JP5261565B2 - Label printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve convenience by applying proper tension to a plurality of types of label paper. <P>SOLUTION: The printer includes a first mounting plate 51 provided near a first conveying path for conveying outside-turn label paper from a paper storage part storing the outside-turn label paper wound in a rolled form with labels attached outside to a label printing mechanism 21 for performing printing on the labels, a second mounting plate provided near a second conveying path for conveying inside-turn label paper from a paper storage part storing the inside-turn label paper wound in a rolled form with labels attached inside to the label printing mechanism 21, and a label damper 50 which is attached to any of the first mounting plate 51 or the second mounting plate and interferes with any of the first conveying path or the second conveying path. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a label printer that performs printing on a label.

  Conventionally, in a label printer that prints on a label affixed to a mount, the label stripping unit bends the guide path of the sheet while winding the mount with the mount take-up shaft, and the label on which the print data is printed is removed from the mount It is released and issued.

  In such a label printer, for example, when a large-diameter label paper (label + mount) wound in a roll shape is used, if the label paper being conveyed is loosened due to processing such as back feed, the inertial force There was a problem that the label paper could not be pulled by (inertia resistance) and the printing performance could not be stabilized.

  Therefore, by applying appropriate tension to the label paper (label + mount) by the tension member, tension is applied to the label paper (label + mount), and the paper is pulled from the large-diameter label paper (label + mount). A label printer that stabilizes printing performance is disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  However, in the label printer described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to pass label paper (label + mounting paper) between the tension member and the platen roller, which is inconvenient. The label paper includes, for example, a roll-shaped outer-wrapped label paper with a label attached to the outside, and a roll-shaped inner-wrapped label paper with a label attached to the inside. However, since only label paper wound in a predetermined direction can be used, convenience is poor.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and it is possible to provide a label printer that can provide an appropriate tension to a plurality of types of label sheets with a simple configuration and has improved convenience. Objective.

In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the present invention is provided with a label paper storage unit, a platen, a label peeling member, and a mount winding unit, and is separated from and abuts against the platen. A printer unit that can be accommodated in an apparatus main body provided with a free print head and can be pulled out from the apparatus main body, and when the printer unit is accommodated in the apparatus main body, the print head is brought into contact with the platen, A head block that separates the print head from the platen when the printer unit is pulled out from the apparatus main body, and is detachably attached to either the head block or the printer unit, and is pulled out from the label paper storage unit, A damper for applying tension to the paper wound by the mount winding shaft via the platen; Wherein the label sheet containing portion is a can housing the outer winding the label sheet or the inner winding the label sheet, the damper, when the outer winding label to the label sheet containing portion is accommodated in the head block When the inner label is stored in the label paper storage unit, it is attached to the printer unit .

  The label printer according to the present invention can apply appropriate tension to a plurality of types of label sheets with a simple configuration, and can improve convenience.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of a label printer. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state where the printer unit is pulled out. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the printer unit is pulled out. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state in which the printer unit is accommodated. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of the installation position of the label damper. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the vicinity of the installation position of the label damper. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the printer unit for explaining the installation position of the label damper. FIG. 8A is a perspective view of the label damper. FIG. 8-2 is a perspective view of the label damper. FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the label damper is provided on the head block via the mounting plate. FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the label damper is provided in the cantilever unit via the mounting plate.

  Exemplary embodiments of a label printer 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 label printer of the present invention is applied to a label printer that issues a label on which information related to a product such as food is printed will be described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various information is recorded on a recording medium such as paper. Any device (printer) may be applied as long as the device prints.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of a label printer 1 according to the present embodiment. The label printer 1 prints information related to products such as food on a label and issues a printed label. As shown in FIG. 1, a display 11 with a touch panel for displaying various information related to products is provided on the upper part of the apparatus main body 10 of the label printer 1. A keyboard 12 for receiving various inputs from the operator is provided on the upper surface of the main body 10 of the label printer 1. Further, a weighing scale 13 for placing a product and measuring the weight of the product is provided at the lower front portion of the apparatus main body 10 of the label printer 1.

