JP2003176049A - Cleaning method of printer, and cleaning sheet used for it - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To remove paper powder and dust adhered to a printing mechanism 7 and a pickup roller 11 in a portable printer 1. <P>SOLUTION: A cleaning sheet 60 is set in a paper storing part 6 in a body case so that a non-adhesive layer part 60a abuts on the pickup roller 11, the pickup roller 11 is driven by operating a driving motor, and the non-adhesive layer part 60a is passed between a platen roller 9 and a paper guide 10 and a thermal head 8. After the driving is stopped in an exposed state of the tip of the non-adhesive layer part 60a to a paper discharge port 20, mold release paper inside out on the back side of the cleaning sheet 60 is peeled and an adhesive layer part 60b is exposed. In this state, the tip of the non-adhesive layer part 60a is pulled by a hand to take out the cleaning sheet 60, and paper powder and dust adhered to the pickup roller 11, the platen roller 9, the paper guide 10, and the thermal head 8 are adsorbed to the adhesive layer part 60b to be removed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaning method for cleaning a printing section of a printer device and parts on a conveying path, and a cleaning sheet structure therefor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-114314.
In the publications, etc., the frictional force of the carrying rollers and the carrying means in the paper carrying path is caused by the paper powder and dust of the paper passing through the paper carrying path in the document reading device and the printing device in the copying machine, the facsimile device or the printer device. However, since it is difficult for humans to reach the paper transport path, it is proposed to transport the cleaning sheet in the same manner as normal paper for cleaning. The cleaning sheet used in this case has a weak adhesive layer in which a weak adhesive material is applied to the surface of the base paper, and the transport force of the transport roller in the transport path is stronger than the adhesive force of the weak adhesive material to the cleaning location. By utilizing this, the cleaning sheet is forcibly conveyed and cleaned.

On the other hand, in recent years, due to the shift to mobile, miniaturized information devices such as notebook computers (personal computers) and portable information terminal devices have become widespread. Along with this, there has been a demand for a thin and compact printer device that is convenient to carry.

In such a thin and miniaturized printer device, a paper package containing a plurality of papers (printing target media) in a stacked state is set in the paper housing portion of the main body case, and The sheets separated one by one by the cooperative action of the pickup roller and the separation block in the sheet storage section are conveyed between the thermal head in the printing mechanism section located on the downstream side of conveyance and the platen driven to rotate for printing. After executing the above procedure, the sheet is discharged from the sheet discharge port of the main body case.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned printer device, when the driving force of the driving motor serving as the driving source is weak, or when each component is small, the driving force of the driving motor as in the prior art is used. There is a problem in that the cleaning sheet cannot be forcibly conveyed against its adhesive force by using.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning method capable of properly cleaning a printer device and a cleaning sheet usable therefor.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a method for cleaning a printer device according to the present invention is a printer device, wherein a main body case of the printer device includes a paper container for containing a print medium. A transport roller capable of contacting the print medium housed in the paper storage unit and a printing mechanism unit for printing on the print medium are provided. And a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer portion are arranged adjacent to each other and the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer portion is covered with a release paper so as to be releasable. Part is located on the downstream side in the carrying direction and the adhesive layer part is located on the upstream side in the carrying direction, and then the carrying roller is driven so that the non-adhesive layer part is the discharge side of the printing mechanism part. Exposed to After stopping the conveying roller and then removing the release paper, the non-adhesive layer portion exposed on the paper discharge side of the printing mechanism section is pulled out so that the adhesive layer section passes through the conveying roller and the printing mechanism section. It is characterized by doing so.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the method for cleaning a printer device according to the first aspect, the printing mechanism section is urged to the outer peripheral surface of the platen roller by a platen roller and urging means. The cleaning sheet is composed of a paper guide and a thermal head, and the cleaning sheet is passed between the outer peripheral surface of the platen roller and the heating element of the paper guide and the thermal head.

A third aspect of the present invention is a cleaning sheet used in the cleaning method according to the first or second aspect, wherein the adhesive layer portions are formed on both front and back surfaces of the base paper. The part is covered with a release paper that can be peeled off.

