Abstract: A paper conveying apparatus, having a simple structure, in which variation in a load imposed on paper is reduced to suppress printing irregularities, and also a printer are provided. A pair of rollers of a second conveying apparatus, arranged at a predetermined interval away from a first conveying apparatus, are composed of a rotationally-driven driving roller and a driven roller which is trailingly rotated, with paper being gripped between the driving roller and the driven roller. The pairs of rollers of the second conveying apparatus are arranged in different positions along the paper conveying direction. The paper gripping pressure of the pair of driving rollers arranged on the upstream side along the paper conveying direction is set to be lower than that of the other pairs of driving rollers.

Abstract: An ink jet printer has two first driven rollers (A) disposed at a most upstream position in a secondary scanning direction, two first driven rollers (B) disposed at an intermediate position in the secondary scanning direction, and a single first driven roller (C) disposed at a most downstream position in the secondary scanning direction. The pressing force on a trailing edge of the recording sheet (10) is dividedly released in three steps sequentially and, accordingly, the nipping force and feeding force working on the recording sheet (10) also vary stepwise. Load fluctuations that occur at the moment the trailing edge of the recording sheet (10) is released from the nipping force of the first transport roller (4) also vary stepwise, whereby it is not possible that the feed precision is disturbed in a moment.

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a single transport roller (4), two first driven rollers (A: A1, A2), two first driven rollers (B: B1, B2), and a single first driven roller (C). The rollers (A1, A2, B1, B2, C) are rotatably held by holders (8a to 8e) at respective downstream ends thereof. The holders (8a to 8e) are aligned with one another along a fast scanning direction and are rotatably supported at upstream ends thereof by a support shaft (81). The holders (8a to 8e), the shaft (81), and a plurality of springs (9) are assembled into a holder assembly (8). The holder assembly (8) has the shaft (81) fixed to a main frame (1). The springs (9) are fixed at one end to respective middle portions of the holders (8a to 8e), and at the other end to the frame (1).

Abstract: A maintenance mechanism for an ink jet printer is configured in such a manner that a claw member (7) for locking a slide member (6) during wiping operation is swingably supported on a base member (5) which is fixed to an apparatus body so that the claw member (7) does not move to the left and right, and the claw member (7) is forced downward by guided projecting parts (6a) provided on the slide member (6) during a print job so that the claw member (7) does not interfere with a carriage (2) which moves back and forth along a main scanning direction across a printing area.

Abstract: A support structure for ink cartridge eliminates potential obstacles in replacement of an ink cartridge, thereby facilitating the replacement. The support structure includes a carriage (2) which has a rear wall (2a) for supporting a rear surface of an ink cartridge (1), a base for supporting a bottom surface of the cartridge (1), and a first lateral wall (2b) for supporting a first side surface of the cartridge (1). The structure also includes a front cover (5) connected to the carriage (2) openably and closably in a horizontal direction. The cover (5) presses a front surface of the cartridge (1) toward the rear surface, and presses a second side surface of the cartridge (1) toward the first side surface. Further, the structure includes an upper cover (7) connected to the carriage (2) openably and closably in a vertical direction. The cover (7) presses an upper surface of the cartridge (1) toward the bottom surface.

Abstract: A printer apparatus in which its apparatus main body's width dimension can be minimized, by achieving compact housing of a maintenance station for performing maintenance operations with effective use of the space existing at both ends of a printing region. There are maintenance stations separately arranged as left- and right-hand portions at both ends outside the printing region. The maintenance station provides: a capping mode for capping a nozzle of the printing head; a wiping mode for wiping the nozzle of the printing head; and an ink spitting mode for preventing clogging of the nozzle of the printing head, and also the maintenance station includes a waste ink collecting bath for collecting ink discharged during the ink spitting mode.

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a single transport roller (4), two first driven rollers (A: A1, A2), two first driven rollers (B: B1, B2), and a single first driven roller (C). The rollers (A1, A2, B1, B2, C) are rotatably held by holders (8a to 8e) at respective downstream ends thereof. The holders (8a to 8e) are aligned with one another along the fast scanning direction and are rotatably supported at upstream ends thereof by a support shaft (81). The holders (8a to 8e), the shaft (81), and a plurality of springs (9) are assembled into a holder assembly (8). The holder assembly (8) has the shaft (81) fixed to a main frame (1). The springs (9) are fixed at one end to respective middle portions of the holders (8a to 8e), and at the other end to the frame (1).

Abstract: An ink jet printer has two first driven rollers (A) disposed at a most upstream position in a secondary scanning direction, two first driven rollers (B) disposed at an intermediate position in the secondary scanning direction, and a single first driven roller (C) disposed at a most downstream position in the secondary scanning direction. The pressing force on a trailing edge of the recording sheet (10) is dividedly released in three steps sequentially and, accordingly, the nipping force and feeding force working on the recording sheet (10) also vary stepwise. Load fluctuations that occur at the moment the trailing edge of the recording sheet (10) is released from the nipping force of the first transport roller (4) also vary stepwise, whereby it is not possible that the feed precision is disturbed in a moment.

