JP2004276252A - Printer equipped with interface unit - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a battery carry type printer which can replace an interface unit without damaging the interface unit and electronic components of the printer body side. <P>SOLUTION: The printer is constituted including an I/F unit storing part 4 set at a printer frame 1, the I/F unit 3 stored in the I/F unit storing part 4, an I/F cover 2 which covers the I/F unit storing part 4, a battery storing part 8 set at the printer frame 1 and in contact with the I/F unit storing part 4 via an intermediate wall 11, a battery 10 stored in the battery storing part 8, and an I/F cover setting member (6, 9 and 14) which connects the I/F cover 2 and the I/F unit storing part 4. The interface setting member (6, 9 and 14) can be attached or detached only when the battery 10 is removed from the battery storing part 8. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a battery-powered printer equipped with a detachable interface unit, and more particularly, to a mechanism for attaching and detaching the interface unit and the printer without damaging the printer unit.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art In order to support various input / output interfaces, printers are known in which an interface function is unitized and the interface unit is replaceable. The interface unit is fixed to an interface unit storage section provided in the printer main body with screws or the like, and connected to a control board on the printer main body side. When replacing the interface unit, turn off the power of the printer body, remove the screw, take out the interface unit, and install a new interface unit. In order to protect the interface unit and the printer main body from electrical damage, it is necessary to shut off the power when attaching and detaching the interface unit (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0003]
In recent years, electronic devices have been reduced in size and weight, and many electronic devices having excellent portability, which are called mobile devices, have been put to practical use. As for the printer, a portable printer driven by a battery has been developed and used for issuing a receipt or the like. In such a battery-driven electronic device, it is desirable not only to turn off the power switch of the electronic device body but also to attach and detach the interface unit with the battery removed.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-169662
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-described conventional battery-powered electronic device, there is a possibility that the worker may forget or neglect the work of removing the battery, and attach / detach the interface unit while the battery is mounted. There was a risk of damaging the equipment itself.
[0006]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a battery-driven printer having a structure for preventing attachment / detachment of an interface unit while a battery is mounted.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the present invention, there is provided a printer provided with an interface unit having a mechanism in which an interface cover that covers an interface unit storage section in which an interface unit is stored cannot be removed unless a battery is removed, and solves the above-described problem.
[0008]
A first aspect of a printer including an interface unit according to the present invention includes: an interface unit storage portion provided on a printer frame;
An interface unit stored in the interface unit storage unit,
An interface cover that covers the interface unit storage section,
A battery storage unit provided on the printer frame and in contact with the interface unit storage unit via the intermediate wall;
A battery housed in the battery housing,
An interface cover mounting member that connects the interface cover and the interface unit storage section,
This is a printer in which the interface mounting member can be attached and detached only when the battery is removed from the battery storage section.
[0009]
In this embodiment, the interface unit cannot be removed by removing the interface cover unless the battery is always removed. With this mechanism, it is possible to prevent the interface unit and other electronic components from being damaged due to the removal of the interface unit with the battery (power supply) turned on.
[0010]
According to another aspect of the printer of the present invention, an interface cover mounting member is inserted into a through hole provided in an intermediate wall and is detachable only from a battery storage unit side. This is a printer including an interface cover connection portion connected to components.
[0011]
In this embodiment, the interface cover fixing component can be attached and detached only from the battery storage unit side. When the battery is mounted, the interface cover fixing component is located at a position shielded by the battery when the battery is mounted, and cannot be accessed from outside. Therefore, the interface cover fixing member cannot be removed unless the battery is removed, so that the interface cover and the interface unit cannot be removed.
[0012]
According to another aspect of the printer of the present invention, the interface cover includes an interface cover push-out pin that has a front end portion that reaches the interface unit storage portion through a through hole provided in the intermediate wall, and the battery is removed from the battery storage portion. This printer can only remove the interface cover by pushing up the tip.
[0013]
In this embodiment, the interface cover can be lifted and removed by the interface push pin. The tip of the interface push-out pin is located at a position where it cannot be accessed unless the battery is removed, similarly to the interface cover fixing component described above. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the dual foolproof function can be exhibited together with the interface cover mounting member.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
(Description of the overall structure of the printer)
1, 2 and 3 are external views of a printer having an interface unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this printer, roll paper is used as a print medium, a transport roller is rotated to transport the continuous paper drawn from the roll paper, and printing is performed on the transported continuous paper by a print head. In addition, the printer is equipped with a battery that is a power supply for driving a transport roller, a print head, and the like, and an interface (I / F) unit 3 for wireless communication with the outside. The I / F unit 3 is prepared in various ways corresponding to various wireless communication standards and various input / output I / Fs such as USB (Universal Serial Bus), and according to a system mode in which the printer is used. It can be replaced as appropriate.
