JP2010184388A - Printing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To use a roll paper stored in a paper holding element to the last. <P>SOLUTION: The printing apparatus includes a paper holding shaft which is inserted to a paper pipe formed in a cylindrical shape of label paper, and holds the label paper in a state that the paper can be pulled out so as to be sent to a printing part; the paper holding element 151 which holds receipt paper 21 which is freely attached to and detached from the paper holding shaft in place of the label paper and in which paper is wound in a roll shape with a smaller diameter than that of the label paper in a state that the paper can be pulled out so as to be sent to the printing part; and a regulating member 22 which is set near an end of the downstream side in a paper pull-out direction from the receipt paper 21 in the paper holding element 151 to prevent the receipt paper 21 itself from being pulled out to the outside of the paper holding element 151 accompanied by the pull-out of the paper. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus capable of selectively using a first roll paper and a second roll paper having a diameter larger than that of the first roll paper.

  Conventionally, a printer that can handle two types of roll paper, first roll paper and second roll paper, has been proposed (see Patent Document 1). This printer is configured so that two types of roll paper units (10A, 10B) and two types of printing mechanism units (50A, 50B) can be selectively mounted. Then, depending on the combination of the roll paper unit to be mounted and the printing mechanism unit, normal roll paper and label paper can be used properly.

  By the way, in recent years, it is desired to use a large-diameter label sheet having a paper tube and a small-diameter receipt sheet not having a paper tube, as necessary.

  However, when the paper is pulled out and printed, and the weight of the roll paper becomes lighter, the label paper with the paper holding shaft inserted into the paper tube maintains the label paper held in place by the paper holding shaft. Printing can be performed while doing so. On the other hand, with the receipt paper stored in the paper holder together with the roll paper, when the weight of the roll paper is reduced, the entire receipt paper is lifted by the force with which the paper is pulled out of the receipt paper, and the state where the receipt paper is held in a predetermined position is maintained. It was difficult to do. Further, when the entire receipt paper is lifted, the drawn paper is rounded or folded, and it is difficult to maintain a printable state (substantially flat).

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and even when the weight of the roll paper held by the paper holder is reduced, the roll paper is held in the paper holder and the paper pulled out from the roll paper It is an object of the present invention to obtain a printing apparatus that can use roll paper to the end by maintaining the substantially flat shape.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the present invention provides a sheet for inserting the sheet into a cylindrical tube of the second roll paper wound in a roll shape and feeding it to the printing unit. A paper holding shaft that holds the second roll paper in a drawable state, and is detachable from the paper holding shaft instead of the second roll paper, and has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the second roll. A paper holder that holds the first roll paper wound in a roll shape in a state in which the paper can be pulled out in order to send it to the printing unit, and a downstream side of the paper holder in the paper drawing direction from the first roll paper. And a restricting member that is provided in the vicinity of the end and restricts the first roll paper itself from being drawn out of the paper holder as the paper is pulled out.

  Even if the weight of the roll paper held by the paper holder is reduced, the roll paper is held in the paper holder and the paper drawn from the roll paper is maintained in a substantially flat shape. The effect is that paper can be used to the end.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of the printer according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a label sheet is mounted on the printer unit. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the paper holding shaft. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which a paper holder for storing and holding receipt paper is attached to the printer unit. FIG. 5 is a side view showing a state in which a paper holder for storing and holding receipt paper is mounted in the printer unit. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the sheet holder. FIG. 7 is a side view showing a paper holder in which receipt paper is stored and held. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a path of a receipt drawn from the receipt paper.

  Exemplary embodiments of a printing apparatus according to the present invention will be explained below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following, an example in which the printing apparatus of the present invention is applied to a printer that issues a label or receipt printed with information related to a product such as food is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various information is printed on roll paper. The apparatus may be applied to any apparatus as long as it is an apparatus to be used.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of a printer 100 according to the present embodiment. The printer 100 includes a housing 102 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. On the upper surface of the housing 102, an operation panel 103 including various keys such as a numeric keypad and a display 104 as a display unit having a liquid crystal display are provided. An opening is formed on the front side of the housing 102, and two printer units 105 and 106 that function as a roll paper storage unit are accommodated in the inside of the opening.