  Inside the apparatus main body 10 of the label printer 1, printer units 15 and 16 are accommodated in parallel, and a gripping portion provided in a groove shape at the lower part of the apparatus main body 10 of the label printer 1 on the weighing scale 13 side. By pulling the fingers 15a and 16a with their fingers, the label printer 1 can be pulled out in the direction A in FIG. Further, the printer units 15 and 16 can be accommodated inside the apparatus main body 10 of the label printer 1 by pressing the drawn printer units 15 and 16 in the direction opposite to the A direction. In the printer units 15 and 16 of the label printer 1 according to the present embodiment, the outer label paper (P1) in which the label is attached to the outside of the mount and wound in a roll shape, or the label is attached to the inside of the mount. The inner-wrap label paper (P2) wound in a roll shape can be stored.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state where the printer unit 15 is pulled out. The printer unit 15 in FIG. 2 accommodates a roll-shaped outer-wrapped label paper P1 printed by a label printing mechanism 21 (see FIGS. 4 and 10) with a label attached to the outside of the mount. The outer label paper P1 is detachably held by inserting a paper tube into the holding shaft 22 (see FIG. 3). Further, when the printer unit 15 is accommodated in the apparatus main body 10, the outer-wrapped label paper P <b> 1 is supported on the end surface by the bent roll paper holding mechanism 201 and the movement in the width direction is restricted. The label printer 1 has a configuration in which labels printed by the label printing mechanism 21 of the printer units 15 and 16 are discharged from label issuing ports 17 and 18 formed on the weighing scale 13 side of the apparatus main body 10 of the label printer 1. It has become.

  Hereinafter, the configuration of the printer unit 15 in the state where the outer label paper P1 is stored on the right side will be described. However, as described above, the inner label paper P2 is loaded in the printer unit 15. It can also be stored, and the configuration other than the installation position of the label damper 50 described later is the same. The other printer unit 16 located on the left side has a structure that is symmetrical with respect to the printer unit 15, and similarly can accommodate the outer-wrap label paper P <b> 1 and the inner-wrap label paper P <b> 2. Therefore, the description of the printer unit 16 located on the left side is omitted.

  FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a state in which the printer unit 15 is pulled out. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state in which the printer unit 15 is accommodated. In FIG. 3, the roll paper holding mechanism 201 is omitted. Hereinafter, the structure of the label printer 1 will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  The label printer 1 is configured such that a printer unit 15 is accommodated in a printer holding unit 20 of the apparatus main body 10 so that the printer unit 15 can be pulled out. The printer unit 15 includes, in order from the label issuing port 17, a cantilever unit 23 including a platen that forms the label printing mechanism 21 and a label peeling plate for peeling the label of the outer roll label paper P 1 and the mount, and the outer roll label. A paper storage unit 24 that stores and holds the paper P1 is provided. Further, below the cantilever unit 23, a mount winding shaft 25 for winding the mount peeled by the label peeling plate is provided. An attachment wall 26 is provided on one inner side of the printer unit 15, and an open portion 27 is formed on the other side facing the attachment wall 26. The mounting wall 26 is a structure that supports the platen, the label peeling plate, and the mount winding shaft 25 in a cantilever state, and the open portion 27 has a notch structure.

  Therefore, the holding shaft 22 of the paper storage unit 24, the cantilever unit 23 (platen and label peeling plate), and the mount winding shaft 25 allow the printer unit 15 to move from the holding shaft 22 of the paper storage unit 24 to the mount winding shaft. A transport path for the outer-wrapped label paper P1 reaching 25 is formed.

  Further, the mounting wall 26 of the printer unit 15 has a stepped contact that abuts against a contact portion 53 (see FIG. 8 and the like) of a mounting plate 51 of a label damper 50 to be described later when the printer unit 15 is pushed. A portion 26a is formed.

