JP2002003011A - Sheet discharging device of printer, its control method, and information recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent lifting up of a sheet guide by a tip of continuous form sheet and avoid conveying trouble such as sheet jam. SOLUTION: A sheet discharging device 14 of a printer comprises a discharge roller 28 for conveying printed sheet toward a discharge opening 16 in the printer and stopping the tip side of the sheet, and a sheet guide 24 disposed in the upstream side of the discharge roller 28 for guiding the tip of the sheet to the discharge roller 28. The sheet guide 24 is rotatably journalled so that its upstream side provides a route for the sheet, and hence the upstream side can loop when the discharge roller 28 stops the tip side of the sheet. The sheet discharging device 14 has a sheet route selector valve 26 functioning as a locking means for locking the rotation of the sheet guide 24. The sheet route selector valve 26 locks the sheet guide 24 when the tip of the sheet is guided to the sheet guide 24.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a paper discharge device for a printer for discharging printed paper toward a discharge port.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is known a printer built in a terminal such as an ATM (automatic teller machine) installed in an environment where an unattended person or an operator cannot frequently change sheets. 2. Description of the Related Art In order to reduce the frequency of paper exchange as much as possible, printers of this type perform printing on continuous paper such as roll paper, and cut and separate the paper by a cutter mechanism to discharge the paper. .

In this type of printer, it is necessary to give sufficient consideration to paper discharge control after printing is completed. In an ordinary printer, the leading edge of the sheet after printing or during printing is sequentially discharged from the discharge port to the outside of the housing by a paper feeding operation accompanying the printing. However, if the user attempts to pull out the paper that has protruded from the discharge port before the paper is cut by the auto cutter mechanism, this causes printing failure and paper jam.

In order to prevent such a problem, in a conventional printer, during printing, the feeding by a discharge roller provided near a discharge port is temporarily stopped, and the paper is looped inside, so that the paper is looped. So that the tip does not come out of the outlet,
Then, there is a device in which the feeding is restarted and the discharging is performed. Some of such printers have a paper guide that guides the paper upstream of the discharge roller during normal operation, and that opens the paper path to allow the paper to loop when the feed is stopped. .

[0005]

However, in a printer having such a paper guide, if there is a "habit" at the leading end of the continuous paper sent from the printing side, this is satisfactorily transmitted to the discharge roller by the paper guide. Without being guided,
The force may lift the paper guide, causing a paper jam.

An object of the present invention is to prevent the paper guide from being lifted by the leading edge of the continuous paper, thereby avoiding a paper jam or other transport trouble.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a paper discharge device for a printer, in which a printed sheet is conveyed toward a printer outlet and the leading end of the sheet is stopped. And a paper guide that is located upstream of the first transport roller and guides the leading edge of the paper to the first transport roller, the upstream of which guides the paper path of the paper. A roller that is rotatably supported so as to open, thereby allowing the upstream side to loop when the leading end side of the paper is stopped by the first transport roller; A lock unit for locking and a control unit for controlling the locking unit to lock the paper guide when the leading end of the paper is guided to the paper guide are provided.

The present invention is also a paper path switching valve rotatably supported upstream of the first conveying roller,
The paper feed path further includes a leading end thereof coming out of the paper path when the paper is reversely fed by the first transport roller, and guiding the rear end of the paper to another paper path. It is preferable that the paper path switching valve is formed on the paper path switching valve.

In this case, the locking means may be configured to engage with the paper guide on both sides in the width direction of the paper.

[0010] The present invention also relates to a paper guide provided upstream of the paper guide.
A second conveyance roller for conveying the paper toward the paper guide, wherein the control means determines a timing for controlling the locking means based on the number of rotation steps of the second conveyance roller. Is preferred.

[0011] The present invention further relates to a control method in the paper ejection device of the printer. In the control method of the present invention, the second method
Transporting the printed paper by the transport rollers, locking the paper guide by the locking means, and locking the paper guide when the leading edge of the paper reaches the position of the first transport roller. Unlocking the paper guide by means.

The present invention is appropriate to be understood as a printer control method, and in such a case, the same operation and effect can be obtained.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing the internal structure of a printer including a paper discharge device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The printer 10 is a printer for printing a receipt mounted on an ATM or the like, and stores the roll paper R therein. A printing unit 12 is provided in front of the printer 10, and a unitized sheet discharging device 14 is further installed in front of the printing unit 12. The paper end drawn from the roll paper R passes through a paper path communicated in the printing unit 12 and the paper discharge device 14, and is guided to the outside of the housing from the discharge port 16. On the paper path, in the printing unit 12, a print head 18, a platen roller 20 as a second transport roller also serving as a feed-side transport roller, and a paper cutting mechanism 22 are installed. In the paper discharge device 14, a paper guide 24, a paper path switching valve 26, and discharge-side transport rollers (hereinafter, referred to as discharge rollers) 28 and 30 as first transport rollers are provided. These transport rollers are appropriately driven in accordance with a print command from the host, and the roll paper R is sequentially pulled out from the roll portion. When the roll paper is fed by the platen roller 20, the print head 18 is scanned and desired characters, symbols, and the like are printed on the paper. The printed area of the roll paper is further conveyed toward the discharge port 16, and when the rear end reaches the position of the paper cutting mechanism 22, the roll paper is cut and separated by this, and as a single-sheet receipt from the discharge port 16. Supplied to the user.