The invention described in claim 4 is the same as claim 3
In the cleaning sheet described in (1), the non-adhesive layer portion of the cleaning sheet is provided with a mark portion for indicating that it is the cleaning sheet.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the cleaning sheet according to the third or fourth aspect, the length of the non-adhesive layer portion of the cleaning sheet in the conveyance direction stops the conveyance roller. At this time, the non-adhesive layer portion of the cleaning sheet is set to have a length protruding a predetermined amount from the sheet discharge port of the main body case.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, an embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in a small portable printer will be described with reference to the drawings. First, a schematic structure of the printer device 1 according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The printer device 1 has an A6 size or A7 size in plan view and an upper surface open box type main body case 2 having a thickness of about 1 cm or less, and a fixed cover body 3 on one side of the upper surface. In the main body case 2 except for the fixed cover body 3, a paper storage unit 6 capable of storing a paper package 5 (see FIG. 3) in which a plurality of papers 4 as cut sheet-shaped print target media made of thermal paper are stored. Are formed. In the vicinity of the lower surface side of the fixed cover body 3,
A thermal head 8 as a printing mechanism section 7, which will be described in detail later,
A platen roller 9, a paper guide 10, a rubber pick-up roller 11 as a paper separating portion, a separation block 12 and the like are arranged. In the separation block 12,
A guide locking surface 121 is formed which is inclined with respect to the paper feeding direction of the pickup roller 11. Then, the sheet storage section 6 is a lid body 13 that can be opened and closed via an opening / closing support means 14 that is rotatable and slidable on the body case side.
Covered in.

The rotation fulcrum of the lid 13 is slidable along the upper surface of the main body case 2 between the locked position shown in FIG. 5A and the unlocked position shown in FIG. 5B. .
The lid 13 can be turned up and down when the turning fulcrum is in the unlocked position.

The thermal head 8 is a line head type, and characters and images are provided for each line extending in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the heat-sensitive sheet 4 which is sandwiched between the rubber platen roller 9 and transported. Etc. can be printed. 1
The print width for line printing is set to be substantially equal to the paper width of the paper 4 in the orthogonal direction. The thermal head 8 and the platen roller 9 have a length in the short side direction of the sheet 4 of A6 size or A7 size. The thermal head 8 is used as the print head because the thermal paper is used as the print medium, ink and ink ribbon consumables are not required, and the mechanism therefor can be omitted, and the printer device 1 can be made compact. Is.

As the thermal paper, various types such as a thermal color developing type having a color developing layer which is colored by heating the thermal head 8 and a thermal perforating type in which a perforating layer which is perforated by heating is laminated on a base material layer are used. Can be used.

As shown in FIG. 4, on the bottom plate 6a of the paper accommodating portion 6, there are an identification mark (not shown) provided on the outer surface of the paper package 5 and a cleaning sheet 60 described later. A sensor section for detecting the mark section 67 for indicating, and an optical sensor section 6b as an example thereof are provided, and the sheet package set in the sheet accommodating section 6 from the detection result of the identification mark or the mark section 67. 5
The size and type of the paper 4 or the cleaning sheet 60 in the inside is discriminated and stored in the memory of the control device (microcomputer) in the printer device 1, and the operation of the thermal head 8 is controlled.

In addition, a transparent plate is formed from the inner surface side of the lid body 13 in a hole formed in the lid body 13 on the side farther from the sheet discharge port 20 in the width direction of the sheet 4 and the like. (Not shown)
The 1st display part 40 which adheres is provided (refer FIG. 1).
As a result, the size and paper type of the paper 4 in the display mark portion 41 printed on the outer surface of the paper package 5 set in the paper storage unit 6 (for example, the type of the thermal paper, the color of the paper, the material, etc.). The letters and symbols such as
It can be observed through the display unit 40.

Further, since the paper package 5 can be set in the paper accommodating portion 6 of the main body case 2 and covered with the lid body 13, it can be carried without being bulky. The lid 13
Since the display mark portion 41 can be seen from the outside of the body through the first display portion 40 covered with the transparent plate, it is possible to surely avoid inconveniences such as dust entering the main body case 2 and causing a failure. It can be avoided.

Further, a window portion 44, which is a notch formed in the plate of the lid body 13, is provided at a portion of the lid body 13 closer to one side near the rotation fulcrum side, while a plurality of light transmitting portions are provided to the surface portion of the main body case 2. The transparent window portions 43, 43 and a plurality of Ls arranged to face the lower surface side (inside the main body case 2) of the transparent window portions 43, 43.
A second display section 42 including the ED lamps 42a and 42b is provided (see FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 (a)). In the second display section 42, the LED lamps 42a, 42b are lit, turned off, and blinked to distinguish the ON / OFF state of the power source of the printer device 1 and at the time of printing (printing) and non-printing (non-printing).
It is possible to know the operating state such as distinction from time.

