# US 10,864,757 B2 · Medium transporting apparatus and recording apparatus

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- Number: US 10,864,757 B2
- Document ID: US10864757B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/434,477
- Filed: 2019-06-07
- Published: 2019-12-12
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2018-06-11
- Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Inventors: Keisuke Sasaki; Takayuki Tanaka; Toshiki Shiroki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864757B2

## CPC

- B41J 13/0036: {in the output section of automatic paper handling systems}
- B41J 13/009: {Diverting sheets at a section where at least two sheet conveying paths converge, e.g. by a movable switching guide that blocks access to one conveying path and guides the sheet to another path, e.g. when a sheet conveying direction is reversed after printing on the front of the sheet has been finished and the sheet is guided to a sheet turning path for printing on the back}
- B41J 13/0045: {concerning sheet refeed sections of automatic paper handling systems, e.g. intermediate stackers (printing on both faces B41J3/60)}
- B41J 29/38: Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
- B65H 29/52: Stationary guides or smoothers
- B65H 29/58: Article switches or diverters
- B65H 2301/133: Face-up or face-down handling mode
- B65H 2301/3122: U-shaped
- B65H 2301/33214: about an axis perpendicular to the direction of displacement and parallel to the surface of material
- B65H 2301/33224: 180°
- B65H 2402/45: Doors
- B65H 2404/6111: and shaped for curvilinear transport path
- B65H 2404/63: Oscillating, pivoting around an axis parallel to face of material, e.g. diverting means
- B65H 2511/10: Size; Dimensions
- B65H 2511/13: Thickness
- B65H 2511/528: Jam
- B65H 2515/81: Rigidity; Stiffness; Elasticity
- B65H 2601/11: Clearing faulty handling, e.g. jams
- B65H 2801/39: Scanning
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES

## Abstract

In a printer, a medium transporting apparatus includes a straight path through which a medium on which recording has been performed with the recording head is output, an inversion path through which the recording medium on which recording has been performed with the recording head is output to an output destination different from an output destination of the straight path, a switching member provided downstream of the recording head in a medium transport direction and configured to switch between a first state in which the switching member constitutes a portion of the straight path and a second state in which the switching member constitutes a portion of the inversion path, a motor that drives a pair of transport rollers that transports the medium, and a switching mechanism that switches between a first state and a second state with motive power of the motor.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A medium transporting apparatus comprising:
a first transport path that outputs a medium that has been processed in a processing unit in which processing of the medium is performed;
a second transport path that outputs the medium processed in the processing unit to an output destination that is different from an output destination of the first transport path;
a switching member that is provided downstream of the processing unit in a medium transport direction and that is configured to switch between a first state in which the switching member constitutes a portion of a path surface of the first transport path, and a second state in which the switching member constitutes a portion of a path surface of the second transport path;
a drive source that drives a transport unit that transports the medium; and
a switching mechanism that switches the switching member between the first state and the second state with motive power of the drive source, wherein
by switching between the first state and the second state, switching between the first transport path and the second transport path is performed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The medium transporting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a carriage including the processing unit, the carriage being configured to move in a width direction intersecting the medium transport direction, wherein
the switching between the first state and the second state performed with the switching mechanism is configured to be switched by setting the switching mechanism to a transmitting state in which the motive power is transmitted to the switching member and to a non-transmitting state in which the motive power is not transmitted to the switching member, and
the switching of the switching mechanism between the transmitting state and the non-transmitting state is performed by a moving operation of the carriage.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The medium transporting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein
the switching member includes a pivot shaft in a portion upstream thereof in the medium transport direction, and swings a portion downstream thereof as a free end to switch between the first state and the second state,
the transport unit is a pair of transport rollers that are provided downstream of the processing unit and that include a driving roller that is rotationally driven by the motive power of the of the drive source and a driven roller that is rotated and driven by a rotation of the driving roller,
the switching mechanism includes a first gear provided coaxially with a rotation shaft of the driving roller, a second gear provided coaxially with the pivot shaft of the switching member, and at least one intermediate gear that transmits the motive power from the first gear to the second gear, and
the first gear is configured to move in the width direction between a first position in which the first gear meshes with the intermediate gear and sets the switching mechanism to the transmitting state, and a second position in which the first gear separates from the intermediate gear and sets the switching mechanism to the non-transmitting state.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The medium transporting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein
the switching mechanism includes,
a pressing unit that presses the first gear from the first position towards the second position, and
an abutment portion that is provided coaxially with a rotation shaft of the first gear and that is configured to be displaced between an advanced position in which the abutment portion is advanced into a movement area of the carriage, and a retracted position in which the abutment portion is retracted from the movement area of the carriage,
in a state in which the carriage is in contact with the abutment portion in the advanced position, when the carriage is moved in a direction separating from a home position, the first gear moves from the second position to the first position, and
in a state in which the carriage is in contact with the abutment portion in the advanced position, when the carriage moves in a direction approaching the home position, the first gear moves from the first position to the second position.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The medium transporting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein
the intermediate gear includes a friction clutch mechanism that idles when a torque exceeding a predetermined value is applied.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The medium transporting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the first transport path is a non-inversion path that outputs the medium without inverting a bearing of the first surface that opposes the processing unit, and
the second transport path is an inversion path that outputs the medium after inverting the bearing of the first surface.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The medium transporting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a housing inside of which the processing unit is provided; and
an opening/closing body provided in the housing, the opening/closing body configured to switch between a closed state that covers a first output unit that is an outlet of the medium transported through the first transport path, and an open state in which the first output unit is exposed with respect to the closed state; and
an interlocking mechanism configured to switch the opening/closing body from the closed state to the open state in conjunction with the switching of the switching member from the second state to the first state.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The medium transporting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a detection unit that detects a state of the switching member.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A recording apparatus comprising:
a recording unit that performs a recording process on the medium; and
the medium transporting apparatus according to claim 1, the medium transporting apparatus transporting the medium processed in the recording unit serving as the processing unit.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The recording apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:
a control unit that controls a state switching operation of the switching member, wherein
the control unit switches a state of the switching member according to a type or a size of the medium that is to be transported.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The recording apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:
a control unit that controls a state switching operation of the switching member, wherein
the recording unit is configured to perform recording by ejecting liquid on the medium, and
the control unit switches a state of the switching member according to a liquid ejection volume per unit area on the medium ejected by the recording unit.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The recording apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:
a control unit that controls a state switching operation of the switching member, wherein
in the first state, the switching member is configured to expose a portion of the second transport path, and
when a jamming of the medium occurs in the second transport path, the control unit sets the switching member to the first state.