US 12,275,237 B2
Medium supporting mechanism and printing apparatus
Nariyuki Suzuki, Matsumoto (JP)
Assigned to Seiko Epson Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Feb. 3, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/164,244.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-016191 (JP), filed on Feb. 4, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0294423 A1, Sep. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. B41J 11/00 (2006.01); B41J 11/02 (2006.01); B41J 11/06 (2006.01); B41J 15/04 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 11/0045 (2013.01) [B41J 11/02 (2013.01); B41J 11/06 (2013.01); B41J 15/046 (2013.01); B41J 11/0025 (2013.01); B41J 11/0055 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A medium supporting mechanism comprising:
a medium support portion configured to support a medium transported in a transport direction; and
a medium holding unit configured to hold an end portion, in a width direction, of the medium supported by the medium support portion, when the width direction represents a direction intersecting the transport direction, wherein
the medium support portion includes:
a support face configured to support the medium transported in the transport direction;
a guide groove extending along the width direction at the support face; and
an engaged portion disposed upstream of the guide groove in the transport direction and intersecting the support face,
the guide groove includes a first surface and a second surface,
the first surface and the second surface constitute inner walls of the guide groove that extends in the width direction, and are opposed to each other in the transport direction,
the medium holding unit includes:
a holding unit configured to hold the end portion;
an engaging portion configured to engage with the engaged portion;
a contact portion configured to move between a contacting position where the contact portion is in contact with the first surface and the second surface in a state of pressing the first surface and the second surface and a separating position where the contact portion is in contact with the second surface and is spaced apart from the first surface; and
an operation portion configured to, when operated by a user, move in a direction from one of the first surface and the second surface toward the other surface relative to the holding unit, and
the contact portion moves from the contacting position to the separating position in association with movement of the operation portion in a direction from the first surface toward the second surface.