Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
  • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
  • B41J2/315—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material
  • B41J2/32—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
  • B41J11/00—Devices or arrangements  of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
  • B41J11/02—Platens
  • B41J11/04—Roller platens
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
  • B41J2202/00—Embodiments of or processes related to ink-jet or thermal heads
  • B41J2202/30—Embodiments of or processes related to thermal heads
  • B41J2202/31—Thermal printer with head or platen movable

Definitions

• the invention is in the field of thermal printing mechanisms for delivering a thermally printed coupon from a printing medium arranged in a strip and packaged in a roll. It relates to such a mechanism and more particularly to the provisions relating to the loading of the roll and the application of the tape against a thermal print head.
• Thermal printing mechanisms are commonly organized to deliver a coupon from a print medium which is arranged in packaged roll tape.
• Such mechanisms mainly comprise a carrier chassis carrying means for conveying the tape to a thermal print head, against which the pull-down tape is kept pressed for printing.
• the frame provides a compartment for receiving the web roll and for housing the thermal print head, and has a cover mounted movably on the chassis to allow a user access to the compartment. This access replaces an exhausted tape roll, and places the newly installed tape free end against the thermal print head.
• it is known to rotateably mount on the cover a support and motorized roll of the strip against the print head.
• the latter is provided with an elastic member for pushing towards the backing roll, so that the band can run against the print head by being elastically trapped between the latter and the backing roll.
• the mobile mounting of the cover on the frame is a tilt and / or translation mount, or even a removable mounting of the cover on the frame.
• the movable mounting of the cover makes it operable between an open position in which access to the interior volume of the compartment and to the environment of the print head is offered, and a closed position in which the cover caps the head of the printer. thermal printing and compartment.
• the cover is likely to be reduced to a bearing member of the support roller, and is incidentally completed by a hood on which is mounted this carrier member.
• the cover can be mounted movably on the frame via the carrier member or, if appropriate, via the cover.
• cover a member may be simply constituted by the bearing member of the support roller or by this carrier member which is attached to a closing cap of the mechanism.
• the support roller carried by the cover must be rigorously positioned on the frame when the lid is in the closed position, to make its engagement with rotating drive means and, if necessary, its relative positioning more reliable.
• a cutting tool integrated in the lid or carried by the frame.
• the support roller is used for this purpose from its mounting on the lid via its axis of rotation, not only in a rotating manner but also floating in translation along elongated slots receiving the respective ends of the this axis.
• the chassis meanwhile comprises corresponding dihedral lights, along which are respectively guided the ends of the axis of the support roller when the lid is operated by the operator between its open and closed positions.
• the elasticity of the support that takes the print head against the support roller is used to maintain the support roller in the bottom of the dihedral lights.
• a voluntary maneuver exerted by the operator on the cover for its displacement in the open position causes a clearance of the axis out of the dihedral lights against the elastic thrust exerted by the printing head against the support roller .
• the lid is pivotally mounted on the frame. To replace a tape roll, the operator moves the lid towards its open position to access the compartment, against the elastic thrust exerted by the print head against the backup roll.
• EP1218200 APS ENGINEERING
• EP1 135259 APS ENGINEERING
• EP1218200 it is proposed to use a lever to operate the cover in the open position, which increases the thrust force exerted by the print head against the support roll in the position of closing the lid, while limiting the effort that must provide the operator to cause the passage of the lid in the open position.
• the object of the present invention is to propose methods for loading a roll-conditioned printing tape inside a thermal printing mechanism, which takes into account the constraints that have just been stated. It is particularly aimed at by the present invention to provide a comfort of maneuvering the lid for the user, and a firm hold of the lid in the closed position. Such firm hold aims in particular to prevent unwanted movement of the cover towards its open position. It is also particularly targeted by the present invention to achieve these objectives without affecting the rigor of the positioning of the support roller on the frame in the closed position cover, and taking into account a size of the chassis may be reduced, to allow an implementation of the cover and its mobility on any thermal printing mechanism, for the lowest possible cost.
• the arrangement of such a device is sought so as to reconcile the ease of maneuvering the lid between its open and closed positions, and a firm hold of the lid in the closed position which prohibits any unwanted maneuver of the to its open position.
