2022
Publication date	Dec 24, 2024
Grant date	Dec 24, 2024

Abstract

A processing system includes: a first unit and a second unit coupled to the first unit by a positioning mechanism. The positioning mechanism includes a positioner including a first insertion portion that is included in one of the first unit and the second unit and a first inserted portion that is included in the other of the first unit and the second unit and to which the first insertion portion is inserted to position the first unit and the second unit; and a positioning guide including a second insertion portion that is included in one of the first unit and the second unit and a second inserted portion that is included in the other of the first unit and the second unit and to which the second insertion portion is inserted to guide the first insertion portion to an insertable position into the first inserted portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A processing system comprising:
a first unit configured to perform a first process; and
a second unit configured to perform a second process and coupled to the first unit by a positioning mechanism,
the positioning mechanism comprising: a positioner including a first insertion portion that is included in one of the first unit and the second unit and a first inserted portion that is included in the other of the first unit and the second unit and to which the first insertion portion is inserted to position the first unit and the second unit; and a positioning guide including a second insertion portion that is included in one of the first unit and the second unit and a second inserted portion that is included in the other of the first unit and the second unit and to which the second insertion portion is inserted to guide the first insertion portion to an insertable position into the first inserted portion,
the second insertion portion of the positioning guide protruding further from the first unit or second unit that includes the second insertion portion than the first insertion portion of the positioner protrudes from the first unit or second unit that includes the first insertion portion, such that during a coupling phase of the first unit and the second unit, at least a portion of the second insertion portion is inserted into the second inserted portion before the first insertion portion begins to be inserted into the first inserted portion.

2. The processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning guide has a clearance region in which the second insertion portion is movable relative to the second inserted portion in a direction intersecting a direction of the insertion, and
the first insertion portion becomes insertable into the first inserted portion when the second insertion portion is positioned in the second inserted portion having the clearance region.

3. The processing system according to claim 2 , wherein the clearance region includes a vertical clearance section that defines a vertical movable range and a horizontal clearance section that defines a horizontal movable range.

4. The processing system according to claim 2 , wherein the first insertion portion includes a pin protruding in the insertion direction,
the first inserted portion includes a hole,
the pin has a tapered portion tapered in the insertion direction at a front end, and
the tapered portion has a tip in the hole when the second insertion portion is positioned in the clearance region of the second inserted portion.

5. The processing system according to claim 2 , wherein the first insertion portion includes a pin protruding in the insertion direction,
the first inserted portion includes a hole,
the hole has a reverse tapered portion having a diameter that gradually increases in a direction opposite the insertion direction at a hole entrance, and
the pin is positioned in a largest diameter portion of the hole when the second insertion portion is positioned in the clearance region of the second inserted portion.

6. The processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the first unit is a recording apparatus having an inner output portion to which a recorded medium is discharged,
the second unit is an optional unit coupled to the recording apparatus by the positioning mechanism at the inner output portion and having an inlet portion that receives a medium recorded by the recording apparatus,
the positioner includes two positioners that are located with the inlet portion being therebetween in a width direction of the medium to be discharged, and
the positioning guide is located above the inlet portion.

7. The processing system according to claim 6 , wherein the positioning guide is located above the positioner.

8. The processing system according to claim 6 , wherein the positioning guide is located upstream of the positioner in the insertion direction.

9. The processing system according to claim 6 , wherein the recording apparatus includes a discharge portion configured to discharge a recorded medium, and
the discharge portion is inserted into the inlet portion.

10. The processing system according to claim 9 , wherein the first inserted portion is located on the same plane as the discharge portion.

11. The processing system according to claim 6 , wherein the second inserted portion includes a first hole that is included in one of the recording apparatus and the optional unit,
the second insertion portion includes a first projection that is included in one of the recording apparatus and the optional unit and inserted into the first hole, and
vertical movement of the optional unit is limited when the first projection is inserted into the first hole.

12. The processing system according to claim 11 , wherein the second inserted portion has a first flat portion,
the first flat portion has a flat surface extending in the insertion direction and faces a lower surface of the first projection to be inserted, and
the first flat portion limits downward movement of the first projection inserted into the first hole.

13. The processing system according to claim 12 , further comprising: second projections located with the first hole being therebetween in a width direction of the medium; and
second holes to which the second projections are inserted, wherein
when the second projections are inserted into the second holes, rotation of the optional unit about the second insertion portions is limited.

14. The processing system according to claim 13 , wherein the second projections are additional second insertion portions of the positioning guide, and the second holes are additional second inserted portions of the positioning guide, and
when the second projections are inserted into the second holes, upward movement of the optional unit is limited.

15. The processing system according to claim 14 , wherein the additional second inserted portions have second flat portions,
the second projections are third flat portions having a plate-like shape, and
when the third flat portions are inserted into the second holes, the second flat portions overlap the third flat portions from below.

16. The processing system according to claim 6 , wherein the optional unit is a relay unit configured to transport the medium recorded by the recording apparatus to a post-processing device configured to perform predetermined post-processing on the recorded medium.

17. The processing system according to claim 16 , wherein the relay unit has a rear portion having a delivery portion that delivers the medium to the post-processing device,
the recording apparatus includes a restriction portion that limits movement of the relay unit in the insertion direction, and
the restriction portion limits the movement of the rear portion in the insertion direction.

18. A relay unit coupled to a recording apparatus by a positioning mechanism at an inner output portion of the recording apparatus and including an inlet portion configured to receive a medium recorded by the recording apparatus, the relay unit being configured to transport the medium to a post-processing device that performs predetermined post-processing on the medium,
the positioning mechanism comprising: a positioner including a first insertion portion that is included in one of the recording apparatus and the relay unit and a first inserted portion that is included in the other of the recording apparatus and the relay unit and to which the first insertion portion is inserted to position the recording apparatus and the

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Hashiguchi Namiki
• Shiobara Hiroshi

Classifications

• G03G21/1619

  Frame structures · CPC title

• B65H2801/31

  Devices located downstream of industrial printers · CPC title

• B65H2601/60

  Miscellaneous · CPC title

• B65H37/04

  for securing together articles or webs, e.g. by adhesive, stitching or stapling (adhering replacement to expiring web during change of web roll B65H19/18) · CPC title

• B65H33/00

  Forming counted batches in delivery pile or stream of articles · CPC title