JP2003118898A - Feeding device for printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve problems such that undesired force is applied on a conveying roller 21 to rotate a reel 3 when a printer 2 prints on a tube 4 which is wound around the reel 3, and print is distorted when printing the tube 4 which is stretched between the conveying roller 21 and the reel 3, and then the tube 4 shrinks in a longitudinal direction to be in former state. SOLUTION: A printer 2 comprises the feeding device 1 which draws out a tube 4 from a reel 3 so that undesired stress does not exert on a conveying roller 21. In addition, the tube 4 is fed to the printer 2 while the tube is not stretched.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a feeding device used for a printing device for printing a long print medium such as a tube or a tape wound on a large-diameter reel in a state of being pulled out from the reel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the above-mentioned printing apparatus, an end of a long print medium wound on a large reel having a diameter of several tens of centimeters is sandwiched by a transport roller which is a transport mechanism, and the transport roller is rotated at a constant speed. Thus, the long print-receiving medium is pulled out from the reel, and the long print-receiving medium is supplied to the print head arranged on the downstream side of the transport roller at a predetermined transport speed. A platen roller that rotates in synchronization with the transport roller is arranged on the print head. Printing is sequentially performed on the surface of the long print medium while being sandwiched between the print head and the platen roller. The reel is held by a stand so that it can rotate freely with its central axis horizontal.

[0003]

As described above, since the long print medium is wound on a large reel, the reel is rotated when the long print medium is pulled out from the reel, especially at the start of printing. A large torque must be applied to the reel in order to force it. However, especially when the printing device is a portable type, a motor that is so large as a motor for driving the conveying roller cannot be mounted.
Therefore, the conveyance force of the conveyance roller is insufficient, slippage occurs between the long print medium and the conveyance roller, or the conveyance roller cannot rotate, so that the long print medium cannot be reliably pulled out from the reel. Occurs.

Further, the torque is applied to the reel through the drawn long print medium. Therefore, when the drawing of the long print medium is started, a large tension acts on the long print medium until the reel rotates at a constant speed. Further, even if the rotation speed of the reel exceeds a certain speed, the reel always tries to stop rotation due to friction with the stand or the like, so that tension is always applied to the tube. In a tube formed of a soft plastic such as vinyl chloride as the long print medium, the tube is stretched in the longitudinal direction when the tension acts as described above.

The elongated print-receiving medium such as the stretched tube passes through the transport roller in the stretched state and is supplied to the print head. Therefore, the long print medium is printed by the print head in the stretched state. After printing, the tension is not applied, and the long print medium shrinks to its original state. As a result, the characters or symbols printed on the surface of the long print medium are compressed in the longitudinal direction of the long print medium.

When the temperature is low such as in winter, the tube becomes particularly hard and it is difficult to print. Therefore, a heating device may be provided on the upstream side of the conveying roller to warm the tube. In such a case, the tube becomes soft. Therefore, when tension is applied to the tube as described above, the tube stretches greatly and the contraction after printing becomes more remarkable.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, it is necessary to use a feeding device for pulling out a long print medium from a reel in advance, in addition to the conveying roller attached to the printing device. Since it is necessary to attach a driving motor or the like to the feeding device, if the feeding device is built in the portable printing device, the printing device becomes large and heavy. On the other hand, when the printing device prints on a short tube or tape not wound on a reel, it is not necessary to use a feeding device.

A portable printer is desired to be smaller and lighter, and it is not desirable that the printer be large and heavy, and it is necessary to use a feeder when a feeder is not used. When the feeding device is attached to the printing device, when printing on a short tube or tape, the feeding device rather interferes with printing.

In view of the above problems, the present invention, when printing on a long print medium wound on a reel by a printing device, has an influence of torque and tension for pulling the long print medium from the reel. It is an object of the present invention to provide a feeding device which can perform printing in a state where it is not subjected to the printing and which does not interfere with the printing at all when printing on an object to be printed in which the action of tension does not matter.