  The free end of the cantilever unit 23 (platen and label peeling plate) is supported by an auxiliary sheet metal 28 to improve positioning accuracy and ensure rigidity. The platen and mount winding shaft 25 of the cantilever unit 23 are rotatably mounted, and a gear train (see FIG. 5) constituting a power transmission mechanism for the platen and mount winding shaft 25 of the cantilever unit 23 is attached to the mounting wall 26. Not shown). In a state where the cantilever unit 23 and the mount winding shaft 25 are attached to the mounting wall 26, the cantilever unit 23 (platen and label peeling plate) and the mount winding shaft 25 are orthogonal to the direction in which the printer unit 15 is pulled out and accommodated. Are arranged along a substantially horizontal axis.

  The printer holding unit 20 has a free end support (not shown) that supports the bottom of the auxiliary sheet metal 28 of the cantilever unit 23 on the inner wall thereof. In other words, the free end support portion supports the free end of the cantilever unit 23 (platen and label peeling plate) attached to the auxiliary sheet metal 28 by supporting the auxiliary sheet metal 28 directly supported.

  The printer holding unit 20 is provided with a head block 31 that can separate and contact the line thermal head 30 with respect to the platen of the cantilever unit 23. The line thermal head 30 prints predetermined items on the label of the label paper P in the transporting process in which the label paper P (outer winding label paper P1, inner winding label paper P2) stored in the paper storage section 24 is pulled out and transported. This is a print head constituting the label printing mechanism 21.

  The head block 31 rotates in a direction in which the line thermal head 30 is flipped up in accordance with the drawing operation of the printer unit 15. Further, the head block 31 is rotated in a direction in which the line thermal head 30 is returned to the printing position in contact with the platen in accordance with the pushing operation of the printer unit 15. Thus, in the label printer 1, the line thermal head 30 is flipped up as the printer unit 15 slides. That is, the head block 31 is located above the vicinity of the conveyance path from the paper storage unit 24 of the outer-wrapped label paper P1 to the label printing mechanism 21 in the printer unit 15 with respect to the printer holding unit 20 of the apparatus body 10. It is an open / close block that is provided so as to be openable and closable in the process of pulling out and storing the lip.

  In addition, in the maximum drawing position where the printer cassette 15 is pulled out from the printer holding unit 20 to the maximum extent, a jumping means for realizing a jumping structure for rotating the head block 31 so as to flip the line thermal head 30 is not shown. It is constituted by a cam structure (cam and cam follower).

  Further, the head block 31 is provided with a label damper 50 that applies an appropriate tension to the outer-wrapped label paper P1 drawn from the paper storage unit 24. Here, in the label printer 1 according to the present embodiment, the label damper 50 is selected as a predetermined installation position depending on whether the label paper stored in the printer unit 15 is the outer label paper P1 or the inner label paper P2. Attached. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of the installation position of the label damper 50. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the vicinity of the installation position of the label damper 50. 5 and 6, the label damper 50 is illustrated as two label dampers 50a and 50b for convenience of explanation. However, the label damper 50 is a single member, and the installation position of the label damper 50a and the label damper 50b. It is a member that is detachably provided at the installation position. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the printer unit 15 for explaining the installation position of the label damper 50. 7 shows a state in which the printer unit 15 is accommodated in the printer holding unit 20.

  Referring to FIGS. 5 to 7, the label damper 50 installed when the outer label paper P <b> 1 is stored in the printer unit 15 is a label damper 50 a. The label damper 50a is provided at a position that interferes with the transport path S1 in the vicinity of the transport path S1 that transports the outer label paper P1 from the paper storage unit 24 to the label printing mechanism 21, that is, at the head block 31. Appropriate tension is applied to the externally wound label paper P1 drawn out from the section 24. In this case, the outer label paper P <b> 1 is held on the holding shaft 22 in a state of being wound left-handed toward the attachment wall 26.

