EP1543982A1

EP1543982A1 - Printer device

Info

Publication number: EP1543982A1
Application number: EP03078898A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jan Nieuwborg
Original assignee: Banksys SA
Current assignee: Banksys SA
Priority date: 2003-12-15
Filing date: 2003-12-15
Publication date: 2005-06-22

Abstract

A printer device (1) provided to contain a printer head (15) and a ticket paper roll and comprising an opening means (7) and a base frame (2) to which a cover (4) is hinged. The printer device comprises an opening means (7) being pivotally mounted around a pivot axis (a), which is substantially perpendicular to a lever arm axis (b) of said opening means. Particularly, the opening means is a push button (7) comprising a head plate located on one side of said pivot axis (a) in front of said cover (4) when the latter is in closed position, said push button (7) further comprises a snug (8) located on another side of said pivot axis (a) and provided to contact said cover (4) when in closed position.

Description

The invention relates to a printer device provided to contain a printer head and a ticket paper roll, said device comprises an opening means and a base frame to which a cover is hinged in order to make said paper roll accessible, said cover being provided with a first member and said base frame being provided with a second member, said first and second members being provided to exert on each other, when said cover is in closed position, a friction pressure, said opening means being provided for releasing said cover from its closed position, said opening means being pivotally mounted around a pivot axis, which is substantially perpendicular to a lever arm axis of said opening means.
Such a printer device is usually well-known from the state of the art. Generally, printer devices are built-up with a large number of mechanical pieces required in the mounting of the housing, and for performing the positioning, driving, printing and cutting of the paper roll. Several mechanical pieces are necessary for opening or closing the housing, for example, when a roll has to be replaced. The latter operation commonly takes time and involves the use of both hands of the operator, who generally wants to keep the paper roll in one hand.
Furthermore, when there is a need for opening the cover of a printer, as explained before, for example, for paper roll replacement, the user has to operate the opening means with one hand and to manipulate the cover with the other hand. There is often a need for a third hand for placing the ticket or for making an inside action (like for solving a paper jam), etc. Finally, printer devices according to the state of the art are typically provided with bulky separated printer mechanism and locking mechanism.
The company APS manufactures a printer device having an opening means which the user has to pull up for opening. The opening means is a handle and is placed onto a cover hinged to the base frame. This cover is maintained in a closed position with a locking mechanism comprising as first and second member a roller platen and a printer head. Furthermore, the opening mechanism includes a lever-up mechanism directly operated by the handle. The handle is connected to the lever-up by each time a plastic plate adjacent to each lateral side of the cover. A lever-up pivot axis extends to the inside part of the cover between the two pivoting points of the lever-up. In order to open the printer device, the lever-up contacts a fulcrum for each lever-up, situated at each lateral side of the printer head. The roller platen and the printer head have to be of particular dimensions because they are implied in the opening mechanism since they constitute the fulcrum of the lever-up and thus, therefore not providing a flexible device.
This opening means is frangible and not easy to use, in particular when the printer device is mounted vertically. Moreover, this button is not ergonomic, not flexible and requires cumbersome construction steps.
It is an object of the invention to palliate these drawbacks by providing an easy-to-use printer device, which is ergonomic, strong, fail-safe, flexible and easy to manufacture.
The printer device of the invention is therefore characterized in that said opening means is a push button (7) comprising a head plate located on one side of said pivot axis (a) in front of said cover (4) when the latter is in closed position, said push button (7) further comprises a snug (8) located on the other side of said pivot axis (a) and provided to contact said cover (4) when in closed position.
The fact that the opening means is a pivotally mounted push button which is part of a lever mechanism, enables to open the cover by simply pushing on the push button. Since each snug is situated at the other side of the pivot axis along the lever arm axis, their position allows to exerting a lever force directly onto the cover in order to unlock the cover by simply pushing on the push button. Because the lever force is exerted onto the cover and not on the printer head, any printer head may be used without changing the conception of the printer. The push button is thus provided to release the cover of the printer device from its closed position. The lever arm is involved in the opening of the cover and contributes to bringing the push button back in its initial position. Indeed, when one wants to close the printer device, he has to push on the cover. This pushing pressure exerted by the user is transmitted to the cover, which will on its turn exert a pressure on the snug at the end of the lever arm. The pushing pressure will be transmitted to the push button by means of the lever arm and bring the push button back in its closed position. In a preferred embodiment, a spring element is connected to the push button, said spring element being provided to bring the push button back in its rest position even if the cover is in a opened position.
