US 6,120,143 AGranted

Apparatus for holding a printing medium on a rotary drum and ink jet printer using the same

AssigneeToshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorsTsugio Narushima, Tadao Kamano, Takuro Ito, Mitsuo Kubo, Hiroyuki Takada, Yasuhiro Suzuki, Takashi Kashiwagi, Sakae Shiida, Shinichiro Fujii

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Abstract

An apparatus for holding a printing medium on a rotary drum, includes a rotary drum, a suction device, a medium holding mechanism and a medium removing device. The drum has a recess at its outer surface to extend along its rotation center line and rotates at a predetermined speed. A region of the outer surface, which is adjacent to a rearward end of the recess along the rotation direction, is smaller in the diameter than the remaining of the outer surface. The suction device holds by suction the medium onto the outer surface. The holding mechanism has a hook in the recess and selectively drives the hook between close and open positions. At the close position, the hook is placed over the adjacent region while being prevented from radially outwardly projecting from the remaining of the outer surface, and at the open position it is distanced from the adjacent region. When the medium arrives at the adjacent region, its leading end is held by the hook shifted from the open position to the close position and cooperated with the adjacent region and, when the drum rotates a specific number, the hook is returned to the open position. The removing device removes the medium from the outer surface when the drum rotates the specific number and the hook has moved from the close position to the open position.

Claims41

Dependent claims

Apparatus for holding a printing medium on a rotary drum, comprising:

a rotary drum having a center line of rotation thereof and an outer surface arranged substantially concentric with the center line of rotation, and a recess provided in the outer surface which extends along the center line of rotation, the rotary drum being driven for rotation about the center line of rotation at a predetermined speed, and a region of the outer surface of the rotary drum adjacent to a rearward end of the recess in the direction of the rotation of the rotary drum being smaller in diameter than the remaining region of the outer surface;
a printing medium suction device mounted to the rotary drum to hold the printing medium fed toward the rotary drum onto the outer surface of the rotary drum;
a printing medium holding mechanism having a printing medium holding hook located in the recess and mounted to the rotary drum to selectively drive the printing medium holding hook between a close position and an open position, in the close position the printing medium holding hook being placed on the recess rearward end adjacent region of the outer surface of the rotary drum so as not to project radially outwardly from the remaining region of the outer surface, and in the open position the printing medium holding hook being separated from the recess rearward end adjacent region of the outer surface, the printing medium holding hook being driven by the printing medium holding mechanism to be moved from its open position to its close position when the leading end of the printing medium fed toward the rotary drum arrives at the recess rearward end adjacent region of the outer surface of the rotary drum, so as to hold the leading end of the printing medium in cooperation with the recess rearward end adjacent region of the outer surface, and the printing medium holding hook being driven by the printing medium holding mechanism to be moved from its close position to its open position when the rotary drum has conducted a specific number of rotations;
and
a printing medium removing mechanism which removes the printing medium from the outer surface of the rotary drum when the rotary drum has conducted the specific number of rotations and the printing medium holding hook of the printing medium holding mechanism has moved from the close position to the open position.

2 more elements

Apparatus for holding a printing medium on a rotary drum, comprising:

a rotary drum having a center line of rotation thereof and an outer surface arranged substantially concentric with the center line of rotation, the rotary drum rotating at a predetermined speed about the center line of rotation;
a printing medium suction device mounted to the rotary drum to hold the printing medium fed toward the outer surface of the rotary drum by a printing medium feeding device onto the outer surface of the rotary drum;
a printing medium holding mechanism having a printing medium holding hook located on the outer surface and mounted to the rotary drum to selectively drive the printing medium holding hook between a close position and an open position, in the close position the printing medium holding hook being placed on the outer surface, and in the open position the printing medium holding hook being spaced away from the outer surface, the printing medium holding hook in the open position being moved from the open position to the close position to hold a leading end of the printing medium fed toward the outer surface of the rotary drum with the outer surface of the rotary drum when the leading end of the printing medium arrives at a position on the outer surface of the rotary drum, on which the printing medium holding hook at the closed position is placed, the printing medium holding hook holding the leading end of the printing medium with the outer surface of the rotary drum, being returned from the close position to the open position when the rotary drum has conducted a specific number of rotations;
and
a printing medium removing mechanism which removes the printing medium from the outer surface of the rotary drum when the rotary drum has conducted the specific number of rotations,
wherein the printing medium holding mechanism comprises:
a hook holding member having an urging member as well as the printing medium holding hook and being mounted to at least one of two side surfaces of the rotary drum to urge the printing medium holding hook to the close position by the force of the urging member;
a hook holding member operating device which is provided in relation to the at least one of the two side surfaces of the rotary drum and operating the hook holding member to move the hook holding member against an urging force of the urging member from the close position to the open position at two timings, one of which is just before the leading end of the printing medium which is fed toward the outer surface of the rotary drum is held between the printing medium holding hook of the printing medium holding mechanism and the outer surface of the rotary drum, and the other of which is just before the printing medium is removed by the printing medium removing mechanism from the outer surface of the rotary drum when the rotary drum with the printing medium has conducted the specific number of rotations;
an open position lock mechanism mounted to at least one of the two side surfaces of the rotary drum and locking the hook holding member against the urging force of the urging member when the printing medium holding hook has been moved to the open position;
and
a lock release mechanism provided in relation to the at least one of the two side surfaces of the rotary drum, having an actuator being actuated when the printing medium holding hook is located at the open position and the leading end of the printing medium fed toward the outer surface of the rotary drum arrives at a position of the outer surface of the rotary drum on which the printing medium holding hook is placed when it is at the close position, in which the locking of the hook holding member with the open position lock mechanism is released by the actuator.

8 more elements

Apparatus for holding a printing medium on a rotary drum, comprising:

a rotary drum having a center line of rotation thereof and an outer surface arranged substantially concentric with the center line of rotation, the rotary drum rotating at a predetermined speed about the center line of rotation;
a printing medium suction device mounted to the rotary drum to hold the printing medium fed toward the outer surface of the rotary drum onto the outer surface of the rotary drum;
a printing medium holding mechanism having a printing medium holding hook, and being mounted to the rotary drum to selectively drive the printing medium holding hook between a close position and an open position, in the close position the printing medium holding hook being placed on the outer surface, and in open position the printing medium holding hook being spaced away from the outer surface, the printing medium holding hook in the open position being moved from the open position to the close position to securely hold a leading end of the printing medium fed toward the outer surface of the rotary drum with the outer surface of the rotary drum, the printing medium holding hook holding the leading end of the printing medium with the outer surface of the rotary drum, being returned from the close position to the open position when the rotary drum has conducted a specific number of rotations;
and
a printing medium removing mechanism which removes the printing medium from the outer surface of the rotary drum when the rotary drum has conducted the specific number of rotations and the printing medium holding hook of the printing medium holding mechanism has been moved from the close position to the open position,
wherein the printing medium holding mechanism comprises:
a swing member mounted to at least one of two side surfaces of the rotary drum and supporting the printing medium holding hook to swing the printing medium holding hook between the close position and the open position;
an opening increasing mechanism mounted between the printing medium holding hook and the swing member and allowing the printing medium holding hook at the open position to project a rearward end of the printing medium holding hook, which is located opposite to the direction of rotation of the rotary drum, more outwardly in a radial direction of the rotary drum than a forward end of the printing medium holding hook in the direction of rotation of the rotary drum;
an urging member mounted to at least one of the two side surfaces of the rotary drum and urging the swing member to move the printing medium holding hook toward the close position;
a swing member holding device mounted to at least one of the two side surfaces of the rotary drum and selectively holding the swing member against an urging force of the urging member;
and
a printing medium holding hook operating device provided in relation to the at-least one of the two side surfaces of the rotary drum, just before the leading end of the printing medium fed toward the outer surface of the rotary drum is held between the printing medium holding hook of the printing medium holding mechanism and the outer surface of the rotary drum and just before the printing medium is removed by the printing medium removing mechanism from the outer surface of the rotary drum when the rotary drum on which the printing medium is held has conducted the specific number of rotations, the printing medium holding hook operating device operating the swing member to rotate the swing member in one direction against the urging force of the urging member so that the printing medium holding hook is moved by the swing member via an intermediate member between the close position and the open position and simultaneously making the swing member holding device hold the swing member when the swing member is not held by the swing member holding device, and the printing medium holding hook operating device operating the swing member holding device to release the holding of the swing member so that the swing member is allowed to rotate in the other direction by the urging force of the urging member and the printing medium holding hook is moved by the swing member via the intermediate member between the close position and the open position when the swing member is held by the swing member holding device.