The discharge rollers 28 and 30 receive the leading end of the roll paper R sent by the platen roller 20 and guide the roll paper R to the discharge port 16. The transport speed of the roll paper R by the discharge rollers 28 and 30 is basically the same as that of the platen roller 20.
Is set the same as that in. Accordingly, while the platen roller 20 and the discharge rollers 28 and 30 are being driven, the roll paper R sent by the platen roller 20 and the leading end thereof is drawn between the discharge rollers 28 and 30 may be subjected to a pulling force. In addition, unnecessary bending does not occur. The leading end of the sheet (hereinafter, referred to as sheet r) separated from the upstream side of the roll sheet R by the sheet cutting mechanism 22 is connected to the discharge rollers 28 and 3.
0, the transport is continued, and almost the entire area is
It is sent out from 6. The discharge roller 30 on the downstream side in the transport direction holds the sheet r with a smaller pressing force than the discharge roller 28 on the upstream side. The trailing end of the cut sheet r is finally held by the downstream discharge roller 30. As described above, since the sheet r is held by the discharge roller 30 with a weak force, the user can easily pull out the sheet r. Regarding the control according to the present invention, the discharge rollers 28 and 30
Is driven and stopped independently of the platen roller 20.

The printer 10 further includes a paper sensor 32 between the pair of discharge rollers 28 and 30, and further includes a paper sensor 34 downstream of the discharge roller 30. The paper sensor 32 detects when the roll paper R is conveyed and its leading end exceeds the discharge roller 28 on the upstream side, and detects when the trailing end of the cut paper r exceeds this. Detect this. Various controls are executed based on the detection signal from the paper sensor 32. Discharge roller 30
The paper sensor 34 on the downstream side detects the presence or absence of the receipt held by the discharge roller 30.

The printer 10 includes a receipt collecting device 36 for the cut and separated receipt. When the paper sensor 34 detects that the receipt is left in the discharge port 16 for a predetermined time, the discharge rollers 28 and 30 reversely feed the receipt based on a command from the host,
The paper is drawn into the paper discharge device 14. The received receipt is carried into the collection path 38 by the operation of the paper path switching valve 26 described later, and is sequentially collected in the collection tray 40.

The printer 10 includes a control CP (not shown).
Implement U and ROM. C mounted on the printer 10
The PU controls each mechanism of the printer according to a control command from a host computer and a control program stored in the ROM. In connection with the present invention, a CPU built in the printer controls the driving of the platen roller 20, the discharge rollers 28 and 30, and the sheet cutting mechanism 22, and realizes a predetermined sheet discharge operation.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of FIG.
FIG. As described above, the paper discharge device 14 is installed downstream of the printing unit 12 of the printer, and on the paper path thereof, a paper guide 24, a paper path switching valve 26, discharge rollers 28 and 30, and paper sensors 32 and 34. Is installed.

The paper guide 24 is located upstream of the discharge roller 28 and guides the leading end of the roll paper R to the discharge roller 28.
The paper guide 24 is rotatably supported on the axis of the discharge roller 28, and its upstream side is lifted upward. As described later, the roll paper R is temporarily stopped at the paper end side by a discharge roller 28 in the discharging process. If the conveyance by the platen roller 20 is continued in this state, the roll paper R bends upward on the upstream side of the discharge roller 28, and a loop is formed here. The paper guide 24 pivots upward to open above the paper path to allow this loop to be formed.