• This device is also searched for a simple structure and space as small as possible, to not increase its size and therefore allow its implementation on any thermal printing mechanism.
• the invention also relates to a thermal printing mechanism equipped with such a mounting device.
• the device of the present invention is a device for mounting a lid mounted movably between an open position and a closed position on the frame of a thermal printing mechanism.
• This mobile assembly of the cover is preferably a mounting tilt cover on the chassis.
• the mobility of the cover relative to the frame allows a clearance or alternatively a cover of a receiving compartment of a printing tape roll and a print head that includes the mechanism.
• This mobility of the cover also makes it possible, in the closed position, to press a support roller which bears elastically against the printing head, in particular in response to a reverse thrust exerted by elastic means which the mechanism comprises. and which are assigned to the print head.
• the cover is likely to be reduced to a bearing member of the support roller, and is incidentally completed by a hood on which is mounted this carrier member.
• the cover can be mounted movably on the frame via the carrier member, or possibly by means of the cover.
• this mounting device comprises:
• first lights a support roller rotatably mounted on the cover via its axis, said axis being housed inside first elongate slots that includes the cover.
• the elongated conformation of these first lights is to be understood in that it gives them an ability to allow movements of rotation and translation of the support roller relative to the cover.
• These arrangements are such that the support roller is guided in mobility on the lid not only in rotation, but also in translation from a movement of its axis along the first lights.
• the freedom of movement of the backing roller with respect to the cover, and more particularly the conformation of the first lumens are arranged to guide the support roller engaged on the chassis when the cover is moved towards its position. closing position.
• first lights are formed laterally vis-à-vis the cover, and are of corresponding conformation to allow such guidance of the support roller on the cover.
• second lights which are formed in the frame for receiving the axis of the support roller. These second lights are open for the introduction of the axis and comprise a blind housing for receiving the axis at their bottom in the closed position of the lid. These second lights comprise in particular an upstream portion which is open to allow introduction of the axis, and a downstream portion which is blind for blocking the axis at the bottom of the second lights under the effect of a thrust exerted by elastic means.
• the upstream and downstream parts are to be considered in the direction of mobility of the cover towards its closed position, and are likely to be oriented dihedral relative to each other.
• the second lights are formed laterally vis-à-vis the frame, and are of corresponding conformation for guiding the support roller on the frame.
• Said conformation correspondence between the lights is made according to the dimensions and conformations specific to the ends of the axis that they respectively receive. According to a simple embodiment, this correspondence is a similar conformation of the lights between them, identical or even homothetic.
• elastic means bearing against the frame to exert a thrust against the support roller and maintain its axis at the bottom of the housing in the closed position of the lid.
• the operation of the support roller jointly along the first and second lights is caused from a combination associating the displacement of the lid between its open and closed positions, the thrust exerted by the elastic means towards the roller of support, and antagonistic support that takes the axis respectively against the cover and against the frame through the lights that they respectively comprise.
• the tilting of the lid towards its closed position is preferably carried out simply by means of a pushing gesture applied by the user at least against the cover to fold it down to the frame.
• such a device for mounting the lid on the chassis in mobility is mainly recognizable in that the second lights are arranged fixed in the frame, and in that it comprises means for locking the elastic support of the frame. axis at the bottom of the housing.
• These locking means are constituted by the cooperation of the opposing supports that the axis takes respectively against the housing and the first lights in the closed position of the lid.
• These antagonistic supports constitute means of retaining the cover against its movement towards its open position, in the absence of a prior escape from the axis outside the housing.
• Such retaining means constitute irreversible engagement means of the cover on the frame, otherwise to extract the axis out of the housing from a specific movement which is excluded a mobility of the lid to its open position.
• the irreversibility of this interlocking is preferably strict, or at least constitutes an obstacle to maneuvering the cover towards its open position in the absence of a specific extraction of the axis out of the housing.
• This obstacle is opposed to a maneuvering of the lid towards its open position, and is at least a disincentive and / or uncomfortable discomfort for the user when maneuvering the lid to its open position.
• the retaining means are means able to strictly prohibit a displacement of the cover towards its open position in the absence of a prior escape from the axis out of the housing operated by the user.