[0015]
An I / F unit storage unit 4 is provided in the printer frame 1, and the I / F unit 3 is stored therein. An I / F cover 2 is mounted on the upper surface, and the I / F unit 3 is fixed between the I / F cover 2 and the bottom of the I / F unit storage unit 4. Further, the printer frame 1 is provided with a battery storage section 8 with an I / F unit storage section 4 and an intermediate wall 11 therebetween, and a battery is stored therein. The battery storage section 8 is covered by a battery cover 5 that can be opened and closed, provided on a side surface of the printer frame 1.
[0016]
FIG. 2 shows a state where the I / F cover 2 is opened, and FIG. 3 shows a state where the battery cover 5 is opened. One end of the I / F cover 2 is regulated by a projection provided on the printer frame 1 so as not to float upward, and the other end is fixed by an I / F cover fixing part 9 to the I / F unit storage portion 4. Is to be fixed to. The I / F cover 2 has an I / F cover connection portion 6 connected to the I / F cover fixing component 9 inserted from the battery storage portion 8 side, and a tip end projecting toward the battery storage portion 8 side. The provided I / F cover push-out pin 7 is provided.
(Description of I / F unit exchange mechanism)
Here, the structure of the interface unit exchange mechanism will be described with reference to FIG.
(Description of I / F cover mounting member)
When the I / F cover 2 is set in the I / F unit storage section 4, the I / F cover connection section 6 comes to a position in contact with the bottom of the I / F unit storage section 4. At a position corresponding to the I / F cover connection part 6 at the bottom of the I / F unit storage part 4, a through hole 12 is formed in an intermediate wall 11 separating the I / F unit storage part 4 and the battery storage part 8. . The I / F cover fixing part 9 is inserted into the I / F cover connection part 6 from the battery storage part 8 side, passes through the through hole 12, and is fixed. Thus, the I / F cover 2 and the I / F unit storage unit 4 are fixed. The I / F cover fixing member 9 and the I / F cover connecting portion 6 constitute an I / F cover mounting member. In the present embodiment, the I / F cover fixing component 9 is a threaded screw, which is fixed by fitting with a female screw provided in the I / F cover connection portion 6, but other various joining methods may be used. it can.
[0017]
In order to remove the I / F cover 2, first, it is necessary to remove the battery 10 from the battery storage section 8, and then remove the I / F cover fixing component 9 accessible by removing the battery 10. With this mechanism, unless the battery 10 is removed, the I / F cover 2 cannot be removed, and the I / F unit 3 cannot be replaced, thereby achieving foolproof.
(Explanation of I / F cover extrusion pin)
When the I / F cover 2 is set in the I / F unit storage unit 4, the tip of the I / F cover push-out pin 7 provided at the lower part of the I / F cover 2 has an end portion of the I / F unit storage unit 4. Through a through-hole 13 formed in the bottom surface (intermediate wall 11) of the battery compartment 8 and protrudes into a battery storage section 8 installed thereunder. As with the access to the I / F cover fixing component 9, only when the battery 10 is removed, the tip of the I / F cover push pin 7 can be accessed. By pressing the part, the I / F cover 2 can be lifted upward. Thereby, the I / F cover 2 can be gripped and removed.
(Description of battery storage unit)
FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the battery cover 5 opened from above, and FIG. 3B is a perspective view of the battery cover 5 opened from below. This shows a state in which it has been removed. When the battery is mounted, the distal end of the I / F cover push-out pin 7 and the I / F cover fixing component 9 shown in FIG. 3B are shielded by the battery and cannot be accessed from the outside. .
[0018]
As described above, in the present embodiment, the two operations of removing the I / F cover fixing component 9 and removing the I / F cover 2 by pressing the I / F cover push-out pin 7 cannot be performed unless the battery 10 is removed. With a double safety mechanism. By this mechanism, when replacing the I / F unit 3, the I / F unit 3 can be replaced while the battery is mounted, thereby completely preventing the unit and other electronic components from being damaged. It becomes.
(Description of I / F unit replacement method)
Next, a procedure for replacing the I / F unit 3 will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 4A, first, the battery 10 is removed from the battery housing portion 8 so that the I / F cover fixing component 9 and the I / F cover push-out pin 7 can be accessed. As a result, when the I / F unit 3 is removed, a state in which the power is completely shut off is secured.