  On the other hand, the label damper 50 when the inner-wrap label paper P2 is stored in the printer unit 15 is the label damper 50b. The label damper 50b is provided in the cantilever unit 23 at a position that interferes with the transport path S2 in the vicinity of the transport path S2 that transports the inner-wrap label paper P2 from the paper storage unit 24 to the label printing mechanism 21. Appropriate tension is given to the inner label paper P2 drawn out from the storage section 24. In this case, the inner label paper P <b> 2 is held on the holding shaft 22 in a state of being wound clockwise toward the mounting wall 26.

  Here, the configuration of the label damper 50 will be described. FIG. 8A is a perspective view of the label damper 50a. FIG. 8-2 is a perspective view of the label damper 50b. As described above, the label damper 50 is one member, and the label damper 50a shown in FIG. 8-1 and the label damper 50b shown in FIG. 8-2 are perspective views of the label damper 50 viewed from different angles. .

  The label damper 50 (50a and 50b) mainly includes a tension board 52, a bracket 59, a shaft member 56, and a spring 57. The tension board 52 is formed in a substantially plate shape with substantially the same width as the width direction of the label paper P (the outer label paper P1 and the inner label paper P2), and the outer label paper P1 drawn out from the paper storage unit 24. Or, the inner label paper P2 is pressed to give tension. The bracket 59 is attached to a predetermined position of the label printer 1 that interferes with the conveyance path of the label paper P. Details will be described later. The shaft member 56 is formed in a columnar shape and penetrates the tension board 52 and the bracket 59 so that the tension board 52 is rotatably attached to the bracket 59. The spring 57 is a biasing member that is provided on the shaft member 56 and biases the tension board 52 in the arrow B1 direction (arrow B2 direction).

  Next, the installation of the label damper 50 (50a) in the label printer 1 when the externally wound label paper P1 is stored in the printer unit 15 will be described. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the label damper 50 a is provided on the head block 31 via the mounting plate 51. FIG. 9 is a view of FIG. 5 viewed in the direction of arrow α (upward). As shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 9, the label damper 50 a has a bracket 59 detachably attached to a mounting plate 51 with a screw 58, and the mounting plate 51 is supported at both ends with respect to a head block 31 by a shaft 54. It is supported and can turn freely. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the mounting plate 51 to which the label damper 50a is attached is urged toward the head block 31 by the compression spring 55, whereby the label damper 50a is similarly moved toward the head block 31. Be energized.

  Then, a pushing operation for accommodating the printer unit 15 in the apparatus main body 10 is performed. As shown in FIG. 4, the attachment plate 51 to which the label damper 50 a is attached has a contact portion that contacts the contact portion 26 a formed on the attachment wall 26 of the printer unit 15 when the printer unit 15 is pushed. 53 is formed. As a result, when the line thermal head 30 is moved in the direction of returning to the printing position where the line thermal head 30 is brought into contact with the platen by the pushing operation of the printer unit 15 into the printer holding unit 20, A contact portion 26a formed on the mounting wall 26 contacts.

  When the printer unit 15 is further pushed into the printer holding unit 20, the mounting plate 51 rotates toward the paper storage unit 24 against the urging force of the compression spring 55. That is, the printer unit 15 is further attached to the printer holding portion in a state where the contacted portion 53 of the mounting plate 51 to which the label damper 50 is mounted and the contact portion 26a formed on the mounting wall 26 of the printer unit 15 are in contact. When pushed into 20, the label damper 50a rotates in the direction of the paper storage unit 24, that is, in the B1 direction in FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, when the printer unit 15 is stored in the printer holding unit 20, the hook 32 provided in the vicinity of the line thermal head 30 of the head block 31 is connected to the auxiliary sheet metal 28 of the cantilever unit 23. It is positioned at a closed position by engaging with a lock pin 29 provided in the. The engagement between the hook 32 and the lock pin 29 is released by the pulling-out operation of the printer unit 15 from the printer holding unit 20 because the shape of the hook 32 opens toward the pulling direction of the printer unit 15.

