EP1560714A1

EP1560714A1 - Device for delivering a printed coupon designed to equip a thermal printing mechanism in particular

Info

Publication number: EP1560714A1
Application number: EP03810492A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Denis Montagutelli
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: APS ENGINEERING
Priority date: 2002-11-04
Filing date: 2003-10-07
Publication date: 2005-08-10
Anticipated expiration: 2023-10-07
Also published as: EP1560714B1; US20060210344A1; CN1720144A; ATE375257T1; FR2846595B1; WO2004041542A1; FR2846595A1; AU2003301854A1; DE60316831T2; CN100446987C; ES2294368T3; DE60316831D1

Abstract

The device has a supplying unit (14) to drive speed of a band while printing. A motor (4) participates in a printing mechanism and another motor unit (11, 12) is arranged inside a reserve chamber (5). The unit (14) is placed with a position detection unit (16) of an elastically mobile organ to hold the band under tension inside the chamber (5) against the unit (11, 12) and variable position. An Independent claim is also included for a procedure of dispensing the printed coupon.

Description

Device for issuing a printed coupon intended to equip a thermal printing mechanism in particular.

The invention is in the field of devices for handling a strip material, and more particularly for handling a printing strip packaged in a roll. It relates to a device for issuing a printed coupon, from such a strip after it has passed through a printing mechanism, in particular thermal.

It will be recalled that it is common in the field of printing mechanisms, and more particularly thermal printing, to equip these mechanisms with means for delivering a printed coupon, which is separated from a printing strip packaged in a roll. . In general, devices for issuing this coupon are known, comprising mainly a chassis carrying the printing mechanism and the reserve of tape conditioned in a roll, of means for conveying the tape from the reserve, successively up to 'to the printing mechanism and then to means for separating and delivering the printed coupon separated from the strip. A general problem to be solved lies in the size and the complexity of such devices. Indeed, they must be organized so as to carry the various motorized members necessary to automatically carry out the printing, cutting and delivery operations of the printed coupon. To limit this problem of congestion, devices have been proposed which authorize the operation of issuing the coupon during the printing operation. Reference may be made to documents US4579267 (TORE PLANKE) and FR2801397 (AXIOHM) which describe such devices.

However, an additional problem arises from such an arrangement, which resides in the fact that an awkward or indelicate user has the possibility of disturbing the printing of the tape while it is being delivered. Indeed, the user having access to the end of the strip during printing, before separation of the coupon, it is possible for him to pull on it or to close the delivery mouth, with the consequences, at best poor quality printing, at worst a deterioration of the printing mechanism, or even of the coupon delivery device itself. It finally follows that the preferred solutions in the field consist in organizing the devices for issuing a coupon so as to prevent the user from having access to the strip during the printing and cutting operations, by delivering the printed coupon. strictly after its printing and separation from the strip. It is usually proposed to prohibit such access by providing an intermediate chamber of sufficient size to accommodate the coupon until the end of its printing, and not to separate it from the strip and only deliver it after the completion of this printing. Such solutions are for example described in the documents US5215393 (TOMMY WINCENT), US6129465 (ANTHONY ROSS HOYT et al.), US5407115 (DOLAN F.BLALOCK et al.) And US5407115 (DOLAN F.BLALOCK et al.).

More particularly, the document US5215393 proposes to immobilize the drive rollers of the coupon during the printing operation, so as not to authorize its delivery until the printing is completed. Document US Pat. No. 6,129,465 proposes a complex mechanical device, in which the intermediate coupon storage chamber is movable between a position for receiving the printed coupon, and a position for delivering this coupon.

