JP2000043367A - Printer mounting optical data communication unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To communicate a data with a plurality of external units using single infrared sensor by switching an optical path without varying the external view of a printer. SOLUTION: Communication windows 21, 22 facing a plurality of directions are made in the outer case 12 of a printer 11, a unit for communicating an optical data with external units through the communication windows 21, 22 is contained in the case 12 and means 18 for switching the optical path of the optical data communicating unit is provided. Optical path of the optical data communicating unit can be switched without changing the direction of the printer using the communicating direction switching means 18.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer equipped with an optical data communication device for printing on paper by connecting to an external device such as a host computer by optical communication.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, some printers are equipped with an optical data communication device that enables optical communication using infrared rays. Optical data communication devices that use infrared light have a limited angle at which they can transmit and receive. Therefore, when such a printer is used to receive and print print data transmitted from an external device such as a host computer, the printer must be installed so that the receiving window faces the transmitting window of the host computer. No.

[0003] The above-mentioned conventional printer equipped with an optical data communication device can cope only with changing the orientation of the printer when there are a plurality of host computers to be subjected to optical data communication.

[0004] To cope with such inconvenience, there is a printer equipped with an optical data communication device shown in FIG.
In the optical data communication device 1 provided in the printer, one end 3a of a carrier 3 supporting the infrared sensor 2 is rotatably supported by an outer case 4 of the printer.
The optical path of the infrared sensor 2 is switched by rotating. The carrier 3 moves the outer case 4 according to the rotation.
It moves between a position where it is stored inside and a position where it protrudes out of the outer case 4.

[0005]

In the conventional printer equipped with an optical data communication device as shown in FIG.
The carrier 3 is used even in a state where the carrier 3 protrudes out of the outer case 4 of the printer, depending on the arrangement. Therefore, the carrier 3 is easily damaged and requires a space for positioning the carrier 3 outside the outer case 4. There is.

In order to support a plurality of host computers, a printer is used in which the optical data communication apparatus is not movable but a plurality of infrared sensors are used, and the optical paths of the infrared sensors are directed in different directions. Although it is conceivable to dispose it in the outer case, it is not preferable because the number of parts increases and the cost increases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to make it possible to switch an optical path without changing the appearance of a printer.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer equipped with an optical data communication device, wherein a communication window formed in an outer case of the printer and facing in a plurality of directions is provided in the outer case. An optical data communication device that performs optical data communication with an external device via a communication window; a communication direction switching unit that selectively switches an optical path of the optical data communication device; and a print data transmitted from the external device. And a printing unit for printing predetermined items on paper.

Therefore, the optical path can be switched without changing the orientation of the printer.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer equipped with an optical data communication device, wherein a communication window formed in an outer case of the printer and facing in a plurality of directions is provided in the outer case.
An optical data communication device that performs optical data communication with an external device via the communication window, a communication direction dividing unit that divides an optical path of the optical data communication device, and based on print data transmitted from the external device. A printing unit for printing predetermined items on paper.

Therefore, since the optical path is divided, optical data communication with a plurality of objects is always possible.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of a printer equipped with an optical data communication device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of the printer 11. Although not shown, a printing unit for printing on paper is built in the outer case 12 of the printer 11. The printer 11 has an openable and closable open cover 13 whose one end is rotatably supported by the outer case 12.
It has. The open cover 13 is provided with a paper outlet 14 for discharging the paper printed by the printing unit.

Here, for convenience of explanation, the surface of the outer case 12 on which the open cover 13 is provided is referred to as a front surface.

FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal sectional front view and a plan view. A switching member 15 rotatable about 90 ° is embedded in the upper surface of the outer case 12. The switching member 15 has a convex portion 16 for rotating. Further, a support shaft 17 having an upper end connected to the switching member 15 and rotating according to the rotation of the switching member 15 is provided in the outer case 12. Here, the communication direction switching means 18 is constituted by the switching member 15 and the support shaft 17.

The infrared sensor 19 is supported by a support shaft 17, and the optical path of the infrared sensor 19 is switched by rotating the switching member 15.

The printer 11 has a built-in microcomputer (not shown) in which a plurality of ROMs and RAMs are connected to a CPU via a bus line. The CPU centrally controls each unit by executing various arithmetic processes. The ROM contains
An operation program of the printer 11 and various fixed information are stored. The RAM has a resist function, and temporarily stores various variable information. A partial area of the RAM is used as a print buffer or an image memory, or is used as various counter areas.

Here, the microcomputer and the infrared sensor 19 constitute an optical data communication device 20.

Communication windows 21 and 22 are provided on the front and right sides of the outer case 12, respectively.
The communication windows 21 and 22 are located at positions where the distance from the support shaft 17 is substantially equal.

In such a configuration, the infrared sensor 1
9 can change the direction by rotating the switching member 15 to switch the optical path.

In the state shown in FIG. 2A, the infrared sensor 19 is provided with a communication window 22 provided on the right side of the outer case 12.
Can be received, and infrared data can be transmitted from the communication window 22 to the outside. That is,
Optical data communication with a host computer on the right side of the printer 11 is possible.

FIG. 2B shows a state in which the infrared sensor 19 faces a communication window 21 (shown by a virtual line) provided on the front of the outer case 12. In this state, the infrared sensor 19 can receive infrared data taken in from the communication window 21 and can transmit infrared data from the communication window 21 to the outside. That is, optical data communication with the host computer on the front side of the printer 11 is possible.