  Front panels 105a and 106a are attached to the front surfaces of both printer units 105 and 106, respectively. Above the front panels 105a and 106a, issuing ports 105b and 106b through which labels and receipts are issued are opened. Grip portions 105c and 106c are formed below the front panel 105a. In addition, both printer units 105 and 106 are supported and attached to the housing 102 so that they can be drawn out and accommodated in the front direction. An operator can hold the grip portions 105 c and 106 c and pull out the printer units 105 and 106 from the housing 102.

  A device arranged adjacent to the front of the printer 100 is a weighing device 108. The weighing device 108 includes a flat main unit 109 and a weighing pan 110 attached to the upper surface of the main unit 109. The main unit 109 has a function of weighing the item placed on the weighing pan 110 and outputting the weighing data. The printer 100 and the weighing device 108 are electrically connected. The weighing data output from the weighing device 108 is input to the printer 100.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the label paper 11 is mounted on the printer unit 105. FIG. 2 shows the printer unit 105, and the printer unit 106 has a structure that is bilaterally symmetrical to the printer unit 105 shown in FIG. Hereinafter, only the printer unit 105 will be described, and the description of the printer unit 106 will be omitted.

  The printer 100 according to the present embodiment accommodates a printer unit 105 inside the housing 102. The printer unit 105 is basically a unit on which a structure for printing on the label paper 11 is mounted. The structure mounted on the unit is selectively used as the receipt paper 21 (see FIG. 4). ) Can also be printed. Details of the printer unit 105 will be described later.

  The label paper 11 is roll paper wound in a roll shape. The label paper 11 has a structure in which a plurality of labels are attached to a long mount at regular intervals, wound around a paper tube and wound into a roll. As the label, a heat-sensitive label that develops color when heated is used. Such a label sheet 11 is held by the printer unit 105 described above, and is movable between a state in which the label sheet 11 is accommodated in the housing 102 and a state in which the label unit 11 is pulled out according to the sliding movement of the printer unit 105.

  The printer unit 105 includes a paper holding shaft 120 that holds the label paper 11 (see FIG. 3), a printing unit (not shown) that performs printing on a label that the label paper 11 has, and a mount that winds up the mount that the label paper 11 has. A winding shaft (not shown) and a presser 161 are provided. Each of these units (paper holding shaft 120, printing unit, mount winding shaft) is attached to the side frame 105d of the printer unit 105 in a cantilever state. The printer unit 105 has an L shape with a side frame 105d and a bottom frame 105e constituting the bottom.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the paper holding shaft 120. As shown in FIG. 3, the sheet holding shaft 120 is a member that is attached to the side frame 105 d of the printer unit 105 in a cantilever state so as to protrude horizontally as described above. The paper holding shaft 120 is a member that holds the label paper 11 in a state in which the paper can be pulled out to be inserted into the paper tube of the label paper 11 and sent to the printing unit. The upper part of the sheet holding shaft 120 is a flat surface 120a, and its left and right ends are bent downward when it faces the side frame 105d.

  The printer unit 105 has a peeling portion (not shown) that bends the mount of the label paper 11 at an acute angle. The peeling portion is arranged in the vicinity of the downstream side of the printing portion in the guide path of the label sheet 11 from the sheet holding shaft 120 to the mount winding shaft, and the mount is made by bending only the mount path of the label sheet 11 at an acute angle. Lead to the mount reel. The peeling unit has a role of causing the printed label to be peeled from the mount by bending the mount at an acute angle and issuing from the issuing port 105b formed on the front panel 105a.

