Image forming apparatus

Abstract

In an image forming apparatus, a carriage mounts a recording head for discharging droplets, and moves in a main scan direction. A guide member slidably guides the carriage. An encoder scale is arranged along the main scan direction. An encoder sensor reads the encoder scale. The carriage includes a head mounting part for mounting the recording head, and a sensor attaching part for attaching the encoder sensor. The sensor attaching part is provided so as to be extended from the head mounting part. The encoder scale is arranged at a location which the encoder sensor can read. A partition member is provided to separate the head mounting part from the sensor attaching part in the carriage. The head mounting part is arranged in a first space, and the sensor attaching part and the encoder scale are arranged in a second space separated from the first apace by the partition member.

1 . An image forming apparatus, comprising:
 a carriage that mounts a recording head for discharging droplets and to move in a main scan direction;   a guide member that slidably guides the carriage;   an encoder scale that is arranged along the main scan direction; and   an encoder sensor that is mounted to the carriage and to read the encoder scale,   wherein the carriage includes   a head mounting part that mounts the recording head; and   a sensor attaching part that attaches the encoder sensor at least,   wherein the sensor attaching part is provided so as to be extended from the head mounting part;   the encoder scale is arranged at a location possible for the encoder sensor attached to the sensor attaching part to read;   a partition member is provided, in which the partition member projects from a stay toward between the head mounting part, of the carriage and the encoder sensor in a horizontal direction, the stay being arranged facing an outer surface of the carriage from a sub scan direction; and   the head mounting part is arranged in a lower space of the partition member, and the encoder sensor and the encoder scale are arranged in an upper space of the partition member.   
     
     
         2 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the partition member is overlapped with a portion of the carriage in a verticl direction the guide member is used as the partition member. 
     
     
         3 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the partition member is accommodated in a concave portion provided between the head mounting part of the carriage and the encoder sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sensor attaching part extends upward from the head mounting part in a height direction. 
     
     
         5 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a mist collection member for collecting mist is provided between a space where the head mounting part of the carriage is arranged and another space where the sensor attaching member is arranged. 
     
     
         6 . The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the partition member is arranged for an entirety of the main scan direction.