The paper path switching valve 26 is connected to the paper guide 24.
At the same time, while the leading end of the roll paper R from the printing unit 12 is guided to the discharge roller 28,
Is operated in such a way as to guide it to the recovery path 38 when it is sent back. That is, the paper path switching valve 26 can be slightly rotated about the shaft 42 and the solenoid 44
, The leading end 26a facing the discharge roller 28 can move back and forth on the paper path.
When the solenoid 44 is in the off state, the leading end 26a of the paper path switching valve is lowered, whereby the paper path is opened and the leading end of the roll paper R to the discharge roller 28 can be introduced. On the other hand, when the solenoid 44 is turned on, the front end portion 26a is raised, whereby the paper r reversely fed from the downstream side of the discharge roller 28 can be guided to the collection path 38. With the solenoid 44 turned on, the microswitch 46 is depressed and the state is
Ascertained by the PU. The upper surface 26b of the paper path switching valve 26 faces the paper guide 24, functions as a paper guide for guiding the roll paper to the discharge roller 28, and the inclined lower surface 26c is guided to the collection path 38. It functions as a paper guide for the paper r.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are a side view and a plan view showing a lock mechanism of the paper guide 24. FIG. Paper guide 2
Regarding the lock mechanism of No. 4, a projection 48 is formed on the lower surface of the shaft portion 24a provided on both sides of the paper guide 24. On the other hand, both ends in the width direction of the paper path switching valve 26 extend to both sides beyond the width of the paper r, and when the paper path switching valve 26 is rotated, both ends of the leading end portion 26a are connected to the protrusions. 48 to make the paper guide 24 unrotatable (ie, locked). As described later, the paper guide 2
The lock of No. 4 is performed when the leading end of the roll paper R is guided under the paper guide 24. By locking the paper guide 24,
The leading edge of the roll paper R can be fixed against the force pushing up the paper guide 24, which allows the leading edge of the roll paper R to be effectively guided toward the discharge roller 28. Details of the timing and operation of this control will be described later.

(A) to (I) shown in FIGS. 4 to 9 are side views of the inside of the sheet discharging apparatus showing each stage of control from printing to discharge of the roll paper R in the printer according to the present invention. FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the control. The control in the printer 10 will be described below with reference to these drawings.

When the printer 10 receives data from the host computer, it temporarily stores the data in a buffer, and sequentially interprets the contents by an interpreting unit realized by the CPU. If the interpreted data is a print command or print data, first execute the paper guide 24 prior to execution.
Are locked (step 901 in FIG. 4A and FIG. 9).
That is, by driving the solenoid 44 based on a signal from the CPU, the paper path switching valve 26 is rotated, and the tip end 26 a projects on the movement locus of the projection 48 of the paper guide 24. In this state, the CPU controls the scanning of the print head 18 while feeding the paper r by the platen roller 20,
The printing according to the print data following the command is performed on the paper. At this time, the CPU sets the discharge rollers 28 and 30
Is driven in synchronization with the platen roller 20 (FIG. 4A and step 902). With this printing operation, paper r
Is gradually fed, and the leading end of the paper guide 2
4 and the paper path switching valve 26 (FIG. 4B), and further contacts the paper guide 14 (FIG. 5C). At this time, since the paper guide 14 is locked by the paper path switching valve 26 in the previous step 901, the paper guide 14 is not lifted by the force of the leading edge of the paper r, and is discharged by the discharge roller 28.
(FIG. 5D). FIG. 5 (D)
As shown in (2), at the point where the leading end of the paper r approaches the discharge roller 28 and there is no possibility that the paper guide 24 is lifted by the force, the paper path switching valve 26 is lowered,
The lock of the paper guide 24 is released. That is, CPU
Counts the number of steps of the platen roller 20, and when the number reaches a predetermined number (step 903), the solenoid 44 is turned off, the paper path switching valve 26 is rotated, and the leading end 26a is lowered. This unlocks the paper guide 24 at the same time that the paper path is opened (step 904).

The paper r is opened by opening the paper path.
The paper is sent toward the discharge port 16, and its leading end reaches the discharge roller 28 on the upstream side, and is further sent downstream by the driving force. When the leading end of the paper r exceeds the discharge roller 28, the paper sensor 32 installed downstream thereof
Detects this (step 1001 in FIG. 10). CPU
When receiving this detection signal, the discharge rollers 28 and 30
Is temporarily stopped (step 1002). When the discharge roller 28 stops, the leading end of the paper r between the rollers is sandwiched therebetween. On the other hand, printing is continued in the print head 18, and the platen roller 20 carries the paper r stepwise until all the printing of the print data is completed.
As a result, the paper r having its leading end fixed by the discharge roller 28 gradually bends, as shown in FIG. 6E, and the paper cutting mechanism 22 of the printing unit 12 and the discharge roller 28.
A loop is formed between them. At this time, since the lock of the paper guide 14 has been released, the paper guide 14 rotates without hindering the formation of the loop.

Following the print data for one receipt, the host computer sends a cut command for cutting the paper r (this may be a command indicating the end of printing for one receipt). . At this point, the platen roller 20 has been stopped.
When the cutting command of the paper r is interpreted by the data interpreting unit of the CPU (step 1003), the paper cutting mechanism 22 is driven to cut the paper to separate it from the roll paper R on the upstream side, and discharge rollers 28 and 30. Is restarted (FIG. 6F and step 1004). As a result, the leading end of the paper r is discharged from the discharge port 16, and accordingly, the loop of the formed paper r is gradually eliminated, and the paper guide 14 is removed.
Returns to the initial position (FIG. 7 (G)). When the rear end of the sheet r exceeds the sheet sensor 32 and this is detected (FIG. 7H and step 1005), the driving of the discharge rollers 28 and 30 is stopped. As a result, the rear end of the paper r is weakly held by the discharge roller 30, and
The retrieval by the user is enabled.