9 more elements

An apparatus for holding a printing medium on a rotary drum, comprising:

a rotary drum having a center line of rotation thereof and an outer surface arranged substantially concentric with the center line of rotation, the rotary drum rotating at a predetermined speed about the center line of rotation;
a printing medium suction device mounted to the rotary drum to hold the printing medium fed toward the outer surface of the rotary drum onto the outer surface of the rotary drum;
a printing medium holding mechanism having a printing medium holding hook, and being mounted to the rotary drum to selectively drive the printing medium holding hook between a close position and an open position, in the close position the printing medium holding hook being placed on the outer surface, and in the open position the printing medium holding hook being spaced away from the outer surface, the printing medium holding hook in the open position being moved from the open position to the close position to securely hold a leading end of the printing medium fed toward the outer surface of the rotary drum with the outer surface of the rotary drum, and the printing medium holding hook holding the leading end of the printing medium with outer surface of the rotary drum, being returned from the close position to the open position when the rotary drum has conducted a specific number of rotations;
and
a printing medium removing mechanism which removes the printing medium from the outer surface of the rotary drum when the rotary drum has conducted the specific number of rotations and the printing medium holding hook of the printing medium holding mechanism has been moved from the close position to the open position,
wherein the printing medium holding mechanism comprises:
a swing member swingably mounted to at least one of two side surfaces of the rotary drum;
an intermediate member swingably mounted to the swing member, swingably supporting the printing medium holding hook at a location which is more outward from a location at which the intermediate member is mounted to the swing member in a radial direction of the rotary drum, and moving the printing medium holding hook between the close position and the open position by a swing movement of the swing member;
an opening increasing mechanism mounted between the printing medium holding hook and the intermediate member and allowing the printing medium holding hook at the open position to project a rearward end of the holding hook, which is located opposite the direction of rotation of the rotary drum, more outwardly in a radial direction of the rotary drum than a forward end of the holding hook in the direction of rotation of the rotary drum;
an urging member mounted to at least one of the two side surfaces of the rotary drum and urging the swing member in a predetermined direction;
a swing member holding device mounted to at least one of the two side surfaces of the rotary drum and selectively holding the swing member against an urging force of the urging member;
and
a printing medium holding hook operating device provided in relation to the at least one of the two side surfaces of the rotary drum, just before the leading end of the printing medium fed toward the outer surface of the rotary drum is held between the printing medium holding hook of the printing medium holding mechanism and the outer surface of the rotary drum and just before the printing medium is removed by the printing medium removing mechanism from the outer surface of the rotary drum when the rotary drum on which the printing medium is held has conducted the specific number of rotations, the printing medium holding hook operating device operating the swing member holding device to release the holding of the swing member so that the swing member is allowed to rotate in one direction by the urging force of the urging member, the printing medium holding hook is moved by the swing member via the intermediate member between the close position and the open position when the swing member is held by the swing member holding device, and the printing medium holding hook operating device operating the swing member to rotate the swing member in the other direction against the urging force of the urging member so that the printing medium holding hook is moved by the swing member via the intermediate member between the close position and the open position and simultaneously making the swing member holding device hold the swing member when the swing member is not held by the swing member holding device.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.