  On the other hand, when the printer unit 15 is pulled out from the printer holding portion 20, the engagement between the hook 32 and the lock pin 29 is released, and the contacted portion 53 of the mounting plate 51 to which the label damper 50 is attached and the printer. When the contact with the contact portion 26a formed on the mounting wall 26 of the unit 15 is released, the mounting plate 51 is rotated in the head block 31 direction, that is, the R1 direction in FIG. It will be. Thereby, when the printer unit 15 is pulled out from the printer holding unit 20, it is possible to prevent the tension board 52 of the label damper 50 from hitting the outer-wrapped label paper P <b> 1 stored and held in the paper storage unit 24.

  That is, as described above, when the label damper 50a is installed in the pulled out printer unit 15, the label damper 50a is installed at the position indicated by the dotted line in FIGS. When the printer unit 15 is pushed into the printer holding unit 20, the label damper 50a rotates to the position indicated by the solid line in FIGS. Therefore, the basic position of the label damper 50a when the printer unit 15 is installed and the printer unit 15 is pushed into the printer holding unit 20 is the position indicated by the solid line in FIGS. 1)) and is biased in the direction of arrow B1.

  When the outer label paper P1 is pulled out from the paper storage unit 24 and conveyed toward the label printing mechanism 21, the label damper urged in the direction of the arrow B1 from the spring 57 as shown in FIGS. 50a applies tension to the outer-wrapped label paper P1. When the large-diameter outer-wrapped label paper P1 is stored, the label damper 50a is spring-loaded by the pressing force from the outer-wrapped label paper P1 so that the tension is not excessive and the outer-wrapped label paper P1 is not damaged. By rotating in the direction of arrow R1 against the urging force in the direction of arrow B1 by 57, an appropriate tension is maintained on the externally wound label paper P1.

  Next, installation of the label damper 50 (50b) in the label printer when the inner label paper P2 is stored in the printer unit will be described. FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the label damper 50 b is provided on the cantilever unit 23 via the mounting plate 60. FIG. 10 is a view of FIG. 5 viewed in the direction of arrow β (downward). The mounting plate 60 is provided between the mounting wall 26 and the auxiliary sheet metal 28. As shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 10, in the label damper 50 b, the bracket 59 is detachably attached to the attachment plate 60 with screws 58, and the attachment plate 60 is fixed to the cantilever unit 23 in the vicinity of the label printing mechanism 21. And installed at the position indicated by the solid line in FIGS. Therefore, the basic position of the label damper 50b installed in the printer unit 15 is the position indicated by the solid line in FIGS. 5 and 6, and is biased in the direction of arrow B2 by the spring 57 (see FIG. 8-2). In this case, since the label damper 50b is installed on the printer unit 15 side, the basic position of the label damper 50b does not change even if the printer unit 15 is pulled out or accommodated with respect to the apparatus main body 10. .

  Then, when the inner label paper P2 is pulled out from the paper storage unit 24 and conveyed toward the label printing mechanism 21, the label damper urged from the spring 57 in the arrow B2 direction as shown in FIGS. 50b applies tension to the inner label paper P2. When the large-diameter inner label paper P2 is stored, the label damper 50b is pressed by the pressing force from the inner label paper P2 so that the inner label paper P2 is not damaged due to excessive tension. By rotating in the direction of arrow R2 against the urging force in the direction of arrow B2 by 57, an appropriate tension is maintained on the inner-wrap label paper P2.

  In such a configuration, the label printer 1 according to the present embodiment, for example, measures the weight of an item placed on the weighing scale 13 and prints a label on which the measurement result is printed by the printer units 15 and 16 and prints the label issuing port. 17 and 18 are used.

