JP2002337376A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a printer in which the timing for replacing a thermal transfer film, the open/close state of a cover, and a recording sheet can be detected using a single sensor. SOLUTION: The printer having a cover 8 and performing print operation by fusing thermally fusible ink partially comprises a sensor 10 having a lever 15 urged uni-directionally by means of a spring, and a movable sensor 11 with a plate 11a mounted on the cover 8. The plate 11a moves as the cover 8 is opened/closed to displace the lever 15 by retaining a thermal transfer film 4 so that the sensor 10 detects a thermal transfer film 4 and moving to recede from the thermal transfer film 4 as a recording sheet 3 is passed thus releasing the thermal transfer film 4 from retaining the lever 15 wherein the movable sensor 11 moves to recede from the lever 15 in accordance with the cover 8 as the cover 8 is opened.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus such as a thermal transfer facsimile or a thermal facsimile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a facsimile function is roughly classified into a communication function for transmitting and receiving data via a communication line, a data reading function for reading data (original) to be transmitted, and a printing function for printing received data. Classified as Among them, the printing function is used not only in a facsimile but also in a printer as a thermal transfer printing device or a thermal paper printing device.

Meanwhile, a thermal transfer printing apparatus has a structure in which a heat-meltable ink applied to a thermal transfer film (thin film) is heated and melted and transferred to printing paper, and a thermal printing apparatus requires heating of the thermal paper. The heat transfer film and the heat-sensitive roll paper need to be periodically replaced due to the structure of developing the color. At the time of replacement, it is necessary to open and close the open / close lid containing the thermal transfer film and the thermal roll paper.

Here, a conventional thermal transfer printing apparatus will be described.

In a conventional thermal transfer printing apparatus, a thermal transfer film coated with a heat-meltable ink is brought into close contact with print paper sent from a paper feed tray by a paper feed roller and a transport roller. Then, the thermal transfer film is pressed by a heating element such as a thermal head that generates heat based on the print information to melt a portion of the ink corresponding to the print information and transfer it to a print sheet.

In the conventional structure as described above, when the thermal transfer film is replaced, it is necessary to release the close contact between the heating element, the thermal transfer film and the printing paper, and after the replacement, the heating element and the thermal transfer film are again connected. Since it is necessary to make close contact, such an operation is made possible by opening and closing the opening / closing lid.

Therefore, a detection sensor for detecting the open / close state of the open / close lid and a sensor for detecting replacement of the thermal transfer film are provided.

In the thermal transfer printing apparatus, it is necessary to convey a recording sheet to a printing point and convey a predetermined amount from the leading end of the recording sheet before starting printing. Therefore, a sensor for detecting the leading edge position of the recording paper is separately provided.

[0009]

At present, as price destruction is progressing and there is a strong demand for lower prices of products, reduction of the number of parts is an important theme, and in particular, reduction of the number of detection sensors has a great effect on cost reduction. Is to bring.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an example of a main part of a conventional thermal transfer printing apparatus, FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing another example of a main part of the conventional thermal transfer printing apparatus, and FIG. 9 is a conventional thermal transfer printing apparatus. FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating still another example of a main part of the printing apparatus.

In FIG. 7, in order to use the detection of the thermal transfer film 101 and the detection of the opening / closing lid 104 by one sensor 102, the sensor 10
2 needs to be arranged. The sensor 102 needs to recognize a normal standby state when the opening / closing lid 104 is closed and the thermal transfer film 101 is attached to the main body.

However, when the opening / closing lid 104 is open, the thermal transfer film 101 is loosened because the close contact between the heating element and the thermal transfer film 101 is released. Then, even if the opening / closing lid 104 is closed again in this state, the thermal transfer film 101 cannot be securely pressed down, and the switch lever 103 of the sensor 102 cannot be reliably displaced via the thermal transfer film 101. Therefore, ON detection (detection of the thermal transfer film 101) cannot be performed.

Therefore, as shown in FIG.
In some cases, a thermal transfer film pressing rib 104a for pressing the thermal transfer film 101 toward the switch lever 103 is formed to prevent such inconvenience.

On the other hand, when the opening / closing lid 104 is closed and the thermal transfer film 101 is not mounted, it is necessary to recognize an error (detection of the end of the thermal transfer film 101).

It is very difficult to accurately detect the two contradictory patterns.

Therefore, as shown in FIG.
Interrupter 106 for detecting the leading and trailing edges of the
Is provided.