It will also be noted that it is usual for this kind of device to provide motorized means for separating the coupon, with the exception of the solution proposed by US5407115, according to which the separation of the coupon is carried out manually by the user. It finally emerges therefrom, with regard to the general problem to be solved above, an untimely increase in the size and complexity of these devices, due in particular to the presence of the intermediate chamber for receiving the coupon during printing up to upon separation and before delivery, and / or due to the complexity of the active and motorized movable members enabling the various printing, cutting and delivery operations to be carried out. The object of the present invention is to provide a device intended to equip a printing mechanism, particularly thermal, of a strip conditioned in a roll for the purpose of issuing a coupon, which is of reduced bulk and which prohibits however, it is up to the user to disrupt both the printing and the coupon delivery operations.

The device proposed by the present invention is a device for conveying a strip for the purpose of issuing for a user a printed coupon from this strip. This device is arranged to cooperate with a thermal printing mechanism or the like, which comprises first drive means for driving the strip to be printed conditioned in a roll, from a reserve to a printing head. This device is furthermore arranged so as to allow access by the user to the portion of strip being printed, by its circulation through the delivery mouth during its printing. Such a device mainly comprises:

*) a chassis provided with a coupon delivery mouth for the user and connected to the printing mechanism,

*) a reserve chamber of a portion of strip during printing, which is interposed between the printing mechanism and the delivery mouth, *) incidentally a cutting member for the separation of the coupon beyond the strip, in the case in particular where the reserve of strip is not precut.

According to the present invention, such a device is mainly recognizable in that it further comprises means for controlling the drive speeds of the web during printing, driving the web jointly by the first motor means and by second positive drive motor means of the strip arranged inside the reserve chamber. These control means being means for causing the simultaneous and regulated implementation of the first and second drive means with respect to each other, their implementation is placed under the dependence of means for detecting the position of an elastically mobile member for keeping the strip under tension inside the reserve chamber. This elastic mobility of the member for keeping the strip under tension is obtained in particular by mounting it on the chassis by means of return means towards an initial position at the start of the cycle, against its drive by the second drive means, a position which varies according to the relative drive speeds of the strip respectively by the first and by the second drive means.

It will be noted that it is in particular proposed by the present invention a positive routing of the strip by the second drive means, the implementation of which, dependent on that of the first drive means and on the position of the member keeping the strip under tension inside the reserve chamber, and therefore of the length of strip therein, causes the strip to be evacuated beyond the second drive means without relative sliding between it and these second drive means, effectively preventing any disturbance by the user of the conveyance of the strip during printing, and any floating of the latter inside the reserve chamber.

It will be noted at this stage of the description that the second drive means are for example constituted by a pair of rollers in elastic abutment one against the other, one of which is formed from a relatively flexible material such than based on rubber or the like, and the other of which is formed from a relatively hard material whose surface condition offers better friction of the paper, at identical pressure, compared to the other roller.

It follows from these provisions that the portion of strip being printed is available to the user without risk of alteration either of the printing or of the printing head, including if the latter exerts an untimely pull. on the tape. It finally follows that the size of the device, although prohibiting a disturbance of its operation despite the access of the coupon offered to the user, is reduced due to the independence between the length of the coupon to be delivered and the capacity of the reserve chamber which, independent of this length, can be small. Furthermore, this results in an ease of organization of the chassis to support all of the elements necessary for the operation of the device.

It will be noted at this stage of the description that the second drive means are preferably constituted by a drive member such that a user must develop on the strip during printing a significant tensile force, reasonably impossible, to cause a substantial variation. of the strip length inside the reserve chamber. This motor member is for example either a continuous motor with an appropriate gear reduction, or a stepping motor whose torque increases when its speed decreases.

Continuing with this approach, it is advantageously proposed to have the cutting member inside the reserve chamber in a fixed position relative to the movable member for keeping the strip under tension, the coupon being separated. by a positive drive of the strip by the second motor means towards the cutting member against the elastic mobility of the member for keeping the strip under tension.

