JP2007203690A - Tape printing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tape printing apparatus which can be used in various places. <P>SOLUTION: In the back side of a housing 10, a magnetic base 30 equipped with a permanent magnet is fixed. If magnetic substances (steel desk, etc.) are in the bottom face side of a tape printing apparatus 1, a magnetism attracts them each other, and the tape printing apparatus 1 can be fixed to the magnetic substance. For this, it is not restricted on a horizontal surface like a desk, such as a steel shelf, a refrigerator, etc. The tape printing apparatus 1 is fixable with a posture that the bottom face of the tape printing apparatus 1 meets the above-mentioned surface of the wall to the surface of the wall having ferromagnetism. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a tape printer.

  2. Description of the Related Art A tape printer that prints images such as characters and graphics on a tape is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The tape printer is used by being placed on a horizontal surface such as a desk. When the user designates a desired image (characters, etc.) using a keyboard or the like provided in the tape printer, the image is displayed. The printed tape is ejected.

JP 2003-237174 A

  However, if there is not enough space to place the tape printing device in a place where the tape printing device is frequently used, the user can create the tape in another place or store the tape printing device only at the time of use. It was necessary to carry out the work while taking it out and holding it in the hand.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a tape printer that can be used in various places.

  The tape printing apparatus of the present invention is a tape printing apparatus including an operation unit that performs an input operation and a printing unit that prints an image corresponding to the input operation at the operation unit on a tape. A tape printing apparatus comprising a fixing means for fixing to a wall surface.

  According to this tape printing apparatus, the apparatus can be used while being fixed to the wall surface even in a place where there is no space suitable for mounting the apparatus, so that the available places are expanded and convenience is improved.

  In this tape printer, it is preferable that the fixing means is fixed by a magnetic force of a magnet.

  According to this tape printing apparatus, when the wall surface is a ferromagnetic material such as iron, the apparatus can be easily fixed. For this reason, it becomes possible to fix and use for example to a refrigerator, a steel shelf, etc., and the convenience improves. In addition, as a magnet, it is not restricted to a permanent magnet, You may use an electromagnet etc.

  In this tape printing apparatus, it is preferable that the fixing unit includes a switching unit that changes the magnetic force of the magnet.

  According to this tape printing apparatus, when the apparatus is detached from the wall surface, it can be easily removed by weakening the magnetic force, and convenience is further improved.

  The tape printer includes a cutting unit that cuts off the tape printed by the printing unit, and a tape receiving unit that is provided on a dropping direction side of the tape cut by the cutting unit and receives the dropped tape. desirable.

  According to this tape printer, since the tape receiving portion that receives the cut-off tape is provided, it is possible to suppress the tape from falling on the floor surface.

Hereinafter, a tape printer according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 and 2 are perspective views showing a schematic configuration of the tape printer of this embodiment.
As shown in both figures, the tape printer 1 includes a keyboard 11 as an operation unit having a plurality of keys on the front side of the upper surface of the housing 10, and a display unit including a liquid crystal display device or the like on the back side. 12 is provided. The keys provided on the keyboard 11 include control keys capable of designating various operations of the tape printer 1 in addition to character keys capable of inputting alphabets, numbers, symbols, and the like. The display unit 12 is used for displaying characters input from the keyboard 11, displaying a print image, or displaying various menu screens.

  On the upper surface of the housing 10, a recess 13 for mounting the tape cartridge 2 is disposed adjacent to the display unit 12. An opening / closing lid 14 is provided on the opening of the recess 13 so that the opening / closing lid 14 can be opened and closed, and the tape cartridge 2 can be attached and detached by opening the opening / closing lid 14. Further, the opening / closing lid 14 is provided with a substantially transparent confirmation window 14a so that it can be visually recognized from the outside whether or not the tape cartridge 2 is mounted in the recess 13. A convex thermal head 15 and rotating shafts 16a and 16b constituting a transport mechanism are provided on the bottom surface of the concave portion 13. When the tape cartridge 2 is mounted in the concave portion 13, a hole shape provided in the tape cartridge 2 is provided. The thermal head 15 is fitted to the head fitting portion 21, and the rotation shafts 16 a and 16 b are engaged with the driven portions 22 a and 22 b of the tape cartridge 2, respectively.

