Printing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021237493-A1
Application number	US-202117163977-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 1, 2021
Priority date	Jan 31, 2020
Publication date	Aug 5, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A printing apparatus includes a head configured to project a plurality of pins to perform printing on a printing medium, a carriage mounted with a head and configured to move, a roller mounted on the carriage and capable of coming into contact with the printing medium, a platen provided in a position opposed to the head and capable of moving in each of a direction in which the platen approaches the head and a direction in which the platen moves away from the head, and a pressing mechanism configured to press the platen toward the head. The pressing mechanism includes an elastic section configured to press the platen toward the head with an elastic force and a moving section configured to move the elastic section in each of a direction in which the elastic force of the elastic section increases and a direction in which the elastic force of the elastic section decreases.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A printing apparatus comprising:
a head configured to project a plurality of pins to perform printing on a printing medium; a carriage mounted with a head and configured to move; a roller mounted on the carriage and configured to come into contact with the printing medium; a platen provided in a position opposed to the head and configured to move in each of a direction in which the platen approaches the head and a direction in which the platen moves away from the head; and a pressing mechanism configured to press the platen toward the head, wherein the pressing mechanism includes:
an elastic section configured to press the platen toward the head with an elastic force; and
a moving section configured to move the elastic section in each of a direction in which the elastic force of the elastic section increases and a direction in which the elastic force of the elastic section decreases.

2 . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the moving section includes: a gear that is in contact with the elastic section: and a transmitting mechanism configured to rotate the gear, and the gear moves in a predetermined direction according to the rotation.

3 . The printing apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a control section, wherein
the control section rotates the gear with the transmitting mechanism according to a type of the printing medium.

4 . The printing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the control section rotates the gear with the transmitting mechanism according to thickness of the printing medium during the printing on the printing medium by the head.

5 . The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a driving frequency of each of the plurality of pins and eigenfrequencies of the elastic section, the pressing mechanism including the elastic section, and the platen that is in contact with the elastic section are set not to resonate.

6 . A printing apparatus comprising:
a head configured to project a plurality of pins to perform printing on a printing medium; a platen provided in a position opposed to the head and configured to move in each of a direction in which the platen approaches the head and a direction in which the platen moves away from the head; a gap adjusting section configured to adjust a distance between the head and the platen; and a pressing mechanism including an elastic section configured to press, with an elastic force, the platen in a direction in which the platen approaches the head and a moving section configured to change a state of the elastic section to each of a first state in which the elastic force of the elastic section is a first elastic force and a second state in which the elastic force of the elastic section is a second elastic force weaker than the first elastic force.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Yanagishita Kenji

Classifications

• B41J25/312 Primary

  with print pressure adjustment mechanisms, e.g. pressure-on-the paper mechanisms · CPC title

• B41J25/3082 Primary

  with print gap adjustment means on the print head carriage, e.g. for rotation around a guide bar or using a rotatable eccentric bearing · CPC title

• B41J2/22

  characterised by selective application of impact or pressure on a printing material or impression-transfer material · CPC title

• B41J2/325

  by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet · CPC title