JP2014144556A - Sheet storage device and printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the following problems: an outer peripheral surface of a roll sheet is scratched; and print quality is deteriorated.SOLUTION: A sheet storage device includes: a storage part in which a sheet wound in a roll state is stored via a slot; a shaft that is provided in the storage part and that has an opening end at one end to pivotally support the sheet; a lid body that is provided to be movable between a slot opening position and a slot closing position; and a shaft tilting mechanism that tilts the shaft by directing the opening end of the shaft toward the slot when the lid body is in the opening position.

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a sheet storage device and a printer.

  Receipt printers that are built in a register or a POS (Point of Sales) terminal, or are connected to these devices and issue receipts on which product names and prices of purchased products are printed, are widely used. In addition, label printers that print and issue labels to be attached to products are also widespread. These printers print receipt paper, label paper, and other roll paper (hereinafter collectively referred to as “roll paper”) wound in a roll shape at a printing unit.

  The roll paper can be set in the printer as an axis system in which the roll paper shaft is fitted to the shaft provided in the printer to support the shaft core, and the roll paper is placed on the paper storage unit of the printer. There are two types, a so-called throwing method, in which the paper is set so that the inner peripheral surface of the paper storage unit supports the outer peripheral surface of the roll paper.

  The shaft core method requires a complicated structure in which the housing of the printer is opened in the axial direction from a structure in which roll paper is fitted to the shaft. Moreover, the complicated operation | work which inserts and sets the axis of roll paper to an axis | shaft is needed. For this reason, in recent years, a throwing method that is excellent in the ease of setting operation is often adopted, particularly with a relatively light roll paper having a small roll diameter.

  However, in the throw-in method, the roll paper rotates while being in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the paper storage unit, so that the outer peripheral surface of the roll paper is likely to be damaged by friction. In addition, the outer peripheral surface is easily damaged when the roll paper jumps when the roll paper rotates. Furthermore, there is a high possibility that foreign matters such as dust adhering to the inner peripheral surface of the paper storage unit will adhere to the outer peripheral surface of the roll paper. Therefore, in such a throw-in type printer, the print quality may deteriorate due to friction with the roll paper or scratches on the outer peripheral surface.

  A sheet storage device according to an embodiment stores a sheet wound in a roll shape through a slot, and is provided in the storage unit, and has an open end at one end and pivotally supports the sheet. A shaft, a lid provided to be movable between a position for opening and closing the charging port, and the opening end portion of the shaft when the lid is in the open position. A shaft tilt mechanism for tilting the shaft toward the head.

  The printer according to the embodiment includes a storage unit that stores a sheet of paper wound in a roll shape through an insertion port, and a shaft that is provided in the storage unit and has an open end at one end and pivotally supports the paper. A lid body movably provided between a position where the charging port is opened and a position where the charging port is closed; and the open end portion of the shaft is directed toward the charging port when the lid body is in the open position. A shaft tilting mechanism that tilts the shaft, and a printing unit that feeds out the paper stored in the paper storage device in a state where the lid is in the closed position and executes a printing process.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the printer according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the upper case is opened. FIG. 3 is a side sectional view. FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory diagram. FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory diagram of the second embodiment. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of operations. FIG. 7 is a detailed explanatory diagram. FIG. 8 is a detailed explanatory diagram. FIG. 9 is a detailed explanatory diagram.

  Hereinafter, a sheet storage device and a printer according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited by this embodiment demonstrated below.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a paper storage device and a printer according to the first embodiment, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state where an upper case of the receipt printer is opened, and FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration of the receipt printer. FIG. The paper storage device and printer according to the present embodiment are applied to a receipt printer (hereinafter referred to as “printer”). The printer 1 is a thermal printer that prints a receipt at a store or the like, and includes a printer case 2, a paper storage unit 12, and a printing unit 21.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the printer case 2 includes a lower case 4 and an upper case 5 connected by a hinge 3. A paper storage unit 12 is built in the rear part of the printer case 2 (the back side as viewed from the paper side in FIGS. 1 and 2), and the front part of the printer case 2 (as viewed from the paper side in FIGS. 1 and 2). A printing unit 21 and a paper outlet 6 are provided on the front side. The lower case 4 has a built-in upper frame 31a. The upper case 5 incorporates a lower frame 31b in a fixed manner. The upper frame 31a and the lower frame 31b are connected by the hinge 3.