[0010]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a feeding device of a printing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a printing mechanism and a feeding means for feeding a medium to be printed by the printing mechanism to a printing mechanism at a predetermined feeding speed. And a mechanism for detaching a long printing medium such as a tube or tape wound on a large-diameter reel from the reel for printing, and communicating with the printing device. And a feeding mechanism for interlocking the conveyance by the conveyance mechanism by communication by the communication means to sandwich the long print medium and feed the long print medium to the conveyance mechanism. Is characterized by.

The long print medium is sandwiched by the above-mentioned feeding mechanism, and the long print medium is pulled out from the reel. The drawn long print medium is sent to the transport mechanism in a state where no tension acts.

In particular, detection means for detecting the amount of slack of the long print medium between the transport mechanism and the feeding mechanism,
The effect of tension can be completely removed by adjusting the feeding speed of the feeding means based on the detection result of the detecting means and providing the feeding speed control means for always slackening the long print medium.

The feeding speed of the feeding mechanism can be switched to at least two kinds of feeding speeds, that is, a high feeding speed which is higher than the feeding speed of the feeding mechanism and a low feeding speed which is slower than the feeding speed. When the detection means detects a slack of a predetermined amount or less, the feeding speed may be switched from the low feeding speed to the high feeding speed for a predetermined time.

Further, when the above-mentioned carrying mechanism is switchable to a plurality of carrying speeds, it is desirable that the high speed feeding speed and the low speed feeding speed are set corresponding to the respective carrying speeds.

In particular, when the long print medium is conveyed in the printing direction, if the feeding mechanism starts the feeding operation before the conveyance operation starts, the slack can be surely generated.

When the above-mentioned transport mechanism is capable of transporting the long print-receiving medium in the direction opposite to the printing direction, the feeding speed is set to a predetermined value when the detecting means detects a slack of a predetermined amount or less during the conveyance in the reverse direction. It is desirable to switch from the high speed feeding speed to the low speed feeding speed.

At this time, when the long print medium is conveyed in the direction opposite to the printing direction, the conveyance mechanism delays the conveyance in the opposite direction and the feeding mechanism causes the conveyance in the opposite direction. It is desirable to start.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a feeding device according to the present invention. The feeding device 1 is detachably attached to the printing device 2, pulls out the tube 4 wound around the reel 3 from the reel 3, and conveys the tube 4 to the printing device 2.

The printing device 2 is provided with a carrying roller 21 composed of a pinch roller and a driving roller, and the tube 4 is nipped by the carrying roller 21 and carried to the print head 22 at a predetermined carrying speed. A platen roller 23 that rotates in synchronism with the driving roller of the transport roller 21 faces the print head 22, and the tube 4 is continuously printed while being sandwiched between the print head 22 and the platen roller 23. The printed tube 4 is sandwiched between the feed roller 24 and the platen roller 23 and sent out downstream, and finally cut by the cutter unit 25 into predetermined lengths or semi-cut and discharged from the printer 2.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a label cassette, which is stored with the label wound inside. In the present embodiment, the printing device 2 is configured to print on the label in the label cassette 5 by setting the label cassette 5 if the tube 4 is removed.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the feeding device 1 is a driving roller 11 which is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown).
And a pinch roller 12 that is close to the drive roller 11 and holds the tube 4 therebetween. The driving roller 11 and the pinch roller 12 form a feeding mechanism. Further, 13 is a slack roller for detecting the slack of the tube, and is configured to come into contact with the tube 4 with a predetermined urging force while the feeding device 1 is operating. Note that this urging force is small and does not generate tension in the tube. When the tube 4 sags, the sagging roller 13 moves while being in contact with the tube 4. Conversely, when the slack of the tube disappears and the slack roller 13 returns to a predetermined position, the slack switch 14 is turned on. The slack roller 13 and the slack switch 14 constitute a detecting means.

Reference numeral 15 is a cover of the feeding device 1,
A link mechanism (not shown) is connected to the hinge portion 15a of the cover 15, and when the cover 15 is opened as shown in the figure, the pinch roller 12 and the slack roller 13 are forced to the positions shown by the solid lines in FIG. 2 or 3. Are evacuated to. 10
Is a cleaning tool to which a sponge for wiping off dust adhering to the surface of the tube 4 is attached. With the cover 15 opened and the pinch roller 12 and the slack roller 13 retracted, the tube 4 is passed through the cleaning tool 10, and It is held by the conveyance roller 21 of the printer 2. And then cover 15
Close.