  Further, the printer unit 105 includes an auto cutter (not shown) that is positioned between the peeling portion and the issuing port 105b and cuts the paper. This auto cutter is not used as long as the label paper 11 is used. However, when the receipt paper 21 is used, the auto cutter has a role of cutting the printed portion of the receipt paper 21 and issuing it from the issuing port 105b.

  The printing unit provided in the printer unit 105 includes a platen roller and a thermal head that are arranged to face each other via a guide path. The platen roller is disposed below the guide path, and the thermal head is disposed above the guide path. The platen roller is driven to rotate by a motor (not shown) and applies a conveying force to the label paper 11 positioned in the guide path. The thermal head is a line-type thermal print head and is in contact with the platen roller via a guide path. This contact force contributes to the conveyance of the label paper 11 by the rotation of the platen roller. For this reason, the printing unit including the platen roller and the thermal head constitutes a conveyance unit that guides and conveys the label paper 11 along the guide path.

  As described above, the mount winding shaft provided in the printer unit 105 is attached to the side frame 105d of the printer unit 105 in a cantilever state. Then, the mount winding shaft winds only the mount among the label sheets 11 that have passed through the peeling portion. The peeling portion and the mount winding shaft are arranged so that the mount winding shaft can wind the mount so that the mount can be bent at an acute angle at the peeling portion.

  The holding portion 161 has a structure that can selectively hold the label paper 11 and the paper holding body 151 held alternatively on the paper holding shaft 120.

  Details of the presser portion 161 will be described. When the printer unit 105 is accommodated in the housing 102, a support body 162 is fixed to the upper end position on the back side of the side frame 105d so as to protrude in the same direction as the paper holding shaft 120 and the mount winding shaft. The support body 162 is formed in a U-shaped cross section, and supports the arm 163 so that the arm 163 can turn freely by opposing both end faces. As a result, the arm 163 rotates about the vertical axis and moves its free end close to and away from the side frame 105d. Therefore, at the free end of such an arm 163, a pressing piece 164 that alternatively presses the label paper 11 and the paper holder 151 (see FIG. 4) held alternatively on the paper holding shaft 120. It is attached so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis. The presser piece 164 is configured to be fixed to the arm 163 by tightening a screw 165 (not shown) as a whole. Further, a coil spring 166 is stretched between the base side of the support body 162 and the arm 163, and urges the arm 163 in a direction to approach the side frame 105d.

  FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the paper holder 151 that stores and holds the receipt paper 21 is attached to the printer unit 105. FIG. 5 is a side view showing a state in which the paper holder 151 for storing and holding the receipt paper 21 is attached to the printer unit 105.

  The receipt paper 21 is a roll paper having a diameter smaller than that of the label paper 11 and wound in a roll shape. More specifically, the unused receipt paper 21 is wound to have a diameter equal to or less than half the diameter of the unused label paper 11. The label paper 11 is provided with a paper tube, whereas the receipt paper 21 is not provided with a paper tube, that is, paper tube-less.

  In the usage mode shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the label holding paper 120 is not attached to the paper holding shaft 120, and a paper holding body 151 is detachably attached instead of the label paper 11. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the paper holder 151. The paper holder 151 stores and holds the receipt paper 21 by a throw-in method. FIG. 7 is a side view showing the paper holder 151 in which the receipt paper 21 is stored and held. The side view of FIG. 7 is shown so that the inside can be seen for convenience of explanation.

