Image recording apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023144530-A1
Application number	US-202218053114-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 7, 2022
Priority date	Nov 11, 2021
Publication date	May 11, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

There is provided an image recording apparatus including: a casing; a first cover configured to move to an open position and to a close position; a conveyor configured to convey a sheet in a conveying direction; a recording head configured to discharge a liquid onto the sheet; a heater configured to heat at least one of the sheet and the liquid discharged to the sheet; a second cover configured to cover the heater. The second cover is configured to move to a cover position at which the second cover covers the heater so that the heater is not exposed to the outside and to an expose position at which the second cover allows the heater to be exposed to the outside.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An image recording apparatus comprising:
a casing; a first cover configured to move to an open position at which the first cover exposes an internal space of the casing to outside, and to a close position at which the first cover covers the internal space; a conveyor configured to convey a sheet in a conveying direction; a recording head configured to discharge a liquid toward the sheet; a heater supported by the casing and configured to heat the sheet and/or the liquid on the sheet; and a second cover configure to cover the heater, wherein the second cover is configured to move to a cover position at which the second cover covers the heater and to an expose position at which the second cover allows the heater to be exposed to outside.

2 . The image recording apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a lock mechanism configured to perform fixing of the second cover to the cover position; a temperature sensor configured to output a detection signal in accordance with a temperature of the heater; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to allow the lock mechanism to release the fixing, based on the detection signal output by the temperature sensor.

3 . The image recording apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a supporting mechanism being configured to face the recording head, the supporting mechanism being configured to support the sheet, wherein
the supporting mechanism is configured to move to a first position at which the supporting mechanism faces the recording head and to a second position at which the supporting mechanism is apart from the recording head than at the first position, and the lock mechanism is the supporting mechanism, and is configured to make contact with the second cover moving to the expose position in a case that the lock mechanism is moved to the first position, and the lock mechanism is configured to not make contact with the second cover moving to the expose position in a case that the lock mechanism is moved to the second position.

4 . The image recording apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a reader positioned at downstream of the second part in the conveying direction and configured to read an image on the sheet, wherein
the second cover defines an internal space.

5 . The image recording apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising a first rotating body located in the internal space defined by the second cover, the first rotating body being configured to make contact with a recording surface of the sheet.

6 . The image recording apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a cleaner located in the internal space defined by the second cover, the cleaner being configured to make contact with the first rotating body and to rotate by following rotation of the first rotating body.

7 . The image recording apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising a holder located between the reader and the heater in the conveying direction, the holder being configured to support a second rotating body which is configured to make contact with a recording surface of the sheet, wherein
a downstream end, of the second cover, at downstream in the conveying direction overlaps, in the conveying direction, with an upstream end, of the holder, at upstream in the conveying direction.

8 . The image recording apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the lock mechanism includes:
a rotation shaft located at one side in the conveying direction of the lock mechanism and extending in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction and parallel to a surface of the sheet conveyed; and
a lock piece located at the other side in the conveying direction of the lock mechanism and configured to make a contact with the second cover at the first position.

9 . The image recording apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein
the second cover includes:
a rotational shaft; and
a projecting part located upstream of the rotational shaft of the second cover in the conveying direction,
a position of the projecting part at which the second cover is at the second position is lower than a position of the projecting part at which the second cover is at the first position, and the lock piece is configured to make a contact with a lower end of the projecting part of the second cover.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Tanaka Mitsugi
• Shimizu Yoshikazu
• Nishimoto Takahiro

Classifications

• B41J11/0095

  Detecting means for copy material, e.g. for detecting or sensing presence of copy material or its leading or trailing end · CPC title

• B41J29/13

  Cases or covers · CPC title

• B41J11/70

  cutting perpendicular to the direction of paper feed · CPC title

• B41J11/0024 Primary

  using conduction means, e.g. by using a heated platen · CPC title

• B41J11/002 Primary

  Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating · CPC title