If the user does not take out the paper r from the discharge port 16 for a predetermined period, that is, if this state does not change for a predetermined time after the paper sensor 34 downstream of the discharge roller 30 detects the paper r, the printer Reference numeral 10 executes a process of collecting the data in the apparatus. When the output state of the paper sensor 34 does not change for a predetermined time (steps 1006 and 1006)
7), the CPU drives the solenoid 44 to operate the paper path switching valve 26, and the collection path 38 to the rear end of the paper r.
Is released (step 1008). Next, the discharge roller 2
By reversely rotating the sheets 8 and 30, the sheet r is reversely fed, and as shown in FIG. 8 (I), the sheet r is guided to the collection path 38 (step 1009). Paper r guided to collection path 38
Is collected into the collection tray 40 while being guided by the lower surface 26c of the paper path switching valve 26.

As described above, one embodiment of the present invention has been described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the matters shown in the above embodiment, and the claims and the detailed description of the invention, and The range in which those skilled in the art can make changes and applications based on well-known techniques is included. In the present embodiment, the paper guide 24 is locked by the paper path switching valve 26, but may be locked by another locking mechanism.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, the paper guide rotates so as to allow the paper loop to be formed, and when the leading end of the paper is guided to the paper guide, the paper guide rotates. This rotation is locked, so that even if a "habit" or the like occurs at the leading end of the sheet, it is possible to smoothly guide the sheet toward the discharge port.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing an internal structure of a printer including a paper discharge device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view and a plan view showing a lock mechanism of the paper guide.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are side views of the inside of the paper ejection device showing respective stages of control from printing to ejection of the roll paper R in the printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the inside of the paper ejection device showing each stage of control from printing to ejection of the roll paper R in the printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the inside of the paper ejection device showing each stage of control from printing to ejection of the roll paper R in the printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the inside of the paper ejection device showing each stage of control from printing to ejection of the roll paper R in the printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the inside of the paper ejection device showing each stage of control from printing to ejection of the roll paper R in the printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of control in the printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of control in the printer according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 R roll paper r paper 10 printer 12 printing unit 14 paper guide 14 paper discharge device 16 discharge port 18 print head 20 platen roller 22 paper cutting mechanism 24 paper guide 24a shaft 26 paper path switching valve 26a tip 26b upper surface 26c lower surface 28, REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 30 discharge rollers 32, 34 paper sensor 36 collection device 38 collection path 40 collection tray 42 shaft 44 solenoid 46 microswitch 48 protrusion

Claims (8)

[Claims] A first conveying roller for conveying a printed sheet toward an outlet of the printer and stopping a leading end side of the sheet, the first conveying roller; A paper guide that is located upstream of a roller and guides the leading end of the paper to the first transport roller, the upstream of which is rotatably supported so as to open the paper path of the paper; A device that allows the upstream side to loop when the leading end side of the paper is stopped by the first transport roller; a lock unit that locks the rotation of the paper guide; and a leading end of the paper on the paper guide. And a control means for controlling the locking means to lock the paper guide when the sheet is guided. 2. A paper path switching valve rotatably supported on the upstream side of the first transport roller, the leading end of which is provided when the paper is reversely fed by the first transport roller. 2. The printer according to claim 1, further comprising a device that exits on the paper path and guides a trailing end of the paper to another paper path, wherein the locking unit is formed on the paper path switching valve. Paper ejection device. 3. The paper ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the locking means engages with the paper guide on both sides in the width direction of the paper. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second conveyance roller upstream of the paper guide for conveying the paper toward the paper guide, wherein the control unit is configured to control the number of rotation steps of the second conveyance roller. The printer discharge device according to claim 1, wherein a timing for controlling the lock unit is determined. 5. A paper discharge device for a printer according to claim 1, wherein said paper is continuous paper. 6. A printer comprising the paper ejection device according to claim 1. 7. The control method in the paper discharge device of the printer according to claim 4, wherein the second conveyance roller conveys the printed paper, and the locking means locks the paper guide. And a step of unlocking the paper guide by the locking means when the leading end of the paper reaches the position of the first transport roller. . 8. An information recording medium on which a program for controlling the paper ejection device of the printer according to claim 4 is recorded, wherein the step of transporting the printed sheet by the second transport roller includes: Means for locking the paper guide by means, and a step of unlocking the paper guide by the locking means when the leading end of the paper reaches the position of the first transport roller. An information recording medium on which a program for controlling the paper ejection device is recorded.