Table device and printing apparatus

{
  "publication_number": "US11639071B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Table device and printing apparatus",
  "abstract": "A table device and a printing apparatus are provided. The table device includes a X-shaped link member in which two long members are turnably coupled in an X-shape, an expansion/contraction mechanism that expands/contracts with at least a pair of X-shaped link members arranged facing each other, a table that is disposed on one end side of the expansion/contraction mechanism and moves in the expansion/contraction direction of the expansion/contraction mechanism, a support member disposed on the other end side of the expansion/contraction mechanism, a coupling member that couples the opposing long members of the long members forming the expansion/contraction mechanism and moves with the expansion/contraction of the expansion/contraction mechanism, and a regulating member that regulates a fluctuation of the coupling member that moves when the expansion/contraction mechanism expands/contracts.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A table device comprising: a link member in which two long members are turnably coupled in an X-shape with the same central portion thereof; an expansion/contraction mechanism that expands/contracts with at least a pair of the link members arranged facing each other; a table that is disposed on one end side of the expansion/contraction mechanism and moves in an expansion/contraction direction of the expansion/contraction mechanism, wherein a horizontal plane of the table is a xy plane having an x-axis direction referred to as a front-back direction, and an y-axis direction referred to as a left-right direction, and the expansion/contraction direction is a vertical direction orthogonal to the front-back direction and the left-right direction; a support member, disposed on the other end side of the expansion/contraction mechanism; a coupling member that couples opposing long members of the long members forming the expansion/contraction mechanism, and the coupling member is configured to move in the front-back direction of the table device together with an expansion/contraction of the expansion/contraction mechanism; and a regulating member configured to regulate a fluctuation in the left-right direction and the vertical direction other than the front-back direction of the coupling member that moves, when the expansion/contraction mechanism expands/contracts, wherein the regulating member comprises: a first rod-shaped member that is inserted into a first through hole provided on a first end of the coupling member and supported by the support member; and a second rod-shaped member that is inserted into a second through hole provided on a second end of the coupling member with respect to the first end and supported by the support member.",
    "2. The table device according to claim 1, wherein the first through hole and the second through hole are provided with a female screw, the first rod-shaped member and the second rod-shaped member are provided with a male screw, and respectively screwed into the first through hole and the second through hole, and the expansion/contraction mechanism is expanded/contracted as the coupling member is moved by rotation of the first rod-shaped member and the second rod-shaped member.",
    "3. The table device according to claim 2, wherein the first and the second through holes are provided in the coupling member orthogonal to an axis center direction of the coupling member.",
    "4. The table device according to claim 2, wherein the coupling member is provided with a first protrusion and a second protrusion, and the first through hole is provided in the first protrusion and the second through hole is provided in the second protrusion so as to be orthogonal to an axis center direction of the coupling member.",
    "5. A printing apparatus comprising: the table device according to claim 1, wherein the table moves in the vertical direction, and a recording medium on which printing is performed is placed on the table.",
    "6. A printing apparatus comprising: the table device according to claim 2, wherein the table moves in the vertical direction, and a recording medium on which printing is performed is placed on the table.",
    "7. A printing apparatus comprising: the table device according to claim 3, wherein the table moves in the vertical direction, and a recording medium on which printing is performed is placed on the table.",
    "8. A printing apparatus comprising: the table device according to claim 4, wherein the table moves in the vertical direction, and a recording medium on which printing is performed is placed on the table.",
    "9. The table device according to claim 1, further comprising: a driving motor, configured to transmit a driving force to first rod-shaped member and the second rod-shaped member to make first rod-shaped member and the second rod-shaped member synchronously rotate."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates to a table device and a printing apparatus.\n\nFor example, some printing apparatuses move the height of a table on which a recording medium is placed in order to set the distance between an ink ejection head and the recording medium (media) to a predetermined value.\n\nIn the printing apparatus disclosed in International Publication No. 2017/086006 (i.e., Patent Literature 1), the table moves up and down by an up-down moving mechanism. The up-down moving mechanism of the printing apparatus is configured by a link member in which two long members are connected in an X shape, and the table is moved up and down by the expansion/contraction of the X-shaped link member. Such an up-down moving mechanism is generally configured by at least a pair of left and right link members.\n\nPatent Literature 1: International Publication No. 2017/086006\n\nIn the up-down moving mechanism disclosed in International Publication No. 2017/086006, the pair of link members may not perform the same operation or may move up and down, and the table positioned thereon may be tilted. If the table is tilted, the distance between the recording medium placed on the table and the ink ejection head does not reach a predetermined value, which may cause printing failure.\n\nThe present disclosure thus provides a table device and a printing apparatus that can suppress the tilt of a table disposed on an expansion/contraction mechanism.",
  "cpc": [
    "B41J 29/06",
    "A47B 9/16",
    "B66F 3/12"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A47B 9/16",
    "B41J 29/06"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Mimaki Engineering Co Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Takashi Tsuchiya"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2020-03-11",
  "publication_date": "2023-05-02",
  "grant_date": "2023-05-02",
  "priority_date": "2019-03-20",
  "application_number": "US-202016815022-A",
  "family_id": "72514191",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "JPH07237728A",
    "US20020044811A1",
    "WO2007043507A1",
    "US20160236493A1",
    "WO2017086006A1",
    "JP2017209721A",
    "US10092089B1",
    "US20210386194A1"
  ]
}