In that case, as shown in FIG. 1, when the sheet 4 discharged from the sheet discharge port 20 described later is in a state of being overlapped with the surface of the lid body 13, the arrangement position of the second display section 42 is changed. ,
If the sheet 4 is located at a position offset outward in the width direction, the discharged sheet 4 does not cover the second display portion 42, and the operating state of the printer can be constantly checked.

The first display section 40 and the second display section 4 are also provided.
If 2 and 2 are arranged on the same side surface such as the side where the lid 13 is arranged, the user can easily change the position from one direction of the printer device 1.
You can observe one display at the same time, and save yourself the trouble of finding multiple displays.

A pickup roller 11 and a separation block 12 are disposed on the side of the paper storage unit 6 near the printing mechanism unit 7 (FIGS. 5A and 5B).
reference). The paper package 5 accommodated in the paper accommodating portion 6 is provided with a bottom plate 6a of the paper accommodating portion 6 via a biasing means 15 such as a leaf spring provided on the inner surface side of the main body of the closed lid 13.
Is urged towards. Of the stacked sheets 4 in the sheet package 5, the sheet 4 exposed outside the sheet package 5
The (lowermost sheet) is abutted and urged against the upper surface of the pickup roller 11. Due to the cooperation of the rotational driving of the pickup roller and the guide locking surface 121 of the separation block 12, only the lowermost sheet 4 passes through the gap between the lower end of the separation block 12 and the guide plate 17. The platen roller 9 is rotatably provided adjacent to the separation block 12, and the paper guide 10 is biased to the outer peripheral surface thereof by a biasing means 16 such as a pressing coil spring. Pickup roller 12
By the guide locking surface 121, the single sheet 4 separated and conveyed from the sheet package 5 is conveyed between the platen roller 9 and the paper guide 10. Paper guide 10
Is formed on the sliding contact surface 10a having a concave curved shape such as a generally U-shaped cross section so that its cross section is along the outer peripheral surface of the platen roller 9.

The paper guide 10 and the lower surface of the thermal head 8 which is disposed above the paper guide 10 and is rotatable about the rotation pivotal support portion P and which can be brought into contact with and separated from the printing position on the upper surface of the platen roller 9. As a result, the sheet 4 separated and conveyed from the sheet accommodating section 6 is conveyed while being inverted in a lateral U-shape and conveyed to the printing position of the platen roller 9. The thermal head 8 prints on the upper surface of the paper 4, and the paper is discharged to the outside of the lid 13 from a paper discharge port 20 which is a gap between the upper surface of the separation block 12 and the edge of the fixed cover 3. (See FIG. 5 (a)). The thermal head 8
Is a coil spring (biasing means) on its rear surface (upper surface side)
The spring hooking portion 19 is locked and is urged toward the platen roller 9 side, and the printing portion (heating element portion 8 a) of the thermal head 8 contacts the upper surface of the platen roller 9.

The drive mechanism for the platen roller 9 and the pickup roller 11 is a drive motor arranged on one inner side surface along the long side of the main body case 2 (in the embodiment, the right side in the conveyance direction of the sheet 4 shown in FIG. 2). 22 and a gear transmission mechanism (gear train) 23 (see FIG. 6B). The diameter of the platen roller 9 is larger than the diameter of the pickup roller 11, and the sheet conveyance speed at the platen roller 9 is set to be higher than the sheet conveyance speed at the pickup roller 11 so that the pickup roller 11 and the separation block 12 are separated. The paper is separated slowly, and the paper is conveyed by the platen roller 9, and the printing speed is increased. To this end, a pair of rotating bodies that rotate in opposition to each other are provided in the gear train, a protrusion is provided on each rotating surface, and when one rotating body is rotated in conjunction with the platen roller 9, the protrusions are also formed. A rotation transmission unit is provided that rotates and engages with the protrusion of the other rotating body to delay and rotate the other rotating body. When the sheet 4 conveyed from the pickup roller 11 which is rotated together with the other rotating body reaches the platen roller, the peripheral speed of the platen roller 9 is higher than the peripheral speed of the pickup roller 11, so that the sheet is driven through the protrusion of the rotating body. The connection is released and the pickup roller 11 rotates together with the sheet 4.

Next, the locking means for preventing the lid 13 for covering the upper opening surface of the main body case 2 from being opened carelessly will be described. This locking means is a lid 13
The release interlocking mechanism presses the paper guide 10 against the outer peripheral surface of the platen roller 9 and the thermal head 8 in a pressed state in conjunction with the locking operation (the forward movement of the lid 13). The release interlocking mechanism is for easily removing the sheet 4 when a sheet jam occurs in the outer peripheral portion of the platen roller 9.