The general organization of the device of the present invention, advantageously equipped with the knife, aims more particularly to propose a method for issuing a coupon consisting notably, from these servo means, in carrying out the following sequential steps: *) firstly, conveying the portion of strip being printed simultaneously by the first and second drive means towards and through the delivery mouth,

*) secondly convey the strip at the end of printing by the second drive means, to the fixed cutting member to cause the separation of the coupon, and ^* ) thirdly evacuate by the second drive means the coupon out of the reserve room, while maintaining it, with a view to making it available to the user. These arrangements are such that the detected position of the tape tensioning member makes it possible to deduce therefrom the length of printed tape present in the reserve chamber. This information is used to control the implementation of the servo means, to cause corresponding implementations of the first and second drive means at the respective respective stages of the operation of the device. For example, a speed of drive of the strip by the second drive means, greater than or equal to a speed of drive of the strip by the first drive means, makes it possible to convey the strip being tensioned under tension. printing towards the delivery mouth, keeping the tape tension-keeping member at a determined position relative to the cutting member, including in the event of temporary stoppage of the first drive means participating in the mechanism when printing the tape. For example again, at the end of printing of the strip, the second drive means can be implemented according to the information transmitted by the sensor for detecting the position of the holding member, to bring it up to to the cutter for the separation of the coupon to be delivered.

According to a preferred embodiment of the member for keeping the strip under tension, the latter mainly consists of an arm mounted in elastic pivoting on the chassis, against a tension exerted by the strip printed on the arm. under the effect of a speed of its drive by the second drive means, which is greater than or equal to a speed of its drive by the first drive means. The detection means being made up of a sensor of the angular position of the arm, to correlatively cause the controlled implementation of the first and second drive means.

It will be noted that the arm further and advantageously constitutes a member for returning the strip being printed inside the reserve chamber, between two concurrent orientations, in order to limit the size of the latter. The sensor for detecting the angular position of the arm is for example a reflective optocoupler indifferently fixed on one or the other of the members comprising the chassis and the arm, opposite each other or one of these respectively organs. Such a sensor makes it possible to continuously deliver information relating to the angular position of the arm.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the delivery mouth is arranged downstream of a coupon discharge mouth formed at the outlet of the reserve chamber. A sensor for detecting a flatness defect in the coupon is arranged between the delivery and evacuation openings. This sensor is also for example a reflective optocoupler. These provisions are intended to cause a reverse routing of the coupon by the second drive means towards a storage receptacle, in the event of a closure of the delivery mouth. This reverse routing is carried out by means of selective guiding of the coupon between its routing towards the discharge mouth and its reverse routing towards the storage receptacle. These provisions are such that in the event of a blockage of the delivery mouth, the coupon subjected to deformation is evacuated towards the storage receptacle, so as not to disturb the operation of the device.

It will be understood that preferably, this reverse routing is likely to be caused during printing of the strip. In this case, the coupon flatness detection sensor causes the printing mechanism to stop, and the second drive means to be used, first to cause the displacement of the keeping the strip under tension towards the cutting member for the separation of the coupon, and the routing of the latter towards the delivery mouth, then to cause the reverse displacement of the coupon towards the storage receptacle.

The selective guide means include in particular a first ramp which advantageously forms a lower partition of the reserve chamber, for guiding the coupon towards the evacuation mouth during its routing towards the delivery mouth, and if necessary towards the receptacle of storage, if the latter is blocked. Preferably, third drive means of the coupon are interposed between the second drive means and the storage receptacle, to complete the routing of the coupon to the latter after its release from the second drive means. The implementation of the third drive means being preferably placed under the dependence of the servo means, the speed of drive of the coupon by these third drive means is greater than or equal to the speed of drive of the coupon by the second drive means, for keeping the coupon under tension during its transportation to the storage receptacle.