  The paper holder 151 is detachably attached to the paper holding shaft 120 by fitting the attachment portion 152 to the outer peripheral shape of the paper holding shaft 120. The attachment portion 152 is attached by sliding from the free end side of the paper holding shaft 120.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the paper holder 151 has a hopper 154 above it. The hopper 154 has a curved bottom surface so that the receipt can be pulled out from the stored receipt paper 21 to the guide path in the direction of arrow A. The hopper 154 supports the outer periphery of the receipt paper 21 wound in a roll while the receipt paper 21 is rotatable.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the receipt paper 21 stored and held by the paper holder 151 is disposed above the paper holding shaft 120 and at a position where the receipt can be pulled out from the upper position of the receipt paper 21 to the guide path. Has been. Such arrangement of the receipt paper 21 is possible because the receipt paper 21 is wound to a diameter less than half of the diameter of the label paper 11, the bottom surface of the hopper 154 that supports the receipt paper 21, and the attachment portion 152. This is because it is possible to prepare a sheet holding member 151 with the length between them adjusted. In this way, the receipt is pulled out from the receipt paper 21 to the guide route, and is guided and conveyed along this guide route. As a result, it is possible to print on a receipt drawn from the receipt paper 21 by sharing each part such as a printing part for printing on the label drawn from the label paper 11.

  The paper holder 151 is formed in the shape of a plate made of a material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), for example, in the vicinity of the downstream end in the paper drawing direction from the receipt paper 21. A restricting member 22 that restricts the sheet holding member 151 from being pulled out is provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the regulating member 22 is a rectangular plate-like member having a substantially linear outer edge portion 22a and an outer edge portion 22b substantially parallel to the outer edge portion 22a, and the outer edge portions 22a and 22b. It is bent at a predetermined angle by a substantially parallel fold line 22c. The end 151a of the paper holder 151 is refracted on the side opposite to the hopper 154, that is, the outer side of the paper holder 151, and the regulating member 22 extends from the outer edge 22b to the vicinity of the folding line 22c. It is attached along the end 151a. The restricting member 22 is arranged from the vicinity of the folding line 22 c to the outer edge portion 22 a toward the inner side of the sheet holding member 151.

  Accordingly, even when the receipt paper 211 is lifted by pulling out the receipt from the receipt paper 211, which is the receipt paper 21 that has become lighter in weight, as shown in FIG. It is possible to maintain the state in which the receipt paper 211 is stored and held in the paper holder 151 without being caught between the outer edge portions 22 a of the member 22 and jumping out of the paper holder 151. Further, even when the receipt paper 211 is lifted by pulling out the receipt from the receipt paper 211, the receipt paper 211 from which the receipt is drawn out is regulated by the outer edge portion 22a of the regulating member 22, The receipt can be pulled out while maintaining a substantially flat shape. Accordingly, the receipt paper 211 can be used to the end. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the regulating member 22 regulates the receipt paper 21 in the width direction by the outer edge portion 22 a when the receipt is pulled out from the receipt 211 whose weight is reduced.

  Further, the distance between the outer edge portion 22a of the regulating member 22 and the end portion 151c on the upstream side in the paper drawing direction of the paper holder 151 is configured to have a distance equal to or larger than the diameter of the unused receipt paper 21. Yes. This is because the receipt paper 21 is stored inside the paper holder 151. Therefore, in order to make the paper holding body 151 compact, it is desirable that the distance between the outer edge portion 22a and the end portion 151c be the shortest length through which the unused receipt paper 21 can pass.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a path of a receipt drawn from the receipt paper 21. As shown in FIG. The receipt drawn from the receipt paper 21 stored and held in the paper holder 151 is conveyed along the path C, printed, and issued outside the printer 100. Since the printer 100 is provided with a damper 122 that maintains the tension of the paper, the end portion 151 a of the paper holder 151 is refracted at an angle that avoids contact with the damper 122. Accordingly, the restricting member 22 is similarly bent at a predetermined angle that can avoid contact with the damper 122 by a fold line 22c substantially parallel to the outer edge portions 22a and 22b so that the restricting member 22 can be mounted along the end portion 151a.

  Returning to FIG. 4, the pressing portion 161 can press the side surface of the label sheet 11 mounted on the sheet holding shaft 120 with the pressing piece 164 as described above, but is further mounted on the sheet holding shaft 120. The side surface of the paper holder 151 can be pressed.