The left and right guide support blocks 24, 24 made of synthetic resin, which are one component of the locking means, have a bilaterally symmetrical shape, and are formed longitudinally in the conveying direction of the paper 4, as shown in FIGS. ing. A vertical guide groove 26 that vertically penetrates and is opened toward the center of the main body case 2 is formed in the middle of the longitudinal direction of each of the guide support blocks 24. A cutout window 31 that communicates in the direction is formed. The upper wall portion 241 of the removal window 31 of the guide support block 24 prevents the lock piece 25 as the intruding portion from coming out upward when the lid 13 is moved in the closing direction in parallel with the opening surface of the main body case 2. Become the first
It functions as a regulation means.

A lock piece 25 as an intruding portion projecting downward from both left and right sides of the free end side of the lid 13 can be vertically inserted through a middle portion of the inner surface of each guide support block 24 in the longitudinal direction. An inwardly-opening vertical guide groove 26 is formed. On the outer surface side of each of the guide support blocks 24, a lateral guide groove 27 is formed in the middle of the vertical direction along the longitudinal direction, and an operating member 28 is formed in the lateral guide groove 27 in the front-back direction (guide It is movably fitted in the longitudinal direction of the support block 24.

A pair of front and rear restriction blocks 29, 30 are laterally projected at the outer surface of each actuating member 28 at a position close to one end in the direction of movement, with the space between the longitudinal guide grooves 26 being provided therebetween. On one side surface of the block 24, a pair of restriction blocks 29, 30 are provided sideways, and a punching window 31 is formed so as to be movable in the front-rear direction by a predetermined distance.

A base end portion 32b of the resin spring body 32 is connected to the lower end side of the guide support block 24, and an upward tip end portion 32a of the resin spring body 32 is vertically arranged with respect to the vertical guide groove 26. It is configured so that it can be fitted to. Then, the lid 13 rotates upward at the retracted position and the lock piece 25 comes out of the vertical guide groove 26 of the guide support block 24 (this is referred to as the open position of the lid 13, FIG. 8).
In (c), since the vertical guide groove 26 is located between the pair of restriction blocks 29, 30 of the actuating member 28, the upward end portion 32a of the resin spring body 32 has the pair of restriction blocks 29, 30. Protruding upwards between
The movement of the operating member 28 in the front-back direction can be restricted. Therefore,
By fitting the upward end portion 32a of the resin spring body 32 between the pair of regulation blocks 29 and 30, the release interlocking mechanism is locked at the open position of the lid body 13 so as not to inadvertently move forward. The lock means can be held at.

On the other hand, the one (rear side) regulation block 3
On the lower surface side of 0, an inclined surface is formed which becomes an upper position toward the rear. Therefore, by rotating the lid 13 downward, the lock piece 25 enters the vertical guide groove 26 and presses the upward tip portion 32a to release the lock, and the operating member 28 is released.
In a state in which the control block 30 is moved forward (a state in which the regulation block 30 has moved to a position of the vertical guide groove 26, which is referred to as a closed position of the lid body 13 (see FIG. 8A)), the upward tip portion is formed on the inclined surface 30 a. 32a comes into contact with the actuating member 28 to hold it in the forward movement position, and this structure and the biasing means 16 and 19 hold the actuating member 28 in the lock position so as not to inadvertently retract the release interlocking mechanism described later. Becomes

The release interlocking mechanism is rotatably connected to the front end side of the actuating member 28 via a pin 34 and a vertically elongated hole, and is rotatably fitted on the rotating shaft 9a of the platen roller 9. Interlocking link body 33 and the interlocking link body 33
A first cam body 36 and a second cam body 37 which are integrally formed with each other
Consists of. According to the rotation of the interlocking link body 33, when the first cam body 36 comes into contact with and separates from the front surface of the paper guide 10, the second cam body 37 comes into contact with and separates from the lower surface of the thermal head 8 at the same time. Has been done.

With this structure, as shown in FIG. 5B, after the lid 13 is opened and the opened paper package 5 is set in the paper accommodating portion 6 of the main body case 2 with the paper 4 surface facing downward. When the lid 13 is rotated downward, the leaf spring urging means 15 (see FIG. 5A) on the lower surface of the lid 13 presses the paper package 5 downward.
The tip side of the lowermost surface of the stacked sheets 4 is pressed onto the pickup roller 11.