The third drive means are preferably equipped with a second ramp prohibiting an untimely return of the coupon from the storage receptacle to the second drive means. It will be noted that the implementation of the third drive means of the coupon is in particular placed under the dependence of a sensor for detecting the end of routing of the coupon towards the storage receptacle, to then authorize the start of a new cycle printing the tape and issuing a coupon. These provisions are such that, in addition to a normal cycle for issuing a printed coupon offered by the method of the present invention, it is also proposed, in the event of blockage of the discharge mouth, to carry out the following sequential operations: *) detecting a significant defect in the flatness of the strip being printed at the outlet of the evacuation outlet outside the reserve chamber,

^* ) to stop printing and separate the coupon from the strip, then completely evacuate the coupon outside the reserve room,

*) to reverse the direction of drive of the coupon by the second drive means, and to cause the implementation of the third drive means, *) to detect the rejection of the coupon inside a storage receptacle, and cause the second drive means to stop until the start of a new coupon delivery cycle. The second drive means consist in particular mainly of a pair of rollers in elastic support against one another, between which the strip circulates and at least one of which is motorized. Any one of these rollers is advantageously supported by an access cover to the tape reserve for loading. This access cover further supports any one of the print head and a support roller cooperating with the latter, which participate in the printing mechanism.

These provisions are such that the opening of the cover for loading a roll of tape allows access to the path of the latter, both through the printing mechanism and through the reserve chamber.

According to a preferred embodiment of the cutting member, the latter is a knife which has a bevelled blade, the wire of which is arranged in a dihedral to make a progressive cutting of the strip as it is applied against the knife. . This blade more particularly comprises at each of its lateral ends a recess, in order to provide in the coupon lateral end tabs for its holding in engagement by the second drive means at the end of its routing towards the mouth d 'evacuation. The present invention will be better understood, and details will become apparent from the description which will be made of a preferred embodiment, in relation to the figures of the appended plates in which:

Fig.1, Fig.2 and Fig.3 are schematic views in median section of the upstream part of a device of the present invention, successively illustrating its operating modes during a printing operation and cutting the band, for the issue of a coupon.

Figs. 4, fig. 5, fig. 6 and fig. 7 are schematic views in median section of the same device of the present invention, successively illustrating its operating methods in the event of a closure of the delivery mouth of the coupon. Fig.8 is a schematic view in median section of the device shown in the previous figures, illustrating its loading in tape to be printed.

Fig.9 is a perspective view from below of a participating module of an exemplary embodiment of a device shown in the previous figures, illustrating the means for driving the strip and conveying a coupon in obstruction of the delivery mouth.

Fig.10 is a perspective view from below of a device of the invention in almost all, according to the embodiment of the previous figure.

In fig. 1, fig. 2 and fig. 3 a device intended for the delivery of a coupon 1 printed from a reserve of tape 2 packaged in a roll 7 comprises at the outlet of a thermal printing mechanism a reserve chamber 5 inside which the strip 2 circulates during printing, up to a discharge outlet 6 for the strip 2 outside this chamber 5.

In fig.1, the downstream end 8 of the strip 2 is conveyed by a support roller 4 of the strip against a print head 3, participating in the printing mechanism. This support roller 4 is motorized to constitute first drive means for driving the strip 2 towards the interior of the reserve chamber 5, located under the printing mechanism. As it is printed, the strip 2, driven by these first motor means 4, flows through the reserve chamber 5, being guided first by a first ramp 9, at the outlet of the printing mechanism, then by an arm 10 for keeping the strip 2 under tension during the printing operation. When the printed length of strip 2 reaches the discharge mouth 6, being guided along the first ramp 9, the downstream end 8 of the strip is caught up by a pair of drive rollers 11, 12. These rollers 11, 12 constitute second drive means for driving the strip 2, which convey the latter 2 out of the reserve chamber 5 towards a delivery mouth 13, not shown in these figures. Servo-control means 14 control and regulate the speeds of the drive rollers 11, 12 as a function of the rotation of the support roller 4 during the printing of the strip 2. The arm 10 is mounted in elastic pivoting on a chassis 15, against the tension exerted by the strip 2 conveyed towards the discharge mouth 6. A sensor 16 for detecting the angular position of the arm 10 is in relation to the servo means 14, to stabilize the arm 10 when printing the strip 2 in an intermediate position shown in fig.2.

