JP2002127527A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer in which defective print can be prevented at the time of initial printing. SOLUTION: The printer 10 is provided with a positioning means 24 disposed on the downstream side of a print section 16 in the carrying direction of a print sheet 14. The positioning means 24 comprises a supporting member 26 disposed in the widthwise direction of the print sheet 14, and a guide member 28 supported slidably by the supporting member 26 wherein the print sheet 14 is positioned in the widthwise direction by abutting the guide face 28A of the guide member 28 against the end part 14A of the print sheet 14. The supporting member 26 is provided with an index 30 corresponding to the width of the print sheet 14 and the position of the guide member 28 is set depending on the index 30.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer, and more particularly to a thermal transfer type and a thermal type printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A thermal transfer type or thermal type printer has a thermal head and a platen roller, and performs printing while nipping and transporting a band-shaped print sheet between the thermal head and the platen roller. The thermal head is provided so as to be able to advance and retreat with respect to the platen roller, and sets printing paper between the platen roller and the thermal head in a state of being separated from the platen roller. Then, after the thermal head is moved to the platen roller to press the printing paper, the thermal head generates heat while rotating the platen roller to perform printing.

In a printer that performs printing on the basis of a center, it is necessary to match the center position of the printing paper with the center position of the printing unit. Therefore, conventionally, for example, printing paper wound in a roll shape is attached to a supply shaft in a state of being positioned in the width direction, and the leading end of the printing paper is pulled out from the supply shaft to the printing unit, and the printing paper is printed on the printing unit. Is set. Then, by feeding the printing paper from the supply shaft, the printing paper is supplied to the printing unit on the basis of the center.

[0004]

However, in the conventional printer, when the printing paper is attached to the supply shaft, the printing paper sometimes slightly shifts in the printing section. There is a drawback that printing defects occur and the leading end of the printing paper is wasted. In particular, when the distance between the printing unit and the supply unit is long, the time during which the printing paper meanders becomes longer, and when the width of the printing paper is narrow, printing failure occurs even with a slight meandering. There was a problem that the number of printed sheets was large. For this reason, conventionally, the number of defective prints with respect to the requested number of issued sheets is large, and the work efficiency is low.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a printer which does not cause printing failure at the time of initial printing.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer for conveying a band-shaped printing sheet to a printing section and performing printing in the printing section. Positioning means for positioning the printing paper in the width direction of the printing paper is provided downstream of the printing unit with respect to the direction.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the positioning means is disposed on the downstream side of the printing unit, the printing paper can be set while being positioned with respect to the printing unit.
Therefore, since the printing paper does not meander when performing the initial printing, defective printing does not occur and the work efficiency is high.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the positioning space does not overlap with the positioning means such as the printing paper cutting means and the backing paper peeling means, which are arranged along the printing paper in the printing state, the entire apparatus can be used. The size can be reduced.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the index is provided, it is possible to quickly respond to printing paper of various widths.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of a printer according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall structure of a printer 10 according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 has a supply shaft 12, on which a printing paper 14 wound in a roll is positioned and mounted in the width direction. The supply shaft 12 is rotatably supported, and the printing paper 14 is sent out from the supply shaft 12 and supplied to the printing unit 16.

The printing section 16 is constituted by arranging a thermal head 18 and a platen roller 20 to face each other. The printing paper 14 is arranged so as to pass between the thermal head 18 and the platen roller 20. The thermal head 18 is supported so as to be able to move forward and backward with respect to the platen roller 20, and can move between, for example, a printing position indicated by a solid line in the drawing and a retracted position indicated by a two-dot chain line. When the thermal head 18 is moved to the retracted position, the printing paper 14 is moved between the thermal head 18 and the platen roller 20.
Or the printing paper 14 set between
Can be removed. When the thermal head 18 is moved to the printing position, the printing paper 14 can be sandwiched between the thermal head 18 and the platen roller 20, and by rotating the platen roller 20 in this state,
The printing paper 14 can be nipped and conveyed. At this time, printing can be performed on the printing paper 14 by controlling the heat generation of a heating element (not shown) of the thermal head 18. In addition, as a printing format, a thermal transfer type in which an ink ribbon (not shown) is supplied between the thermal head 18 and the platen roller 20 to thermally transfer the printing to the printing paper 14, or thermal printing is performed on the printing paper 14 which is a thermal paper. There is a thermal type.

