JP2008007235A - Paper warping correction device and printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer capable of sufficiently correcting warping in the direction of width of a rolled paper without causing paper jamming. <P>SOLUTION: A warping correction roller 3 as a warping correction part which is abutted on the rolled paper 2 is provided between a paper roll 1 and a platen roller 9 to correct warping in the direction of width of the rolled paper 2 and apply back tension to the rolled paper 2 payed out by the platen roller 9. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention is used as a printer as a peripheral device of an electronic device such as an information processing apparatus, a POS (Point-Of-Sales) terminal that issues a receipt, or a printer unit built in a ticket or coupon issuing machine. More particularly, the present invention relates to a printer that prints on a paper surface while feeding roll paper, and a paper warp correction device applied to the printer.

  Referring to FIG. 1, this type of conventional printer has a printer main body 5 and an upper unit 13 attached to the printer main body 5 via a hinge 12 so as to be pivotably opened and closed.

  The printer body 5 includes a paper roll holder 6 that receives a paper roll 1 formed by winding the roll paper 2 in a roll shape, and a first guide that guides the roll paper 2 fed out of the paper roll 1 toward a place where printing is performed. The paper guide 7, the print head 8 that prints on the fed roll paper, and the paper cutter 10 that automatically cuts the roll paper 2 that has been printed.

  The upper unit 13 includes a paper pressing shaft 14 that presses the roll paper 2 in a direction in which the roll paper 2 fed out from the paper roll 1 contacts the tip of the first paper guide 7, and a drive provided in the printer main body 5. A platen roller 9 that is driven by a power source and feeds the roll paper 2 from the paper roll 1 and presses the roll paper 2 against the print head 8, and a guide for discharging the cut roll paper 2 in a predetermined direction. 2 paper guides 11.

  By the way, the roll paper is fed out from a paper roll formed by winding the roll paper into a roll shape, and therefore, the roll paper is warped in the length direction by the curl. Furthermore, it is also bowed in the width direction due to the difference in the material of the curl and the front and back layers. In particular, since warping in the width direction causes a paper jam or the like, it is desired to correct this warping with a simple configuration.

  In the conventional printer shown in FIG. 1, the roll paper 2 warped in the width direction fed out from the paper roll 1 is brought into contact with the linear leading end portion of the first paper guide 7 to cause the warp in the width direction. It is straightening.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a printer that corrects the warp in the width direction by sandwiching a sheet warped in the width direction by heat generated in the fixing process of the image forming process between a barrel-shaped main roller and a drum-shaped auxiliary roller. It is disclosed.

JP 2005-145581 A

  However, the conventional printer shown in FIG. 1 may not be sufficiently corrected for warping.

  Further, in the example disclosed in Patent Document 1, there is a possibility that paper that is warped in the width direction does not enter the gap between the main roller and the auxiliary roller and causes paper jam.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a printer that can sufficiently correct the warpage in the width direction of roll paper without causing paper jam.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a paper warp correction device applied to the printer as described above.

  According to the present invention, a paper warpage correction apparatus that is applied to a printer that performs printing on a paper surface while feeding roll paper and corrects warpage in the width direction of the roll paper, the roll paper being wound into a roll shape. A roll paper that is fed out from the paper roll and that presses the roll paper against the print head, and is provided between the paper roll and the platen roller so as to extend parallel to the width direction of the roll paper. The paper warpage has a warp correction portion that has a cross-sectional shape parallel to the width direction of the paper and is curved in a direction opposite to the warpage in the width direction of the roll paper and corrects the warpage in the width direction of the roll paper by contacting the roll paper In the correction device, the paper is configured to apply a back tension to the roll paper fed out by the platen roller. Ri correction device is obtained.

  The warp correction portion may have a roller shape that can rotate around an axis parallel to the width direction of the roll paper.

  According to the invention, the paper roll is provided between the paper roll and the warp correction portion so as to extend in parallel with the width direction of the roll paper, and the cross-sectional shape parallel to the width direction of the roll paper is a straight line. Thus, the sheet warpage correction apparatus having the sheet pressing portion that presses the roll sheet so that the roll sheet fed out from abuts against the warpage correction section is obtained.