  Here, the drawing-out and pushing-in operations of the printer unit 15 for exchanging the label paper P (outer winding label paper P1 and inner winding label paper P2) will be described. First, in a state where the printer unit 15 is pulled out from the state in which the printer holding unit 20 of the apparatus body 10 of the label printer 1 is accommodated to the maximum drawing position, the head block 31 is rotated by the jumping means. The line thermal head 30 is flipped up. Further, the printer unit 15 is provided with a cantilever unit 23 (platen and label peeling plate) and a mount winding shaft 25 in a cantilever state, and the side facing the mounting wall 26 that cantilever the printer unit 15 is It is an open part 27. Therefore, in the state where the printer unit 15 is pulled out to the maximum drawing position, the label paper P is set in the paper storage unit 24, and the label paper pulled out from the label paper P is moved to the cantilever unit 23 (platen and label peeling plate). It is possible to easily perform the setting work, the mounting work of the mount with respect to the mount winding shaft 25, the maintenance work of each part, and the like.

  As described above, in the label printer 1 according to the present embodiment, the label damper 50 can be detachably provided on the head block 31 or the cantilever unit 23. Therefore, any label of the outer label paper P1 and the inner label paper P2 can be used. Even when the paper P is used, an appropriate tension can be applied to the drawn label paper P in the transport path from the paper storage unit 24 to the label printing mechanism 21. Therefore, by changing the installation location of the detachable label damper 50 according to the type of the label paper P, it is possible to give an appropriate tension to a plurality of types of label paper with a simple configuration in which the number of parts is reduced. Convenience can be improved.

  The label damper 50 can be attached to either the head block 31 as the first attachment portion or the cantilever unit 23 as the second attachment portion. It is not necessarily limited to the usage that selectively attaches to either one of the block 31) or the second attachment portion (cantilever unit 23). The first attachment portion (head block 31) and the second attachment portion are not necessarily required. There is no necessity to eliminate the usage of attaching one to each of the (cantilever unit 23).

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Label printer 10 Apparatus main body 11 Display 12 Keyboard 13 Weighing scale 15, 16 Printer unit 15a, 16a Holding part 17, 18 Label issuing port 20 Printer holding part 21 Label printing mechanism 22 Holding shaft 23 2nd attachment part, cantilever unit 24 Paper storage part 25 Mount winding shaft 26 Mounting wall 26a Contact part 27 Opening part 28 Auxiliary sheet metal 29 Lock pin 30 Line thermal head 31 First mounting part, head block 32 Hook 50, 50a, 50b Label damper 51, 60 Mounting plate 52 Tension board 53 Contacted part 54 Shaft 55 Compression spring 56 Shaft member 57 Spring 58 Screw 59 Bracket 201 Roll paper holding mechanism P Label paper P1 Outer roll label paper P2 Inner roll label paper

JP 2001-302043 A

Claims (5)

A label paper storage unit, a platen, a label peeling member, and a mount take-up unit are provided, and can be stored in an apparatus main body provided with a print head that can be separated from and contacted with the platen. A printer unit that can be pulled out of the main unit,
A head block that brings the print head into contact with the platen when the printer unit is housed in the apparatus main body, and separates the print head from the platen when the printer unit is pulled out from the apparatus main body;
A damper that is detachably attached to either the head block or the printer unit, and that pulls out the label paper storage unit and applies tension to the paper taken up by the mount take-up shaft through the platen;
Equipped with a,
The label paper storage unit can store an outer label paper or an inner label paper,
The damper is attached to the head block when the outer roll label is stored in the label paper storage section, and is attached to the printer unit when the inner roll label is stored in the label paper storage section. It is attached,
A label printer characterized by that. The damper presses the paper in the middle of the path where the paper drawn from the label paper storage unit reaches the platen.
The label printer according to claim 1. The printer unit engages with the head block when housed in the apparatus main body, and is disengaged from the head block when pulled out from the apparatus main body.
The label printer according to claim 1, wherein the label printer is provided. The printer unit is provided with the platen on the side pulled out from the apparatus main body, and the label sheet storage unit on the side stored in the apparatus main body.
The label printer according to claim 1, wherein the label printer is provided. The label peeling member is provided on a side of the printer unit that is pulled out from the apparatus main body,
The mount winding shaft is provided on the side where the printer unit is stored with respect to the platen and the label peeling member.
The label printer according to claim 4 .

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