  The tape cartridge 2 incorporates a belt-like tape T and an ink ribbon R inside the cartridge case 20. The tape T has a configuration in which an adhesive layer is formed on the back surface of a base material made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) or the like and is covered with release paper. The tape printer 1 is compatible with a plurality of types of tape cartridges 2 having different widths, colors, and the like of the tape T, and the user can use the tape cartridge 2 according to usage and preference. Note that a plurality of holes (not shown) for identifying the width of the tape T incorporated therein are provided on the back surface of the tape cartridge 2. A tape width of the mounted tape cartridge 2 can be identified by an identification sensor (not shown) such as a switch.

  When the tape cartridge 2 is mounted in the recess 13, the surface of the tape T is opposed to the thermal head 15 via the ink ribbon R in the head fitting portion 21, and the rotary shafts 16 a and 16 b are driven. When the thermal head 15 is driven to generate heat while feeding the tape T or the ink ribbon R, characters or the like input by the keyboard 11 can be printed on the surface of the tape T. That is, the thermal head 15 and the transport mechanism (rotating shafts 16a and 16b) function as a printing unit of the present invention. When the rotary shafts 16 a and 16 b are further rotated after printing, the tape T and the ink ribbon R are conveyed, the tape T is discharged to the outside of the cartridge case 20, and the ink ribbon R is wound inside the cartridge case 20. It is done.

  A slit 17 is provided on the side surface of the housing 10 to communicate the recess 13 and the outside of the housing 10, and the printed tape T discharged from the cartridge case 20 passes through the slit 17. It is conveyed by a predetermined amount toward the outside. A cutter unit 18 as a cutting means is disposed inside the housing 10 so as to surround the slit 17, and the inside of the slit 17 is traversed by a scissors-like cutter (not shown) provided in the cutter unit 18. The tape T to be cut can be cut. By the cutting by the cutter unit 18, the printed portion of the tape T is separated as a tape piece (label) and discharged from the opening of the slit 17.

  A magnet base 30 having a permanent magnet is fixed to the back side of the housing 10, and if there is a magnetic body (such as a steel desk) on the bottom surface side of the tape printing apparatus 1, the tape printing apparatus attracts each other. 1 can be fixed to the magnetic body. For this reason, it is not limited to a horizontal surface such as a desk. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the bottom surface of the tape printing apparatus 1 is a wall surface W with respect to a ferromagnetic wall surface W such as a steel shelf or a refrigerator. The tape printer 1 can be fixed in such a posture. That is, the magnet base 30 corresponds to the fixing means of the present invention.

Here, the magnet base 30 will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the magnet base 30.
As shown in FIG. 4, the magnet base 30 rotates a columnar magnet 31 that is a permanent magnet, a holding member 32 that rotatably holds the magnet 31, and a magnet 31 that is held by the holding member 32. And a disk-like operation unit 36 for the purpose.

  The holding member 32 includes a pair of magnetic blocks 34 and 35 made of a magnetic material, and these are coupled via a nonmagnetic member 33. In addition, a space portion 32 a for accommodating and holding the magnet 31 is formed at substantially the center of the holding member 32 so as to divide the nonmagnetic member 33. A concave portion 31 a is formed in the diameter direction on one bottom surface portion of the magnet 31 and is engaged with a convex portion 36 a formed in the diameter direction on the back surface of the operation portion 36. Therefore, the magnet 31 held by the holding member 32 can be rotated by rotating the operation knob 36 b of the operation unit 36.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are explanatory views for explaining the operation of the magnet base 30 and showing a state in which the tape printer 1 fixed to the wall surface W by the magnet base 30 is viewed from the side. . In the figure, the operation unit 36 is not shown.
As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the magnet 31 is magnetized in the diameter direction. Here, as shown in FIG. 5A, the operation unit 36 is rotated and the N pole and the S pole are in contact with the magnetic blocks 34 and 35, that is, one magnetic block is 1 When only two poles are surrounded, a magnetic circuit is formed in which the magnetic lines of force m emitted from the N pole enter the S pole through the magnetic block 34, the wall surface W, and the magnetic block 35 in this order. Thereby, the magnet base 30 is fixed to the wall surface W with a strong magnetic force.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5B, when the operation unit 36 is rotated so that both the N pole and the S pole are in contact with both the two magnetic blocks 34 and 35, the N pole Since the magnetic field lines m coming out of the magnetic flux enter the south pole through only one of the magnetic blocks 34 and 35, there is almost no leakage magnetic flux to the wall surface W. For this reason, the magnetic force acting on the wall surface W in this state is very small, and the magnet base 30 can be easily detached from the wall surface W. Thus, since the operation part 36 and the holding member 32 switch the strength of the magnetic force by the magnet 31, they correspond to the switching means of this invention.