  The sheet pressing portion may have a shaft shape.

  According to the present invention, there is further provided a paper roll holder that receives the paper roll, and the paper roll holder is provided at a position lower than the warp correction portion, whereby the weight of the paper roll and the inner side of the paper roll holder are provided. The paper warpage correction apparatus is obtained which applies a back tension to the roll paper by the friction between the surface and the peripheral surface of the paper roll.

  In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain the paper warp correction apparatus in which at least a part is constituted by components of a printer.

  Furthermore, according to the present invention, there is obtained a printer characterized by having the paper warp correction device in a printer that performs printing on a paper surface while feeding roll paper.

  The printer according to the present invention can sufficiently correct the warpage of the roll paper in the width direction without causing paper jam.

  In other words, since the warpage in the width direction of the roll paper due to the curl of the roll paper can be reliably corrected, the feeding of the roll paper is stabilized and the reliability of the operation of the printer is improved.

  Also, in order to correct the warpage in the width direction of the roll paper during the printing process, the roll paper discharged from the printer after printing has already been removed or reduced, so the handling of the printed roll paper is improved. improves.

  In addition, the structure is simple because the warp correction part alone or the straight paper pressing part that is arranged with a certain amount of gap between the correction part corrects the warp in the width direction of the roll paper. It is small in size and low in cost, and does not cause a paper jam in a component for correcting warpage.

  The paper warpage correction apparatus according to the present invention is applied to a printer that performs printing on a paper surface while feeding roll paper, and corrects warpage in the width direction of the roll paper. The straightening device feeds the roll paper from a paper roll formed by winding the roll paper into a roll shape and presses the roll paper against the print head, and the width of the roll paper between the paper roll and the platen roller. The cross-sectional shape parallel to the width direction of the roll paper is curved in the direction opposite to the warpage in the width direction of the roll paper, and the roll paper in the width direction of the roll paper is brought into contact with the roll paper. And a warp correction portion for correcting the warp.

  In particular, the correction device is configured to apply a back tension to the roll paper fed out by the platen roller. For this reason, even if it does not have an auxiliary roller having a shape opposite to the main roller as in the printer disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is possible to sufficiently correct the warpage in the width direction of the roll paper. In addition, since there is no gap having a shape opposite to the width direction of the roll paper, there is no paper jam at the portion where the warp correction is performed.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of a printer and a paper warp correction device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[Example 1]
FIG. 2 shows a printer to which the paper warp correction apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 3 shows the main part of the paper warpage correction apparatus according to this embodiment of the printer shown in FIG. The printer according to the present embodiment is the same as a normal printer except for the configuration related to the paper warp correction device, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted.

  Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the sheet warpage correction apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention is rotated around the printer main body 5 and the printer main body 5 via a hinge 12, similar to the conventional printer shown in FIG. It has the upper unit 13 attached so that opening and closing was possible dynamically.

  The printer body 5 includes a paper roll holder 6 that receives a paper roll 1 formed by winding the roll paper 2 in a roll shape, and a first guide that guides the roll paper 2 fed out of the paper roll 1 toward a place where printing is performed. The paper guide 7, the print head 8 that prints on the fed roll paper, and the paper cutter 10 that automatically cuts the roll paper 2 that has been printed.

  The upper unit 13 is driven by a drive source provided in the printer main body 5, and feeds the roll paper 2 from the paper roll 1 and presses the roll paper 2 against the print head 8, and the cut roll A second paper guide 11 for guiding the paper 2 to be discharged in a predetermined direction.

  The present paper warpage correction apparatus is further provided between the paper roll 1 and the platen roller 9 so as to extend in parallel with the width direction of the roll paper 2, and comes into contact with the roll paper 2 to warp the roll paper 2 in the width direction. It has the curvature correction roller 3 as a curvature correction part which corrects.

  Now, the present paper warpage correction apparatus is particularly configured to apply a back tension to the roll paper 2 fed out by the platen roller 9.