According to this, the movable sensor 10 urged by the spring when the leading end of the recording paper 105 passes therethrough
7 is provided at one end of the plate 1 in a radial direction.
07a is displaced against the spring force to move the movable sensor 10a.
7, the light-shielding plate 107b provided at the other end of the movable sensor 107 is located between the light-emitting portion and the light-receiving portion of the photo-interrupter 106, and the tip is detected by the light-shielding operation of the light-shielding plate 107b. . When the rear end of the recording paper 105 passes, the light blocking plate 107b is no longer located between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit of the photointerrupter 106, so that the rear end is detected.

As described above, in the conventional thermal transfer printing apparatus, separate sensors are used for detecting the thermal transfer fill 101 and for detecting the recording paper 105, respectively.

Such a problem also exists in a thermal printing apparatus for printing on thermal paper.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus capable of detecting the time for exchanging a thermal transfer film, the open / close state of an opening / closing cover, and a recording sheet with one sensor.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus which can detect the replacement time of the thermal paper and the open / close state of the opening / closing lid with one sensor.

[0022]

In order to solve this problem, a printing apparatus according to the present invention is provided with an opening / closing lid, and heat-presses a thermal transfer film to a recording medium to partially melt the hot-melt ink. A printing device for printing, comprising a sensor having a lever urged in one direction by a spring, and a sensor provided on an opening / closing lid, which moves in accordance with the opening / closing of the opening / closing lid, and which is attached by a spring by pressing down a thermal transfer film. A plate is provided that displaces the lever against the force and causes the sensor to detect the thermal transfer film, and is displaced in a direction away from the thermal transfer film when the recording medium is passed to release the pressing of the lever by the thermal transfer film. A movable sensor that moves away from the lever according to the open / close lid when the open / close lid is opened. It is intended.

As a result, when the thermal transfer film needs to be replaced,
It is possible to detect the open / close state of the opening / closing lid and the recording paper with one sensor.

The printing apparatus according to the present invention is a printing apparatus for printing by partially heating the thermal paper, comprising a sensor having a lever urged in one direction by a spring;
It is provided on the opening and closing lid and moves according to the opening and closing of this opening and closing lid,
A movable sensor provided with a plate for causing the sensor to detect the thermal paper by displacing the lever against the urging force of the spring by pressing the thermal paper, and the movable sensor when the open / close lid is opened. Is designed to move in a direction away from the lever according to the opening / closing lid.

This makes it possible to detect the replacement time of the thermal paper and the open / closed state of the opening / closing lid with one sensor.

[0026]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention according to the first aspect of the present invention is a printing apparatus having an opening / closing lid, in which a thermal transfer film is heated and pressed against a recording medium to partially melt the hot-melt ink to perform printing. And a sensor provided with a lever biased in one direction by a spring, and provided on the opening / closing lid, moving according to the opening / closing of the opening / closing lid, and pressing against the thermal transfer film to resist the biasing force of the spring. A movable sensor provided with a plate which is displaced in a direction away from the thermal transfer film when the recording medium is passed by displacing the lever to make the sensor detect the thermal transfer film and releases the pressing of the lever by the thermal transfer film. When the opening / closing lid is opened, the movable sensor is a printing device that moves in a direction away from the lever according to the opening / closing lid, and is a thermal transfer film. Replacement time, has the effect of opening and closing state of the lid, as well as to perform the detection of the recording paper in one sensor becomes possible.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus for performing printing by partially heating thermosensitive paper, comprising: a sensor having a lever biased in one direction by a spring; A movable sensor provided on a lid and provided with a plate that moves in accordance with the opening and closing of the opening / closing lid, displaces a lever against the urging force of a spring by pressing down the thermal paper, and causes a sensor to detect the thermal paper. The movable sensor is a printing device that moves in a direction away from the lever according to the opening / closing lid when the opening / closing lid is opened, and one sensor detects the timing of replacing the thermal paper and the open / closed state of the opening / closing lid. Becomes possible. This has the effect that the number of parts can be reduced and the production cost can be reduced.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the opening / closing lid can be opened and closed when the original lid of the original reading section is opened.
Outside the width of the document in the document cover, a marking is provided that is detected when the document cover is in the closed state, and the printing operation is stopped when no marking is detected. Must open the document cover of the document reading section, and if the document cover is opened, the marking will not be detected and the printing operation will be stopped. Is prevented from occurring.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. In these drawings, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicate description is omitted.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a main part of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a first operation state of the printing apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a second operation state of the printing apparatus, FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a third operation state of the printing apparatus of FIG. 1, and FIG.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a main part of a document reading unit in the printing apparatus of FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation of a sensor by the printing apparatus of FIG.