[0019]
Next, as shown in FIG. 4B, the I / F cover fixing part 9 is removed, and the fixing of the I / F cover 2 and the I / F unit storage part 4 is released. Then, as shown in FIG. 4C, the I / F cover pushing pin 7 is pushed from below to lift the I / F cover 2 upward, and the I / F cover 2 is completely removed. As shown in FIG. 4D, the I / F unit 3 is fixed between the bottom of the I / F unit storage part 4 and the I / F cover 2, so that the I / F cover 2 If removed, the I / F unit 3 can be easily removed and a new I / F unit can be mounted.
[0020]
Thereafter, the procedure of removing the members up to that point is reversed, and the members are attached in the flow from FIG. 4D to FIG. 4A, and the replacement of the I / F unit 3 is completed. As described above, the I / F unit 3 and other electronic components are not likely to be damaged, and the I / F unit can be safely replaced.
(Description of Another Embodiment)
FIG. 5 shows another embodiment provided with another I / F cover fixing mechanism. The present embodiment is different from the above embodiment in that the latch 14 has two functions of an I / F cover mounting member and an I / F cover push-out pin.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 5A, one end of the I / F cover 2 is pressed from above by a projection provided on the printer main body, and the other end of the I / F cover 2 is latched by a latch 14 provided on the I / F cover 2. , I / F storage unit 4. When the I / F cover 2 is set in the I / F unit storage section 4, the latch 14 is engaged with the bottom of the I / F storage section 4 so as not to be lifted upward. The position of the I / F unit 3 is fixed between the bottom of the I / F storage part 4 and the I / F cover 2.
[0022]
Here, when replacing the I / F unit 3, first, as shown in FIG. 5B, it is necessary to remove the battery 10 from the battery storage unit 8 so that the latch 14 can be accessed. There is. Next, the latch 14 is pushed in the direction of arrow A in FIG. Then, the latch 14 is pushed upward to lift the I / F cover 2 upward, and the I / F cover 2 is completely removed. Then, it is possible to take out the I / F unit 3 and mount a new I / F unit 3. Thereafter, the above steps are reversed, and the removed members are attached, and the replacement operation is completed. In the present embodiment, an operation for removing the I / F cover fixing component is not required, and an efficient replacement operation can be performed.
[0023]
As described above, the embodiment of the printer including the interface unit of the present invention has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various embodiments can be considered.
[0024]
【The invention's effect】
Since the printer having the interface unit of the present invention has a structure in which the interface unit cannot be physically replaced without removing the battery, the interface unit is attached / detached while the battery is mounted, It is possible to prevent the interface unit and other electronic components from being damaged.
[0025]
Furthermore, safety is enhanced by providing a dual safety mechanism using an I / F cover mounting member and an I / F cover push-out pin.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an external view of a printer showing a state in which an interface cover is closed.
FIG. 2 is an external view of the printer showing a state where an interface cover is opened.
FIG. 3 is an external view of the printer showing a state where a battery cover is opened.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a procedure for replacing an interface unit.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an interface cover fixing mechanism having a latch.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer frame 2 I / F cover 3 I / F unit 4 I / F unit storage part 5 Battery cover 6 I / F cover connection part 7 I / F cover push-out pin 8 Battery storage part 9 I / F cover fixing part 10 Battery 11 Intermediate wall 12 Through hole 13 Through hole 14 Latch

Claims (3)

An interface unit storage section provided on the printer frame,
An interface unit housed in the interface unit housing,
An interface cover that covers the interface unit housing,
A battery storage unit provided on the printer frame and in contact with the interface unit storage unit via an intermediate wall;
A battery housed in the battery housing,
An interface cover mounting member for connecting the interface cover and the interface unit storage section,
A printer, comprising: an interface unit capable of attaching and detaching the interface mounting member only when the battery is removed from the battery storage unit. The interface cover mounting member is inserted into a through hole provided in the intermediate wall and is detachable only from the battery storage unit side, and is connected to the interface cover fixing component provided on the interface cover. The printer according to claim 1, further comprising an interface cover connection portion. The interface cover includes an interface cover push-out pin having a front end portion reaching the interface unit housing portion side through a through hole provided in the intermediate wall, and the front end portion is provided only when the battery is removed from the battery housing portion. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the interface cover can be removed by pushing up a portion.

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