  In this embodiment, the paper roll holder 6 is provided at a position lower than the warp correction roller 3, so that the weight of the paper roll 1 and the inner surface of the paper roll holder 6 and the peripheral surface of the paper roll 1 are reduced. The back tension is applied to the roll paper 2 by friction between the roll paper 2. As described above, in the present paper warp correction device, at least a part thereof may be configured by components of the printer.

  In the present invention, as a back tension applying means to the roll paper 2, a back tension may be applied by providing a damper structure utilizing elasticity of a spring, viscosity of silicon oil, or the like.

  In the warp correction roller 3, a cross-sectional shape parallel to the width direction of the roll paper 2 is curved in a direction opposite to the warp in the width direction of the roll paper 2. Specifically, as is clear from FIG. 3, the warp correction roller 3 has a barrel shape including an intermediate portion having a diameter C and both end portions having a diameter B. On the other hand, in the case of this example, the roll paper 2 is curved in a bow shape whose cross-sectional shape in the width direction is recessed upward (not shown). This is derived from the winding direction of the paper roll 1 and the front and back materials of the paper. The roll paper 2 warped in this way is fed out while abutting against the upper surface of the barrel-shaped warp correction roller 3 so that the cross-sectional shape in the width direction becomes a bow having a downward depression, and warps. Is corrected. The warpage shape in the width direction of the roll paper is derived from the winding direction of the paper roll and the front and back materials of the paper and is known in advance. Are arranged).

  The paper warp correction apparatus is further provided between the paper roll 1 and the warp correction roller 3 so as to extend in parallel with the width direction of the roll paper 2, and the cross-sectional shape parallel to the width direction of the roll paper 2 is linear. There is a sheet pressing shaft 14 ′ as a sheet pressing portion for pressing the rolled sheet so that the rolled sheet 2 fed from the sheet roll 1 contacts the warp correction roller 3. The sheet pressing shaft 14 ′ is rotatably attached to the upper unit 13. When the upper unit 13 is closed with respect to the printer main body 5, the roll sheet 2 becomes the warp correction roller 3 and the sheet pressing shaft 14 ′. It has a structure that passes between.

  Next, the operation of the present paper warpage correction apparatus (this printer) will be described.

  The upper unit 13 is opened around the hinge 12 by the user, and the paper roll 1 is loaded into the paper roll holder 6 of the printer body 5. The front end of the roll paper 2 of the paper roll 1 is set by the user so as to be positioned at least after the platen roller 9 (print head 8).

  When the printer receives print data, the platen roller 9 rotates clockwise in FIG. 2, and the roll paper 2 is fed out toward the left in FIG. Since the roll paper 2 is continuous with the paper roll 1 loaded in the paper roll holder 6, the paper roll 1 also rotates clockwise, and the roll paper 2 is sequentially fed out from the paper roll 1.

  The roll paper 2 fed out from the paper roll 1 is conveyed toward the print head 8 while contacting the warp correction roller 3. The warp correction roller 3 has a diameter corresponding to the central region in the width direction of the roll paper 2 that is larger in diameter than both ends (diameter B> diameter C). As a result, the roll paper 2 is corrected toward a shape recessed downward as shown in FIG. 3.

[Example 2]
Example 2 of the present invention is different from Example 1 in the form of the warp correction portion. For this reason, detailed description of the same or similar configurations and operation contents as the first embodiment of the second embodiment is omitted.

  Referring to FIG. 4, the warp correction unit in the paper warp correction apparatus according to the present embodiment is not in the form of a roller, but a first paper guide that guides the roll paper 2 fed out from the paper roll 1 toward a place where printing is performed. It is comprised by 7 'front-end | tip part. The specific shape is a shape that is curved in the opposite direction to the known warp shape of the roll paper 2 in the width direction.

[Example 3]
The third embodiment of the present invention is different from the first embodiment in the form of the sheet pressing portion. For this reason, detailed description of the same or similar configurations and operation contents as the first embodiment of the third embodiment is omitted.