  Note that the printer 100 according to the present embodiment performs a printing operation when power is supplied from a commercial power source and driving of each unit is controlled by a microcomputer (not shown) built in the housing 102.

  In such a configuration, when the label sheet 11 is mounted on the sheet holding shaft 120 (see FIG. 2), the label sheet 11 is guided and conveyed along the guide path by rotating the platen roller. Then, printing based on the print data is performed on the label of the label paper 11 by the thermal head that contacts the platen roller. At the same time, the power from the motor is transmitted to the mount take-up shaft, and the mount that forms part of the label paper 11 is taken up by the mount take-up shaft. Then, the printed label is peeled from the mount bent at an acute angle at the peeling portion, and the peeled label is issued from the issuing port 105b.

  On the other hand, when the paper holding body 151 is mounted on the paper holding shaft 120 (see FIG. 4), the receipt paper stored and held in the hopper 154 of the paper holding body 151 by rotating the platen roller. 21 is guided and conveyed along the guide route, and printing based on the print data is performed on the receipt paper 21 by the thermal head that contacts the platen roller via the guide route. The printed portion of the receipt paper 21 is cut by an auto cutter and issued from the issuing port 105b.

  As described above, in the printer 100 according to the present embodiment, by providing the regulating member 22 to the paper holder 151 that stores and holds the receipt paper 21, the receipt is pulled out from the receipt paper 21 that has been reduced in weight. Even when the paper 21 is lifted up, the receipt paper 21, which has been reduced in weight, jumps out of the paper holder 151 by being caught between the side surface 151 b of the paper holder 151 and the outer edge 22 a of the regulating member 22. Without being stored in the paper holder 151. Further, even when the receipt paper 21 is lifted by pulling out the receipt from the receipt paper 21 whose weight has been reduced, the receipt is pulled out by the outer edge portion 22a of the regulating member 22 formed in a substantially linear shape. By pressing and restricting the receipt paper 21, the receipt can be pulled out while being maintained in a substantially flat shape. Accordingly, the receipt paper 21 can be used to the end. Further, the contact with the damper 122 can be avoided by bending the regulating member 22 at a predetermined angle by the fold line 22c in order to adhere the end portion 151a of the sheet holding member 151.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Label paper 21 Receipt paper 22 Restriction member 22a, 22b Outer edge part 22c Folding line 100 Printer 102 Housing 103 Operation panel 104 Display 105, 106 Printer unit 105a Front panel 105b Issuing port 105c Grip part 105d Side frame 105e Bottom frame 108 Weighing device 109 Main unit 110 Weighing pan 120 Paper holding shaft 120a Flat surface 122 Damper 151 Paper holding body 151a, 151c End portion 151b Side surface 152 Mounting portion 154 Hopper 161 Pressing portion 162 Support body 163 Arm 164 Pressing piece 165 Screw 166 Coil spring

JP 2001-341371 A

Claims (4)

A paper holding shaft for holding the second roll paper in a state in which the paper can be pulled out to be inserted into a paper tube formed in a cylindrical shape of a second roll paper wound in a roll shape and sent to the printing unit;
In order to send the first roll paper, which is detachable from the paper holding shaft instead of the second roll paper and is wound in a roll shape with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the second roll, to the printing unit. A paper holder that holds the paper in a drawable state,
Provided in the vicinity of the downstream end of the paper holder in the paper pull-out direction from the first roll paper, and the first roll paper itself is restricted from being drawn out of the paper holder as the paper is pulled out. A regulating member,
A printing apparatus comprising:   2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the restriction member is formed of a plate-like member having a substantially linear outer edge portion, and is restricted with respect to the width direction of the first roll paper by the outer edge portion. .   3. The distance between the outer edge portion of the restricting member and an end portion on the upstream side in the paper drawing direction from the first roll paper has a distance greater than or equal to the diameter of the first roll. The printing apparatus as described in.   The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the restricting member is bent at a predetermined angle by a fold line substantially parallel to the outer edge portion.

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