In still another preferred embodiment, the cover is provided with a recess provided to receive the snug of the lever-up, said recess being in a curved shape in order to regulate the opening. The curvature of the recess will contribute to lifting up of the cover.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first and the second members are respectively a roller platen having a shaft mounted for rotation and back and forth motion between two flanges extending from an inner portion of said cover and a printer head mounted inside the base frame.
In yet another preferred embodiment, the push button is provided with a cutting edge provided to cut a ticket to be given to the customer from the paper roll when a transaction is ended.
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly in the light of the following description of a particular non-limiting embodiment of the invention, giving references to the figures, in which :
Fig. 1 is a top view of the inside of the countertop printer of the invention;
Fig 2 A and 2 B are views of the respectively closed and slightly opened printer device of the invention;
Fig. 3 is a view of the left internal side of the countertop printer of the invention showing the nick flange and the terminal shaft portion involved in the second locking mechanism; and
Fig 4 is a cross section of a part of the printer device showing the pressure strength exerted on each other by two members involved in the first locking mechanism.
In the drawings, a same reference sign has been allotted to a same or analogous element of the printer device of the invention.
Fig 1 shows a detailed view inside of the printer device according to the invention. The printer device (1) comprises a cover (4) connected to a base frame (2) by means of hinges (3) and a push button (7). Said push button, in the illustrated preferred embodiment, comprises a cutting edge (5) and a handgrip (6) designed in the head plate. The cutting edge is, for example, moulded in the same material or is a metallic cutting edge mounted on said push button (7). The handgrip (6) is provided for example, in a central part of the push button to avoid gliding of the fingers of the user's hand and to incite the user to push in the middle of the head plate. Said handgrip, when in relief is further provided to facilitate the use of the push button in particular for visually handicapped persons. The handgrip is, for example, moulded in the same material as the push button.
The push button is pivotally mounted around a pivot axis (a in fig 2). Said pivot axis is substantially perpendicular to a lever arm axis (b) of the push button (7). The printer device (1) further comprises a lever-up (23) extending along the lever arm axis (b at fig 2) of the push button (7). The lever-up (23) extends on both sides from the push button head plate, crosses the pivot axis and is terminated each time by a snug (8). The cover (4) comprises preferably a recess (9) in its front part, provided to accommodate and to contact the snug (8) of the lever-up (23) when the cover is in closed position.
The cover (4) is provided with a first member and the base frame is provided with a second member which are exerting on each other a friction pressure when closing and opening the cover and when the cover is in a closed position. In a preferred embodiment, the first member is a platen roller (10) having a shaft (11) mounted for rotation between two flanges (12) extending from an inner portion of said cover. The flanges (12) each comprise a nick, with a diameter that is greater than the diameter of the shaft (11) in order to allow the shaft (11) to be somewhat loosely mounted in the nicks thereby allowing some clearance in the direction substantially perpendicular to the two flanges (12). This free movement allows a back and forth motion of the platen roller (10) in the nicks of the flanges (12). The shaft (11) is furthermore ended by a terminal portion (20). The second member which consists, in a particular embodiment, of a printer head (15), is resiliently mounted on the base frame (2) by means of elastic elements (13) connected to a metallic shaft (14).
Cogwheels (17 and 18) of a gearing are respectively provided on one side of the cover (4) and on the same side of the base frame (2). The cogwheel (18) is contained in a sub-housing (19) comprising an internal and an external sidewall. The internal sidewall is designed as a nick flange (22) (see fig 1) comprising a nick (21) and a top edge (24). An identical nick flange (22) comprising the same elements is provided on the other side of the base frame (2). The base frame (2) of the printer device (1) of the invention further comprises a curved portion (16) for receiving the paper roll.
The following discussion will be presented in two parts in order to explain separately respectively the locking or closing and the opening mechanisms implying the push button.
The closing mechanism locks the cover of the printer device in a closed position. When the printer device of the invention is in a closed position, different elements are involved in order to lock the cover. These elements are respectively called the first and the second pair of elements. The first pair of elements involves two members exerting a pressure on each other. The second pair of elements involves an engagement of two pieces.
