US Patent 7946677 Reciprocating apparatus, and printer including reciprocating apparatus

A reciprocating apparatus includes a pair of guide members which extend in parallel with each other and in a first direction; a carriage which is reciprocateable in the first direction, supported and guided by the pair of guide members; and a carriage movement detector including (a) a sensor which is fixed to the carriage and (b) an encoder strip which extends in the first direction and which has sensible portions arranged in a lengthwise direction thereof and sensible by the sensor, such that a reciprocating movement of the carriage is detected based on sensing of the sensible portions by the sensor. The encoder strip is located between the pair of guide members in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The pair of the guide members are located on one of opposite sides of the carriage in a third direction perpendicular to the first and the second directions. The encoder strip is located on the other of said opposite sides of the carriage in the third direction.