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EPSON FX-2180 Service Manual Chapter 2 Operating Principles
2-1
2.1 Overview
The printer’s main components include the printer mechanism, power
supply circuit, control circuit, control panel, and housing. This chapter
describes the operating principles of the main components.
2.1.1 Printer Mechanism
The printer mechanism consists of the following parts:
Print head
The print head prints dots on paper using the ink ribbon. Print data
comes from the control circuit.
Carriage mechanism
The main parts of the carriage mechanism are the carriage unit,
carriage (CR) motor, timing belt, driven pulley, and CR guide shaft. The
carriage unit contains the print head. The carriage mechanism moves
the carriage unit along the CR guide shaft between the left and right
ends of the printable area.
Platen gap mechanism
The platen gap is the gap between the platen and the print head. You
adjust the platen gap to maintain print quality when using paper of
different weights or thicknesses. The platen gap mechanism consists of
the CR guide shaft, the platen gap adjustment bushing, and the platen
gap (PG) adjustment lever. The platen gap mechanism moves the print
head toward or away from the platen, depending on the position of the
PG adjustment lever.
Paper feed mechanism
The main components of the paper feed mechanism are the paper feed
(PF) motor, the rear or front tractor, and the platen. Using the PF
motor, the paper feed mechanism picks up continuous or single-sheet
paper, moves it to the print head for printing, and ejects it from the
printer after the page has been printed.
Disengage mechanism
The disengage mechanism consists of two disengage gears. It
switches the paper feed torque from the PF motor to the tractor(s) or
the paper feed rollers depending on the selected paper feed method
(friction, front push tractor, rear push tractor, pull tractor, or push-pull
tractor feeding).
Ribbon advance mechanism
The main components of the ribbon advance mechanism are the ribbon
feed roller and the driven pulley. The ribbon advance mechanism winds
the ink ribbon in one direction. This allows the printer to use a fresh
ribbon surface for printing.
rear tractor
front tractor
platen
print head
PF motor
CR motor
disengage gear 1
disengage gear 2
ink ribbon
CR guide shaft
carriage unit
timing belt
ribbon feed roller
driven pulley
PG adjustment bushing
Figure 2-1. Printer Mechanism