Abstract: A maintenance mechanism for an ink jet printer is configured in such a manner that a claw member (7) for locking a slide member (6) during wiping operation is swingably supported on a base member (5) which is fixed to an apparatus body so that the claw member (7) does not move to the left and right, and the claw member (7) is forced downward by guided projecting parts (6a) provided on the slide member (6) during a print job so that the claw member (7) does not interfere with a carriage (2) which moves back and forth along a main scanning direction across a printing area.

Abstract: A plurality of sheets stacked on a lifting plate are fed to a separator plate and separated so that only a single sheet will be transported with the rotation of a feed roller. The single sheet is transported downstream in a sheet feeding direction. When the single sheet has been transported to a target position reaching a transport roller and a pinch roller, a sheet aligning/pressing portion and a separator plate pressing portion displace the remaining sheets in a direction away from the feed roller. This causes an abutting portion to move away from the feed roller, and prevent the remaining sheets from moving downstream in the sheet feeding direction.

Abstract: A support structure for ink cartridge eliminates potential obstacles in replacement of an ink cartridge, thereby facilitating the replacement. The support structure includes a carriage (2) which has a rear wall (2a) for supporting a rear surface of an ink cartridge (1), a base for supporting a bottom surface of the cartridge (1), and a first lateral wall (2b) for supporting a first side surface of the cartridge (1). The structure also includes a front cover (5) connected to the carriage (2) openably and closably in a horizontal direction. The cover (5) presses a front surface of the cartridge (1) toward the rear surface, and presses a second side surface of the cartridge (1) toward the first side surface. Further, the structure includes an upper cover (7) connected to the carriage (2) openably and closably in a vertical direction. The cover (7) presses an upper surface of the cartridge (1) toward the bottom surface.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a less costly print head maintenance mechanism featuring a compact, simple construction and negating the need for a widthwise increase of space for permitting vertical movement of the print head maintenance mechanism. The mechanism is designed to utilize the rotation of first cams and second cams for switching cap holders and wiper holders to a printing mode position for permitting a normal printing operation, a capping mode position for sealing a nozzle surface at a print head with the cap, and a wiping mode position for cleaning by wiping the nozzle surface with the wiper.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a sheet feeding apparatus that can feed a sheet accurately and stably by eliminating sheet feeding problems such as double feeding and misfeeding. A plurality of sheets stacked on a lifting plate are fed to a separator plate and separated so that only one sheet will be transported with the rotation of a feed roller, and only the one sheet is thus transported downstream in a sheet feeding direction. When the one sheet has been transported to a target position reaching a transport roller and a pinch roller, a sheet aligning/pressing portion and a separator plate pressing portion displace the remaining sheets in a direction away from the feed roller, cause an abutting portion to move away from the feed roller, and prevent the remaining sheets from moving downstream in the sheet feeding direction.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a simple-structure paper conveying apparatus in which variation in a load imposed on paper is reduced to suppress printing irregularities, and also provides a printer. The pair of rollers of the second conveying apparatus, arranged at a predetermined interval away from the first conveying apparatus, are composed of the rotationally-driven driving roller and the driven roller which is trailingly rotated, with paper being gripped between the driving roller and driven roller. The pairs of rollers of the second conveying apparatus are arranged in different positions along the paper conveying direction. The paper gripping pressure of the pair of driving rollers arranged on the upstream side along the paper conveying direction is set to be lower than that of the other pairs of driving rollers.

Abstract: The invention provides a printer in which its apparatus main body's width dimension can be minimized, by achieving compact housing of a maintenance station for performing maintenance operations with effective use of the space existing at both ends of a printing region. Therein, maintenance stations are separately arranged as left- and right-hand portions at both ends outside the printing region. The maintenance station provides: a capping mode for capping a nozzle of the printing head; a wiping mode for wiping the nozzle of the printing head; and an ink spitting mode for preventing clogging of the nozzle of the printing head, and also the maintenance station includes a waste ink collecting bath for collecting ink discharged during the ink spitting mode.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a less costly print head maintenance mechanism featuring a compact, simple construction and negating the need for a widthwise increase of space for permitting vertical movement of the print head maintenance mechanism. The mechanism is designed to utilize the rotation of first cams and second cams for switching cap holders and wiper holders to a printing mode position for permitting a normal printing operation, a capping mode position for sealing a nozzle surface at a print head with the cap, and a wiping mode position for cleaning by wiping the nozzle surface with the wiper.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a paper feeding mechanism for rolled paper which is easily set and has excellent carriageablity. When rolled paper is set, one guide member is pressed downward by an opened cover so that it comes closer to a body. At this time, a protruding member provided on the one guide member abuts against the other guide member. When the paper feeding mechanism operates, the cover is closed so that the one guide member separates from the body and urged toward the other guide member by an urging member, whereby the protruding member abuts against the other guide member. Therefore, since a width of a carrying path is held by a height of the protruding member between the one and other guide members, insertion of a rolled paper end is facilitated, and thus the paper can be smoothly carried with the aid of the tension of the paper.