  Referring to FIG. 5, the sheet pressing portion in the sheet warp correction apparatus according to the present embodiment is not a shaft shape, but is configured by a sheet pressing block 15 fixedly attached to an upper unit (not shown). The paper pressing block 15 is provided between the paper roll 1 and the warp correction roller 3 so as to extend parallel to the width direction of the roll paper 2, and the cross-sectional shape parallel to the width direction of the roll paper 2 is linear. The roll paper 2 is pressed so that the roll paper 2 fed out from the paper roll 1 contacts the warp correction roller 3.

[Example 4]
The fourth embodiment of the present invention is different from the first embodiment in the form of the warp correction section and the form of the sheet pressing section. For this reason, detailed description of the same or similar configurations and operation contents as those of the first embodiment of the fourth embodiment is omitted.

  Referring to FIG. 6, the warp correction unit in the paper warpage correction apparatus according to the present embodiment guides the roll paper 2 fed out from the paper roll 1 toward the place where printing is performed, as in the second embodiment. The leading end portion of the paper guide 7 'is constituted. Further, similarly to the third embodiment, the paper pressing portion is fixedly attached to the upper unit (not shown) so as to extend in parallel with the width direction of the roll paper 2 between the paper roll 1 and the warp correction roller 3. The roll paper 2 has a cross-sectional shape parallel to the width direction of the roll paper 2 and presses the roll paper 2 so that the roll paper 2 fed out from the paper roll 1 comes into contact with the leading end portion of the paper guide 7 ′.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and it goes without saying that various modifications are possible within the technical scope described in the claims. For example, the present invention can be applied to all printers that perform printing on a paper surface while feeding roll paper, and may be applied to a printer that is used as a ticket or coupon issuing machine instead of a printer unit of a POS terminal. Good.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the conventional printer. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer including a paper warp correction device according to a first embodiment of the invention. FIG. It is a figure which shows the principal part structure of the printer containing the paper curvature correction apparatus of the printer shown by FIG. It is a figure which shows the structure of the printer containing the paper curvature correction apparatus by Example 2 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the printer containing the paper curvature correction apparatus by Example 3 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the printer containing the paper curvature correction apparatus by Example 4 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Paper roll 2 Roll paper 3 Warp correction roller 5 Printer main body 6 Paper roll holder 7, 7 'Paper guide 8 Print head 9 Platen roller 10 Paper cutter 11 Paper guide 12 Hinge 13 Upper unit 14 Paper holding shaft 15 Paper holding block

Claims (7)

A paper warpage correction device that is applied to a printer that prints on a paper surface while feeding out roll paper, and corrects the warpage in the width direction of the roll paper,
A platen roller that feeds the roll paper from a paper roll formed by winding the roll paper into a roll and presses the roll paper against the print head;
It is provided between the paper roll and the platen roller so as to extend in parallel to the width direction of the roll paper, and the cross-sectional shape parallel to the width direction of the roll paper is curved in the direction opposite to the warp in the width direction of the roll paper. In the paper warp correction device having a warp correction unit that corrects the warp in the width direction of the roll paper by contacting the roll paper,
A sheet warp correction apparatus configured to apply a back tension to a roll sheet fed by the platen roller.   The paper warp correction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the warp correction unit has a roller shape that is rotatable about an axis parallel to a width direction of the roll paper.   A roll paper provided between the paper roll and the warp correction portion so as to extend in parallel with the width direction of the roll paper is linear, and the roll paper fed out from the paper roll is a straight line. The paper warpage correction apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a paper pressing portion that presses the roll paper so as to contact the warpage correction portion.   The sheet warp correction device according to claim 3, wherein the sheet pressing portion has a shaft shape.   A paper roll holder for receiving the paper roll, and the paper roll holder is provided at a position lower than the warp correction portion, whereby the weight of the paper roll and the inner surface of the paper roll holder and the peripheral surface of the paper roll The paper warpage correction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a back tension is applied to the roll paper by friction between the paper and the roll.   The sheet warp correction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the sheet warpage is configured by a component of the printer. 7. A printer for printing on a paper surface while feeding a roll paper, wherein the printer has the paper warp correction device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

Images