  In addition, in order to suppress that the tape piece discharged | emitted from the slit 17 falls to a floor surface when fixing the tape printer 1 to the wall surface W, as shown in FIG. 6, it has the opening part of the slit 17. As shown in FIG. A box-shaped tape receiving portion 40 that opens toward the slit 17 side is provided at a position that is the same side as the housing side surface and that is fixed to the wall surface W and that is below the slit 17 (dropping direction side). It is preferable that the tape piece fits in the tape receiving portion 40.

As described above, according to the tape printer 1 of the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) According to the tape printer 1 of this embodiment, since the magnet base 30 is provided, the apparatus can be easily fixed to the wall surface W having ferromagnetism. For this reason, even in places where there is no space for placing the tape printer 1 such as a kitchen or work site, it can be fixed to a refrigerator, a steel shelf, etc., and convenience is improved.

  (2) According to the tape printer 1 of the present embodiment, since the switching means (the holding member 32 and the operation unit 36) that changes the magnetic force of the magnet 31 is provided, the magnetic force is removed when the device is removed from the wall surface W. By making it weak, it becomes possible to remove easily, and the convenience is further improved.

(Modification)
In addition, you may change embodiment of this invention as follows.
In the said embodiment, although the structure fixed to the wall surface W using a permanent magnet (magnet 31) is shown, it is good also as a structure using an electromagnet. When an electromagnet is used, it is possible to switch the presence / absence of a magnetic force by switching the current on / off. Therefore, an operation switch and a control circuit for switching the current on / off are switched according to the present invention. Corresponds to means.

  In the embodiment, the configuration in which the magnet base 30 is fixed to the outside of the housing 10 is shown. However, the magnet base 30 may be incorporated in the housing 10. Further, the magnet base 30 may be attached to or detached from the housing 10 only when the magnet base 30 is fixed to a wall surface or the like.

  In the embodiment, the magnet base 30 is provided on the back side of the housing 10, but it may be provided on the near side or on both the left and right sides. Moreover, you may make it equip the bottom face side of the housing | casing 10 with a plate-shaped magnet, for example.

  In the above-described embodiment, the fixing means is configured to be fixed to the wall surface by magnetic force. However, as shown in FIG. It is good also as a structure which can be attached to the hook etc. which were attached. In addition, you may make it provide both the metal fitting 50 and the magnet base 30, and can also set it as the structure which can utilize each exclusively.

1 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of a tape printer according to an embodiment. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of a tape printer according to an embodiment. The perspective view which shows the state which fixed the tape printer to the wall surface. The disassembled perspective view which shows schematic structure of a magnet base. (A), (b) is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the effect | action of a magnet base. The perspective view which shows the tape printer provided with the tape receiving part. The perspective view which shows the tape printer which concerns on a modification.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Tape printer, 2 ... Tape cartridge, 10 ... Housing | casing, 11 ... Keyboard, 12 ... Display part, 13 ... Recessed part, 14 ... Opening / closing lid, 15 ... Thermal head, 16a, 16b ... Rotating shaft, 17 ... Slit, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 18 ... Cutter unit, 20 ... Cartridge case, 21 ... Head fitting part, 22a, 22b ... Driven part, 30 ... Magnet base, 31 ... Magnet, 31a ... Recessed part, 32 ... Holding member, 32a ... Space part, 33 ... Nonmagnetic member, 34, 35 ... magnetic block, 36 ... operation part, 36a ... convex part, 36b ... operation knob, 40 ... tape receiving part, 50 ... metal fitting, W ... wall surface.

Claims (4)

A tape printer comprising: an operation unit that performs an input operation; and a printing unit that prints an image corresponding to the input operation in the operation unit on a tape.
A tape printer comprising a fixing means for fixing the tape printer to a wall surface.   2. The tape printer according to claim 1, wherein the fixing means is fixed by a magnetic force of a magnet.   3. The tape printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the fixing unit includes a switching unit that changes a magnetic force generated by the magnet. It is a tape printer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, provided with a cutting means for cutting off the tape printed by the printing unit, and a tape drop direction side of the tape cut off by the cutting means, A tape printing apparatus comprising: a tape receiving portion that receives the tape that has fallen.

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