Then, an operation for preventing the lid 13 from being opened carelessly (the lid 13 is rotated downward to move forward in a state parallel to the opening surface of the main body case 2 to the state of FIG. 5A). ), The paper guide 10 is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the platen roller 9 and the thermal head 8 is also pressed.

When a print command and image data (print data) are sent to the printer device 1 from a personal computer (not shown) through a USB terminal or an infrared terminal, the drive motor 22 is driven to rotate, and the pickup roller 11 and the platen roller 9 are simultaneously driven. Start to rotate. By the rotation of the pickup roller 11, the leading end 4a of the lowermost sheet 4 of the stacked sheets 4 collides with the separation block 12 and the lowermost sheet 4
Only the parts are separated and conveyed between the lower surface of the separation block 12 and the guide plate 17. Then, the sheet 4 nipped between the platen roller 9 and the paper guide 10 is nipped and conveyed by the rotating platen roller 9 and the paper guide 10 and moved toward the thermal head 8 to be printed on the surface of the sheet 4. After that, the sheet can be discharged to the outside of the printer 1 from the sheet discharge port 20 which is a gap between the fixed cover body 3 and the back surface of the separation block 12. In that case, the printing surface of the paper 4 is opposite to the surface (outer surface) of the lid 13. In other words, when the user looks at the surface of the lid body 13, since the print surface faces the same direction, the print surface of the paper 4 can be observed at the same time.

When a paper jam occurs, first, the lid 13 parallel to the upper surface of the main body case 2 is horizontally moved (retracted) in the direction away from the fixed cover 3 (FIG. 8A).
The pivot of the lid 13 is moved to the unlocked position. When the lid body 13 is retracted, the lock pieces 25, 25 on both the left and right sides of the lid body 13 are fitted between the pair of front and rear regulation blocks 29, 30 of the respective actuating members 28, so that the actuating member 28.
Is forcibly retracted against the urging force of the urging means 16, 19.

At the retracted position of the operating member 28, the lid 13
When is rotated upward, the lock piece 25 is disengaged from the vertical guide groove 26, so that the upward tip end portion 32a of the resin spring body 32 retracted in the lower retracted area of the vertical guide groove 26 is elastically moved to cause the pair of lock springs to move upward. The restricting blocks 29 and 30 can be engaged from below to hold the retracted position of the actuating member 28 (see FIG. 8C). The paper package 5 can be replaced by rotating the lid 13 upward.

With the backward movement of the operating member 28, the interlocking link body 33 rotates about the shaft 9a of the platen roller 9 in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 5B. The first cam body 36 provided on the interlocking link body 33 pushes the front surface of the paper guide 10 against the urging force of the urging means 16 and separates it from the outer peripheral surface of the platen roller 9. At the same time, the second cam body 37 resists the urging force of the urging means 19 and the thermal head 8
The lower surface of the plate is pushed upward, and the heating element portion 8a of the thermal head 8 is separated from the outer peripheral surface of the platen roller 9. As a result, the paper 4 wound around the outer periphery of the platen roller 9 can be pulled out of the platen device 1 with a light force. Since the thermal head 8 and the paper guide 10 can be brought into contact with and separated from the platen roller 9 with one touch, the operability is excellent.

As an auxiliary locking means, one or a plurality of engaging claws 38 are formed in the free end edge of the lid 13 at the substantially central portion in the width direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the sheet 4 so as to extend in the conveying direction. On the other hand, the separation block 12 is provided with a lid 1
3 Separation block 12 parallel to the upper surface of the main body case 2
If a locking claw 39 that locks when it is advanced in the direction is provided (see FIGS. 5B and 6A). Even if the lid body 13 is thin (having a low rigidity) and the lid body 13 is easily bent by the reaction force of the pressing means 15 such as a leaf spring, the auxiliary lock means presses the pressing means 15. Since it is located in the vicinity of the action portion, there is an effect that the free end side of the lid body 13 can be firmly closed and fixed to the main body case 2.

