Recording apparatus

Abstract

A recording apparatus includes: a first housing; a second housing pivotable about a shaft relative to the first housing between a close position and a distant position; and a tank mount portion provided in the second housing such that a mounting direction of a tank with respect to the tank mount portion in a state in which the second housing is at the distant position has a downward component in a vertical direction. The tank mount portion includes a resistance applying mechanism which applies a resistance force to the tank in a state in which at least a part of the tank is inserted into the tank mount portion when the second housing is at the distant position.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A recording apparatus comprising:
 a supporting portion configured to support a recording medium;   a first housing configured to support the supporting portion;   a recording portion configured to record an image on the recording medium supported by the supporting portion, the recording portion configured to record the image using a recording agent;   a second housing configured to connect with the first housing via a shaft and configured to support the recording portion, the second housing being further configured to be pivotable about the shaft, relative to the first housing, between a close position at which the image is recorded on the recording medium by the recording portion and a distant position at which the second housing is distant farther from the first housing than at the close position; and   a tank mount portion supported by the second housing such that a mounting direction of a tank with respect to the tank mount portion in a state in which the second housing is at the distant position has a downward component in a vertical direction, the tank mount portion being configured to pivot together with the second housing, and the tank configured to store the recording agent,   wherein the tank mount portion comprises a resistance applying mechanism configured to apply a resistance force, when the second housing is at the distant position, to the tank in a state in which at least a part of the tank is inserted into the tank mount portion in the mounting direction, the resistance applying mechanism configured to apply the resistance force to the tank in addition to a kinetic friction force that is applied from an inner surface of the tank mount portion to the tank, and the resistance applying mechanism configured to apply the resistance force to act in a direction opposite to the mounting direction,   wherein a lower inner surface of the inner surface is configured to face a lower surface of the tank in a state in which the tank is inserted into the tank mount portion,   wherein the tank mount portion comprises a contact portion configured to detect contact with the tank, the contact portion being provided on a bottom surface, which is a downstream surface of the tank mount portion in the mounting direction,   wherein the resistance applying mechanism is disposed nearer to a center position of the tank mounting portion than the contact portion in a first direction, which is a direction parallel to the lower inner surface and perpendicular to the mounting direction,   wherein the resistance applying mechanism comprises a moving body configured to move from a retracted position to a projecting position in response to movement of the second housing from the close position toward the distant position and configured to move from the projecting position to the retracted position in response to movement of the second housing from the distant position toward the close position, and   wherein the projecting position is a position at which the moving body applies the resistance force to the tank and the retracted position is a position at which the moving body does not apply the resistance force to the tank.   
     
     
       2. The recording apparatus according to claim  1  18, 
 wherein the resistance applying mechanism is configured to apply the resistance force to the tank at a position distant from the contact of the tank mount portion in the direction opposite to the mounting direction. 
 
     
     
       3. The recording apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the resistance applying mechanism is located in a position adjacent to the contact of the tank mount portion. 
     
     
       4. The recording apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the resistance applying mechanism comprises:
 a force applying portion, which is configured to apply a force to move the moving body from the retracted position to the projecting position, and 
 an engaging portion, which is configured to be engaged with the moving body, such that the moving body is moved against the force by the force applying portion from the projecting position to the retracted position while the second housing is pivoted from the distant position to the close position. 
   
     
     
       5. The recording apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the resistance applying mechanism comprises a limiting portion configured to limit a movement of the moving body such that the moving body is maintained at the projecting position against the force by the force applying portion in a state in which the second housing is at the distant position. 
     
     
       6. The recording apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the moving body comprises:
 one inclined surface inclined from a top portion of the moving body in a direction opposite to the mounting direction; and 
 another inclined surface inclined from the top portion of the moving body in the mounting direction, and 
   wherein an acute angle of the one inclined surface with respect to the inner surface of the tank mount portion is greater than an acute angle of said another inclined surface with respect to the inner surface thereof in a state in which the moving body is at the projecting position.   
     