The first pair of elements, which exerts a pressure on each other, comprises a first member and a second member. The first member is provided in the inner part of the cover (4) and consists, in this preferred embodiment, of the platen roller (10) as described before. The second member is, in a particularly preferred embodiment, formed by the printer head (15), which is resiliently mounted on the base frame (2) by means of elastic elements (13). The latter are connected to a metallic shaft (14) substantially perpendicular to the strength direction (see arrow (c) at fig. 4) of the friction pressure field. Thanks to the elastic elements (13), the printer head may be pressed rearwards by the platen roller (10), but due to their resilient force elements (13) will push the printer head back thereby causing to push the platen roller onto the bottom of the nick of the flanges (12) in the direction of arrow c.
As mentioned before, the second pair of elements involves an engagement of two pieces comprising a shaft portion and a nick. In a preferred embodiment, the shaft portion is more particularly on the terminal portion (20) on one side and a shaft portion of the shaft 11 between the cogwheel (17) and the platen roller (10) at the other side. The nick (21) is, in this exemplary illustrated embodiment, implemented into flanges (22). When the cover (4) is in a nearly closed position, the terminal shaft portion (20) is just posed on the top edge (24) of the nick flange (22). The pressure exerted by the user during the closing movement will force the terminal shaft portion (20) to enter and engage into the nick (21) by gliding upon the top edge (24) of the nick flange (22). As soon as the housing is closed, this engagement creates a resistance upon opening thereby providing a locking mechanism.
The locking mechanism principle has now been explained for the one side illustrated in Fig 3; it would be understood that the principle is the same for the other side.
Figs 2 A and 2B show respectively the closed and the slightly opened position of the printer device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. These views clearly show that the push button (7) is pivotally mounted around the pivot axis (a), which is substantially perpendicular to a lever arm axis (b) of the push button (7). The head plate of the push button is located on one side of the pivot axis (a) in front of the cover (4) when the latter is in closed position. Each snug (8) situated on the other side of the pivot axis (a) at the end of the lever-up (23) is provided to be located each time in the recess (9) of the cover (4) when in closed position (fig 2A). The use of recesses is not absolutely necessary. However, it is important that in closed position of the cover, the snug at the end of the lever-up (23) is in contact with the bottom edge of the cover (4).
Fig 2 B shows the printer device in a slightly opened position just after disengagement of the snug (8) from the recess (9) of the cover (4). If there is no recess, the snug (8) travels in an initial phase of the opening movement along the bottom edge of the cover (4). The opening action is initiated by pushing the push button (7). The pressure applied on the head plate of the push button is transmitted via the lever-up principle to each snug (8). The lever-up (23) extends along the lever arm axis (b). The pressure force thus exerted is transmitted by the lever-up (24) via the snug (8) to the cover in order to open the latter. Since the first member is mounted on the cover, the opening movement of the cover will pull up the first member. Because of the lever-up mechanism, the pressure exerted on the push button does not need to be so high for causing said pulling up. The force applied at the end of the lever-up (at the snug) should be just higher than the sum of the friction force between the platen roller and the printer head and the retaining force between the nick and the shaft.
During the opening, the trajectory of the platen roller (10) follows an S shape as illustrated in Fig 4 by the line Th. Because the snug (8) pushes the cover (4) upwards, the platen roller (10) connected to said cover (4) is pulled up and exerts a strength on the printer head in the direction opposite to the one exerted by the elastic elements (arrow c). This strength will be exerted as long as the platen roller (10) is in contact with the printer head (15) and will extend over contact surface Sc as illustrated in Fig.4. The upward force will disengage the platen roller (10) and its shaft (11) from the nick of the flange (12) wherein it is engaged and will cause an upward movement along trajectory Th which pull up the platen roller (10). Because said platen roller (10) is mounted in a floatable manner to the cover (4), it will be pushed into a limit position (PI at Fig.4). This position is defined as the transition point within the trajectory as it corresponds to the point where the contact between the platen roller (10) and the printer head (15) ends.
When this position has been reached, the elastic elements (13) are no more involved in the locking mechanism but are now involved in the opening mechanism and help to eject the platen roller (10) upward. At this time no more contact subsists between the snug (8) and the recess (9) of the cover (4) or between the snug (8) and the cover (4).
The friction pressure elements involved in the locking, the closing or the opening of the printer device are also involved in the printing action. A ticket roll is inserted in the printer device of the invention in the curved portion (16) of the base frame (2). The paper is kept in place and unrolled by the platen roller (10). The platen roller (10) is driven by means of a cogwheel of a gearing (17) situated on the other side of the shaft (11). When the printer device of the invention is closed, the cogwheel of the gearing (17) driving the platen roller (10) is engaged in other complementary cogwheels (18) of the gearing. The cogwheels (18) of gearing are accommodated in an upward open box (19) described above and are lying alongside the other wall of the base frame. By this gearing mechanism and by the friction pressure exerted between the platen roller and the printer head, the paper is driven towards the printer head, ensuring and readable printing.