Next, a method of cleaning (cleaning) the printing mechanism section 7 and the pick-up roller 11 as a conveying roller according to the present invention, and the cleaning sheet 60 used therefor will be described. Cleaning sheet 60
9A and 9B, the front and back surfaces of a rectangular base paper 61 of a size (for example, A6 or A7 size) that can be stored in the paper storage unit 6 of the printer device 1 are 61 is a non-adhesive layer portion 60 in the long side direction.
a, and the other part is partitioned so as to form the adhesive layer part 60b. The dimension L1 (see FIG. 9A) of the non-adhesive layer portion 60a along the long side direction of the base paper 61 is such that the tip of the non-adhesive layer portion 60a slightly protrudes from the paper exit 20 and the platen roller 9 And the rear end of the non-adhesive layer portion 60a passes through between the outer peripheral surface of the paper guide 10 and the paper guide 10.
The length is set to be a sufficient length to reach a predetermined position on the upstream side of the sheet conveyance direction (see FIG. 10). The length of the non-adhesive layer portion 60a protruding from the paper discharge port 20 is long enough for the user to pick up and pull out the cleaning sheet 60.

The non-adhesive layer portion 60a of the cleaning sheet 60 is constructed by firmly adhering front surface papers 64, 64 to both front and back surfaces of the base paper 61 with an adhesive layer 62 interposed therebetween. On the other hand, the adhesive layer portion 60b is the non-adhesive layer portion 60a.
Is formed adjacent to the base paper 61, and includes a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 63 applied to both front and back surfaces of the base paper 61, and a release paper 65 that covers the respective pressure-sensitive adhesive layers 63. It is temporarily attached so that it can be easily peeled off. Then, a mark portion 67 on which a mark indicating a cleaning sheet is printed is attached at a predetermined position on both surface papers 64 in the non-adhesive layer portion 60a (see FIG. 9A).

Next, a method for cleaning the conveyance path and the printing mechanism section 7 in the printer device 1 using the cleaning sheet 60 will be described. First, the user opens the lid 13 wide to open the paper container 6, and replaces the paper package 5 with one cleaning sheet 60 without removing the release paper 65. Set to. At this time, the non-adhesive layer portion 60
The position a is positioned on the downstream side in the transport direction, that is, so that the one surface paper 64 contacts the pickup roller 11. Then, the adhesive layer portion 60b is inevitably set so as to be located on the upstream side in the transport direction. Then, when the lid 13 is closed as described above, the biasing means 1 in the lid 13
By the urging force of 5, the surface paper 6 of the cleaning sheet 60 is
The portion 4 is pressed by the pickup roller 11. Then, the mark portion 67 attached to the front surface paper 64 is read by the optical sensor 6b provided on the bottom plate 6a side of the paper storage portion 6, and the control device including the microcomputer in the main body case 2 of the printer device 1 It is determined that the sheet set in the sheet storage unit 6 is the cleaning sheet 60, and the cleaning mode described below is executed.

In this state, the printing operation is not executed, and when the drive motor 22 is rotationally driven so that the conveying distance of the cleaning sheet 60 is limited to a predetermined short distance, the pickup roller 11 is rotationally driven, The non-adhesive layer portion 60a is fed from the tip end side of the non-adhesive layer portion 60a of the cleaning sheet 60 between the platen roller 9 and the paper guide 10 and then conveyed by the rotational force of the platen roller 9.
Passes through the pressing portion between the heating element portion 8a of the thermal head 8 and the platen roller, and the tip end side of the non-adhesive layer portion 60a is exposed at the paper exit 20. With the tip end side of the non-adhesive layer portion 60a exposed from the paper discharge port 20 by a slight amount, the release paper 6
The portion 5 (adhesive layer portion 60b) is the pickup roller 11
The drive motor 22 is automatically stopped in a state where the drive motor 22 is located at a predetermined location on the upstream side of the location in the conveyance direction (see the state in FIG. 10).

The front surface paper 64 of the non-adhesive layer portion 60a has the same friction coefficient as that of the normal printing paper 4, and since it has no adhesive property, it does not adhere to the pickup roller 11 and the platen roller 9. Peripheral surface and paper guide 10
The drive motor 22 can be driven with a normal output without adhering to the surface of the.