The printing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is a thermal transfer type printing apparatus, and a paper feed tray 1 for feeding recording paper (recording medium) 3.
And the recording paper 3 taken out of the paper feed tray 1
And a cover 8 that rotates about a fulcrum 7.

A supply-side roller 4a around which the thermal transfer film 4 coated with the heat-meltable ink is wound, and a take-up-side roller 4b for winding the thermal transfer film 4 from the supply-side roller 4a are arranged. Supply roller 4
A thermal platen roller 13 for heating and pressing the recording paper 3 and the thermal transfer film 4 in the thermal head 5 described above is provided on the thermal transfer film 4 extending from a to the take-up roller 4b. Then, the hot-melt ink of the thermal transfer film 4 is partially melted by the heating and pressing, and is transferred to the recording paper 3 to perform printing.

In order to discharge the recording paper 3 after the transfer,
A recording paper discharge roller 14 is provided behind the thermal platen roller 13 in the recording paper conveyance direction.

At the bottom of the device, a sensor 10 having a lever 15 urged in one direction by a spring is mounted on a substrate 9.
It is provided to be mounted on.

As shown in detail in FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the lever 15 of the sensor 10 is displaced in the opening / closing lid 8 by pressing the thermal transfer film 4 against the urging force of the spring. The plate 11 which detects the thermal transfer film 4 by the recording paper 3 and is displaced by the recording paper 3 in a direction away from the thermal transfer film 4 to release the pressing of the lever 15 by the thermal transfer film 4.
The movable sensor 11 provided with “a” extending in the radial direction is rotatably attached. Therefore, the movable sensor 11
Moves according to the opening and closing of the opening and closing lid 8.

The opening / closing lid 8 is formed with a rib 8a for pressing the thermal transfer film 4 toward the lever 15, thereby facilitating the pressing by the plate 11a.

In FIG. 1, a document reading section 12 on which a document on which predetermined data is printed is provided on the side opposite to the sheet feeding direction of the recording paper 3. Document reading unit 1
A document cover 12a is provided on the document 2, and the document is placed by opening and closing the document cover 12a. A CIS 16 is provided for optically reading a document set in the document reading unit 12.

Next, the operation of the thermal transfer printing apparatus having such a structure will be described.

In a standby state (a state in which the thermal transfer film 4 is passed and the recording paper 3 is not passed), FIGS.
As shown in A, the plate 11a of the movable sensor 11 pushes down the thermal transfer film 4, and the lever 15 is displaced downward. As a result, the thermal transfer film 4 is detected by the sensor 10, and is turned on (standby).

When the recording paper 3 is conveyed to the thermal head 5 in the printing section by the paper feed roller 2 from this standby state,
6B, the plate 11a of the movable sensor 11 is displaced (in this case, pushed up) by the leading end of the recording paper 3, so that the pressing of the thermal transfer film 4 is released, and as a result, the sensor The lever 15 moves upward to detect OFF (paper top detection).

Thereafter, when the trailing edge of the recording paper 3 passes from the movable sensor 11, the movable sensor 11 returns to its original position by the bias of the spring, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6C. As a result, the movable sensor 11 presses down the thermal transfer film 4 again, and the sensor 10 detects ON (paper END).
Detection).

Here, when the opening / closing lid 8 is opened, the movable sensor 11 moves upward together with the opening / closing lid 8.
As shown in D, the pressing of the thermal transfer film 4 is released and the lever 15 of the sensor 10 is displaced upward by the spring force, and the sensor 10 detects the OFF state (cover OPE).
N).

When the thermal transfer film 4 has run out, the lever 11 moves upward to the normal position regardless of the position of the movable sensor 11 as shown in FIGS. Performs OFF detection (film END detection).

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to detect the replacement time of the thermal transfer film, the open / close state of the open / close lid, and the detection of the recording paper with one sensor. As a result, the number of parts can be reduced and the production cost can be reduced.