  The upper case 5 can be opened and closed with respect to the lower case 4 by being rotated about the hinge 3. The upper frame 31a can be opened and closed with respect to the lower frame 31b by rotating around the hinge 3 as a fulcrum. The upper frame 31a opens together with the upper case 5 to open the opening 25 at the top of the paper storage unit 12 (paper storage device). The roll paper 13 is set in the paper storage unit 12 from the opened opening 25.

  The lower frame 31 b is provided with a lower sheet guide 4 a that reaches the sheet outlet 6. The upper frame 31 a is also provided with an upper sheet guide 5 a that reaches the sheet outlet 6. The rear end portion of the upper paper guide 5a has an arc shape, and this rear end portion is provided so as to cover the opening 25 of the paper storage portion 12 from above with the upper case 5 closed. An idle roller 5c is attached to the upper frame 31a provided on the upper sheet guide 5a, and an idle roller 5b is attached to the lower frame 31b.

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the paper storage unit 12. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the sheet storage unit 12 includes a front wall portion 14, a bottom plate portion 15, a rear wall portion 16, a right side wall 17, and a left side wall 18. The paper storage unit 12 stores the roll paper 13 in a space region surrounded by the front wall part 14, the bottom plate part 15, the rear wall part 16, the right side wall 17, and the left side wall 18. Receipt paper 13 a is pulled out from the outer peripheral side of the roll paper 13 stored in the paper storage unit 12, guided along the upper paper guide 5 a and idle rollers 5 b and 5 c, and held between the printing unit 24 and the platen 23. . The printing unit 24 prints product information or the like on the sandwiched receipt paper 13a. The printed receipt paper 13 a is conveyed by a platen 23 that is rotated by a motor 22, and is discharged to the outside from the paper outlet 6.

  FIG. 4A is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a state where the upper frame 31a is opened with respect to the lower frame 31b (the state shown in FIG. 2). In FIG. 4, the paper storage unit 12 includes a holding member 33 that holds the roll paper 13. The holding member 33 includes a side surface portion 34 that receives the side surface of the roll paper 13, and a columnar support shaft 35 that extends at a right angle from the center portion of the side surface portion 34. The side surface portion 34 abuts on the side surface portion of the roll paper 13. The support shaft 35 is inserted into the shaft hole 32 of the roll paper 13 and supports the roll paper 13. In the holding member 33, one end portion of the side surface portion 34 is rotatably held by the front wall portion 14 and the rear wall portion 16 by a hinge 36.

  A coiled spring 37 is provided between the holding member 33 and the left side wall 18. The spring 37 biases the holding member 33 in the direction of the arrow 39. When the roll paper 13 is not attached, the holding member 33 is rotated in the direction of the arrow 39 (the position indicated by the solid line) about the hinge 36 by the urging force of the spring 37. The support shaft 35 is inclined upward from the paper storage unit 12 toward the opening 25. In the present embodiment, the open end 26 of the support shaft 35 slightly protrudes upward from the opening 25. However, the open end 26 of the support shaft 35 may not protrude upward from the opening 25.

  The upper frame 31 a includes a positioning member 41 that positions the roll paper 13. The positioning member 41 is provided to extend downward from the upper frame 31a in a state where the upper frame 31a is closed to the lower frame 31b. The positioning member 41 has a lower tip 45 slightly bent in a direction away from the set roll paper 13. The positioning member 41 is held movably with respect to the upper frame 31a (left and right in FIG. 4A), and is biased by the spring 42 in the direction of the roll paper 13 (left in FIG. 4A). ing. The upper frame 31a includes a stopper 43 that restricts the movement of the positioning member 41 (rightward in FIG. 4A).

  In this state, the open end 26 of the support shaft 35 is inserted into the shaft hole 32 of the roll paper 13, and the roll paper 13 is set in the printer 1 from the direction of the arrow 38. FIG. 4B shows a state in which the roll paper 13 is set in the printer 1. The holding member 33 that has been tilted rotates in the direction opposite to the arrow 39 around the hinge 36 against the urging force of the spring 37 by the weight of the roll paper 13 that has been set, so that the substantially horizontal position (dotted line) Position). The holding member 33 is in contact with the stopper 40 and holds the roll paper 13 in a substantially horizontal position.