At the end of printing, the servo means 14 send an end of printing command to the rollers 11, 12, which drive the printed web 2, the speed of the first driving means 4 being notably zero due to the end tape printing 2. It will be noted that this speed of the drive rollers 11, 12 is preferably greater than that corresponding to the step of printing the tape 2 aimed at stabilizing the arm 10 in the intermediate position. The length of the printed strip 2 contained in the reserve chamber 5 tends to be reduced and the arm 10 rocks, under the effect of tension exerted by the strip 2 driven by the rollers 11, 12, to accompany the latter 2 towards a knife 17. In a final position of the arm 10, the strip 2 is brought into pressure against the knife 17, with a view to the separation of the coupon 1 as shown in FIG. 3, which is conveyed through the mouth of evacuation 6, until its upstream end 18 is engaged between the drive rollers 11, 12. It will be noted that the discharge mouth 6 is formed by the contact zone between the drive rollers 11, 12. It will also be noted that the separation of the coupon 1 releases the arm 10, which switches to the initial position under the effect of the elastic means 19 with which it is equipped, corresponding to the start of the printing cycle.

Referring also to Fig.10, we note the dihedral conformation of the wire 20 of the blade forming the knife 17, to obtain a progressive cutting of the strip 2. Furthermore, the lateral ends of this blade 17 have recesses 21, to provide at the upstream end 18 of the coupon 1, lateral tabs through which it remains engaged between the drive rollers 11, 12, pending removal by the user. It will be noted that this removal is nevertheless made easy thanks to the small grip surface of the coupon 1 by the rollers of the second drive means 11, 12, by means of the lateral tabs which it comprises. It will be noted at this stage of the description that a prolonged presence of the coupon 1 engaged via its upstream end 18 by the drive rollers 11, 12, causes its rejection towards a storage receptacle 22, such as it will be described later.

In fig.4, the downstream end 8 of the strip 2 is delivered during printing to a user, out of the reserve chamber 7 towards an intermediate chamber 23, then through the delivery mouth 13. This chamber intermediate 23, on either side delimited by the evacuation 6 and delivery 8 outlets, houses a sensor 24 for detecting a flatness defect in the coupon 1, which can in particular be caused by a persistent closure of the mouth 13. It will be understood that this closure causes the coupon 1 to be deformed, in particular in a loop, while an absence of closure leaves the coupon 1 in a substantially flat conformation. It will also be noted at this stage of the description that the sensor 24 for detecting a flatness defect in the coupon 1 is used to cause its rejection in the event of prolonged presence as mentioned above. Finally, it will be understood that the shutter detection by default of flatness of the coupon 1 is preferably associated with chronometric means 25, to validate the shutter as being significant from a previously stored setpoint duration. In a first step, the detection sensor

24 of a flatness defect communicates malfunction information to the servo means 14, which stop the printing of the strip 2, control the separation of the coupon 1 and its routing until engaging its upstream end 18 between the drive rollers 11, 12 as previously described and as shown in fig.5. In a second step, the servo-control means 14 cause the direction of rotation of the drive rollers 11, 12 to be inverted, in order to convey the coupon 1 under the lower partition of the reserve chamber 5 formed by the first ramp 9, towards a motorized roller constituting third drive means 26 of the coupon 1 towards a storage receptacle 22.

A second ramp 27 is provided at the base of the first 9, to prevent a return of the upstream end 18 of the coupon 1 to the second drive means 11, 12, or even to the reserve chamber 5. This second ramp 27 is advantageously shaped like a comb, the teeth of which are flush with the periphery of the roller 27 constituting the third drive means.

In fig. 6 and fig. 7, the rejected coupon 1 is being transported to the storage receptacle 22. A presence sensor 28 of the rejected coupon 1 detects the end of this routing, to control the stopping of the inversion of rotation of the rollers 11, 12 participating in the second drive means, and the authorization to start a new cycle, by means of the servo means 14.

