# US 2014/0192108 A1 · Printer With Mechanism For Controlling Recording Medium Tension > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0192108 A1 - Document ID: US20140192108A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/147,861 - Filed: 2014-01-06 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-10 - Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation - Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation - Inventors: Norio Horaguchi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192108A1 ## CPC - B41J 15/16: Means for tensioning or winding the web - B41J 2/01: Ink jet - B41J 11/007: {Conveyor belts or like feeding devices} - B41J 13/0009: {control of the transport of the copy material} - B41J 15/165: {for tensioning continuous copy material by use of redirecting rollers or redirecting nonrevolving guides} - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract A printer has a mechanism to counter change in the tension of the recording medium to convey the recording medium with more precision. Such printer has a media conveyance mechanism that conveys a recording medium; a printhead that prints on the medium; a media supply mechanism that supplies the medium to the media conveyance mechanism; a movable member that can move to compensate and thus counter internal tension changes in the recording medium resulting from operation of the media conveyance and supply mechanisms; a detector that detects the movement or position of the movable member; and a control unit that controls the media supply operation based on output from the detector so that the movable member is urged back to or maintained in a home position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A printer comprising: a media conveyance mechanism that conveys a recording medium; a printhead that prints on the recording medium conveyed by the media conveyance mechanism; a media supply mechanism that supplies the recording medium to the media conveyance mechanism; a movable member that is positioned between the media conveyance mechanism and the media supply mechanism, and configured to move according to a change in the tension on the recording medium; a detector that detects the position or movement of the movable member; and a control unit that controls a supply operation of the recording medium by the media supply mechanism based on output from the detector so that the movable member is maintained in or urged back to a home position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The printer described in claim 1, wherein: the movable member includes a lever that is configured to move according to change in the tension of the recording medium. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The printer described in claim 2, wherein: the detector comprises a rotary encoder and an encoder plate that moves in unison with the lever, the detector further comprising and another detector disposed opposite the encoder plate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The printer described in claim 2, wherein: the movable member includes a media guide part supported on the lever, and an urging member connected to the lever; the recording medium is mounted on the media guide part between the media supply mechanism and the media conveyance mechanism; and the media guide part urges the recording medium mounted thereon according to the force of the urging member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The printer described in claim 1, wherein: the media conveyance mechanism includes a conveyance motor, and a conveyance roller or conveyance belt driven by the conveyance motor; and the media supply mechanism includes a supply motor, and a supply roller or a supply belt driven by the supply motor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The printer described in claim 1, wherein: the control unit determines there is an error in supply of the recording medium and executes a specific error handling process when the movable member moves beyond a predetermined allowed movement range. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The printer described in claim 6, wherein: the error handling process includes a first process and a second process that are executed during the printing operation of the printhead; the first process being a process that unconditionally stops driving the media supply mechanism and continues operation of the media conveyance mechanism and operation of the printhead when the movable member moves outside the allowed movement range in the direction in which tension decreases ; and the second process being a process that unconditionally stops operations of the media supply mechanism, the media conveyance mechanism, and the printhead when the movable member moves outside the allowed movement range in the direction in which tension increases. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The printer described in claim 1, further comprising: a mode selection unit that selectively sets an operating mode that drives the media supply mechanism, and a non-operating mode that does not drive the media supply mechanism; the control unit executing the recording medium supply operation of the media supply mechanism only when the operating mode is set. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The printer described in claim 1, further comprising: a media winding mechanism that rewinds the recording medium conveyed by the media conveyance mechanism past the printing position of the printhead. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The printer described in claim 9, further comprising: a second movable member configured to move according to a change in the tension of the recording medium rewound by the media winding mechanism; and a second detector that detects the position or movement of the second movable member; wherein the control unit controls the rewinding operation of the media winding mechanism based on the detection result of the second detector. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The printer described in claim 1, wherein: the printhead is a line printhead having printing elements disposed across a length covering the width of the conveyed recording medium. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The printer described in claim 1, further comprising: a media storage compartment that stores media supplied by the media supply mechanism.