Next, the user opens the lid 13 wide again. Since the non-adhesive layer portion 60a of the cleaning sheet 60 is provided for the length L1 (see FIG. 9A), the adhesive layer portion 60b in the sheet storage portion 6 is located upstream of the pickup roller 11 in the transport direction. Because there is
The user can remove the release papers 65, 65 on the front and back. After removing the release papers 65, 65, the lid 1
Put 3 in the closed state. By this operation, as described above, the paper guide 10 is pressed and urged by the urging means 16 against the outer peripheral surface of the platen roller 9, and the heating element portion 8a of the thermal head 8 is also urged by the urging means 19. It is pressed toward the outer peripheral surface of the platen roller 9 by the urging force. In this state, the non-adhesive layer portion 60a exposed at the paper discharge port 20
Protrudes long enough for the user to pick with their fingers. Therefore, the non-adhesive layer portion 60a protruding by the user
By picking up the exposed portion of the sheet with a finger and pulling out the cleaning sheet 60 by hand, the adhesive layer portions 60b, 60b on both front and back surfaces of the base paper 61 rub against the surfaces of the pickup roller 11, the platen roller 9 and the paper guide 10. Since it passes through, the dust and paper powder adhering to the parts such as the rollers and the solid matter such as the pigment of the thermal paper adhering to the location of the heating element portion 8a are adsorbed by the adhesive layer portions 60b and 60b. It can be cleaned.

In the cleaning method according to the present invention, the transport roller (pickup roller 11) and the printing mechanism section 7 are used.
When the cleaning sheet 60 is passed through the adhesive layer portion, the drive motor is not operated unlike the conventional case for the forced conveyance of the cleaning sheet 60, so that the adhesive force is firmly attached to the components of the conveying roller and the printing mechanism portion 7 to the adhesive layer portion. Even in such a case, there is no inconvenience that the drive motor is overloaded. Therefore, even in a printer device such as a small portable printer device which has a small driving force for transporting the paper, each component arranged in the narrow transport path can be reliably and safely cleaned.

The non-adhesive layer portion 60a of the cleaning sheet 60 may be the base paper 61 alone. In that case, the mark portion 67 may be attached to at least one of the front and back surfaces of the base paper 61. . Further, the printing mechanism of the printer according to the present invention is not limited to the thermal head and may be of another type.

In the present embodiment, when it is determined that the sheet set in the sheet storage unit 6 is the cleaning sheet 60, the cleaning mode is executed. In this cleaning mode, the personal computer or the like to which the printer device 1 is connected is used. It may be executed by a command from an external device. Further, the printer 1 may be provided with a switch for executing the cleaning mode.

[0048]

As described above in detail, according to the cleaning method of the printer of the invention described in claim 1, the main body case of the printer has a paper accommodating portion for accommodating the print medium, and the paper accommodating portion. And a printing mechanism section for printing on the printing medium, the carrying roller and the printing mechanism section are provided with a non-adhesive layer section and an adhesive layer. And a non-adhesive layer part of the non-adhesive layer part is conveyed to the paper accommodating part. After being arranged so that the adhesive layer portion is located on the downstream side in the direction and the adhesive layer portion is located on the upstream side in the conveying direction, the conveying roller is driven to expose the non-adhesive layer portion to the discharge side of the printing mechanism section. Stop the transport roller Then, after removing the release paper, the non-adhesive layer portion exposed on the paper discharge side of the printing mechanism portion is pulled out so that the adhesive layer portion passes through the transport roller and the printing mechanism portion. It is characterized by.

By adopting such a cleaning method, since the cleaning sheet is conveyed by the driving force of the conveying roller until the non-adhesive layer portion is exposed to the paper discharge side of the printing mechanism portion, a narrow conveying path is provided. Even if it is, the release sheet is not removed until the cleaning sheet can be reliably conveyed and the non-adhesive layer part is exposed to the discharge side of the printing mechanism. It never becomes. Since the driving force is not used when the adhesive layer portion functioning as the cleaning portion passes through the transport roller and the printing mechanism portion, there is an effect that the cleaning can be performed safely without applying an overload to a driving source such as a driving motor.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the method for cleaning a printer device according to the first aspect, the printing mechanism section is urged against the outer peripheral surface of the platen roller by a platen roller and urging means. The cleaning sheet is composed of a paper guide and a thermal head, and the cleaning sheet is passed between the outer peripheral surface of the platen roller and the heating element of the paper guide and the thermal head.

As described above, if only the non-adhesive layer portion is conveyed to the narrow gap between the paper guide or the thermal head, which is pressed by the urging means to the outer peripheral surface of the platen roller which also functions as the conveying means. After that, it is possible to easily remove dust, paper dust, and the like in a narrow place by a simple operation of simply removing the release paper and manually pulling out the cleaning sheet with the adhesive layer portion exposed.

On the other hand, the invention of claim 3 is the same as claim 1
Or a cleaning sheet used in the cleaning method of 2, wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer portions are formed on both front and back surfaces of the base paper, and each pressure-sensitive adhesive layer portion is covered with a release paper that can be peeled off. Therefore, the adhesive layer portion is not exposed in the storage state of the cleaning sheet, and dust adheres to the adhesive layer portion, so that the cleaning ability is not lowered.