• the authorization of this mobility is subject to the condition of a prior displacement of the axis out of the housing.
• the invention also relates to a device for mounting a lid mounted movably between an open position and a closed position on a chassis of a thermal printing mechanism, this device comprising: a support roller mounted to rotate on the cover via its axis, said axis being housed inside first elongate slots that includes the cover; second lights provided in the frame for receiving the axis of the support roller, these second lights being open for the introduction of the axis and comprising a blind housing for receiving the axis at their bottom in the closed position of the lid; elastic means bearing against the frame to exert a thrust against the support roller and maintain its axis at the bottom of the housing in the closed position of the lid; in which the second lights are arranged fixed in the frame, and comprising means for locking the elastic retention of the axis at the bottom of the housing, these locking means being constituted by the cooperation of the counterforce supports that the axis takes respectively against the housing and the first lights in the closed position of the cover, these antagonistic supports constituting means for retaining the cover against its movement towards its
• the unlocking thrust is effected on the axis of the support roller or, in an equivalent manner, on the rubber of the support roller.
• the implementation of the abutment means induces a rigorous prohibition, if not at least an obstacle or even an inconvenience, to a mobility of the cover towards its open position, which can only be broken when a movement of the axis out of housing.
• the mounting device incorporates retaining means adapted to impose a succession of two distinct movements to allow a mobility of the lid from its closed position to its open position.
• the mounting means are organized as holding means of the lid in the closed position by means of the trapping of the axis jointly inside the first and second lights, and locking means of this trapping.
• This trapping is obtained from the supports that take the axis jointly inside. first and second lights, which simplifies the actions that the user must perform to maneuver the lid to its open position.
• the antagonistic supports constituting the retaining means more particularly induce reaction forces against a movement of the cover from its closed position to its open position, which tend at least to maintain the axis in a stable position at the same time. interior of the first lights and second lights, otherwise to induce a repulsion force of the axis in the bottom of the housing in addition to the thrust forces exerted by the elastic means.
• the orientation and / or the relative positions between the first lights and the housings correspond to a bearing against them of the axis which generates, in response to a force applied on the cover for its passage to its open position, at least a neutral reaction force oriented substantially parallel to said applied force, otherwise a reaction force comprising a component causing a repulsion of the axis towards the bottom of the housing and incidentally first lights.
• the counteracting bearing corresponds in particular to a first point of support of the axis against the second light and a second point of support of the axis against the first light which are aligned along a generatrix of the axis.
• This antagonistic support formation forms retaining means able not only to maintain the lid in the closed position, but also to lock this holding against a movement of movement of the lid towards its open position in the absence of an extraction of the axis out of the housing.
• the retaining means consist of at least one pair of opposing supports that the axis takes respectively against the housing and the first lights in the closed position of the cover, these opposing supports being aligned along a generatrix of the axis.
• These provisions induce a radial alignment of the support bearing reactions of the axis jointly on the frame and on the cover in the closed position of the latter, in comparison with its escape from the housing under the effect of a maneuver in movement of the cover towards its open position.
• the axis is likely to be moved out of the housing from a direct grip by the user.
• This direct grip is a unique gesture that the user must provide to move the lid in the open position in the advantageous case where said ramp is used to cause a spontaneous movement of the lid to its open position.
• the thrust member is advantageously constituted by at least one thrust finger provided on a lever which is indifferently pivotally mounted on the frame or on the cover.
• the arrangement of the thrust member lever provides satisfactory ergonomics to cause the opening of the lid from a simple gesture made by the user on the corresponding end of the lever.
• the lever is preferably hinged to the lid and is arranged in a pair of side plates disposed at a respective side of the lid. These plates are each pivotally articulated on the cover and are provided with a thrust finger of the corresponding end of the axis.
• An actuator lever member by the user longitudinally connects the plates to one another to cause their joint pivoting.
• the arrangement of the thrust member in plates articulated laterally on the frame and connected by a common longitudinal operating member avoids a bulk of the area of the frame receiving the thermal print head to facilitate the installing the end of the newly loaded tape.