In this configuration, while the recording paper 3 is pushing up the movable sensor 11 during the printing operation, the lever 11 moves upward to detect OFF (paper detection), and the user opens the open / close lid 8. However, since the sensor 10 has already detected the OFF state, the OPEN detection of the open / close lid 8 cannot be performed. Therefore, the printing operation is continued even when the opening / closing lid 8 is open, and the pressure between the thermal head 5 and the recording paper 3 is released, resulting in poor printing.

In order to avoid such a situation, an opening / closing release unit is provided which enables the opening / closing cover 8 on the printing side to be opened / closed when the document cover 12a of the document reading unit 12 is opened. A marking 17 is provided outside the width of the original on the original lid 12a so that the marking 17 can be detected by a marking sensor when the original lid 12a is in a closed state. If the marking 17 cannot be detected, a printing operation is performed. To stop.

Thus, when the cover 8 is opened when exchanging the thermal transfer film, the document cover 12a of the document reading section 12 must be opened. When the document cover 12a is opened, the marking sensor 17 can detect the marking 17. Since the printing operation is stopped and the printing operation is stopped, the printing operation is executed even when the opening / closing lid 8 is open, and the problem of printing failure is prevented beforehand.

In the above description, a case has been described in which the present invention is applied to a thermal transfer type printing apparatus. However, the present invention can also be applied to a thermal type printing apparatus. That is, by applying a thermal paper instead of a thermal transfer film (here,
There is no equivalent to the recording paper 3), and in a thermal printing device, the time for replacing the thermal paper and the open / close state of the open / close lid can be detected by one sensor.

[0049]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an effective effect that it is possible to detect the timing of replacing the thermal transfer film, the open / close state of the opening / closing cover, and the recording paper with one sensor. Can be

Further, according to the present invention, an effective effect is obtained that the number of parts can be reduced and the production cost can be reduced.

As a result, an effective effect is obtained that the number of parts can be reduced and the production cost can be reduced.

Further, according to the present invention, when the opening / closing cover is opened, the document cover of the document reading section must be opened, and when the document cover is opened, the marking is not detected and the printing operation is stopped. In addition, there is an effective effect that the printing operation is executed even when the opening / closing lid is open, and the problem of printing failure is prevented beforehand.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a main part of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a first operation state of the printing apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a second operation state of the printing apparatus in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a third operation state of the printing apparatus in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a main part of a document reading unit in the printing apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation of a sensor by the printing apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an example of a main part of a conventional thermal transfer printing apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing another example of a main part in a conventional thermal transfer printing apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing still another example of a main part of a conventional thermal transfer printing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 3 recording paper (recording medium) 4 thermal transfer film 8 opening / closing lid 10 sensor 11 movable sensor 11a plate 12 original reading unit 12a original lid 15 lever 17 marking

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2C058 AB03 AC06 AD03 AE02 AE10 AF15 AF31 AF36 AF44 GB06 GB14 GB31 GB32 GB47 GB53 2C065 AB01 AB03 CZ14 CZ17 DA24 DA37 DA38 5C062 AA02 AB08 AB22 AB32 AC58 AC65 AD02 AD06 BA11 5C074A EE08 GG15 GG20

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A printing device having an opening / closing lid, wherein a thermal transfer film is heated and pressed against a recording medium to partially melt the hot-melt ink to perform printing, and the lever is biased in one direction by a spring. A sensor provided on the opening / closing lid and moving in accordance with the opening / closing of the opening / closing lid, and displacing the thermal transfer film to displace the lever against the urging force of the spring to transfer the thermal transfer to the sensor. A movable sensor provided with a plate that is displaced in a direction away from the thermal transfer film when the recording medium is passed while allowing the film to be detected and that releases the pressing of the lever by the thermal transfer film; When the open / close lid is opened, the movable sensor moves in a direction away from the lever according to the open / close lid. That printer. 2. A printing apparatus for printing by partially heating thermal paper, comprising: a sensor having a lever urged in one direction by a spring; and a sensor provided on the opening / closing lid. A movable sensor provided with a plate that moves in accordance with opening and closing and displaces the lever against the urging force of the spring by pressing the thermal paper to cause the sensor to detect the thermal paper. The printing apparatus, wherein the movable sensor moves in a direction away from the lever according to the opening / closing lid when the opening / closing lid is opened. 3. The opening / closing cover is opened and closed when a document cover of a document reading section is opened, and when the document cover is closed outside the document width of the document cover. The printing device according to claim 1, wherein a marking to be detected is provided, and the printing operation is stopped when the marking is not detected.