Liquid ejecting apparatus and tension applying method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9617106-B2
Application number	US-201514867228-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2015
Priority date	Oct 1, 2014
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

A liquid ejecting apparatus includes an ejecting unit that is capable of ejecting a liquid; and a tension adjusting unit that is rotatable about a rotational shaft and that is capable of applying a tension to a medium by coming into contact with the medium onto which the liquid is ejected. The tension adjusting unit is capable of applying the tension to the medium at a balancing position at which the tension adjusting unit is balanced by a weight of the tension adjusting unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising:
an ejecting unit that is capable of ejecting a liquid;
a tension adjusting unit that is rotatable about a rotational shaft and that is capable of applying a tension to a medium by coming into contact with the medium onto which the liquid is ejected; and
a fixing unit that is capable of fixing the tension adjusting unit,
wherein the tension adjusting unit includes a first weight member, a second weight member, and a pair of frames, the pair of frames being connected by the first weight member and the second weight member,
wherein the tension adjusting unit is capable of applying the tension to the medium by an urging force of the first weight member or the second weight member, and
wherein the fixing unit fixes the tension adjusting unit at a retracted position at which the tension adjusting unit does not apply any tension to the medium.

2. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the rotational shaft substantially coincides with a center of gravity of the tension adjusting unit.

3. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the fixing unit includes a magnet, and the magnet fixes the tension adjusting unit.

4. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the fixing unit includes an arm, and the arm fixes the tension adjusting unit.

5. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the tension adjusting unit is set to be downstream of the ejecting unit.

6. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein each frame of the pair of frames is formed in an arch-shape in a view along a width direction of the medium.

7. A tension applying method for applying a tension to a medium onto which a liquid is ejected by a liquid ejecting apparatus including a tension adjusting unit that includes a first weight member, a second weight member, and a pair of frames connected by the first weight member and the second weight member, and a fixing unit capable of fixing the tension adjusting unit, the tension adjusting unit being rotatable about a rotational shaft and being capable of applying the tension to the medium by coming into contact with the medium, the tension applying method comprising:
applying the tension to the medium by the tension adjusting unit by an urging force of the first weight member or the second weight member, and
fixing the tension adjusting unit at a retracted position at which the tension adjusting unit does not apply any tension to the medium.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Kumai Eiji
• Akahane Takashi

Classifications

• B65H23/16 Primary

  by weighted or spring-pressed movable bars or rollers · CPC title

• B41J15/165 Primary

  for tensioning continuous copy material by use of redirecting rollers or redirecting nonrevolving guides · CPC title

• B65H23/195

  in winding mechanisms or in connection with winding operations · CPC title

• B65H2801/15

  Digital printing machines · CPC title