  FIG. 4C shows a state in which the receipt paper 13a is pulled out and set from the roll paper 13 and the upper frame 31a is closed. In the middle of closing the upper frame 31 a, the lower tip 45 of the positioning member 41 contacts the side surface 46 of the roll paper 13. As the upper frame 31a is further closed, the positioning member 41 with which the lower tip 45 abuts moves in the direction of the arrow 44 to the position of the width of the roll paper 13 against the urging force of the spring 42. (In FIG. 4 (c), it moves from the position of the dotted line to the position of the solid line). The state completely closed with respect to the lower frame 31b is the state shown in FIG. In this state, the positioning member 41 abuts on the side surface portion 46 of the roll paper 13 by the urging force of the spring 42, and the positioning member 41 holds the roll paper 13 on the side surface portion 34 (FIG. 4C). It is pushing toward the left). Therefore, the roll paper 13 is positioned at an accurate position, and the roll paper 13 is not detached from the holding member 33 during use.

  The roll paper 13 is held in a state where both side portions are sandwiched between the side surface portion 34 and the positioning member 41. Therefore, it is desirable that the friction between the roll paper 13 and the side surface portion 34 and the positioning member 41 is small. Therefore, at least the side portion 34 and the portion of the positioning member 41 that contacts the roll paper 13 are formed of a material having a small friction coefficient. Or processing which makes a friction coefficient small is given.

  When the platen 23 is rotated by driving the motor 22 in this state, the roll paper 13 rotates while being supported by the support shaft 35 to supply the receipt paper 13a. The printing unit 24 prints product information and the like on the receipt paper 13a, and issues the receipt by discharging the receipt from the paper outlet 6 to the outside.

  In such a first embodiment, when the roll paper 13 is set in the paper storage unit 12, the support shaft 35 of the holding member 33 is moved upward in the paper storage unit 12 by opening the upper frame 31 a upward. Tilt. Then, the shaft hole 32 of the roll paper 13 is inserted into the support shaft 35 of the holding member 33 inclined upward. Then, the roll paper 13 is set so as to be pivotally supported in the paper storage unit 12 by the weight of the inserted roll paper 13. Then, the roll paper 13 is set in the paper storage unit 12 by closing the upper frame 31a. Therefore, although the roll paper 13 can be set in the paper storage section 12 with the same simple operation as the throwing method of throwing the roll paper 13 from the opening 25, the friction of the roll paper 13 due to friction with the paper storage section 12 can be set. The outer peripheral surface is not damaged. When the roll paper 13 is rotated, the roll paper 13 does not jump and the outer peripheral surface is not damaged. The possibility that foreign matter in the paper storage unit 12 adheres to the outer peripheral surface of the roll paper is low. Further, the printer of the present embodiment does not scratch the outer peripheral surface of the roll paper 13 due to friction with the paper storage unit 12, and the possibility that foreign matter adheres to the outer peripheral surface of the roll paper 13 is low. Print quality is improved. Further, since the printer of this embodiment has no friction between the roll paper 13 and the paper storage unit 12, the print quality is improved.

  Further, the roll paper 13 can be positioned at an accurate position by the positioning member 41 with the upper frame 31a closed.

  Further, since the spring 37 is used as the shaft tilting mechanism, the paper storage unit 12 can be made inexpensive with a simple structure.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about the structure same as 1st Embodiment, and description is abbreviate | omitted.

  FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are explanatory views in which the upper frame 31a is opened from the lower frame 31b. FIG. 5A is a side view, and FIG. 5B is a front view. The lower frame 31b includes a pair of supporting walls 81 spaced apart from each other. A cam member 51 is rotatably attached to the support wall 81 by a support shaft 52 between the support walls 81. A toggle spring 82 is attached to the support shaft 52. The toggle spring 82 urges the cam member 51 to rotate about the support shaft 52.

  The lower frame 31b includes pinion gears 63 and 67 and rack gears 61 and 65 inside. The rack gear 61 is attached in the lower frame 31b and is movable in the vertical direction. The pinion gears 63 and 67 are mounted in the lower frame 31b and can be rotated on the spot. The rack gear 65 is attached in the lower frame 31b and is movable in the horizontal direction. The teeth 62 of the rack gear 61 and the teeth 64 of the pinion gear 63 mesh with each other, and the pinion gear 63 rotates as the rack gear 61 moves in the vertical direction.

  FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing in detail the relationship among the cam member 51, the rack gear 61, and the pinion gear 63 in a state where the upper frame 31a is opened. In FIG. 7, the cam member 51 is provided with a partially elliptical curved portion 83. The curved portion 83 is formed such that a length L1 from the center of the support shaft 52 to the short diameter portion 84 is shorter than a length L2 from the center of the support shaft 52 to the long diameter portion 85.

  The rack gear 61 has a small hole 86, and a guide pin 92 is formed inside the small hole 86. The pore 86 is movable in the vertical direction by a distance of the length L3 of the pore 86 while the movement is regulated by the guide pin 92. Further, a spring 87 is stretched over the lower frame 31b and a locking portion 91 formed on the rack gear 61, and the rack gear 61 is urged upward in FIG.

  When the upper frame 31a is opened, the cam member 51 rotates about the support shaft 52 by the urging force of the toggle spring 82, and rises in a substantially vertical state. In this state, the long diameter portion 85 of the cam member 51 contacts the rack gear 61. For this reason, the cam member 51 depresses the rack gear 61 downward against the urging force of the spring 87. Then, since the teeth 62 of the rack gear 61 and the teeth 64 of the pinion gear 63 mesh with each other, the pinion gear 63 rotates in the clockwise direction.

  Returning to FIG. Since the teeth 64 of the pinion gear 63 and the teeth 66 of the rack gear 65 mesh with each other, when the pinion gear 63 rotates, the rack gear 65 moves in the horizontal direction (the left-right direction in FIG. 5A). Since the teeth 66 of the rack gear 65 and the male screw portion 68 of the pinion gear 67 are engaged, the pinion gear 67 rotates as the rack gear 65 moves in the horizontal direction.

  Further, the pinion gear 67 includes a male screw portion 68 fixed to the pinion gear 67. The male screw portion 68 is formed to protrude from the pinion gear 67 and rotates coaxially with the rotation shaft of the pinion gear 67.

  The lower frame 31 b includes an inner wall 72. The inner wall 72 is erected upward from the bottom plate portion 15 of the lower frame 31b. A moving member 69 is fitted in the inner wall 72 so as to be movable in the horizontal direction with respect to the inner wall 72. The moving member 69 does not rotate.

  This will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The moving member 69 includes a female screw portion 70. The male screw portion 68 of the pinion gear 67 is inserted into the female screw portion 70 of the moving member 69, and the screw teeth of each other are screwed together. When the pinion gear 67 rotates, the moving member 69 is supported by the inner wall 72 and does not rotate by the action of the threaded male screw portion 68 and the female screw portion 70 (FIG. 5B). ) In the direction of arrow 74 or the direction opposite to arrow 74).

  The moving member 69 includes a pressing portion 71. In the present embodiment, the pressing portion 71 is formed in a truncated cone shape, but may be a hemispherical shape or a truncated pyramid shape.

  FIG. 5 shows a state in which the moving member 69 has moved to the right. When the moving member 69 moves to the right, the holding member 33 pushed by the pressing portion 71 of the moving member 69 rotates counterclockwise around the hinge 36, and the support shaft 35 opens from the paper storage portion 12. It inclines upward toward the part 25.

  6 (a) and 6 (b) are explanatory views showing a state in which the upper frame 31a is closed to the lower frame 31b. FIG. 6A is a side view, and FIG. 6B is a front view. When the upper frame 31a is closed, the cam member 51 pushed by the upper frame 31a rotates counterclockwise about the support shaft 52 against the urging force of the toggle spring 82 and is positioned in a substantially horizontal state. .

  FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing in detail the relationship among the cam member 51, the rack gear 61, and the pinion gear 63 in a state where the upper frame 31a is closed. As the upper frame 31a is closed, the cam member 51 is pushed by the upper frame 31a being closed and rotates counterclockwise around the support shaft 52 against the urging force of the toggle spring 82. Become horizontal. In this state, the short diameter portion 84 of the cam member 51 contacts the rack gear 61. The short diameter portion 84 has a distance L1 from the support shaft 52 of the cam member 51 and is shorter than the distance L2 between the support shaft 52 and the long diameter portion 85. For this reason, the rack gear 61 is raised upward by the urging force of the spring 87. Then, since the teeth 62 of the rack gear 61 and the teeth 64 of the pinion gear 63 mesh with each other, the pinion gear 63 rotates counterclockwise.