• the operation of the lever in the closed position of the lid is adapted to be performed from the pushing gesture that the user makes on the lid to move it to its closed position. It follows that, from a single pushing action on the lid, the lid is placed in the closed position, is held in this position, and this holding is locked. Conversely, from a single gesture of maneuvering the lever, the unlocking of the cover is maintained and it is moved to its open position.
• the thrust member is associated with an accompanying member of the mobility of the cover towards its open position.
• this support member is capable of being connected to the thrust member for, when unlocking the holding of the lid in the closed position, pushing back on the lid towards its open position at least 1 escape from the axis out of the second lights, if not from the extraction of the axis out of the housing.
• This connection is likely to be a mobility link allowing a maneuver independent of the support member with respect to the thrust member.
• the support member is provided on the lever being oriented, in the general plane of mobility of the cover, in particular rocking, with an angular offset relative to the orientation of the thrust fingers.
• This angular offset corresponds in particular to the distance that must traverse the pushing finger or fingers to extract the axis from the housing, prior to the support of the support member against the cover to maneuver to its position d 'opening.
• the lever arm is supported on the frame to allow the implementation of the accompanying member.
• This guide ramp is advantageously that used to place under stress the elastic means prior to their release to repel the axis at the bottom of the housing. Since the organization of the means for holding the lid in the closed position coincides with the organization of the retaining means, the structure of the mounting device can be simply organized to allow a maneuvering of the lid towards its open position from a unique gesture of the user extracting the shaft out of the housing.
• the elastic means are used, these elastic means being able not only to push the axis at the bottom of the housing, but also able to cause the mobility of the lid, in particular tilting, to its open position after extraction of the axis out of the housing. It generally results in a simplification of the structure of the mounting device and ease of operation of the cover towards its open position, without affecting the quality of its locking in the closed position.
• the second lights are advantageously of the type comprising, upstream of the housing, a ramp for guiding the axis against a stressing and / or a progressive release of the elastic means, caused by a maneuver of the lid respectively. at closing and opening.
• the guide ramp is formed by the edge of a largely open clearance that includes the second lights to allow easy introduction of the axis.
• the upstream position of the ramp is to be considered with regard to the direction of mobility of the cover towards its closed position.
• the proposed organization of the retaining means disassociates the holding of the lid in the closed position and the positive locking of its holding independently of the own organization of the elastic means. These arrangements make it possible to organize the elastic means constituting the means for maintaining the lid in the closed position, independently of the retaining means capable of locking this holding. These arrangements are such that the elastic means are likely to be indifferently specific elastic means or elastic means attached to the implementation of another mechanism member, including thermal printing head.
• the proposed organization of the retaining means makes it possible to avoid complicating the structure of the device for the installation of the elastic means, these not participating in the positive locking of the holding of the lid in the closed position. Such a simplification of structure makes it possible to limit the size and the costs of obtaining the device, and to allow its easy implementation on any printing mechanism, including on a small mechanism.
• the elastic means are coincident with those of which is provided with a thermal printing head equipping the mechanism for its plating to the support roller.
• the invention also relates to a thermal printing mechanism in which is integrated a mounting device as just described.
• Fig.1 to fig.4 are profile diagrams representing a device for mounting a cover mounted on the frame of a thermal printing mechanism according to the arrangements provided by the present invention, which successively illustrate the mobility of this cover.
• the fig.5 to fig.8 are representations of the device shown schematically in Fig.1 to Fig.4, which illustrate in perspective the mobility of the cover respectively shown in these figures.
• a thermal printing mechanism comprises a frame 1 housing a thermal printing head 2 intended to print a band-conditioned printing medium.
• a lid 3 is movably mounted on the frame 1, such as tilting or the like, between an open position shown in Fig.4 and Fig.8, and a closed position shown in Fig.2 and Figs. 6.
• This cover 3 carries a support roll 4, intended to hold the band pressed against the print head 2 in the closed position of the lid 3.
• This plating results from a thrust R exerted by the print head 2 to the support roller, via elastic means 5 which are assigned to the print head 2 and which are engaged on the frame 1.
• the support roller 4 is carried by the cover 3 via its axis 6.
• the cover 3 comprises first elongated slots 7 for receiving the ends of the axis 6.