In fig.8, the organs of the device of the invention are distributed on either side of the strip path 2 passing through this device. More particularly, a first set of members, comprising the thermal printing head 3, the pivoting arm 10, the knife 17 and one of the drive rollers 11, is fixedly supported on the chassis 15. A second assembly, comprising the support roller 4, the lower partition of the reserve chamber 5 formed by the first ramp 9, the roller 26 constituting the third drive means and the other roller 12 of the second drive means, is supported by an opening cover 29, providing easy access to the chassis compartment 15 reserved for the tape roll 2, and to the tape path 2 through the device of the invention. These provisions are such that for the replacement of an exhausted tape roller 7, the handling of the tape 2, with a view to its circulation through the device of the invention, is facilitated. Referring also to fig.10, we will identify the distribution of these two sets of organs, and in particular the second set mounted on the opening cover 29 articulated on the frame 15. In fig.9, note that the tilting of the cover 29 in the closed position comes into contact one against the other 12 the two rollers of the second drive means 11, 12. To this end, the members making up the second assembly are mounted on the same module which can be brought back by fitting onto the cover 29.

Claims

1.- Device for conveying a strip (2) for the issue for a user of a printed coupon (1) from this strip (2), this device being arranged to cooperate with a printing mechanism , such as thermal, which comprises first motor means (4) for driving the strip

(2) to be printed conditioned in a roll (7), from a reserve to a print head (3), this device being arranged so as to allow access by the user to the portion of strip (2) being d printing by its circulation through the delivery mouth (13) during its printing, this device mainly comprising:

*) a frame (15) provided with a delivery mouth (13) of the coupon (1) for the user and connected to the printing mechanism, *) a reserve chamber (5) of a portion of strip ( 2) during printing, which is interposed between the printing mechanism and the delivery mouth (13),

*) incidentally a cutting member (17) for the separation of the coupon (1) beyond the strip (2), characterized: in that it further comprises means for controlling (14) the speeds of web drive (2) during printing, web drive (2) jointly by the first drive means (4) and by second drive means (11, 12) positive drive drive (2) arranged inside the reserve chamber (5), to cause the simultaneous and regulated implementation of the first (4) and second (11, 12) drive means relative to each other, the implementation of these control means (14) being placed under the dependence of detection means (16) of the position of an elastically mobile member (10) for keeping the strip under tension

(2) inside the reserve chamber (5), against its drive by the second drive means (11, 12), position which varies according to the relative drive speeds of the strip (2) respectively by the first (4) and second (11, 12) drive means ....

.- Device according to claim 1, characterized: in that the cutting member (17) is arranged inside the reserve chamber (5) in a fixed position relative to the movable member (10) of keeping the strip (2) under tension, the separation of the coupon (1) being effected by a positive drive of the strip (2) by the second motor means (11, 12) towards the cutting member (17) at encounter of the elastic mobility of the holding member (10) under tension of the strip (2).

3.- Device according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized: in that the holding member (10) under tension of the strip (2) mainly consists of an arm mounted in elastic pivoting on the chassis (15), against a tension exerted by the printed strip (2) on the arm (10) under the effect of a speed of its drive by the second motor means (11,12), which is greater or equal to a speed of its drive by the first motor means (4), the detection means (16) being in turn constituted by a sensor of the angular position of the arm (10), to correlatively cause the controlled implementation first and second drive means.

4.- Device according to claim 3, characterized: in that the arm (10) further constitutes a member for returning the strip (2) during printing inside the reserve chamber (5) between two concurrent directions.

5.- Device according to claim 3, characterized: in that the sensor (16) for detecting the angular position of the arm (10) is a reflective optocoupler indifferently fixed on one or the other of the members comprising the frame (15) and the arm (10), facing respectively the other (10) or one (15) of these members.