A guide means 22 for guiding the printing paper 14 is provided between the supply shaft 12 and the printing section 16. FIG. 1 shows an upper guide 22A for guiding the upper surface of the printing paper 14 and a lower guide 22B for guiding the lower surface of the printing paper 14. However, a guide means for guiding the printing paper 14 in the width direction may be provided. Good. Further, a guide roller (not shown) rotatably supported may be provided.

A positioning means 24 is provided downstream of the printing unit 16 with respect to the transport direction of the printing paper 14.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are a front view and a perspective view showing the positioning means 24. FIG. FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the positioning means 24.

As shown in these figures, the positioning means 2
4 includes a support member 26 arranged in parallel with the platen roller 20 and a guide member 28 slidably supported along the support member 26.

The support member 26 is disposed downstream of the platen roller 20 and below the platen roller 20, as shown in FIG. 4, and is stretched over casings 34, 34 of the printer 10, as shown in FIG. Fixed. As shown in FIG. 4, the support member 26 has a horizontal plate 26A disposed substantially horizontally, and a vertical plate 26B disposed substantially vertically at an end of the horizontal plate 26A. , Slot 26
C is formed parallel to the platen roller 20.

Screws 32, 32 for fixing the guide member 28 to the support member 26 are inserted into the elongated holes 26C. The screw 32 is, for example, a knurled screw that can be manually rotated, and is inserted into a through hole 28B of the guide member 28 as shown in FIG.
After being inserted through 6C, it is screwed into the screw hole 28C of the guide member 28. Therefore, the guide member 28 can be fixed to the support member 26 by tightening the screw 32 into the screw hole 28C, and the guide member 2 can be fixed by loosening the screw 32.
8 can be slid along the long hole 26C.

As shown in FIG. 3, the guide member 28 has a guide surface 28A perpendicular to the axis of the platen roller 20, and the widthwise end 14A of the printing paper 14 comes into contact with the guide surface 28A. Guided.

As shown in FIG. 5, an index 30 for determining the position of the guide surface 28A is written on the horizontal plate 26A of the support member 26. The index 30 is shown with respect to the center of the printing unit 16. That is, “0” of the index 30 coincides with the center position of the printing unit 16, and scales indicating twice the actual distance from “0” are written on both sides of the position of the “0” as a center. . Therefore, the guide surface 28A of the guide member 28 is
4 and the guide surface 28A
The center of the printing paper 14 guided by the step is coincident with the scale “0”. Thus, the printing paper 14 is positioned with reference to the center. The positioned printing paper 14 is
By visually recognizing the scale indicated by the end surface 14B opposite to the guide surface 28A, it can be confirmed that the printing paper 14 has been positioned with reference to the center.

Next, the operation of the printer 10 configured as described above will be described.

First, the guide member 2 is adjusted so that the guide surface 28A is aligned with the scale indicating the width of the printing paper 14 to be used.
8 is slid and the screw 32 is tightened to fix the guide member 28 to the support member 26. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6A, the thermal head 18 is moved to the retreat position.

Next, the printing paper 14 wound in a roll is loaded on the supply shaft 12, the leading end of the printing paper 14 is pulled out from the supply shaft 12, and inserted between the thermal head 18 and the platen roller 20. Deploy.

