Image recording apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9718287-B2
Application number	US-201615335866-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 27, 2016
Priority date	Nov 28, 2011
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

An image recording apparatus includes a recording section which is provided over a transport passage for transporting a sheet in a transport direction and which has nozzles for discharging an ink onto the sheet; a platen which is provided under the recording section with the transport passage intervening therebetween and which has a plurality of ribs provided to support the sheet while being separated from each other in a widthwise direction of the transport passage perpendicular to the transport direction, the respective ribs protruding upwardly and extending in the transport direction; and a plurality of holding members which are provided to be positioned between the plurality of ribs in the widthwise direction of the transport passage over the platen on an upstream side in the transport direction from the nozzles and which abut against an upper surface of the sheet and press the sheet toward the platen.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image recording apparatus comprising:
a roller pair configured to nip a sheet therebetween and transport the sheet in a transport direction;
a recording section provided downstream of a nip point of the roller pair in the transport direction and including nozzles that discharge ink droplets;
a support member provided below the recording section and configured to support the sheet;
a first plate provided downstream of the nip point in the transport direction, wherein a downstream end of the first plate in the transport direction is positioned at a space between the recording section and the support member, wherein the sheet is transported between the first plate and the support member; and
a second plate provided downstream of the nip point in the transport direction and located at a different area with respect to the first plate in a width direction perpendicular to the transport direction, wherein a downstream end of the second plate in the transport direction is positioned at the space between the recording section and the support member, wherein the sheet is transported between the second plate and the support member,
wherein the first plate is longer than the second plate in the transport direction.

2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a width, in the width direction, of the downstream end of the first plate is different from a width, in the width direction, of the downstream end of the second plate.

3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the width of the downstream end of the second plate is wider than the width of the downstream end of the first plate.

4. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first plate is located closer to a central area than the second plate in the widthwise direction, wherein the central area includes a center point of the support member in the width direction.

5. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the downstream end of the first plate and the downstream end of the second plate are positioned at a same position in the transport direction.

6. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first plate is adjacent to the second plate in the width direction.

7. The image recording apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the downstream end of the first plate and the downstream end of second plate are disposed close to the nozzles in the transport direction.

8. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the downstream end of the first plate and the downstream end of second plate are positioned upstream of the nozzles in the transport direction.

9. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first plate and the second plate do not overlap with the nozzles in a direction that is perpendicular to the transport direction and the width direction.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Ito Tsuyoshi

Classifications

• B65H9/04

  Fixed or adjustable stops or gauges (gauge pins B65H9/02) · CPC title

• B41J11/0045

  Guides for printing material (curl smoothing B41J11/0005; platens B41J11/02, B41J11/06; guiding webs B41J15/046) · CPC title

• B41J11/005

  Guides in the printing zone, e.g. guides for preventing contact of conveyed sheets with printhead · CPC title

• B41J13/14

  Aprons or guides {for the printing section} · CPC title

• B41J11/06 Primary

  Flat page-size platens {or smaller flat platens having a greater size than line-size platens (B41J11/0085 takes precedence)} · CPC title