  Returning to FIG. When the pinion gear 63 rotates counterclockwise, the pinion gear 67 also rotates counterclockwise. When the pinion gear 67 rotates counterclockwise, the male screw portion 68 of the pinion gear 67 and the female screw portion 70 of the non-rotating moving member 69 are screwed together, so that the moving member 69 moves to the left.

  FIG. 6 shows a state in which the moving member 69 has moved leftward. When the moving member 69 moves in the left direction, the holding member 33 rotates clockwise about the hinge 36, and the support shaft 35 is in a substantially horizontal state within the paper storage unit 12.

  In the second embodiment, when the roll paper 13 is set in the printer 1, the support shaft 35 of the holding member 33 is moved upward in the paper storage unit 12 in accordance with the operation of opening the upper frame 31 a upward. Tilt. Then, the shaft hole 32 of the roll paper 13 is inserted into the support shaft 35 of the holding member 33 inclined upward. Thereafter, the upper frame 31a is closed. As the upper frame 31 a is closed, the holding member 33 into which the roll paper 13 is inserted returns into the paper storage unit 12, and the roll paper 13 is set in the paper storage unit 12 in a form supported by the support shaft 35. . Therefore, although the roll paper 13 can be set in the paper storage unit 12 by the same simple operation as the throwing method of throwing the roll paper 13 from the opening 25, the outer peripheral surface of the roll paper 13 is damaged by friction. There is nothing. When the roll paper 13 is rotated, the roll paper does not jump and the outer peripheral surface is not damaged. The possibility that foreign matter in the paper storage unit 12 adheres to the outer peripheral surface of the roll paper 13 is low. Further, the printer of the present embodiment does not scratch the outer peripheral surface of the roll paper 13 due to friction with the paper storage unit 12, and the possibility that foreign matter adheres to the outer peripheral surface of the roll paper 13 is low. Print quality is improved. Further, since the printer of this embodiment has no friction between the roll paper 13 and the paper storage unit 12, the print quality is improved.

  Further, the roll paper 13 can be positioned at an accurate position by the positioning member 41 with the upper frame 31a closed.

  Further, since the projecting mechanism such as the cam member 51, the rack gears 61 and 65, the pinion gears 63 and 67, and the moving member 69 is used as the shaft tilting mechanism, the roll paper 13 can be securely fed regardless of the weight of the roll paper 13 to be set. It can be set in the storage unit 12.

  In the second embodiment, the moving member 69 is provided coaxially with the pinion gear 67, and the moving member 69 is moved by the rotation of the pinion gear 67. However, the moving member 69 is provided coaxially with the pinion gear 63, The moving member 69 may be moved by the rotation of the pinion gear 63.

  This embodiment is presented as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

  For example, the spring 37, the spring 42, the toggle spring 82, and the spring 87 are not limited to coil springs, and may be other possible springs.

  Further, the shape of the support shaft 35 may not be cylindrical. For example, it may be cylindrical, prismatic, or elliptical. In short, it is only necessary that the roll paper 13 can be rotatably supported. The length of the support shaft 35 may be longer or shorter than the roll paper 13. The material of the support shaft 35 is not particularly limited.

  In this embodiment, the receipt printer has been described as an example. However, the present invention can also be applied to a label printer and other printers using roll paper.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer 12 Paper storage part 31a Upper frame 31b Lower frame 37 Spring 41 Positioning member 69 Moving member

JP 2004-306356 A

Claims (5)

A storage section for storing the paper wound in a roll shape through the insertion slot;
A shaft provided in the storage unit, having an open end at one end and pivotally supporting the paper;
A lid provided to be movable between a position for opening the inlet and a position for closing;
A shaft tilting mechanism for tilting the shaft with the open end of the shaft facing the input port when the lid is in the open position;
A paper storage device. The lid includes a positioning mechanism that positions the paper in the storage unit at a predetermined position where the paper can be fed out in a state where the lid is in the closed position.
The paper storage device according to claim 1. The shaft tilt mechanism is a biasing mechanism that biases the shaft in the tilt position direction.
The paper storage device according to claim 1 or 2. The shaft tilting mechanism is a projecting mechanism that tilts the shaft in the tilted position direction by projecting toward the shaft in response to the movement of the lid body to the position for opening the storage portion.
The paper storage device according to claim 1 or 2. The paper storage device according to claim 1,
A printing unit that feeds out the paper stored in the paper storage device in a state where the lid is in the closed position and executes a printing process;
With printer.

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