The invention described in claim 4 is the same as claim 3
In the cleaning sheet described in (1), since the non-adhesive layer portion of the cleaning sheet is provided with a mark portion for indicating that the cleaning sheet is concerned, when the cleaning sheet is set in the printer device, Thus, it is possible to prevent the control unit from performing the same printing operation as that for normal paper, and the user can easily confirm that the sheet is a cleaning sheet.

The invention described in claim 5 is the same as claim 3
Or in the cleaning sheet according to claim 4,
The length of the non-adhesive layer portion of the cleaning sheet along the conveying direction is such that the non-adhesive layer portion of the cleaning sheet protrudes a predetermined amount from the discharge port of the main body case when the conveying roller is stopped. Since it is set to the height, the user can easily grasp the part of the non-adhesive layer part protruding from the main case when pulling out the cleaning sheet after separating the release sheet from the cleaning sheet, and the cleaning sheet can be easily The effect of being able to draw out is produced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a printer device of the present application.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a main body case.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a paper package.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a pickup roller portion in the main body case.

5A is a side cross-sectional view of the printer device, and FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of a left side portion of the main body case with the lid opened.

FIG. 6A is an enlarged side view of a printing mechanism section, and FIG. 6B is a side view of a gear transmission mechanism.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of parts of a lock unit and a release interlocking mechanism.

FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional view of a state in which the paper guide and the thermal head are pressed against the platen lock when the lid is closed, and FIG. 8B is a released state of the paper guide and the thermal head when the lid is in the retracted position. FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the lid is rotatable.

FIG. 9A is a perspective view of a cleaning sheet, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of a cleaning sheet.

FIG. 10 shows the non-adhesive layer portion of the cleaning sheet and the sheet discharge port 2.
It is sectional drawing which shows the state exposed at 0, removing a release paper, and pulling it out.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Printer device 2 body case 4 Paper as print media 5 paper packages 7 Printing mechanism 8 thermal head 8a heating element part 9 Platen roller 10 Paper Guide 11 Pickup roller 12 separate blocks 13 Lid 16, 19 Biasing means 20 Paper exit 60 cleaning sheet 60a Non-adhesive layer part 60b Adhesive layer part 61 base paper

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 2C061 AP03 AP04 AQ04 CM01 CM05                       CM07 CM12                 2C065 CZ16                 3F101 AB01 AB13 AB16 AB19 LA07                       LB03                 3F343 FA14 FB03 FB04 FC24 JD37                       KB05 KB06

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A main body case of a printer device,
The paper feed unit includes a paper storage unit that stores the print medium, a transport roller that can contact the print medium stored in the paper storage unit, and a printing mechanism unit that prints on the print medium. A method of cleaning a roller and a printing mechanism section with a cleaning sheet in which a non-adhesive layer section and an adhesive layer section are arranged adjacent to each other and the adhesive layer section is releasably covered with release paper, wherein the paper The cleaning sheet is placed in the accommodating portion such that the non-adhesive layer portion is located on the downstream side in the transport direction and the adhesive layer portion is located on the upstream side in the transport direction. Stop the conveying roller in a state where the layer portion is exposed on the paper discharge side of the printing mechanism unit, then remove the release paper, and then pull out the non-adhesive layer portion exposed on the paper discharge side of the printing mechanism unit. The adhesive layer part And cleaning method of the printer device being characterized in that so as to pass through the printing mechanism. 2. The printing mechanism section includes a platen roller,
The cleaning sheet is composed of a paper guide and a thermal head that are biased to the outer peripheral surface of the platen roller by a biasing means, and the cleaning sheet is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the platen roller and the heating element of the thermal head. The method for cleaning a printer device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning device passes the space. 3. A cleaning sheet for use in the cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer portions are formed on both front and back surfaces of a base paper, and each adhesive layer portion is a release paper that can be peeled off. A cleaning sheet which is covered. 4. The cleaning sheet according to claim 3, wherein the non-adhesive layer portion of the cleaning sheet is provided with a mark portion for indicating the cleaning sheet. 5. The length of the non-adhesive layer portion of the cleaning sheet along the carrying direction is such that when the carrying roller is stopped, the non-adhesive layer portion of the cleaning sheet is discharged from the paper exit of the main body case. The cleaning sheet according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the cleaning sheet is set to have a length protruding by a predetermined amount.