• These first lights 7 allow a mobility of the support roll 4 in rotation for driving the band, and in translation on the lid 3 during the movement of the latter between its open and closed positions.
• This displacement in translation of the support roller 4 allows a circulation of the axis 6 along second lights 8 formed fixed on the frame 1.
• These second lights 8 comprise an upstream portion 9 open for the introduction of the axis 6, and a downstream portion arranged in blind housing 10 for the reception at its bottom of the axis 6 in the closed position of the cover 3.
• the axis 6 is maintained at the bottom of the housing 10 not only from the elastic thrust R exerted by the print head 2 on the support roll 4, but also from an arrangement of said antagonistic support points 13 which prohibits a mobility of the cover 3 in the absence of a prior extraction of the axis 6 out of the housings 10 that comprise the second lights 8.
• the lid 3 is moved from its open position shown in FIGS. 4 and 8 to an insertion position of the axis 6 inside the upstream portion 9 of the second lumens 8, as shown in fig.1 and fig.5.
• This displacement is caused by a pushing action P exerted by the user against the upper face of the cover 3, which induces a sliding bearing support of the axis 6 against a guide ramp 1 1 formed in the part upstream 9 second lights 8.
• the support roller 4 exerts a push against the print head 2, the elastic retraction allows the passage of the axis 6 to the housing 10.
• This irreversible engagement is obtained from the relative positions of the first lights 7 and the housings 10 which jointly receive the axis 6 so as to induce, under the effect of a force S to move the lid 3 towards its position. opening, reaction forces F of the axis 6 against the frame 1 and the cover 3 which prevent such a displacement of the cover 3 towards its open position.
• the general orientations A respectively of the first lumens 7 and the corresponding housings 10 are merged, so that said reaction forces F are oriented substantially parallel to the general direction S of displacement of the cover 3 towards its position. openness or, by analogy, to an effort S aimed at such displacement.
• reaction forces F and stress S are in particular oriented substantially perpendicular to the general orientation of the first lights 7 and the housings 10, taken in the corresponding zone of reception of the axis 6.
• the bearing points 13 that the axis 6 takes respectively respectively against the first lights and against the housings are aligned along a generatrix of the axis 6.
• a force S applied to the lid 3 according to its direction of movement towards its open position, induced reaction a force F of the axis 6 on the cover 3 and on the frame 1 may comprise a component C capable of causing a repulsion of the axis 6 at the bottom of the housing 10, in addition to the forces R exerted by the elastic means 5 on the support roller 4, and accordingly able to reinforce the locking of the holding of the cover 3 in the closed position.
• the axis 6 is in the extraction position out of the housing 10. This extraction is caused by the user, from the operation of a lever 14 which is pivotally articulated indifferently on the frame 1, but preferably on the lid 3 as illustrated.
• This lever 14 is composed of a pair of plates 15 arranged laterally on the cover 3 on either side of the support roller 4. These plates 15 are each provided with a thrust pin 16 of the axis 6 to encountering the thrust R exerted by the elastic means 5 equipping the print head 2.
• These thrust fingers 16 are advantageously formed from the own conformation of the plates 15, which simplifies the structure of the device and to promote its realization at lower costs.
• the plates 15 are interconnected by an operating member 17, shaped rod or the like, which extends parallel to the support roller 4.
• the axis 6 is pushed G out of the housing 10 and the opening of the lid 3 is allowed.
• the user applies a thrust P jointly against the lever 14 and against the upper face of the cover 3, to cause the closing position of the lid 3 and a locking of its holding in this position .

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• Accessory Devices And Overall Control Thereof (AREA)
• Casings For Electric Apparatus (AREA)

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Publications (2)

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• 2007
  • 2007-05-09 FR FR0754942A patent/FR2915926B1/fr active Active
• 2008
  • 2008-05-07 WO PCT/FR2008/050802 patent/WO2008149000A2/fr active Application Filing
  • 2008-05-07 PL PL08805752T patent/PL2150416T3/pl unknown
  • 2008-05-07 EP EP08805752.6A patent/EP2150416B1/de active Active
  • 2008-05-07 ES ES08805752T patent/ES2429110T3/es active Active

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