Claims

A printer device (1) provided to contain a printer head (15) and a ticket paper roll, said device comprises an opening means (7) and a base frame (2) to which a cover (4) is hinged in order to make said paper roll accessible, said cover (4) being provided with a first member and said base frame (2) being provided with a second member, said first and second members being provided to exert on each other, when said cover (4) is in closed position, a friction pressure, said opening means (7) being provided for releasing said cover (4) from its closed position, said opening means (7) being pivotally mounted around a pivot axis (a), which is substantially perpendicular to a lever arm axis (b) of said opening means (7), characterized in that said opening means (7) is a push button (7) comprising a head plate located on one side of said pivot axis (a) in front of said cover (4) when the latter is in closed position, said push button (7) further comprises a snug (8) located on another side of said pivot axis (a) and provided to contact said cover (4) when in closed position.
A printer device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said push button (7) is mounted on a spring element provided to bring back said push button (7) in its initial position.
A printer device (1) according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said cover comprises a recess (9) provided to receive said snug (8), said recess being in a curved shape to regulate the opening of the cover.
A printer device (1) according to anyone of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said first member is a platen roller (10) having a shaft (11) mounted for rotation and back and forth motion between two flanges (12) extending from an inner portion of said cover (4).
A printer device (1) according to anyone of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said second member comprises said printer head (15), said printer head (15) being resiliently mounted on said base frame (2).
A printer device (1) according to anyone of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said push button (7) comprises a lever-up (24) extending from said pivot axis (a) to said other side and ending in said snug (8).
A printer device (1) according to anyone of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said push button (7) is provided with a handgrip (6) designed on said head plate.
A printer device (1) according to anyone of the claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said head plate of said push button (7) has a curved shape.
A printer device (1) according to anyone of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said push button (7) is provided with a cutting edge (5) integrated in the material forming the push button (7).
A printer device (1) according to anyone of the claims 1 to 9, characterized in that said push button (7) is provided with a cutting edge (5) in a metallic material.