The printer 11 receives print data from the host computer and prints predetermined items on paper based on the print data. In addition, a reception confirmation signal is transmitted to the host computer to confirm that the print data has been received.

Next, a second embodiment of the printer equipped with the optical data communication device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The same members as those described in the previous embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted (the same applies to the following embodiments). FIG. 3 shows the infrared sensor 19.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional plan view showing a positional relationship between the communication windows 21 and 22.

In the present embodiment, the infrared sensor 19
It is fixed to a predetermined position in the exterior case 12 facing the communication window 21 provided on the front of the exterior case 12. Further, the rotatable range of the switching member 15 is about 45 °. One end of a mirror 23 is attached to the support shaft 17, and the mirror 23 moves as the switching member 15 rotates. Then, the mirror 23 is located between the position where the optical data communication from the communication window 21 of the infrared sensor 19 is not hindered, and the optical path of the infrared sensor 19 located between the infrared sensor 19 and the communication window 21 toward the communication window 22. And position selectively.

In such a configuration, the mirror 23 moves by rotating the switching member 15, and the optical path of the infrared sensor 19 is switched to the direction of the communication window 21 or the direction of the communication window 22.

According to the present embodiment, the infrared sensor 19
Is not moved, so that disconnection of various wirings (not shown) attached to the infrared sensor 19 can be prevented.

Next, a third embodiment of the printer equipped with the optical data communication device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

In this embodiment, the infrared sensor 19 is attached to the support shaft 17, and the rotatable range of the switching member 15 is about 180 °. A mirror 23 is provided on the opposite side of the communication window 21 with respect to the infrared sensor 19. The mirror 23 is inclined at about 45 ° with respect to the communication window 22.

In such a configuration, by rotating the switching member 15, the infrared sensor 19
(A) a position where transmission and reception can be performed from the communication window 21;
4B, the light reflected by the mirror 23 moves to a position where transmission and reception can be performed from the communication window 22, and the infrared sensor 1
Nine optical paths are switched.

According to the present embodiment, each of the communication windows 21 and
The communication windows 21 and 22 can be arranged in accordance with the design circumstances inside the printer 11 because the distance from the shaft 2 to the support shaft 17 can be changed.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the printer equipped with the optical data communication device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

In this embodiment, the infrared sensor 19 is fixed at a predetermined position, and uses a prism 24 that transmits and reflects half of the incident light and reflects the semi-transmission / semi-reflection surface 24 a of the prism 24 with the infrared sensor 19. It is arranged at an angle of about 45 ° with respect to the optical path between itself and the communication window 21. Here, the prism 24 is a communication direction dividing unit.

In such a configuration, the infrared sensor 1
Half of the infrared light emitted from 9 is a semi-transmissive / semi-reflective surface 2
4a, and exits from the communication window 21, and half is semi-transmissive.
The light is reflected by the semi-reflective surface 24a and exits from the communication window 22.

Infrared light taken in from the communication window 21 is transmitted through the semi-transmissive / semi-reflective surface 24a, and
9 is incident. Then, the infrared light taken in from the communication window 22 is reflected by the semi-transmissive / semi-reflective surface 24 a and enters the infrared sensor 19.

According to the present embodiment, optical data communication in two directions is always possible without performing a switching operation. Further, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to print the print data of a plurality of host computers with one printer.

In the first to fourth embodiments,
Although the communication windows are provided on two adjacent surfaces of the outer case, the communication windows provided on the two adjacent surfaces may be continuous at the corners of the outer case.

[0037]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a communication window facing in a plurality of directions is provided, and a communication direction switching means for switching an optical path of the optical data communication apparatus is provided. The optical path can be selectively switched to a plurality of directions facing the communication window without changing the orientation of the printer.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the communication window facing in a plurality of directions is provided, and the communication direction dividing means for dividing the optical path of the optical data communication apparatus is provided. The device may be capable of optical data communication with objects located in multiple directions facing the communication window.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a printer equipped with an optical data communication device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional front view and a plan view showing a configuration of a communication device switching unit.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional plan view showing a second embodiment of the printer equipped with the optical data communication device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional plan view showing a third embodiment of the printer equipped with the optical data communication device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional plan view showing a fourth embodiment of the printer equipped with the optical data communication device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional plan view showing an example of an optical data communication device mounted on a conventional printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Printer 12 Outer case 18 Communication direction switching means 20 Optical data communication device 21, 22 Communication window 24 Communication direction separation means

Claims (2)

[Claims] A communication window formed in an exterior case of the printer and facing in a plurality of directions; and an optical data communication device provided in the exterior case and performing optical data communication with an external device via the communication window. Communication direction switching means for selectively switching an optical path of the optical data communication device; and a printing unit for printing a predetermined item on a sheet based on print data transmitted from the external device. Printer equipped with optical data communication device. 2. A communication window formed in an outer case of the printer and facing in a plurality of directions, and an optical data communication device provided in the outer case and performing optical data communication with an external device through the communication window. Communication data dividing means for dividing an optical path of the optical data communication device, and a printing unit for printing a predetermined item on a sheet based on print data transmitted from the external device, optical data, Printer with communication device.