When the cover 15 is closed, the pinch roller 12 moves to the drive roller 11 side as described above, and the drive roller 1
The tube 4 is sandwiched between 1 and the pinch roller 12, and the slack roller 13 contacts the tube 4 with a predetermined biasing force. Although the surfaces of the pinch roller 12 and the slack roller 13 are covered with rubber, the surface of the driving roller 11 is a ceramic layer 11 in which ceramic particles are hardened with a binder.
covered with a. This increases the coefficient of friction with respect to the tube and prevents the tube 4 from slipping on the drive roller 11.

By the way, an engaging piece 16 is projected on the left side of the feeding device 1, and the engaging hole 1 is formed in the center of the engaging piece 16.
6a is provided. As shown in FIG.
A concave portion 26 for accommodating the engaging piece 16 is formed on the bottom surface of the concave portion, and an engaging protrusion 26a is provided at the center of the concave portion. Therefore, the engaging piece 16 is put in the recess 26, and the engaging hole 1
When the engaging protrusion 26a is inserted into 6a, the feeding device 1 is positioned with respect to the printing device 2. However, if the printer 2 is lifted as it is, the feeder 1 is detached from the printer 2. When it is desired to move the printing device 2 with the feeding device 1 attached, the screw 6 is further inserted into the mounting hole 16b, and the screw 6 is screwed into the screw hole 26b to engage the engaging piece 16
May be fixed in the recess 26.

Then, when the attachment of the feeding device 1 to the printing device 2 is completed, the connector 17 is inserted into a communication port (not shown) provided in the printing device 2 to connect the control circuit built in the feeding device 1 and the printing device 2. Allows communication with the built-in control circuit.

With reference to FIG. 5, as described above, the feeding device 1
Is attached to the printing apparatus 2 and the connector 17 is inserted into the communication port, the printing is ready. When the print start button on the printing device 2 side is pressed, the drive roller 11 of the feeding device 1 rotates before the transport roller 21 of the printing device 2.
The transport speed of the drive roller 11 that is transported is set to be higher than the transport speed of the transport roller 21. In this way the driving roller 1
When t1 elapses after 1 starts rotating at high speed, the transport roller 2
The conveyance by 1 is started.

At the start of printing, the tube 4 is not so slack, and the slack switch is in the on state. Therefore, the drive roller 11 rotates at high speed, which is faster than the transport roller 21. Since the transport speed of the drive roller 11 is faster than the transport speed of the transport roller 21, the slack amount of the tube 4 between the transport roller 21 and the feeding mechanism increases,
Immediately, the slack switch 14 is turned off. Even if the slack switch 14 is turned off, the drive roller 11 continues to rotate at a high speed for a predetermined time t2.

When the predetermined time t2 has elapsed, the drive roller 11
The conveyance speed by the is reduced so as to be lower than the conveyance speed of the conveyance roller 21. If transportation continues for a while,
The slack of the tube 4 gradually decreases, and the slack switch 1
4 is turned on again. Then, in the same manner as described above, the drive roller 1
The conveyance speed by 1 increases for a predetermined time t2, and the tube 4 always continues to sag within a certain range.

In this embodiment, high speed rotation is performed for a predetermined time t.
When 2 is performed, the rotation speed of the drive roller 11 is automatically controlled to be switched to a low speed rotation, but a separate switch that is turned on when the slack roller 13 moves to a predetermined position on the slack side is provided in the feeding device 1, High speed operation may be continued until the switch is turned on. Alternatively,
The rotation speed of the drive roller 11 is configured to be continuously increased / decreased by using an inverter instead of two steps of high and low, the position of the slack roller 13 is continuously detected, and the slack amount of the tube 4 is always constant. May be controlled as follows. Then, when the printing operation is completed, both the transport roller 21 and the drive roller 11 are stopped at the same time.

