# US 9,751,347 B2 · Printer

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- Number: US 9,751,347 B2
- Document ID: US9751347B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/076,897
- Filed: 2016-03-22
- Published: 2016-07-28
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2013-11-12
- Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Inventors: Taku Hirashima; Hironori Maekawa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751347B2

## CPC

- B41J 25/3082: {with print gap adjustment means on the print head carriage, e.g. for rotation around a guide bar or using a rotatable eccentric bearing}
- B41J 2/01: Ink jet
- B41J 11/0005: {Curl smoothing, i.e. smoothing down corrugated printing material, e.g. by pressing means acting on wrinkled printing material}
- B41J 11/005: {Guides in the printing zone, e.g. guides for preventing contact of conveyed sheets with printhead}
- B41J 11/04: Roller platens
- B41J 13/14: Aprons or guides {for the printing section}
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS

## Abstract

A printer has a platen top unit fastened above the platen unit. The platen top unit is separate from the platen unit, and has first star wheels and second star wheels disposed on parallel horizontal frame members extending perpendicularly to the media conveyance direction above the platen surface. The first star wheels and second star wheels prevent the continuous paper conveyed over the platen surface from lifting away from the platen surface.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An inkjet printer comprising:
a platen unit having a platen surface that supports sheet media conveyed in a conveyance direction;
a head unit that carries an inkjet head including a first head and a second head that prints on the sheet media, and moves between a print position where the inkjet head is opposite to the platen surface, and retracted position where the inkjet head is retracted from the print position; and
a platen top unit including a first frame and a second frame between the platen unit and the head unit; wherein
the head unit has an inkjet head lift mechanism configured to move the inkjet head toward and away from the platen surface;
the platen top unit is separated from the platen unit and the head unit; and
when the head unit is at the print position and the inkjet head lift mechanism moves the inkjet head toward the platen unit,
a portion of the inkjet head enters a space between the first frame and the second frame in the conveyance direction, and
the first frame is positioned between the first head and the second head in the conveyance direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The inkjet printer described in claim 1, wherein:
the platen top unit has a gap holding member, and
when the head unit is at the print position and the inkjet head lift mechanism moves the inkjet head toward the platen unit, the head unit and the platen unit contact the gap holding member.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The inkjet printer described in claim 2, wherein:
the gap holding member is a bearing ball.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The inkjet printer described in claim 1, wherein:
the platen top unit is fastened to a main printer frame.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The inkjet printer described in claim 4, wherein:
the platen unit moves between an opposing position, and an open position where the platen surface is further from the inkjet head than at the opposing position, and
when the platen unit is the opposing position and the head unit contact the gap holding member, specific gap between the platen face and the inkjet head is held.

### Claim 6

A printer comprising:
a platen unit having a platen surface that supports sheet media conveyed in a conveyance direction;
a print head including a first head and a second head configured to be positioned at an opposite position where the print head is opposite to the platen surface; and
a platen top unit disposed between the platen surface and the print head, when the print head is positioned at the opposite position, the platen top unit including a first frame;
wherein when the print head is at the opposite position, the first frame is positioned between the first head and the second head in the conveyance direction.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The printer described in claim 6, wherein:
the first frame extends in a transverse direction intersecting with the conveyance direction, and is longer than at least one of the first head and the second head, in the transverse direction.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The printer described in claim 6, wherein:
the platen top unit includes a second frame, and
when the print head at the opposite position, the first head is positioned between the first frame and the second frame in the conveyance direction.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The printer described in claim 8, wherein:
the platen top unit includes a first longitudinal frame and a second longitudinal frame;
the first frame is connected to the first longitudinal frame and the second longitudinal frame;
the second frame is connected to the first longitudinal frame and the second longitudinal frame; and
when the print head at the opposite position, the first head is positioned between the first longitudinal frame and the second longitudinal frame in a transverse direction that intersects with the conveyance direction.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The printer described in claim 6, wherein:
the platen top unit includes a first star wheel disposed on the first frame.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The printer described in claim 10, wherein:
the platen top unit includes a second frame and a second star wheel disposed on the second frame, and
the first star wheel and the second star wheel are at different positions in a transverse direction that intersects with the conveyance direction.

### Claim 12 (depends on 6)

The printer described in claim 6, wherein;
the print head moves to a retracted position where the print head is retracted from the platen top unit, and
when the print head is at the retracted position, the print head is not opposite to the platen surface.

### Claim 13 (depends on 6)

The printer described in claim 6, wherein:
the print head at the opposite position moves between a first head position and a second head position where a gap between the print head and the platen surface is bigger than the gap between the print head at the first head position and the second head position.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The printer described in claim 13, wherein:
the platen top unit includes a gap holding member, and
when the print head is at the first position, the print head and the platen surface contact the gap holding member.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The printer described in claim 14, wherein:
the gap holding member is a bearing ball.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The printer described in claim 15, wherein:
the platen top unit includes at least three bearing balls.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The printer described in claim 15, wherein:
the bearing ball is disposed in the platen top unit.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The printer described in claim 17, wherein:
the platen top unit includes a bearing ball holder which includes a round through-hole and a wire support member.

### Claim 19 (depends on 6)

The printer described in claim 6, wherein:
the platen top unit is fastened to a main printer frame.