     
       7. The recording apparatus according to claim  1  18, wherein the resistance applying mechanism is formed of an elastic material. 
     
     
       8. The recording apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the mounting direction is a horizontal direction in the state in which the second housing is at the close position. 
     
     
       9. The recording apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the resistance applying mechanism comprises:
 a force applying portion configured to apply a force to move the moving body from the retracted position to the projecting position, and   an engaging portion configured to be engaged with the moving body such that the moving body is positioned at the retracted position against the force by the force applying portion in the state in which the second housing is at the close position.   
     
     
       10. The recording apparatus according to claim  1  18, wherein the resistance applying mechanism is configured to protrude from the a bottom surface of the tank mount portion in the direction opposite to the mounting direction, the bottom surface being a downstream surface of the tank mount portion in the mounting direction. 
     
     
       11. The recording apparatus according to claim  1  18, wherein the resistance applying mechanism and the contact of the tank mount portion are disposed at respective positions nearer to an end portion of the tank mount portion than to the center position in the first direction. 
     
     
       12. The recording apparatus according to claim  1  18,
 wherein the resistance applying mechanism comprises:
 an elastic member configured to generate the resistance force, and 
 a contact member configured to be in contact with the tank, and 
 
 wherein the elastic member is disposed on a downstream side of the contact member in the mounting direction and at an area overlapping with an area of the contact member in the first direction. 
 
     
     
       13. A recording apparatus comprising:
 a first housing;   a second housing configured to connect with the first housing via a shaft and to be pivotable about the shaft, relative to the first housing, between a close position at which an image is recorded on a recording medium and a distant position at which the second housing is distant farther from the first housing than at the close position; and   a tank mount portion provided in the second housing such that a mounting direction of a tank with respect to the tank mount portion in a state in which the second housing is at the distant position has a downward component in a vertical direction, the tank configured to store a recording agent for recording an image on the recording medium,   wherein the tank mount portion comprises a resistance applying mechanism configured to apply a resistance force, when the second housing is at the distant position, to the tank in a state in which at least a part of the tank is inserted into the tank mount portion in the mounting direction, the resistance applying mechanism configured to apply the resistance force to the tank in addition to a kinetic friction force that is applied from an inner surface of the tank mount portion to the tank, and the resistance applying mechanism configured to apply the resistance force to act in a direction opposite to the mounting direction,   wherein the resistance applying mechanism comprises a moving body configured to move from a retracted position to a projecting position in response to movement of the second housing from the close position toward the distant position and configured to move from the projecting position to the retracted position in response to movement of the second housing from the distant position toward the close position,   wherein the projecting position is a position at which the moving body applies the resistance force to the tank and the retracted position is a position at which the moving body does not apply the resistance force to the tank, and   wherein the moving body comprises a contact surface, which is configured to contact with the tank being inserted in the tank mounting portion in a state in which the moving body is in the projecting position, and which is configured to be spaced apart from the tank in a state in which the moving body is in the retracted position.   
     
     
       14. The recording apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the resistance applying mechanism comprises:
 a force applying portion, which is configured to apply a force to move the moving body from the retracted position to the projecting position, and   an engaging portion, which is configured to be engaged with the moving body, such that the moving body is moved against the force by the force applying portion from the projecting position to the retracted position while the second housing is pivoted from the distant position to the close position.   
     
     
       15. The recording apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the resistance applying mechanism comprises a limiting portion configured to limit a movement of the moving body such that the moving body is maintained at the projecting position against the force by the force applying portion in a state in which the second housing is at the distant position. 
     
     
       16. The recording apparatus according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein the moving body comprises:
 one inclined surface inclined from a top portion of the moving body in a direction opposite to the mounting direction; and 
   another inclined surface inclined from the top portion of the moving body in the mounting direction, and   wherein an acute angle of the one inclined surface with respect to the inner surface of the tank mount portion is greater than an acute angle of said another inclined surface with respect to the inner surface thereof in a state in which the moving body is at the projecting position.   
     