The last printed portion is sent to the cutter unit 25 and cut. In that state, no printing is performed between the print head 22 and the cutter unit 25. When printing is resumed next time, if printing is immediately started, the unprinted portion is wasted. Therefore, it is desirable that the long print medium be conveyed in the direction opposite to the printing direction before the printing is restarted, and the leading end of the long print medium is returned to the vicinity of the print head 22. Contrary to the above case, when the transport roller 21 is rotated in the reverse direction, the reverse rotation of the transport roller 21 is preceded, and after t1 has elapsed, the drive roller 21 is rotated in the reverse direction at a high speed, and when the slack switch 14 is turned on, a predetermined time t2 is reached. Rotate at low speed for between.

By the way, the printing is performed while the tube 4 is being conveyed at the conveying speed. When printing conditions such as the material of the tube 4 change, it may be necessary to increase or decrease the transport speed. Therefore, the printer 2 is configured so that the transport speed can be switched to a plurality of transport speeds. Then, the feeding device 1 is configured such that the high-speed feeding speed and the low-speed feeding speed are set corresponding to the respective conveying speeds.

[0032]

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention can provide the feeding device which is detachable from the printing device.
When printing on a long print medium by the printing device, excessive torque does not act on the transport mechanism. Further, since tension does not act on the long print medium when passing through the feeding mechanism, the long print medium does not stretch at the time of being supplied to the print head, and printed characters or symbols may shrink after printing. Absent.

Furthermore, since it can be removed when printing on a printing medium that does not require a feeding device or when carrying the printing device, it does not interfere.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a feeding device.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the feeding device.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a mounting structure of a feeding device.

FIG. 5 is an operation diagram of a feeding device and a printing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 feeder 2 printer 3 reel 4 tubes 5 label cassettes

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 3F103 AA01 AA03 BA01 BA21 BA34                       BA35                 3F105 AA04 AA11 AB09 BA02 BA07                       CA13 CA15 DA04 DB02

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A long print target such as a tube or tape wound on a large-diameter reel, comprising a print mechanism and a transport mechanism for transporting a medium to be printed by the print mechanism to the print mechanism at a predetermined transport speed. A medium that is detachable from a printing device that prints in a state in which a medium is pulled out from a reel, and that communicates with the printing device by communication with the conveying mechanism by communication by the communication device. A feeding device for a printing device, comprising: a feeding mechanism that nips a print medium and feeds a long print medium to the transport mechanism. 2. A detecting means for detecting the amount of slack of a long print medium between the conveying mechanism and the feeding mechanism, and a feeding speed by the feeding means is adjusted based on a detection result of the detecting means. 2. The feeding device of the printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a feeding speed control means for always slackening the long print medium. 3. The feeding speed of the feeding mechanism can be switched to at least two kinds of feeding speed, that is, a high feeding speed that is higher than the feeding speed of the feeding mechanism and a low feeding speed that is slower than the feeding speed. 3. The feeding device for a printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the feeding speed is switched from the low speed feeding speed to the high speed feeding speed for a predetermined time when the slack less than a predetermined amount is detected by the detecting means. 4. The transport mechanism can be switched to a plurality of transport speeds, and a high-speed feeding speed and a low-speed feeding speed are set for each of the transportation speeds. A feeding device for the printing device described. 5. When feeding a long print-receiving medium in the printing direction, feeding by the feeding mechanism is started prior to the start of feeding by the feeding mechanism. The feeding device for the printing device according to any one of 1. 6. The transport mechanism is capable of transporting a long print-receiving medium in a direction opposite to a printing direction, and when a slack of a predetermined amount or less is detected by a detecting unit during transport in the reverse direction, a feeding speed is increased. 6. The feeding device for a printing device according to claim 3, wherein the high feeding speed is switched to the low feeding speed for a predetermined time. 7. When the long print medium is conveyed in the direction opposite to the printing direction, the conveyance mechanism starts the conveyance in the opposite direction after the conveyance mechanism starts the conveyance in the opposite direction. The feeding device of the printing device according to claim 6, wherein