.- Device according to any one of claims. previous, characterized: in that the delivery mouth (13) is disposed downstream of a discharge mouth (6) of the coupon (1) formed at the outlet of the reserve chamber (5), between which delivery mouths

(13) and evacuation (5) is arranged a sensor for detecting (24) a flatness defect of the coupon (1), to cause a reverse routing of the coupon (1) by the second drive means (11 , 12) to a storage receptacle (22), by means (9) of selective guidance of the coupon (1) between its routing towards the discharge mouth

(6) and its reverse route to the storage receptacle (22).

7.- Device according to claim 6, characterized: in that the selective guiding means comprise a first ramp (9) which forms a lower partition of the reserve chamber (5), to guide the coupon (1) towards the mouth evacuation (6) during its routing to the delivery mouth (13), and if necessary, to the storage receptacle (22) in the event of closure of the delivery mouth (13).

8.- Device according to any one of claims 6 and 7, characterized: in that third means (26) for driving the coupon (1) are interposed between the second drive means (11, 12) and the storage receptacle (22), to complete the routing of the coupon (1) towards the latter after its release from the second drive means (11, 12), the implementation of the third drive means (26) being placed under the dependence of the servo-control means (14) so that their speed of drive of the coupon (1) is greater than or equal to the speed of drive of the coupon (1) by the second drive means (11,12), in view of keeping it energized during its transportation to the storage receptacle (22).

.- Device according to claim 8, characterized: in that the third drive means (26) are equipped with a second ramp (27) prohibiting a return of the coupon (1) from the storage receptacle ( 22) to the second drive means (11,12).

10.- Device according to claim 8, characterized: in that the implementation of the third means (26) for driving the coupon (1) is placed under the dependence of a detection sensor (28) at the end of delivery of the coupon (1) to the storage receptacle (22).

11.- Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized: in that the second drive means

(11,12) mainly consisting of a pair of rollers in elastic support one (11) against the other (12), between which the strip (2) circulates and of which at least one (12) is motorized, any one of these rollers (11,12) is supported by a cover (29) for access to the reserve (7) of strip (2) for loading, this cover (29) also supporting any one of the printing head (3) and a support roller (4) cooperating with the latter (3), which participate in the printing mechanism, so that the opening of the cover ( 29), when loading a roll (7) of tape allows access to the path of the latter (2), both through the printing mechanism and through the reserve chamber (5).

12.- Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized: in that the cutting member (17) is a knife which comprises a bevelled blade, the wire (20) of which is arranged in a dihedral to make a gradual cutting of the band (2) as it goes application against the knife (17), this blade comprising at each of its lateral ends a recess (21) to provide in the coupon (1) lateral end tabs for its holding in engagement by the second drive means (11, 12) at the end of its routing towards the evacuation mouth (6), while allowing its easy removal by the user.

13.- Method for issuing a printed coupon implementing a device according to claim 2, characterized: in that it consists sequentially:

*) in conveying the portion of strip (2) being printed simultaneously by the first (4) and the second (11, 12) drive means towards and through the delivery mouth (13),

*) in conveying the strip (2) at the end of printing by the second drive means (11, 12), towards the cutting member (17) to cause separation of the coupon (1), and

^* ) to evacuate by the second drive means (11, 12) the coupon (1) out of the reserve chamber (5), while maintaining it, with a view to making it available to the user.

14.- Method for issuing a printed coupon according to claim 13, using a device according to claim 6, characterized: in that it consists sequentially:

*) detecting a significant defect in the flatness of the strip (2) during printing, at the outlet of the discharge mouth (6) outside the reserve chamber (5),

*) to interrupt printing and to separate the coupon (1) from the strip (2), then to completely evacuate the coupon (1) out of the reserve chamber (5),

*) to reverse the direction of drive of the coupon (1) by the second drive means (11, 12), and to cause the implementation of the third drive means (26), ^* ) detecting the rejection of the coupon (1) inside a storage receptacle (22), and causing the stopping of the second motor means (11, 12) until the start of a new cycle of issue of a coupon (1).