     
       17. The recording apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the mounting direction is a horizontal direction in the state in which the second housing is at the close position. 
     
     
       18. A recording apparatus comprising:
 a supporting portion configured to support a recording medium;   a recording portion configured to record an image on the recording medium supported by the supporting portion, the recording portion configured to record the image using a recording agent;   a tank mount portion comprising:
 a needle configured to contact with a supply portion of a tank storing the recording 
 a contact configured to contact with a contact of the tank, and; 
   a resistance applying mechanism configured to apply a resistance force to the tank in a state in which at least a part of the tank is inserted into the tank mount portion in a mounting direction of the tank with respect to the tank mount portion, the resistance applying mechanism configured to apply the resistance force to the tank in addition to a kinetic friction force that is applied from an inner surface of the tank mount portion to the tank, and the resistance applying mechanism configured to apply the resistance force to act in a direction opposite to the mounting direction,   wherein the resistance applying mechanism, the needle and the contact of the tank mount portion are opposed to a front surface of the tank in the mounting direction in a state in which at least a part of the tank is inserted into the tank mount portion,   wherein the resistance applying mechanism contacts with the front surface of the tank at a position upstream of an end of the contact of the tank mounting direction in the mounting direction,   wherein the mounting direction of the tank in the tank mount portion is a horizontal direction in a state in which the tank mount portion is at a first position, and is a direction having a downward component in a vertical direction in a state in which the tank mount portion is at a second position at which the tank mount portion is positioned farther from the supporting portion than at the first position,   wherein the resistance applying mechanism comprises a moving body configured to be moved from a retracted position to a projecting position in response to movement of the tank mount portion from the first position toward the second position and configured to be moved from the projecting position to the retracted position in response to movement of the tank mount portion from the second position to the first position, and   wherein the projecting position is a position at which the moving body applies the resistance force to the tank and the retracted position is a position at which the moving body does not apply the resistance force to the tank.   
     
     
       19. The recording apparatus according to claim 18,
 wherein the resistance applying mechanism comprises a spring, and   wherein the spring is offset from the contact of the tank mount portion with respect to a first direction perpendicular to the mounting direction.   
     
     
       20. The recording apparatus according to claim 19,
 wherein the needle is located between the spring and the contact of the tank mount portion with respect to the first direction.   
     
     
       21. The recording apparatus according to claim 18,
 wherein the resistance applying mechanism comprises two springs, and   wherein the two springs are offset from each other with respect to a first direction perpendicular to the mounting direction.   
     
     
       22. The recording apparatus according to claim 18,
 wherein the resistance applying mechanism comprises:   a force applying portion, which is configured to apply a force to move the moving body from the retracted position to the projection position, and   an engaging portion, which is configured to be engaged with the moving body such that the moving body is moved against the force by the force applying position from the projecting position to the retracted position.   
     
     
       23. The recording apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the resistance applying mechanism includes a limiting portion configured to limit a movement of the moving body such that the moving body is maintained at the projecting position against the force by the force applying portion. 
     
     
       24. The recording apparatus according to claim 18,
 wherein the moving body comprises:   one inclined surface inclined from a top portion of the moving body in a direction opposite to the mounting direction; and   another inclined surface inclined from the top portion of the moving body in the mounting direction, and   wherein an acute angle of the one inclined surface with respect to the inner surface of the tank mount portion is greater than an acute angle of said another inclined surface with respect to the inner surface thereof in a state in which the moving body is at the projecting position.   
     
     
       25. The recording apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the resistance applying mechanism comprises:
 a force applying portion configured to apply a force to move the moving body from the retracted position to the projecting position, and   an engaging portion configured to be engaged with the moving body such that the moving body is positioned at the retracted position against the force by the force applying portion.