Next, the end 14A in the width direction of the printing paper 14
Is brought into contact with the guide surface 28A, and then the printing paper 14 is pressed against the support member 26 with a finger as shown in FIG. Then, the thermal head 18 is moved toward the platen roller 20 with the printing paper 14 stretched, and the printing paper 14 is pressed between the thermal head 18 and the platen roller 20. As a result, the printing paper 14 is fixed to the printing unit 16 in a state where the printing paper 14 is positioned with reference to the center. At this time, the index indicated by the end portion 14B of the printing paper 14 indicates
It can be confirmed that the printing paper 14 has been positioned.

Next, the platen roller 20 is rotated to cause the thermal head 18 to generate heat, and printing is started. In this initial state, the printing paper 14 is already positioned on the basis of the center, so that printing can be performed accurately from the beginning.

The printing paper 14 printed by the printing unit 16 is
It is transported in the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. Therefore, the positioning means 24 arranged below the platen roller 20 does not contact the printing paper 14 in the printing state. Therefore, the positioning means 24 is
The printing paper 14 can be sent out smoothly without any resistance to the transfer of the printing paper 14.

As described above, according to the printer 10 of the present embodiment, since the positioning means 24 is disposed on the downstream side of the printing unit 16, the printing paper 14 can be positioned and set on the printing unit 16. Therefore, it is possible to accurately print on the printing paper 14 even at the time of initial printing, and it is possible to prevent the occurrence of printing defects such as meandering printing. This printer 1
A value of 0 is particularly effective for printing paper 14 having a small width (for example, a width of 20 mm or less) in which meandering printing is likely to occur.

According to the printer 10, since the positioning means 24 is provided at a position where the printing paper 14 is not in contact with the printing paper 14 in the printing state, the printing paper 14 can be smoothly transported. On the downstream side of the printing unit 16, a cutting unit, a backing sheet separating unit, and the like (not shown) are usually arranged along the printing paper 14 in a printing state.
Are arranged in a dead space which does not interfere with them, so that an increase in the size of the apparatus can be prevented.

Further, the printer 10 controls the printing paper 1 while keeping the end 14A of the printing paper 14 in contact with the guide surface 28A.
4 can be positioned simply by pressing it against the support member 26, and the printing paper 14 can be easily set.

Further, according to the printer 10, since the index 30 corresponding to the width of the printing paper 14 is provided,
4 can respond quickly to size changes.

In the above-described embodiment, the printing paper 14 is positioned on the basis of the center, but may be positioned on the basis of one end of the printing paper 14 as a reference. In this case, since the guide surface 28A for positioning the printing paper 14 is constant regardless of the width of the printing paper 14, the guide member 28 may be fixed to the support member 26.

[0033]

As described above, according to the printer of the present invention, since the positioning means is disposed downstream of the printing unit, the printing paper can be set in a state where the printing paper is positioned with respect to the printing unit. Even at the time of initial printing, defective printing does not occur, and work efficiency is good.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall structure of a printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a positioning unit shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a positioning unit shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the positioning means shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an index provided on a support member.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing the operation of the printer according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 printer, 12 supply axis, 14 printing paper, 16
... Printing part, 18 ... Thermal head, 20 ... Platen roller, 24 ... Positioning means, 26 ... Support member, 28 ... Guide member, 30 ... Index, 32 ... Screw

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A printer for conveying a band-shaped printing paper to a printing section and performing printing in the printing section, wherein the printing paper is provided on the downstream side of the printing section with respect to the conveying direction of the printing paper. A positioning means for positioning in a width direction of the printer. 2. A printer according to claim 1, wherein said positioning means is arranged at a position where the positioning means is not in contact with the printing paper in a printing state. 3. The positioning means comprises a support member arranged in the width direction of the printing paper, and a guide member slidably supported by the support member and guiding an end surface of the printing paper in the width direction. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein
Or the printer according to 2. 4. The positioning means has an index for positioning the printing paper on the printing section on the basis of a center, and the scale of the index indicates twice the actual distance from the center position. The printer according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein: